opportunities for assimilation. With ownership, and especially
of agricultural land, ‘squatter life’ gives way to the better living
conditions made possible only by a fixed residence and property
interests. Those who own land develop an interest in their prop-
erty and in the community in which they reside, not to be ex-
pected of those not so firmly attached. And, most important, the
effect is cumulative. One good farmer who has an interest in
the community and who wishes to become thoroughly American
does much to improve the ideals and life and to further the as-
similation of his countrymen. Not the least sin of the alien lan
law is that it removes this positive force making for rapid assimi
lation and puts in its stead a feeling of resentment which stand
in the way of the development of the best living and the fulles
assimilation.

“Had we an unrestricted immigration of Japanese, an acut
situation would undoubtedly arise in connection with the owner
ship of the soil. But the fact is that numbers are small, an
unless there is a change in the present immigration policy, wil
not become large. The high wages to be earned now that Japa
nese have a scarcity value and the handicap the Japanese are unde
in securing farm labor tend to check independent farming b
them.” 1 The law was unnecessary. Such has been the histo
of the anti-Japanese agitation in California, which culminated i
the enactment of the alien land law in 1913.

1 Millis, Ibid., pp. 212-215.

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