vent any widespread intermarriage between the Japanese and the other races.” + In spite of the situation, legal and otherwise, there are now about fifty instances in the West where Japanese men have mar- ried American women, and, with few exceptions, the couples have lived happily.” ? And probabilities are, “there would be many more if it were not for the artificial and unjust restrictions placed by law and usage,” * as the situation in the East where there is no race prejudice against Japanese points out. At any rate, “so far as experience shows there is nothing inherently bad in race mixture and if it takes place under normal conditions, and neither race is generally regarded as inferior and the offspring therefore given inferior rank, as in the case of the negroes,” * why not remove the legal obstacle and see what will be the tendency ? From what I do know of the more intelligent, and therefore, more Americanized Japanese, Dr. Soyeda’s statement will likely be proved. That would certainly bring about a more complete as- similation of Japanese. A few more sociological facts may be mentioned. First, as to the religious life of Japanese immigrants here in California: “In every community where any considerable number of Japanese have settled Christian missions have been instituted for their benefit. The membership of the Christian missions, while large and increasing year by year, is smaller than that of the Buddhist organizations. These missions are for Japanese alone, and a recognition of a difference between them and other races and a condition which lessens their value as an assimilative force.” * This last indictment is worthy of serious consideration by all who are interested in religious salvation as well as in real Christianiza- tion of Japanese. A stigma is attached to the “mission” Chris- tianity in the mind of many Japanese Christians, and they prefer to attend American churches and they do. The mission work if 1 Immigration Commission, Reports, vol. 23, pp. 159-160. 2 Millis, Ibid., pp. 174-175. . 3 Soyeda and Kamiya, A Survey of the Japanese Question in Califor nia, p. 9. 4 Millis, Ibid., p. 175. 1 Immigration Commission, Reports, vol. 23, p. 163. 52 . | | ce ee — *- gos — —— 1 =. «°° Ss ss 2.