The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-10-05

tAl)N1-lne japanese American CIT
liens League today registered a
strong protest with the British Gov
eminent over what it termed an
insult" to non caucasians because
of a policy which bars non-whitc
u S troops from visiting British
rest hotels in Japan.
At the same time. the JACL
urged the American army to close
its Japanese rest hotels to all Bri-
fish forces until such time" rs the
British open theirs to American
personnel without regard To race,
creed or color.
The protests were written follow
ing press report from Japan that
American officers of Japanese an
ceStry were prohibited from making
reservations at British hotels, al
though U. S hotels in that occupied
country are open, without discrimi-
nation, to the British.
1t. Col. Horace w. Hinkle, Ameri-
can commander of Yokohama spe-
cial services. reported il was i'm
possible" for Nisei or Negro to
stay at Havana, a British-operated
hotel
In letters written to the British
Ambassador to the United States
and the Commanding Officer. Bri-
fish Commonwealth of Occupation
Forces, Mike Masaoka, national
JACL DISCRIMINATION Commit
tee director, said
Normally, our organization
would not take exception to the
internal policy of another nation
as il affects the dignity of human
beings, but in this instance we are
forced TO protest an arbitrary at
titude that amounts almost to an
insult of men of non caucasian
ancestry who, i'm the late war, gave
their blood in defense of the Uni
ted Nations, including the British,
and who. in turn, were hOnOred
for their war time service by the
British people
TN the light Of the past, the
attitude of BCOF i'm Japan is a
heartIess commentary upon a ma
ton that would call upon men of
all faiths and races tn lay down
their lives in its defense during
war but i'm time Of peace calIousiy
decide that some men are now not
worthy Of equality of consideration
because of the color of their skin
."
Letters also were sent to General
Macarthur; Secretary of Defense
Louis A. Johnson and Secretary of
the Army Gordon Gray by Mr.. Ma
saoka which said, in part:
I'VE realize, of course, the United
States army has no jurisdiction over
the internal policies of British DC
cupation forces in Japan (buU We
feel the United States certainly
could take some acknowledging the
privilege of visiting its hotels to uny
members of the British armed forces
in Japan until and unless BCOF
Withdraws its arbitrary color policy
as applied to American personnel
The full texts of the letters follow,
To the British Ambassador and
Commanding Officer. BCOF:
1T has come TO our attention that
japanese American. Negro and other
non-caucasian u. S military per
sonnet, both enlisted and officer. are
barred from spending rest leaves in
British Occupation Forces hotels in
Japan.
Normally, our organization would
not take exception 10 the internal
policy of another nation as II affects
the dignity of human beings. but in
this instance we are forced to pro-
test an arbitrary attitude that
amounts almost to an insult TO men
of non-caucaSian ancestry who. in
the Late war gave their blood in de-
Tense Of the United Nations, includ-
ing the British. and who were honor
cd for their wartime service by the
British people
! HAi tho Satna linn un are
forced To complain on another
ground: That American rest hotels
in Japan are open, without diseri-
mination, To limited number
of British troops of any ancestry,
but the same policy is not equally
hOnOred by the British.
During the war. the famed 442nd