Hawaii’s view of the forced removal, and a new western commander

Vol. 17, No. 13, October 2, 1943. 8 pages. View this issue

News from Hawaii shaped this eight-page issue. A reporter told the San Jose Lions Club that many in the islands saw the evacuation of Japanese Americans from the Pacific coast as a land-grabbing scheme, and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin read Gen. Delos Emmons’ appointment to the western defense command as a sign that the status of Japanese Americans might be settled. The paper’s own editorial welcomed Emmons. President Roosevelt wrote that racial conflict hurt the war effort. Larry Tajiri wrote about nisei and the CIO and AFL, Saburo Kido about the open question of the nisei draft, and Bill Hosokawa about the American Legion.

Other pages carry John Terry’s report from Camp Shelby on the 442nd Combat Team, a career guide for nisei by Elmer R. Smith, and news from the camps: a fall fair at Manzanar, farm harvest work in Idaho and Oregon, and students at the University of Nebraska. The National JACL announced a credit union for members.

What’s in this issue

National

• Hawaiians Regard Evacuation as ‘Colossal Land-Grabbing Scheme,’ San Joseans Told, page 1. A reporter from Hawaii told the San Jose Lions Club that many in the islands view the evacuation of Japanese from the Pacific coast as a land-grabbing scheme. He also described the wartime loyalty and courage of Japanese Americans in Hawaii, including at Pearl Harbor.
• President Roosevelt Urges Race Harmony in Winning the War, page 1. In a letter to the National Urban League, President Roosevelt argued that racial conflict hurts the war effort and that democracy must be practiced for all races. He called on all Americans to protect the rights of all men regardless of race.
• Emmons’ Appointment Seen in Hawaii as Move to Clarify Japanese Americans’ Status, page 1. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin said the appointment of Gen. Delos Emmons to the western defense command signals an effort to resolve the status of evacuated Japanese Americans. The paper contrasted Emmons’ non-evacuation policy in Hawaii with the mass evacuation on the West Coast.
• AFL Workers Drop Protest Against Kusaka, page 1. Members of the Smith College maintenance workers union reportedly dropped their threatened strike against the appointment of Japanese alien Dr. Shuichi Kusaka as a faculty member. The union had opposed his hiring as a mathematical physicist.
• Japanese American Scientist Seeks New Penicillin Process, page 1. Ben T. Takamine, son of adrenalin discoverer Jokichi Takamine, is reportedly developing a new penicillin production process vital to the war effort. The disclosure came during his divorce proceedings in Reno.
• National JACL Announces Credit Union for Members, page 1. The National JACL Credit Union received its charter and by-laws and is now open to JACL members. Officers and committees were named, and the union aims to provide thrift and low-interest loans to members.
• Colorado Rules Against Votes for Granadans, page 2. Colorado Attorney General Gail Ireland ruled that evacuees at the Granada relocation center are not eligible to vote in state elections because the camp is not their permanent residence. The ruling does not cover evacuees who have established residence in Colorado.
• Western Defense Command Commander Emmons Editorial, page 4. The Pacific Citizen editorial welcomes Gen. Emmons’ appointment as western defense commander, citing his fair record in Hawaii. It expresses confidence he will treat Japanese Americans honestly and not stand in the way of their return.
• Carey McWilliams Discusses Political, Social Changes in California at JACL Meeting, page 7. Author Carey McWilliams spoke in Denver about California’s shift to industry and the rising Negro migration to the West Coast. He also addressed anti-Japanese agitation and the changing social composition of the state.

Community

• Suicide Attempt at Manzanar Fails, page 1. Yaichi Tashima of Manzanar was hospitalized after a razor-cut suicide attempt prompted by a delusion that someone was pursuing him. A friend summoned an ambulance.
• Utah Japanese Americans Lauded for War Bond Purchases, page 1. Utah officials praised Japanese Americans for fulfilling their $25,000 quota in the nation’s third war bond drive. The drive was sponsored by the Salt Lake JACL and the YWCA Friendship and Service club.
• Hawaiian Nisei Volunteers Tour U.S. on Furlough, page 2. Hawaiian nisei soldiers at Camp Shelby are using furloughs to visit New York, Washington, and relatives on the mainland. Chaplains advised careful trip planning and budgeting.
• Inyo, Mono County Residents Visit Manzanar Fair, page 2. Residents of Inyo and Mono counties toured Manzanar during its first fall fair, which featured exhibits of creative work. Diane Tani was crowned Miss Manzanar at the coronation ball.
• Evacuees to Aid in Idaho Farm Harvests, page 2. Officials predicted that as many Japanese American evacuees as last year would help with Magic Valley harvests this fall. Over 700 evacuees already work on Magic Valley farms.
• Minidoka Resident Held in Jerome County Jail, page 2. Sohoi Bando, a Japanese alien from the Minidoka relocation center, is being held in Jerome County jail pending consideration of his case on a charge of setting fires. Officers said he will probably be sent to a state institution for the insane.
• Methodist Will Send Christmas Gifts to Centers, page 7. Rev. Frank Herron Smith announced allocations for Methodists to provide Christmas presents to children in WRA camps. The presents will be sent to various camps and church representatives.
• Northfield Backs Stand of Powell Post on Japanese Americans, page 7. The Northfield, Minnesota American Legion post endorsed a Wyoming resolution urging Legion support for employment of Japanese Americans in the war effort. Legionnaire Everett Phelps wrote a letter commending the Powell post.
• Losses in Centers from Fires Well Below National Average, page 8. A WRA report says relocation centers recorded only 63 fires with about $9,080 in losses in the quarter ending June 30, 1943. Per capita losses were far below the national average and comparable cities.
• Nisei Workers in Oregon Aid Farm Harvest, page 8. WRA information specialist Edward Joyce defended the presence of Japanese Americans in Malheur County, Oregon, saying they were brought in to relieve a farm labor shortage. He noted that most arrived on seasonal or indefinite leave and that the WRA has no authority over those who evacuated voluntarily.
• Movement of Evacuees Out of Poston Camp Accelerated, page 8. Poston relocation center evacuees are leaving for jobs in the midwest at an accelerated rate due to the national labor shortage. Over 2,200 have received indefinite leave for permanent resettlement.
• Former Director of Evacuee Chorus Wins Scholarship, page 8. Mary Miyasaki, former director of the Heart Mountain women’s chorus, was awarded a scholarship to Lynchburg College in Virginia. She had left the center for a secretarial job in Indianapolis.

Military & Veterans

• Jerome Dentist Wins Commission as First Lieutenant, page 1. Dr. Arthur Takii of the Jerome center was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army and reported to Camp Shelby. He is the first commissioned officer from Jerome.
• Pvt. Higuchi Pitches Nisei Team to Camp Shelby Title, page 2. Pvt. Matsuo Higuchi, a left-handed pitcher and outfielder, led the Japanese American infantry team to both halves of the Camp Shelby league title. He has pitched in Havana and Tokyo international tournaments.
• Treasury Uses Photo of Nisei Soldier in Bond Drive, page 2. Pvt. George M. Tsujimoto of the Japanese American Combat Team was featured in a Treasury Department war bond campaign photo. He discussed why soldiers should also buy bonds during the Third War Bond Drive.
• Nisei Combat Unit Has Highest I.Q. in U.S. Army, Says Writer, by John Terry, page 3. Honolulu newspaperman John Terry reported after visiting Camp Shelby that the 442nd Combat Team has exceptional intelligence and receives excellent training. He noted the volunteers’ determination to prove their Americanism and tensions resolving between Hawaiian and mainland members.

Commentary

• Some Notes For the Nisei, page 3. The writer reflects on how evacuation changed West Coast communities and the racial dynamics among Japanese, Negro, Chinese and Caucasian Americans. He argues that protecting one group’s rights requires defending all groups and that racial democracy must be pursued.
• Nisei and the CIO, AFL, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Tajiri contrasts discriminatory AFL local policies barring nisei from union membership with CIO efforts to recruit and welcome Japanese American workers. He argues trade union membership can help assimilate evacuees and address racial prejudice.
• Our Loyal Enemy Aliens, page 4. The editorial argues that issei who chose to stay loyal to the U.S. deserve recognition, including changing their status from enemy to loyal aliens and repealing naturalization bars. It urges faster clearance and relocation for these issei.
• Good News and Bad, page 4. The editorial defends the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of unfavorable news, arguing that knowing one’s enemies is necessary for protection. It insists evacuation remains an unsettled constitutional issue that must not become policy.
• Legion’s Sham Jousts With Straw Men, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa criticizes the American Legion’s reactionary resolutions regarding Japanese Americans, including proposals to place evacuees under military control and to continue the Dies Committee. He argues the Legion should instead champion liberal ideals and address issues of national significance.
• The Nisei and Education: Openings in Fields of Social Work, Sciences May Interest Many Japanese Americans, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Smith surveys career opportunities in anthropology, sociology, and social work for nisei, noting few have entered these fields. He discusses training requirements, salaries, and the potential contributions of nisei in resettlement.
• Vagaries, page 5. A column notes a segregation case in which a 16-year-old boy refuses repatriation and officials seek a guardian for him. It also covers congressional politics surrounding Japanese Americans and the appointment of a Utah nisei school teacher.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa critiques Legionnaire Everett Phelps’ letter supporting Japanese American evacuees and argues the Legion has drifted toward reactionary policy. He concludes the organization could do more to advance liberal ideals.
• Nisei Want to Know About Draft Status, by Saburo Kido, page 6. Kido reports that nisei across the country are asking about their draft status and that the War Department has not yet clarified its policy. He argues that a favorable decision is logical given thousands of nisei already fighting and that uncertainty hampers resettlement.
• Danger of Inflating Land Values Told, page 6. The column warns that evacuee farmers bidding up land prices or rents could provoke resentment from longtime residents. It cautions against repeating the boom-era land speculation that ruined California farmers.
• Ann Nisei Says: Soap More Precious Than Gold in Time of War Shortages, page 6. The column urges readers to use soap wisely because glycerine is needed for armaments and rationing may come. It offers tips such as drying bars, reusing scraps, and using water softener.
• A Reader Comments, page 6. A young nisei volunteer writes that the Pacific Citizen should focus more on what nisei should do to contribute to the war effort. He affirms his faith in America and in action as the measure of loyalty.
• Nisei Loyalty, by Edith Latham Jones, page 6. Los Angeles reader Edith Latham Jones praises the endurance of Japanese American loyalty despite discrimination. She expresses hope that discrimination will end soon.
• Just Incidentally, by Dale Oka, page 6. Dale Oka reflects on how former incarcerees’ attitudes changed after resettling in Detroit, moving from bitterness toward ambition and freedom. He also humorously describes the difficulties of working the swing shift.
• Timely Topics, by Saburo Kido, page 6. Kido examines the uncertain draft status of nisei and how the delay affects resettlement and public perceptions. He argues the War Department should clarify policy given nisei service already in the armed forces.

JACL

• Calling All Chapters!, by Hito Okada, page 6. JACL National Headquarters announced remaining JACL pins for sale, availability of a Colorado Council of Churches booklet, library book rotation among chapters, and recent donations. The column is a membership and chapter update.

In-Depth

• Evacuee Students Readjusting Selves Easily to School Routine, page 7. Fifty Japanese American youths at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln are adjusting well, earning high grades and fitting into campus life. Church groups helped them feel welcome, and many view relocation as a blessing in disguise.

Obituaries

• Vital Statistics, page 7. A listing of births and deaths at relocation centers during September 1943, along with marriages. This is a statistical listing rather than narrative tributes.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.