Camp Harmony News Letter

Vol. 1 No. 4 — Puyallup, Wash. — May 23, 1942

Page 1

200 VOUNTEER FOR TULELAKE ADVANCE GROUP

Just four days after the last movement into Camp Harmony, the first call was issued for volunteer workers to set out as an advance crew for the Relocation Camp at Tulelake, California.

Some 200 individuals, representing 106 specialists and their families, were scheduled to leave by rail for the northern California center either on May 24 or 25.

The party will be headed by Tom Uyeno of Seattle, who is listed as a social worker. He will be assisted by Ikuo Nagai, former foreman at the National, Washington, sawmill.

Skilled personnnel includes a laboratory technician, 10 hospital attendants, 13 hospital maids, two hospital clerks, ten cooks, ten cooks’ helpers, seven dishwashers, 19 waiters, two barbers, three recreational leaders, one social worker, one plumber, 16 laborers, six-steno-typists, four guides.

No assurance was given that others from Camp Harmony would be permitted to relocate at Tulelake. According to Miss Elaine Williams, WCCA representative who picked the advance crew, no California people will go to this center.
(cont’d on page 3)

VOLUNTARY WORK CORPS…
PLANNED FOR RELOCATION…

Five Relocation Areas to accommodate 60,000 evacuees now in temporary assemble centers have already been approved, and additional areas for fifty to sixty thousand more people will be selected within a few weeks according to a circular issued recently by the War Relocations Authority. Areas designated thus far are as follows:

The Parker Relocation Area, situated on the Colorado River Indian Reservation in southwestern Ariz., and designed to take care of 20,000 evacuees who will be divided among three centers.
The Gila River Relocation Area, about forty miles from Phoenix, Ariz., which will accommodate some 10,000 people divided into two communities of 5,000 each.
The Tulelake Area in northern California, which will also take in 10,000.
The Minidoka Area in southern Idaho, near Eden, which is to accommodate another group of 10,000.
Manzanar in California’s Owens Valley, which has already absorbed more than half of its alloted 10,000 evacuees.

All relocation sites, it was revealed, are situated on public land, and will provide work opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and public works projects.

When the movement to the new sectors begins, Works Corps are to be organized on a voluntary basis, with enlistment open to all evacuees, both men and women, who are employable and more than 16 years of age.

Incomes earned in relocation centers by Works Corps enlistees “will depend to a great extent on the success that relocated communities have in organizing and managing their various productive enterprises.”

GROWERS SEEK EVACUEE LABOR FOR BEET FIELDS

Advance plans for hiring 2,000 Japanese evacuees for work in the sugar beet fields of Idaho and Montana were presented last night to 600 interested Camp Harmony residents who jam-packed Mess Hall No. 2 in Area “A”.

Representatives of the United States Employment Service and the “U. & I.” Sugar Company guaranteed the prevailing minimum wage of 45 cents per hour and a 30 day trial period for all evacuees answering the call for workers.

Transportation for all workers, including those who choose to return to assembly or relocation centers after the 30-day period, will be provided by the employers, it was explained.

Workers going to Idaho will block and thin beets in the upper Snake River Valley and in lower Idaho near Blackfoot. Those em-
(cont’d on page 2) [the latter half of the article is not on page two though there is a brief notice on page two dealing with the field work]

“WANTED: a name to replace the NEWS-LETTER.”

So long as the present moniker ill-graces the masthead, we cannot begin to administer the facelifting which the paper so obviously needs.

This paper still aims to bid for the distinction of being the liveliest and best-looking sheet to come off an evacuated mimeograph. The first step is to get a name with zip, zing, and zazzmatazz.

Answer this call. Give us that name. Then we’ll make the Santa Anita PACE-MAKER really gallop.

Suggested names may be sent to our office in Camp Headquarters under Area D’s north grandstand. A prize will be awarded for the best name submitted.

Page 2

NISEI COUPLE FIRST MARRIED!

Kiyoshi Nagai, 25, D-5-195, and Shizuko Fukumiyo, D-5-196, left for Tacoma and the marriage license bureau at 9:15 a.m. today and upon their return, were expected to be the first Camp Harmony nisei couple to be married.

The couple, formerly of National, Washington, were expected back sometime before noon. They were to have moved into their new apartment, D-5-193, so-called “homeymoon quarters”, over the door of which Area Chaplain Shizuo Yamada has discreetly posted “Do Not Disturb” and “Just Married” signs.

The required three-day waiting period after issuance of a marriage license was waived by the justice of the peace by whom they were married. A WCCA official accompanied the pair to Tacoma.

The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hatsugoro Fukumiyo. Mr. Nagai is the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Yasutaro Nagai. They were engaged six months ago at National.

CHURCH NOTICES..

Area “D” church services for May 24 will follow a similar schedule to that of the previous Sunday, Shizuo Yamada, Area Chaplain announced today. All meetings will be held in the Bakery hall.

Catholic Mass will be conducted from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. while the Protestant Children’s Hour under the guidance of the Rev. T.J. Machida, will be held from 9;30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Other Protestant services will be the Nisei Worship Service at 3 p.m. presided by Rev. E. Andrews, with special music provided by the all-church choir, and the Issei Worship Service at 4 p.m.

NOTICE

With this issue the News-Letter expands into a camp newspaper instead of remaining an Area “A” periodical which it was prior to the establishment of our offices in headquarters.

The prevailing paper shortage, however, affects us also to the extent that we may be unable to meet our schedule of publishing twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Pending assurance of an adequate supply of mimeograph paper we will have no choice but to publish whenever circumstances permit.

CHAPLAIN ASKS RULES OBSERVANCE

Each church group as well as others not belonging to affiliated groups, must make all requests, such as sick calls, calls for ministers, etc., to the area chaplain through the group representative, Tom Kobayashi, Chief Chaplain, announced today.

Individuals, Kobayashi pointed out, must abide by this ruling and may make their representations individually if they are not members of an affiliated group.

Kobayashi emphasized all inter-area church business must have the permission of headquarters which may be obtained through the respective area chaplains.

Requests not in the nature of emergency sick calls must be in written form and signed by the group representative of the individual.

Area chaplains and their addresses are as follows: Area A — Kyosuke Fujioka, A-2-54; Area B — Ted Tomita, B-1-13; Area C — Tom Okabe, C-2-18; Area D — Shizuo Yamada, D-2-56.

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Some important notices were omitted because of space limitations.

BOY, GIRL ARE 1ST BIRTHS IN CAMP

Camp Harmony’s first birth, a 6 lb., 15 oz. boy, was born last Monday, May 18, to Mrs. Amelia Kito of Area A-6-60 at the Pierce County hospital in Tacoma. Mrs. Kito was taken to the Tacoma hospital on the same day her baby was born.

The father of the baby is interned at the Texas alien interment camp. The couple have three other children, Sam Jr., 5 years old; Barbara, 3; and John, 10 months old. They are presently under the care of friends and relatives.

Mrs. Kito’s former residence was at Petersburg, Alaska.

Another baby, a strapping 8 lb., 15 oz. girl, was born last Wednesday to Mr. and Mrs. Kiyoshi Sawa, also of Area A, at the Pierce County hospital.

The condition of both mother and baby is reported exceptionally well and Mr. Sawa expects them home a week hence. The father, when asked how the baby would be named, said he is open to all suggestions. he lives at A-2-88.

ATTENTION

Recruits from among evacuees to work in Eastern Oregon and Idaho sugar beet fields will begin signing up tomorrow in all 4 areas.

These workers and their families are expected to leave for private employment in the next few days as the demand for labor is understood to be extremely urgent.

Improvised forms will be provided and volunteer assistants from Area staffs after receiving instructions from U.S. Employment Service officials will aid in the process.

It is understood that if the plan is successful there will be work available through October.

Page Three

CAMP SPORTS PROGRAM GATHERS MOMENTUM

Camp Harmony’s program is well under way now, according to Chick Uno, Camp Athletic Director. Area A has started a regular intersectional softball league with a few games already played.

The setup for the entire camp will probably follow the same pattern as that in “A”. Softball, class A, will be open to all. Class B will be for class A second teams and class C for those 16 years and under. The girls will also form leagues.

With Saki Arai as head man, Area “D” can expect a good athletic program in the near future. So far, he has outlined an intersectional softball league, ping pong tournaments, boxing, horseshoe-pitching, and judo.

Arai plans to have the intersectional softball champs of the different areas play for the camp title at the end of the season. However, this will depend on orders from the WCCA office.

If a few more sets of tables were available, ping pong would be in full swing, Arai reported yesterday.

Judo can get under way as soon as the mats are distributed, Uno said. In Area “A” there are four capable instructors in Maniw, Nitta, Shinoda, and Kuniyuki.

There is also a possibility that a miniature golf course will be set up to keep golfers from getting too rusty.

SECTIONS CLASH TO OPEN “A” SOFTBALL CIRCUIT

An ambitious softball program got under way Thursday night as the class “A” circuit officially opened its season on the south end of Pitcher Field.

In the first game, Section 3 beat Section 6, 3 to 0 behind Hank Fukano’s classy pitching. The nightcap was rained out.

Athletic Officer Art Sasaki announced 30 games will be played per round with the first round ending June 8.

A doubleheader is to be played, weather permitting, with the first game starting at 6 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m.

PORTLANDERS BOUND FOR TULELAKE SETTLEMENT

(cont’d from page 1)
Reports appearing in Evacuazette, camp organ of the assembly center at Portland, Oreg., state a skeleton crew numbering 178 is being recruited there for Tulelake.

The Tulelake area in northern California comprises 30,000 acres of land and a center housing constructed. Conditions area reported to be good for production of potatoes, field peas, small grains and some other crops.

Other possible work opportunities, according to a War Relocation Authority bulletin, include production of forest products and the possible establishment of canning or dehydrating plants.

The bulk of Camp Harmony volunteers are from Area “D”. Only one person, Thomas Okabe, a chemist, is from Area “C” while none are moving from Area “B” according to Miss Williams, of the WCCA.

NO INFORMATION SO FAR ON SELF RELOCATION

Headquarters staff has no information as yet regarding relocation to areas outside the restricted zones, Frank Miyamoto, relocation officer, declared today in reply to repeated requests from individuals and families seeking clarification of the War Relocation Authority in San Francisco.

The procedure will be announced as soon as the War Relocation Authority “advises us”, Miyamoto said.

AREA DISPATCHES

Area A’s postoffice moved into the new quarters in the real half of the Area Headquarters office building yesterday. Postmaster Kameo K. Nakamura also announced that C.B. Bottsford from the Puyallup Postoffice will be present on Monday and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to handle money orders, registered mail, C.O.D. orders, etc.

Mail is now collected twice daily at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Outside mail comes in around noon. Postoffice hours are from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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Although the opening date for the Area “A” canteen still remained indefinite, Manager Kiyoshi Matsuda said it has been tentatively set for Monday May 25.

When the canteen does open, Matsuda indicated it will do business for only four hours daily — from 8 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m.

Price lists of the articles to be sold in the canteen will be posted in conspicuous places around the area, Matsuda said. He added that no sales tax will be charged.

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Walter Kato, recently awarded an Eagle Scout rating, and Al Ouchi, who are pushing plans for a camp boy scout troop, say the proposal is now in the hands of WCCA officials. At present, George Kakehashi is acting scoutmaster with Masaa Shigemura as acting senior patrol leader.

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Under the supervision of WCCA Fire Chief J Quintal, Blocks 1, 2, and 5 in Area “D” had their first fire drills, May 20.

The drills were pronounced a success and are to be held twice weekly. Routine patrol check-ups on fire-hazards will also be made. Fire-Marshal Taiji Kashino, announced that the Puyallup fire trucks will be present for the next drill.