Evening star., 1944-12-21

epic incidents Of
this war. Only ISweh Melastt.
now, however, is 1t being told that
many of the doughboys who took
part in the heroic rescue have jap
anese names. This fact has become
known in connection with the deco
ration of 20 who came back alive
and the posthumous decoration Of
eight who gave up their lives.
Other stories have been told Of
bravery beyond the line of duty on
the part of boys with Japanese
names serving in the American
Army. Gen. Mark Clark has pinned
medals on number of them In Italy.
In the China-Burma- India theater
the man they call Sergeant York" is
Staff Sergt. Kenny YaSui, a lad S
feet inches tall. weighing about 100
pounds. He Is one of number Of
Japanese American citizens in the
famous outfit known as Merrill's
Marauders. All in all. the 10000
Japanese American citizens in the
u S. Army are making fine record.
This is related here because of a
situation now arising In this country.
Heroes Snubbed.
At the outbreak of the war 1t was
deemed wise to remove from the
Pacific Coast more than 100000 Jap
anese, some citizens and some aliens.
Men, women and children, they were
moved to relocation camps in States
farther east. 1t was charged at the
time that the removal violated the
rights Of those who are citizens. and
only this week did the Supreme
Court. with three members dis
senting, rule that the Governments
action was constitutional
This week, however, the War De-
partment revoked its evacuation
order and announced that the
greater part of the Japanese are
now free to return to their homes
In anticipation of this action. Or
ganized efforts have begun in q
number Of Pacific Coast communi-
ties to prevent the return of the
Japanese. Bitter feeling has been
whipped up. In 4 California town
local veterans post refused to
put Japanese names on its World
War II honor roll, although one
name was that Of Japanese boy,
now dead, who had been awarded
the DISC on the recommendation of
Gen. Clark. In an Oregon town
Japanese names were scratched off
after they had been posted. In an
Arizona town a barber elected a
wounded Japanese-American soldier
who had come into his shop.
These incidents have brought
angry denunciation from all parts
of the country, but the hostile ele-
ment is showing no disposition to
change its course. Spokesmen are
raising the race issue and attempt
Ing to stir anew all the suspicious
that resulted in the, original evacu-
alton order. Some OF the spokes-
men, however, confess the real basis
of their attitude. In the language
of one Of them who has taken the
trouble to print and distribute q
pamphlet entitled The Japs Must
Not Come Back, the case is
stated this way:
"On the Pacific Coast our farmers
would inherit vast and lucrative
truck-gardening business which the
Japs with their low living standards,
their capacity for working long
hours and their prolific families
have monopolized in the past. Loss
of the Japs would perhaps mean
higher berry and vegetable prices on
the coast, but every dollar of that
increase would bring a correspond
ing improvement in the living stand
ard Of our own white farmers"
Would Exclude Them.
This is coupled with a proposal
to remove all Japanese, citizens or
otherwise, to some Pacific island and
to exclude them permanently from
residence in this country.
A real problem confronts the
American people At a time when
we are fighting for freedom and
equality in other parts Of the world
and demanding justice for Greeks
and Poles at the hands of the
British and the Russians, we are
subject to this test of American
liberalism right on our own premises
We don't like to meet the test;
We don't want trouble. But there