Japanese War Wives Here

There was laughter -- plus just a few quick tears -- and a happy babble of Oriental and Occidental speech yesterday at the Immigration Station as 18 Japanese war wives were released to their husbands to begin life in a new land.

The husband-and-wife greetings were as effusive as though the participants had not seen each other for months. Actually, the couples had been separated only since Monday, when they arrived on the Army transport David Shanks. The husbands, American soldiers or civilian government employes in Japan, were allowed to go where they wished. The wives were detained for physical checkups.

Babies Are Calm

Calmest persons of the crowd were the ten babies in the group. Ranching in age from a few weeks to 14 months, they either slept in their parents' arms or gazed at the scene with steady-eyed detachment.

The arrival of Hideo Noro, his wife, Ayako, and their 3-month-old daughter, Julie Anne, precipitated a real family reunion.

Mrs. Noro is the daughter of Mrs. Frank Watanabe of 4010 48th Ave. S. Mrs. Noro was born in Japan, while Mrs. Watanabe was on a trip to her home land nearly 10 years before the war. Mrs. Watanabe left her daughter with relatives in Japan when she returned to Seattle, and has seen her only twice since, on tips to Japan before the war.

Daughter Recognized

Another of Mrs. Watanabe's daughters, Mrs. Edward Osawa of Seattle, was with her mother in Japan when Mrs. Noro was born. Until yesterday she had not seen her sister since infancy.

"I'm so afraid I won't even recognize her," said Mrs. Osawa.

At that point a dainty young Japanese woman left the elevator.

Mrs. Osawa dashed into her arms.

"I knew her! I knew her!" she cried. And to prove it, both sisters broke into tears as the rest of the family gathered around.

Also on hand, to greet her brother and his wife, was Mrs. Peggy Okada of 901 Sixth Av.

The Noros and family departed for temporary residence at the home of Mrs. Osawa. Most of the rest went to Fort Lawton, preparatory to scattering to homes throughout the country.

Regardless of the birthplace of the wives, their lives from now on apparently will be led on a strictly Occidental plane.

"Hey, where's my old battle ax?" shouted one widely grinning Occidental, as he looked for his bride among a group of the Japanese women leaving the Immigration Station elevator.

[Photo caption]: Left to right--MRS. PEGGY OKADA, MRS. EDWARD OSAWA, MRS. HIDEO NORO, MRS. FRANK WATANABE and HIDEO NORO, holding JULIE ANNE. War wife's arrival brought about this happy family reunion at Immigration Station.