Hundreds of Bay Area Japanese, convinced at last that the Army is going to carry out its coastal evacuation order, today were leaving for the interior.

There was a rush of packing personal belongings and disposing of property that could not be carried in autos or trucks, as the deadline for departure neared. After Sunday night no Japanese—alien or citizen—may leave the military area voluntarily.

The Army explained that the “freezing” order was issued to prevent indiscriminate evacuations to other states, to protect the Japanese themselves and to insure that proper shelter awaits them at their destination.

Another order, affecting all Italian and German aliens, as well as Japanese, became effective today. It directs such persons to remain in their homes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and to travel no more than five miles from their homes during the day. Only exception is to aliens who must travel more than five miles to confer with Wartime Civil Control Administration authorities on matters connected with evacuation.

Lieut. Gen. John L. DeWitt, commanding the Western Defense Command, emphasized today there will be no exceptions from the curfew law, “and this is final.”

He made the statement, he said, because the WCCA “has been besieged with requests for exemptions for enemy aliens or Japanese-Americans who are college students, instructors, physicians, nurses, night watchmen, janitors and others employed on night shifts. Such requests he made plain, are useless.

However, the matter of exemptions for certain classes of German and Italian aliens from evacuation “is a separate matter,” he said.

But whether or not German and Italian aliens have applied for individual exemption from eventual evacuation, they—like the Japanese—must remain in their homes between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. and comply with other provisions of the curfew law.

Strict enforcement of the curfew and other regulations has been ordered throughout the areas affected and FBI officials and local police have worked out plans for co-operation with Army officials along that line.

Raids on San Joaquin Valley Japanese continued today with FBI agents and valley peace officers rounding up groups reportedly connected with the Black Dragon, Japanese secret society.

Since the raids started late Wednesday, 139 Japanese have been detained in Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare and Kern Counties. Seventeen of the arrests were made in the Fresno area.

The Wartime Civil Control Administration offered the following suggestions today to German and Italian aliens and all Japanese:

Persons facing evacuation who are having difficulty disposing of property or adjusting claims of creditors should call in person at 500 California-st, where the Federal Reserve Bank has a special staff on duty to handle such matters. Out-of-town residents may secure similar advice and assistance at U.S. Employment Service offices in most Pacific Coast communities.

Persons with questions that may be answered over the phone should call KLondike 22611 in San Francisco, or ask for information at postoffices in other communities.

Go to the Japanese Internment page.