Row over dismissal of Nisei

Row Over

Dismissal

3 | e e

`of Nisei

REFUSAL TO ACT

BRINGS CHARGES

`State Officer Is

Accused of Favoring

Japanese Employees

A. R. Albouze, executive officer of

the state department of Social Wel-

fare at Sacramento, was threatened

with dismissal Friday for alleged

non-cooperation with the State Per-

sonnel Board's program for dismissal

of Japanese Americans from civil

service jobs.

Charges were hurled at Albouze at

la stormy session of the State Per-

lsonnel Board at the State building

{here, with board member E. H.

| Christian directing a violent attack.

According to a report by a board

investigator, Albouze had refused to

| assist board investigators in serving

jnotices of dismissal on Japanese

|employees in the department with-|}

;out first consulting his superior, |

| Director Martha "hickering.

Christian took the position the

| delay involved constituted refusal to

co-operate. The Personnel Board is

proceeding with its program in the

face of an opinion by Attorney Gen-

eral Earl Warren that it involves

invasion of constitutional rights of

the. Japanese.

"Iam prepared," said Christian,

"to prefer charges against you

right this moment."

"Our actions,' said Albouze,

"were not intended in any way to

obstruct this board's authority or

the service of these suspension

notices on Japanese employees."

"Sufficient Grounds"

"You failed to call these Japan-

_ @se in when told to do so," said

. Christian, "You refused to do it

and I think. that's sufficient

grounds to fire you. At least PH

take a chance on it. I'm satisfied

you felt the Japanese should not

be dismissed and that you like

them pretty. well. That's borne out

by your conduct throughout."

"That's not true," said Albouze.

| Christian asked him if he knew

anything about farewell parties

given Japanese. The answer was

| no.

He asked him if he hadn't favored

| Japanese girls in the department

| over white girls as to leaves, vaca-

| tions, time off, etc.

Albouze flatly denied it. Said he

|

| had no knowledge of any such fav-|

`oritism in the department = any-|

one.

Christian exploded:

"My experience on this board

has shown your, department is |

about the most defiant in the State |

and they'll never get any favors

from me as long as I remain on

this board. They'll get just as little

as the law entitles them to and

there won't be any use coming

around locking `oad breaks from

me. "

operate without any delay," inter-

beck.

Doubtful About Charges

It was gathered from a poll of

the remaining three board members

that it was doubtful formal charges

would be made against Albouze, who

was sormerly associate: examiner for

the personnel board. : =

Albouze said that' `the only delay

in serving dismissal notices on the

Japanese was on the investigators'

first visit, and that was in conform-

ance with advice of Miss Chicker-

ing that he notify her immediately

of any impending action by the

| board against Japanese employees.

| Members of the personnel board

i said that the only State departments

"The next time you'd better co-

jected board member 0x00B0 Ivan Sper- |

where board investigators: had trou-

|ble serving Japanese employees

| were the Social Welfare and the

| state department of Employment. At

| the department of Employment, they

said, investigators had- to get help;

|from sheriff's deputies.