To the Mothers…

Tucked away in small corners of our daily newspapers one finds news items which indicate that the American people are losing their concept of tolerance.
Tolerance is a funny word. It implies forbearance of views and opinions differing from one’s own. During wartime it is a difficult yet necessary task to draw a thin line of distinction between one’s own attitude and that of his neighbor.
There is a different feeling toward our enemies in this second World War; different from the feeling of Americans during the first War. Then were fighting the German people. Today most of us feel we are fighting the fascist form of government, not the people who make up the aggressor-nations.
Yet there are indications that that old feeling of hatred is once more abroad in our nation. Perhaps it is because we are now at war with a people of a different race; an Oriental race.
The government’s decision to remove all enemy aliens away from vital areas on the Pacific Coast cannot be construed as intolerance. Rather it was made in the interests of defense.
Intolerance is beginning to show itself where American citizens of foreign extraction are concerned. Walter Winchell has been one of the worst offenders. Columnist Henry McLemore started more of it a couple of weeks ago when he declared all Japanese should be sent to the interior–regardless of citizenship.
Los Angeles had a taste of intolerance Tuesday when an ordinance was introduced to prohibit the speaking of Japanese, German and Italian languages in public places. The measure was defeated, but the county supervisor made a blunt remark about this proposal. “While I am in full sympathy with the objective, I am sure this ordinance would be unconstitutional.” Luckily we still have free speech in America.
Seattle itself had not been particularly bothered with problems of tolerance until an occurrence Tuesday morning. A delegation of mothers in the Gatewood school district demonstrated vigorously against the employment of 20 Japanese office girls in the Seattle Public schools.
The Seattle PTA had previously protested against the same situation of two separate occasions. These mothers are certainly not showing the foresight necessary to bring up an enlightened generation of young Americans.
The office girls are all American-born, and have the same rights as other American citizens, regardless of creed or color. One of the reasons we are fighting Hitler is because of his persecution of all peoples not strictly German.
These “American” mothers may not realize the fact, but Japanese citizens have to earn a living along with the rest of us. The meager $45 a month that each of the girls receive is little enough in these days of high living costs. One reason they were hired is because it is difficult to find capable white help at that wage.
Two of the girls in question showed more down-to-earth common sense that the whole bunch of mothers put together. Both said that if their fellow citizens thought their continued employment would menace the welfare of the country, they would comply willing, as good citizens should.
Venting our hate on fellow American citizens will get us nowhere in this war.
–Bill Edmundson [Note: on February 27, Bill Edmundson appended a couple of paragraphs dealing with the Gatewood mothers to an editorial dealing with physical education.] The Gatewood incident on Tuesday last is causing some controversy on campus. A group of students have announced their intention of circulating a counter-petition asking for the reinstatement of the 23 Japanese girls who resigned voluntarily when the mothers protested so vigorously.
It’s a strange commentary on modern life when we are expected to go to war to protect womenfolk who do not protect our American ideals on the home front.
The name attached to the Gatewood mothers may not be too fragrant, but it has its points.