Title: "Last of County Japs Going Soon," Seattle Times, 5/15/1942, (ddr-densho-56-797)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-797

LAST OF COUNTY JAPS GOING SOON

The last of King's County's Japanese, approximately 1,700 in number, will be evacuated by next Friday noon, according to two Army orders issued today.

In three other orders, the Associated Press reported, Lieut. Gen. John L. De Witt, commander of the Western Defense command, ordered removal of remaining Japanese from San Francisco and two other California areas.

The five evacuations will bring to 85,000 the number of Japanese removed from coastal areas.

One King County order, No. 79, involves 1,100 Japanese living south of the city and within the area bounded by State Highway 5A, beginning at the intersection with U.S. Highway 99, east of Des Moines, and running east to Green River; thence along the river to the Kittitas County line; thence along the King-Kittitas and King-Pierce County lines to Highway 99; thence up Highway 99 to the starting point.

Center Established

A registration center for this area has been established in the Auburn High School Gymnasium and will be open Saturday and Sunday for registration, and those registering will be removed by Friday noon.

Order No. 80 involves 600 Japanese living north of the city and east of Lake Washington in the area bounded by the King-Snohomish County line from Puget Sound to the western limits of the Snoqualmie National Forest; thence along the edge of the forest to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River; thence down the fork to Fall City; thence along Highway 10, crossing the Lake Washington Floating Bridge; thence up the western shore of Lake Washington to a line extended from East 85th Street to Puget Sound; thence up the shoreline to the point of beginning.

The control station for this area will be at 122 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, and registration will be Saturday and Sunday. Those in this area will be removed Wednesday.

More Oregon Japs Ousted

Another order yesterday said all Japanese must be removed from the northern coastal area of Oregon by Wednesday. This affects about 400 persons.

The War Relocation Authority in Washington, D.C., announced that Japanese now evacuated or to be evacuated soon will be offered the chance to demonstrate their loyalty to the United States by enlisting in work corps for agriculture, construction, irrigation and other projects in inland communities.

Those enlisting will be paid, it was said, but in no case will pay exceed the minimum base pay of the American soldier. M.S. Eisenhouwer, director of the W.R.A., said the plan would be worked like "a Civilian Conservation Corps for the entire family."