Title: "Billions in Losses Foreseen By Removal of Jap Farmers," Seattle Times, 3/10/1942, (ddr-densho-56-681)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-681

Billions in Losses Foreseen By Removal of Jap Farmers

By Associated Press.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 10.--Forced evacuation of Japanese farmers from California will result in losses of billions of dollars, Nobumitsu Takahashi, agricultural coordinator, Northern California District Council of the Japanese American Citizens' League, declared in a statement today.

Takahashi made the estimate as Army authorities, planning to begin forced evacuation of Japanese from West Coast military areas, probably within ten days, renewed pledges that families would be kept intact.

Huge Losses Envisaged

"The Japanese farmers stand to lose approximately $100,000,000 in investments, but due to the complexity of the economic system, billion-dollar investments by others (Caucasians) will also be lost," Takahashi said.

"In other words, the economic structure of the vegetable industries, both wholesale and retail, will be seriously weakened.

"These damaging effects of such nature will in no way bolster the United States war effort or the morale of its citizens."

Produce Estimated

Takahashi gave a comparison of the Japanese farm acreage of certain vital crops to those of non-Japanese sources. He said the Japanese produced 80 per cent of the soybeans; 65 per cent of the cauliflower; celery, 90 per cent; garlic, 75; peas, 80; cucumbers, 50; peppers, all types, 95; straberries [strawberries], 95; processed spinach, 60; market tomatoes, 70; and canning tomatoes, 50 per cent.

"The result of indiscriminate evacuation of Japanese in California will logically have a greatly detrimental effect not only in California, but in the whole United States," Takahashi said.

Takahashi said the annual value of commercial truck crops grown by Japanese in California was believed to be more than $40,000,000.

Army Plans Ready

Lieut. Gen. J.L. De Witt, commander of the Western Defense Command, said that within a day or two the government would disclose definite plans for protecting property rights and crops of evacuees.

The involved program, eventually to affect some 200,000 persons, including all West Coast Japanese and German and Italian aliens, was discussed in detail by General De Witt yesterday with Jon J. McCloy, assistant secretary of war, and with representatives of the Treasury and Agriculture Departments, and members of the Tolan congressional committee on alien evacuation.

Neither De Witt nor any of his conferees would set a date for the probable start of the evacuation, but in Los Angeles the City Council was told by one of its members yesterday that the forced exodus would begin within ten days.

10,000 in First Group

Councilman John Baaumgartner said he had learned the Army would start by removing some 10,000 Japanese from the coastal areas to a reception center in the Owens River Valley.

The information, Baumgartner declared, came from his participation in the meetings between Army authorities and Los Angeles Water and Power Department officials. The city Water Department owns the Owens River Valley land which the Army has taken over for use as an evacuee reception center.