| 1952 |
|
| 1961 |
(663) And, in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt
had negotiated a "Gentlemen's Agreement"
with Japan, by which the Japanese agreed
to forbid the emigration of laborers to the
United States. |
| 1962 |
|
| 1963 |
|
| 1964a |
|
| 1964b |
? |
| 1964c |
(377) Roosevelt worked skillfully to douse
the flames. He persuaded San Francisco to
desegregate its schools, and in return in
1907 he negotiated a "gentlemen s agreement"
with Japan to keep out agricultural laborers.
Then, lest the Japanese government think
he had acted through fear, he launched a
spectacular naval demonstration. (385) This
was the attitude with which Wilson and Bryan
approached a new crisis with Japan which
seriously threatened war in the spring of
1913. The California legislature was threatening
to pass a law disqualifying aliens ineligible
for citizenship (Japanese) from owning land.
As jingo newspapers in Japan whipped up a
froth of war excitement, Wilson and Bryan
could do little with the Republican legislature
and the Republican governor of California,
Hiram Johnson, who signed the bill. Wilson
was rather inept in his negotiations, both
with the Californians and the Japanese, but
fared better with the Japanese. |
| 1964d |
(474) Alarmed at the uproar, President Theodore
Roosevelt promised Japan that he would use
his influence to get the order of the San
Francisco school board changed. Then, in
order to meet the objections of the Californians,
Roosevelt obtained a "gentlemen's agreement,"
or informal understanding, with the Japanese
government. Through this "gentlemen's
agreement," the Japanese government
promised to keep its laborers from migrating
to the United States. Roosevelt, in turn,
promised that he would not seek legislation
prohibiting the Japanese from moving to the
United States. While this agreement reduced
hard feelings between the two nations, the
United States and Japan remained suspicious
of each other's intentions. |
| 1964e |
|
| 1965 |
|
| 1966a |
|
| 1966b |
? |
| 1966c |
|
| 1966d |
− |
| 1966e |
(593) The President had no authority over
San Francisco's schools, but he did exert
pressure on the school board to reverse its
decision. The segregation order was finally
revoked when Roosevelt promised to do something
about Japanese immigration. During 1907-1908
the two countries reached an understanding,
which came to be called the Gentlemen's Agreement.
In return for the lifting of the school segregation
order, the Japanese government agreed not
to issue passports to Japanese laborers wanting
to enter the United States. The Gentlemen's
Agreement effectively curbed Japanese immigration,
but it did not put an end to state laws discriminating
against Orientals. This situation was greatly
resented in Japan, where the people assumed
that all Americans regarded them as inferior. |
| 1967a |
|
| 1967b |
|
| 1967c |
|
| 1968a |
− |
| 1968b |
|
| 1968c |
|
| 1969a |
|
| 1969b |
(588-9) President Roosevelt pressured San
Francisco's leaders to halt school segregation
in return for his promise to reduce Japanese
immigration. He blocked the entry of Japanese
immigrants from other countries and concluded
a "gentlemen's agreement" according
to which Japan promised to keep laborers
from emigrating to the United States. |
| 1969c |
|
| 1969d |
|
| 1970 |
|
| 1971a |
|
| 1971b |
|
| 1972 |
(265-6) The Sakamotos joined with the other
Japanese-American parents and found a lawyer
to take their case to court. They wanted
the judges to decide whether or not the rule
was fair. But even before the court could
decide, President Theodore Roosevelt sent
a man to San Francisco to study the problem.
This man found that out of 25,000 children
in the city's schools, only 93 were Japanese-Americans.
President Roosevelt was angry. He wrote to
the San Francisco School Board and told them
that he wanted the rule changed. The school
board agreed. Kyo and the other Japanese
children were allowed to go to the schools
in their neighborhoods as they had done before.
This case was special. Usually, of course,
the President does not step into such matters.
He leaves them to the courts. If President
Roosevelt had not written to the school board,
what do you think the court might have decided? |
| 1973 |
(139) The resulting San Francisco School
Crisis was only partially settled by Theodore
Roosevelt's apologies to the Japanese and
by a Gentlemen's Agreement with Japan under
which Japan voluntarily limited Japanese
emigration to the United States and the United
States agreed to end the discrimination against
Japanese immigrants. |
| 1974 |
|
| 1975 |
− |
| 1976 |
− |
| 1978a |
− |
| 1978b |
(443) President Roosevelt moved into the
muddle with his usual vigor. First, he persuaded
the San Francisco school board to withdraw
its plan to segregate Oriental children.
Second, he got the Japanese government to
promise that it would no longer allow its
people to emigrate to the United States as
laborers. Since nothing was formally signed
by the two governments, the arrangement was
called the "Gentlemen's Agreement."
For a time the crisis was eased. |
| 1980 |
|
| 1981a |
|
| 1981b |
(419-20) Then, later in 1906, another problem
arose with Japan. It began when the school
board in San Francisco ordered the segregation
of Asian children into separate schools.
Although there was talk of war in both countries,
the matter was settled peacefully in 1907
through a Gentlemen's Agreement between the
two notions. Under pressure from President
Roosevelt, the San Francisco school board
agreed to stop requiring that Asian children
be segregated. In return, Japan agreed to
limit the immigration of workers coming to
the United States. This ended the dispute. |
| 1982a |
|
| 1982b |
|
| 1982c |
− |
| 1982d |
|
| 1982e |
(557) Finally, in 1924, the policy became
law. An immigration quota was set for each
European country. Germany and Britain had
large quotas. However, the allotments for
countries such as Greece and Poland were
extremely limited. In addition, all Asian
immigration was ended. |
| 1983a |
− |
| 1983b |
(326) Roosevelt was angered by the school
board's action, but because school boards
are under local and state laws, there was
not much he could do. The President finally
persuaded the school board to drop its order
in return for a promise that he would get
Japan to curb the heavy immigration. This
was done through what was called the Gentlemen's
Agreement with Japan in 1907. Thus the crisis
passed. |
| 1983c |
(639) Roosevelt was angered by the school
board's action, but because school boards
are under local and state laws, there was
not much he could do. The President finally
persuaded the school board to drop its order
in return for a promise that he would get
Japan to curb the heavy immigration. This
was done through what was called the Gentlemen's
Agreement with Japan in 1907. Thus the crisis
passed. |
| 1983d |
|
| 1984 |
(338) Because there was little President
Roosevelt could do to budge the insistent
Californians, he struck a gentleman's agreement
with Tokyo restricting Japanese immigration
to the United States. (In 1913 California
denied Japanese residents the right to own
property. Tokyo protested again.) |
| 1985a |
(598) Roosevelt feared that if war should
come the United States would have great difficulty
in defending the Philippines, the nation's
recently acquired "Achilles heel."
In keeping with his motto, the African proverb
"Speak softly and carry a big stick,"
Roosevelt offered Japan both concessions
and a show of American naval might. . . .
Meanwhile he persuaded San Francisco to desegregate
its schools and, in the "Gentlemen's
Agreement" of 1907, he induced the Japanese
government to limit migration to the United
States. |
| 1985b |
(492) President Roosevelt was upset over
the action taken by the San Francisco school
board. He invited the mayor and the school
board to the White House. He persuaded them
to cancel their order to keep the Asian children
separate from the other school children.
He also got Japan to agree to stop laborers
from leaving Japan for the United States.
This arrangement between the United States
and Japan was known as the "Gentlemen's
Agreement." |
| 1985c |
− |
| 1986a |
− |
| 1986b |
|
| 1986c |
(523) White farmers resented the success
the Japanese. They put pressure on President
Roosevelt to limit immigration from Japan.
In response, he made a Gentlemen's Agreement
with Japan in 1907. Japan agreed to limit
the number of workers coming to America. |
| 1986d |
(530) During the years after World War I,
Japan played an increasingly important part
in world affairs. It took part in peace conferences
and disarmament meetings and was a member
of the League of Nations. It remained sensitive
to the custom of saving face in dealing with
foreign nations. Saving face was particularly
important when the United States, in 1907,
greatly slowed Japanese immigration. The
Japanese regarded this restriction on immigration
as an insult, and they did not soon forget
it. |
| 1986e |
− |
| 1986f |
(370) Starting in the 1880s, Congress passed
laws to discourage immigration from certain
places. From 1882 to 1943 Chinese workers
were forbidden by Congress to immigrate to
the United States. (In 1907 President Theodore
Roosevelt made an agreement with Japan to
stop Japanese workers from coming to the
United States.) |
| 1987a |
|
| 1987b |
− |
| 1988 |
|
| 1989a |
? |
| 1989b |
|
| 1990a |
(540) Japan protested, and Roosevelt intervened
to soften what the Japanese regarded as a
racial insult. The President denounced the
school board's action as a "wicked absurdity."
He persuaded the school board to accept a
compromise under which the board would return
the Asian children to regular schools, and
he would take steps to restrict further Japanese
immigration. |
| 1990b |
? |
| 1990c |
|
| 1990d |
(699) Though the Japanese were insulted,
they agreed to limit the migration of unskilled
workers to the United States in a gentleman's
agreement signed in 1907. In return, the
segregation law was repealed, but not without
costs in relations between the two nations.
Roosevelt also relied on the use of diplomacy
and negotiation in his effort to balance
Asian powers against one another. |
| 1990e |
|
| 1991 |
(460) Diplomats from both nations agreed
to try to solve the problem. In 1907-1908
they came to an understanding. Under what
was called the Gentlemen's Agreement, Japanese
immigration was greatly restricted. At the
same time, San Francisco canceled its plan
for a separate Asian school. Yet relations
between the United States and Japan remained
chilly. |
| 1992a |
− |
| 1992b |
|
| 1992c |
|
| 1992d |
(444) Then, in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt
without the use of any law against the Japanese
persuaded the Japanese government to stop
their people from emigrating. This un-American
agreement came to be called the "Gentlemen's
Agreement." And this became the slang
expression for any agreement to discriminate
against people when you were ashamed to admit
what you were really doing. |
| 1992e |
(444) Then, in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt
without the use of any law against the Japanese
persuaded the Japanese government to stop
their people from emigrating. This un-American
agreement came to be called the "Gentlemen's
Agreement." And this became the slang
expression for any agreement to discriminate
against people when you were ashamed to admit
what you were really doing. |
| 1992f |
|
| 1992g |
(289) Eager to soothe Japanese feelings,
President Roosevelt denounced the school
board's action as a "wicked absurdity"
and the work of "infernal fools."
He persuaded the school board to accept a
compromise. If the board would return the
Asian children of proper age to regular schools,
he would take steps to restrict further Japanese
immigration. |
| 1993a |
(581) Roosevelt scolded the school board
and assured the Japanese that he had no sympathy
with the "outrageous agitation"
of the Californians. He could not, however,
silence the yellow press or the "idiots"
in the California legislature. Yet he was
unwilling to ask the Japanese to concede
any racial inferiority. The State Department
resolved the crisis by negotiating the "Gentlemen's
Agreement" of 1907, an official but
informal understanding that bound both countries
to stop direct immigration between them.
This crisis focused attention on the whole
immigration question. In large degree Roosevelt
shared the common prejudice against the unrestricted
entry of southern and eastern Europeans and
Asians. Still, he feared that a general debate
about immigration in 1906 would complicate
relations with Japan and possibly divide
the Republicans, some of whom were urging
enactment of a literary test for immigrants. |
| 1993b |
− |
| 1994a |
(272) Only after bringing a great deal of
pressure on local authorities did Roosevelt
succeed in getting the action reversed. At
the same time, he promised Californians that
Japanese immigration would be curbed. In
the Gentlemen's Agreement, a series of notes
made up in 1907 and 1908, Japan promised
to issue no more passports to workers seeking
to emigrate to the United States. |
| 1994b |
(696-7) In 1906, the San Francisco school
board, claiming that Japanese children were
"crowding the whites out of the schools,"
segregated them into separate schools and
asked Roosevelt to persuade Japan to stop
the emigration of its people. Though the
Japanese were insulted, they agreed to limit
the migration of unskilled workers to the
United States in a gentleman's agreement
signed in 1907. In return, the segregation
law was repealed, but not without costs in
relations between the two nations. |
| 1994c |
(498) Japanese immigrants quickly began to
buy or rent farmland of their own. Entire
families worked long, tough hours in the
desert sun. Other Japanese immigrants branched
out into the fishing and canning industries.
The Japanese grew successful as they became
producers as well as suppliers and distributors
of many different goods. . . . Then, in 1907
under the so-called "Gentlemen's Agreement,"
Japan agreed not to give passports to workers
headed for California. Still not satisfied,
the California legislature in 1913 made it
illegal for non-Citizens to own land. |
| 1994d |
|
| 1995a |
− |
| 1995b |
|
| 1995c |
− |
| 1996a |
(625) Roosevelt, fuming at the "infernal
fools in California," summoned the mayor
of San Francisco and seven school board members
to the White House. In exchange for an end
to the segregation order, Roosevelt offered
to arrange a mutual restriction of immigration
between Japan and the United States. In 1907
all sides accepted his "gentlemen's
agreement." |
| 1996b |
(433) The following year, President Roosevelt
quieted the crisis by striking a "gentleman's
agreement" with Tokyo, restricting the
influx of Japanese immigrants; San Francisco
then rescinded its segregation order. |
| 1996c |
|
| 1996d |
− |
| 1996e |
(392) KEY EVENTS. 1905, Treaty of Portsmouth:
ends Russo-Japanese War. 1907, "Gentlemen's
Agreement:" U.S. agrees to mutual restriction
of immigration with Japan. "Great White
Fleet:" New U.S. battle fleet embarks
on world tour. (395) Review Questions. MULTIPLE
CHOICE. 4. The "gentlemen's agreement"
of 1907 restricted immigration into the U.S.
from: a. Mexico. b. Ireland. c. China. d.
Japan. |
| 1997a |
|
| 1997b |
(284) In 1907 Roosevelt worked out a "gentlemen's
agreement" with Japan whereby the Japanese
government limited the number of Japanese
allowed to leave for the United States. All
of these restrictions were targeted at specific
groups. Still many Americans wanted much
broader restrictions that would dramatically
limit immigration from southern and eastern
Europe. (301) Roosevelt soothed Japanese
humiliation with "A Gentleman's Agreement"
in 1907 that ended school segregation in
San Francisco -- while at the same time controlling
Japanese immigration to California. |
| 1998a |
(797) Roosevelt, fuming at the "infernal
fools in California," summoned the mayor
of San Francisco and seven school board members
to the White House. In exchange for an end
to the segregation order Roosevelt offered
to arrange a mutual restriction of immigration
between Japan and the United States. In 1907
all sides accepted his "gentlemen's
agreement." |
| 1998b |
− |
| 1998c |
(715) Though the Japanese were insulted,
they agreed to limit the migration of unskilled
workers to the United States in a gentleman's
agreement signed in 1907. In return, the
segregation law was repealed, but not without
costs in relations between the two nations. |
| 1999a |
− |
| 1999b |
(629) Roosevelt, fuming at the "infernal
fools in California," summoned the mayor
of San Francisco and seven school board members
to the White House. In exchange for an end
to the segregation order, Roosevelt offered
to arrange a mutual restriction of immigration
between Japan and the United States. In 1907
all sides accepted his "gentlemen's
agreement." |
| 1999c |
(555) After 1907, immigration of Japanese
laborers stopped because of an agreement
between the United States and Japan. (659)
Roosevelt brought the city's school officials
to Washington and convinced them to withdraw
the segregation order in return for his efforts
to cut off Japanese immigration. He soon
carried out his part of the bargain through
a so-called gentlemen's agreement, by which
Japan agreed informally to limit the departure
of laborers to the United States. |
