EVACUATION MAY COVER AREA WEST OF CASCADES
Government to Help Locate New Homes but Evacuees Must Provide Own Transportation; Dates Unset
All Japanese, German and Italian aliens soon will be ordered to leave the entire Puget Sound region because of "military necessity," it was learned today.
Plans for mass evacuation of enemy aliens from a "large area in Western Washington" were announced here yesterday by Wallace Howland, assistant coordinator of enemy-alien control, Western Defense Command.
While Howland would not specify boundaries of the area, it was learned from other sources today that Army officials believe it of "military necessity" that all enemy aliens leave the Puget Sound region.
Cascades May Be Boundary
It is possible the area may include the entire western sector of the state--from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Mountains. However, at present Army officials are concerned mainly with the Puget Sound region.
The mass evacuation also is planned for large areas in Oregon and California.
In California today, 86 agents, armed with more than 200 presidential warrants for arrest and search, raided Japanese residences in the vicinity of the Sacramento Municipal Airport and the nearby Army base at Mather Field, the Associated Press reported.
Thousands Live Here
R.P. Bonham, in charge of the United States Immigration Office in Seattle, said that in Western Washington there are 5,447 Japanese aliens. 2,254 German aliens and 3,017 Italian aliens.
pOf this number, King County has 3,851 Japanese aliens, 1,215 German and 1,853 Italian aliens. Pierce
Bonham said he did not know where the aliens would be sent.
Montana Groups Protest
The Great Falls, Mont., Union of Hotel and Restaurant Workers today joined Cascade County Mont., farmers in protesting any movement of Japanese aliens to the Great Falls area, according to press dispatches.
In Idaho, Gov. Chase A. Clark said there is no intention of moving aliens to Idaho to relieve the farm labor shortage. It was reported, however, that several surveys have been made to determine sites for concentration camps in Idaho.
Internment Not Planned
The evacuation is expected to be one of the major problems arising from the major problems arising from the war. In King County, for example, more than 3,000 alien Japanese will be torn away from their American-born children and from the homes in which they have lived for years.
The government does not plan to intern the aliens. When boundaries of the prohibited area have been announced, the aliens will be given a short period of grace in which to pack their belongings and leave for any place they desire as long as it is outside a prohibited area.
There will be absolutely no exceptions and it will be up to the aliens themselves to provide their own transportation. However, the government will attempt to aid them somewhat.
United States Employment Offices throughout the area will be designated as clearing houses. These offices will attempt to find employment for the aliens in other parts of the country, outside the prohibited area.
Likewise, it will attempt to replace workers in jobs which the aliens will be forced to leave. Queries regarding the removal should be directed to these offices.
Farm Work Proposed
Other federal agencies, including several in the Department of Agriculture, are making plans to aid in the establishment of new farms for aliens who have been engaged in farming and truck gardening in the prohibited area.
It also is up to the Department of Agriculture to see that crops are harvested, and replanted on farms and truck gardens from which the aliens will be forced to leave.
No attempt will be made to notify the aliens individually when boundaries of the prohibited area have been determined. Federal officials said it is up to the aliens themselves to obtain this information from the newspapers and other news agencies.
Special Offices to Give Aid
Howland said that the United States Employment office at Fourth Avenue and James Street, as well as similar offices in other Western Washington cities, are setting up special departments to aid the aliens. Persons who have any doubt as to whether they are enemy aliens should communicate with the United States Immigration Service, 815 Airport Way.
Army officials designate the prohibited areas. Enforcement is assigned to the Department of Justice.
Two Types of Areas
Two types of areas now are being designated. All enemy aliens with no exceptions whatsoever, must leave and stay out of Class A Prohibited Areas, which the Puget Sound region is expected to be. Enemy aliens will be permitted to remain in Class B Restricted Areas providing they obey curfews and other regulations. As yet, no Class B areas have been announced for Washington State.
Enemy aliens found in a Class A Prohibited Area after the deadline will be taken into custody and probably interned for the duration.
While Army officials also are considering the removal of American-born Japanese as well as aliens, it is not expected they will be affected by the first removal order. Howland, said the government would have no objection if American-born Japanese accompany relatives who are aliens.
Officials Hold Conference
While in Seattle yesterday, Howland conferred with Charles S. Burdell, special assistant to the attorney-general, who will have charge of the evacuation from the Seattle district.
Others he conferred with were H.B. Fletcher, special agent in charge of the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Gerald Shucklin, chief assistant United States attorney; Frank Messenger, manager of the Seattle office of the United States Employment Service, and R.P. Bonham, district director of immigration and naturalization.
Howland left Seattle for Washington, D.C., where he and Tom C. Clark, western coordinator of enemy-alien control, will confer on the evacuation with Attorney-General Francis Biddle.
Espionage Danger Seen
Upon leaving San Francisco, Clark told the Associated Press that the migration might be brought about by the adoption of a type of martial law, which would permit the removal of American-born children of enemy aliens.
Seven Washington State areas, most of the maround power and dam sites, now are prohibited to enemy aliens. The dealine [deadline] for moving out of the areas, which include Grand Coulee Dam, expired last midnight and local sheriffs' offices were instructed today by the Seattle F.B.I. office to "make sure" no enemy aliens are in the areas. It is believed, however, that few, if any, persons will be affected.
The deadline for removal from 19 prohibited areas in Oregon was midnight tonight. About 1,500 aliens are effected there.
In California, where 69 areas are prohibited, many more aliens are affected. Federal authorities searching today in the California areas for possible stragglers, said the removal was without incident.