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HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND FOURTH ARMI Office of the Commanding General Presidio of 3an Francisco, California March 11, 1942 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco San Francisco, California Sirst By virtue of orders issued by the ?[ar Department on December 11, 1941, the entire Pacific Coast of the United States was established as the Western Defense Command and designated as a theatre of operations under my command. By Executive Order Mo. 9066, dated February 19, 1942* the President of the United States authorized and directed the Secretary of Far and the military commanders whom he may from time to time designate to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate military coiTimander may determine, from nhieh any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave, shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of ?Tar or the appropirate military commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of "%r, on February 20, 1942, designated the undersigned as the military commander to carry out the duties and responsibilities imposed by said Executive Order for that portion of the United States embraced in the Western Defense Command. On March 2, 1942, pursuant to authority vested in me, I issued Public Proclamation No. 1, under which I designated and established certain military areas and zones. It is my intention, by subsequent proclamations, to exclude certain persons and classes of persons from all of Military Area Ho. 1, and also from such of those zones described in said Public Proclamation No. 1 as Zones A-2 to A-99 inclusive as are within Military Area No. 2. The evacuees will include Japanese, German and Italian aliens and persons of Japanese ancestry now resident in Military Area No. 1. I am familiar with the contemplated program dealing with the problem of evacuees and I find that the prompt execution of such a program is essential to the successful prosecution of the war and the performance of my duty under Executive Order No. 9066. Accordingly, I hereby authorize and direct you to take all steps which in your judgment are necessary or desirable in order to carry out the objective of the program. - 2 - You are authorized and requested to employ such personnel and set up such offices within the Western Defense Command as you may consider advisable, necessary or expedient for the purpose of carrying out the program of dealing with the property interests of said evacuees. You are further authorized to employ such personnel and appoint such sub-agents as you may see fit in connection therewith. You will be reimbursed for all necessary and proper expenses incurred in connection with the carrying out of this program. Furthermore, you are directed to perform any and all acts incident to the accomplishment or furtherance of this program and as such you are, of course, entitled to be reimbursed for all necessary and proper expenses and obligations arising out of such agency, for Tshich under law such an agent would be entitled to reimbursement. It is understood that in executing the foregoing no warranty of my authority is included nor is any personal liability imposed upon or assumed by the undersigned. Very truly yours, (signed) J. L. DeWitt J, L. DeTttTT Lieutenant General, U. S. Army Commanding
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