California State Federation of Labor STATE BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR UNDERWOOD BLDG., 525 MARKET STREET, SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF SECRETARY-TREASURER PAUL SCHARRENBERG UNDERWOOD BLDG., 525 MARKET STREET San Francisco, Jan. 31, 1916. To the Labor Press of America: During the past year two Japanese, coming direct from their native land and bearing credentials from the Laborers' Friendly Society of Tokio, were cordially received and extended every courtesy by the labor organizations of California. These two Japanese came to America in order to learn something about our working-class movement, our methods of organization, and if possible, to use the knowledge thus acquired to improve the condition of the working people in Japan. Unfortunately, a serious misapprehension seems to have arisen in certain quarters upon the motives which prompted California trade-unionists to welcome the Japanese delegates and to permit them to sit in the meetings of our Councils and our Federations, and fully gratify their thirst for knowledge. The correspondence which is attached hereto makes it entirely clear that kindness and courtesy toward our visitors should not be construed to mean a weakening in Labor's demand for the exclusion of all Asiatic laborers from our shores. The Executive Council of the California State Federation of Labor has therefore decided to give general publicity to said correspondence so that the organized workers of our country may be placed in a position to refute all misleading statements with reference to this phase of Asiatic exclusion. Kindly give this matter every possible publicity and thus help to remove any erroneous impression that may have been created in the minds of our fellow-workers and others. Fraternally, D. P. HAGGERTY, President, PAUL SCHARRENBERG, Secretary-Treasurer, California State Federation of Labor. (Seal Attached.) UNITED STATES.SENATE San Francisco, Cal., October 14, 1915. Mr. Paul Scharrenberg, Secretary, California State Federation of Labor, My Dear Sir: I beg to call your attention to the bad moral effect produced by the admission of Japanese into the Council of the State Federation of Labor, and the reception, according to newspapers, given to members of the State Federation of Labor in or near Santa Rosa by the Japanese agriculturists. I wish to respectfully call your attention to the fact that anything which weakens the hands of your representatives in Washington, weakens the cause in which we are all concerned the prevention of the displacement of the white population of California by the Japanese. We have no exclusion law against the Japanese, nor any treaty which prevents them from coming. Our safety depends absolutely upon the will of their Emperor, who has seen fit, by reason of the opposition in this country, to voluntarily keep them from coming here. If, by these several manifestations, it may appear that our workingmen are not sincere in their opposition, and have been won over to the "Brotherhood of Man" sentimentality, skillfully preached by Japanese proponents and carried on in various forms by the Japanese propaganda in this country, then Washington may be confronted with the serious problem, which, for the time being, is held in abeyance by the "Gentleman's Agreement" existing between the United States and Japan. I think that the State Federation of Labor has been trapped into a false position. It is something that cannot now be undone. With unlimited Japanese immigration which hangs on a thread, the fate of our workers in shop and field would be ultimate extinction. I trust you will do what you can to correct the false impression that has gone abroad-that the workers of California are indifferent to this matter and are yielding, under one guise or another, to the insidious campaign, which may, if successful, be California's undoing. Yours very truly, (Signed) JAMES D. PHELAN. CALIFORNIA STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR San Francisco, Cal., October 15, 1915. Hon James D. Phelan, United States Senator, Phelan Bldg., San Francisco, Cal. My Dear Senator: Your favor of the 14th instant came duly to hand. I carefully note what you say about "the admission of Japanese into the Council of the State Federation of Labor," etc. It is evident, Senator, that you are not in possession of all the facts pertaining to the admission of the two Japanese, otherwise you would not make the statement that "the State Federation of Labor has been trapped into a false position." Let me call your attention to the records, and in particular to that part. of the report of our Committee on Credentials which reads as follows: "There have been submitted to the Committee on Credentials two credentials for fraternal delegates from the Laborers' Friendly Society of Tokio, Japan, namely, B. Suzuki and S. Yoshimatsu. "Your Committee has given careful consideration to the question of seating these men. It has been said that the Laborers' Friendly Society is not a bona fide trades-union. It has also been alleged that these two men are not representing the working people of Japan, but are rather agents of the Japanese Government in a well-planned campaign to weaken our immigration laws, etc. "Your committee, however, has not been furnished with any evidence to substantiate the allegations referred to. In fact no protest of any kind has been lodged with the Secretary of the Federation or with the committee. We therefore recommend that both be seated without vote. "We have arrived at this conclusion: (1) Because the seating of these delegates in no way affects our attitude or modifies our demand for the exclusion of all Asiatic laborers from our shores. (2) Because we believe it is in accordance with the spirit of International Unionism and to our own advantage to aid and encourage the working people in Japan to organize and better their conditions. Again, let me direct you to the adoption of the following resolution at the very gathering which had been addressed by one of these Japanese fraternal delegates: "Whereas, Asiatic immigration and the resultant competition has for many years past been a menace to the industrial welfare of our people, especially in California and the Pacific Coast States; and "Whereas, Because of this menace it is the duty of our people to refrain from patronizing or employing Asiatics in any manner, as well as to demand extension of the provisions of the Chinese Exclusion law so as to bar all Asiatics; and "Whereas, The Anti-Jap Laundry League composed of Steam Laundry Workers' Union No. 26 and Laundry Wagon Drivers' Union No. 256 of San Francisco, has for many years sought strict Asiatic Exclusion Legislation as well as opposed Asiatic competition; and "Whereas, The California State Federation of Labor has at all times persistently fought Asiatic immigration and competition; therefore, be it "Resolved, That the California State Federation of Labor in regular convention assembled again extends to the Anti-Jap Laundry League its moral support and endorsement; and be it further "Resolved, That the California State Federation of Labor again records itself as opposed to the patronizing or employing of Asiatics in any manner; and in favor of an extension to the Chinese Exclusion law so as to bar all Asiatics." No, Senator, we have not modified our views upon the Japanese menace. We fully realize the danger of the so-called "Gentlemen's Agreement" and we are anxious to have enacted an exclusion law which will effectively and permanently bar these little brown men from our shores. Our objection to the Japanese in California is not, as you so well know, based upon trivial or sentimental reasons. We object to them for economic reasons, we know Californians cannot compete with them and maintain an American standard of living. And we have been in hopes that our kind treatment of the two delegates from Japan, and our own efforts to have them understand fully and unequivocally that we have no grievance against the Japanese as long as they remain in Japan, might have a tendency to bring about a better understanding between the wage workers of Japan and the wage workers of America. If we have failed in this honest endeavor it will be no fault of ours. We have at least tried. I deeply regret to hear from you that the "impression has gone abroadthat the workers of California are indifferent to this matter and are yielding" to Japanese blandishment. If such impression has gone abroad, despite the plain recorded facts, I shall do whatever possible to have it corrected. Any suggestions along these lines will be appreciated. Thanking you for the personal interest shown in a subject-matter of such vital interest to all workers of our State and Nation, I remain, (Seal attached.) Very truly yours, (Signed) PAUL SCHARRENBERG, Secretary-Treasurer, California State Federation of Labor. . SMILE AWHILE A DEVOTIONAL TURN OF MIND As the new minister of the village was on his way to evening service he met a rising young man of the place whom he was anxious to have become an active member of the church. "Good evening, my young friend," he said, solemnly, "do you ever attend a place of worship?" "Yes, indeed, sir; regularly, every Sunday night," replied the young fellow with a smile. "I'm on my way to see her now." A POSER A man was met at the entrance of a depot in New York by one of your typical street urchins. "Say, mister, does yer want yer bag carried?" asked the boy, running after him. "No," he answered, a little sharply. "I'll carry it all the way for a cent, boss," he persisted. "Haven't I told you I don't want it carried?" he said. "Don't yer?" said the boy, breaking into a trot to keep abreast of him. "No, I don't. Now be off with you," he said, glancing fiercely at the young devil. "Well, then, mister," he said, with an expression of anxious and innocent inquiry on his young, dirty face, "what are yer carryin' it for? Why don't you set it down?" QUICK WORK A Chicago mother, on hearing that her sister had received a new little girl, said to Lillian, her little daughter: "Lillian, auntie has a new baby, and now mamma is the baby's aunt. Papa is the baby's uncle and you are her little cousin." "Well," said Lillian, wonderingly, "wasn't that arranged quick." BUTTIN' IN A newly elected assessor in a small town somewhat misconstrued the law when he assessed one of the citizens $8.00 for his goat, which he discovered roaming about the street. This naturally enraged the citizen, and going to the assessor he said he wanted to know why he was assessed $8.00 for his goat when he could get a brand new one for $5.00. The assessor asked if the goat was not his property, to which he replied: "Of course it is." "Well, then," said the assessor, "the law plainly says that 'all property abutting on the street must be assessed $2.00 per runing foot.'" NOT IN THE ARMY, AFTER ALL A Methodist negro exhorter shouted: "Come up en jine de army ob de Lohd. Come up en jine de army ob de Lohd." "Ise done jined," replied one of the congregation. "Whar'd yoh jine?" asked the exhorter. "In de Baptis' Chu'ch." "Why, chile," said the exhorter, "yoh ain't in de army; yoh's in de navy." HIS HORSE'S INTELLIGENCE A farmer had a horse he was anxious to sell, and one day while driving with one of his summer boarders the horse stopped so frequently as to lead the boarder to ask: "What ails your horse that he stops so often? Is he balky?" "No," replied the farmer, "he's all right. It's simply he's so darned afraid somebody will say 'Whoa,' and he won't hear it, that he stops to listen." |