The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-08-25
Citizenship Restored
lWashington Postl

tWaSnmgtOn POStl
 During the war, $500 American citizens of Japanese ancestry renounced their citizenship under the of law passed by Congress in 1914 for the specific purpose of enabling them to do so. Subse- uuenty about J23O0 of them sought to rescind their renuncations the ground that they had acted under duress Federal District Judge Louis E. Goodman of California has concluded that the renunciations of most of the plaintiffs should never have been accepted and are therefore invalid He ruled that the renunci ants remain citizens of the United States. His de- cision is momentous act of restitution amending an error committed in the excitement of wartime and pointing lesson to all who would palter, for any reason whatever with the constitutional guarantees Of individual rights.
 The history of this country's treatment of its West Coast citizens of Japanese descent is shameful one Although thev were guilty of no disloyal act and had violated no law of the land they were forced to leave their homes and were imprisoned without trial in concentration camps euphemlstcaly caiieo reo- cation centers When the Supreme Court ruled Tn the Endo case that those whose loyalty was aomltteo could no longer be detained the Government hit upon the expedient of authorizing voluntary remuneration o citizenship that the renuncians could then pc ln- termed as enemy aliens. The expedient was appheo to persons who had been segregated at the Iue Lake camp because they had refused failed to sign certain loyalty affidavits Tt shocking to the conscience declared Judge Goodman, that an American cltzen be confined without authority and then while so under duress and restraint, for his Government to accept from him surrender of his constitutional heritage
 
 Burng the Department of Justice official III cnarge of the remuneration hearings took great pains to make sure that remuneration not coerced in any way py the militant groups of pro-Japanese aliens living Tn the Tule Lake center. Judge Goodman characterized an affidavit submitted by Mir Burling in connection with the resembling pleas fair, temperate ana os- passionate statement of the circumstances background ing the renunciations. The affidavit declared:
 It is also true, has been stated, that
 most of the renunciations took place at the
 time when the renunciants and their families
 were in extreme fear of being forced out of the
 center into a hostile community and when they believed that the only way of making sure of
 protective detention during the war was 10 make themselves eligible for Department o1 Justice internment If these factors and the hysteria render the act of remuneration by persons detained under these circumstances void then the renuncations are void
 The court-very properly in our judgment-heio that the totaty of circumstances constituted coercon The renunciants acted abnormaly, said Judge Good- man. because of abnormal conditions not of their own making . The Government of the United States under the stress and necessities of national defense committed error The highest standards of public morality and the nexorabe requirements of good con- science rest upon the Government in it's dealings With its citizens It must be slow to affct and quick to make retribution The Government need not sheep shv confess error must be stawart and fortnight in it's recognition of injustice By so doing, faith and confidence in our system of law will be maintained