It was generally a very racist society in those days so it shouldn't surprise us much.

Even scientists and the elite of the elite had very weird views of other races and countries but you wouldn't expect any better as it was mainly white people from the old continent who were doing science and spreading their culture —which I think was the key factor; so the rest were seen as lower on the racial ladder.

But what a racist bastard anyway.

PS. I can imagine a street-name stripping campaign already.