ENEMY ALIEN EVACUATION ORDER HELD IMMINENT
Appointment of Property Custodian Asked; Blow to Produce Markets Foreseen; U.S. to Pay Costs

An Army or presidential order for evacuation of enemy aliens from points in Seattle and parts of Washington, Oregon and California may arrive here before the Tolan congressional committee completes its hearing on national-defense migration problems tomorrow, Congressman John H. Tolan, chairman, indicated yesterday.

As the first day's hearing drew to a close with the testimony of D.K. MacDonald, president of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Tolan remarked for the record:

"If evacuation comes, there is nothing anyone can do about it, and it may come any time now. I might say, it won't be long now."

Custodian to Be Named

Tolan had announced earlier that stringent evacuation orders were "imminent." He revealed a telegram to President Roosevelt and the Army and Navy Departments asking appointment of an alien-property custodian and coordinator to precede or at least coincide with the evacuation order.

While most of the testimony at yesterday's hearing dealt with enemy aliens, members of the committee indicated by their questions that they ware concerned also with the problem of whether American-born Japanese should be included in any possible evacuation.

Many Japanese, both young and old, as well as a scattering of Germans and Italians, were among the capacity crowd which attended the hearing.

"Have you any recommendations for the handling of aliens' property?" Tolan asked MacDonald.

"Except for a custodian, no," the Chamber president replied.

MacDonald testified that a wide divergence of opinions on the subject of evacuation had been expressed at numerous meetings held by the Chamber's committees.

"Finally we decided on a simple four-line resolution officially stating for the Chamber that we'd like to have a decission [decision] as to the disposition of the question as soon as possible, so we can proceed. Likewise we'd like to have a determination of the agricultural plan."

Hardships Foreseen

Without stating whether the Chamber or he favored or opposed general enemy - alien evacuation, MacDonald said it undoubtedly would "greatly reduce Seattle business and result in a shortage of produce and work a hardship on many persons."

"War is hell, isn't it?" Tolan asked.

Orville F. Robertson, executive secretary of the Family Society of Seattle, said he believes wholesale evacuation "is not necessary or desirable."

"I don't know when something is going to happen, but I have great confidence in the F.B.I. and the Army and Navy Intelligence," Robertson said. "I'd be willing to risk it that they can weed out the undesirables, and I have four children growing up here."

Tolan pointed out that the expense of evacuation, even though it involves as many as 200,000

aliens, would be borne by the federal government.

"The thing I would stress there is that extreme care is needed in advance planning." Robertson said.

"That's the trouble with war," Tolan replied. "Seldom is there time for great planning, and there may not be now."

Edward W. Allen, chairman of the International Fisheries Commission, who said he had "connections" with 30,000 fishermen from Washington, Oregon and California, said "our fishermen have been feeling for years that Japan has been planning not only to invade the fishing industry but to invade the country."

"The Japanese are the greatest fishing people in the world," Allen said. They not only have threatened to invade our industry, but did invade it in Bristol Bay. Evacuation is not a matter for prejudice nor sentiment.

I have a great personal liking for many Japanese, but I have a profound dislike of the Japanese military. Evacuation is a matter of safety, and if it is concluded that evacuation is necessary, we should put up with it, whatever the sacrifice."

"Do you feel a line can be drawn between the alien and native Japanese?" asked Congressman Carl T. Curtis, Nebraska, a member of the committee.

Allen replied:

"To this extent: There is a much greater risk from the average alien than the average native.

Predilection Held Natural

"I know if I were born in Japan I'd have a natural predilection for the Americans, and I don't see how the Japanese can help but feel an inherent feeling of loyalty to Japan. I don't think that's subject to criticism, but is just nature. But I do feel alien Japanese have much more difficulty disregarding that predilection than the American-born."

American-born Japanese have within their ranks some of the most disloyal, potential saboteurs, while older aliens generally constitute the most loyal group, Mayor Earl Millikin testified.

"Seattle residents overwhelmingly desire removal of Japanese, particularly aliens, but the feeling carries over to native Japanese, as well," the mayor said. "They think it regrettable that the chain of circumstances leading to is has occurred, but feel that even one saboteur could do much damage."

The mayor's testimony followed that of Gov. Arthur B. Langlie, who said residents of Washington believe overwhelmingly that all enemy aliens should be evacuated immediately.

Millikin said Japanese hope to avoid mass evacuation.

"They wish to assist by controlling the subversives of their own group," Millikin said.

"The Japanese American Citizens' League has been very helpful, but they won't 'squeal' on their own people. An Italian will come in and tell you if he knows of another Italian who is dangerous. The Japs keep such things down by coercion and threats, telling their subversive members that they had better be 'good' or else. They believe a system of licensing and report should be followed.

Prohibited Area Favored

"However, I favor a prohibited area west of the Cascades in Washington and west of Highway 97 in Oregon, Millikin said.

"All of them, including Germans and Italians, most suffer because they've neglected to take out citizenship papers?" asked Congressman Laurence F. Arnold, Illinois, a member of the Tolan Committee.

"That's their hard luck," answered the mayor.

Governor Langlie told the committee that the state and all its branches of government, including the Social Security Department and the State Patrol, "are ready and willing to go all the way on any program of evacuation set up by federal agencies to get the job done."

Misquoted, Says Maddux

Mayor Z.H. Maddux, of Enumclaw, who attended the meeting, said after the morning recess that remarks attributed to him after a meeting of the Association of Valley Cities Wednesday night had been made by an official of another city.

"Personally, I believe the matter should be left in the competent hands of the courts of justice and the F.B.I.," Mayor Maddux said.

Mayor Harry B. Cain of Tacoma testified the removal would have little effect on Tacoma as only 119 small business places are operated there by Japanese. He pointed out, however, that the problem for Pierce County as a whole would be a greater one, as many Japanese are engaged in truck farming in the Puyallup Valley.

Japanese Aid F.B.I.

James Sakamoto, Seattle Japanese publisher and leader in the Japanese-American Citizen's League, testified that the League has an intelligence unit which cooperates with the F.B.I.

Sakamoto mentioned the unit only briefly in suggesting methods by which mass evacuations could be avoided.

"Why not put all of us under protective custody or place alien Japanese under our custody?" said Sakamoto, an American-born Japanese.

Sakamoto suggested that if the aliens were put under custody of American-born Japanese, they could report twice a week to the League. If they did not report, he said, the League's intelligence unit would inform the F.B.I.

Permit System Asked

"If we could have some such system, or a permit system letting the Army or F.B.I. investigate and grant the permits, it would work out satisfactorily," Sakamoto said.

Sakamoto testified that the league, which has 320 paid-up members in Seattle and 20,000 members throughout the country, was formed to promote Americanism among American-born Japanese. He said that if the Japanese were to be evacuated the work of the committee would be retarded by 10 or 15 years.

Members of the committee questioned Sakamoto regarding Japanese who are citizens of both Japan and the United States.

Sakamoto explained that prior to 1924 alien Japanese were instructed by the Japanese government to register births with the Japanese government. Persons so registered became Japanese citizens. In nearly all cases, Sakamoto said, the American-born Japanese never realized they were citizens of Japan until they were grown. He said many American-born Japanese, including himself had filed petitions with the Japanese government expatriating themselves as citizens of that country.

Oles Charges Selfishness

Floyd Oles, manager of the Washington Produce Shippers' Association, declared that persons with "selfish interests" were among those seeking the mass evacuation of the Japanese. He did not elaborate except to say that he recently had received propaganda, from California in which the removal was urged by "selfish interests."

Oles also testifies that he felt much of the hysteria was being caused by "enemy sources." In closing, Oles testified that public security should come first, but he added that the effect of a mass evacuation on agricultural production should not be overlooked.

"How many, if any, disloyal Japanese has your organization reported to the F.B.I. or any other governmental agency in the past two years?" Curtis asked Sakamoto.

"I know definitely our organization has, let us say, 'turned in' people that ought to be checked," Sakamoto answered. "That is Japanese people. Of course, we'd turn in German or Italians, too, or English-Americans, if they are subversives."

Asked if he thought he and others in his group would be victims of mob violence in case of an attack, Sakamoto answered:

"Yes, maybe some, but our Army, police and civilian defense should be able to take care of us. The mob violence would come after the attack. No one's going to be out on the streets looking for a Jap when a raid's on.

"We want to be fighting shoulder to shoulder with other Americans, not hiding in some place of safety while others defend our homes."

Japs Banned in Canneries

John W. Grant, farm-placement supervisor of the U.S. Employment Service, said Eastern Washington farmers would employ evacuated Japanese only after all local available labor was employed and only on jobs where they could be supervised closely. Definitely they would not be employed in canneries or other plants processing food for consumption, he said.

The hearing will resume tomorrow, beginning at 9:30 o'clock in courtroom 506, Federal Courthouse.

[Photo caption]: Gov. Arthur B. Langlie: Says state favors evacuation [Photo caption]: Mayor Earl Millikin: "That's their hard luck" [Photo caption]: J.W. Spangler: Calls for quick action [Photo caption]: Floyd Oles: Suggests guard at every third fence post [Photo caption]: Mayor Harry P. Cain: Says Tacoma has small problem [Photo caption]: Congressman John H. Tolan: "I might say, it won't be long now"