THE MOVED-OUTERS

An exceptionally interesting idea for a story, but it doesn't quite come off. Florence Means did so fine a job in her story dealing with Negroes (Shuttered Windows) that I had hoped she could be equally successful with this Japanese-American problem. But she somehow fails to get at the hearts of her people, the characterization seems static....A small California town is the setting for the opening of the story -- and a family of Japanese-Americans, parents and a daughter of 18, Sue, and 17 year old Kim, are the central characters. With December 7th and its aftermath, Mr. Chara is takes to as internment camp on suspicion, and the others moved to a Relocation Centar. There the brother and sister try to reaffirm their belief in democracy while living as outcasts. Interesting picture of life in these centers; a touch of romance through Jiro Ito, who loves Sue. At the close, Kin and Kiro are accepted for a Japanese unit in the Army, and Sue wins a scholarship for the University of Deaver....Teen age and up.