The New Canadian
THE VOICE OF THE SECOND GENERATION
, VANCOUVER, B. C. NOVEMBER 3 1939
Weekly
By K. W.
>e- nastiest - slap in the. face the Nisei in Canada have suffered in a long while.' Such is the terse and bitter reaction of an outstanding Nisei leader to the article on. the Japanese question in the current issue of Liberty magazine. My own vocabulary Isn't sufficient to describe it at it ought to be described, but I think it's one of the foulest and malodorous pieces of insensate war-monger-v ing I have ever had the misfortune to read.
And what makes it all the more incredible is its authorship. Charles Lugrin Shaw. The markets editor of �he Vancouver Daily Province! The business and financial expert of British Columbia's largest daily newspaper! -
FaJse and Distorted
Absolutely false in many sections, Mr. Shaw has skilfully worked together the true and the false, weaving In sensational statistics, to produce a picture wholly distorted 3Pd prejudiced, and yet so skilfully painted as to carry conviction to a gullible and uninformed public.
The editors of Liberty have done their part by adding a sensational title, "The Rising Sun's . Dark Shadow over Canada," and adorning the pages with red rays from a sun, and with pictures allegedly showing Japanese women at work ;n the fields, and a section of Monc-tenst/eei ua Steveston.
1cm Reid Says
Here is one of the rawest pieces. Read it and weep.
"One of these is Tom Reid, a bagpipe-playing Scot whose Highland blood boils when he thinks of that the Japanese are doing in his Fraser Valley country. ..
" 'It's almost as much as a white Canadian fisherman's life is worth to attempt fishing in the Fraser River area,' Tom Reid declared from his seat in the House of Commons not long ago. Arid. he told how. a white man had tried to operate in 'Jap' territory in the Fraser. 'He v^s pretty lucky to escape with a >ho!e hide;' said Reid; 'The Japanese only cut his nets'." Inaccuracy . - � .
How accurate the article is may be judged from Business Editor Shaw's reference to the Sidney Inlet Copper Mine.
"But there has been no mystery about the Vancouver Island copper, operations of the Japanese . Copper � concentrates are being
Pped .. from. there regularly- by - -anese ships direct to Japan;" Actually the mine was aban-: doned by the company oh Friday, February 3, 1939.
Blood Money .
The editor of The New Canadian j- otitis me that two gentlemen rem the circulation department-of Liberty approached him, offered him a *ree copy of the current issue", and; s-sgested that he write an article' Liberty presenting the Nisei sidej "� the. question. |
Of course," they said, "we don't \ fy"-w if the ieditors will accept it,! "scause your side won't have the! �'-ader appeal that Mr. Shaw's art- j has. Still they like to present! sides.
Aod they add, almost apo'ogeti-.
fo
ele Nisei Girls Volunteer Service
rmulate JCCL Policy, Oratory Highlight Special Registration Campaign Instituted
n�,>^-)eniU? Wi'h a convonti<>K dance Friday night, the most ] By IRENE UQHIOA >
a noutous: convention over planned by tho JCCL will take place wiai faciivties to pnable Nisei oirk to take bart in
in Vancouver, November. 10-12,. with a record attendance of doleg- special facilities to enable NlSet girls TO taKe part in
ates from outside- points and the city expected.;General lines Of policy will be laid down in the fourth annual national council meeting on Armistice Day/ when leading Niseis from all over the province will confer on vexatious problems in regard to the Nisei political status, economic situation, and social conditions! Officials also announce plans
the current national campaign of voluntary registration of Canadian women for service in, national emergencies, have been arranged yesterday, it was announced by officials of the campaign and the executive of the Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens League.
to organize a representative number of Nisei to participate in the Armistice Day services at the Cenotaph, in keeping with traditional custom.
Oratorical Contest Saturday night, highlight of the three-day affair will be the national... oratorical contest, with seven outstanding Nisei orators participating for the .beautiful trophies. The contest will begin with a colourful flag ceremony, and the donors of the trophies J will be on hand to make the presentations; ]
Also to be awarded the same night are the prizes to the successful contestants in the second annual essay contest.
Discussion Groups Following up the discussion of j the national council, two committees will convene 0.11.'.SundayI morning to make a detailed study! of two vital problems facing the; Nisei of Canada � language andj marriage. In the afternoon all* delegates will meet to consider; the reports of the committees and, to draft recommendations 10 the national council.
The convention will come to a formal close with a farewell banquet Sunday evening at the Fuji:, The Fuji will also be the plaee| for the opening dance, for which; convenor Dr. George Ishiwara. promises a surprise.
Pictured here above are the trophies for which leading Nisei orators throughout the province will compete In the national JCCL oratorical contest, Saturday night, November 10.
In the centre Is the handsome challenge trophy, emblematic of the national championship, donated last year by the former consul in Vancouver, Mr. H. Nemlchi. The replica in the front centre ta donated by the National JCjCL executive for permanent possession.
On the left is the challenge trophy donated by Mr. E. Kagetsu, for competition in the Island regional contest, and 01. the right, a similar trophy donated by Mr. B. Hisaoka for competition in the Mainland contest.
* Organ of Community Service
The chapter will undertake the aupervlilon of the reglatra* tlon In tha Japanese community from now until November 12, at which time the campaign will cloae!
Sevoral Nisei girls hay0 n 1 ready registered, officials stated, but It is felt that many more would fe^ spond if facilities wore provided to make them more conscious of tho campaign.
Re glabra tlon forma are now available at the office* of The New Canadian, 396 Powell Street, and may. be filled In and filed there.
No Compulsion
Campaign officials stress that those who till in registration forms are not involved in nny .compulsory service now or in the future. It is merely 11 question-n aire t h at will re yea 1 w ha t ty pe j of work Canadian women, are hblo to do.
Tho questionnaire involves ability in hand work, technical work, knowledge of languages, nursing, commercial preparation of food, land uumeroua other details. It is !also stressed that it is vory important to gain information regarding the unskilled nful untrained. There will ho plenty of .._ work for every woman, and train-J ing courses are offered to those
who may desire them.
Hallowe'en Mob
The importance of the press as an organ of express {Versatile Musician
: sion for the Nisei of Canada has long been a recognized j fact The following editorial which appeared in a recent 1 issue of the Ottawa Journal, one of Canada's leading newspapers, bears witness to the responsible task which The �New Canadian has.taken up. ' �
:-- In one of the most/rio^usland! destructive . Hallowe'en celebra- � tions in Vancouver in many! years, a mob of some 300. Cana-j diau youths invaded the Japan-' ese shopping district on Powell |
Street and caused several nun dreds of dollars' damage tc property. _ : �' -
After terrorizing the Chinese sect ion for hours, t he hoodlum gang, which apparently, had been organized in some manner, made its way to the 200 block Powell Street, and there smashed, several plate glass windows and. looted stores, before a call to police headquarters brought sufficient officers j to disperse the mob. Constable T. B. Brown was ad-i
See "HALLOWE'EN/' page 8. j
The "Nise't" of British Columbia, alias Canadian-born children of Japanese patents or Japanese ancestors, publish a newspaper entitled The Now Canadian. It has a warmly-patriottc Canadian tone. ..:
Noting the general, election in the province of Quebec, the paper remarks justly that
"No more serious threat to the existQ/Ke of
bur national unity has arisen since Confederation
than the present issue in Quebec." ' >
It is gratifying that Canadians, even of Japanese
origin can speak in behalf of "our national unity."
Particularly^soViri a, provinc> which is not doing
justice to these born Canadians. ^British Columbia
refuses them the provincial franchise. This means that
they have no Dominion franchise either, as the Domin-
nion's voting list is based on the provincial lists, The
wrong is one which British Columbia ought to rectify.
The. New Canadian, which speaks loyally for both
Canada and the British Empire, voices undoubtedly the
feeling of a majority of the people of Japanese origin
in British Columbia.
-'�*'� *
Thus The New Canadian, assuming the grave respon-
Well Received At Chikuyukai Concert
A large hnd attentive audience warmly. applauded the participants ; in the concert of "Japan: ese .Music and Dance" which the CbikuyukaI sponsored at tho Japan ese-Hall last Saturday cybnihg, October 28. �"� � �'. . :
Sir. H. Nagano (Tozari), noted music teacher frorn Japan, Vou the admiration of the crdwd as : he presented with equal ease and . artistry numerous pieces on. the koto, shakuhachi and samisen. Outstanding among hhs many offerings was his . rendition � of Nakao Toman's "Kogarashi" oh the shakuhachi.
Petite Ikuml Yamashita brought - down the house with her elfin-like interpretation of "Ochludo" (Refugee). ! Equally captivating was the j performance of Sachiko Miyau-|chi. She played a koto duet of i"Karagasa Butai" with Mr. Na-fgano, singing tho vocal parts of �the song as well. I
_ ; _ _ A novel arrangement captivar-
caliy. "Of course we're interested Sibility of speaking for the Nisei, of voicing their Stand,! ing the evening's entertainment in circulation." ; their hopes, their aspirations, is thrust into the forefront!wa* .the orchestration of the
Well Mr. Sfcaw, Business Wttor 1 as an Organ of community Service. ^popular "Alkoku Ko^hin Kyoku'
of tfce Dairy ProriP.ee, Y*� may 1 Wg of the staff ]e6ge f efforts fQ the fu)fj,m f!by kotos and shakuhachi, under J�jve picket mp a nice cfce^tfe, ^
;the baton Of Mr. Nagano.
a** L*eftr>*��fcc�, y^K uks !of our responsibility. We ask that you, the Nisei, continue! The Chikuyukai U to b* com-M)kt t� i* *f. i >Mf� rN iM't jto 9,ve y�ur rnoral and financial support, without which plimented for th*- splendid pro-ciWke 9m fmr W00J wewcy. ;our efforts are as nothing, gram.