Speech by SATORU TSUNEISHI: Testimony for the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. Los Angeles, CA. First 4 paragraphs give background from 1941 to 1942 and being relocate to Heart Mountain. “In 1943, there was the so-called Loyalty Registration. All of us, aliens denied citizenship under the laws, and American citizens of Japanese ancestry, were subjected to answering many questions. It aroused a great dispute, particularly among Nisei. For me, as an alien, there was no choice but to submit to the war policy of the United States. But to Nisei, it was different, because they were American citizens. There were many super patriots who volunteered to serve the army, in spite of the fact that their rights of citizenship had been ignored and they were confined behind barbed wire fences. There were some Nisei who argued that they could not be loyal to the United States and serve in the army, since the rights of citizenship had been taken away from them. They formed a group called ‘Fair Play Committee’ and started to have meeting at the various Mess Halls to explain their point of view. One day some of the leaders came to our block and asked me to serve as the emcee at the meeting they planned to have in our block. I told them, ‘Why don’t you go to the present block head?’ The leader answered, ‘We did, but he refused to be the emcee. There is not one to ask, so we came to you.’ I hesitated a little, but finally I accepted it, for I had been sympathetic towards them. Etc. At the time when I spoke at the meeting, three of my sons were already serving in the American army. I was proud of this. At the same time, I justified some of the Nisei who refused to serve in the army under such circumstances. Etc. After almost 40 years, I firmly believe that the total evacuation of Japanese during WWII was wrong, and the United States government made a great mistake. It is proper for the United States to recognize this, and to do something to compensate the victims to show her sincerity. By so doing, I believe, the United States will not lose anything: on the contrary, her reputation as a true democratic country will be greatly enhanced.” Satoru was not called upon to present his speech.