new

are

racial problem. They have seen Japan- indigestible lumps in the political venese emigrants settle in Queen Charlotte tricle, the case called for scientific Islands off Vancouver and rapidly take

diagnosis. This thing is happening, possession not only of those islands,

and in the language of periods and

nations, all at once, in many quarters but of the fisheries on the coast of

of the Empire. Suddenly the results British Columbia; they have witnessed

of Asiatic immigration into di erent the settlement of 40,000 Japanese, and

parts of the white world are presentnearly as many Chinese, in California,

ing new problems to be solved. where whole districts have become "It is plain, too, that one of the numorientalized; they have heard of the bers in the

Japanese world. rapid increase of the Japanese popula- programme is the occupation of Brittion in the Island of Hawaii; they

ish Columbia. Our Province is beknow that the Japanese are swarming

coming Orientalized, and one of our

important questions is whether it is to over the Loyalty Islands under the

remain a British province or become eyes of the Commonwealth, and they

an Oriental colony-for we have three believe that they covet the vast unoc

races demanding seats in our drawing. cupied territories under the British flag

room, as well as places at our boardin Australia. Wherever the Japanese the Japanese, Chinese, and East emigrant settles he underbids the Indian. white man in the labor market, his “According to a report of the Assess

ment Commissioner several years ago family follows him to his new place of settlement, his customs and habits be

(I have no later figures), nearly an come predominant, and, with persist

eighth of the population of Vancouver

was Oriental, with that of the New ent pressure, he and his kin enlarge

Westminster district larger. But the their boundaries, driving the white

Orientals practically all male man before them.

adults. If they had their families We who live far removed from this with them their numbers would have racial problem cannot afford to ignore been about five times as great, and it, unless we are content to witness the

this would represent permanent popugrowth of a movement which may dis

lation; and this would have given member the Empire. The people in

over half the population of Vancouver

as Oriental, while giving one Oriental other parts of the King's dominions

male adult to every three-and-a-half can hardly realize the intensity of the

whites of the male adult population of anti-Japanese feeling which dominates

the Province." all the peoples of the white race who

This is the experience of British live on the slopes of the Pacific Ocean. Columbia, and we know from recent Mr. F. B. Vrooman, in a lecture which

events what Americans who live on he delivered before the Royal Colonial

the Pacific coast think of this "yellow Institute in March of last year, con- peril,” and we have lately read of the veyed some impression of this racial

determination exhibited by the Califorsentiment. Speaking as a native of

nian legislators to stem the Japanese British Columbia, Mr. Vrooman said:

movement, now that Japanese brides “So long as Asiatic immigration

are arriving to make homes in their was confined to a few individuals who

midst. scattered themselves over a large area,

Europeans may form some concepoffering competition to very little la

tion of the basis upon which the antibor, except the hand-laundry, there was no particular problem. But when

Japanese feeling in the Dominions these people settled down in solid

rests if they keep in view the facts as phalanxes of 10,000 or more at a time stated by Mr. Vrooman:and place, and became undigested and "Japan will not allow a foreigner to

a

conse

own or even work a mine in Japan, because of the imperious demands of but she unreasonably demands for the Japanese pride and national interest, Japanese the right to work in the and the power of the Japanese warmines and to own and exploit the ships.” • mines of Canada and the United The belief which dominates the States-one small syndicate of coolies minds of all these white people is that having now possession of a copper they are in greater peril from Japan mine in British Columbia worth nearly

than from Germany. As Mr. Vrooman a million pounds. She allows no for

has declared in summing up the posieigner to engage in fisheries in Japanese waters, but she demands the right

tion, in words which are echoed by the of the Japanese to fish American and

majority of the inhabitants of AusCanadian waters; and, as

tralia, New Zealand, and British Coquence, all the fisheries of British lumbia: “The vital world-issue of toColumbia, which are 30 per cent. of day, now especially on the Pacific, is the fisheries of Canada, which are the

the Japanese programme of Asiatic largest and most profitable in the

Imperialism." world, are now wholly in Japanese

The racial problem is not merely the hands, yielding 10,500 Japanese laborers from £100 to £600 a year apiece,

antagonism of the white man to the the most of which is sent in cash to

Japanese, but his rooted objection to Japan, and alienated from the British

the settlement in his midst of any Empire for ever. It is a well-known Asiatic community, whether it come fact that Japan will not tolerate our from Japan, China, India, or Singaworkmen on her soil, except those pore. It is this terror which is mouldskilled laborers we have been simple

ing the policy of the Dominions, and enough to send over to teach the Jap

the time has come for the Imperial anese how to make goods cheaper than

Government to consider what its attiwe can make them. "Japan is gradually taxing, or legis

tude should be in face of the grave lating, or expropriating every Western

situation which is rapidly developing. interest out of Japan, Korea, and Man- Sir George Reid, the High Commischuria, and as far as possible out of sioner in London for the CommonChina, but she demands equal rights wealth of Australia, recently recalled and opportunities for the Japanese that as there is a mountain range workman, merchant, financier, farmer,

known as the Great Dividing Range in the business opportunities and po

in the continent to which he belongs, tential wealth of the New World, and more—those safeguards and protec

there is also a Great Dividing Range tions which the Japanese themselves

in the British Empire: “Under the cannot grant to their own people on

same flag that waves over the fifteen their own soil-equal rights in the

million white subjects in Canada, Ausprivileges of an Anglo-Saxon democ- tralia, New Zealand, and South Africa, racy.

there are in Asia and Africa three "If Japan wants something on the

hundred and sixty millions of people American Continent, Canada and the

are

an

belong to our race, and who know the course of Dominion policy that
nothing of our religion.” The great matters have reached a critical condi-
balance of the population of the British tion. The inhabitants of those sections
Empire is on the Asiatic side of the of the British Empire which
Great Dividing Range. If the Imperial washed by the Pacific Ocean, have
Government were willing to sacrifice been watching with close and inter-
all the fruits of the alliance with ested attention recent events in Cali-
Japan, it could not forget India. “We fornia. Many of them have come to
do not always remember what a tre- believe that they have more to hope
mendous fact India is to us and to the from the United States—which is on
world. In the last thirty years the the scene and looks at the problem
people of India have increased by more or less as they do—than from
61,000,000, against increase of any influence which may be exerted by
5,000,000 in the self-governing Domin- the Imperial Government. Under this
ions and 12,500,000 in the British Isles. impression, vastly strengthened by the
There are 250,000,000 acres under crop cruise of the powerful Atlantic Fleet
in India to-day, while Great Britain, of the United States Navy, and its
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, visit to Australian and New Zealand
all told, have less than 50,000,000 of ports, a community of sentiment is
acres. In one crop—wheat-India pro- growing between the white peoples in
duces 64,000,000 bushels more than the the Pacific under the American and
whole of the rest of the British Empire British flags. In some minds in the
put together; that is to say, 426,000,000 Dominions there is already developing
bushels of wheat are produced in India the idea, still it may be dim and
every year, to say nothing of rice and shadowy, that the road to safety lies
the rest. The sea-borne trade of India rather in close co-operation with the
has increased in ten years by far more United States than in reliance upon the
than one-half, and now amounts to vague and undefined, if benevolent,
£260,000,000, or £60,000,000 more than intentions of the Imperial Government,
the trade of Russia. India does not worried by many little things—not for-
come begging to the rest of the Empire getting the Suffragettes. While these
to buy her exports. In Great Britain white peoples are facing the problem
she buys, I think, something like 70 which they regard as vital to their
per cent. of all she buys abroad, but future, the Imperial Government ap-
she sells about 70 per cent. of what she pears to them to be absorbed in a
produces to other nations outside the hundred and one more or less trifling
British Empire."

problems appertaining to the affairs of
This statement represents only one the British Isles and in the clash of
facet of the truth. India is not only policies in Europe, to the exclusion of
prospering commercially, but she is all thought upon the major problems
awakening to a sense of her impor- of the Empire which to the Dominions
tance and her rights, as the recent dis- are very near and very real.
cussion on fiscal matters in the Legis- The possibility of war in the near
lative Council, and the speeches alike future between Japan and the United
of the native members and of Sir States is admitted. During a recent
Fleetwood Wilson revealed. If Japan discussion of the Japanese naval pro-
is to be shut out of the white man's gramme in Tokio, Admiral Takarabe,
lands, what is to be the Imperial atti- the vice-Minister of the Navy, justified
tude towards India ?

his proposals by claiming that it was It must be evident to all who study necessary “to form fleet strong

a

a

enough to beat the fleet of a certain may strike in defence of the free emiforeign Power which the Government gration of her subjects, Australians had principally in view in drawing up and New Zealanders are adopting a its naval programme." • And he dealt policy of local defence, and Sir Wilfrid specifically with the naval force which Laurier has become the advocate of Japan could concentrate "in certain the same policy in Canada. These waters which would form the scene of white peoples are obsessed with the the next possible encounter in war.” thought of a local peril, and they are The reference was, of course, to the also impressed by the balance of popUnited States, the only considerable ulation which is overwhelmingly naval Power in the Pacific. On the against them. Therefore they are other side of this ocean naval officers adopting a “hedgerow" policy of deof authority, and a large section of the fence, and are looking to the United Press, discuss not infrequently the States in increasing friendship. They strength of the American Navy in con

have not the resources to provide a trast to that of Japan, and the prob- navy which could adopt the bold deable course which hostilities with that fensive and take station on the sea country would take.

frontier of the country which they reHas the British Government, which gard as their potential enemy, and is responsible for India, is in alliance their faith in the ubiquity of British with Japan, and occupies the position sea-power to hold the lines of sea comof the only exponent of the foreign munication is waning. They are unpolicy of the Empire, no advice or familiar with those broad principles guidance to give in face of the new of naval policy which to the people of situation? It is confronted with the British Isles are now the commoncleavage in the Empire. Barriers are places of everyday thought. There is being erected not only against Japan, not an effective warship at any point but against all the Asiatic subjects of on the western coast of the British the King, and active, but quite in- Isles, and yet every town and village effectual, measures are being taken to is defended. Years ago, in our innodefend the racial frontier. This is the cence of the truth, we used to have explanation of the defence policy coast and port guardships dotted round which has been adopted by Australia the British Isles. They have long and New Zealand, of Sir Wilfrid since been banished in recognition of Laurier's bid for the votes of the the fundamental principle that navies electors of British Columbia, and of do not directly defend territory; their the anxiety with which Americans aim is to prevent the enemy securing have watched the completion of the the sea highways—that is the real inPanama Canal, which will enable the

vasion to be feared. American Fleet to be concentrated The seas are all one, and it is on this more rapidly in the Pacific.

principle, and on this principle only, This growing anxiety of the white that a full assurance of safety can peoples of the Pacific is undermining be given to every section of the British every sound principle of naval strategy Empire. Half a century ago the moveby which British maritime interests ment of ships was slow and uncertain, have hitherto been effectively defended, because reliance had to be placed upon and yet no action is being taken.

wind and sea, and the passage of inFearing that sooner or later Japan formation was uncertain; to-day the

movement of ships and intelligence. 6 Owing to financial stringency this programmo has been greatly reduced.

owing to the development of steam and