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WHY THE AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRACY ENDORSES ROOSEVELT J.A.C.D. HAS FAITH IN ROOSEVELT AS THE LEADER OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

The Japanese American Committee for Democracy endorses the candidacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Presidency of the United States. 

This decision was not arrived at casually, nor overnight, nor on a partisan basis but is the reasoned conclusion of the experiences of the JACD since its formation in working for the welfare of Japanese Americans, the democratic rights and heritages of all Americans, and the promise of freedom for all the peoples of the world. 

The JACD in its decision does not pander to the egocentricity of any minority group, but it realizes the many difficulties experienced especially by Japanese Americans as a natural consequence of this war. 

Advocates of negotiated peace with fascists and other political dyspeptics have smeared the President and the Administration by accusing him of being solely responsible for the evacuation of Japanese Americans from the Pacific Coast. And many Japanese Americans, blinded by bitterness to the facts, have swallowed the unwholesome bait of the morally bankrupt political groups who pervert the confusion of the political illiterates for their own purposes. 

The fact is that the Executive Order under which evacuation was carried out did not single out Japanese Americans, nor did it order a mass evacuation. It was a General DeWitt to whom "a Jap's a Jap. It doesn't matter if he's a citizen or not" who took this extraordinary interpretation of the Executive Order under pressure from and in sympathy with the race-haters of the West coast. The President's every subsequent act proves this point. 

The fact is that the President immediately created the War Relocation Authority under Milton D. Eisenhower, later succeeded by its present head, Dillon E. Myer, both men to whom the most important task confronting Americans today is in winning the war and not in persecuting peoples because of differences in race or color or religion. 

The fact is that the President approved the creation of the Japanese American Combat Outfit (which has done the most to quiet the racists) because, to him, "Americanism is a matter of the mind and heart; Americanism is not, and never was, a matter of race or ancestry." And Col. W. P. Scobey, Executive Officer of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War, said, "The War Department has faith in the loyal Japanese Americans." Subsequently General DeWitt was removed from his post and replaced by Gen. Emmons from Hawaii where his record of justice and military efficiency was not prostituted by racists. 

The fact is that the President refused to make concessions to racists and their demand that the WRA be placed under the Army and run as prisoners-of-war camps. Instead, the WRA is now a part of the Department of Interior under Harold L. Ickes, a foremost liberal and outspoken critic of special interest groups and domestic fascists.

On the other hand, the fact is that John Bricker, running mate of Thomas Dewey, stated in a speech in California that the return of Japanese Americans to the West Coast should be determined by the racists themselves.

The JACD believes moreover that the welfare of Japanese Americans is not separate from that moreover that the welfare of Japanese Americans is not separate from that of any other minority group and in turn, the welfare of minority groups is not separate from that of America as a whole.  

The record of the President's twelve years is obvious. He has kept as his guiding principle the philosophy that only that government which cares for the welfare of the majority of its people truly serves the people. The legislation passed during those years is a landmark of progress in the understand of human problems of the average citizen of the nation. The Roosevelt Administration has fought consistently the anti labor and monopolistic practices of those who would exploit the common man. It has stoutly defended the rights for a decent living of those who must work for it. 

And today we are fighting a global war. It sounds like a cliché now to say it and apparently many Americans are forgetting that we still are engaged in this war. Which victories over the fasciitis in ever theatre of war many Americans are becoming complacent and smug allowing themselves to forget not only that the war is still going on but also forgetting that we are fighting this war for.   

If we do not want America to become involved again in a war, we must see that war is kept out of the world. 
If the fallacy of any ideology has been proved as a result of this war, it is that of isolationism. 

The world, as the late Wendell L. Willkie SC truly and aptly said, is "One World," and we must recognize the truth. No one nation can ignore the economic, social, cultural and political condition of any other group of people on this earth for what happens anywhere inevitably will react in America. 

The JACD's interest in world security and prosperity is bound together with that of all Americans and all the peoples of the world.

As Japanese Americans we want to see Japan take her place as a respected and respectable family of United Nations. The sooner Japan is rid of her military and imperialist clique who dream of a vast Asiatic Empire to exploit, the sooner will Japanese Americans be freed from the present public attitude of suspicion and distrust -- the sooner will the people of Japan be freed from the tyranny of political and economic fascism-- and sooner will all the people of the Far East be given the opportunity to set about the task of reconstruction and freedom. 

The record of the Roosevelt Administration as contrasted to Governor Dewey's record and that of the reactionary clique in Congress shows that the Administration has never lost sight of the need for unity among nations in working out the basic problems of war and of peace, and it has consistently led the nation toward and understanding of them. 

It is for these reasons, among others, that the JACD endorses Franklin D. Roosevelt as its choice for Resident in this election.  We have not limited ourself to partisan politics nor to the narrow boundary of racial interests. Our choice was made in accordance which the dictates of our hearts and minds. We could not in good faith to our conscience remain inarticulate. We offer our choice as that of a group of people who have faith in the people of America and the world and in their ability to solve the knotty problems that beset them today and tomorrow -- and we have faith in Roosevelt as our leader. 


NEW YORK NISEI ALL-OUT FOR ROOSEVELT POLITICAL RALLY SHATTERS NISEI PRECENDENT

The first all Japanese American political rally in history in support of a presidential candidate was held last Friday, October 27, at Steinway Hall. 

The general nisei precedent of fence- straddling was shattered by nearly 200 independent Japanese Americans who met to pledge their faith in Franklin Delano Roosevelt as their choice for President in this year's momentous election.

The Japanese Americans for Roosevelt Rally was organized by several New York nisei under the leadership of Ernest Iiyama, chairman of the Japanese American Committee for Democracy.

Japanese American sponsors of the Rally included Isamu Noguchi, Sono Osato, Larry Tajiri, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Tom Komuro, Taro Yashima, Minoru Yamasaki, Dyke Miyagawa, Joe Oyama and Ken Furuya. 

Other non-Japanese American sponsors were Professor Albert Einstein, Carey McWilliams, Louis Adamic, Michael J. Obermeier and Lewis Merrill. 

In opening the Rally, Iiyama announced that the Rally was organized with the conviction that nisei as much as any other American must make public their support of specific policies, programs, and candidates. Unless the plain people make known their desires and preferences, he pointed out, the ideals of the "Century of the Common Man" as envisaged by Vice President Henry A. Wallace will remain only a dream. Jerome Nathanson, Radio commentator over station WEVD and member of the Independent Voters of Arts and Sciences for Roosevelt Committee, delivered the principal address of the Rally.

Thelma Dale, executive secretary of the National Negro Congress, and Dyke Miyagawa, former Northwest nisei leader, were other speakers. Sono Osato, who was scheduled to speak, was unable to attend.

Messages from the office of Vice President Wallace, artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and dancer Sono Osato, and the Japanese American Committee for Democracy were received at the Rally. 

Two hilarious entertainment features which highlighted the important theme or "Wake up, citizens, and vote" in easy-to-take forms were received with enthusiastic applause. The first of these was the animated cartoon feature, "Hell Bent for Election," produced by the CIO union, the United Auto Workers. The other feature was the play, "John McGinnicle, Cynical Pinnacle," originally written for radio presentation and presented at the Rally by the State for Action players, a group of professional stage and radio performers.

(Excerpts from the test of addressed given at the Rally and messages received there are printed on page 4 of this issue of the JACD NEWS LETTER Election Extra.)

Transcription Notes:
New note from different transcriber: Finished it completely. (Like how it ought to be) Thank you for not pressing "complete" when half complete to the person before me. ------------------------------ the first article is unfinished- next transcriber please pick up where the "-!" is on the transcription (it was left off at the top of the second page of the newsletter)! the articles run together over the two pages so there is technically only two articles.