| In the early 20th Century, Japan and the United States both claimed new influence in the Pacific region, and each country carefully endeavored to maintain their mutual friendship. However, in October 1906 the city of San Francisco segregated Japanese schoolchildren, deeply offending Japan. The Japanese Government called on Theodore Roosevelt (TR) to compel the city to rescind the order, and rumors of war increased as the diplomatic situation was bogged down by constitutional prerogative.; The focus of this study is to examine the pressure TR brought to bear on the San Francisco Mayor, Eugene E. Schmitz, and the week of negotiations between these two leaders. By closely examining the press coverage of the event, especially from the point of view of the embattled mayor, this study seeks to offer a new perspective of the varying influences affecting the negotiations and their consequences for foreign relations. |
