EVACUEES SING ON TRIP
By PAUL OHTAKI
Review staff correspondent

CAMP MANZANAR, Calif. Wednesday, April 1--Bainbridge Island's evacuated Japanese residents, well and cheerful, arrived here at 12:30 o'clock this afternoon.

The last stage of the trip--which began in Seattle Monday morning--was accomplished by a fleet of busses that met the train at Mojave early this morning.

Islanders were greeted by warm sunshine. They found the Owen Valley region to be level land, with high mountains nearby.

Everyone enjoyed the trip, but missed his Island friends.

On the train there was group singing, card playing, and "chatting" with the soldiers who accompanied the evacuees. Islanders were treated "swell" by the Army and, in return, cooperated fully because the soldiers were so courteous.

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The Navy and others who feared the presence here of Japanese aliens and Japanese-American citizens breathed easier this week, for the Island was cleared of every last one of its 274 Japanese residents in the nation's first enforced evacuation.

There were others, though, who mourned at the departure. They included Caucasians who gathered at the Eagledale dock Monday morning and wept unashamed as their Japanese neighbors obediently boarded the ferry Kehloken for their last ride from the Island for a long time, a ride which was the first step in the government's forced evacuation of them to the reception center at Camp Manzanar, high in Owen Valley, California.

The Japanese, themselves, remained outwardly calm for the most part. None created any disturbance, although some wept when the actual moment came for boarding the ferry. For many days previously, the Japanese had made "good-bye" calls on their Caucasian friends. Especially tearful were the parting scenes at Bainbridge High School where friends of many years standing were forced to part.

The Army command, whose identity was a military secret, handled the evacuation with extreme courtesy and efficiency. From private to commanding officer, they extended help and kindness to the Japanese. Some soldiers wept as they guarded the move.

"We extend our best thanks to the citizens of Bainbridge Island for the nice way they treated us in the nice way they treated us in our brief stay," a spokesman for the Army said. "Everyone was extremely cooperative, especially the Japanese. None tried to get away or cause trouble. All reported voluntarily on time and the evacuation was affected on schedule."

Anderson Brothers, Winslow, took over the Bainbridge Gardens, Fletcher Bay, and arrangements were made for operation of Eagle Harbor Market, Winslow. Temporarily in charge of the market were Mrs. Clara Beattie and Walk Lloyd, both of Seattle.

Meanwhile, preparations for harvesting the $250,000 strawberry crop continued on Japanese farms, leased for the most part to Filipinos who formerly were employed by the Japanese.

Japanese left their farms in "apple-pie" order.

Belongings of the Japanese, who were permitted to take only personal effects with them, were stored in the Japanese Community Hall, Winslow, and under order of Sheriff Fred Vetters a 24-hour guard was maintained on the hall by three retired sea captains who hold deputy sheriff commissions: B.P. Kunkler, Niels Christenson and H. Bromley. Deputy Sheriff James B. Johnson said he expected the guard would be maintained as long as the goods were stored at the hall.

As the week progressed, Islanders began to realize that one-seventeenth of the population was gone. What that loss would have on Island business and social life remained to be seen.