after the school authorities of San Francisco had rescinded their
discriminatory school decree.

The incident is eminently typical of Roosevelt's principles and
practice: to accord full measure of justice while demanding full
measure in return; to be content with the fact without care for
the formality; to see quickly, to look far, and to act boldly.

It had a sequel which rounded out the story. The President's
ready willingness to compel California to do justice to the
Japanese was misinterpreted in Japan as timidity. Certain
chauvinistic elements in Japan began to have thoughts which were
in danger of becoming inimical to the best interests of the
United States. It seemed to President Roosevelt an opportune
moment, for many reasons, to send the American battle fleet on a
voyage around the world. The project was frowned on in this
country and viewed with doubt in other parts of the world. Many
said the thing could not be done, for no navy in the world had
yet done it; but Roosevelt knew that it could. European observers
believed that it would lead to war with Japan; but Roosevelt's
conviction was precisely the opposite. In his own words, "I did
not expect it; . . . I believed that Japan would feel as friendly
in the matter as we did; but . . . if my expectations had proved
mistaken, it would have been proof positive that we were going to
be attacked anyhow, and . . . in such event it would have been an
enormous gain to have had the three months' preliminary
preparation which enabled the fleet to start perfectly equipped.
In a personal interview before they left, I had explained to the
officers in command that I believed the trip would be one of
absolute peace, but that they were to take exactly the same