Acts of violence against returning Japanese evacuees will not be tolerated.

Watsonville police and Santa Cruz county authorities, investigating the first public hostility here against the returned evacuees, lost no time in declaring that persons found guilty of inciting trouble will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This is as it should be and their attitude will be backed by all civic-minded and progressive citizens.

Even those who have voiced disapproval of the return of persons of Japanese ancestry will not stand for violence. Nothing could give the Pajaro valley a "black eye" quicker than such acts.

The city itself - and that means Watsonville's taxpayers - will be liable for any damage resulting from such incidents.

Residing at the Buddhist temple, which has been made into a hostel for many of the approximately 250 returned evacuees, are several Nisei servicemen on furlough. Majority of the families have one to three relatives in the American armed services. While the flare which was thrown or shot at the hostel early Monday did little or no damage, it might easily have resulted in a serious fire which could have caused loss of life.

Such a thing can never be allowed in Watsonville. Authorities must have the utmost support from citizens in seeing that no more incidents occur."