Memo from the Office of the National Secretary and Field Executive of the Japanese American Citizens' League, March 10, 1042

OFFICE OF THE NATTIOVAL SECRETARY - . 4

" AND PIDOD 2XECUTIVE

JAPANHSE AMSPICAN CILIZ#ENS LEAGUE

2041 Bush Street

San Francisco, California

RELEASED BY THE FEDRBRAL RESERVE RANK OF SAN FRANCISCO

Evacuee Property Department March 10, 192

Lieutenant General J. L. DeWitt, commanding general of the Western Defense

Command and Fourth Army, announsed today that the Federal Reserve Bank of San

Francisco has been appointed to assist Japanese and other evacuees situated with-

in prohibited or restricted military areas in the dispesition of their property.

The Treasury Department and the military authorities have given broad powers

to the bank to enable it tc carry out the objectives of the program. Bank officials

indicated that they are undertaking this program under the direction of General

DeWitt for the purpose of assisting military authorities in clearing up the pro-

blem presented by the war emergency.

The Federal Reserve Bank, acting in conjunction with the commanding general,

plans to carry on the project through the bank's extensive facilities, as well as

those of its branches in Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles. The objective of the

program will be to bring about a fair and just liquidation of that property which

the evacuees cannot take with them.

The Fedoral Reserve Bank will establish other offices in the coastal areas in

order that evacuees may receive impartial counsel and advice in their efforts to

liquidate their property, as well as assistance in the sale or other dispcsition

of their property. These officcs also will take strong measures to protect the

evacuees against unscrupulous creditors.

General DeWitt and Federal Reserve officials stated that the government does

not plan to take title to the property of the evacuees. On tho contrary, it is

their intention to aid the evacuees in a voluntary liquidation of thoir property

at reasonable prices and to protect them against individuals who seek to take ad-

vantage of their situation. If necd be, officials stated, the bank will be pre-

pared to take over the control of the property under powers of attorney in order

to protect the property intcrest of the evacuce. Evacuees will be encouraged to

come in and discuss their problems relating to the disposition of their property.

No one will be compelled to come in, but those desiring the bank's scrvices will

find competent and impartial men prepared to assist them in their problems.

General DeWitt made clear that speed and fairness are tho keynotcs.f this

program and that expeditious handling of the evacuce's property is essential be-

cause of the urgency of the West Coast situation,

Officials stated that the Federal Reserve Bank will work in close cooperation

with Federal, state, and local public agencies that may be called upon fcr assist-

ance in dealing with the property of evacuecs during the course of its liquidation.

"hese agencies have been or undoubtedly will be called upon by the military authori-

ci930x00B0to handle other aspects of the evacuation problem, such as the transportation

and the resettlement of the evacuees and their reemployment in new areas. Banks

and other institutions in the various communities throughout the West Coast area

will be called upon to do their full part in bringing about an orderly and equitable

disposition of the cvacuee's property.

General DeWitt stated that he had been requested by tho Foderal Reserve Bank

te point out that Treasury Department freezing regulations will not interfere with

the program. This is perticulerly true in view of the amendment to Generah License

No, 68A being released by the Federal Reserve Bank, "he General Liconse now per-

mits Japanese evacuees opcrating umder such license to dispese of their property

without restriction.