W.R.A. Stirs New Tempest In Jap Bulletin

COLUMBUS, Ohio., Dec. 6.--(AP)--The War Relocation Authority's area supervisor today stopped distribution of a four-page bulletin in which Japanese-Americans were told they could teach Ohio and Michigan tenant farmers and seasonal workers the benefit of bathing daily.

The article, which drew criticism from congressmen, was written by Everett L. Dakan, Columbus officer for the W.R.A. and now on leave from Ohio State University's agricultural-extension service. He described it only as a "sales talk" to Japanese-Americans held in relocation centers to get them to come to the two states to help solve a farm labor problem.

Harry Weiss, editor of the bulleting, called Midwest Frontier, said criticism of the article was "unfair because it lefted a few sentences from a column and a half of context." Weiss said the bulletin was mailed only to relocation centers in which West Coast Japanese were held.

Dakan's article said:

"You will discover that "many of our houses were built in pioneer days. The rural electrification is mostly a new thing. That many tenant houses do not have bath rooms because thef [they] were built before bath rooms came into style. ... Then believe it or not, you have some few tenants and seasonal workers who do not bathe! They think it is unhealthy. We need you people to change our ideas about this. You have a lesson to teach Ohio and Michigan farmers in sanitation. It is a contribution you can make to our way of living."

In Washington, Midwestern congressmen denounced Dakan's suggestion.