Public Proclamation No. 1

by John L. DeWitt

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND
AND FOURTH ARMY
PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC PROCLAMATION NO. 1.
March 2, 1942.

TO: The people within the States of Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington, and the Public Generally.

Whereas, By virtue of orders issued by the War Department on December 11, 1941, that portion of the United States lying within the States of Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Arizona and the Territory of Alaska has been established as the Western Defense Command and designated as a Theatre of Operations under my command; and

Whereas, By Executive Order No. 9066, dated February 19, 1942, the President of the United States authorized and directed the Secretary of War and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any such designated commander deems such action necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion; and

Whereas, The Secretary of War 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; and

Whereas, The Western Defense Command embraces the entire Pacific Coast of the United States which by its geographical location is particularly subject to attack, to attempted invasion by the armed forces of nations with which the United States is now at war, and, in conection therewith, is subject to espionage and acts of sabotage, thereby requiring the adoption of military measures necessary to establish safeguards against such enemy operations:

Now Therefore, I, J. L. DeWitt, Lieutenant General, United States Army, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the President of the United States and by the Secretary of War and my powers and prerogatives as Commanding General of the Western Defense Command, do hereby declare that:

1. The present situation requires as a matter of military necessity the establishment in the territory embraced by the Western Defense Command of Military Areas and Zones thereof as defined in Exhibit 1, hereto attached, and as generally shown on the map attached hereto and marked Exhibit 2.
   
   
2. Military Areas Nos. 1 and 2, as particularly described and generally shown hereinafter and in Exhibits 1 and 2 hereto, are hereby designated and established.
   
   
3. Within Military Areas No. 1 and 2 there are established Zone A-1, lying wholly within Military Area No. 1; Zones A-2 to A-99, inclusive, some of which are in Military Area No. 1, and the others are in Military Area No. 2; and Zone B, comprising all that part of Military Area No. 1 not included within Zones A-1 to A-99, inclusive; all as more particularly described and defined and generally shown hereinafter and in Exhibits 1 and 2.
   
   Military Area No. 2 comprises all that part of the States if Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona which is not included within Military Area No. 1, and is shown on the map (Exhibit 2) as an unshaded area.
   
   
4. Such persons or classes of persons as the situation may require will by subsequent proclamation be excluded from all of Military Area No. 1 and also from such of those zones herein described as Zones A-2 to A-99, inclusive, as are within Military Area No. 2.
   
   Certain persons or classes of persons who are by subsequent proclamation excluded from the zones last mentioned above may be permitted, under certain regulations and restrictions to be hereafter prescribed, to enter upon or remain within Zone B.
   
   The designation of Military Area No. 2 as such does not contemplate any prohibition or regulation or restriction except with respect to the zones established therein.
   
   
5. Any Japanese, German, or Italian alien, or any person of Japanese Ancestry now resident in Military Area No. 1 who changes his place of habitual residence is hereby required to obtain and execute a "Change of Residence Notice" at any United States Post Office within the States of Washington, Oregon, California, and Arizona. Such notice must be executed at any such Post Office not more than five nor less than one day prior to any such change of residence. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to affect the existing regulations of the U.S. Attorney General which require aliens of enemy nationalities to obtain travel permits from U.S. Attorneys and to notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Commissioner of Immigration of any change in permanent address.
   
   
6. The designation of prohibited and restricted areas within the Western Defense Command by the Attorney General of the United States under the Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, and the instructions, rules, and regulations prescribed by him with respect to such prohibited and restricted areas, are hereby adopted and continued in full force and effect.
   
   The duty of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with respect to the investigation of alleged acts of espionage and sabotage are not altered by this proclamation.
   
   

J. L. DeWitt,

Lieutenant General, U. S. Army,

Commanding.