Show our neighbor the oriental by LEONARD A BARR BARRETT ETT so far as numbers are concerned the late immigration laws have ent deavo deavor red cd to solve the problem of the oriental in our 41 country restrictions have jt fled the japanese 2 J and ln chinese from entering whether I 1 this Is a wise polley policy time alone will reveal it Is true that much of our mental menial labor can be done more willingly and far cheaper by the oriental than by those of the white race it Is also true frue that merchandise made in japan has been offered for sale in this country at a price cheaper than it can be manufactured in our shops it Is also true that the oriental may not be the most congenial neighbor lie ile comes to us with the background of 0 a different culture and insists on expressing his hereditary tendency for this reason we rind find the chinese in particular developing colonies of their own where they have their own temples shops and social privileges every large city has its chinatown this Is only one side of the picture we should not forget that in our universities many oriental students have won first rank in the field of scholarship many are preparing for a professional career in their native land all AH of the orientals Orient als in this country are not of what might bight be called the artisan class when we seriously ask ourselves what are the obligations we owe oue these neighbors we face a dilemma one thing certain we cannot press assimilation to the extent of intermarriage if we want to preserve the white ram race the latter invariably loses its identity in the offspring of all intermarriages Inter marriages on the other hand the best judgment of the oriental mind Is equally opposed to intermarriage nor can we assimilate them into citizenship for the rea son of their tendency to colonize it would be just as impossible tor for us to become chinese or japanese perhaps our obligation Is best expressed in the exercise of christian courtesy and neighborly spirit endeavoring to instill into them the spirit of american democracy and leave it to work from within outward whatever assimilation Is possible must arise within the personality of the oriental himself and cannot be forced upon him from the outside 0 western Nw spare r union |