Hearings and Reports on the Evacuation Claims Bills

              sacrifice appear  throughout the  record.     In addition to   the unanimous
demand for  appointment of some  agency with authority to  take   custody   of
property,  both personal and  agricultural,  suggestions were made that  other
minor but  important details,   such as  tax deferments and mortgage moratoriums
should be  given serious   consideration."
The   To'lan Report goes  on to  quote  from the testimony of ministers,
lawyers,   the regional director  of  the  Social Security Board,  the  regional
director ofthe  Farm Security Administration,   the  State attorney generals,
welfare workers, educators,  and other citizens,  heard in hearings that
were  held   in San Francisco,   Los  Angeles,   and  Seattle,  from February 21st
through March  12th,   1.942.
The  then chief  of  the  Division  of Immigration and  Housing  of the
California Department of Industrial   Relations,   is   quoted at some   length:
"There  is ample  evidence that social  and  economic vultures are
already preying upon the unfortunate aliens who expect to be  evacuated.
They  are told to dispose  of  their property and are frequently offered
ridiculous  sums which in panic and desperation the  evacuees are  inclined
to accept.    Stories are also being cir oulated. which indicate tret unless
great   care  is exorcised,  and  that   immediately, we   shall have  a repetition
here of what  transpired  in  Germany and  in  ether   countries  as  the result
of large-scale evacuation.  People  have been threatened that unless they
dispose  of their property to  those who are  eager for   it,   they will be
reported to the  Federal Bureau  of Investigation and their property will
be  confiscated.     In the absence of  a  statement  from high Government authorities to  the   contrary, the  aliens who are  at the  mercy of rumors and
rumor mongers have  no  choice but to accept what they  are  told at the
moment.    The  immediate  creation of an Alien Property Conservator  or  a
bureau for  its  conservation,  with an  immediate  announcement that transactions under duress will  not be recognized and that the   interests and
property  of aliens will be protected in every way,  would  not only  give
the unfortunate victims  a  sense  of needed relief,  but make them feel that
they are  living  in a country where  human dignity  and human values are
more than mere  phrases mouthed by politicians.     It is  absolutely essential
that the problem of alien property  conservation be handled as an integral
part of the   entire  program.     In other words,  alien property conservation
should constitute  a function of the  authority proposed,  and  should not be
handled in an unrelated and  uncoordinated manner.
"Also a moment' s reflection will  suffice to indicate  that there
are literally hundreds   of minor but  important problems   involved,  such  as
the  possible  necessity for working ait ways   and means  to  defer payment
of taxes and contractual   obligations.     All of these problems   should be
centralized  in the Authority,  because  of their   intimate  connection with
the problem of  welfare,  maintenance,   property conservation,  preservation
of morale,   eto.
"The foregoing program  will,  no doubt,  require modification from
time  to time as the  situation develops.    But  if put  into execution
promptly with scrutinizing attention to   the  selection of personnel and
the  elimination of the usual  interdepartmental  difficulties and   jurisdictional conflicts  it wrould,   I  am confident,  meet  all the   requirements
sot for it.     It would above  all  demonstrate  that democracy can work
efficiently, effectively,  and with that  consideration for   the   welfare
of the   people  who brought  it  into being,  which differentiates  it  from
autocracy and makes  it worthy  of any sacrifice."
Milton S .  Eisenhower,  the first director of  the  WRA,   in writing to
the  Secretary of  Agriculture during  the  initial  stages  of evacuation on
the   plight of  the  Japanese  American farmers declared:
".... The perishable nature of truck crops almost invites a stalling
on the part of the prospective purchasers who may hope to get the property
on the equity  of the  Japanese  at a  fraction of its true value.    There's  no
54.