To the gentlemen of Ways and Means
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Background of news –
Forced evacuations
By Editorial Research Reports
The American declarations of war against Germany, Italy and Japan put over one million citizens of those powers living in the United States in a class known as enemy aliens. The Federal Bureau of Investigation began, immediately after Congress had acted, to arrest and intern those Axis citizens whose activities were considered dangerous to public safety.
The Roberts Report on the disaster at Pearl Harbor, published January 24, brought a quick upsurge of feeling against Japanese residents of the Pacific Coast states. Attorney General Biddle announced, January 29, the creation of certain limited military areas in California, Oregon and Washington from which all enemy aliens were to be evacuated within two or three weeks.
An executive order of February 19 empowered the Secretary of War to prescribe military areas and to exclude any or all persons from those areas. Evacuation proclamations issued under this order to date, provide for the evacuation of about 35,000 Japanese aliens and American citizens of Japanese descent from coastal regions of the three Pacific states. Eventually all persons of Japanese ancestry will be removed from strategic areas along the Pacific Coast. On the East Coast, Lt. Gen. Drum announced, April 26, the imminent establishment of an Eastern Military Area covering the 16 states along the Atlantic Seaboard. There will be no mass evacuations in this area, said Gen. Drum, and necessary removals will be by selective processes applicable to enemy aliens or to other persons deemed dangerous.
By the time the Tolan Committee of the House of Representatives opened hearings on the West Coast on February 21, many enemy aliens had moved voluntarily from the prohibited areas prescribed by the attorney general. No citizens had yet been ordered to evacuate. The emphasis in testimony before the committee was placed on the need for immediate removal of persons of Japanese blood.
It was readily admitted that no cases of sabotage or fifth-column work had been reported in California since Pearl Harbor but it was felt that this offered no assurance that enemies were not at large since such activities would only come to light in conjunction with an attack along the coastline. A number of witnesses agreed with Attorney General Warren of California that the loyalty of German and Italian aliens could be tested but that it was impossible to apply loyalty tests to persons of Japanese blood.
Witnesses who opposed total evacuation contended that action along racial lines would furnish the Axis with propaganda material with which to influence native populations in the Orient. Mass evacuation of persons of Japanese descent has been ordered in proclamations issued by Lt. Gen. DeWitt. Removal of German and Italian aliens is expected to proceed along selective lines, after the evacuation of persons of Japanese blood has been completed.
The evacuees will be resettled by the War Relocation Authority, an agency established, March 18, by executive order. Within the Relocation Authority there was established the War Relocation Work Corps in which evacuees may enlist for the duration at prescribed terms and conditions of employment. Three large camps have been set up on public land to date, one in Owens Valley, California, two in Arizona.
U.S. War Department (May 6, 1942)
Army Communiqué No. 215
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U.S. Navy Department (May 6, 1942)
Navy Communiqué No. 76
Far East.
Several messages from the Navy personnel at Corregidor were received in the Navy Department this morning. Just before the fall of this small island fortress which these men have helped to defend so gallantly, the commander of the naval forces at Corregidor, Capt. Kenneth M. Hoeffel, USN, joined his officers and men in sending a last message of loyalty, devotion, and good cheer to their country, their families and their friends.
Captain Hoeffel reported that the minesweeper Tanager, and the river gunboat Oahu had been sunk by enemy gunfire from Bataan and that the minesweeper Pigeon had been sunk by bombers. The river gunboat Luzon, and the minesweeper Quail were severely damaged by gunfire and were sunk by U.S. forces when capture appeared imminent. All local small craft in the vicinity were demolished by our forces.
When Corregidor fell, there were approximately 175 officers and 2,100 men of the Navy, and 70 officers and 1,500 men of the Marine Corps in the defending forces. Col. Samuel L. Howard is the senior officer of the Marine Corps personnel on the island. It is assumed that all of these officers and men have been captured and will be held as prisoners of war.
So far as is known, no casualties resulted from any of the above sinkings.
There is nothing to report from other areas.
The Pittsburgh Press (May 6, 1942)
CORREGIDOR AND THREE OTHER MANILA BAY FORTRESSES SURRENDER
Japs seize 6,500 Americans as lack of food, shells ends 5-month siege
By Frank Hewlett, United Press staff writer
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Time payment buying curbed by new order
Even charge accounts get stringent limitation effective today
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Rubber stock is ‘perilous,’ officials say
Urge passage of measure allowing requisition by government
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Japs isolate Chinese from aid via Burma
Enemy offensive threat now develops toward Indian frontier
By John R. Morris, United Press staff writer
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Nazi prisoners escape
Bowmanville, Ont., May 6 –
Two German officers, one a former resident of Montréal and New York, escaped from the Bowmanville prison camp last night, authorities disclosed today. All border points are being watched, but it is believed the Nazi prisoners are headed for Québec.