One of the basic tenets on which we are fighting this war is the belief that a man's race or color has nothing to do with his capacity for becoming a useful and loyal citizen. That a group in our midst should suddenly declare its lack of faith in this principle, and fall in line with the idiocy of the superiority myth of our enemies is a dangerous breach in our democratic front.

Yet the elected representatives of the citizens of Dearborn, Michigan have torn a leaf from Herr Goebbels' book of horrors. Declaring that no one of Japanese ancestry is capable of becoming anything by a "menace" to the interests of this country, Dearborn officials this week turned thumbs down on a proposal by church groups in that city to bring three American-born Japanese from the West Coast to live in Dearborn for the duration.

The three citizens in question were all born in this country; each has a degree from the University of Washington; and each has been released from Pacific Coast internment camps by the Army.

Internment of the Japanese in danger spots on the Coast was necessary precaution; the Army had no way of knowing, and no time to spare in discovering, who among them were spies and saboteurs. But as the loyalty of individual members of that group became apparent, it became equally obvious that no segment of our population had accepted the hardships of war as uncomplainingly and as gracefully as the Japanese-Americans.

The least we can do for them, and for ourselves, is to demonstrate an unflagging faith in their loyalty. Without that, we will be agreeing far more with Hitler and his cohorts than we like to admit.