Title: "Solon Assails W.R.A. Choice Of Tule Lake Site," Seattle Times, 11/15/1943, (ddr-densho-56-984)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-984

Solon Assails W.R.A. Choice Of Tule Lake Site

RED BLUFF, Calif., Nov. 15.--(AP)--Representative Engle, Democrat, California, in a report to the Dies committee, said today the Tule Lake Segregation Center for disloyal Japanese "was established without regard for considerations of military security for California or the security of the people."

In asking the Dies committee to make its own formal investigation of the center, the congressman declared "the War Relocation Authority had absolutely no control over the internal security of the camp, and the white people in the camp were at the mercy of the Japanese."

(The center was taken over by the Army November 4 after two demonstrations, one of which led to the virtual imprisonment of all Caucasian help while demands were presented and the other of which resulted in the beating of an internal security guard.)

Engle said the bringing of all disloyalists to Tule Lake was "in violation of the general order of Gen. (John L.) De Witt (former commanding general of the Western Defense Command) establishing the zones from which the Japanese were to be prevented from entering."

Reiterating testimony already brought out at the State Senate hearing at Tule Lake last week, Engle added that houses of prostitution operated openly; that the W.R.A. permitted possession of narcotics and liquor; that 3,000 bills of the W.R.A. were in arrears, and that "top officials of the W.R.A. have deliberately falsified to the public as to the condition" surrounding troubles at the center.