___________
Buckley, Wa. 98321
July 2, 1981

To: The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.

I am a retired history teacher, accountant, and treasurer. I retired in 1978 after 37 years in the above profession. As a teacher of United states History during and after World War II, I took a real interest in what was happening during that time.

I am white I was born in Bellingham, Wa. on 3-25-1915.

In the last half of the 1940's I taught high school at Columbia Academy, Battle Ground, Wa. We had two students there who were Japanese. They were born in the U.S. and had never been to Japan. There father was a protestant minister in Seattle early in World War 11. They were interned and sent to Tule Lake.

The two girls, Lois and Ann Inoe, both worked with me in the school business office so I knew them well. They were smart well mannered students. They told me of the hurt and trouble that their family had to endure because of being relocated. Attached please find a copy of a letter that I sent to the Tacoma News Tribune which they published on 11-1-1980.

Sincerely,

[Signed]

Clyde W. Smith

[Page 2]

Copy of a letter to the editor of the Tacoma News Tribune Printed 11-1-1980

To the Editor: History records these facts in connection with the imprisonment of the Japanese-Americans on the West Coast during World War 11. Not one case of treason or sabotage during World War 11 by a Japanese-American has been recorded. The Japanese in Hawaii were not interned even though they were in a much greater percentage there than here and hence a much reater potential threat.

The Japanese farmers, especially on the West Coast, were harassed before the War because of their efficiency and competition in the marketplace.

The Japanese-Americans were interned not because of any military threat they might bring. The War was used as any excuse to get rid of their competition and to grab their property.

The Pearl Harbor attack was no surprise to our commander-in-chief, only its serverity. Japanese planes were spotted coming in on Dec. 7 by our radar lookout but his warning, was ignored. After the war a congressional investigation of Pearl Harbor was launched but it was dropped with the death of FDR.

During the 1930's we went much iron and oil products to Japan which she used in her military and to invade Manchuria. It was common talk on the Seattle waterfront tha, "someday we will get all this right back in the face."

The End

By

[Signed]

Anyone who is interested in the truth about Pearl Harbor should read the book, "Roosevelt, The Other Side Of The Coin" by Hamilton Fish.