Japanese labourers still are being secretly smuggled into the United States, according to a petition for [sterner measures to prevent this which has been filed with the Go ernment by the Jabin Shipowners' Association. The petition urges that more deterrent punishments be imposed both on those who act as agents in such smuggling and on those who permit themselves to be victimized. If this smuggling is not effectively stopped, say the off als of the Japan Shipowers' Asso-on, then the trade operations of Japanese shipping companies are bound to suffer. The petition called the attention of the authorities to the fact that, last month, 12 persons were discovered trying to get into the continental United States aboard the Tokyo Kisen Kaisha st Rtiyo Maru. Another 12 recently} were found to be similarly trying to smuggle themselves aboard the Kaisha and eight others aboard the Asama Maru, a tramp steamer: operated by the Yamamoto Kis three companies were made to put up guarantees of] $10,000 to $15,000 as a result, and jthe Japan Shipowners' Association say that their trade has been severely hurt, especially in Vancouver and in the ' Pacific coast ports of the United States. At present the emigration protection law provid that a fine of from Y.6 to Y.S0 shall be imposed on any stowaway, while the criminal law provides that any' person, not a properly-accredited Passenger or having direct business, who boards A mission of imprisonment for a period of not! more than three years, in addition a fine mot exceeding Y.60. The Japan Shipowners' Association, in its petition, declares that the emigra. tion protection law is too light, while the criminal Inw is too heavy, a1 asks that steps be taken to revi the law so as effectively to prevent! attempts of individuals to smuggle themselves into foreign lands.
There are numerous agents in Japan who make a fat living abt of attempts to smuggle country people into America. An innocent farmer or fisherman, who knows nothing all about polities or prevailing gulations, easily is inveigled by this type of land shark. The victim pays a good price to the agent, and when caught has to pay again for his mistake. The agent, if caught, is Hiable to a month's ' imprisonment. The perquisites of the business are good, and the punishment in the event of detection is not very terrifying, and so smuggling goes on. At least, so says the Japan Shipowners' Association, which is urging that immediate steps be taken to revise the law and bring a heavy liliand to bear on those infringing the rules and regulations.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.