The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-12-27

evacuation by military order of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast of the United States. It is possible to this evacuation in perspective to assess its consequences some of them quite unfore seen and to ponder it's implications for the future consequence that about 10000 persons twothirds of them native-born American citizens had to be put into protective custody in camps established by the War Relocation Authority. This was something very novel in historythe forcble removal and deten- ton of Americans strictly grounds of their racial origin. As have said many times before we do not think that Americans in times to come will be able to read of this without sense of shame.
 The story of the Japanese Americans has been told comprehensively and with careful documenta- ton in recently published book by Carey Me Williams Under the title Prejudice The Japanese Americans: Symbol of Racial Intolerance. And brief pamphlet by the author What About Our Japanese Americans has been issued by the Public Affairs Committee It raises issues which deserve thoughtful consideration Perhaps is late in the day now to argue the wisdom the conshtutionality of evacuation and detention But the problem of what to do with the persons of Japanese descent remains with us We have segregated some 5000 who were held to be possibly "disloyalr in the camp at Tile and is unquestioned still living in other relocation centers
 MT McWilliams estimates that the Japanese Americans evacuated from the West Coast held prop erty there with value of approximately 200 million dollars. Huge losses he says were suffered through nasty forced sales Since the majority of the evacues have been cleared of the suspicion of disoyalty it would only fair for the Government to make some compensation.' The conclusion, it seems to us, is an unacceptable one. But pressing and vital question is whether these people to be allowed to return to their homes if they want to- to be allowed in other words, to have the freedom of movement which is one of the essential rights of citizenship. We have already urged upon the Army that the emergency situation which justified the evacuation order two and a half years ago is now altogether changed. The West Coast is clearly no longer in danger of invasion. The continued ex- clusion of Americans racial grounds seems to us, therefore, to be wholly unwarranted.
 MT. McWilliams sees some potential benefits which may flow from the relocation program along with it's injurious results The people of Japanese ancestry in the United States tended to concentrate on the West Coast and to constitute serious relations problem there They largely cut off from the main streams of American life. Now, perhaps, they can be better integrated into the American community whole. The inherited cultural patterns to which they subscribed have been broken down by the reoca ton experience If the relocation program is ended at an early date with most of the evacuees relocated outside the. centers" MT. McWiams thinks "the program itself will show constructive results despite the hardships expense needless suffering it has involved"
 Such an outcome can be realized, however, only if we fulfill the purposes expressed by the President in his message to Congress of September IA, 1943:
 Americans of Japanese ancestry like those of many other ancesries have shown that they can, and want to- accept our institutions and work loyally with the rest of us making their valuable contribution to the national wealth and well-being In vndicaton of the very ideals for which fighting this war, it is important to to maintain high standard of fair considerate and equal treatment for the people of this minority, as of all other minorties'