The JACL’s response as forced removal from the West Coast neared

Vol. 14, No. 63, March 1, 1942. 6 pages. View this issue

Forced removal from the Pacific Coast was the subject of nearly every page of this six-page issue. National President Saburo Kido urged members to stand together and support the federal government, while asking that the removal be handled fairly. Mike M. Masaoka’s statement to the Tolan Committee, along with testimony from Galen Fisher and Louis Goldblatt, argued against treating citizens of Japanese descent differently from others. News pages carried General DeWitt’s Public Proclamation No. 1 and a notice that evacuation would take place within 60 days.

Other pages carried practical help for families: identification cards, rules on travel, radios and cameras, job offices for aliens, and tax advice for farmers. A Kibei writer and Charlotte D. Susu-Mago each wrote in defense of Japanese Americans’ loyalty. Chester Rowell’s column pleaded for sanity, and chapter news from Oakland, Mt. View and Contra Costa covered membership drives.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Call for Greater Unity: JACL Pledges Full Support to Federal Government, by Saburo Kido, page 1. JACL National President Saburo Kido urges members to unite and cooperate with the government as evacuation of Japanese from the Pacific Coast appears imminent. He pledges the organization’s full support while asking that evacuation be handled fairly and that civilian citizens not be treated as military wards.
• New Restrictions Designed to Guard Strategic Western Coast Against Dangers of Enemy Espionage, by P.C. Staff, page 1. General DeWitt’s Public Proclamation No. 1 establishes Military Areas 1 and 2 across the western states, restricting Japanese, German and Italian aliens and persons of Japanese ancestry. The proclamation details zone boundaries and states that evacuation will proceed gradually rather than as immediate mass removal.
• Headquarters Reassures Chapters After Issuance of Presidential Proclamation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National Headquarters urges members not to panic or sell property hastily while awaiting final government orders. The statement reviews the executive order and the status of prohibited and restricted areas.
• Statement to Tolan Committee, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka testifies before the Tolan Committee that the JACL accepts military necessity for evacuation but opposes discrimination against American citizens of Japanese descent. He offers ten recommendations covering humane treatment, property protection, and resettlement.
• Identification Certificates Important Need for All to Carry, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL is distributing identification cards with description, photograph, signature and fingerprint space, since birth certificates are inadequate identification. Members are urged to obtain them before dispersal from their homes.
• Evacuation of Japanese in 60 Days, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Official announcement of a 60-day evacuation timeline for Japanese residents is reported with guidance for families on property and transport. Chapters are asked to survey their communities and keep members informed.
• Kido Advises Chapters: Be Calm, Do Not Act Hastily, by Saburo Kido, page 5. National President Saburo Kido asks members to remain calm and await final government orders before selling property. He urges chapters to keep track of members as they move and to cooperate with the Army on resettlement.
• Survey Conducted to Gain Truer Rural Picture, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Nobumitsu Takahashi’s ten-day survey gathers data on Japanese farm acreage, crops and operators in California to correct misunderstandings before government hearings. Chapters are asked to form agricultural committees.
• Japanese Farmers Produce Up to 40 Per Cent of State Vegetables, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A survey reports that Japanese farmers in California grow a large share of the state’s vegetables and tomatoes, and that removing them could disrupt food production. The article urges a more accurate government understanding of their role.
• Agricultural Director Advises Fair Price for Farm Equipment, by P.C. Staff, page 6. California Director of Agriculture W. J. Cecil asks Southern California scrap dealers to stop buying farm implements from evacuating Japanese farmers below market value. He cites complaints that equipment was stripped from farms before new tenants arrived.

National

• Galen Fisher Advises Against Mass Removal, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Galen Fisher tells the Tolan Committee that removal should be limited to persons shown by investigation to be dangerous. He argues that mass removal would hinder the war effort and that the Japanese community seeks federal aid in any evacuation.
• League Finds Ally in State CIO Head During Tolan Committee Hearing, by Louis Goldblatt, page 2. Louis Goldblatt of the California CIO Council supports vigorous measures against fifth column activity while opposing racial discrimination against Japanese Americans. He urges that restrictions on enemy aliens be based on individual evidence rather than ancestry.
• Possession of Radios Allowed in Some Cases, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Federal rules permit aliens to keep short-wave radios and cameras when those items are necessary for their livelihood and do not endanger national security. Applications must be made through the United States Attorney.
• Apply for Jobs With Federal Employment Service, by P.C. Staff, page 4. National JACL headquarters is working with the United States Employment Service to place Japanese nationals and citizens on approved farms, starting in San Francisco. Interested persons are asked to apply at the local JACL office.

Community

• Three Classes Exempted From Defense Ruling, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Assistant alien coordinator Wallace Howland announces that hospital inmates, aliens with medical certificates, and aliens over 75 will not be moved from vital areas. Jobs for evacuated aliens in canneries and sugar refineries are also announced.
• Yatabe Urges Nisei to Face Double Responsibility, by T. T. Yatabe, page 3. Dr. T. T. Yatabe, writing for the American Loyalty League of Fresno, urges Nisei to support their parents and clarify their own loyalty during this difficult time. He asks young people to show courage and stoicism and to contribute to national defense.
• Offices to Aid Jobless Aliens, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Aliens affected by evacuation are directed to nearby United States Employment Service offices for help finding work. A list of offices across Northern and Southern California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada is provided.
• Helpful Hints for Farmers in Filing Income Tax Returns, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Lowered exemptions mean nearly every Japanese farmer must file this year, and the Treasury will scrutinize returns closely. The article recommends JACL-sponsored discussion meetings, hiring accountants, and keeping accurate records.
• Strawberries Lead in Popularity Among Consumers, by P.C. Staff, page 4. According to Harry Butterfield of the University of California, strawberries dominate the berry market in both the nation and California. Other berries such as raspberries and blackberries have lost ground except for a few newer varieties.
• Late Black Root Solution Found in Early Planting, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Dr. L. D. Leach of the University of California reports that early planting appears to be the most effective way to avoid late black root in sugar beet seedlings. Fields planted in January or February rarely suffer the disease.
• Membership Drive Now Under Way in Oakland Area, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Oakland JACL is conducting an intensive house-to-house membership drive with a goal of 300 members. Four section committees are canvassing their districts.
• Mt. View Reaches 250 in Current Membership Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Mt. View JACL has reached 250 members and expects further growth in its current drive. The chapter plans to appoint a part-time secretary.
• Contra Costa Hires Secretary, Leases New Headquarters, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Contra Costa JACL chapter hired Henry Terazawa as full-time secretary and leased the former Concord gakuen as headquarters. The chapter is also conducting a membership campaign and Red Cross work.

Commentary

• A Plea for Sanity in Treatment of Japanese, by Chester Rowell, page 3. Columnist Chester Rowell warns that suspending civil rights for persons of Japanese race through martial law would be disastrous and unjust. He argues such measures would violate American law and interests, and urges leaving the fifth column problem to the FBI and army.
• Behind the Newsfront, by Kay Nishida, page 3. Kay Nishida examines the role of radio commentators in wartime, praising those who weigh bad news as well as good. The column surveys prominent national and Pacific Coast broadcasters and correspondents.
• Stockpiles of Food for Peace, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Department of Agriculture encourages farmers to produce stockpiles of storable food such as dried milk and cheese for use after the war. Photographs show barrels of dried milk and warehouse drums of cheese.
• Fruit-Bearing Peach Trees in Two Years, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Dr. W. E. Lammerts reports that embryo culture can shorten the peach breeding cycle to about two years. The method allows breeders to evaluate traits such as flesh color and pit type much sooner.
• Defense of American Citizens of Japanese Ancestry, by Charlotte D. Susu-Mago, page 5. Mrs. Charlotte Susu-Mago writes to Congressman Leland Ford protesting his call to intern all persons of Japanese race. She lists the contributions of Japanese Americans and asks why German and Italian Americans are not treated the same way.
• Kibei Citizen Defends Loyalty of Japanese Americans, by A Kibei Citizen, page 5. A Los Angeles Kibei writes to Mayor Bowron, published in the Daily Bruin, defending the loyalty of Kibei and asking for a chance to prove themselves. He describes years of Americanization work and notes that many Kibei have already enlisted.

Military & Veterans

• Fresno Women Aid Red Cross, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Women of the Fresno Red Cross unit produced pants, robes and sweaters for the war effort after a month of work. The consolidated women’s organizations of Fresno contributed roughly 3,000 working hours.

In-Depth

• Travel Regulations for Enemy Aliens, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Federal regulations govern travel by Japanese nationals and stateless persons formerly of Japan, setting out general permission for local travel and requiring advance permits for occasional trips. Frequent travelers must obtain standing permission from the United States Attorney.

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