such a way that the least possible hardship will be caused to Indians domiciled in the Dominions. MR. WILSON: We have been placed in various parts of the world by the accident of birth, and different types of civilization are not easily assimilated, so that the question of moral right does not appeal to me so much as the one of legal right. It is all right to build up a theoretical plan, but in the practical application, the legal rights have usually prevailed. As to the history of immigration, this right is a very recent one. It has been denied by many States, even Great Britain, who also denied the right of citizenship. Differences of opinion between the United States and Great Britain on this subject arose in 1812. Even the right to change allegiance was not generally admitted until the end of the last century, and in some countries it is still not legal. As long as this is not an established legal right, it cannot be said to be a prevailing one at the present time. As to the right to migrate, that, too, has been denied. It is only very slowly coming to be recognized that the mingling of races may be advantageous and it is still open to discussion. MR. TAKAYANAGI: A state of high moral consideration among the nations would be Utopian, but I recognize that State sovereignty is a fact in modern society. On the other hand, there are other forces at work in our international relationships, the details of which have not been worked out in our practical life. MR. LOWRIE: Mr. Wilson has pointed out that legal rights of nations have a firmer foundation than the moral ones. France, for instance, thought we had violated a right because our prohibition law made it impossible to export champagne to the United States. In a discussion of the rights of immigration and emigration, the question of internationalism enters. A nation must consider its own interest primarily. This is the first postulate. What then becomes of clashing international rights? If our international laws do not meet the situation, then they should be modified to fit the actual facts. Findings and Issues: 1. Recommended that the Institute organize comparative study of immigration acts and their administrative effects. 2. Consider the possibility of basing legislation on common principles: procuring uniformity of methods of control and administration. 3. In immigration acts and legislation the manner is more important than the substance. 5. IMMIGRATION: RACIAL ASPECTS ROUND TABLE (THREE MEETINGS): MR. WILSON, CHAIRMAN (The section on Economic Aspects was combined with this Round Table for the last meeting). Discussions: 1. Concrete example-Hawaii. 2. Alien populations in the South Pacific Islands. 3. Specific Continental-Asiatic immigration to California 4. General-Continental United States. 5. Personal relationship as basis for racial contact. 6. Immigration and modification of physical and other characteristics. 7. Selective immigration based on assimilation. Tentative conclusions: 1. Some blending apparently advantageous. 2. Accurate and comprehensive data lacking. 3. Much known information obtainable. 4. Effort should be made to gather and diffuse information. Discussion: MR. ADAMS (Abstract): One of the results of immigration, when the immigrant people are of another race is amalgamation in the biological sense. The desirability of the immigration therefore depends partly on the character of the race-mixture. In Hawaii there is opportunity to observe the results of such race mixture particularly between the native Hawaiians and the Caucasians and between Hawaiians and Chinese. For more than a hundred years there has been considerable contact between the Caucasians of America and England with the native Hawaiians. Sometimes there has been marriage and the husbands have assumed the obligations of parenthood, but in many cases the fathers were temporary residents-sailors and others who did not assist in the care or support of their children. There are now in Hawaii over 13,000 people who classify themselves as part-Hawaiian and the numbers are increasing pretty rapidly. The Chinese have been in Hawaii in small numbers for more than a hundred years-in large numbers after 1853 and still larger after 1876. Considerable numbers of them married native Hawaiian women and we have over seven thousand classified as Asiatic-Hawaiian. These are nearly all Chinese-Hawaiian but there are a few Japanese-Hawaiian and Filipino-Hawaiian. There is no law against inter-racial marriage; among the Hawaiians there is no race sentiment against it. Children of mixed race are not discriminated against; many of them become leaders, holding important offices. There has been no adequate scientific study to determine the character of the race-mixture, but common opinion is that the part-Hawaiian, particularly the Chinese-Hawaiian, mixture is good. The Chinese-Hawaiian carries the better business and other qualities of one side with the love for music, the larger physique and more expansive emotional disposition of the native. He also seems to inherit resistance to disease from the Chinese side. The part-Hawaiians are favorable for scientific study from the standpoint of the biological effects of race-mixture, because they are free from the characteristics that result commonly from group discrimination and prejudice. Mixed races show change in mental attitude; the data regarding change in physical form is too meager for generalization. Japanese boys at the University of Hawaii average 14 inches taller than their fathers. There is inter-marriage among all groups; the amount is shown in statistical tables. (See No. in list of papers distributed to members). MR. ROBERTS (Abstract): In general, the native population of the South Pacific islands is decreasing; it was decreasing before the White man came. The White man came too late to check depopulation, but in time to accentuate it. Alien population is moving into the South Pacific: since 1915 there has been a large infiltration of Orientals. The Chinese are increasing in numbers; the French are introducing Indo-Chinese; there are 80,000 Indians in Fiji. The old unregulated system of indentured labor was neither successful nor humane; indenture accompanied by strict supervision may be desirable. Miscegenation seems to have been mentally and physically successful, if the races are not too unlike, if the parties to the marriages are of decent types and ir no social discrimination exists. Marriage of Chinese with Polynesians and Melanesians has resulted favorably. (See No. 17 of papers distributed to members). MR. TREAT (Abstract): The first Chinese came to California in 1850; they continued to come until in 1880 they constituted 15 per cent of the population. At first they were well received; later they were driven from mining camps. In 1882 immigration was restricted after unpardonable outrages against Chinese persons. Restriction was desirable, "but the way of going about it left a blot on the good name of the United States." "For the past twenty-five years the average Californian has had a very kindly opinion of the Chinese. Few Californians today would believe the things which were generally accepted as true forty or fifty years ago. But many of these Californians are quite prepared to believe just as unsubstantiated allegations against the Japanese." Japanese immigrants to California before 1899 were mostly of the student class. Beginning with 1898, when Hawaii became part of the United States, Japanese came from these islands and later direct from Japan. “Labor interests looked askance at this new source of competitive labor and the politicians found a new campaign issue to take the place of the old 'Chinese peril.'" The Gentlemen's Agreement was made in 1907. Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese decided to remain in the land, to bring their families and build homes, and there was a considerable increase in the Japanese population. Few Californians had an opportunity to analyze the figures. Few realized that, in 1920, there were fewer male Japanese in California than there were in 1910. Few understood that the increase in numbers had been largely among women and native-born children who were, under our law, American citizens. The simple figures, without any analysis, gave point to the demand for a Congressional Act in place of the Gentlemen's Agreement. "In my opinion, the Act, so far as it excluded Japanese, was unnecessary and, as a restrictive measure, it will work less advantageously than the Agreement. And further, having tried to study this subject for almost twenty years in California, I am of the opinion that the greater part of the statements which find currency there regarding the Japanese are very different from the easily ascertainable evidence." (See No. II of papers distributed to members). MR. ICHIHASHI (Abstract): In the United States I have been treated as an equal. It is difficult to understand why there is prejudice against Japanese as a mass of people where none exists against the individual. If the Japanese are as pictured by some, why are not more in jail; why are they used as household servants? If dishonest, how could they have developed international trade? Among interesting contributions to the discussion are the following: I. In North America, Indian blood is a thing to be proud of: Negro blood is abhorred. This is because the Indian is practically a dead race while the Negro still is a powerful race element. 2. There is race prejudice only because different races represent different traditions. We are creatures of habit, accustomed to what we know and judge all things from that viewpoint. 3. Tagore, speaking of the rigidity of the caste system, tells of physical repugnance evinced by some Indian tribes for other tribes although of the same race. The caricature of a race is oftentimes not an accidental affair, but has been created under certain historical conditions and for a definite purpose. 4. It is difficult to state the cause of race prejudice without knowing more of the curious relations between prejudice and prestige. It is not the individual that is feared, distrusted or disliked, but the group. When the sense of inferiority about a race disappears, feelings change. If an individual from a so-called inferior race is exotic enough he can always maintain a superior standing in society. 5. The Gentlemen's Agreement did not exclude the Japanese from Hawaii, but the Japanese Government did more than was required by the Agreement. They treated Hawaii as part of the United States Mainland. The time of the Round Table at the last two meetings was given to the presentation and discussion of two papers: "History of Racial Movements in the Pacific" by H. O. Beyer, and "Racial Investigations in Hawaii" by S. D. Porteus. MR. BEYER (Abstract): There are at least two basic types in Polynesia, three in Melanesia and four in Malaysia. Of the present Philippine population 30 per cent descended from Indonesian types; 40 per cent from Malayan types; 20 per cent from types coming within the historic period and 10 per cent from a primitive pigmy type. These types were culturally different. The immigrants were mostly men who married native women. Men of the older type were killed off or absorbed, but women of the older type persist. There is a tendency for traits of women to be handed down to their daughters. Some invaders remained near the coast and the earlier populations retreated inland. In some islands there are successive rings of population. The brightest people in the Philippines are the Chinese-Malayan mixtures-the addition of a little Spanish blood is an improvement. Spanish-Malayan comes next; the Spanish-Philippine mixture produces great diversity of physical features. The Chinese mixtures are freer from tuberculosis. (Summary of quotations read by the chairman from a paper by Mr. Porteus): We can say that the work done so far in Hawaii indicates very clearly the inherent inequality of races. This inequality is exhibited in traits affecting social efficiency in which the Oriental races have a marked advantage, the Japanese being rated somewhat above the Chinese. The inequality is also apparent in psycho-synergetic traits, the chief factors in racial energy and achievement. The inequality is not marked however, in learning capacity, the status of the races herein being apparently much affected by educational opportunity. It is, however, quite marked in brain capacity, the advantage lying with the Japanese. (Quoted from No. R22 of the papers distributed to members). 6. IMMIGRATION: ECONOMIC ASPECTS ROUND TABLE (TWO MEETINGS): MR. TSURUMI, CHAIRMAN Mr. Batchelder presented a paper on "Economic Aspects of Immigration" (No. R 21 of papers distributed to Members) calling attention to the natural law of immigration that a dense population adjusts by expanding into sparsely populated areas and pointing out three economic reasons for racial conflict: sharp economic competition, mass immigration, and (after immigration has taken place) the concentration of races in particular localities. Countries with higher standards of living should assist in raising standards of other countries. Mr. Condliffe called attention to the undesirable conditions brought about by countries with high standards of living introducing indentured labor with lower standards. The facts regarding density of population in Japan were presented by Mr. Komatsu and Mr. Takaki. In the discussion at the second meeting the ideas were presented that self-interest will ultimately show the necessity of free interchange of peoples (Dingman); that immigration is only a temporary solution of overpopulation (Condliffe, Batchelder) and that improvement in living conditions through industrialization and birth control may make emigration unnecessary (Jenks). When the limit is reached birth control is the only solution. The low standard of living of unskilled labor is temporary; Japanese boys in California are leaving the farms (Komatsu). When standards of living are everywhere equal there will be immigration of commerce, not of people (Batchelder). The following summary was presented to the Forum: 1. Causes of emigration-pre-eminently economic: Peoples with a lower economic standard of living migrating into the country where a higher standard of living exists. 2. Results of mass migration: Friction between the new-comer and the old resident always follows; the reason of this friction is more racial and cultural than economic. 3. Restriction and dangers: It always follows that the nation with a higher standard of living tries to stop the new influx of alien peoples by legislation. This again leads to troubles between nations, war, tariff war, etc. 4. Remedies suggested: 1. Mutual help for the ultimate equalization of the standard of liv- 2. Industrialization-free access to raw materials. 3. Birth control. 5. Some observations: 1. Present situation not satisfactory. 2. Feeling of dissatisfaction existing in certain quarters. 3. Need of education to offset prejudices. |