Evening star., 1943-07-04
Army.Civi|ian Rift
On Jap Relocation
Denied al Dies Probe
Copt. HoII Disputes
Story Of Army Privote
On Reported 'Breok'

sSy W V'""y s
On Reported Brock
A reported "break" between civil
ian and military authorities over .
plan to allow Japanese-Americans
realised from the 10 war relocation
centers to return to the Pacific
Coast from which they were evacu-
ated after outbreak Of the war was
flatly denied before q Dies subcom-
mittee late yesterday by Capt. John
M. Hall, an attache in the ONCE OF
Assistant Secretary Of War John j.
McCloy.
The denial came shortly after
Robert E. Stripping, chief committee
investigator, read excerpts from .
report Mike M. Masaoka, former na-
tional secretary and field executive
Of the japanese American Citizens
League sent to various chapters Of
the organization last April 10.
Private Admits Report.
Mr.. Masaoka, now 4 private in
the Army, was on the witness stand
at the time, and admitted he wrote
the report. It said in part:
"The notion that cleared Nisei
(Japanese-A Americana ought to be
permitted to return to the Pacific
Coast II they so desire seems to have
caught on here. I understand that,
from highly confidential and reli-
able sources, Dillon Myer director
Of the War Relocation Authority,
is now convinced that unless the
Nisei are permitted to return to
California the general WRA re-
settlement program is doomed to
failure.
In line with this thinking, he
has presented a memorandum to
the President. Biddle (Attorney
General Biddle) and Elmer Davis
have agreed with Myers thinking
and Davis has assigned number of
his boys the Job Of working out an
acceptable owl release system which
will prevent the vicious California
press from making too great an
issue of 1t.
Denies Any Rift.
within the War Department,
there Is q break between the civilian
and military heads on this subject.
Assistant Secretary Of War McCloy,
after a written confidential opinion
from Mr.. Biddle himself, has writ
ten the President to the effect that
he now believes civilians ought to
take over along the lines suggested
above. I understand that Secretary
Stimson has gone as far as to
orally agree to that this phase OF
the problem is beyond that Of the
military.
las you can we'll guess, the gen.
eral stan and 1t. Gen. John L.
Dewitt (chief OF the Western De-
tense CommandD. both oppose this
thinking They insist that as long
as the Japanese have any toehold
in Alaska the West Coast Is in i'm
minent danger Of invasion and that
therefore this problem is still pri-
marily one for the military. Just
how this behind-the-scenes argu-
ment will progress can't be pre-
dicted at this time, but I am en-
couraged that there is q strong
opinion in favor of such a program
Capt. Hall told the subcommittee
mo such rift ever did arise" He said
he was familiar with the picture
and suggested that a representative
of the War Department be called
to testify with respect to 1t. Secre-
tary Stimson. he explained. already
has shunted the report as complete
nonsense"
Favors Releasing Loyal
Pvt. Masaoka. an American who
was born Of japanese parents in
Fresno. Calf. spent nearly six
hours on the witness stand outlining
activities Of the japanese American
Citizens League.
He said he joined the Army to
show loyalty to his native America
and enmity to ancestral Japan and
urged that loyal japanese -Ameri-
cans be given that 'Chinaman's S
chance to stay here after the war. y
Pvt. Masaoka also asked present
day assistance. saying that the War
Relocation Authority should get
more Japanese-Americans out of
the relocation camps and restore
them to normal life"
Under questioning by the commit
tee, he said he does not believe that
every member of the league is loyal
to the United States. but at least
30 per cent of them are"
Counseled Strike.
Pvt. Masaoka admitted writing re-
ports as secretary Of the league to
japanese Americans in the West
urging that they refuse to work un-
less Government restrictions placed
on them and their kinsmen in CEN
ters were removed Committee in
vestigators read to the committee
some Of Pvt Masaokas reports, in
some of which he urged strikes
among the Japanese Americans un-
less their demands against restric-
tions were granted.
Lengthy correspondence and re-
ports Of Pvt Masaoka to japanese
Americans over the country were in
| troduced in which he stated that
as secretary of the league here he
was in touch with high officials Of
the Government and others here.
Among those mentioned were Mrs.
Roosevelt, Chief Justice Stone. Mr..
Stimson. Secretary of Navy Knox,
Mr. Biddle and others.
Asked if he had personal contact
with these persons, Pvt. Masaoka
replied, May have"
isn't it fact that you were
merely trying to impress the league
with things you hadn't done?" he
was asked.
Pvt. Masaoka replied, "All right,
let's put it that way"