Speech #590144557

It is claimed by some that the right of residence thus granted to the citizens of Japan implies not only the right of all Japanese children to education in the public schools in this country and at public expense. but also the right to education in the same schools as the children of our own citizens or those of other foreign. countries. In other words. it is claimed that under this treaty when a citizen of Japan comes to this country and takes up a temporary residence. as a matter of international right he can force himself or his children into any public school in the land without any reference to local or State laws. regulations. or customs. If this claim of Japan should be held to be well founded. before long we may expect to see Japan insisting that her treaty rights have been invaded and her citizens discriminated against. because we naturalize the subjects of Germany. for example. put them on the police force. and even send them to Congress. and the like privileges are not extended to citizens of Japan. In nearly every municipality in this country where there is any considerable percentage of colored population the colored school children are segregated from those of white parentage. yet under this claim of Japan her citizens are not to be held as bound by local school laws and regulations which have universally been held to be constitutional and proper and binding upon our citizens of colored blood. But the assumption that the treaty of 1894 intended to give and does give to the subjects of Japan the right to free education is a violent one not warranted by the language of the treaty itself.