February 27, 1943

Dear General Emmons:

In the absence of Mr. McCloy, who is currently overseas, I am transmitting herewith for your information a copy of letter from Mr. Dillon Myer, Director, War Relocation Authority, on the subject of evacuation of Japanese from Hawaii. It is my belief that Mr. McCloy would want you to see this and have your ideas before giving further consideration to it. In submitting it, I am aware of the Joint Chiefs of Staff report of March 8, 1942, and your directive on the subject.

In sending it to you, it occurs to me that you could forward your recommendations on the matter, and I would have the file complete upon his return, which I expect in about two or three weeks.

Since some information of the current Japanese situation of the mainland may be of interest or value to you, I offer the following facts as known to this office:

Recruiting by voluntary induction method in the relocation centers for the proposed Japanese-American combat team has not met with the success hoped for, due apparently to resentment over evacuation, objection to the "segregation" feature of the unit, and to the opposition of a pressure group of anti-American Kibei and Issei. However, the units of the combat team have been activated and the fillers will be obtained.

War Department regulations prohibiting the employment of persons of Japanese extraction in Army installation is in the process of being revised to permit loyal Japanese-Americans to be accepted for employment. (At your request Hawaii was exempted from this order of February 9, 1942).

Due in part to uncertainity [uncertainty] in the minds of the Japanese in the relocation centers as to their future, and to slow resettlement, only a few evacuees have been given indefinite status and all relocation centers remain well filled.

The War Relocation Authority is beginning to implement segregation and remove known disloyal evacuees from

the various centers; but this has been slow, due, according to the War Relocation Authority, to the lack of an appropriate place to which the segregees could be sent.

These conditions, I believe, have to some extent prevented War Relocation Authority from acquiring space which it had hoped to use in connection with quartering evacuees from Hawaii.

May I suggest, in replying to Mr. McCloy you advise him whether or not the organization of the Japanese-American combat team has produced any affect on the general situation in Hawaii which would cause you to modify your views on the evacuation, either as to numbers or type of individuals to be evacuated.

Sincerely,

(SIGNED)
WILLIAM P. SCOBEY
Colonel, General Staff
Executive

Lt. General Delos C. Emmons,
Commanding, Hawaiian Department
Fort Shafter, T.H.