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THE NEW CANADIAN
NOVEMBER 3, 1939
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THE NEW CANADIAN
The Vanguard of Nisei Opinion
Tcloplionc TR Intty 0309 ' 396 Powell Street
STAFF
Thomas K, Shoynhia. Yosliimitsu Hlgashi, Seiji Onizuka, Irene I'chhla, Minoru Yatabe.
BUSINESS MANAGER '
Edward T. Ouclii
PUUMSIifi^^ TAIYO PRINTING CO., 230 ALEXANDER STREET
Registered as second-class matter at Ottawa, February 13, 1939,.'under the Postal Regulations of Canada.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES 25c a month, $2.50 a year! .
Voluntary Registration
Living proof of their right to be admitted into the fullest rights of Canadian citizenship is again offered by the Nisei of Canada, as reports come in of the response of Nisei girls to the current campaign'for the voluntary registration of Canadian women for service in national emergencies. '.. � �v:-\ �"';^ � '
Reports from various centres indicate.a high percentage of Nisei girls who have registered as'a preliminary step in service to their country.
In Vancouver the Japanese Canadian Citizens League Vancouver Chapter will co-operate with officials of the campaign to assist in a special appeal to Niseis.
It is pointed Out* that the registration is of the utmost importance to national officials who are planning Canadian women's possible contribution to war work and effort, but it does not bind anyone to perform any service now or in the future.
Nisei girls will Tally to support this movement in a vivid demonstration of Canadian citizenship.
To the Editor, Vancouver Sun:
An Open Letter On Assimilation
Last Tuesday you piiUIshed,an editorial in which you made certain suggestions in regard to the solution of what you call "our dilemma," that is R. C/s "Japanese Questions."
.May I commend your belief that we should exainine this question carefully so that two things may he accomplished. "First, that it will become no more acute: and second, that over a period actionf will be taken to bring about a permanent solution?*'
These are constructive and worthwhile objects to seek. We, both first generation Immigrants and Canadian-born Japanese, have been striving for years in the past to attain them, and wlllgo on striving for years In the future.
-But I .know, from tho most Intimate contact with the situation, and 1 feel that deep down in the heart of yon�you. too. know that a pormnnont solution cannot be found by binding the fetters of racial discrimination about us tighter, and tighter, or by refusing us the rights and privileges which cannot be: denied us if the principles Upon which our:government Is'.'founded are something more than -a hollow mockery. �-�
From Angela
Dear Eddie: I've been so. terribly worried and so lonely ever since you left for the East. 1 do wish you would write more often, so I could be sure that everything is all right.
I'm sending this to, V/innipeg in hopes of catching you there. But please, please write! Every day 1 wait and wait until the postman comes, hoping against hope for a letter. Oh, 't's so disappointing not to hear from you.
. And now the war has broken but, Everyone seems so tense and, keyed up, just at If something was about to hit them. And you're out there so far away, I can't help worrying, can I?
� 1 don't, know just where you will, be or what you will be doing. The other night I dreamed you and Bill had joined the army and I Was so afraid. But the very next. day I went down and registered in the scheme 'for registration of Canadian woman. I had to answer "No" to most of the questions, but just the same I felt better after filling it out. .:.[':-.--:".
It seems that they were very disappointed in the number of women that registered. Only about five per cent actually did. I think the trouble is that it's so hard to realize there actually is a war on. It just doesn't seem, real, so people don't seem to pay much attention. And the weather here is so grand, that the war just seems to fade away like a bad dream.
But as long as I live I'll never forget that Sunday morning/ when the war news came to Vancouver. I.was there, on a holiday, staying with Mariko and Roy. You remember them. They moved out of the apartment to a small house in the east end.
I just came over Saturday night, and we were all still in bed when we heard the newsboy yelling, "Extry! Extry!" outside. So we all rushed out to get the paper.
It was such a bright, cheerful Sunday morning �r September 3. How could lamps be going out all over Europe?
I can still see the look on Mariko and Roy's faces as they read the news. Just as if night had fallen over their happiness.
Then we read that the King was to speak at 9 o'clock sc we rushed to the radio.
I heard him when he, came to Victoria, but that morning it seemed as if he had to force his words out. He must have been so moved, ilican^
of.his words, "For the second time in the. lives of most of us, we are at war . . . '.' and just then the
I am sure too. that you could not countenance any manner of j^Y started to cry. forcible deportation of some 25.000 Japanese Canadians, many of! AH day J went around helping whom,art! Canadian citizens and Canadian citizens alone. For how j Mariko^ thinking of ycu and won-then could you reconcile this stand with the editorials you havejdertng, wondering, as we WetVt published in regard to the war that we have taken up? "
And T am sure too, that you cannot really believe that "in three icvribWge^
tJut 1 am most deeply concerned over this statement. "There are mnuy Japanese who'have beepborn in-Vancouver and in this province: but they �*e uuassimilable just the same. They are not' part of our-peoplo in this country.'.' , " |
For If you, you really believe this, and should insist upon It as the truth, then surely our fight for liberty and justice
What Every Young Nisei Should Know
is told by
Young, Reid & Garrotte*
in
"THE JAPAfKSG
11
$2.25
Purchase your copy at The New Canadian
B, C View point To the Oriental Issue"
(AN EDITORIAL DIGEST)
(From the Vancouver News-Herald, Oct. 30, 1939.)
In commenting the attitude of The New Canadian, vVancouTer Japanese organ of second generation citizens, with regard to the Duplessls campaign in Quebec, the Ottawa Journal chides Britfch Columbia for refusing the franchise to the Japanese.
As the Japanese cannot secure the provincial franchise, except veterans of the Great War, who are expressly, exempted, they are equally barred from the Dominion franchise, This section, designed to prevent Orientals, and the succeeding section debarring Dout hobors was specifically Inserted to meet the views of this province. It is emphatic in its exclusion definitions.
"The wrong Is one British Columbia ought to rectify." says the Journal. No government in this province of any political stripe, however, could submit a change in the provincial electoral law, "and get away with it," as the saying goes.
The people of Eastern Canada do not understand our viewpoint to the Oriental issue, and when those unhappy occasions do occur in this province when the public zeal exceeds the ordinary d> �cretion of common citizenship, and the Orientals are prejudicial]? affected, it is often not easy to secure justice for them, at least ii-public attitude thereto. The impartiality of the courts is their protection.
This apathy dates back many years, has been a practical factor in politics 'since the eighties, and no* likelihood exists of any modification which would place the Asiatic races of the second or thlri generation on a. political parity.. .. .. _:/....', .
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
"WORKING NISEI" DEFENDS HIS STAND
(Editor: The New Canadian)
Dear Sir: I should like to ask for a little space in your paper again to answer the letters in last week's issue, which attacked my stand on the war.
Mr. Oda from Steveston asks where I am working, and if that should not make me feel loyal to Canada. Well I have been working here ever since I quit school, but I don't think I owe the country anything for that.
I wanted to get a certain kind. __of_job. I. knew I cou I d do; p retty -well and 1 tried to get it. But I soon found out that there wasn't much room for a ''Jap," and being born in Canada didn't
RE "HIT PARADE
is a hopeless one�;and our hopes must go down before the dark forces of blinding prejudice. ' j
These are war times, mid I .nay he fori;iron if I quote from-Brooke ... .1
.... a dust that Khgiand. boro. -shaped; made- aware. >javo once. .her flowers to love, her ways loroam. a body of Kneland's. breathinc English .\'v\ washed by the rivers, blessed by-sii.s of home. Can you not believe that'. I. a Nisei". 1 dnsf thai Canada borne, shaped and made aware." Is-equally a-part of Ini* and a part of her people?
K W
ha?: count rv
around doing the household tasks. It was so much fun doing them wi th Man ko.-And your seemed so much closer to me that day, I couldn't. help but feel a - little envious; : .
Oh Eddie, you can't realize how much every, girl wants to be doing Hie things Mariko has to do, just for herself, and her own. To cook, and sweep, and watch your own baby, and wash your own dishes, everything your , very own. Do them just to please j" yourself, and to feel so proud of every little thing. I knew then for the first time where seventh' heaven realty is�but what if it should escape me now that Hie war has come?
And in the evening We just satj in frcnt of the fireplace, Roy read-j mg a bock and Mariko knitting}
(Editor: The New Canadian)
... For^r^rrijf seiipus:criticism, I see that you devote a column weekly to the Hit Parade, and though I am not uninterested in the ranking of popular songs, 1 think it a bit out of~place in The New Canadian. I'm sure you must have information more pertinent to the Nisei.
a K.
California. .
something for the baby, and the radio. It wasn't cold, but I wanted a fire because it looked so cheerful.
I just stared into the flames, seeing your dear face, seeing you in Roy's chair, seeing myself, in Mariko's place, dreaming . ' .: . Please do write. Love.
Angela.
make much difference.
I've been paying poll tax regs-larly, but just the same I'm c<* permitted to vote. I act every diT like a decent citizen, but just the same I'm considered inferior a lot of white Canadians 1 wouldn't have anything to & with. If I want to go to the State tor a few days I have to � through so. much red tape ; cornk? and going I feel more like a criminal than anything. �
And everything I ever got �j of the country I bad to workjuj for. The boss always got * money's worth, so I guess * country did too.
"Diatribist" accuses 'me cf. lacking intestinal fortitude an4 being.too pessimistic, I couidrrt understand all of his letter W I know this, that it's mwtf sounder In the long run to your head and riot-theorize much. �;
I haven't so much faith in**� Canadians. Some I have W _ with are a pretty scummy* And the editorial in the Herald last Monday expr^, the opinion of most of.tne&_
that
guess, where it says the third generation isni to get the franchise.
I don't want to be stood. If Canada were. a"**'
I'd-"be the first to fight lQ�e'* m But many white Clin3d,SD^ see any sense in going to -to fight. So if we are to sacrifice, we ought to M� thing worthwhile & eal ' the sacrifice.
"WORKING
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