<Begin Segment 29>

FA: One last question. You said at Minidoka there was not a lot of conflict at the camp of Minidoka, and you had a theory as to why that was. Why do you think there was not a lot of conflict at Minidoka?

SS: Oh. At Minidoka. Well, that was because we had, when we had that meeting, as soon as we got to Minidoka and we had that meeting where we selected the group, a representative group to talk with the people running the camp. That's when we told them that if there would be serious trouble at Minidoka unless the JACL quit accepting ideas and things like that from the JACL.

FA: So you feel that because they listened to you that avoided the conflict?

SS: That avoided that resentment.

FA: But yet there was draft resistance at Heart Mountain, we know about now. But there was not draft resistance, at least, not a great number of draft resisters at Minidoka. We had an organized resistance at Heart Mountain.

SS: Yeah, yeah.

FA: Were you aware of that resistance at that time?

SS: Oh yes, yes. In fact, the guy, one of the leaders of that resistance was my brother-in-law's best friend.

FA: Who was that? Who was the leader?

SS: Minoru...

FA: Tamesa.

SS: Tamesa, yeah.

FA: Really?

SS: Yeah. He was one of the hard core center.

FA: Did you know him personally?

SS: I knew him personally. I didn't go around with him like I did with some of my other friends, but I knew him. After all, he and my brother-in-law, Toru, who married my sister, Toru and Minoru were best friends.

FA: Very briefly, what was your opinion of the draft resistance at Heart Mountain at that time? What did you think of that?

SS: I was in favor of the resistance. I was glad they were resisting. And I think Minoru Tamesa, he died unexpectedly and had he lived, he would, his name would probably be better remembered. It should be remembered. The man was totally honest.

FA: How did you learn of the resistance at Heart Mountain while you were in Minidoka? Was there any newspapers or how did you...

SS: Oh yeah. There were reports in the Rafu Shimpo and so forth about the opposition growing.

FA: You mean, the Rocky Shimpo.

SS: The Rocky Shimpo.

FA: And you got the Rocky Shimpo at Minidoka?

SS: Oh yes. Yeah. That was the only Japanese language newspaper that carried any news. Yeah, the Rocky Shimpo has always been square in any of these issues certainly. They felt very much like I felt.

FA: Well, I want to thank you for your time, Shosuke. Pleasure talking to you.

SS: Thank you.

<End Segment 29> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.