Relocation

RELOCATION - .

With the primary motive of the WRA directed toward

the resettlement of the West Coast evacuees in Midwest

and Eastern localities, problems of various sorts have

come to the fore,

The idea of relocation is not and cannot be contest~

ed as being the best solytion to the postwar rehabili-

tation of the Japanese-Americans. Neither can the

efforts of the WRA be minimized in this respect. Howe

ever, improvement in the resettloment program can be

and must be made eurore the latest of government's pro-

gram is dealt a death blow,

Resettlement, heretofore, has affected only a por-

tion of the project residents and these have been

wholly in the 20-30 nisei group. Some of these people

have been able to acquire jobs which will allow them

to care for one or two dependents but the vast majority

have found that they are only able to make both ends

meet. ae

Restrictions in certain unions, prejudiced attitudes

ef employers or employees and lack of nisei skilled

men have been some of the main factors interfering with

the employment of nisei. These then indicate what

manner of approach would be necessary for the WRA to

achieve its most important objective--relocation. |

On this side of the fence, we have 85% of the cen-

ter residents who have never left the relocation cen-

ters and many who, in the present light, cannot con.

sider departure from here even though they may crnestly

desire to do so. Where previously these men have own-

ed and tilled their own farms or managed their own

businesses, they are confronted now with the problem

of starting all ovor again from the bottom up.

The hue and cry on the outside may sound the call

"Clear the relocation centers" but the cart must not

be placed before the horse. Until such time as when

families, largs and small, can find opportunities to

gO out, relocation will never reach its main goal.

One encoureging trend of late is the announcement

of Relocation Officer Shirrel of Chicago that the var~

lous offices in tho Midwest are endeavoring to find

possibilities for rolocating family: units, but the

Success or failure of resettloment will depend um

tho success and failure of the relocation officers and

the WRA as well as the project constituents.