,tunta>vW SI, 1*7
THE NEW CANADIAN
To Think About
'.British ��O.il�iii!b:s-:; on. !li;it ppiiiv.- " � �a'id. to we the. o'^: i!H!-,l;ui a;a!:g,< iior.i ��y :(.!>'' ;ia!k?!ig ;tb'v.V v, Vi, anil ' \v<r v,;!'-:
V'.' up '0 i'viiX'K r-.:!:.'
.-tin.. at '\Vmv.;>:: !);> �':v-r-f>t:,-iiV:irt.or^?
\ i ��'.�} -Pi icons' -rh'W
('�0>'>V:!:t r \iir iii-vllv.:-.!^
so*.'''-' :^--- � � �'�."- . - �"
� j ; T . r i � ^ .1; li! i
i-r :!:<�:V.. : mi,,.;- !;:s.>?vr
Girl on
By FRANK MORITSUGU
� This
:�� last December, about so* before Christina*, I . at thtf -CPft' station \:. of Japanese. This ears of the ?, crowded with Japanese and their
2����
the fifth shipment of to go to Japan. Since accompanied their
uY� ti ipa,
The Fighting Minister of Hood River
By JOHN KJTASAKO ift P*H* Cttiw�
"We've been runmrrjr this town for 25 years, and ttra can't-:jet away with teT what the Hood River American Legioft to!4 the Rev. W. Sherman Burgoyne. They like his efforts to have the names of the 16 Nisei'-�servicemen restored to the honor
Abe-
tho evacuees
,t;vo
r r.v :.-
,.t(.;
there must have been situations like this many times over among the adult Nisei*. Most of them went to Japan'.against their will
The people were from because their parents wished it, and Manitoba. or because their parents were old was Japan via ajid.hee.led them, not because they themselves wanted to go to Japan. I've sometimes � wondered what it would be like for a Nisei like me to live in Japan. I can talk Japanese passably and eat Japanese food'with chopsticks, but that is pretty well as far as my Japanese culture goes.
Recently�� I'; asked .Pave''about living'in Japan. Dave is a haku-jin .who si>ent. most Of his childhood, life in Japan and probably knows more about Japanese customs and manners than I- or. the. average Nisei does.
He says ho found it hard to adjust himself to life .in Canada when he first came here, and that . was from the bad to the good;, for a Nisei to go to Japan would be going fixinv freer, broader ways to the restricted narrow-thinking ways of Japan. I asked him if. .lie thought I would 'get adjusted to Japan :'in time.
No, Dave says, you .would probably become the "reformer" type and go all out trying to work to-,.:wards" changing. Japan over to better standards of living and better ways of thinking. Despite "deinocrati/.ation" and all. it would be like trying to lilt at h buzz saw, I think. '
. I don't say this because of postwar conditions in Japan: True,, . it will be a bitter drop from the
townspeople to open their hearts to them.
\V-i
:r'a!1;i the Pacific ocean. : the Japan-bound "vol-
, luitViutes" were older .-�they seemed cheerful i .it in the Manitoba ;-.-,ch Ivoarded the train Winnipeg were some :.< ai.ul a few teenagers. ,,a> iv.x- girl in particular. i. '.jSho was in her late ftty and chic. All about '.h'.baloo was going on as of tV\v oi1 six tried to get settled with kids and mi lunches and all. .0 had come down to pooi'lo off. milled help-the narrow car aisle." ; vity young girl sat stiffly 'corner without paying to anyone or anything. <iv� was; slowly turning the pages of a��frajjaziiHY,'But she was not ''i-eaiiiii?;'.the' magazine. ' �
� ivt. often wondered about that � �;;�(' ��%-,-ho I hud never seen until th:u night.. I find it hard to vciiKir.ber-"what she .looked .like, bat the frozen expression on her face '.still ronains.
A> tlio train moved westward, there'' u'as another girl, in her early twenties, -who,, seemed to j:Y try to prolong'her talking with s?rr;< hakujin' friends .who had come down to see her off.
But he got away \\ith ii. And to those il.i^eip'lt'ji ot dt-movuu-y the � world , OHT. his triumph new lite :iiul hoi)o it uu^pii'ioivs vU-u>t'y ot''.unii. jng against ha(e, or courage against iniinii^.ation, o'f Christ t;i.n-
ity
01
lie\ '.
e :u.!i
paganism, fajiiism: '
liursoyne is built like a tijjhuT. He's 6 tVet �� 2- 'iiu'he:5 � tall, aii'.l \veiitUs o\'er i�>i(' ;>omuis. 'He's, a >i\th \JesreiUlunt Of iJt'n-vial Hurioyiif of Ke\olutivuia.y AVar days', 'I'liat' may.'have sonuv-thiii*: lo.O.o vviih his 'ajf^'res!�i\ f-
!U-S<. . '
Riled Up Plenty
"Ai'tualiy.. I'm .a paiMtisi. but .spnu>.'.iHnij;s';i';a'iV .cot me riled up ple-nty." he', said" dm me. his recent ^�iJ;it to Wa'shiivs'ion. 1'arly"in th'e battle of Hood Uivor. he went to tho Lt\�iou pcoplt- and asked tho-in to fall off their campaign of hato. "\\'e .know what Ave're � doing i^' :bi>lo\v'-the bolt." they told him. "but we're going to do it anyway!" That shameless admission of their wronsdoiiVg gave -him all lho streng'tl) and t;ouiage Ito i�ood-"ed to I'arry his fight to th'e bilto.r end. ' . "'.'.-.....".
...... - ' '. �'*'" � * � � * ; , �.
Tlie American. Legion in Hood River' during the war was a well-oiled politioal 'ihaehitie:- It
��was..not' a large outfit, says Mr. Burgoyno. but it had key men in
�every orTici1 and" organization in town. If yon didn't play ball with (.he Legion1, you'd get frozen- out. Tho
ih lh*>iu. Thetr to take *n open s�taiui.e*rly m thv tight made it difficult, for him: .lUivnily. \vhen he'1 va-s.notified that he had won one of the Thomas Jefferson, awards' for pro-inot'inc' dt'inov-racv. his eoncrejia-
fc , - ' . � ... ' :'� -
lion h.i>jore.d him with :< bis diii-iu>r. and speeches >v��re niude laud-ing him' for his ai'hu'vemeu|. The s['�-evhes st\ing htm hard "Ail of this i-onies t\\o year's uxvluto." he told 'iht^ni. It >\as a teit-blj. lo.ne-' 1\ rich! in the- beginning.
Used Pressures
The' Legion usvd alt sort s'; of
. pressures 011 the lUirgoyr.es. U \v;is like li1. ing in the 'underground i.n Europe uiuU'r Hitler. .\\ as the \\ay Mrs. r>nrgoyiuv desci ibos it. "No one 'knows hmv hot it \vas f-or us.
� We''expected to be bc-aien upor rilii out;. of town any^ moment."-One niglit a rock w;\s. .thrown through their "parsonage \\ in.dow. That \\as right after .Mis. Bur-, goyiie � liad received a telegram
"telling of Tier brother's -death on -Guadalcanal. ^
Karly in l^-t.v. three Nis�M.youths-Hoy Sato, "Min Asai and'Sat Noji. reLurneii. They had gone bark as
.guinea pi,gs '-but they didn't. kn'o\y Aviiether they would .get out of' there alivt'. That was the first . time the Burgoynes ever mot Niseis, � . � '- : .
; When Uay Sato walked ..in Mho;'
-bank \\hereMrs. Binvgoyne was working, .^he left her desk and welcomed Kay. in full view of every-
"Racs Relations"
(Ccritinued from Pag� One) r j Negro, I have been refused food in � restaurant?- or have had it spoiled ly peci .ookins or over-seasoning SD that I could not ei\t it when.'.it. was served; I thoroughly en joyed ray lui.'t.boon today.'.' - '.:.".
S;uui(l;\y afiertiopn, members of .t^e various organizations attend-i;ig ^e lustitute's rally stationed ..themselves'.'at strategic intersec.-iio!:s i:\ i!o\v!itown Toronto orrcan-v;i?5ec ie.siilontial districts,-.armed Mith a: thi't'o-query questionnaire.
Majority Say "No'f
Ho-iHobolders and pedestrians attke.' �� \vo-ro : ;\sked if they had fir.y obfoetjon t o working with Xegrc-:s or "foreigners," if they h .v.'ould 'object1 to- . Negroes, or for�-i�.;rK-r>" a? neighbors, and if r.io>�.v-ouM" objoot to eating in jes--i'lri:.:-; � alongsitle Negroes or ''or-.iiirt-rs.'!. Tabulation' of the ���& t:.r,\\-f(\ tliat the majority of i'-^5-!^ 'QUf'S-tioned .answered -
- earliest � settlers could roinember. When the UurgOynes went from'.
Coos Bay to take over the Ashbuiy
Methodist Churt-h in 13|2, two. months after -.-the Japanose had boon, evacuated, no-one outside of their congregation-paid any attention. But when the. Legion erased the names Of 16 Nisei servicemen-, from the honor roll, -everyone in Hood Hiyor�and millions all over the world�took notice, of lU-v.
" Burgoyne's fiery demmciation.
Never Known a Nisei �
in the more select resU .: districts was there, any ion to ."having Negroes or 'forticr.ers" as neighbors.
Resolutions Passed
. ^r .- ; ^.r.el uis. iission on. racial. r^blr^s-- in 'ihe"-'CarU6n . Vnited
>:-!iir.ia"y niorning. the
"tiU<->!is 'Institute passed
''.�.! tioris unanimously. It
'� �"��'1 to support a move
:" Kmn'oynient Practices
: V -<r-:i\ nj^ke it unlawful
�::.;lo>f-: ro discriminate
1 ::;-.;; b�-- ;'n;se of his race.
.';s al*o given " 10 an
i '~>i K i s b � s . wh i c h would
'- :���-'>:�!�. reeardle?s of
'. '���'.'. z-\;<z* ok- religion.
Lett
ers
fol-
Kiia^awa. A -agi. Kofihlro Aofa-r Ivaunoto. Fuka-
plei^ty of Canada to the struggle, :ilia( smhu Oregon town had to keep alu-e in the Japanese lamluncUallengedovor ^;-;.�-of shortages.. But T feel that try-, ing to change my ways of think'-: ing and living to conform to the older/mustier standards of Japan -�where kissnig in the movies became a new innovation after the surrender�where the'government banned Americsan music and dan> ciiig during the war because they ,were not "patriotic"-r-where marriages are still arraivged mostly ^-would be too hanl for the Nisei to want .to do.
Letters ;from Japan
A letter from a Nisei girl who went to Japan after.the war with her "parents says: "\Ve went to the country first to live, with my grandparents and '-relative's. Gee, they're so old:fashioned and .we
.can't understand each otber at all. I was told I must sit this.-way and not that, to dp everyt'ni'ng in what the .Japanese think is a ladylike maiuier. We are now living in Tokyo, where . I work with the occupation forces'- Mother and father agree that I don't fit in Japan and say I may come back to Canada if the Canadian government will fix it up the way the Americans are doing."
�'Another letter tells of a Nisei who was a minor and accompanied her parents . on an exchange Ship in 1943": "When we got to Singapore, things became different. We weren't allowed to speak" English. The Ke*np*itai (Japan's Military Gestapo) were, always on the watch. Ar;d people
. didn't tni't the Ni>eii."'
And a note of longinjr in a letter from a "repat" written lust
I>ecember:
Working at the miJitary headquarters, �o�e Amerircan bejr� in the next pfftce ����� * r�d�� which goe* on mo�t of Oie day. White Chriatma* wa� playing This morning and all 1 eo�j�d thmfc of w�* Canada and w**t a rul piac* rt *. How I
I tw^ k^ck '
v ^V^B^^ ^^^^^P^^
one. A: short .liii\�^ after that, Mrs.
I.ogioivs dictatorship _ pVer Burgoyue. quit her job No, she
wasn't.'fired, Mrs. Burgoyne said, but eV'MyihiuK got sort of cool around there: -.slu1 ho longer felt at home, .and .so she', resigned',-'-.-'1:' over.ho � one's protest. to;.be siiiy. '
Never Forgot Handshake
Hay can nevpr forget that hand shake. :It tost Mrs. Burgoyiie her job, but to a'.''returned, evactir'e.: Svaicbiiig for a f-rieiwlly face in ins home..-., fowii, it inoant.'.'eyviy-' thing in the world.
The I'ievV Btirgoyno, too. felt".' tlio effects of being a ".Jap-love!'." ' llv \\i\f. ��fr'oze'n' on t of. t he. l\ o t a i y C hi b
__________ and other group.*. He /tried to sell
The Burgoyn'e's had never known. the poai ^ I torn his I0-:u-r�!. i ;�u h. a Nisei; they had never spoken . V~ut Ui5>rf _were''ho buyers'. That
. Th.e> saw -NO Jap Trade?
almost everywhere. TbejT
trade only ut tvio
ay's and Hess . Their 'mv'r frit'nUs turned the other way, �Th�?y � heard laun1.* aud je�ra. Th��ir shou)tU>t> he^an 10 nag mom and more.
Hood River Fir�t -
After' u s.ieu\ reprimand from the national v oimnundor of the American Lesion, tht* iltHxl River outfit formed AY hat they called the Hood Kiver Fir*n committtV, antl iarricd on its program,
' Mr.'� lUn-soyn*- and his grtnrp i mmteivd by�: formini; the L�*aif\�e for Liberty and Jusli.v Yor All�� >\ho�e ti<U> \\4s taken I'rom th� lust words oi ?htk plodpe of al-
� les|anc�\ 'J'he two primps fwipht vaeh ' ..othiM; : through (he press
� p.riinariiy.. � The ' Ht.hid. Klvet First coiuiniit�;o played up th�^ atrocity . stories in' lari;e ads: si-retu'hinjr over, and over: ."Th'o blood of one American 'soldier is wort li more/ than all the .laps in. Atneiiea.'! .
Mr; Burgos.He's league answered 'with deeds of .i!u> \ }2iid. stories of bravery.df individual GIs, and'.' loyalty of ovaeuoes. .
Tide Began to Turn
'.. �(.I'rivdually the iide be.can'lo turn. The progriun of educating the pub; lie was yieMing results. People began 'talking to ihe .returned. Japan ose;. I hoy helped them iii -small .ways. S'ig'iis began to eome ilown.
� ���� .-: �.' '. ' " �.. � * � . ' '�'..-. :; ":'
And what about llooil Kiver today? \Vcll, says the Hev. Bnr-goyiVe, hardly anyone pnys, any attention Jo (he American Legion or tho Hood Kiver First ConmitUeo.
Tho people just thumb -their nose at their throats. : � ' '
.But all the signs' have'not_ come .'dowij. /riieri' arc s^till a few. but sonio. of .them are hot in tho, con-jS]iicuous ;spots they \isoxl _to bt�.
: Tho Niseis now can purchase all of the nccessitiea in Hood Htver. But nono of llieln - ami the Hev. .BVirgoyno neither- can :jpet hflir-cuts. All tho :Varbers are legion-najres ami tho boauiy patIprs are
to; one. "It \vas an un.-American ihing to do. 1 would ha'ye protested as IpuiHy if the. naiuo.s of Jews. 'Negroes, Catholics or any", other group had been removed." �
What, made the action of ilie Legion so grossly comical ami in consistent, was this '-cOnipavison: Of the'16. Nisei boys from Hood River, whose .nauies had been re hiovod from the roll, li s'f-i-ved overseas, -two were killed in action, and 10 u ere awarded � Purple'Hearts. .
Of the 16 Legionnaires uho served in Worhl; War I and form-
\vasliie ranch v, here they ha<l plannecj jo retire. So he had to sell his "ranclf with tin/ pears on t ho. trees.. .-.-. ' . : '
The evacuees who. trickled back sa\v aiul 'f�'lt the effect? . of the vicious hal.t- i-;uiipaici.: of., the
STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS - -
Universal Brotherhood
(From the Vancouver Daily Province '-Letters" Column.) Sir: In tin- past, invasion of th�-
So for haimits the Niseis go 25 miles to i'arkdaK% 17 inije^ to The Dalles',-oi: 00 iniles^o Portland.
:'�'�'- '..��'�'���*''.�. ' . ' ...
i '�'�.- . �� ' - ' '
"I've done nothing unuiuai," says the Rev. Burgoxne. ,"l'f just an ordinary Methodist minister trying to be a Christian. The Redeemer put love in heart and t want to use it."
ed the anti Ja{>ane.>e ?{u-arhvad. � whit�?. niau's countiy by Orientals
not a single one had fought over sra.-. The closest anyon* of them ever got to Euroj^ v-.u> an or�I-nancv ilepot in I'tah.
Ir
wa? a lonely fieht in "thf . b*1-.. cir.niiiR for the Bu:goyr.^s. Xir.�-nut of trn p�^)plf> reiii^eil to talk to them. Some faniili*1:: drop{>*-'1 orif of hi? church. For r-vo h�- diiin't know ^ b;it to from th�- .r*-*� o: hi< � or. On* rtay, ho �*�.*�*. **r. a came to ^r�? trie.. I^keti around to f++ if ar.yor.* -->a.* pr*-^ *-:iT. and ^bi�p*r^. 'UV r* pray-for you."
. Bnrfoyn^ t>it thai bi.� Cork *a* behind him T3 a �au-i�ou�. coven *ort oi *aj. But V
was con?it:'t-red ".th*/ er.--af�.-.-t nit-; .ac^'io the white mafi".^ >v.-lt'arr.
It wa.- <a}l�-d Th^ V*-llo iVtil;" rind th*-re .\\ ;i---m;:' h a.pi? rir>:i and riois' ro >:!o;� i'- .
Nou- ih�'-y _";t!*-' bett�-: -. �'��i:!i-a'f*
JCCD ISSEI MEETING FOR NEXT SATURDAY POSTPONED
TOKONTO. F'lar.- :-.r :, Jf
ami us�;-d ta our way we are en-�c.oii raging tho Chinese by extending tho franchise- to them, etc. Why the change? . .
1'niver.sal broth�'rhoo�l is a grand ideal but .brothers :\vho are. a menace have to bv disciplined and kVpr in thrir place. .
. N. McMuUen. Vancoowf. *-. � * � -. ' .
Baboon in a C*fe
(From th�- Varu'>!j\�-r
S'.n
i;:^ �
- J1,'
a T ����.- {jr.. os TO
. tii r�-^;tr-i to '.
f>r *-.*.-! my
��:)i�-riii<r
ac;i;:. I
on.
ronro pon
**. Mo-,;-U;*- b> *�
Bu-idhiat Mi**:or. - : Ontario f'in.'i f*r
r.ow frt*-r.dly bab*Ki'. : V-hin-! ItAr-1 is * '"ar�--. �Th�- f>ifi�r*� h�- will.
Hi�-r.i�-�-. a.- :-- h> *��'*�
\.�-*�<' to *xj nwrv?
A. C. Ni
rii-*-. hi that i, b* put. ta
i� i -43