June 1942: Midway, relocation centers and a canceled draft

Vol. 15, No. 2, June 11, 1942. 8 pages. View this issue

Two stories ran side by side in this eight-page issue: the naval battle for Midway, reported as a major American victory, and the next stage of the forced removal of Japanese Americans. Articles told of the move from assembly centers such as Tanforan and Santa Anita to relocation centers including Manzanar and Tule Lake, and of plans for new communities at Heart Mountain in Wyoming and elsewhere. Mike Masaoka met WRA officials in Washington, and the ACLU agreed to help Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu test the legality of the evacuation in court. An editorial, “A Slap in the Face,” criticized the Army’s cancellation of Japanese American draft calls.

Elsewhere in the issue: a Nisei student’s letter from an Idaho jail, a Tanforan Town Hall forum on the Nisei attitude toward evacuation, Maurice Hindus on a coming Soviet-Japan war, and columns on decorating barracks and choosing clothes for camp life. Short items from the assembly centers report on schools, elections, graduations and beet-field volunteers.

What’s in this issue

National

  • Naval Battle for Midway Ends in Major American Victory, by P.C. Staff, page 1. American forces scored a major victory at Midway, sinking several Japanese aircraft carriers and a destroyer while damaging other warships. The battle shattered Japanese plans to occupy the Hawaiian Islands.

Incarceration & Redress

  • WRA Officials Discuss Relocation with JACL Representatives, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka met with WRA officials in Washington about relocating evacuees, including food inspection assurances after poisoning incidents at Fresno and Tanforan. JACL representatives also secured assurances that citizen organizations could operate in relocation centers.
  • Gen. DeWitt’s Edict Detains Nisei Private, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sheriff Howard Durley of Ventura detained Nisei soldier Akira Yatabe under General DeWitt’s order to detain persons of Japanese ancestry seen in Army uniform in the Western Defense Command. Yatabe carried furlough papers but was held regardless.
  • Tsuchiya Informs U.S. Chief Justice of Nisei Attitude, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Alameda JACL president Scotty Tsuchiya and his wife Setsu informed Chief Justice Harlan Stone of the position of Japanese American citizens on evacuation during a visit to Washington. The couple had voluntarily evacuated to Salt Lake City.
  • U.S. Japanese to Be Resettled in Inland Farm Communities, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Western Defense Command announced plans to relocate Japanese Americans to inland settlements from the Mississippi to the Sierras, including new centers in Arkansas and Colorado. The new communities are intended to produce food crops and be settled for the duration of the war.
  • Plan Schools in California WRA Centers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Complete education from kindergarten through high school will be provided at the Manzanar and Tule Lake relocation centers, using the same textbooks and curricula as other California schools. Federal funds will build and operate the schools, which open in the fall.
  • Evacuee Group Will Develop Wyoming Lands, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The WRA announced that evacuees moved to the Heart Mountain reclamation area near Cody, Wyoming, will immediately work to level land and build irrigation canals for food crop production. Crops raised by evacuees will be used in their own community kitchens.
  • First Phase of Evacuation Process Completed by Army, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The WCCA announced that the evacuation of about 100,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from coastal areas was completed on schedule with minimal hardship. The article justifies the evacuation as a military necessity while describing the Army’s construction of assembly centers.
  • 11,000 To Be Moved to Duration Homes, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Colonel Karl Bendetsen announced that approximately 11,000 Japanese will move from temporary assembly centers to permanent relocation centers including Poston, Tule Lake and others. The first movements to Tule Lake had already begun with advance contingents.
  • Hundreds Suffer Stomach Aches at Canadian Center, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An epidemic of stomach aches and diarrhea struck several hundred persons at the Hastings Park Clearing Station in Vancouver last week. Conditions returned to normal after the outbreak, believed caused by food served in the dining room.
  • Nisei Drowning Case Investigated, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An inquiry is being made into the drowning death of Vancouver Nisei Yasuo Yoshi reported from Schreiber, Ontario. The circumstances are under investigation.
  • Meet Protesting Coast Evacuees, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A demonstration by the United Veterans’ Council in Salt Lake City protesting Japanese evacuee influx was postponed indefinitely. The permit had been granted by the city but the mayor and county sheriff downplayed the influx.
  • Barrymore’s Japanese Valet Sends Floral Tribute to Funeral, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mark Nishimura, John Barrymore’s Japanese valet now at Manzanar, sent a wreath to the actor’s funeral, and Lionel Barrymore recognized him as a close friend. Nishimura was reported too ill to attend.
  • Two Americans Convicted as Japan Agents, by P.C. Staff, page 3. San Francisco publicists Frederick Vincent Williams and David Ryder were convicted of violating the foreign agents registration act for propaganda work for the Japanese government and sentenced to prison. The case involved over $195,000 withdrawn from Japanese consulate accounts.
  • Evacuation Legality Will Be Tested in San Francisco Case, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The American Civil Liberties Union will provide legal assistance to Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu, arrested for violating curfew and failing to evacuate, to test the legality of the evacuation. Similar cases are being handled in Los Angeles and Seattle.
  • Charges Filed by State Civil Service Group, by P.C. Staff, page 3. California’s state personnel board filed supplementary charges to dismiss 88 suspended Japanese American civil service workers, claiming they were not eligible as non-citizens. JACL secretary Mike Masaoka vowed to fight the court suits seeking to disenfranchise Japanese American voters.
  • Japanese Fears Evacuation; Hides 23 Days Without Food, by P.C. Staff, page 3. San Francisco Japanese Koji Kurokawa hid in the basement of his employer’s home for 23 days to avoid evacuation and was discovered near collapse from malnutrition. He said he wanted to remain in a free country as an American citizen.
  • Decision Upholds Right of Alien Japanese to Use of Courts, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Fourth District Court of Appeals affirmed the right of resident Japanese aliens to use the courts, upholding a San Diego award of damages to a Japanese family over a 1940 incident. The court ruled the federal government has not restricted court access for long-term residents.
  • Low Rate Insurance Now Available for Property Owners, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The War Damage Corporation will establish a San Francisco office offering low-rate government insurance against enemy attacks on civilian property. Blanket protection for owners expires June 30.
  • Two Japanese Held for Violating Army Evacuation Orders, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two Japanese men were held in Sacramento for violating military exclusion orders, with bail set at $3000 each. One protested the bail amount as an outrage.
  • Japanese Dies in San Mateo, by P.C. Staff, page 3. George Sakai, 58, died at Community Hospital in San Mateo on May 31 after being confined at the Tanforan assembly center.
  • Alien Japanese Held in Sacramento, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tsunekichi Sumida, a 61-year-old alien Japanese, was held for the FBI after his arrest in Sacramento. He said he had come from Madera and was going to Montana to look for work.
  • Opposition in Inland Communities Proves Bottleneck in Resettlements, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Committee on National Security and Fair Play declared that local opposition to Japanese settlement in inland communities is the main obstacle to resettlement. The committee argued that dispersal into normal communities would be economically and socially better than concentration in guarded camps.
  • Army Issues Proclamation on Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Army issued Proclamation No. 7 ordering the final exclusion of all Japanese from Military Area No. 1 covering western California, Oregon, Washington and southern Arizona. It formally ratifies earlier exclusion orders covering 99 areas.
  • Eight Resettlement Communities Planned for Evacuee Group, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The WRA announced plans for new relocation centers including Hart Mountain in Wyoming, Granada in Colorado, and others accommodating thousands of evacuees. Three centers were already functioning, including Manzanar, Poston and Gila River.
  • Chinese Youth Mistaken for Japanese Freed, Sent to Center, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Chinese school boy named Yoo was arrested by San Mateo police in error for being Japanese and was released after proving his heritage. He had been mistaken for Japanese and was incensed at the arrest.

Community

  • Tanforan to Elect Advisory Council at Polls Soon, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tanforan residents will elect five members of the Advisory Council on June 16, with candidates nominated by petition. Candidates must reside in their precinct, be over 25, and be U.S. citizens.
  • Tanforan Town Hall Weighs Nisei Attitude, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tanforan’s Town Hall Forum discussed what the Nisei attitude toward evacuation should be, with several panelists presenting views. The forum drew strong attendance from residents.
  • Open School for Children at Tanforan, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Nearly 800 children in first through third grades began school at Tanforan on May 26 with accredited teachers in charge. The school will gradually expand to cover all grade levels, with resident teachers trained to take over classes.
  • Seven Citizens Arrested in Yakima Over Curfew Ban, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Seven American citizen Japanese were arrested in Yakima for violating the curfew regulation by a deputy sheriff. The arrests were made on a Thursday night.
  • Tanforan Residents Salvage Tin Cans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tanforan residents have collected two coal bins of tin cans for the national war effort, with six workers preparing the tins for shipment to San Francisco. The drive is part of the national tin salvage campaign.
  • Santa Anitans Go to Polls, Elect Section Leaders, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Santa Anita residents voted to elect sectional leaders for 49 sections in seven districts, with strong enthusiasm among the Issei. The population of the center had reached 18,527, ranking it 82nd among California communities.
  • Sacramento Library Closes as Japanese Children Evacuated, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Hancock branch library in Sacramento will close on June 13 due to the evacuation of the city’s Japanese population. Circulation had dropped from 3515 in May to 200 after evacuation.
  • Arrival of Beet Workers Alleviates Labor Shortage, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Thirty-five Japanese volunteers from the Sacramento assembly center arrived in Twin Falls, Idaho, to help ease the labor shortage in beet farms. The workers were recruited to address critical farm labor needs.
  • Fresno Farm Group Wants Evacuee Labor, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Fresno County Farm Bureau passed a resolution favoring employment of Japanese from assembly centers to harvest crops and sent telegrams to Washington urging release of farm workers under military supervision.
  • Salinas Seniors Graduated as Rites Held at Center, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Forty-six Salinas high school seniors graduated in cap and gown at ceremonies held at the Salinas Assembly Center on June 8. A sumo ring was also inaugurated at the center on June 7.
  • Wapato Japanese Ride Special Trains to Portland Center, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Yakima Valley Japanese were evacuated to the Portland assembly center on two special trains carrying 524 persons. One child’s mumps caused a family separation, with older siblings staying behind temporarily.
  • Evacuation Group Hides and Other Local Items, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Local news items from assembly centers report births, deaths, and social events at Santa Anita, Tanforan, and Walerga. Community members marked births, weddings and an ordination at these centers.
  • Walerga Residents Leave for Beet Work, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Thirty-six Walerga residents left for Twin Falls, Idaho, as voluntary beet field workers with transportation provided by the government. The Walerga Center school also began its first week of classes with sixteen instructors.
  • Japanese Farms in California Taken Over by Many Operators, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Many Japanese-operated farms in California’s military zones have been taken over by new operators including corporations, Chinese, Mexicans, and week-end farmers. Japanese operators sometimes cooperated by advising the new farmers on truck farming.
  • Camp Harmony Is Just That, Reporter Finds, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A reporter visiting Camp Harmony in Puyallup found Japanese residents making the best of their circumstances, with schools, church services, and recreational activities. Officials were described as courteous and helpful.

Military & Veterans

  • Nisei Soldiers Removed from Western Zone, by P.C. Staff, page 2. General DeWitt warned citizens to watch for Japanese persons in U.S. Army uniforms and noted that American-born Japanese soldiers had been transferred from the Western Defense Command to interior posts. About 4000 Japanese Americans were serving in the Army, mostly in interior states.

JACL

  • Masaoka Meets Quaker Heads in Philadelphia, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL representatives Mike Masaoka and George Inagaki met with the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia to discuss student relocation to inland schools. Details of the program for relocating nisei collegians will be announced soon.

Commentary

  • A Slap in the Face, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial criticizes the U.S. Army’s decision to cancel Japanese American draft calls and reclassify eligible young men into Class 4-C, which bars aliens from service. It argues this contradicts the loyalty and sacrifice of Japanese Americans and urges that democratic principles apply at home.
  • The Tide Turns, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial notes Radio Tokyo’s silence about the American naval victory at Midway and the quiet of Axis radios. It concludes that the tide is beginning to turn against Japan in the Pacific.
  • A Word of Thanks, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial thanks military and civilian officials for handling evacuation fairly and expresses gratitude to Americans of other races who maintained faith in Japanese Americans. It notes that the evacuation phase is now complete.
  • Why America Fights, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial quotes Vice President Henry Wallace on freeing all peoples from oppression and ensuring a better standard of living after the war. It emphasizes that the century ahead must be the century of the common man with no privileged peoples.
  • Necessity for Racial Equality Emphasized in Recent Statements by Wallace, Welles, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Under Secretary Sumner Welles pledged postwar freedom from fear and abolition of discrimination based on race, creed or color, while Pearl Buck called for racial equality and freedom throughout Asia. Buck founded the East and West Association to promote racial understanding.
  • Why America Fights (Nisei Reflections on December 7), by P.C. Staff, page 5. The writer recalls learning of Pearl Harbor on December 7 and reflects that Japanese Americans now see their role as fighting for justice. The piece argues that Japanese Americans can help show Asian peoples that Radio Tokyo’s race-war claims are lies.
  • Soviet-Japan War Inevitable, Veteran Observer Believes, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Maurice Hindus, author of books on Russia, argues in his new book Russia and Japan that the two nations must fight given their border conflicts. He believes Japan will attack Siberia and lose because of Russia’s industrial and agricultural strength in the Urals.
  • Nisei Girl Writes from Idaho Jail, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A Nisei student transferred to the University of Idaho describes being placed in Moscow City jail for protection after townspeople threatened mob violence against her. She writes of fear, cold conditions, and uncertainty about where she will go next.
  • Ann Nisei Says: Let’s Decorate, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A columnist offers practical advice for decorating barrack quarters in relocation centers using inexpensive washable cottons, color choices, and simple sewing projects. The column emphasizes that cheerful surroundings matter even with limited money.
  • Dewey Decries Discrimination in America, by P.C. Staff, page 8. New York Governor Thomas Dewey spoke at a war bond rally calling racial discrimination in the armed forces and factories a blunder that undermines national unity. He argued the war is a struggle for freedom for all races and creeds.

Obituaries

  • Count Kaneko Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Count Kentaro Kaneko, a Harvard-trained Japanese statesman and friend of Theodore Roosevelt who helped draft the Japanese Constitution, died May 16 at age 89. He had tried to prevent the break between Japan and America before his death.

Arts & Entertainment

  • The Nisei Woman: On Clothes, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The column advises women on choosing practical, washable, becoming clothing suited to camp life, including cottons, rayons and denim. It notes that current styles favor slacks, culottes and shirtwaist dresses.

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