Title: "Mass Ouster of Japanese is Demanded by Atty.-Gen," Seattle Times, 3/2/1942, (ddr-densho-56-658)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-658

MASS OUSTER OF JAPANESE IS DEMANDED BY ATTY.-GEN.

Feelings of Residents in Eastern Washington 'Not Important at This Time,' Congressmen Are Told

The immediate mass evacuation of all Japanese, both alien and American-born, to prevent "violence" against them was urged today by Attorney-General Smith Troy at the Tolan congressional hearing on defense migration here.

He also urges that aliens of other enemy nations be evacuated.

Troy said that Eastern Washington residents would not be "too receptive" if aliens were moved there, but added that their "feeling is not important in times like this."

"This is necessary not only for our protection but for the protection of the aliens themselves as well," Troy said, "and I include in the term 'aliens' both alien and native Japanese. During the past several weeks there has been growing concern among the prosecuting attorneys of each of Washington's 39 counties over the possibility of mob violence.

Vigilante Talk Heard

"There has been talk in many counties of creating vigilante committees by people who have been demanding not only the ouster of aliens but threatening to take care of it themselves by force.

"I believe this feeling is only in an embryonic state now but I have the feeling that it could grow beyond control if any of the things you may expect in war occur, such as the publication of casualty lists or some terrible catastrophe or any other unexpected turn of events. That is something, of course, that we don't want.

"In my opinion, the evacuation of both alien and native Japanese is highly desirable and the sooner the quicker."

Troy said he does not believe the ouster should be necessary for the duration."

'Moved Out . . . All of Them'

"I believe they should be moved out as soon as possible--all of them," the attorney general said, "Subsequently, some sort of tribunal can be set up to determine which of them is unquestionably loyal and eligible for reentry but that can come later. Right now they should be moved out."

Troy expressed grave concern

over the possibility of sabotage in the national forests in this state.

"It's a difficult job to patrol [patrol] them adequately in peacetime summers, but with a nation at war I am fearful of the ability of the state or federal government to protect them," Troy said. "We have thousands and thousands and thousands of acres of timber land. A person or groups of persons could completely lose themselves in the woods. It would be impossible to find them once they got a start.

"Our mills are going day and night to produce timber for ships and camps and defense buildings. In Oregon and Washington lie the last great stands of timber. I think this reason alone is adequate for removal of aliens."

Policing Agencies Cited

Troy said "all facilities" of the state are available not only for the protection of the forests but to aid in policing a mass evacuation. He included among these the State Patrol, the State Conservation Department, the Department of Game and Fisheries, officers of the State Liquor Control Board, inspectors of the Departments of Agriculture, Public Service and Highways and State fire wardens.

Troy was asked by Congressman Laurence F. Arnold, Illinois, a member of the Tolan committee, what would be the attitude of Eastern Washington residents of the aliens were removed across the mountains.

"I'm afraid some portions would not be too receptive," Troy said, "but I'm also of the opinion that this feeling is not important in times like this."

Troy pointed out that Eastern Washington has vast agricultural resources as well as the Coulee Dam, but said he does not consider the portion of the state east of the Cascades a "strategic" region.

Cross-Purposes Feared

"I think the evacuation should be left in the hands of the military exclusively," Troy continued. "Without disparagement of any agency, I find there are so many agencies feverishly at work for the common good that many are working at cross-purposes.

"In other words, there are 'too many cooks.' I'd like to see it under one head. I'd even go so far as to recommend martial law.

"How would you distinguish between Japanese and German and Italian aliens?" asked Arnold.

"Speaking frankly, out here we feel we know the Germans and Italians a lot better than the Japanese," Troy said. "For years, I believe, there always has been a distrust of the Japanese. I think then our first problem is to get the Japanese out of here and we can turn to other problems as they arise. Some of us may have to give up some of our civil rights for a time in order to hold others but I think our democratic intelligence is great enough that we must realize this must be done and fast."

Leases to Japanese Told

Returning to the subject of removing aliens in Eastern Washington, Troy said that there are 8,000 acres of agricultural land on the Yakima Indian Reservation leased to about 125 Japanese, 92 per cent of whom are American citizens.

"This land is leased to the Japanese by the Indians and I'm informed reliably that these lease-holders now are sitting idly by, not because they wish to be a deterrent to the national war effort, but because they don't know what their status is. Why should they go in all the work of plowing and planting if they're going to be moved away? A decision is needed urgently or it may be too late to have crops."

The hearing, conducted Saturday by Congressmen John H. Tolan, California; Carl T. Curtis, Nebraska, and Arnold was augmented today by a fourth representative, George H. Bender of Ohio.

Bender asked Troy's opinion of an evacuation order issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police requiring the ouster of all male aliens between the ages of 18 and 25.

Not Far Enough--Troy

"I don't believe it goes far enough," Troy answered. "I believe it should be a mass evacuation, first, including men, women, and children of all ages. I believe it should be all-embracing to begin with. Later those entitled to do so may return."

"I am now going to ask you something entirely unrelated to any of preceding,"� Bender said. "There have been large numbers of soldiers moved into your state. Do you think prostitution has increased or that large numbers of prostitutes have moved into Washington?"

"I think not," Troy answered. "It's been my observation that prostitution has decreased."

"In the vicinity of San Francisco there have been complaints of increases. Does that have any effect on your situation? Do you feel it requires any congressional or federal action?" Bender asked.

"No, I think that prostitution and other crimes have been kept at a remarkable minimum."

Distinction Urged

"I don't react favorably to the term 'enemy alien.'" Tolan interposed. "It always jars me because we have thousands of aliens in the country who helped build it and are not enemies.

Shifting the discussion to the plight of the German-Jewish refugee, classed as "enemy alien." State Senator Mary Farquharson introduced Dr. Dolf Simons, a German-Jewish physician who fled Germany in 1937 with his wife, daughter and mother.

"These people, about 600 of them, have asked me to speak for them because they have no organization that can do it for them," said Senator Farquharson. "They have felt that an organization would hinder rather than help them. Their problem is exactly the one Congressman Tolan mentioned, that is, of being branded as an enemy-alien, when they were, in fact, aliens in Germany. It is only in this country that they've ever felt peace and security, a feeling of 'belonging.'"

"I know only a dozen or so of them intimately but the group is well known to each other and to their leaders, as is their background in Germany."

"Could it be possible that Germany has sent agents here, classed as Jewish refugees, for espionage?" asked Curtis.

Nazi's Discovery Related

"That is possible," said Senator Farquharson. "There is one specific case where a Nazi agent had 'J' for (Jew) stamped across his passport but he was discovered by others in the group."

Dr. Simons said he thinks it possible and probable that Nazi agents are operating in this country, but "not in our group."

"In the first place, there is so little reason any more for them to mask as Jews," Dr. Simons said. "Now they can pose as Dutch Czecho-Slovakian or even Polish refugees. We were branded and marked as enemies of Hitler in Germany and coming here we have hoped for security and peace. Now, however, we are branded as enemy aliens when we are even deeper in hatred of Germany than Americans are."

"I want to point out that 'these peoples' cards are marked 'stateless,'" said Senator Farquharson. "They haven't been citizens of Germany since 1935 and not subjects since last November."

"In other words, they are men without a country," said Congressman Tolan.

"Exactly," said Senator Farquharson.

"You must realize that there are bound to be some injustices in war," said Bender. "They cannot be avoided, but I would point out that references to these people as enemy aliens does not mean they are really considered as enemies but just that they are from countries with whom the United States is at war."

Robert Bridges of Auburn, vice president of the Valley Protective Association, testified the proposed evacuation would have little effect on the pea and lettuce industry of that region, even though 75 per cent of the 531 growers are Japa

nese. He said that nearly every year since 1933, farmers in that area have had to plow under peas and lettuce because of over-production. He added that if the Japanese were removed their farms could be taken over by white growers.

Quaker Witnesses Called

Two representatives of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, were called as witnesses. One of them, Floyd W. Schmoe, of the University of Washington faculty, urged that the evacuation be effected as "a last resort" and that if this action were taken the persons affected be placed in the nearest area in which they can carry on work in occupations they now are doing. Schmoe said the organization was interested in the proposed evacuation only from a humanitarian standpoint and that it did not distinguish between citizen or noncitizen Japanese or Germans or Italians.

The other witness, Bernhard G. Warring, was questioned by Bender on the pacifistic views of the organization.

Warring testified that world problems could be settled by talking "love and kindness rather than by going to war."

"Do you think you can talk love and kindness in the face of a machine gun?" asked Bender.

Warring replied that he believed it could be done.

The witness added that the organization he represented was willing to abide by any decision made by the government and that it would do its best to aid all persons affected.

Publisher Charges Fraud

Miller Freeman, Seattle publisher, charging that the Japanese were in the United States by "fraud, deception and collusion," urged the evacuation of both alien and citizen Japanese. Reciting the history of the migration of Japanese to America, Freeman charged that they came here for the purpose of colonizing the Pacific oCast [Coast] for Japan.

Committee members questioned him as to what should be done regarding German and Italian aliens.

Freeman said that he was not qualified to discuss that matter, but he added that any of those aliens who had been in this country a long time without obtaining citizenship "are at least suspects."

The Rev. Thomas Gill, a Catholic priest and representative of the Puget Sound Chapter, American Association of Social Workers, declared that he was not in favor of evacuation for any reason other than military necessity. He added that if the evacuation is ordered it should not start until machinery has been established to aid in the evacuation.

[Photo caption]: Floyd W. Schmoe: Evacuation 'a last resort' [Photo caption]: Miller Freeman: Accuses Japs of "fraud, deceit" [Photo caption]: The Rev. Thomas Gill: Only for military necessity