The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-01-01

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"What Is ADC?"
"What has Il accomplishment"
"What does II mean to me?"
'sWhy should ! support it?"
Such questions as these concern
ing the Japanese American Citizens
League Discrimination Com
mittee are by no means infrequent.
The work of Ado, primarily con-
cerned with legislation and educa-
ton, Is as old as JACL itself, for,
since its beginning, JACL has had
a significant interest in those same
two fields.
Ado was organized IN july, 1915
after Congress passed the Lobbying
Act requiring those seeking national
legislation to register as lobbyists
JACL-ADC was set up as separ-
ate group from JACL to continue
the Legislative program of the par
emf organization, yet permit JACL
to retain Its tax-free status.
Prior to Ado, some efforts were
made by JACL To secure equality
in legi lation but only on a part
time basis. For example, In the
mid thirties, JACL achieved pas
sage of a bill to give Issei veterans
Of the First World War the right
to apply for citizenship. II also
got Congress TO approve an amend
mept to the Cable Act giving Nj
sci who married Issei the right TO
regain and later retain citizen
ship.
These laws marked the first time
n the history of Japanese In Am
erica that they had achieved any
type of legislation In their own be-
half, something no other japanese
association had ever before done
or has yet to do SO.
There Is no need here to recapitu-
late the wartime work of JACL
which gave Nisei the right to join
the armed forces, and permitted ev-
acuees to resettle outside WRA
camps.
With the end of the war. JACL
became increasingly conscious that
with no one else fighting problems
almost exclusively affecting Japa-
nese and Japanese Americans, the
lob of winning equality in and under
the law would be solved only by ia
panese Americans themselves. They
were not problems that would solve
themselves.
Fortunately. during the war.
The famed 442nd Regimental Com
hat Team In Europe complied a
brilliant combat rcord which help
ed build up tremendous reser-
voir Of good will in America. But,
let this be clearly understood: The
good will. unless converted to spe-
cific acts, could easily have eva
p0rated with time, leaving no sub
stantial change in the position Of
Issei and Nisel In America.
Recognizing this fact, JACL-
ADO promptly upon It's establish.
ment, set up a program that call
ed for vigorous, concrete democra-
tic action n give Issei and Nisei
everywhere in America, from the
s.!he csrf..6shington to Washing
ton. d. e., equality In this nation.
What were some Of the laws anc
rulings won by Ado?
The first public law in which Ado
was the prime mover was a def
cheney appropriation giving $34,-
040.89 to NJ former evacuees for pro.
perry losses sustained in fires at tive
WRA centers. This legislation es-
tablished a precedent in which the
government assumed some RESPONSE.
bility for property losses suffered BY
evacuees through no fault of theii
own. and In its way. aided passage
of the Evacuation Claims Act.
Later. working closely with
Congressman from every section
Of the nation, JACL-ADC got Con-
gress to grant Iseei World War III
veterans the right 10 apply for ci-
tizenship as well as stay Of depor-
tation of more than 2.oe0 treaty
merchants, students ana tempoE-
ary visitors subject for removal to
/. Japan after the war.
Meanwhile. numerous els station.
ed in Japan after the war sought
permission to marry japanese girl
and bring them to the United States
It was not untfl ADO began an &C.
tive tight for such legislation tina