Exclude, Not Irritate

The Immigration Bill, after passage by the Senate (TIME, April 28) stewed in joint conference before going back to both Houses for final approval. The provision for restricting annual immigration to 2% of the number of aliens of each nationality resident in this country in 1890 was fairly satisfactory to all parties. The provision for excluding all aliens ineligible to citizenship (i.e., Japanese; other Orientals had been previously barred out), was the bone of contention.

The President and the Secretary of State were upset because the exclusion provision imperils our friendship with Japan. The President let it be known that he favored exclusion but wished that it might be brought about without irritation.

"It is a question of tact," was the sentiment expressed. "Let us compromise by giving us what we want, and giving Japan a sop for her feelings."

Senators and. Representatives conferred at the White House. Senator Colt of Rhode Island was one of those who went there. Le Baron Bradford Colt is distinguished because he is Chairman of the Senate Immigration Committee, because he was one of six Senators who voted against the present bill and because his nephew married Ethel Barrymore. He sees only harm in the Japanese exclusion provision. His tactful suggestions were listened to.

One proposal advanced was that the time at which the Japanese exclusion clause is to become effective might be set forward. In this way the State Department would be given lime in which to break with due formality the Gentlemen's Agreement, by which Japan has voluntarily restricted her emigration to this country, and to say a few kind words to the Mikado.

The Federal Council of Churches and the National Committee on American-Japanese Relations protested against the unwisdom of the bill. Said the latter:

"The committee is entirely in sympathy with regulation of immigration by a general law. It does not oppose the substitution of the provisions of a general law for the gentlemen's agreement.

"The committee does censure the proposal by legislation to cancel that agreement precipitately and peremptorily without any of the courtesies customary in international procedure among friendly nations, without any proper notification, without any opportunity for a neighborly conference in which representatives of the two Governments could examine the situation, without a word or even a gesture of courtesy toward the other party to a mutual agreement, and without allowing any time for adjustment after the passage of the Act, although such a grace is granted to immigrants from Europe."