the German armies, and, after many adventures, among them capture of himself and two of his companions by the Germans, the whole group, though dispersed, reached unoccupied France. Most of the Polish soldiers escaped German captivity. In August 1940 he reached Great Britain and joined again the Polish Army. For his command in the French campaign he was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari (Polish equivalent of the Congressional Medal) and promoted to full colonel. He has been appointed chief of the military cabinet of the commander in chief, General Sikorski, in London and served in this capacity until April 1941. In April 1941 he was sent to Washington as military attaché, to represent the Polish armed forces in the United States and later to organize collaboration between the Polish and the United States Army. For his war work in Washington he has been awarded by the United States Government the Legion of Merit, degree of officer, with the enclosed citation. In July 1945, after the establishment in Warsaw of a Soviet puppet government, he resigned from the Embassy, retired from the Polish Army, and asked for the United States immigration visa, which he was granted September 17, 1945. Actually, he is working with the Department of the Army, Army Map Service. Besides the Legion of Merit and the Polish Virtuti Militari, he holds the French Legion of Honor and Military Cross, 1940, and other Polish and foreign decora tions. He has a fluent knowledge of English and four European tongues and is a graduate of St. Petersburg University, Russia, in Far Eastern languages. Colonel Onacewicz is presently employed by the Library of Congress on a temporary basis and his permanent employment by the Military Establishments of the Government is conditioned upon his naturaliza tion. After consideration of all the facts in the case, the committee is of the opinion that the bill should be enacted and it accordingly so recommends its enactment. O DENISE SIMEON BOUTANT MAY 10, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. WALTER, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 2850] The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2850) for the relief of Denise Simeon Boutant, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of the bill is to permit to remain in this country a native of Korea who is the spouse of an American citizen, an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed forces. The amendment strikes out the quota-charge provisions, as the beneficiary of the bill, being now married to an American citizen, is entitled to nonquota status under section 4 (a) of the Immigration Act of 1924, as amended. GENERAL INFORMATION On December 9, 1948, the Department of Justice reported to the Committee on the Judiciary on H. R. 4198, a bill then pending in the Eightieth Congress for the relief of the same individual, and according to this report Denise Simone Boutant, a native of Korea, is the daughter of a French mining engineer and a woman who was half Korean and half Chinese. She is of Japanese citizenship by reason of the fact that Korea was a part of the Japanese Empire. She became an orphan and was raised by a Frenchwoman, Mademoiselle Marie Boutant, who adopted her under French law on March 12, 1947 The alien attended American schools at Seoul, Korea, and later attended an English convent school at Tokyo. She speaks Japanese, Korean, French, and English fluently. There is nothing in the record to indicate that she is not a person of good moral character. The Department of Justice further stated that Miss Boutant is racially ineligible to citizenship and, therefore, ineligible for admission to the United States for permanent residence. and concluded the report with the following statement: Whether the bill should be enacted presents a question of legislative policy concerning which this Department prefers not to make any suggestions. Mr. Davenport, the author of the bill, appeared before a subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary, urging the enactment of the bill and submitted additional information concerning the beneficiary of the bill and her husband. Mrs. Peterson, age 23, is enrolled at Mount Mercy College, Pittsburgh, Pa., where she is majoring in voice, under the guidance of the noted Matthew Frey. Upon entering Mount Mercy College, Mrs. Peterson resumed her formal education which was obtained wholly in American and Catholic institutions of learning and included 7 years of voice training. She is also enrolled in evening courses at Peabody High School, Pittsburgh, Pa., in preparation for successful continuance of advanced education. Additionally, her activities include solo vocal assignments with the Mount Mercy Glee Club and the Pittsburgh Civic Chorus. At the request of a faculty member she also acts willingly and gratuitously as a critic in a class in French composition at Mount Mercy College. She speaks French, English, and German fluently, and has served as an interpreter and stenographer with the United States Department of the Army. Mr. Peterson, age 25, is pursuing graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Following his honorable discharge from the United States Army on February 1946, he served, for 3 years, as an economist and political analyst with military government and intelligence units of the United States Army. The quality of his work resulted in promotions which were accompanied by proportionate increases in salary, so that, eventually, he was earning almost $8,000 annually. Formal recognition of his ability and character is included in three letters of appreciation, a certificate of achievement, and the American Legion school award. Prior to his entrance into the Army he wrote an economic study which was termed by a University of Pittsburgh professor as "the best undergraduate report I have received in my 17 years at Pitt." He scored a near perfect 156 in the Army general classification test. He speaks English, Russian, and Finnish. The following statement was also submitted to the attention of the committee: WASHINGTON, D. C., April 25, 1949. There is pending before you for consideration House bill 2850, an enabling bill filed by the Honorable Harry J. Davenport of Pittsburgh, Pa., for the relief of Denise Simeon Boutant, now Mrs. Denise Simeon Boutant Peterson, the lawful wife of Mr. William S. Peterson of 218 North Sheridan Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., a veteran and former civilian employee of the War Department, more recently the Department of the Army, to the end that she may be lawfully admitted to the United States and continue to remain therein as the spouse of Mr. Peterson, perfecting his marriage, insuring his future-as he has visualized it-and as, Í submit, the singularly meritorious features of all the circumstances warrant. As an officer in the United States armed forces, I made a beach landing in Japan with the initial forces; and, shortly thereafter, was ordered to Korea. The conditions encountered there and the difficulties with which the United States armed forces were confronted; difficulties, the solutions to which had to be found immediately, not weeks hence; were almost unsurmountable, yet, solutions were found and obstacles, the magnitude of which cannot be pictured, were overcome; and, overcome by men, undaunted by hardship, untiring in effort, and stimulated by ideals of service which will always, throughout Korea, reflect honor upon the United States and its armed forces. Of these men, William S. Peterson was one, and an outstanding one. As the commanding officer of William S. Peterson, I observed him under the most varied of conditions; and, in the undertakings of responsibilities which would have tasked an individual of much more maturity, experience, and assisted by a large staff-yet, William S. Peterson, youthful, gifted with an agile mind and the ability to use it with expedition, and the strength of character to carry out the decisions made and alone, unassisted by any staff, so singularly conducted himself, both as a member of the United States armed forces and as a civilian employee of the War Department, later the Department of the Army, during the period 1945 through 1947 as to merit the official commendation of the late Maj. Gen. Archer L. Lerch, the military governor of Korea, for singularly meritorious service to the United States of America in Korea. When the United States armed forces arrived in Korea, law and order, as such, did not exist. Prior to the surrender of Japan, all public offices in Korea, whether on a national or a provincial level, had been held by Japanese; Koreans holding the lowest or the most menial positions. With the collapse of the Japanese Empire, these Japanese officials either fled from the country, or went into hiding, awaiting the arrival of the United States forces; or, were driven out forcibly by the Koreans. As a consequence, chaos reigned throughout south Korea, politically, economically, and socially, with all the dire consequences resultant therefrom constituting a threat to the public health and security, not only of the Koreans, but of the United States armed forces in Korea. In helping to meet this situation, Mr. Peterson exhibited outstanding qualities of executive and administrative ability; possessing a singularly unique skill in developing Korean personnel to help themselves to create a new Korea; and, thereby, not only reduce the difficulties with which the United States armed forces in Korea were confronted, but, also, further secure the safety of those forces. This is a matter of official record as evidenced by that Certificate of Meritorious Achievement awarded to Mr. Peterson by Maj. Gen. Lerch in his capacity as the military governor of Korea. While in Korea, Mr. Peterson met Miss Boutant. She was-is-the daughter of a French father and a Korean mother. Adopted at an early age by a French Roman Catholic woman missionary in Korea, Miss Boutant was brought up in accordance with western standards and educated in schools of that type in both Korea and Japan. Both Miss Boutant and her adopted mother became associated with the United States armed forces in Korea as civilian employees of the War Department, and were of incalculable assistance to those forces as interpreters and liaison contracts with Koreans in solving problems made the more complex, not only by difficulty of language, but by differences peculiar to, and met so frequently in the Orient. These two persons met, their acquaintance broadened, and, finally, they became engaged. Marriage in Korea was contemplated, but, due to Army regulations, permission for the same was not accorded, although the chaplain attached to headquarters, Twenty-fourth Corps, United States armed forces in Korea saw no moral grounds for such refusal. Mr. Peterson had served in Korea for a long period of time. I, myself, left that country in August 1947 after being there two long years. Confronted with this pressing problem, he communicated with me as his former commanding officer; and, as a result of action taken by me, Mr. Davenport filed the instant bill. Meanwhile, Mr. Peterson returned to the United States, securing the temporary admission of Miss Boutant on parol, which later was subsequently canceled, her presence being permitted for a time certain under bond duly filed. On December, 1948, Miss Boutant was married to Mr. Peterson in Los Angeles. Calif., and, together they are presently making their home in Pittsburgh, Pa. Gentlemen, I feel strongly about this bill. I know Mr. Peterson. I have seen him operating under difficulties in the service of the United States. I have seen the results of his efforts; they reflected most favorably upon him as a soldier of this country, as a civilian representative of the War Department, and as an American citizen. I would be pleased to have him serve with me at any time and under any circumstances. Mr. Peterson's service reflects great credit not only upon himself, but upon the United States-a singularly meritorious service as the official records show. This then is the situation. These are some of the facts, the circumstances, for you to consider. These are the facts, the circumstances, that I have considered as Mr. Peterson's commanding officer. That I am also a lawyer is purely coincidental; I address you solely in the role of Mr. Peterson's colonel; his proper interests are mine; my loyalty to him is in the attainment of proper efforts. War creates strong bonds between associates; Peace does not sever them; I assure you that this bill warrants your favorable consideration. I know that Mr. Peterson deserves your consideration. Such consideration will insure his happiness, his future, and his home. Thank you. WILLIAM WALL O'HEARN, Colonel, General Staff Corps (res. O-192519). After consideration of all the facts in the case, the committee is of the opinion that the bill, H. R. 2850, as amended, should be enacted and it accordingly so recommends its enactment. O |