2,300 Nisei Restored Renounced Citizenship

U.S. COURT DENOUNCES INTERNMENT

By Associated Press.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 29. -- A federal judge today reinstated the United States citizenship of 2,300 war-interned Americans of Japanese ancestry (Nisei) and criticized the government for accepting their renunciations.

District Judge Louis E. Goodman ruled for the Japanese, who said their renunciation was obtained under duress from other nationalist-minded Japanese residents of the Tule Lake, Calif., camp in 1945.

Action Against Clark

The Japanese, through their attorney and the Civil Liberties Union, brought the action against Attorney-General Tom Clark to be reinstated.

Judge Goodman's opinion stated:

"If a confession secured in a manner obnoxious to Congressional policy may not be used in a criminal case, it is equally true that a document releasing the priceless insignia of American citizenship should not be validated when executed in a like manner."

Not Criminally Charged

Authority for internment of American-born Japanese at the outset of the war came under Goodman's fire.

"In view of the admissions contained in affidavits in this case," the court said, "I have no doubt that there was a complete lack of constitutional authority for administrative, executive or military officers to detain and imprison American citizens not criminally charged or subject to martial law."

Judge Goodman gave the government 90 days to name any individuals among the 2,300 plaintiffs against whom it may wish to offer additional evidence.