Japan Cites Constitution.

New York Times 100 years ago today, June 7, 1913:
Points to Protection Guarantee in Fourteenth Amendment.
    TOKIO, June 6.— Japan's rejoinder to the United States regarding the California Allen Land act reiterates that the new law violates the spirit of the Japanese-American Treaty by discriminating against a friendly power. It asserts that, even if the question is an economic one. It enters the domain of international relations and therefore becomes a political question.
    The note says the California act violates Article I. of the Treaty of 1911, which authorizes subjects or citizens of the contracting parties to own or lease houses which are inseparable parts of real estate. It also sets forth that the new act violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which requires the State to grant equal protection under its laws to all persons within its jurisdiction.
    Interest in the controversy is unabated here, and it continues to be the paramount topic of conversation among all classes. Several mass meetings of protest are being arranged.
    Tatsue Yamamoto, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, issued a statement to-day, in which he said the Japanese Government was desirous of participating in the Panama-Pacific Exposition, but, owing to popular feeling, it felt obliged to delay the arrangements.
    The Japanese Government also has postponed its reply to Secretary Bryan's proposed plan of international arbitration.

    WASHINGTON, June 6.— The outline of Japan's latest note, as contained in the Tokio dispatches, was received In Washington with the greatest interest by officials and diplomatists. The note was read to the Cabinet at the regular meeting to-day and sent to Counsellor John Bassett Moore, the Government's foremost authority on international law
    Diplomatists agreed that the new point referred to by President Wilson yesterday as opening the field for "new and interesting negotiations" was Japan's contention that the anti-alien land law violated the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution.
    The contention that houses are inseparable parts of real estate also is a new one.