Public Opinion as a Social Force: Race Reactions

Abstract

T HE studies of race relations on Pacific Coast' furnish excellent case studies of public opinion. The cominlg of Japanese immigrants to American shores has created dynamic public opinion situations. At once there may be noted several different overlapping phases of human reactions, which taken together constitute what is commonly known as public opinion. It is to be hoped that many case studies of public opinion will be made, not only in connection with race relations, but also in industrial relations, in religious relations, in social disorganization relations. In each instance there would doubtless come distinctive findings, and out of whole a better grasp of nature of public opinion than is now available. i. A cross section made roughly for year I900 finds people of Pacific Coast curiosity-interested in the little brown men, who were migrating in small numbers from Land of Rising Sun, a tiny empire that had shortly before delivered a sharp crisp blow upon staggering Russian giant. As Japanese immigrants made their quiet, rather insignificant appearance on Coast, there were only interested comr menlts. However, there was a definite but sleeping mores. The Japanese immigrants were Orientals, of course, and as such, were in danger of arousing dormant mores. Previously, Coast had gone through an anti-Chinese whirlpool of public opinion. The subsidence of this whirlpool had been brought about by decisive anti-Chinese and anti-Oriental legislation. The stirring experiences relative to Chinese had left in their wake definite elements in mores of Pacific Coast, for example: (i) Orientals shall not become citizens of United States, (z) Orientals possess unwelcome, pagan religions, (3) Orientals possess unconceivably low standards of living and easily drive out good labor, (4) Orientals have so high a birth-rate that natives will be quickly out-populated. To understand what is called public opinion in any social situation it is essential to know underlying culture traits. A knowledge of related antecedent experiences and resultant attitudes of people is vital. It would seem that on no other basis could a complete case study of public opinion be made. The basis of public opinion is an apriori culture or mores stagc, highly potential but not in I Inaugurated in 1924 under direction of Dr. Robert E. Park.