Congressional Committee Will Recommend Special Treatment for Anti-nazi Refugees

A sharp line will be drawn between political and religious refugees from the oppressed countries of Europe and other so-called “enemy aliens” in the report to be submitted to Congress by the Tolan Committee which has been studying the question of shifting possible “fifth columnists” from the vital military areas of the West Coast, it was reliably learned here today.

Impressed by the testimony of such prominent German refugees as Dr. Bruno Frank and Thomas Mana during its recent hearings in California, Washington and Oregon, the Committee was understood to be convinced that terror-torn exiles from the wrath of Hitler are likely to be America’s most loyal supporters. The same can be said for the anti-Fascist expatriates from Italy.

Rep. John H. Tolan of California, Chairman, who has just returned here, will make a preliminary report to the House this week. This will be followed by a more comprehensive presentation of facts, to be submitted within about three weeks. Outstanding points in the preliminary report, it is reliably understood, will be:

1-Refugees from the Nazi-Fascist terror, including thousands of Jews, must be treated on a different basis from other German and Italian emigres.

2-The most immediately pressing problem is that of ridding important West Coast military areas of Japanese of doubtful loyalty.

3-There should be established local committees, personally acquainted with the aliens, to cooperate with the Dept. of Justice’s enemy alien hearing boards in the process of separating the “fifth column” goats from the innocent refugee sheep.

LOCAL COMMITTEES ON WEST COAST MAY DECIDE FATE OF ALIENS

During its exhaustive inquiry on the West Coast, ordered by the House to provide a basis for future legislation dealing with the segregation of “enemy aliens” the Tolan Committee conducted hearings in four cities — San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle. They occupied seven days. During this period about 150 witnesses were heard, and statements and other date covering thousands of pages were included in the record. The ultimate report will occupy several fat volumes.

All shades of political, economic and racial colorations were represented on the witness stand. They ranged from Bruno Frank, Themas Mann, Attilio Boffa, President of the Massini Society of Anti-Fascist Italians, to irate superpatriot who wanted to kick every foreigner into the deserts of Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

The Committee, in executive session, also heard representatives of the Army and Navy Intelligence, the F.B.I. and the Immigration Service. Therefore, its basis of judgment should be broad. The Committee left the West Coast convinced that the immediate, pressing problem was that of the Japanese, and in this the Army was understood to have concurred. It was pointed out that while authorities are solving the Japanese problem, time will be afforded to proceed with the German and Italian elements in a methodical, orderly way and to avoid the hysteria and bad judgment that usually results from high-pressure methods.

As referred to briefly before, the Tolan report likely will recommend the establishment of local committees to examine aliens, on the the theory that their fellow-townsmen know far more about them than officials from other parts. The authority of these committees would be affirmative rather than negative. That is, if they found that an alien was above suspicion, he would be certified as loyal, unless the F.B.I. or Immigration Service had evidence to the contrary. However, these local committees would not be empowered to brand anyone as a “fifth columnist” or as potentially disloyal. If they were not able to give him a clean bill of health, they would refer his case to the existing Justice Dept. boards for further inquiry.