Pacific Cable
The Pacific Cable was fortnightly produced newsletter by the Youth Fellowship of Reconciliation in Seattle, Washington during 1942 and early 1943. The newsletter was "to serve as a communication of good will" for individuals in the assembly centers and relocation camps. Each issue (4 pages except for the final issue of 8 pages) contained a smattering of personal news, commentary, reports and announcements..
The University of Washington holdings are incomplete, most issues are poor quality photocopies, four issues are original. These four issues have been scanned (quality is questionable). A fairly regular column detailing the personal events is transcribed for all available issues. This column changed titles over the volume from "Minidoka Memos" to "About People" and "Cable-Links." Also selected articles are transcribed including Gordon Hirabayashi's "Reflections from Jail."
Vol. 1, No. 12 -- 16 Dec. 1942
Vol. 1, No. 13 -- 30 Dec. 1942
Vol. 1, No. 14 -- 18 Jan. 1943
Vol. 1, No. 16 -- 31 Mar. 1943
Vol 1, No. 3 - 12 August 1942
REFLECTIONS FROM JAIL
-by-
Gordon Hirabayash
Sometimes I think about evacuation and its various implications. The reaction is usually one of deep disappointment. At other times I am overcome with callousness and think, "What's the difference?" Even bitterness and resignation creep in; "If I were only born of Caucasian Parents..." Yet, I am quite awared that these feelings will not achieve the things for which I desire. I try to understand why it has happened--Why? Why?
Lin Yutang once wrote: "...the causality of events is such that every little happening is conditioned by a thousand antecedents." This evacuation, then, came as a result of the various experiences of the various persons who encouraged it, perhaps. Some may have learned race prejudice in their homes; others may have had unpleasant experiences with the Japanese; still others learned to consider that business came first; then there are many who have lost on the battle front close relatives. Add to these the things that whip up hysteria.
Could these and a few other like incidents have been some of the "antecedents"? Could I through thoughtfulness and study come to understand some of these actions and hereby not only learn the shy of it, but also gen an insight into how to overcome it?
It seems to me that a lot of these little things have turned out to be significant things. That keeps my hpes burning, for it if concerns little things then I, too, am capable of it. I, too, can play a vital role in the establishment of understanding and trust. I, too, can adopt Clarence Darrow's motto: "I may hate the sin, but never the sinner." I, too, can be a significant antecedent toward a harmonious community.
Vol 1, No. 6 - 23 September 1942
FACTS ABOUT STUDENT RELOCATION
After spending several weeks cutting through governmental red-tape, the student relocation program showed definite progress as of the first week of Sept. This was made possible through the work of not only the National Council for Student Relocation, but also the faculties of several of our Pacific Coast colleges. In other years these men and women took a much deserved summer vacation, but this year presidents and professors alike worked hard to make this program a success.
The figures show that 156 colleges have accepted students. Of these 111 have been cleared by both the army and navy, 13 await navy clearance and the remaining 32 await both army and navy clearance.
At these colleges 389 students have been accepted. Of these, 27 had reached their destination in 7 different states and 41 more have travel permits. Of the remaining 321, 75 have applied for travel permits, 29 are awaiting clearance of colleges, and 217 are in preliminary stages.
The situation changes every day and is today much better than these figures indicate. Because any such program takes time to initiate there will be hundreds who will be unable to attend college this fall, but by the beginning of the January term between 1000 and 1500 should be in college.
Vol 1, No. 11 - 2 December 1942
YOUNG NISEI ACCEPT CHALLENGE
Human nature is similar the world around. Most of us are content to drift along with the tide doing little serious thinking or making any real sacrifice. When adversity enters our complacent domain; when our once thought secure future is shaken, then, and then only, do we really set about to do some real constructive thinking.
This has been particularly true of the young Nisei. The life they knew has been torn up by its roots. No longer can they feel free to come and go as they please. Life is not to be taken for granted as in the past. Much serious thinking is going on in the minds of these young people and a growing concern for the future is now being felt. Here are two excerpts taken from letters received recently:
"With our brothers and sisters working in the beet fields, our fathers polishing sagebrush sticks, and our mothers stealing wood, what is our future? Mr. _____, please help me get out of here!" Please of this nature are not confined to just one relocation center but emanate from them all. Can we as a democratic, freedom-loving people close our ears to such cries?
The second excerpt comes from a Nisei college student. She says, "Somehow I cannot be wholly happy here as long as my family and so many of my friends are in camps and in jail. Somehow, I feel so selfish in being here and having the advantages which those more worthy than I have been denied. But it is a challenging responsibility, which I hope that I can in a small way fulfill with God's help...I realize now more than before evacuation how wrong it all is--from now on I will dedicate my life to prevent any such experiences on other groups."
New life and power is beginning to show on the surface as these young people accept the challenge to rise above their environment.
Vol. 1, No. 2 - [date illegible] July 1942
REPORTS OF WSC STUDENTS
MIKA HIYANO, U. of W. '42 pharmacy and George Yamamoto, WSC '42 have "announced" their engagement. They are both now enrolled in Summer School at WSC and will be married after the close of the summer session August 7.
MARY KANNO, transfer from the U. of W. is continuing her musical studies at WSC. She played a beautiful violin solo last Sunday at the Congregational Church.
THE REV. AND MRS. LINCOLN WIRT, formerly of Greenlake Congregational Church, Seattle, and now serving the Pullman congregation, are giving counsel and a friendly hand to the Nisei students at Pullman.
Vol. 1, No. 3 - 12 Aug. 1942
COMINGS AND GOINGS AT CAMP HARMONY
TAI INUI left the Puyallup Assembly Sunday evening for Boulder, Colorado, where she will marry NOBUTAKA IKI.
BERNADETTE (DATE) and JIMMIE KAMIHACHI left at the same time to join their parents in Worland, Wyoming.
ESTHER SAKAI and ABE HAGIWARA were married last Friday. The service was performed by Rev. Everett Thompson. The bridesmaid was RUTH SAKAI, sister of the bride, and MIKE HAGIWARA, ABE's brother, was best man.
SEISE SATE has left the Alien Internment Camp at Fort Missoula, Montana, and will arrive today at Area C, Camp Harmony. Mr. SATE was manager of the Martinique Apts. at 8th and Union, Seattle.
Vol. 1, No. 7 - 9 Sept. 1942
Minidoka Memos
RAY YAMAMOTO is setting up the system of passes and furloughs for the project.
JEANNE MORI and MAY OTA are helping to set up the Nursery School program. They proved their ability along such lines at Puyallup.
BILL MAKINO, University of Washington, is among those leaving soon for school. He'll be at Oberlin University in Ohio this fall.
ABE HAGIWARA has a new job with Mr. George Townsend, Community Services Director.
HIROSHI YAMADA is in charge of the Placement Division. Working with him are DAVE MIYAUCHI, STELLA YOROZU, and YUKIO NAKAYAMA.
Vol. 1, No. 7 -- 7 Oct. 1942
About People
by Floyd Schmoe
LINCOLN KANAI can be reached at PM Box 300, Dupont, Wash. I saw him Sunday. He is getting along fine, his violin keeping him company.
SGT. PATRICK KAZUO HAGIWARA is at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
SADAKO SEKI is still in Chicago but hopes to go to Boston to school.
MARTIN HIRABAYASHI is at Missoula, but looking east. He visited Minidoka recently.
MAE (KASHIWAGA) NISHITANI (didn't you know that) continues her nursing training at the U. of Denver.
KENJI OKUDA writes from Granada. The pages of his letter have sand between them.
SAB KUNIMATSU, Rt. 1, Nyassa, Oregon, had a hot summer with the beets.
MIKA (HAYANO) and GEORGE YAMAMOTO are working in Oak Park, Illinois.
FUMI FUKIAGE spent the summer at Nyassa, Oregon. She is working in the FSA office there.
CHIYO OKANO says she hasn't learned to like Wyoming "rattlers" yet.
WOODROW NISHITANI is a dental technician at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.
FRANK FUGIMOTO and his wife are moving from Pullman to Lincoln, Neb.
BEN FUGIMOTO is also planning to make Lincoln his home.
CHRISTINE KURIYAMA is at the Vogue School of Design in Chicago and is living at the International House.
SUEKO HASEGAWA was still at Zurich, Mont., the last we heard. Wish she would drop us a line.
GEORGE KUMASAKI has begun his medical school work at Northwestern U.
Vol. 1, No. 8 -- 21 Oct. 1942
About People
by Floyd Schmoe
MISAKO KANDO worked this summer at the Chicago Theological Seminary after completing her work at the University of Chicago.
CHISAKO HIGUCHI is enjoying life at a small college. She is at Earlham College, Richmond, Ind.
EDDIE HIRABAYASHI (Gordon's brother) has gone from Tule Lake to Clearfield, Utah to work on a farm.
FUMIKO TAKANO is now at Manchester College, North Manchester, Ind.
MARY LOU NISHIMURA is leaving Chicago soon for Texas, we are told.
CHIYO OKANO is trying to catch up after entering the University of Wyoming at Laramie, two weeks late.
GEORGE TOWNSEND, director of Community Services at Minidoka, is in Seattle on business. He is high in praise of his Nisei staff. ABE HAGIWARA is his right hand man.
AKIKO INUI and the KORIYAMA twins are co-oping at Mary Hobbs Hall at Guilford College, No. Carolina.
MARTHA OKUDA writes that the Lincoln, Nebraska, group grows. She is a the University's School of Social Work.
CARL SANDOZ, U. of Wash., 1942, is Social Work Counsellor at Minidoka.
HIROCHI INUI worked this summer in North Carolina. He will attend Guilford College.
ESTHER SHORT BOYD of Wapato took a carful of watermelons to the Nyassa Camp over Labor Day. She would have been welcome without them.
LARRY HENDERSON is back at Yale after visiting Nyassa, Minidoka, and many free communities in Utah and Colorado on the way.
BILL MAKINO is at Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio.
Vol. 1, No. 9 -- 4 Nov. 1942
About People
by Floyd Schmoe
SACHIE FUKIAGE has written from Ohio Wesleyan, Delaware, Ohio.
EMERY and MRS. ANDREWS will move to Twin Falls as soon as housing facilities can be secured. Many friends will be happier because of these good neighbors.
JEANNE MORI, as everyone would know, has a kindergarten started at Minidoka already.
CHARLES KAMBE continues his study of medicine at the Univ. of Penn.
HIDE MORIMIZU is holding down four separate and distinct jobs, all at the same time, in Denver.
MICHI and Taul Watanabe are also in Denver to attend the University there. Taul is in law school but Michi had to have a serious operation. She is doing well.
RUTH HAINES has just returned from a month in Colorado. She stopped at Tule Lake on the way east and at Minidoka on the way home. She visited many people.
TERU NAKATA, and her sister HISA, sent us a card from Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois.
MARY URSULA DATE will teach at George School, near Philadelphia, this year.
MISAKO KONDO and SGT. PATRICK HAGIWARA were married at Ft. Sheridan, Ill. on Oct. 2.
Vol. 1, No. 10 -- 18 Nov. 1942
About People
TAMAKO INOUYE isnow a librarian at Minidoka.
MARGARET ECHIGOSHIMA has gone to St. Louis to continue her study of law.
HARRY FUKIAGE took time out last week at the University of Utah for an appendectomy.
THOMAS S. OKABE has a new job with the Growers and Shippers Association of Idaho. He is a chemist in their Fruitland Laboratory.
TOM BODINE took four days off from Student Relocation last week and climbed Mount Lassen, 10,413 feet. He found an inscription at the summit which read, "Why do people fight wars when there are so many mountains to climb."
ATSUKO and YOSHINO YANO reported recently from Minidoka.
KATSU OIKAWA is working as a reporter on the Heart Mountain SENTINEL... a very good little sheet, by the way.
TAI IKE mentions 19 inches of snow already at Boulder, Colorado. What will it be like when winter comes?
DR. BERTHA AKIMOTO is now on the Staff of St. Mary's Hospital, Jefferson City, Missouri.
LILY YOROZU is enrolled in the graduate school of social work at Denver U.
HELEN YOROZU is attending Colorado Women's College to which she won a scholarship.
MITSUKO and TAMAYE HIRATA of Seattle arrived on the Gripsholm recently.
Vol. 1, No. 11 -- 2 Dec. 1942
About People
MARTIN HIRABAYASHI and CHISAKO HIGUCHI were married at Richmond, Indiana, on Sunday, Nov. 22. Chisako is a senior at Earlham College in Richmond. Martin is working in Indianapolis.
FUMI FUKIAGE made a visit recently to Twin Falls and Minidoka. Fumi ahs worked for FSA at Nyassa, Oregon all summer and fall.
BEATRICE SHIPLEY, Secretary of the Friend's Center in Seattle, and JACKIE WIELAND are planning to visit friends at Minidoka early in December.
ROBERT O'BRIEN, Director of Student Placement's Philadelphia offices is making a swing around West Coast offices. The real occasion of his visit was the JACL conference on relocation at Salt Lake City.
SUZU KORIYAMA sends a card from Winston-Salem, North Carolina last wee. She and ED OTA from Guilford had been giving talks at Salem College in Winston-Salem--cigarette capital of the world.
FLORENCE TATEOKA has been transferred to the Permit Department at Minidoka.
KENJI OKUDA, of the Granada Center in Colorado, has been "getting around" -- geographically. First he was heard from in Topeka, Kansas, where he attended a Student Christian Conference. Then he went to Denver.
JIMMY OMURA, editor of nisei magazine, Current Life, is now in Denver.
Vol. 1, No. 12 -- 16 Dec. 1942
About People
Min Kanazawa, Seattle, and Sajiko Nishibue, Spokane, were married Sunday, Dec. 6, 1942.
Bill Hattori, who has been at Tule Lake, finally got his travel permit, and is now working at Worland, Wyoming.
May Ota is back in Minidoka Center after keeping house for some boys who were working in the beet fields of Montana.
Teruka Nakata is with her sister Hisa, as Rockford College in Illinois.
Atsuko Yana has been offered a job in a Chicago office.
Fumi Fukiage visited Minidoka for a few days from Nyassa.
Robert O'Brien of the Student Relocation Council was in Seattle last Saturday. He has visited all the relocation centers, after attending the National JACL Conference.
Beatrice Shipley, Jackie Wieland, and Floyd Schmoe are visiting Heart Mountain, and Minidoka.
Vol. 1, No. 13 -- 30 Dec. 1942
About People
Lillian Kubota formerly U. of Wash. is studying at Washington University in St. Louis.
Florence Tataoka, Lillian Inana and Dr. Irike have left to teach Japanese at the U. of Colorado.
Tosh Fukushima (Y.K. at U. of Wash.) is busy in the Public Works Dept. at Minidoka.
Hiroshi Inui traveled from N. Carolina, where is is attending Guilford, to visit his family camp.
Howard Kakudo is head of a department in the Poston Art School.
Franklyn Sugiyama is a law clerk in the project Attorney's office at Poston, Arizona.
Thomas Masuda is the ace criminal lawyer of the Poston Project Attorney's staff. Mrs. Masuda is in charge of Student Relocation.
Dr. Frank Saito is an administrative official in the Dental Clinic at Poston.
Charles Hirato is one of the executives in the Poston Census Dept. Wash. State students, Yuki Tashima and James and Marion Mizuki visited Minidoka in early December.
Vol. 1, No. 14 -- 18 Jan. 1943
About People
FRANK WATANABE will study at Columbia U. (he was former tennis varsity star at the Univ. of Wash.).
GEORGE INOUE and RITSUKO INOUYE were married at Hunt.
FLORENCE TATEOKA, U. OF Wash. '41, is teaching Japanese at Boulder, Colorado>
AYAKO SAKAMOTO & TSUYOSHI HARIKE were married at Hunt, Dec. 30 and are now living in Salt Lake City.
YURI TASHIMA, now attending Wash. State College, visited her family at Hunt over the Christmas holiday.
SACHIKO NAKNUCHIS' nicest Christmas present was a permit to go to Chicago.
Staff Sergeant PAUL SAKAI, formerly of Seattle and a U. of Wash. graduate, is now fighting in North Africa in the forces of General D. Eisenhower.
KENJI OKUDA, formerly of Seattle, is now attending Oberlin College, Ohio.
Vol. 1, No. 16 -- 31 Mar. 1943
CABLE LINKS
Shhh--Don't say anything but I'm going to copy this just as Jackie passed it on tom
"Chuck, here's some for "Cable Links"
Ruth Nishino and Vernon Shimo-Takahara were married Feb. 28 (Sunday) in Social Hall 28 at Hunt. The couple have left for Kaslo, B.C., the home of the groom's parents. I met Ruth and Vernon at Hunt and they are cute.
Minnie Yokoyama and Henry Itoi, formerly of the U. of W., were married at the home of Ref. Mr. Thompson in Twin Falls, Idaho. Minnie and Henry both went to U. as I stated; Minnie is a very good singer. Both kids are from Seattle.
Oh! Some more news, if it hasn't already been printed:
Stella Yorozu attended a Girl Reserve conference in Denver and also visited her sisters Lily and Helen while there.
Akiko Kawakami has left Hunt to work in a Denver office.
Fred Kosaka, Grad. of U. of W. has received his 2nd lieutenants commission in the medical corps.