The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1951-02-10
Ado Seeks
Amendment to
Trading Act
Proposed Rules
Would Apply to
Every Alien

WASHINGTON. d. c. Feb. 10
tADC)-iThe JACL Ado this week
proposed an amendment TO the Ira
ding with the Enemy Act to permit
several thousand japanese aliens
informed and subsequently paroled
during the war to file claims for re-
turn of vested property.
The JACL ADO also is asking that
aliens who left the country prior TO
World War II with re-entry per-
mits. but were unable to return I'M
I'll the wars end. also be given the
privilege of filing claims for vested
property, and that all aliens be Civ
en- an additional two years to file
claims.
The proposed regulations would
apply to aliens of all nationalities
Mike Masaoka, national JACL
ADO legislative director. said the
JACL has asked Sen Warren G..
Magnuson ID. Washl and Rep
Carl Hinshaw ID. Calif) to spon-
sor the amendments. The Con-
greSsmen are members of the res
pective Interstate and Foreign Com
merce committees of the Houses
Explaining the needs for such
amendments, MaSaoka said.
The act today specifically excludes
aliens who were interned or paroled
during the war from filing for the
return of property vested by the Of
flee of Alien Property
This works an unfair hardship
especially upon several thousand
aliens who were interned or paroled
as a security measure shortly after
he war began.
Actually. the government round
ed up thousands of aliens as a pre-
cautionary move This was not a
punishment. but rather to give the
government the time to make closer
checks on their loyalty.
Subsequently all aliens were re-
leased, and the few determined to
be dangerous were deported. Usual
ly. those cleared first were paroled
10 the custody of citizen friends La
Ter, the government began releasing
cleared aliens outright.
Several thousand japanese. who
were informed. were among the first
released. and thus paroled Simp-
ly because they were cleared for re-
lease at a time when the parole poll
cy was in effect, these aliens now
are penalized by being denied the
right OF seeking return of their
vested property Aliens cleared at
later date, when The policy shifted
To outright release, have always
been able to file for return OF vest
ed property Aliens given outright
releases usually are referred 10 as
detainees as distinguished from IN
ternees.
The particular injustice of This
is apparent when it is understood
that under present law a person
who may have committed an actual
crime against the United States is
nor barred from filing a claim. while
one interned or paroled merely for
convenience OF a loyalty check. and
never charged with a crime. is bar
red
The proven loyalty d. a vast ma
jority of informed aliens is obvious
when one reviews their background
A majority of Japanese aliens de
MED the right OF filing for vested
property are the same aliens who
after clearance and parole were en-
ployed by the army and navy in in
telligenee schools, and served dur
ing the var with Japan
II seems entirely inequitable that
some aliens who were completely re-
leased from internment should be
able to file claims, while their neigh
bors who may have been informed OF
paroled for. in some Instances, as
brief time as but a few days, then
completely released. should be pro-
hibited from filing claims.
With respect to aliens with re-
entry permits, Masaoka pointed out
there are relatively few of these
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