Mixed Marriage
Policy
Early in the
evacuation program this mixed-marriage problem came to the attention of the War
time Civil Control Administration and was presented to the Commanding General,
who authorized the release of those persons whose backgrounds made it
reasonably clear that their sympathies would were, and would remain American.
Accordingly, a policy was established that permitted the release of those
persons under the following conditions:
That a family be eligible to reside outside the Western
Defense Command area if the husband is full Japanese, wife non-Japanese and
children unemancipated.
That a family be eligible to reside within the Western
Defense command are if the head of the family is a citizen of the United States
or of a country, (such as China), provided that:
Husband
is non-Japanese, wife full Japanese, and unemancipated children;
Caucasian
mother with minor children, sired by a Japanese father who is either dead or has long since been separated
from the family;
Caucasian foster parents of full or part
Japanese children
That a family or individual be eligible to reside within
the Western Defense Command provided the environment of the family or person has been Caucasian, and if the head of
the family or individual is a citizen of the United States or of a friendly
nation and, providing:
One spouse is part
Japanese (1/2 or less), other spouse non-Japanese, and unemancipated children;
Both spouses part Japanese (1/2 or less), and unemancipated
children;
Mixed blood individuals, who are part Japanese, (1/2 or
less).
Japanese member of a family cannot be released if one
spouse is Japanese, the other spouse non-Japanese, and there are no children,
unless one spouse is serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, and then
only for relocation outside the Western Defense Command area.
Member of a family will be permitted to resume residence
within an evacuated area in cases where a family has become separated by reason
of voluntary evacuation, and provided that all conditions as set forth above
are followed.
The mixed-marriage
policy as outlined above was established on July 3, 1942, and was immediately
communicated to the Center and Relocation Project Managers. As a condition of release or exemption from
evacuation, the individual concerned must secure clearance from the local
police of the community in which the individual is expected to reside.
The police took the position, with some
justification, that the release of Japanese was a military matter, and that
they, as police, were without the power to either authorize or deny residence
to anyone. It became clear that, unless
the Wartime Civil control Administration took the initiative in regard to
police clearance, the mixed-marriage program was bogged down. Thereupon a procedure was adopted whereby the
Wartime Civil Control Administration notified the police chiefs concerned of
the proposed releases, and gave them an opportunity to register whatever
objections might exist. As was
anticipated, the police were very cooperative and no releases were protested.
April 28, 1943
Memorandium for
Mr. McCloy:
In a conference
participated in by Colonal Bendetsen, Captain Hall and myself, an agreement was
reached as to the proposal for a change of policy on mixed marriages, to be
submitted to General DeWitt. This draft
follows:
The present mixed
marriage policy be extended to include the wife of Japanese ancestry with or
without unemancipated children where:
There is a white or
Caucasian husband of United States of United Nations citizenship who resides in
the evacuated zone, and
Where, following an investigation by the Western Defense
command, nothing derogatory is the case of either is discovered.
Except as herewith resided the mixed marriage policy as
stated in the Western Defense Command policy of July 3, 1942, remains is
effect.
This is submitted for your consideration.
William P. Scobey
Colonel, General Staff
Executive
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
APRIL 29, 1943
This memorandum was approved by Mr. McCloy on April 28tj. The original carrying the notation “O.K.—J.J.”
was delivered to Colonel Bendetsen in person, April 29.
WPS
