The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1947-06-03
Hearing on Claims Board Bill

merits of each. He argued that
such amendments as those urged
b. Congressman Engle tended To
clutter up and confuse the intent
and purpose of H. r. 2768, there
by lessening the prospects for its
passage.
Masaoka pointed out that while
draftees might have suffered great
economic and other losses, the
draftees were not singled out be-
cause of race. He also indicated
that draftees had special govern
ment benefits and safeguards, but
that the Japanese Americans had
no such protective statutes.
mo other group of Americans
were called upon to suffer bank
ruptcy and then to virtual jails, -
Masaoka stated in differentiating
between eyacuee losses and those of
others
After his testimony, chairman
Gwynne read into the records the
appreciation of his Subcommittee
for the efforts of Masaoka in ar
ranging the public hearing and the
witnesses.
AL Leader, Minister Endorse
Measure
Elmer ]. Hewitt, speaking on be-
half of 1,500 Japanese and Japa-
nese American members of his
Union at Seabrook Farms, New
+, Jersey, declared that Since they
were wrongfully evicted; we be-
lieve that as a matter of simple
| justice and good conscience this
government owes a moral obliga-
ton, at least, to do everything pos
sible to make up for that action
(evacuation).
"As a Union" the AFL spokes-
man said, I'VE deplore the low wa.
ges paid in the relocation center
as an insult to our American stand
ard of living -. That the govern.
ment and not private industry was
responsible for these labor anc
wage abuses does not lessen its re-
pugnance to u.s."
Hewitt concluded by saying that:
a.. labor, along with other groups
in American life, has stake in ex-
tending justice to the japanese A
merican evacuee for the losses he
may have suffered as a result Of
a questionable order.
The Rev. Schlegal in pre-
pared statement described his ex-
periences with the evacuees in Wa
shington and stated that common
justice demands that the evacua-
ton claims commission should be
established, IF only to honor the
men of the Nisei combat units who
gave their lives for America.
ut is most becoming to the
standards of social justice to which
we adhere that we give this mi.
nority group the protection and thu
restitution it deserves" he con
cluded.
Malcolm A. Pitts, formerly an as
sistant regional WRA director an,
FSA director in California, explain
ed certain deficiencies in the hand
ling of evacuee property by tn
WRA and other government agen
cies.
Most Questions Sympathetic
Most OF the questions asked b,
the Subcommittee members wer
sympathetic inquiries for addition
al facts regarding various losses
Others dealt with other possible re
NEEDLES, including court action.
OF the Subcommitteemen, Con
gressmen Case and Walter seemed
to be most interested by their lin
of questioning and comments.
DR.. Boswell Barnes, Fedora
Council of Churches of Christ ID
Amehica; Homer Morris, Ameri
can Friends Service Committee
and Edward j. Ennis, American
Civil Liberties Union, all filet
their statements for the record.
Other statements filed with thu
Clerk of the Subcommittee in
Guided those from Dr. Milton S
Eisenhower, the first director O
the WRA and Governor Herbert B