Still a Melting Pot

If anything ever illustrated the repute of these United States as a melting pot of divers [diverse] races, it was the recent evacuation of Japanese residents, American and foreign born, from the pleasant countryside of Bainbridge Island.

For one thing, many of the Japanese farmers left their properties in full charge of friendly Filipinos, delegated to carry on for the duration of the war.

American boys, with names smacking strongly of the fjords of Norway or of Sweden, played "hookey" from Bainbridge Island schools to bid farewell to their departing Japanese classmates. Among the Japanese were some of the best baseball players of the Bainbridge High School, wearing the sweaters and insignia of their school.

And added to all this was the kindly consideration manifested by young American soldiers, themselves bearing names disclosing a polyglot European ancestry, helping the aged Japanese evacuees and carrying the baggage of Japanese families heavily laden with personal possessions.

The Japanese departed from their homes cheerfully, knowing full well, most of them, that the measure was designated to help preserve the precious, kindly camaraderie among divergent races which is one of this country's great contributions to humanity.