A warning that “hundreds of thousands” of people falling into the category of enemy aliens might be moved from the East Coast in the same manner as Japanese were moved from the West Coast defense areas, was sounded today in the House of Representatives when the National Defense Migration Committee, headed by Representative Tolan of California, submitted its report to the House.
The committee reasserted its previous suggestion that hearing boards be set up to eliminate the wholesale evacuation of German and Italian aliens. It said that “the evacuation problem assumed nationwide proportion when Lt. Gen. Hugh A. Drum, commanding the First Army, announced on April 17 that 16 states along the Atlantic seaboard were designated as a military area under authority conferred on him by the Secretary of War.”
The committee asserted General Drum’s order suggested the application of the evacuation orders to citizens as well as aliens. It advocated immediate establishment of hearing boards to “pass upon and certify loyalty of German and Italian aliens; protect real and personal property of the evacuees, and supervise their proper resettlement and preservation of their personal articles and household effects.” The committee also renewed its recommendation, contained in a former report, that special consideration be given war refugees.
The report urged that applications and petitions for naturalization be expedited and that the Department of Justice review the situation regarding alien enemies waiting for their second papers.
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