California Denies Vote to Naturalized Japanese

SAN FRANCISCO, Friday, July 27. -- A Japanese, admitted to citizenship by the federal courts by reason of service in the American Army, is not entitled to vote in California, according to a decision by the State Supreme Court yesterday.

The case was that of Ichizo Sato, who brought suit against Hary W. Hall, clerk of Sacramento County, asking the Superior Court for a writ of mandamus to compel the latter to register him as a citizen. Sato enlisted in the United States Army at Komoto, Japan, in 1918, and was discharged at Honolulu June 29, 1919. The United States District Court for the territory of Hawaii admitted him to citizenship July 21, 1919.

The Superior Court denied the writ and an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court. Sato's attorneys argued that the Federal Court order was final and that a state tribunal must be bound by it. In yesterday's opinion the Supreme Court held that amendments to the California constitution expressly forbid the naturalization of persons of the yellow races and that state must be bound by the state law in that regard.