JAP The Seattle - Chronicling America

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Transcript of JAP The Seattle - Chronicling America

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VOLUME 22. NO. 133.

An American Paper That Fights for Americanism

The Seattle StarBnurad ?» Urconfl Cl*n Matter H*r I. 111,, at th* Pixtnfftrj at fjr»ttl». Waih . tinrtor th« Act of Coniran March I. 117,

SEATTLE, WASH., WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1919.

LATE EDITION jfa*TWO CENTS IN ||||||l

SEATTLE Xllljl/Ptr Tear. V>y Mall. IS 00 to MM

' Tonlsrht and Thursday, fair;YYtdliltr r UrLLdol. gentle northweat«;rly winds.

JAPANESE PICTURE BRIDES ARESwarming hereWHITE or JAP-WHICH?

Shall the Pacific Coast be Japanized?This is the ONE big question raised by

Miller Freeman's interview in The Star.And it is the one question which Editor

S. K. Arima, of the North AmericanTimes, the Japanese daily published here,FAILS to answer.

It is not a question of how energetic, or industrious,or able, or moral the Japanese are, nor how prolifictheir women are. Admitting they are a great race,the question still remains: "Shall this Coast be underwhile control, or under the Japanese?"

"Mr. Freeman seems to fear that Japanese womenwillbear many children," says Arima. "I would askhim whether any human, or body of humans, has theright to restrict the birth of children of any race."

Arima misses the point. We can readily agree that, from amoral standpoint, it is NOT right to impose birth restrictionsupon any race. But birth control is NOT the issue. Let the Jap-anese multiply as rapidly as nature willpermit them in Japan.It Is their right. It is their privilege.

But it is also the right of the Americans to have and to holdtheir own country against Japanese invasion and ownership.I It is because Japanese women are prolific that they presentla menace to the Pacific coast. We do not deny their right to

give birth to children. But we view with alarm the ever-growing population of Japanese on the Pacific coast.

We do not want on this coast the strife and the agonywhich the South has had to endure over the negro question.The negroes were not to blame. They were victimized andexploited. Nevertheless their presence in the South led to abloody four years' war among brothers.

This we would avert on the coast.

If we check the ever-growing racialirritation NOW, we can avoid war. Aswe delay, the remedy will have to bemore drastic.

In the Sacramento valley of California, the country isJapanized already. It does not make for a healthy conditionof affairs. Hatred is cropping out where, under other condi-tions, friendly relations ought to continue.

The very fact that both the United States government

and the Japanese government entered into the so-called "gen-tlemen's agreement" is a recognition of the stern fact that theJapanizing of the coast cannot be tolerated.

By the terms of the "gentlemen's agreement," it was in-tended that the Japanese menace on the coast should dimin-ish. It was intended that Japanese population on the coastshould be held in check.

If, thru the "picture Sride" system, or other means, Japa-'nese population continues to grow here, then the "gentlemen'sagreement" is being violated in spirit ifnot in the letter of thecontract.

It is not the restriction of the Japanese birth rate which isnow sought. It is the restriction of Japanese domination of thePacific coast which is demanded.

We are face to face with conditions, not theories.The Japanese cannot be assimilated. They cannot

become an integral part of this nation. They cannotbe a part of America. Always they remain a part ofJapan.

Is it wise, then, for either Japan or the United States, tolet a condition, which is bound to result in grave trouble,continue? Or shall we check the menace RIGHT NOW?

The answer seems plain.

Confer onJapaneseThursday

American Legion OfficersIndorse Freeman's Plan;

Plan Conference

Senator Wesley L. Jones andCongressman Albert Johnson willbe asked by a committee fromthe Mutual Business Men's cluband the American Legion tobring the Japanese menace onthe Pacific Coast before congress.An effort to hare Senator Jonesattend a conference of leaders ofthe club sad American Legionofficers Tharsdajr afternoon at So'clock at Room 10U Ones

building, was made Watfflesda (rafternoon.The upeclal committee of the Mu-

tual Business Men's club, which willmeet with the American legion menwill consider the recommendationsmade by Miller Freeman, of the StateVitrrans' YVelfnre Commission. Free-

man urged that stale and federal In

ventilation* be mnde and the CniteUState* government approach the Jap-anese government with a proporii for

the gradual deportation of Japanese

In this count' y.This meeting Is expected to take

the first steps to call federal atten-tion to the Japanese question inWashington.

Expert legion HelpThe backing of the American Le-

gion for the entire program suggest-

ed by Miller Freeman is expected, asthe plan ban the Indorsement of JackSullivan, national vice president ofthe veterans' order, and NormanCole, secretory.

The detailed report of R. H. Ma-hon. who has been Investigating theJapanese m« nace In Seattle for theMutual Business Men's club, will belaid before the Thursday conference.For this reason the backers of themove are trying to have SenatorJones attend, so they can givo himfirst hand Information.

Investigations that show, It Is re-ported, Japanese are violating thelaws by holding land, or violatingthe spirit of the law by holding longperiod leases, have been made, andthe facts will be put before the sen-ator.

It 1* also planned to request L. L.Thompson, state attorney general,to make an Investigation. and If hisdepartment bus no authority, to callon Gov. Lou Ik F. Hart for help.

Japanized!Here's what the Japanese own

or control in and neur Seattle:Hundreds of acres of the best

farm land.Scores of hog farms, whlrh

are operated In unspeakablyfilthy condition.

Many wholesale and retailmeat markets, and constantly en-

croaching on white owners.The city public market.The Oriental Trading Co.,

wholesale house, which supports

Japanese retailers and helps

break down white competition.

More than a score of restaurants which are served by Jap

farmers and Jap wholesalers.One hundred and thirty-six of

Seattle's grocery stores.More than a score of barber

shops.Two hundred and fifteen of Se-

attle's hotels. Whites only con-trol 281 now.

Many of Seattle's dye worksand Junk shops.

Ten of the downtown movingpicture shows.

Several of the largest apart-ment houses.

A number of garages and autorepair shops.

Several importing and export-ing companies.

More than a score of clothingand shoe stores.

Dozens of fruit stands, cigarstands, soft drink stands andpool rooms. "

Sixteen hundred Japanese picture brides enter the Port of Seattle everyyear on an average.

{[These brides are claimed by Japanese husbands.«.It is these brides who rear five children to every babe born to Americanparents.

CTHESE CHILDREN, UNDER THE LAW, ARE ALLOWED TO OWNPROPERTY IN THIS STATE BECAUSE THEY ARE CLASSED ASAMERICAN CITIZENS.CThis fact accounts for the feverish influx of picture brides, not to mentionthe fabulous wages to be earned by these very picture brides when com-pared to the mite they earned in their native land.

officials would like nothing better than to stem the tide ofJapanese immigrants, male and female, but the picture bride system holdsthem helpless.

1,600 Came Here Last YearFor the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919, a total of 1,68$

Japanese woman arrived in Seattle from the <cording to figures compiled by The Star today from offt»cial records.

A vast majority of them turned up as picture bride*and were so claimed by male Japanese who appeared utthe immigration station in Seattle.

During the same period a total of 1,651 male Japanesewere admitted. In other words, a total of 3,283 Japanese,male and female, were admitted to the Port of Seattle?-and that is a fair average annual increase in the Japanesepopulation of Seattle. Add to this Japanese influx the factthat Japanese mothers bear five times as many childrenas American mothers and it will be seen that the Japanesepopulation of Seattle is outstripping American populationby leaps and bounds.

What can an immigration officialdo about It?

Nothing:, except to vise the pic-ture bride's passports and the pretensions of the husband.

"It in a serious mistake to admitimmigrants who cannot and will notbe assimilated by the American pop-ulation," a high immigration offi-cial said today. "The Japanese herdtogether, rear offspring with wonderfol productivity, and live theirown lives. Even in our midst, theJapanese is a thing apart. He mightas well live on the planet Mars sofar as his assimilation by our popu-lation is concerned.

Impossible to Assimilate"To me the crux of the evil lies

In the inability of the Japanese tomiscegenate with our white popula-tion. Of course, there Is no desireon the part of Americans to assimi-late its Japanese population, but thevery fact of its impossibility resolvesitself into a grave menace to Ameri-can welfare on the Pacific coast. Thetruth of this assertion is apparentwhen you scan the unhappy unionsof Japanese husbands and Americanwives. Pigmentary preference, be itblaofc. brown, red or yellow, leads tonothing but prief.

"That being so. we nre confrontedwith a growing Japanese population,growing at the rate of thousands ayear, and an alien population that laabsorbing American Industrie! at analarming rate. The menace cannotbe emphasized too greatly.

Ho does not enter the United State*unless he can prove to our satisfae-tion that he comes not as a laborer.The Japanese woman immigrant can-not enter this country if she cometfor immoral purposes.

"The wonderful wealth to be ac-cumulated by the Japanese, com-pared with the pittance for whichthey labored at home, is the control-ling impulse which has resulted Inthe Japanese problem we face today.The woman works like a horse, andher husband does the same. TheJapanese knows no hours. He canraise two crops where only one cropgrew before."

Officials Helpless

"Under the law, no Japanese cajiown land in Washington. But thereis nothing to prevent the child ofthe Japanese, who is regarded as anAmerican citizen, from owning landand property. And that is what hap-pens Title to land apd propertyin the United States can be held inthe name of the child, and nobodycan deny them that right. It grad-ual miscegenation resulted from Jap-anese immigration the problem wouldnot be so irksome, but the Japanesecannot and will not be absorbed byour white population.

Deportation Not Feasible

"We In the Immigration serviceare helpless when It comes to bar-ring them out. We are compelled tointerpret the law as wc find It?andunder the law there Is nothing toprevent the Japanese from floodingthis coast. The only Japanese wecan and do bar Is the laborer and theImmoral woman.

"What Ik to be the solution of thisvexatious problem Is not for me tosay. I do not believe that gradualdeportation would solve It, for thereason that by the time such anevent could transpire, the holdingsof Japanese In the United Stateswould legally be Invested In Jap-anese children, whom, under the law,are American citizens.

"I do not decry the industry andthe sobriety of the Japanese, but weof the immigration service cannotbut see the growth of Japanese In-fluence In Seattle and on the CoastIn general.

"I believe that the Japanesemenace is very grave in Seattle andthe Northwest. As The Star hassaid, the question Is not whether theJapanese makes a better landlord ora better farmer, but whether this Isto remain a white man's land. Itseems to me that the solution ofthis prohlem is a matter for immedi-ate governmental action."

"Deportation of Japanese Is aprohlem which is extremely delicateat the present time, when the peacetreaty is hanging fire and Japan isInvolved In the Shantung contro-versy. It may be that Japanese Immigration to the Pacific coast maydwindle if the Japanese acquire un-disputed title to the Shantung, buteven so, the problem remains withSoattle.

Washington AnnexOwned by Whites

The Washington Annex hotel Isowned and operated by T. H.Gowman and L. R. Stanley. Thehotel has not been In any wiseowned or managed by Japanese.This is printed in fairness to theWashington Annex.

"The fact that the Japanese con-trol the public markets, own halfof the hotels in Seattle and arespreading thruout various IndustriesIs enough to arouse Americans. Hutwhat can we do about it? The lawallows the Japanese Immigrant toland In Seattle.

Liberty Bonds QuotedNEW YORK. July SO.?Liberty bondquotations today: 3 4*s. $99.54; finu 4'a

$04.38; second 4's. $9.1.62; first 4Vi*S!»4.XO; second 4 $»4.10; third 4K; ?

$5*610; fourth 4H'». $!»4 14; Victory 34.$99.90; Victory 4)4 'a. $99.38. T

"We Investigate every single im-migrant who steps from a steamship.

Typical "picture brides" who come to Seattle and see their hus-bands for the first time.

The term "Japanese picture

bride," In common enough, but

few Americans realize the pro-

cedure.

Here's the way it is done: AJapanese In Seattle, »ay, detlroito marry a Kirl back in Japan.He may never have ween or

heard of her. He does not wishto go bark to Japan for her.Hut h*» marries her by proxy.That in to nay, the Seattle Japa-nese sends word to a male friendin Japan that he, the friend. isto marry the gjrl for him. Upon

the marriage, the girl's picture

in affixed to a paws port, whichin vised by immigration officialsin Japan. The girl is allowed to

take ship for Seattle. T'pon herarrival here she 4s held at theimmigration station until herproxy husband arrives to claimher. Except for these "picturebrides." few Japanese womencome here. Up to May, 1917,

the marriage overseas was heldnot binding, and a second cere-mony was performed, in accord-ance with American rites, uponthe arrival of the picture bridein Seattle. Since that time, how-ever, the original ceremony inJapan has been held sufficientby the courts.

Sixteen hundred such bridespassed thru the Seattle immigra-tion station every year for thepast three years.

What Is a "Picture Bride"? i

Ohio LaunchingHigh Food Fight

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 30.

Ohio's fight against high food prices

was launched In earnest here today

with the gathering of prosecutors

from the 88 counties. Governor Cox

and Attorney General Price directed

the conferences.

Evidence of price manipulation

poured In on Price from all parts

of the state. This evidence came In

the form of hundreds of letters and

telegrams from housewives who

were Invited to submit their knowl-

edge of price fixing.

Cox said he hoped to curb prices

by prosecution of persons guilty of

manipulation of foodstuffs, rigid enforcement of the cold storage lawsand perhaps a new system of licens

int food dealers.

SMALL BOY DROWNEDKLAMATH FALLS, Ore., July 30.

?Falling Into the United States rec-lamation service irrigation canal lastnight, Robert Holliday, G, drowned.The boy was playing, lost his bal-ance and (ell Into the water.

VICTOR BUCHANAN

I'd like to buy a little farm.Where profiteers can do no harm;On Star want ads I can rely,They'll show me Just the farm to buy.

If you'll read the For SaleFarm Lands column of TheStar, the chances are youcan find "just the farm tobuy."