Nisei Rejects Draft Board's Questionnaire

The United States attorney's office late yesterday again heard from Gordon Hirabayashi, Auburn-born University of Washington senior, convicted a year ago last October of violating Japanese curfew regulations here.

Hirabayashi sent J. Charles Dennis, United States attorney, a questionnaire, "The Statement of United States Citizen of Japanese Ancestry," which he received from Seattle Draft Board No. 4, with a copy of the letter he sent the board, explaining why he refused to fill out the form.

Letter to Board

In part, his letter said: "This questionnaire which I am returning to you unfilled is an outright violation of both the Christian and American principles of justice and democracy ... The form is based purely on the grounds of ancestry. As I understand it, no other persons have been required to fill in a further statement because of their ancestry.

"I believe that if I were to fill in this form I would be cooperating with a policy of race discrimination."

Hirabayashi added that he is at 1626 Pacific Ave., Spokane, working with the American Friends Service Committee on Japanese resettlement, and that he is keeping in touch with the Spokane office of the United States attorney.

Action Undecided

Allan Pomeroy, assistant United States attorney, said the office here had not decided what to do about Hirabayashi's refusal to answer the draft board questionnaire.

Hirabayashi was sentenced by United States District Judge Lloyd L. Black to three months, which he served last fall in a prison camp near Tucson, Ariz., after his conviction was upheld by the United States Supreme Court last June.