Minidoka Irrigator: Vol. 3 #11-15

#11: May 8, 1943

Page 1: 31 departing volunteers; 2nd busload leaves for Fort Douglas; no hasty action is contemplated to easy Army evacuation orders; residents may cancel requests for repatriation; irrigation water reaches project area; government seeks linguistically qualified people; limited servicemen not accepted now; non-citizens eligible to hold elective office under new set-up; indefinite leave identification cards of three varieties.

Prejudice in Chicago.

Page 2: Indefinite leaves; Matsui to talk on open door policy. There's also an ad for railroad workers who will be working 10 hours a day.

Three good articles all in one place. (1)Eleanor Roosevelt, who was not afraid to speak out, talks about the internees. (2) Someone wants all the camps shut down. (3) Heart Mountain strike.

Page 3: Wage scale up for beet workers; PTA members elect officers; bond certifications handled by Jones; 1,000 chicks here; $45,000 business reported by co-op; 795 students cleared through national office; NYA schools of Indiana, Illinois ask for students; unclaimed mail.

Another official who didn't care much for the internees.

Page 4: Papers's staff; Time Out column; positive letter to the Minidoka volunteers; Little Tokyo's Again?; Secretary Ikes deserves Pat; The Reader's Rostrum column.

More prejudice.

Nisei volunteers make radio broadcasts to be used as propaganda against the Japanese militarists.

Page 5: Feminidoka; weddings; engagements; million dollar extravaganza slated tonight; students hold May Day festivities; it didn't bother him at all; the Ten Thousand column; another rec staff leader will leave; new G.R. president.

Page 6: Movie committee voices hopes for better selection of movies; Nisei girl returns wallet, furthers cause for evacuees; repatriation work begins in block 35; community analysis office in block 32; supply of baby clothing on hand; vital statistics; more urged to sign up for nurse's class.

Page 7: Sports.

Page 8: all ads.

#11 Second Edition: May 8, 1943

For some reason there were two papers put out on this day, one 8 pages long, one 4 pages long.

Page 1: Pipe Dreamin' column; WRA assures special aid to soldier's families; volunteers given week's furlough; rejected volunteers get priority in war plant jobs; may issue certificate to serve as evidence of volunteering; aeronautics department policy is relaxed; Miss. YWCA offers opportunity for wives to be near soldier husbands; photo of volunteers.

Page 2: Evacu-ways column; your co-op; war bonds poster; Girls' Tens slated to open season.

Page 3: Ticklish housing problems clarified for residents; Schmoe will talk; apply for travel grants early; outside job offers; W.G.Johnson named associate steward; Great Lakes job prospects studied; co-op theaters.

Page 4: Church services; more visitors drop in on Hunt; model airplane contest slated.

#12: May 15, 1943

Page 1: Third group of 37 volunteers to leave camp; war department opens WAACs to Niseis; transfer of Lt. Gen. DeWitt confirmed; file of available labor supply to expedite outside job office; all males, 18, must register; JACL meeting; 175 Nisei soldiers in South Pacific zone; First Lady talks of loyal Nisei at press meet; Minidoka leads in number of leaves granted.

Curfew prejudice.

Debating return to California.

Two more articles dealing with prejudice.

Page 2: Evacu-ways column; critical writer shortage; Magic Valley JACL president elected; financial status of volunteers released; Red Cross course schedule; Dr. Deloach here; church schedule.

Page 3: Chandler recommendations may be submitted to FDR: 20,000 will get indefinite leave by end of year; resettlers in New York given help; 80 workers from Manzanar house in Twin Falls camp; indefinite leaves; three tons books swell central library.

Page 4: Paper's staff; editorials; the Reader's Rostrum column; cartoon and article on Philip L.Schafer; Pipe Dreamin' column.

Page 5: Feminidoka; camping in store for Hunt Scouts; former U. of W. student passes bar examination; shivering but enthusiastic crowd enjoys outdoor show; new Scoutmasters; weddings; paper drive; The Ten Thousand column; flower-making class.

Page 6: Pick your school with care and thought; outside job offers; visitors; children warned to keep off ditch; persons asked to claim shoes; optical dept. moves; bus accident victims asked to consult Moore; Pomeroy cautions students leaving; vital statistics.

Page 7: Sports.

Page 8: Your co-op; unclaimed mail; Tule Lake co-op buyers visit here; new canteen hours announced; names of volunteers in third group.

Pages 9 through 14 are in Japanese.

#13: May 22, 1943

Page 1: Stafford leaves for conference of project heads; Myer studies necessity of active participation in agricultural program; volunteers visiting Seattle invited by Friends center; fourth group of enlistees leaves for Fort Douglas; 9 Hunt delegates leaving for Bussei meeting

Japanese born here are citizens, period.

Press has closing times wrong.

Prejudice as far as employment goes.

Centers will eventually close.

Page 2: Vital statistics; Holland terms absorption of Nisei into American life 'test of Americanism'; WRA aims to spread Nisei thinly in American communities; 250 Japanese will work on highway; need segregation, legion head says (trouble makers vs. non trouble makers); discusses N.Y.A.; domestic help wanted.

Not everyone is prejudiced.

Page 3: 6 fluent Japanese speaking men sought by Yale; head of parent-soldier group picked; Kanno suggests means to face labor problems; lack of workers retards farming program; unclaimed mail; latest appointees; irrigation plans outlined.

Movement to stop Japanese from returning to California.

Page 4: Paper's staff; editorials; Pipe Dreamin' column; they also serve.

View Japanese 'problem' objectively.

Page 5: Feminidoka column; two receive life rank at Scout Honor; weddings; engagements; other 'personal' articles.

Page 6: Shoe certificate good for any member of family; Myer announces step to ease relocation procedure; hospital rules, hours of visit changed; passes not issued unless forms for property are filed; co-op theaters.

Page 7: Sports.

Page 8: Sunday church activities; outside job offers.

#14: May 29, 1943

Page 1: Telegram saying Minidoka will not be closed soon; center residents to vote soon on charter for self-government; respects paid to Hunt dead in memorial service; war dept. action opens Army post jobs to Nisei; can't get buses, induction delayed for 60 enlistees; job preferences given volunteers refused by Army; girl, boy scouts hold poppy drive; evacuee youths not entitled to free school privileges.

Page 2: 2nd US-Japan exchange of 1,500 civilians seen; visitors; residents to vote on charter soon, from page 1; campaign for rationing education under way; former leaves div. head volunteers; visitors; indefinite leaves.

Prejudice in Arizona.

Page 3: 95% of those relocated in Chicago making successful readjustments; federal bar exams re-open to citizens in centers; evacuees hesitant in accepting good jobs-WRA seeks reason why; seek translators for radio work; job openings plentiful in East; James takes liking to work in Washington; Beeson calls attention to renewal of civil service status to evacuees; learn some trade, students advised; ten Nisei students among U.of U. grads; student relocation claims two more; vital statistics; hostel in Cleveland.

Page 4: Paper's staff; editorials; Your Co-op column.

Page 5: Feminidoka column; weddings; four Hunt entrants in art contest win honors; PTA will hear talk by nurse; flower arrangement classes meet weekly; engagements.

Page 6: Evacu-ways column; residents with special skill may sign up; personal property must be attended to before leaving; visitors must pay for meals, lodging; co-op patronage refund based on 10% of purchases; 50 hogs coming; urges registration; watch out-snakes!; JACL meeting; glove firm jobs open to evacuees; bulletin to explain resettlement aims to Nihongo readers.

Page 7: Sports.

Page 8: Church services; outside job offers.

#15: June 5, 1943

The Dies committee problems get underway with three articles on page 1.

Page 2: WRA established to aid evacuees to relocate; Myers expresses regrets, from page 1; vital statistics; transferees.

Page 2 has five articles on prejudice.

Page 3: Hunt population goes down, now 7801; JACL plans credit union; positions open for farm workers here; swimming in canal barred; project hog ranch nears completion; reservations for trains must be made in advance; Myer says WRA not wage-fixing agency; fresh fruits and vegetables used for babies food.

Monthly population of the camp.

Yet another article on prejudice.

Page 4: Paper's staff; editorials (including two dealing with prejudice); letters.

Page 5: Feminidoka column; The Ten Thousand column; Hunt High vocal concert; girls' reserves sponsor paper, magazine drive; volunteers donate flags to schools; engagements; drafting classes to start; scout leaders meet daily for training.

Page 6: Pipe Dreamin' column; departees must return issued supplies; construction of irrigation system nears completion; co-op financial status issued.

Page 7: Sports.

Page 8: Schools accept three more Hunt residents; outside job offers; permanent T.B. sanitoriums at centers discussed; Evacu-Ways column; Japanese section mailed out only upon request; Sunday church activities.



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