VII.

Labor Delegates from Japan

Before the embassy left California for Japan Mr. Paul Scharrenberg, Secretary of the California State Federation of Labor, made the suggestion to Dr. Gulick that one important method for promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and America was to arrange for the exchange of fraternal delegates by the respective working classes of the two countries. He assured Dr. Gulick that a "suitable" representative from Japan would be received by the labor unions of California and America. It was understood that effort should be made to see if any such delegate could be found.

Immediately upon arrival in Japan conference upon this matter was held with representatives of the Foreign Office, with a few leading citizens of Tokyo, and with men especially interested in the industrial and labor problems of Japan.

Unexpectedly favorable hearing was given to Mr. Scharrenberg's suggestion. Mr. Gulick accordingly instituted investigations and in time found two representatives of the labor movement whom he regarded as suitable persons to serve as fraternal delegates to visit the leaders of organized labor in the United States, Messrs. B. Suzuki and S. Yoshimatsu, both of them Christians.

The Foreign Office in Japan after full consideration and personal meetings with the men selected, agreed to give them passports, if on returning to the United States and reporting the situation fully to Mr. Scharrenberg, he and Mr. Gulick felt confident that the coming of the fraternal delegates to America would be welcomed by organized labor.

On Dr. Gulick's arrival in California in April, 1915, the matter was fully considered with Mr. Scharrenberg and his endorsement was secured. A cablegram was accordingly sent to Tokyo, and in July, 1915, the two Japanese delegates reached San Francisco. Dr. Gulick was there to welcome them and to introduce them to Mr. Scharrenberg, who, true to his word, did all in his power, and most successfully, to give

LABOR DELEGATES FROM JAPAN

31

the men a fair chance. Mr. Suzuki was so well acquainted with English that he was able to make quite effective speeches. In November, 1916, Dr. Gulick reported to the Commission on Relations with Japan, as follows:

"The coming from Japan of Messrs. B. Suzuki and S. Yoshimatsu as representatives of Japanese labor, and their friendly reception by California labor unions and labor councils is an event of no little significance. The credit of the first suggestion for this is due to Mr. Paul Scharrenberg, secretary of the California Federation of Labor, who has given them every opportunity for meeting the workers of California under favorable conditions. In spite of some opposition he was able to secure for them seats as fraternal delegates at the annual meeting of the California State Federation, held in October in Santa Rosa.

"Mr. Suzuki's addresses before California labor councils have been well received, particularly at San Francisco, and at the annual meeting of the California State Federation of Labor and also of the American Federation of Labor. This kindly attitude of California labor leaders to the fraternal delegates from Japan does not indicate any change in their opposition to Japanese labor immigration to California. It indicates rather their satisfaction in knowing that the fundamental principles of labor unionism are likely to make headway in Japan. In all their statements they are asserting repeatedly that their opposition to Japanese is based not on racial but on economic grounds.

"Great gain will be made in international relations when this position is clearly understood in Japan and consistently acted upon in America.

"The coming of the Japanese labor delegates to California is to be considered as one of the helpful results of our visit." A few later items in this interesting development should be added at this point.

In September, 1916, Mr. Scharrenberg, addressing an audience in San Francisco of more than 4,000, was cheered heartily when he said:

"I used to think that danger might sometime threaten us from across the Pacific, but since meeting the fraternal delegates from Japan to the American Federation of Labor, I am convinced that the workers of Japan do not want war

with us any more than the workers of America want war with them.'

At about the same time, at a meeting of the San Francisco Central Labor Council, Mr. Scharrenberg said, as reported, that "he felt the time had come for a more liberal attitude toward the Japanese and suggested that the time might soon come when they would be received into the unions."

Mr. Suzuki returned to Japan in December, 1915. He entered vigorously into a campaign of good-will toward Americans among the working classes, traveling more than 6,000 miles, and making over a hundred addresses in the important centers of the Empire.

He built up his labor organization in that time from 10,000 to over 30,000 and returned to the United States in September, 1916, bringing an invitation from Japanese organized labor to President Gompers to visit Japan with some representative from California to study labor conditions and to make suggestions for the improvement and better organization of labor in that land. These invitations are given in full in the appendix.

While preparing the final pages of this report word has been received of the action of the California State Federation of Labor at the annual convention held at Eureka early in October. The official reporter for the convention, writing personally, speaks as follows with regard to the situation:

"The convention seated Suzuki as a fraternal delegate. Objection was made by the laundry workers, which was a good thing, as it caused many delegates to take the floor and make strong pro-Japanese talks. The only delegates voting against seating Suzuki were the laundry workers.

"The convention by a unanimous vote and without debate instructed its executive council to investigate the feasibility of organizing the Japanese and to make a report on the subject one year hence. Many delegates from various crafts spoke in favor of organizing the Japanese.

"The convention also by a unanimous vote accepted the invitation to send a delegate to the anniversary celebration of the Yu-Ai-Kai at Tokyo next April. Paul Scharrenberg will probably be the delegate.

"A vote of thanks was given Suzuki for his splendid address.

LABOR DELEGATES FROM JAPAN

33

"At every session of the convention there was more or less talk on the Japanese question. In fact, it was the paramount issue before the convention. There has been a wonderful change of sentiment toward the Japanese.

This movment of fraternity between Japanese and American labor is one that promises much and deserves attention. VISIT OF A JANANESE PASTOR TO AMERICA

Another evidence of the growing Christian internationalism and the importance of developing group relationships between the nations, was the coming to America in the summer of 1915 of the Rev. D. Ebina, one of the prominent leaders of the Christian movement in Japan, for a score of years pastor of a self-supporting church for university students in Tokyo. He came under the auspices and at the expense of the Japanese Association of America-entirely Japanese-to do evangelistic work among Japanese upon the coast. This association feels that there is no more important factor for the promotion of right relations between Americans and Japanese than a real acquaintance on the part of Japanese with the essentials of Christianity. A profound and genuine mutual understanding between the two races depends in no small degree upon the development of common ethical and religious ideas and ideals. The Japanese Association accordingly, though an entirely secular body, seeks to promote, even by bringing Japanese pastors from Japan, wholesome relations between Japanese and Americans.

VIII.

Dr. Gulick's Investigations in the

Hawaiian Islands

On its way to Japan the embassy had a single day at Honolulu which was filled to the full with interviews and meetings. Arrangements were then made whereby on his way back from Japan, Dr. Gulick should stop off for a two weeks' trip through the Hawaiian Islands in order to study the Japanese situation and the problem there.

This plan was carried out. Fifteen plantations were visited and full interviews were had with plantation managers, foremen, laborers, Japanese Christian pastors and teachers, Buddhist priests and teachers, and American, German, and Hawaiian men of influence and thought.

The one purpose of this extended trip and of these many conversations was to find out from those who have had long, direct, and responsible relations with Japanese, the results of their experience and thought, to get first-hand facts, to appreciate as fully as possible the problem of the Japanese in Hawaii as seen by these various individuals, chiefly Americans, but also Japanese, to bring all the facts and view-points to bear upon the larger problem of the international relations of the United States and Japan, and to consider whether additional acitivities are needed in Hawaii for the promotion of right international relations.

The results of that study were embodied in an informational report entitled "Hawaii's American Japanese Problem." It consisted of two parts, one "For Americans" and one "For Japanese," and is given in full in Appendix V. It not only described the conditions, but offered suggestions to both groups, American and Japanese, as to methods for solving the problems of the intercourse of the peoples in that extraordinary "melting-pot of the races."