Press release (United States. Wartime Civil Control Administration) (March 23, 1942)

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WARTIME CIVIL CONTROL ADMIT TION

WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND FOURTH Aply MARCH 23, 1942-

SAN FRANCIECO, CALIFORNIA

PRECS RELEASE------------ -IMMEDIATE

Moving swiftly in his mission of Japanese .nd alien enemy evacuation, Lieut-

enant General J.L. DeWitt, commanc ing the Western Defense Command and Fourth Army

TU SD.Y wijl issue Public Proclamation No. 3, establishing a curtae and eel and PM

anc. 6 AM for all Japanese Americans and enemy alieng in critical militery zones.

The edict requiring these persons to be in Ta homes Curing these hours applies

not only to all of Military Area No. 1--comorising Western Washington, Oregon,

California and fouthern Arizona but to those residing in the "island" zones estab-

lished by General DeWitt in the remainder of these states, and in Mont.na, Idano,

Nevada and Utah.

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General DeWitt's proclamation also forbids all aliens and American born Jap-

anese as well, possession of firearms, war material, bombs, explosives, short-wave

redio reciving sets, radio transmitting sets, signalling devices, codes or ciphers.

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or cameras. These were heretofore banned from nossession of alien Japanese, Ger-

man and Italians by the President in his enemy alien proclamations of Deccmber

7th and December Sth. None can travel more than five miles from their homes ex-

cept for settling their affairs through the 64 Wartime Civil. Control Administra-

tion offices.

Heavy penalties for absence from residences during curfew hours are prescribed

in a bill just signed by President Roosevelt. General DeWitt has placed upon every

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citizen responsibility for resorting any violations.

"The curfew becomes effective Friday. It will be rigidly enforcedy General

DeWitt declared. "Military necessity dictates such action, and military necessity

re"uires strictest enforcement. As a patriotic duty, each citizon is urged to re-

port without cGeisy to local police, sheriff's offices, highway patrol officers

or the F.B.I. any violation he may observe. These agencies will immediately take

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ens and Japanese-Americans that anything but

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"Let me warn the affected al

strict compliance with this proclamation's provisions will bring immediate punish-

ment. President Roosevelt last week approved a law enacted by the congress (public

law 503, '77th congress approved March 21, 1942) providing a penalty of $5000 fine,

or one year's imorisonment, or both for any failing to abide by any regulation or

restriction appliable to military areas. The curfew is such a regulation.

' ""This is a war measure, and I warn again that swift justice will follow any

violation, whether it involves disobediance to the curfew or the possession of

contraband articles."

General DeWitt's curfew orcclamation is vart of a speedy sequence of

events to cvacuate Japanese from critical zones and aroas. While it was being is-

sued, 1000 Japanese and Japane se-Americans were voluntarily evacuating Los Angel

Civil Control administration's reception center in

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Owens Vailey. Ali Japanese were under orders to evacuate Bainbridge Island, nexr

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Bremerton Navy Yard, in Puget Sound by tionday. at the Owens Valley reception cem-

ter, hundreds of workmen were rushing additional housing, to prepare for 2 popu-

- lation of 10,000, Santa Anita Race Track, in Los Angeles, was designated as an

assembly point in which thousands more affected persons can be temporarily sheltered

Fi awed ttle transfer to reception centers. The movement from the designated arenas

and zones now is under way, and will be contimous.

"This is a final warning to the Jasanese and Japanese-Americans within the

is areas to be evacuated that they must immediately cease wishful thinking that there

will be exceptions ox delays of devarture until Fall, " General DeWitt declared.

But the Army seeks to allow these o.eople to settle their vroperty rights, dispose

of business, arrange for handling of their crops and farms. It has sought to in-

sure their protection from unscrupulous persons, trying to take advantage of their

impending departure to defraud them. It has nrovided sdequate shelter in the in

duction and reception camns.

"Wartime Civil Control Administration waz established under Col. Karl R. Ben-

detsen, assistant chief of staff for civil affairs of the Western Defenee Command

end Fourth Army, to provide scrvices of expsrts from every pertinent governmental

_egency. The WCCA has cstablished 64 services centers "1l along the Coastal stutes

and in Phoenix, Arizona, to help settle their affairs. But there has been temporiz--

ing, and the advantages of these facilitics have not been used by the majority of

these persons.

"Het me make it perfectly clear to all coneerned that evacuation has started

and will continue until all Japanese and o.punese-Americans sre removed from the

critical areas and zonce, and this as quickly is possible."

General DeWitt's oroelumation declaring the curfew states that the five-mile

travel limit imposed upen these people permits them to travel from their homes

to the nearest WCCA services offices to anke arrangements for their evacuation

during the daylight hours preseribed in the gurfew order.

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