UNITED STATES AND JAPAN.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13757, 24 June 1913, Page 5

UNITED STATES AND JAPAN.

THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION

ADMIRAL MAHAN'S VIEWS.

NATURALISATION IMPRACTIC-

ABLE.

(Received June 24, 0.45 a.m.)

London, June 23

Admiral Mahan, replying to tho letter of Sir Vincent Chirol, director of tho foreign department of "Tho Times" says thero is no necet^ary connection between a nation's status as a groat Power and its right to roceivo privileges in connection with immigration and naturalisation in anothor State. The public of tho United State© and Canada are opposed to tho concession of immigration to Japan, which involves naturalisation, as American institutions do not favour inhabitants without tho right of citizonship. Admiral Mahan adds: "Personally I entirely roject the assumption that my race- ia superior to tho Chinese or Japanese. My own suits me better, probably because I am used to it, but America doubts her power to assimilate the strong national and racial characteristics which aro lil&ly to constitute the Japanese an unchangingly foreign body of citizens.

Sir Valentino Chirol, director of the foreign department of "The Times,'' writing in that paper last month, said the Californian-Japanese disputo threatened to force to a definite issue Japan's claim to equal treatment with the other world Powers. A question has been raised which diplomacy has hitherto been at pains to exclude by skilful compromises. It is dangerous at the present time because the centre of Japan's political stability is shifting rapidly from the small group of experienced statesmen hitherto controlling the national forces. Sir Valentino Chirol argued that the colour bar cannot logically be pleaded by a country which has waged war to confer equal citizenship upon the American negroes. Ho adds that Japan has already shaken the coloured races' acquiescence in the white man s claim to pre-eminence and dominion.