| Summary: | The report is written by the Emergency Defense Council of the Seattle branch of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in order to provide an accurate portrayal of the Japanese in Washington State to the Tolan Committee as they make decisions on the evacuation of the Japanese from the West Coast. The authors write "We present this report in the hopes that the facts and figures contained in it may assist the Congressional Committee to make its decision on the issue of evacuation of Japanese nationals and their citizen children in a matter most advantageous to the war effort of the United States, and in keeping with the traditions of fairness and justice that all Americans hold dear." The report touches on topics of the Japanese in American economic life (including statistics on Japanese farmers and business owners); public opinion regarding the Japanese; and reasons for their opposition to evacuation. They state that evacuating the Japanese population based on race is akin to the unjust racial segregation utilized by Hitler. In concluding the report, the authors write "If it is for the greater good that evacuation be decreed, we shall obey to the best of our ability. But, we are convinced that here in our homes and in our community is where we belong, where we can lend every ounce of our strength, and every cent of our resources, in creating the sinews of war so necessary to total victory. We are Americans. We want to do our duty where we can serve best. We make these statements, not because we fear evacuation, but because we believe, to the bottom of our hears, that the best interests of the United States, our nation, are to be served by being permitted to stay, work, fight, and die for our country if necessary here where we belong." After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States government began enacting a series of measures against those with Japanese ancestry. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing military commanders to designate "military areas" at their discretion, "from which any or all persons may be excluded." On March 2, 1942, General John DeWitt signed Public Proclamation No. 1 establishing the Pacific coast and 100 miles inland as Military Area No. 1 and requiring that anyone with "enemy" ancestry evacuate. Through the spring of 1942, Japanese families began moving into temporary assembly centers, such as Camp Harmony in Puyallup, Washington, where they remained through the summer before moving to permanent internment camps. TO TOLAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DEFENSE MIGRATION EMERGENCY DEFENSE COUNCIL SEATTLE CHAPTER JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE 517 Main Street Seattle, Washington ?'?W!?!??!$?S?w!^fl^^ FOiOtfCRJ The Emergency Defense Council of the Seattle Chapter, Japanese American Citizens1 Luague, has prepared this report on the position of the Japanese in the State of Washington in the belief that a factual and objective presentation of the true picture is the best way to bring about a fair sol ution of a difficult problem. We realize it is an issue which cannot be settled light ly, an issue possessing many sides, and one v/hich must be Judged by reason rather than the emotions. We present this report in the hopes that the facts and figures contained in it may assist the Congressional Committee to make its decision on the issue of evacuation of Tapanose nationals and their citizen children in a manner most advantageous to the war effort of the United ^tates, and in keeping with the traditions of fairness and justice that all Americans hold dear. May we also draw the Committee's attention to tv/o com prehensive reports of the Japanese situation in this area, -hey are; "Types of Adjustment of American-Born Japanese", a doctor*s thesis submitted to the University of Chicago by Dr. Forrest La Violette, and "Tho Ecological Position of the Japanese S'aymers in the State of Washington", a doctor{s thesis submitted to the University of Washington by Dr0 John Adrain Rademaker, *.f*!*•*JWfSWS^t*WIT* ^i'PSyg*?!& •^.•>a^tT>-| REPORT PRESENTED TO TOLAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE February 28, 1942 TAELE OF CONTENTS 1* Foreword 2. Introduction 3. Physical picture of the Japanese situation 4. The Japanese in American Economic Life 5. Agricultural tables Western Washington totals Vegetable shipping industry Greenhouses Breakdown by districts Eastern Washington report 6. Other economic tfblos Hotels operated by Japanese Restaurants operated by Japanese Grocery stores Dye works and cleaners Lumber industry Salmon canning industry Oyster industry 7. Public Opinion 8. Selfish Interests 9. Problems of Evacuation Location Resettlement Return Humanitarian Wishes .of the Japanese Modol City Alternatives 181 torloiuiibh"^ ,; ,«W«IW1«!»W^',•J*??v^?-^y^VJ-l>J.^VI«*\Viayi-'. «.f>-!J»,vi J;^y ym.^^--j.^-j>tifr.^nyP^n INTRODUCTION Circumstances brought about by Japan's treacherous attack on the United States on December 7, 1941, have created a situation in the Western States affecting dir ectly a considerable and not unimportant portion of the population. Indirectly, but equally as vitally, an even larger section of, the United States and its national de fense effort as a whole is affected by this problem. The issue concerns the position of aliens and Am erican citizens of Japanese extractioni It is a problem aggravated by racial differences, and made more urgent because total warfare recognizes no geographical bound aries or other restrictions. Because of these, and var ious other reasons to be brought out later in this report, it is a matter which must be decided quickly. It was a problem that existed from the very day of the war. if such a problem ever did exist, but it has been only recently that public feeling has come to the point of making it a serious issue. We believe that not all th.-* far\£ o.r" the situation, are known. We are also convinced t:Jr.at many misconceptions o/,ist regarding the nature and magnitude of the problem, "o, therefore, grateful for the Congressional Committee's sincere interest in determining all the facts, respect fully submit this report compiled from information gath ered by the Emergency Defense Council of the Seattle Chap ter, Japanese American Citizens League, with the co-operation • ?=^W^pr^p.r!jit^ii55^!w^^ yr^-^^yrri^ffaTfaaT?r^>ffl^^7l^>v^.|^V'?^?!rf'^^J>tfc^'''r State of Washington For .-rr:^ time now there has been agitation for the evacuation -rf Japanese nationals as well as American cit izens of tTs.pAr.ese descent from Pacific Coast States. Such evacuation i-ns been proposed in a variety of forms. We w^sh to go on record now that the safety and wel fare of th« Vv.ited States is, has been, and will continue to be fore^T?;: in our minds. We, as American citizens, have a du-rj t> this, our country, and the first tenet of that duty ^? complete and unshakable loyalty. For "TJL.5 s very reason, we are opposed to the idea of indi scrims.-:?, en masse evacuation of all citizens and loyal aliens of •T-:.r>\r.ese extraction. We are wholeheartedly in favor of c--r.r^.ste co-operation with the military and other authorities >:; withdrawal of civilians from the immediate vicinity of f.efense projects and establishments. But we do not bell we* that mass evacuation is either desirable or feasible, ,Ve believe that the best interests of the United Sta~T? nill be served by other solutions to the problem, We al.sr- desire the privilege of remaining here to fight shoul:::v to shoulder, and shed our blood, if neces sary, jn \-h:: A.^vonse of our country and our homes together, with patric-_- Americans of other national extractions if that time n .-.: ".3. ever come. It is repugnant to us that we be given -a -i.--^s of safety when our friends and neighbors remain beh_/. ., :.*> defend the things that we together created '^^^^^-W^SjfflWgHflWSg^^ _TT^«a?«TJV»Ml?i.'jrr .-.»><m **•:«tm *f(M VtftrnH -3- and developed. It is our belief after extensive and exhaustive in vestigation and considered judgment, that Americans and Aliens of Japanese extraction can contribute more for the defense and welfare of the United States by being permitted to carry on in their present positions than by any other means. We have complete confidence in the ability of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to uncover and apprehend those dangerous to the safety of our nation. Despite press reports to the contrary, there have been no cases of at tempted sabotage of fifth column work among Japanese aliens in the United States according to a recent statement by Mr, J# Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of In vestigation. It is to our own interests that the record shall be kept clean. In Seattle proper as well as in other Washington dis tricts, American citizens of Japanese extraction, mainly through the Japanese American Citizens League chapters, have been working in active co-operation with the various nation al defense agencies. One of the committees of the Etoergancy Defense Council of the Seattle chapter, Japanese American Citizens League, is an intelligence unit which is rendering avery assistance to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is cur conviction that in co-operation with the authorities, ".'0 will be able to see that alien Japanese not only do noth ing to jeopardize the safety of the United States, but con tribute actively to the welfare of their adopted homeland. -4- If, finally, the decision is that Japanese must go, the Committee is assured of the Japanese American Citizens Leaguefs complete co-operation in the evacuation movement. Loyalty demands that orders, no matter what, be obeyed willingly and efficiently. ^i^'*^'"^^V.Ji^ffi:^yffW'^ ,T,-|.,^r.rr,,-,.~.r.T,"7»^TTf PHYSICAL PICTURE In the State of Washington, there are approximately 14,000 individuals of Japanese extraction. About 63 per oert or 8,800 are American-born, therefore American citizens. The' remainder, approximately 5,400, is foreign-born and alien. Alarge number of these foreigr.-bo,, ,ould be American citizen today if they had been permitted the privilege of naturalize-tion, denied them by law. There are, in the City of Seattle proper, approximately 6,000 persons of Japanese extraction, about 3,500 citizens and 2,500 aliens. The remainder, approximately 8,000 is ir the following areas, most of which are rural: the White River Valley, south of Seattle; the Puyallup Valley, north east of Tacoma; the Yakima Va<l*nleeyv, eeaasstt onff ttvh,e„ ci-t^y of„ Yakima; the outskirts of the Oreater Seattle area; around Bellevue on the eastern shore of Lake Washington; Vashon and Bainbridge Islands in Puget Sound; and the cities of qnnl- cicxes oi opokane and Tacoma There are also scattered, families in ni-w , »«uiJ.es in other sections of the state, primarily in the western half. An estimate of population distribution follows: D1Striot Citizen Alien Soma* %*™ 2,500 Spokane |*° 320 vvhite River Valley 1 040 -*% Puyallup Valley * *'££ °f° Yakima Valley 650 f^ Bellevue -m,< , Vashon Island 75 l%> Bainbridge Island i87 t' Bothell Area % ?£ Others , ^z 15 Total s 1,040 S.finn I Total 1 8,75-l 5,482 13,953 ••W^tgtiy*;^^^^!^ u^ijji v ,irt,^ PHYSICAL PICTURE--2 Of the alien group, the average age of males is 59 years; of the females, 51 years. Many of these aliens have been in the United States for 45 and 50 years; all have been here since 1924 when the Exclusion Act went into effect, and their av erage tenure of residence in this country may be approximated at 30 years. Thus, the majority have spent from half to two-thirds of the lives in the United Staten. Most of these aliens immigrated to the United States in their early youth, and many have not returned to the old coun try since their first arrival. Large numbers have lost all contact with relatives and friends in the old country. In other words, they have been in contact with American ideals arfd principles for the greater portion of their lives, and their ties to the old country have grown progressively more tenuous, Considerable numbers have expressed, time and again, their de sire for American citizenship so that they might enjoy in full measure the benefits of American life which they appreciate so deeply. These aliens were given an opportunity to return to their native land last November when the Japanese' government sent evacuation ships to the United States. The M. S. Hikawa Maru, the last Japanese ship to call at this port came prepared to ttsndle at least a thousand passengers. Emergency quarters v;ere rigged up in the holds and ail preparations had been made to evacuate as many as the ship would hold. That ship made ?ts return trip only one-third full. The alien Japanese, loyal to their children who are Americans, had elected to take their PHYSICAL PICTURE—3 • chances with the United States in the war v^h ,„ thrp . •-J--. .^d.b cnen only impending. ^ J This attitude is understandable. Many of the aliens are Pioneers of the Pacific Northwest. They came here at the turr of the century when the State of Washington was comparatively " araw frontier, and they grew up with the country, aiding in its development. They have apr'ide in their achievements. cities, and they helped lay the rafr-,i -*. ^ u. y r*^uaas that penetrate into tho hinterland. >o. that the livea of the AUen ^ ^ *> •clo-, it is only natural that they wlsr to s *, . , wxaojr ^xsn to see treir> ^oncan-born children reap some of the fruit of tv •", JW> +.uA n. , ruit of their labors. -,- the livelihood and the future of the lmlfr„. ,f, ,.' Amorican-born groups are rooted solely in th- "' *^ieiy in this country ind American society in preneral 'at- ' Alcr'ouSh most of these An_ erxcan-born car. speak J<*parese to „„ ° S0m9 exter^ extremely few can be considered fluent- a. -„ ,. iluent as „as discovered in efforts to fi-„ -pable translators and interpret- ,- , arnono- the -« n- " "' ~angUaS0 situation Sthe "aPa^se is similar to that a>rorr -m • - '(7•.•,cP,u,pnsa m. ^this country. x0ns a11 immigrant •^"c-i'J^-?^ .Ejr\tfcqrc»iJtfti»ppy«^,^gsrgn/r,- »,^t„Ttj, ^.^ j^. l^M.^.^cre^.jjj^,^^^ MYbl^L PICTURE—4 Generally, the relations between the American-born and their Caucasian associates have been friendly and wholesome, That they have shouldered their burdens as citizens in the greater community of the United States will be revealed in interviews with public officials and others. 'While consider able numbers of the American-born have made visits to Japan, some studying in Japanese institutions of higher learning, the vast majority have returned to the United States more appreciative than ever of the American way of life. It is proper, we believe, to consider these trips to Japan as educa tional, much in the same manner as Americans of other racial extraction make visits to Europe to round out a liberal ed ucation and acquire a broader viewpoint. In the public schools, the American-born Japanese have •established an admirable record of scholarship as well as competing on equal-terms with others on athletic fields. Within the past 21 years, 27 American-born Japanese have been either valedictorians or salutatorians of the nine Seattle high schools. Over the same period, 24 Japanese Americans were elected to Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Washing ton, The Japanese enrollment in December at the University of Washington was about 300, out of a total enrollment of approximately 9,500. Juvenile court and police records show that the American . born Japanese rarely, if ever are m difficulty with the la-.v in spite of the fact that most of them come from Seattle's economically depressed areas. -.-—.• i.i. i, i i>r ••ji_ i^nr,j.iiy', j• THE JAPANESE IN AMERICAN ECONOMIC LIFE Contrary to popular belief, the Japanese has not wiifuu-segregated. himself in his own little communities where he moves only in completely Japanese circles, living in complete economic isolation from the rest of the community. The Jap anese have become so well assimilated, economically if not socially, with the greater community of America, that to with draw him in wholesale numbers from his home would be the best possible way to disrupt the normal course of life of thousands of Caucasian Americans. In war-time a tremendous number of disrupting influences are brought into play in all aspects of society. Consequently, experts in the field of civilian morale are agreed that avoid able disruptions should be discouraged as much as possible. 3ir.ce the Japanese have become well integrated into the economy of the local community, to remove them would be an unnecessary ' blow to the economic machinery of this area. The Japanese resident in the United States has made his greatest contribution in the field of agriculture ?,r.d it is here that he can make agreat contribution to the war effort of the United States. Already, state after state has reported farm labor shortages, brought about by the increased drain of aar. into the fighting services and defense industries. Yet, the farms play atremendously important role in our victory' o'f.ort and must be kept operating at top efficiency in order *o feed America and her Allies. Detailed figures presented in the following tables show graphically the part Japanese aliens and American citi*zzewr's° 0nlf "-•.,i-•.'-•'--,e,ao parentage are playing i<-- this phase of the national deferse effort. ECONOMIC LIFE--2 It must be emphasized that farmers are specialists, es pecially the truck farmers. They must have training and ex perience to get the maximum yield, just as defense workers or • soldiers must have training and experience. It is not pract ical nor possible to import farm laborers to take over fields left by Japanese farmers. For one thing, Caucasian American workers are loathe to take such tedious and comparatively unprofitable work when defense industries with their high scales of pay are bidding for the same services. Truck farm ing involves long hours of work on hands and knees close to the soil. A farmer from the Mid-West or other areas would have difficulty in adapting himself to this sort of work. The produce issue is not merely one of doing without spinach or lettuce temporarily, it is not merely a matter of producing truck vegetables and marketing the crops for local dinner tables. A multi-million dollar industry has been built up around Japanese farmers, giving livelihood to thousands of others in the railroads, m the eastern markets, in the numerous little communities that dot the farming areas of Washington. While it is likely that we could manage with canned goods this coming year and not require fresh vegetables, it muat be remembered that this year's harvests are processed for next year's canned supplies. If no great pinch is felt immediately, it is certain that next year, and the year after, the problem of food will be most acute. Farming is a vital industry v/hich can ill afford disruption at this time, and --'.at disruption is sure to come,for the country does not have ECONOMIC LIF2—j the skilled labor to take over should Japanese farmers be removed. The Filipinos, the only possible source of replace ment, are being taken by the armed forces in increasing num bers; they will be required in the Alaska salmon canneries; and they are not available in sufficient numbers to alleviate the situation to an appreciable extent. In the cities as well as the i;i*:al area^, mass removal of Japanese would create unexpected hardships on the community as a whole. 7/hether at war or peace, hotels must be operated, beds made, dishes washed, floors swept. In normal times, it would not be difficult to replace Japanese labor for this work. But now with the competition of the armed forces and defense industries, these menial, occupations would not appeal to la bor. Housing difficulties, bad enough at best in the crowded defense centers of Seattle, would become infinitely more !:' difficult if the more than 200 hotels operated by Japanese had to be.closed down. For the most part, these hotels are op erated as a family enterprise, by a man and wife assisted in some cases by adult children. With hired help, such hotels could not be operated on a profitable basis at the price levels now prevalent. The possibility oi .^i;,:ig help at all is also remote. Other than the two main occupations, farming in the rural uvf.as and hotel operation in the cities, the Japanese are se-rving their communities in a number of other ways. For *::°>tance, in the city of Seattle, there are l'±C grocery stores.90 cleaning establishments, 53 restaurants, and otner enterprises, tha vast majority of which are located outside of the so-called T*'TTWW^»»y^>»^«s^-«Tf-Co>ia-n-uy-.«~tic- •P.' W'!!IJUHBMBi ECONOMIC IiIFE—4 Japanese districts and serving the needs of Caucasian American patrons in these areas. The following tables were compiled from information obtained from exhaustive canvasses made by members of Japanese American Citizens League chapters in the various districts, Individuals who have grown up in the communities, who are act ively engaged in business in those communities, reliable individuals with judgment and access to the facts made dcnr-- to-door surveys, and we submit them with every confidence as to their accuracy, Each table is accompanied by explanatory statements. It should be mentioned in passing thr.t i/.:.e Japanese are not in the fishing industry and do not possess fishing boats. '"•-, .^- . » '••, v AGRICULTURAL TABLES The agricultural situation deserves an entire section in itself, but the story is better told by tables of figures. In Western Washington alone more than three million dollars worth of produce was marketed by Japanese farmers, about one-third of this amount being sent to Eastern markets. A produce shortage v/ould be especially acute now because of the great increase in the local population caused by defense workers migrating here, A decision on the evacuation issue must be made quickly for planting time is already here. The majority of farmers have already planted, risking their savings on the possibility of being able to harvest. Others must decide soon, and those who have planted must begin tho task of cultivating and fertilizing. Many have been unable to get bank credits to finance . planting. In the past the credit of Japanese farmers was good enough to get substantial loans without collateral, but this year things are different. These, however, are minor considerations beside the greater problem of an impending produce shortage should the skilled workers who produced last yearfs great harvest be suddenly withdrawn with no prospects of substitutes for them. '3??,^^'??w^»^»^, FAffil REPOBT Total of Western Washington Districts: Total acreage farmed: 9,052 acres People involved: Alien3~849 Citizens—1,432 Total—2,281 Commodities raised: Lettuce, cauliflower, peas, beans, corn, cabbage, spinach, squash, celery, tomatoes carrots, strawberries, other berries, turnips, cucumbers, radishes, green onions, beets, aspara gus, dry onions, potatoes, and miscellaneous". Total valuation $3,120,205.00 Note: Acreage i3 based on total number of acres cul tivated during one year. In other words, the actual number of acres is 6353 but since 2 and 3 crops are grown on some farms, the total acreage is increased by approximately one third. About 5,000 workers find direct employment on the farms and countless thousands in allied lines. T;-v<*^r~-i'^rw^ii".pj.'^j,Tr"-Tim-:-~'-T'y»^ FARM REPORT Western Washington District Local, Cannery & Interstate Sales Summary of Commodities Lettuce $ 613,133.00 Cauliflower 213,843 400 Peas 347,630*00 Beans 169,433,00 Corn 37,067*00 Cabbage 95,'391*00 Spinach 79,667*00 Squash 22,610*00 Celery 249,947.00 Tomatoes 66,630.00 Rhubarb 218,050.00 Carrots 13,325,00 Strawberries 382,960.00 Other berries 155,523,00 Turnips 44,000.00 Cucumbers 68,150.00 Radishes 39,098.00 Or. Onions 74,288.00 ?eets • 17,475.00 Asparagus 3 500.00 Dry Onion 1 900 00 ^uauoea 1,560.00 154.625.00 Total $3,120,205.00 T???FaF*&J&&*zilFx^^ -"^rK-f^rrr>^••f^r-n.^r-^ REPORT OF VEGETABLE SHIPPING INDUSTRY Shippers Seattle Growers 76 Western Producers 315 Puget Sound Assn. 555 Bellevue Growers 83 White River Pkg. 257 Sumner Pkg. Co. 77 Kent Vegetable 124 Total 1487 (Western Washington District) Cars shipped Paid for Supplies rages Kmployed $ 6,198.00 $4,389.00 124,846.00 22,191.00 132,356.00 7,800.00 45,000.00 7,000.00 9,644.00 39,927.00 5,400.00 25,000.00 6,866.00 7,178.00 35 90 195 40 95 50 28 $332,884„00$110,951.00 533 The principal commodities shipped from the Western Washington District are Lettuce, Peas, and Cauliflower during May, June and July and celery in October and November, The official total of car-lots shipped from this District as reported by the Washington Produce Shippers Association for 1941 is 1843 of which the Japanese organizations shipped 1487 or BOfo plus * The smaller communities in the rural Districts will be affected to the extent of the loss of this payroll as well as the loss of business from the Japanese farmers. '•^'^.•rSpilJwy^jW.,: £D?0;iT ON. G^EENHO'^ES OPERATED T: Ji.?i:NE?E CITY CI •ji^.i'JT-U Pebruary, 1942 Number of Japanese-operated greenhouses 50 in this district Total number of greenhouses in this district 80 Estimated number of workers in Japanese- 200 operated greenhouses Total value of crop in Japanese-operated ^'398,000 greenhouses Ninety per cent of the Japanese-operated greenhouses are owned and ten per cent are leased. Greenhouse labor is generally furnished by the families themselves. Practically no outside help is required. The total value of the crop is broken down as follows: tomatoes, C-6&»000; cucumbers, f'32,000; flowers, '100,00; bedding plants, pot plants, etc. 200,000. FARM REPORT Bainbridge Island Number of farms: Leased—16 Owned—27 'Total—43 People, involved: Aliens—83 Citizens--187 Total--270 % Commodity Acreage Local Sales Interstate o Strawberries Rhubarb Peas Truck vegetables Other berries 574 5 14 8* 18 619J 146,644,00 1,500.00 2,040,00 1,200.00 7,500.00 $58,884.00 $186,576,00 Total $186,576.00 Note: Approximately 80$ of the agricultural products in this area are controlled by Japanese. ^mm^^fsimi*i!mm!t»T*>v*'"SB TTg»«Et hj» Hnrmns^rtr Number of farms: People involved fa:m ;.e?o::T Bellevue District-leased Aliens 35 owned 19 86 Citizens 160 Total 54 Total 248 Commodity Acreage J-ocal sales Interstate Peas 1J0 7,200.00 24,000,00 Cauliflower 50 17.200.00 8,300-00 Lettuce 50 18',750.00 Tomatoes 100 45,200.00 <:• .ooo.oo iihubarb 20 c. 000.CO Strawberries 50 25,000e00 Beans 15 12,000.00 Celery 20 12,000.00 Cabbage 30 6,000.00 Turnips 20 4,000.00 Cucumbers 5 hothouses 25,000.00 Tomatoes 2 hothouses 3,000.00 Total 485 $175,350.00 #43,100.00 Note: 2C$ of the farmers in this locality raise 2 crops per year. M REPORT Bothell Area Number of farms: People involved Leased 7 Part owned 2 Total 9 Aliens 15 Citizens 32 Total 47 Commodity Acreage Local °alos Interstate Lettuce 209 $ 38.000.00 £ 16,950.00 Cauliflower 45 5,000.00 5,450.00 Peas 10 1,000.00 40°,00 Spinach 45 2,£50,00 Dry Onions 6 1,900,00 Corn 4 400.00 Celery 25 5QC.00 2,870.00 Carrots 28 * .2^0.00 Tomacoes 2 * Ct:b^3Lc:e 26 7,350.00 Ithub^rb 4 * Btr j.?'berrios 2 * B<-;C.''io 4 * In*ua;;. 31 Sprouts 1 * Cucumbers 3 * Misc. * 1,500.00 Total 414 § 61,850.00 ft 26,150.01 tfcte: 58$ of the acreage in this district raise from 2 to '5 crops per year. Approximately 50/, of the trucl: farming in this area is controlled by Japanese. Number of ^cres: People involved: Commodity Strawberries Truck vegetables Total FARM REPORT Kingston District Leased—15 0wned--100 Alien—14 Citizen—20 $22,000.00 10,000.00 • i •• inhnnii mm* • • • •*« $32,000.00 Port Orchard and Poulsbo District Kumoer of acres: Total—64 Joople involved: Aliens—9 Citizens—13 Commodity Strawberries Truck vegetables Total $11,220.00 15,000.00 III I • * !'• ••!»• II $26,220,00 Total—115 Total—34 Total—22 fa:<m :<e?o ••: South Park, Riverton, and r'est °eattle Districts Owned 11 Total 3.4 Citizens 125 Total 193 Number of f;arms Leased 34 People invoIved Aliens 68 Commodity Acreage Carrots 56 Beets ' 19 Gr. Onions • 38 Kadishes 45 Lettuce 107 Celery 88 Spinach 38 Cabbage 40 Cauliflover 68 Peas 28 Corn 2 Beans 10 Cucumbers o Tomatoes 5 Misc. • 4 Local sales Interstate $ 35,200.00 5,250.00 27,600.00 13,035.00 9,500.00 $22,000.00 10,800.00 10,150.00 15,300.00 5,900.00 9,200.00 2,000.00 4,600.00 15,000.00 850.00 6,400.00 435.00 2,750.00 1,150.00 3 .100.00 2,050.00 Total 298 $130,820.00 ^61,450.00 Note: 85$ of the farmers in this locality raise from 2 to 3 crops per year. Approximately 50$ of truck farming in thin, area con trolled by Japanese. Number of farms: People involved: FARM REPORT Sunnydale. District Leased—7 Owned—3 Alien—18 Citizeas—30 Total—10 Total—48 Commodity Acrea Lettuce 12 Peas 10 Cauliflower 10 Beans 1 G orn 2 Cabbage 4 Spinach 7 Ooiory ' 5 ^:iscollaneous 28 Total 79 Local and Interstate Sales $ 4,500c00 2,540.00 4,615.00 300,00 378,00 1,350,00 900c00 3,375„00 16,260000 $34,225c00 Number of Farms: People involved: FARM REPORT White River Valley Leased 257 Cv.ned 28 Total 285 Aliens 456 Citizens 685 Total 1141 Commodity - Acres Local Interstate Lettuce 726 179,258.00 141,106.00 Cauliflower 198 33,607.00 48,142.00 Peas 443 24,685.00 148,590.00 Beans 206 89,583.00 Coin 284 6,225.00 2,329.00 Cabbage 287 49,039.00 252.00 Spinach 203 28,980.00 Squash 59 9,110.00 Celery 170 18,000,00 104,220.00 Misc. 225 2801 117,950.00 Total $556,437,00 $444,639.00 Note: Approximately 95$ of the agricultural products in this area controlled by Japanese. FARM REPORT Yakima District Total acreage farmed: 9,000 acres People involved: Families-125 Aliens-275 Citizens-650 Commodities raised: Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, peas, beans, watermelons, sweet corn, rutabagas, cantaloupes, squash, turnips, lettuce, cucumbers and other truck vegetables; also hay and grain. Total valuation: $750,000.00 to $1,000,000.00 WnfA. 70^ of the above named cor.imodities and 10$ of the * potatoes grown in this District are raised by Japanese. 6 700 acres on the Indian reservation are leased with a'yearly rental of approximately $25,000,00 to the United States Government. Spckane District Number of farms: Total 16 Commodity Local Sales Truck vegetables $140,000.00 REPORT ON HOTELS OPERATED BY JAPANESE CITY OF SEATTLE February 1942 Number of Japanese-operated hotels 206 Total number of all hotels in Seattle 325 Number of rooms ir Japanese-operated hotels 13,759 Number of Japanese-operated apartment houses 56 Number of apartments in Japanese-operated houses 1,300 These figures show that almost two-thirds of the hotels in Seattle are being operated by resident Japanese. These in clude for the most part, hotels in the cheaper price scales patronized mainly by the laboring class. The hotels average 66 rooms per hotel. From this it can be seen the majority are comparatively small places, profitable only if operated by the manager and his wife with the aid of the family and a minimum of outside help. Practically all these hotels are now filled to capacity due to the great influx of labor to local defense industries. It is essential that these hotels keep operating, and it will be impossible to keep them in operation at the present price levels if the Japanese are removed in wholesale numbers ;•• sim ply because no one will work like the Japanese have been work-in? at the remuneration which Japanese accepted. REPORT ON RESTAURANTS OPERATED BY JAPANESE CITY OF SEATTLE February 1942 53 or Number of restaurants operated by Japanese ^ ^ Qity total C A. 4.-I 500 Total number of restaurants in Seattle Number of employees in Japanese-operated restaurants 225 Weekly payroll in Japanese-operatsd ustaurants $5,100 Number of mesls served daily in Japanese restaurants: 10 Class I restaurants 7,500 meals 25 Class II-restaurants 12,500 meals 18 Class III restaurants 6r000 meals •Total 25,100 meals daily The majority of meafcs in the Class I and II restaurants are served to defense workers. These restaurants are located mainly in the southern section of-the down-town area near the waterfront, not distant from defense industries and on the route from the industrial area to residential districts. By mass turnover, these Japanese restaurants can serve a good meal at reasonable prices. Lunches are also put up by these restaurants for deienso workers but are not included in the above figures „ Class III restaurants cater mostly to individuals on welfare aid and relief. Restaurant operators declare that if they were forced out of operation, restaurant prices would climb immediately for defense -workers. RCPO.T ON GROCERY STOl.J'3 OPEliATED "r JA^AIIE^E CITY OF iEi.TTIE February, 1942 :;ir.bor of Japanese-operated stores ;>tal number of grocery stores in Seattle '^•jroontage of Japanese-operated stores .•»vorn,yo investment per store . vrogcte investment .Nvera»re monthly gross income per Rtor:. ^vorahe total gross income per*month average number of employees (mostly family members) lh tirr.ated total employment AT-:ra's number of years in business 140 840 16 2/3 *3,D00 r"'500,000 ^2,100 .••294,000 3 420 15 Years !!ore than 95-per cent of the stores are in localities Lie the Japanese community. Stores located within the r.oje community and those bordering on it now average -jen 3C and 40 percent of their sales to the Caucasian e. This abnormally high percentage is due to the fact -^r.*/ defense workers nor live in Japanese-operated 1: ar.i rooming houses which are either in or close to vtpsr.oLe community. Japanese stores located definitely i-c&wian residential and business districts are practi- 7 ICO percent dependent on Caucasian trade. T;-'; rar.ro of investment in these v.tores is from *700 '.'-; '. -^llor stores are operated by families while the . 'A v.n:. employ extra help for delivery and preneral .- *.-.'.- :.V>ro, The larger stores employ as many as './ '/ '-lf;rl::; and are in most canes located in shopping '.'*-nw9fe^£$g*^r.'* r^EPOET Oil DYE V/ORIIS AND CLEANERS OPETiRv?AAfTP"E^TDl B73YV _ -. -t"«'.;:•> CITY 07 ':\^:""^ February, 19-a.? Number of Japanese-operated Dye ^'orks and Cleaners 90 Total number of dye works and cleaners in Seattle 390 Average total number of customers per month 12,169 About 22 per cent of all dye works and cleaning estab lishments in the city are operated by Japanese, "he 90 establishments average a total of 12,169 customers each month, or about 140 per month per shop. Most of these shops are located in low-income areas of the city. None of them is on a scale to rival the large white American firms. They are, with few exceptions, purely family enterprises with small cap4 t-1 investments. REPORT ON GROCERY STO:.Eri OPENED '"' JA^A.iE^E CITY OF SE^TTIE February, 1942 Number of Japanese-operated stores 140 Total number of grocery stores in Seattle • 840 Percentage of Japanese-operated stores 16 2/3 Average investment per store *-5,500 Aggregate investment '"'500,000 Average monthly gross income per Rt:.-^. _ ^2,100 Average total gross income per-imontri '-294,000 Average number of emplo?/ees (mostly 3 family members) Estimated total employment 420 Average number of years in business . 15 Years More than 95-per cent of the stores are in localities outside the Japanese community. Stores located within the Japanese community and those bordering on it now average between 30 and 40 percent of their sales to the Caucasian trade. This abnormally high percentage is due to the fact-that many defense v/orkers no*-- live in Japanese-operated hotels and rooming houses which are either in or close to the Japanese community, Japanese &t;res located definitely in Caucasian residential and businezi districts are practi cally 100 percent dependent on Canctiian trade. The range of investment in their r.tores is from n*700 to ^18,000. The smaller stores are operate! •:•-/ families while the medium sized ones employ extra Velp tor delivery and general v-ork in the store. The larger stores employ as many as five or six clerks and are in most :^es located in shopping centers. JAPANESE IN THE LUMBER INDUSTRY Total No, Employed No, of Japanese Union LONGVIEW, WASHINGTON Long Bell Lumber Co. Weyerhauser Lumber Co. ENUMCLAV/, WASHINGTON White River Lumber Co. SNOQUALMIE, WASHINGTON Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Co. NATIONAL, WASHINGTON National Lumber Co, EATONVILLE, WASHINGTON Eatonville Lumber Co. ONALASKA, WASHINGTON Carlisle Lumber Co. CALLAM BAY, WASHINGTON Bode11-Donovan Lumber Mill FORKS, 7/ASHINGTON Forks Lumber Co. TACOMA, WASHINGTON St. Paul Lumber Co. Defiance Lumber Co. Dickman Lumber Go. Tacoma Harbor Lumber Co. Seattle, Washington Nettleton Lumber Co. Hartung and Hansen Lumber Yards TOTAL 1300 1000 700 500 450 85 375 400 100 125 75 40 50 70 40 25 20 12 CIO CIO CIO AFL AFL AFL AFL CIO CIO 500 150 (dis 6 char* 6 Sed) Clo AFL 110 8 AFL 100 2 AFL 200 3 1 AFL AFL 5070 483 Percentage of Japanese workers as compared to total number of workers employed,. 9% . :W'^*»vW«WwvmonMI JAPANESE IN THE ALASKA SALMON CANNING INDUSTRY DATA: A. Estimated number of American-born Estimated number of Non-citizens Total 350 150 500 3,000 B. Approximate total of cannery labor supply dispatched from Seattle Ratio—l/6 Japanese C. Estimated number of Japanese employed in key positions (Foremen, Timekeepers, Plant Delegates, Department Heads) D. Estimated average individual gross income Estimated total gross seasonal income E. Type of work: Processing* canning, labelling, longshoring and the super vision thereof. 45 to 50 $400.00 $200,000.00 Areas and canneries where Japanese employed: Area Cannery Company Bristol Bay Peninsular Kodiak Southeastern Koggiung False Pass Port Bailey Shearwater Bay Craig Taku George Inlet Hawk Inlet Cordova Noyes Island Ketchikan Chatham Excursion Inlet Snug Harbor Waterfall Hidden Inlet Union Bay Libby, MoNoi!'. & Libby P. E, Harris 6c Co. Kadiak Fisheries Kadiak Fisheries Libby, McNeil I- Libby Libby, McNeil & Libby Libby. McNeil & Libby P. E,'Harris & Co, New England Fish Co, New England Fish Co. New England Fish Co. New England Fish Co, Astoria-Puget Sound Canning Company Snug Harbor Pkg. Co. Nakat Pkg. Corp. Nakat Pkg. Corp, Nakat Pkg. Corp. SALMON SUPPLEMENT--2 Floating Cannery S. S. "Ogontz" Total number of canneries employing Japanese—18 NOTE: The above data is based upon the 1941 season. The estimate on the number of Japanese employed in the industry is reasonably accurate. The total fluctuates annually according to the number of canneries operating. The figures on the gross seasonal income of these workers are rough estimates, the difficulty in obtaining accurate figures being that income varies according to the cannery, type of work, amount of fish packed, length of season, etc. The usual length of the season and period of em ployment is two months. All Japanese cannery workers embarking from Seattle are either regular or permit members of the Cannery Workers' & Farm Laborers' Union, Local #7 of the United Cannery, Agricultural. Packing & Allied Workers of America (C.1,0,), 221 Second Avenue, Seattle. Either the union or the canning companies may be consulted for additional facts or for corroboration of the data presented above. a *u The i™ediate concern of the Japanese cannery workers is the question of whether or not the American-born maiorUv will b<&. employed in the Alaska canneries during the- anp-or-h ing season* ihe union has not been able thus far tl ob-~ tampan official government verdict on this question- Sine* the industry has long been a consistent source of income fo^ -Large numbers of Japanese workers and a * major fa-tor in thu economic life of the community, the importance of secu^inp- ' government definition of the status of Japanese cannery ^aoor under the conditions of war cannot be over-emphasised, Jh?^°llowins tentative recommendations and proposals are submitted with the above question in mind: 1. That, in the event the American-born are granted employment for the 1942 canning season, thev be assigned to specially designated and segregated plants which are farthest removed from the arena of conflict* They shall work under military surveillance. The normal practice cf placinc Filipino and Japanese workers in the same plant must be abandoned for obvious reasons. SALMON SUPPLEMENT --3 2. That, in the event all Japanese (including the American-born) are barred from employment in the industry for the duration of the war, their ex clusion shall strictly be construed as temporary and the result of military emergency and necessity. Special provisions should be made to guarantee their right to return to their former jobs upon termination of the war or when it is deemed ad visable for them to be re-employed. 3, Should these Japanese Workers be barred from em ployment in Alaska, the government shall consider and adopt all possible steps to effect their re habilitation and utility as an asset to the national war effort. OYSTER INDUSTRY REPORT No* Acres owned and leased b£ Japanese,,., 910 Acres Total output ;; *.' . 177,000 gallons Sales amount to.;;.*.o$218;000 No. Japanese employed,.,,*«.,.;185 Total wages earned by Japanese.,,.$223,500 Note: Six out of eight main oyster houses in the state employ Japanese almost exclusively in the fresh and cold packed oyster industry, Approximate]^ 50$ of the fresh packed oysters opened in the Willapa Harbor district are done by Japanese-American concerns. Japanese have been in the oyster business for the past 10 to 15 years, both in the native and pacific oyster industry. It will be hard to replace these skilled men. Since there will be no more oyster seeds coming in from Japan due to the war, local seeds must be caught; and Japanese concerns play a large part in this seed trade. NAME OYSTER INDUSTRY ADDRESS ACREAGE OUTPUT SALES EARNED (Gallon) AMOUNT Eagle Oyster Nahcotta 200 80,000 $ 78,000 $18,000 Packing Co, New Washington South Bend 325 60,000 80,000 55,000 Oyster Sales Main Oyster Co. Bay Center 50 5,000 20,000 3,000 Stackpole Oyster Nahcotta 150 15*000 3,000 2,000 Co. Shintani Yamashita Western Oyster Co, \7est Coast Oyster Co. Yoshihara Poulcbo 20 4,000 2,000 1,500 Silverdale 25 5,000 4,000 3,000 Blanchard 20 3,000 4,000 3,000 Shelton 120 5,000 27,000 8,000 Total 910 177,000 §218,000 $93,500 Japanese employed in American concerns: Willapa Harbor Olytnpia and Puget Sound Bellingham, Samish Bay Seattle Opening Houses Tacoma Opening Rouses Total - Employed by Japanese firms 63 PEOPLE EMPLOYED APPROXIMATE EARNINGS 10 $ 9,000 50 47,000 25 35,000 16 19,000 20 20,000 -121 $130,000 • Grand Total - 184 '*H!t»-3W>»»m- PUBLIC OPINION For many weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, public opinion regarding resident Japanese was considering everything extremely favorable. The newspapers, civic officials, and prominent figures in public life were responsible for editorials and statements stressing the necessity of fairness to individuals of Japanese extraction, and urging that no untoward action be taken to alter the friendly pre-war relationship* So far as we know, there was no sudden public reaction against Japanese aliens or their citizen children, although there were a number of cases where employers anticipating public disfavor discharged Japanese help. School authorities, church leaders and others, who knew the Japanese or were interested in preventing hysteria from rising against them joined in these appeals. Newspaper letter columns showed about as many communica tions favorable to resident Japanese as unfavorable, and gen erally the situation was well in hand until the agitation grow ing in California spread to this district. Investigation will substantiate our contention that the relations between Americans of Japanese descent and Japanese aliens with the Caucasian community of the Pacific Northwest have, on the whole, been extremely good. The Japanese have a high reputation as to honesty, integrity, industry, and are considered by those most closely in contact with them as law-abiding and useful citizens. Our investigation has shown that oherc are a great many individuals who would not like to see wholesale evacuation of •'••'panese, but who dare not jeopardise their own positions by PUELIC OPINION—2 speaking up at this time. Understandably, they do not care. :,o lay themselves open to the charges of the vociferous minority that they are un-American.and "Jap-lovers". Except for the most rabid critics who make baseless and blanket charges attacking the loyalty of Japanese and stress their danger as potential saboteurs and fifth columnists, most persons who express themselves on the subject seem to believe that only one out of 10 or perhaps one out of 100 Japanese may be disloyal. Many contend that because of the presence of this questionable element, the whole gicup must suffer. While there is no general agreement on just what portion cf the Japanese are dangerous to the safety of the United States, it should be stressed that the Federal Bureau of In vestigation has already detained some 300 alien Japanese in the Seattle area. Analysis of the total population figures shows that at least half of the Japanese in the State are women, and thus safely to be ruled out of consideration gen erally as saboteurs and fifth columnists. This would leave at the very most, 2,700 alien Japanese males in Washington* From these must be subtracted the aged and infirm, no small consideration because the average age of this group is 59 years, From these figures, it can be seen that considerably more than one in every ten alien Japanese males is under detention by Federal authorities. Many others are doubtless still under surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Here is the reply, then, to those who urge mass evacuation so tnat the one in ten, or the one in 100 dangerous character may be removed from the coastal states. PUELIC OFINIOII •--3 We believe that if the proper action and leadership couij be initiated by responsible individuals with access to the facts, it would lead the way for the now silent groups to speak up. Once the hysteria is controlled by a statement of the facts of the case, it would seem self-evident that the problem would take care of itself, It seems evident also that those individuals and organizations who spoke in.behalf of loyal Japanese aliens and American citizens of Japanese descent before the hysteria began would speak out again v/hen the facts to substantiate their contentions became generally known. It should also be remembered that one of the favorite Nazi techniques for creating internal d_r,::/. iar is to create an atmostphere of fear and mistrust in the civilian population. The creation of an attitude that holds, that everyone with Oriental features is a spy or a saboteur would delight the masterminds of Nazi pychological warfare. Hysteria has no place in a nation that is resolved to fight the war against the Axis through to a victorious conclusion. «w»^-"'?=W*^^ MK*JMfe»g3gntftfi»^*g!»rc:a:'i SELFISH INTrEESTG From the speed and organization with which the agitation for removal of Japanese aliens and American citizens of Jap anese parentage grew, there is reason to believe that it was not only the result of hysteria or genuine fear of dangers, actual, potential or imagined. We have discovered that there is at least some agitation being conducted by interests which •pould profit from removal of Japanese, Facts and figures of the economic position the Japanese have built up are a fairly good index to the sort of behind-the-scenes pressure one might find. First, however, the political angle must be mentioned. $his is more prevalent in California than in Washington, Nonetheless, the Japanese issue has become one that apparently v is without the"other side", and politicians find it a most convenient football to be kicked around without fearing any sort of counter-reaction developing from the opposition. In other words, the Japanese issue is an ideal punching bag which politicians can pummel in the limelight of public approval without experiencing any sort of political retaliation. Such irresponsible tactics have done much to inflame public opinion. It might also be pointed out that any office-holder, who re mained silent on this issue, could expect to"be attacked by those who covet his office. In Seattle proper considerable pressure ha3 been applied by owners of hotel properties as well as real estate agencies, both powerful and influential groups, for the removal of Jap anese. Most Japanese-operated hotels are operated on leases of from three to five years. Hotels have not been profitable '(if^^L-M^k SELFISH j'NT2hESTS--2 for the past few years, and it was only in the latter half of 1941, when defense workers rushed to Seattle, that hotels begsn to make money. Now that these hotels are experiencing a boom, many of the owners are anxious to break present leases and increase the rental for the next lessee. Others,, seeing the profitable nature of the hotel business are anxious to become operators and are hurrying the day when they may be able to step into hotels left vacant by departing Japanese,. Real estate agencies have approached at least 50 Jap anese-operated hotels with propositions that they take over operation of the hotels for the duration, in return for a per centage of the gross income, usually 5 per cent. In some of the larger hotels, where gross income for the month is $10,000 and more, five per cent amounts to $ 500 monthly and up. A holding company which could operate four or five of these hotels would find it a most profitable venture, especially when there is every possibility of cheating the original operator on practically every item of operation. It must be emphasised that this is not a baseless charge. There are at least 50 large Japanese-operated hotels which have had this proposition put up to them. A somewhat similar but not quite so severe situation exists in the rural areas where other farmers have showed that they desire rich lands leased by Japanese farmers. However, it is extremely doubtful if outside farmers can turn out any where near the volume or the quality of produce that the pre sent tenants are able to do with their infinite patience. v"**^»*fvfH^«*». SELFISH INTERESTS--3 There also appear to re groups which are trying to discredit the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Just who or •what they are is beyond the scope of this report, but it must be remembered that the Japanese issue is only one of the many duties of the federal Bureau of Investigation. The internment of large numbers of enemy aliens within twenty-four hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor; the unflagging zeal with which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has since rounded them up; and the absence of any serious sabotage on the Pacific Coast all eloquently attest the fact that the *ederal Bureau of Investigation has not been slumbering. So far we have reviewed at some length the various reasons why we believe that, provided the federal Bureau of Investiga tion can continue to hold the situation well in hand as it certainly has done, it serves the best interests of the com munity of Seattle and the United States as a whole to keep the Japanese right where they are. A tremendous burden falls upon those still in civil life to keep the daily routine from being entirely disrupted hyvthe new war economy, It is fun damental to keep the home front secure against shortage of foods, shortage of housing, and shortage of domestic labor, for unless these needs are first me-., th«; production of the war industries is bound to suffer, Thus, we believe that from every angle the problem is approached, the benefits derived by moving the Japanese out en masse are overbalanced by the advantage of keeping them here whare they are already concentrated under proper supervision. It must be pointed out that if the Japanese are a problem here, they will continue to be a problem whereever they are sent, for war industries and vital centers are spread out over the length and breadth of the land. In the case, however, that in the face of these arguments the authorities deem it to be the best interests of the United States to order evacuation, certain problems arise. We present with them, not only/the intention of helping the authorities get a complete picture of the issue, but E.u, in the hopes that a-surances can be given a naturally anxious Japanese public. EVACUATION--2 LOCATION A large number of people h '. r-r rkod that they will go where the government orders them to go, willingly, if it will help the national defense effort. But the biggest pro blem in their minds is where to go. The first unofficial evacuation announcement pointed out that the government did not concern Itself with where evacuees went, just so they left prohibited areas. Obviously, this was no solution to the question, for immediately, from Yakima, Idaho, Montana, Col orado and elsewhere authoritative voices shouted; "No Japs wanted herel" The Japanese feared with reason that, forced to vacate their homes, unable to find a place to stay, they would be kicked from town to town in the interior like the "Oakies" of John Steinbeck's novel. Others wont further, and envisioned the day v/hen inhabitants of inIan. :t ^cs; aroused by the steady influx of Japanese, Would refuse to sell gasoline and food to them. They saw too, the possibility of mob action against them as exhausted, impoverished and unable to travel further, they stopped In some town or village where they were not wanted, The matter of location is an extremely realistic one, Exceedingly few 'Washington Japanese have friends or relatives elsewhere to whom they might be able to go, The others, in the overwhelming majority, would have to depend on sheer guess work or on government guidance in re-locating themselves. Naturally, farmers desiro re-location on farm lands, but it must be pointed out that the large scale farming cf tho mid-West presents problems entirely foreign to the experience of the truck gardoners of tho coast. It has also been suggested that all Japanese be organized as farm laborers in the mid- West, but here again, it must be emphasized that the average age of the alien Japanese male is 59 years, and that due to the rigorous life he has been forced to lead, he is not so rugged as his Caucasian counterpart of the same age. True, truck farming calls for unremitting labor, but the actual physical strain is much less than that imposed on the individual in harvest time in the mid-West, RESETTLEMENT What will the government«s policy be? Will communities be shifted as units to other sections? Will the Japanese be re-settled as family units? Will men and women be segregated and families split-up? Will Japanese bo scattered at random in the interior? Th0Se are questions that are arising in the Japanese communities in this area. It would seem hardly feasible to place thousands of Jap anese into inland communities without extensive preparation because of the natural repercussion from outraged citizens who understandably would not want the "backwash" from the coast dumped in their cities. On the other hand, concentration camps are not a permanent solution, especially if this turns out to be a long war as the govornmont seems to believe it will. We are also vitally interested in learning to what extent we can rely on federal financial assistance, not only in the matter of transportation, tut also in the numerous pror blems of resettlement. Our financial reserves are not great as a glance at tho statistics on Japaneso businesses will reveal, and a long pilgrimage followed by a difficult period of adjustment v/ould bo too much for tho savings cf the average EVACUATION—4 evacuated family. Another problem is that of how to go. Is is sufficient to go east of the Cascade mountains to the Yakima and Okanagan valleys? Or would it be more sensible to travel as far inland as possible, to the Mississippi valley, for instance, to ob viate the possibility of a second evacuation? Would the spar sely populated areas along tho Canadian border be feasible, or is this likely to be considered a danger zone? Should tho migration cross the Rockies? RETURN It is necessary to think of the future, of the day when this war will be ovor. Could the Japanese people, once eva cuated, return to their homes? There is the great possibility that or.ce the Jap-haters and outspoken opponents of the re sident Japanose were successful in driving the Japanese out of this area, they would never permit them to return. A post war campaign of hate and villification when resident Japanese tried to get back to their homes and investments hore, is a definite possibility should these elements score an initial victory. There is a huge but indeterminable investment hero in furniture, personal belongings, businesses, land and property by the Japanese. Certainly the matter of personal possessions-i3 dwarfed by the issue of the national good, but this is an humanitarian problem that strikes close to the hearts and pockets of old peoplo who have livod hero close to a half century, of young people just starting out in life. Who will take care of investments and personal belongings which cannot bo taken by tho evacuoes? Is it better for EVACUATION—5 evacuees to try to liquidate their possessions at the best possible price so they will have funds when they find a place to re locate? Would it not be better to do so if the chances of returning to this section of the country are remote? These are other questions that should bo answered. HUMANITARIAN A problem of this magnitude involves certain far-reaching humanitarian considerations. Evacuation means the uprooting of ties established since birth for the citizen group, ties of 30, 40, and 50 years standing for the resident aliens. We have noted with gratitude that the authorities have decided that aliens too ill to move, occupants of hospitals or other such institutions, and those more than 75 years of age will be permitted to remain in certain California prohibited areas. While this is an humanitarian move, it does not go far enough for it does not provide for persons to care- for tho incapacitated and helpless. Othoi related problems include women in pregnancy, the education of children, individuals less than 75 years of age-not ill enough to bo considered invalids but useless in the establishment of new homos in a distant area, What assurance have evacuees that they will find secur ity, a chance to make a livelihood, or oven to uphold their pride and dignity as individuals in their new homos? What reaction can ovacuoe3 expoct from their new neighbors in the matter of welcome, co-operation, assistance and neighborlinoss? Or must they li^e fearful and apprehensive under armed guard whomever they are taken, to protect them from sullen natives outraged that their precincts have been invaded by the ^ost Coast's unwanted? EVACUATI0N--6 A matter of 14,000 Japanese from the state of Washington might be comparatively easily taken care of, but this issue affects moro than 130,000 individuals in the western states. It must also be remembered that the Axis propaganda machines would immediately seize upon an un-^humanitarian mass evacuation to discredit the war aims of all the United Nations as'.set forth in the Atlantic Charter, for example. Unfortunate ly, such propaganda might prove to be a serious psychological blow to the cause of the democracies. WISHES OF THE JAPANESE •«bM«iMk*Mv«M $he Japanese do not want to be evacuated. They desire to stay in their home cities and districts, away, of course, from vital defense areas such as factories, airports, military establishments, hydro-electric projects, water supply systems and tho like.to avoid all unnecessary suspicion. In this way thoy believe they can serve the United States best. But^ we repeat, the Japanese will abide faithfully by any decision, that the Government reaches. Assuming, however, that mass evacuation is decreed, they have several ideas which the Committee may like to consider# MODEL CITY This is an ambitious plan entailing the creation of an all-Japanese city somewhere in the interior of the country, able to sustain itself as a self-sufficient unit. It would be financed originally partially by the Japanese themselves, partially by the government, Some important defense industry would be sot up to give employment to Japanese,labor, preferab ly one calling for skill and efficiency which Japanese workmen possess. The city v/ould be governed by American citizens, EVACUATION—7 J who would elect a trayor and council, just as other American cities, and the Japanese, both American citizens and aliens, would be given an opportunity to practice the American ideals of democratic government v/hich they have learned. After the initial investment, the city could be expected to become self-sufficient and a center for tho hinterland. It is altogether likely that such a city, :s an experiment in democracy would be so progressive and v/ould provide such ad vantages that friends of the Japanese would desire to share its benefits. This would be a long-range project, to be continued in perpetuity. The objection of the time required to sot it up would be overbalanced by the permanent nature of tho project. ALTERNATIVE TO EVACUATION If a licensing system for individuals in vital and neces sary occupations could be worked out under the supervision of either the military or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, un wanted mass evacuation can be avoided. It is our belief that only those considered not dangerous aro being allowed to be at liberty today, but this might bo carriod further by thorough investigation of each individual. Those permitted to remain at their jobs should have to pass tow tests: Prove their nocossity to the national defense effort and be approved by the *ederal Bureau of Investigation. "hus, the general public would bo assured that only the unquestionably loyal individuals remain, and that their im portance to tho defonco offort justifies their remaining in this area. EVACUATI0N--8 ' Covering the problem generally, these are the important points: 1* The Japanese do not know where to go in case of general evacuation, 2. They wish to be directed by the government as to where to go. 3» They wish to be sent together, with families intact and in sufficient numbers to be able to help each other over tho difficult period of adjustment. 4, ^'hey wish to be settled near large urban centers. CONCLUSION We believe the so-called Japanese problem is not so serious as certain vocal exponents of mass evacuation profess to believe. Wo are sure that the bonfits to be derived from large scale evacuation of Japanese from the state of Washing ton are overwhelmingly over balanced by the benefits to be derived by keeping fchem here under the proper supervision. The Japanese problem is not going to be solved by eva cuation. If they are a problem here, they will be a problem wherever they are sent. Since this is so, it is logical that they can be kept undor better surveillance v/here they are now, concentrated as they are in well-defined areas, and where they can continue to do their bit for the national defense. The argument that the Japanese must be placed in safety because of danger to themselves in case of invasion or parachute attack is not entirely valid. It is admitted that loyal re sidents might be mistaken for such invaders and be subject to injury. But in that case, a similar danger is present for both Chinese and Filipinos for racial characteristics which differentiate Japanese, Chinese and *ilipinos are so difficult to detect that even members of tosu r^.ces cannot make infall ible identification of each other. Among Axis enemies, the Japanese are the worst possible people to select as saboteurs, spies, and fifth columnist. A Japanese can be distinguished from a considerable distance because of oriental facial characteristics which set him apart from the general mass of people. Enemies with Caucasian faces can mix with crowds anywhere and carry out their nefarious missions. Japanese aro already barred from vital war industries CONCLUSION—2 such as aircraft plants, ship yards, and other such peaces where saboteurs aromost likely to strike♦ His contribution is in other fields whore the matter of sabotage is not involved, where thore is ample opportunity for government supervision. Espionage is a highly specialized business which cannot be engaged in by just anyone. The vast majority of alien Jap anese and American citizens of Japanese descent have no train ing whatever in espionage, sabotage or fifth column work. Their age distribution precludes this possibility'; The Fed-oral Bureau of Investigation has already detained, or is keep ing under surveillance those considered suspicious♦ Distinction must be made between long-time residents of this country and temporary visitors or treaty merchants* The first have made their homes here, and have made up their minds to remain here until they die, Tho groat majority has resolved never to ret
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