University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries Special Collections and University ArchivesCaleb Foote Papers, 1851-1995 (bulk 1939-1995)
Letter from Caleb Foote to A. J. Muste
Item Information
- Title:
- Letter from Caleb Foote to A. J. Muste
- Description:
-
Informing Muste confidentially of affairs relating to Japanese American relocation. The National Service Board of Religious Objectors is considering sending its China unit to provide medical care to internees. See only two possibilities behind the relocation: protect defence industries or to protect the evacuees themselves. There has been no sabotage reported since Dec. 7 and none in Hawaii. Protection of the internees is given as an excuse without evidence, but "the human and social tragedy which this is causing is greater than the occasional acts of violence to which the Japanese were being subjected previously. In any case, most of the violence against the Japanese, in large part caused by Filipinos, took place during the first three weeks after the outbreak of war and dropped off rapidly when the Japanese were given more adequate police protection. To do what is now being done and say it is to protect the Japanese is a case of remarkable stupidity of a deliberate attempt to clothe the facts." The army proceeded in the worst possible way, with evacuation "totally unnecessary, and was brought about by a combination of economic pressure, controlled propaganda, possible army gullibility, and certainly lethargy on the part of 'good' people like ourselves." All this is background for desirability of having a CPS unit facilitate the evacuation: Esther Rhoades points out the distinction between helping the evacuees and helping the evacuation; for a group to go into action "would involve both helping the evacuation and giving at least a tacit approval to what the government was doing." Allan Hunter and Dick Mills note the medical unit is needed among the poor without getting mixed up in such matters: "But that isn't the point, for the fact would be that [the[ pacifist movement would be acquiescing in a great evil by the fact of this work. I wonder if some of the trouble isn't because pacifist people in the east may be accepting the widely dispersed propaganda that even if the evacuation is tragic, it may be unavoidable under war conditions and necessary tragedy. Pacifist people out here who are in closest touch with the situation do not share this opinion." Rhoades does not advocate sitting back and doing nothing. "Our effort should be in getting permanent resettlement for some of these people, and not in easing the army and War Relocation Authority's self-imposed job."
- Creator:
- Foote, Caleb, 1917-2006
- Addressee:
- Muste, A. J. (Abraham John), 1885-1967
- Date:
-
April 4, 1942
- Format:
-
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
- Location:
-
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries
Box 001 (shelf locator) - Collection (local):
-
Caleb Foote Papers
- Subjects:
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Peace movements
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
World War, 1939-1945--Conscientious objectors
National Service Board of Religious Objectors
Civilian Public Service
Rhoades, Esther
- Extent:
- 2 p.
- Link to Item:
- http://credo.library.umass.edu/view/full/mums1013-s01-b01-f089-i002
- Terms of Use:
-
Requests to publish, redistribute, or replicate this material should be addressed to Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.
Contact host institution for more information.
- Place of origin:
-
Tuscon (Ariz.)
- Language:
-
English
- Identifier:
-
mums1013-s01-b01-f089-i002