New Deal for Japs

Peru was considering ways last week of avoiding another experience with Japanese infiltration. A Senate committee was studying a bill to prohibit Japanese immigration altogether. Among its provisions: a bar to the return of Japs deported after Pearl Harbor.

Peru's first Japanese immigrants were harmless enough. But about the time of World War I, a disturbing pattern began to show. New-style Japanese arrivals were well-educated, well-financed. Directed from Japan, they bought control of cotton plantations, worked their way into department stores and industrial enterprises.

By Pearl Harbor day, Peru (pop. about 7,000,000) had some 25,000 Japanese inhabitants, stoutly loyal to Japan. Strict discipline made sure that Peru-born Japlets grew up authentic Japs. Males went to Japan at 18 for Army service, returned more authentic than ever.

Pearl Harbor broke the spell. A U.S.Peruvian dragnet swept up the Japanese leaders, sent some 1,500 of them to the U.S. The humbler Japs were not molested; Peruvians hoped that the small fry, freed from Tokyo domination, would not be a serious menace. The 1,500 deportees were still in the U.S. last week. Peru did not care what happened to them so long as they were not shipped back to Peru.

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