Evening star., 1943-04-15
}, n laps
Will. axe Jobs
On |ckes Farm
Seven Due Tomorrow
. From Relocation
Comp in Arizona

Inc arrival tomorrow OF seven
American-born japanese from a
relocation camp In Arizona will
ne'p' solve the agricultural labor
problem for Secretary of the In
terror 1ckes at his Olney tMd)
farm. -
A neighbor, Sam Rice, former
Washington outf1elder, also will be
aided.
The seven Japanese are Roy Fred
and William Kobayashi, brothers,
and their wives. and their friend,
Giichi Omori, all experienced poul-
trymen, the War Relocation Au-
thority revealed. -.
At, his press conference today Mr..
Ickes explained three of the Japa-
nese will work on his farm. The
others, he said, will work on the
nearby; farm of Mr.. Rice, who has
10000 chickens.
The Secretary explained that ar
rangements were being made. by
other Montgomery. County farmers
to get internees as framhands.
Secretary Ickes' Statement.
When inquiries were made at the
Secretary's ONCE. regarding reports
that Japanese-Americans were COM
Ing East to work at his place, Mr..
Ickes called in his information man
and dictated this statement:
"T int nrne 81 al >>ove>lf for &,,n .>.
sons in the location OF seven United
States citizens who are of Japanese
ancestry on my farm at Olney, Md,
and on the farm of neighbor.
The first reason is that I believe
We should do all that we can to
ease the burden that the war has
placed upon this particular group
of our fellow citizens. I do not like
the idea OF loyal citizens, no matter
of what race or color. being kept in
relocation centers any longer than
need be.
The second reason is that these
citizens have background of farm
ing in California and we need COM
petent farm help badly. The indi-
viduals involved compose family
groups. They have been investigated
not only in the usual manner by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and
the military intelligence and others,
but also have been observed by an
agency over which I have jurisdic-
ton, the Indian service, since they
have been for eight months at
Poston on the Colorado River. I
have had excellent reports on them"
Will Receive Prevailing Wage.
At the Interior Department it was
said that the men would be paid
"the prevailing wage" as required by
the War Relocation Authority in
placing evacuees, as it prefers to
call them. Mr.. Rice said he under
stood he was to pay them $50 4
month plus room and plenty to
eat"
If they're worth more, I'll pay
them more" he said.
It wassnot clear whether the wives
of the Kobayashi brothers also were
to be employed and, If so, in what
capacity.
Mr.. Rice insisted that employing
the evacuees was his idea when
asked about it.
Il read about the Japanese in a
magazine and about, four weeks ago
I saw Mrs. .Ickes. I asked her If she
thought there was any chance of
getting some of them.
"She said she had been thinking
the very same thing. but she thought
I'd throw up my hands If she men,
toned It,"
A spokesman for the Authority
said, there is nothing new about To-
eating evacuees in the Capital area.
There are several of them here
working as stenographers in Gov
ernment agencies, he said and at
least two housemaids and some farm
workers nearby.
OF the 10000 population that was
moved into the interior: from the
West Coast, about 5000 have been
permanently evacuated, he said. He
emphasized they were not PAROLES,
but American citizens, free to work
where they pleased except in the
West Coast area closed to them.