THEY DEFENDED LOYAL JAPANESE

[Photo caption]: Mrs. Mary Farquharson, former state senator and wife of F.B. Farquharson, University of Washington professor, as she spoke at a Bellevue meeting last night, in defense of returning loyal Japanese-Americans to this area.

[Photo caption]: John L. Hamilton, veteran of both the First and Second World Wars, shown as he declared he had more respect for Nisei who have fought and died for their country than he has for persons evading service of their country by "flimsy excuses."

Anti-Nisei Leaders Take 'Beating' in Bellevue Forum

Anti-Nisei forces in an audience of about 700 persons, who gathered at Bellevue to discuss return of Japanese-Americans here, pitched their "curves" in the form of questions at three speakers last night, but virtually were knocked out of the box.

Residents from Kent and Auburn areas, home of the Remember Pearl Harbor League, provided most of the anti-Japanese questions.

Other members of the audience, which overwhelmingly favored return of the Nisei, gave stanch support to the principal speakers, Dr. Linden A. Mander, professor of political science at the University of Washington and member of Mayor William F. Devin's Civic Unity Committee; John L. Fournier, Kent newspaper publisher, and Harold Fistere, area director of the War Relocation Authority.

Threat to Others Denied

At several points in the forum discussion which followed the addresses, Nisei sympathizers arose and asked questions which tended to refute assertions by those opposing return of Japanese-Americans.

One of these instances occurred when Dr. Thomas E. Sutherland of Auburn arose and replied to remarks made by all three speakers that the anti-Nisei movement was a threat to other minority groups.

"If was a Jew or a Negro or in any other 'minority' as you call it, I would resent being classed with a group (Japanese-Americans) which was disloyal and planned the overthrow of the government," Sutherland said. "Didn't General DeWitt say in proof of their disloyalty that they leaned toward the Japanese government?"

Fistere countered with the assertion that all returning Nisei had been given Army clearance and had proved their loyalty.

Sutherland was followed closely by George Westbeau, officer of the Remember Pearl Harbor League, who wanted to know about "30,000 of these people who are sworn enemies of the United States." To this, Fisere replied it had been found there was no foundation for such an assertion.

It was at this point that Mrs. Mary Farquharson, former state senator and wife of F.B. Farquharson, University of Washington professor of engineering, took the floor in support of the speakers.

None Convicted of Sabotage

"Is it not true," she asked Fistere, "that no Japanese-American ever has been convicted of sabotage ... and that about a dozen who were convicted (on the Pacific Coast and in Hawaii) were white persons, not Nisei?"

This brought a roar of laughter, which was folowed [followed] by applause when Fistere replied that Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents had testified to that effect at hearings.

At another point C. Nifty Garrett, R.P.H.L. official from Sumner, asserting he was "not mad at anybody," wanted to know "what's the hurry about bringing them (Nisei) back here?" Fistere replied quickly and briefly that "all believers in democracy are in a hurry to put democracy to work -- in a hurry."

Vet Speaks for Nisei

Describing himself as a "furriner from Yarrow," John L. Hamilton cited an instance of a Nisei youth residing near Hamilton's home at Yarrow Point who only recently returned from Italy and who was so seriously wounded in action he cannot walk.

"I was in this war and the last one, too," Hamilton said, "and I have far more respect for that boy than I have for a lot of zombies I know hiding out over here and evading the draft with one flimsy excuse or another."

Describing the Caucasian race as a "minority people with a superiority complex," and pointing out that "the white race comprises only about a third of the world's population," Dr. Mander warned that all the arguments now being advanced against the Nisei "were used by the Germans against the Jews.

Divisions Dangerous

Dr. Mander added: "We have divided ourselves into suspicious groups, not only by nations but by classes such as labor against capital." Such divisions he said, "are dangerous and ominous and threaten the winning of the peace."

Mrs. Charles Burnell of Bellevue, who has three sons in the service, took a firm stand in favoring return of the Nisei, asserting her sons "were treated far better when they worked for Japanese over here before the war than they were by some whites."