PRODUCE MEN HIT W.R.A. ACTIONS

Charging the War Relocation Authority with "gross exaggerations" and "bunglesome handling of the whole Japanese situation," the Northwest Produce Association today had asked for a congressional investigation into the handling of Japanese-grown produce in this area.

The request was contained in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Clinton P. Anderson in answer to a telegram received by the association yesterday, stating the department had received "numerous protests against the refusal of Seattle produce firms to handle produce grown by returning Japanese."

Tactics Attacked

"In view of the present food situation, we believe such discrimination to be unjustified, and urge your cooperation in correcting the situation," Secretary Anderson stated.

"In May, a representative of the W.R.A. called on all produce houses here and told them that they would be forced to handle Japanese produce," C.A. Adwen, secretary-manager of the association, stated in his letter.

"This is just one example of the stupid tactics of the W.R.A. No good American, and there are many of them in the produce business here, is going to submit to being pushed around by these people."

Adwen said that many tons of cabbage and other Japanese-raised produce, shipped in by common carrier, have been sold here, adding that local Japanese farmers had fared better than the average other farmer in this area during the recent slump in fresh-food prices.

Signs Ordered Down

"This whole situation has been agitated and brought about by the bunglesome handling by the W.R.A.," the letter continued. "That department has exceeded its authority, and the Northwest Produce Association is of the opinion that an investigation should be made of this whole situation by Congress, and the sooner the better."

Adwen said that a representative of the W.R.A. called at local stores and produce firms which displayed "No Jap" signs and ordered them taken down. He said that representatives from the Seattle Police Department and the mayor's office repeated the order where the signs prevailed.

"We have assumed and will continue to assume a hands-off policy in any of the Japanese exclusion movements or organizations," Adwen said today, but he pointed out that "these people who stepped into the breach when the Japanese left have modernized their methods and have done an excellent job. They will receive our first consideration."