Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-01
lnternment
Of Japs Big
Loyal Put on Same Basis
With Those Hating Us
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

by WESTBkOOk PEGLEk
CACATON, Ariz.. April 30
~ This is one OF several re-
mote and almost secret places
in our country in which we have
attempted to sweep under the
rug one of our most heartrend-
ing politico-military problems.
On an enormous tract of the
Arizona desert formerly farmed
by colony of Indians, the War
Relocation A thnrity has
planted 1900 men. women and
children of Japanese race.
They include many who were
born in the United States and
also, therefore, under our laws
and our sometimes painful but
continuing concept of liberty
and citizenship, are no less
American than President Roose-
welt, Gen. Macarthur or 1t.
Comdr Mickey Reeves.
There are three types, the
native American, who was
raised American and never
set foot in Japan; the native
American who was sent back 10
Japan for education and indoC-
trination during youth, and
those who were born in Japan.
Almost all OF this last group
entered the United States before
1924. Among them all there are
many, and nobody really knows
how many. who hate the United
States and would stab us in the
back and serve rs a greeting
committee if the Japanese
should bomb Seattle or San
Francisco in sufficient force TO
cause serious emergency.
And among the native Ameri-
cans who were raised" Amer
lean, there are some and again
/ nobody knows how many. who
would do their best 10 Kill the
anti-AmericaRs, There are some
among those who were raised
Japanese and among the Japa-
neSe immigrants OF the older
set who might defend this coun-
try These two young groups are
not trusted. however.
VET, here they arc. 1900 Of
Il them in this vast desert. far
from the two principal cities Of
Arizona and in the heart Of a
defensive military area where
armies maneuver in training for
desert warfare and hundreds q
planes snarl across the clear
skies, all jumbled together, the
loyal and the trcaCherous.
The loyalty of the loyal
Americans is suffering a terrible
trial for. outwardly, they are
not disunGuishable from the
most brutal and implacable
enemies, and they are all on 4
common footing
This is not a New Deal prob
lem nor the result Of any failure
Of willful social experiment. II
is a dangerous and somewhat
tragic development.
EOR their own pTote elton
Il against uncomfortable Ci-
villains. many Of them truly and
bravely patriotic, who long have
held 10 the dictum. recently
voiced by a high military au-
thority on the West Coast "A
Japs a Jap we adopted HIT
ler'S protective custody.
But we may take pride in the
fact that the danger from which
We thus protected these citi-
zens was created by an external
army and not artificially To-
mented by our own government
as an excuse 10 round them UP.
We may be proud too, that We
have not tortured them as Hit 4
Ter did.
And We can understand now.
that If We had not put them
away. guarded in an inaccessible
place. there surely would have
been horrible rcprisals on help
less Americans.
The camp seems serene. Young
Japs battle in the irrigation
canal on the edge Of the reser-
walton which is posted against
intrusion by 1t. Gen. J. j. de
Witt from his headquarters IN
San Francisco and guarded
against Industries and internal
connections by n we'll armed
and alert unit OF military po-
lice.
The situation Is dangerous for
much contraband has been in
tercepted ere now, knives. pho
tographS and Photographic ma
terials. radio equipment and
maps showing the way 10 and
through Mexico. yet a recent
order has forbidden further
search Of parcels addressed 10
the inmates by mail or express.
The MPs may not even search
automobiles entering the camp
under permit for firearms.
Moreover. the area in which
those who arc granted tempo
rary leave may circulate has
been greatly enlarged. although,
at present. few passes are being
issued lest there be reprisalS by
American civilians in little
southwestern towns for the
murder of Jimmy Doolitle's
men.
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