ALIENS HERE TO HAVE HEARINGS

Plans for the establishment in Seattle of an enemy alien hearing board, to determine whether aliens accused of subversive activities should continue to be held, were under way today.

The board, to consist of three members, will be appointed within the next few days by the United States attorney-general from a list of 10 persons recommended by United States District Judge John C. Bowen and United States Attorney J. Charles Dennis.

Power to Be Limited

Power of the board will be limited to making recommendations to the attorney-general, who will determine finally whether the accused persons should be interned, paroled or released.

At present, 150 enemy aliens and eight American citizens, all accused of some form of subversive activity, are being held in detention quarters of the Immigration Service Building, 815 Airport Way.

The eight American citizens will be given hearings before a United States commissioner to determine whether they should be held for the federal grand jury.

Hearings Secret

The 150 aliens, including 119 Japanese, 29 Germans and two Italians, will be given secret hearings before the board.

Dennis said the hearings are not a matter of right, but are being granted in order to give the accused persons an opportunity to present facts in their own behalf. Dennis added that a relative or friend of the enemy alien may attend the hearing, but such a person will not be permitted to object to questions or make any argument concerning any phase of the proceeding or otherwise act as an attorney.

War Department's Job

Dennis was informed that persons whom the attorney-general determines should be interned will be turned over to the War Department, which will arrange for his subsequent detention.

R.P. Bonham, district director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, said certain relatives and friends of enemy aliens being detained will be permitted to visit the accused persons Tuesday and Friday afternoons.