Santa Cruz Public Libraries' Local History
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by John W. Dunlap
Sacramento--Legislators and farmers have been fretting over the wasted farm machinery left behind by interned Japanese farmers. There seemed no way to cut the red tape and get the equipment into useful production.
Now Governor Warren and Attorney General Kenny have stepped into the picture with proposed legislation to permit the state to condemn the warehoused machinery and put it to useful work. The new process, if approved , might well be one of the major functions of the new farm council because an ample supply of machinery is one of the best ways to increase food goals.
One of the incongruities of the federal rationing and priorities program has been how California farmers could increase their bumper crops of 1942 with smaller amounts of most everything involved in the work, particularly machinery. Too many Washington bigwigs have no comprehension of how western agriculture has become mechanized.
The stored equipment is deteriorating rapidly. Much of it was left by Japanese internees who will have no use for it for some time to come. Any means to get it back into circulation is to be welcomed.
Copyright 1943. Santa Cruz Sentinel-News. Reproduced here by permission.
Executive Order 9066 & the Residents of S.C. County:
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