CONFIDENTIAL
23-3-11
Manzanar, California
Major Richard E. Rudisill
Suite 216, Rowan Building
458 South Spring Street
Los Angeles, California
Dear Major Rudisill:
Inclosed you will find a brief report of the Kibei meeting held here last night. I have also sent a copy to the FBI. Some time ago, I sent a report through Chief of Police Horton of Manzanar to the FBI calling attention of some dangerous element here within the camp. Last night's meeting was of such a nature that I believe your department should seriously investigate.
The meeting was entirely conducted in Japanese. In a way I am glad that the Administration gave permission to conduct that meeting because it brought to the open just exactly where the majority of these so called Kibeis stand.
I believe those citizens of Japanese ancestry who does not value the American citizenship should be allowed to renounce their citizenship. There is definitely a strong undercover movement to Japanize all citizens here at Manzanar. I urnestly [earnestly] request your investigation. And for the protection of all those loyal citizens, I sincerely request that some sort of a hearing board be formed to segregate the loyal from the disloyal.
I have a request to make personally. Few days ago, I volunteered for the Army. Lieut. Colonel Rasmussen was here to interview many citizens, mostly Kibeis, to enlist in the Army. I later heard that the Army wants people who can speak both English and Japanese to be used in their Intelligence department. I presume these citizens before they are accepted must go through your department or the FBI. Any recommendation you can give to Col. Rasmussen will be greatly appreciated. I have a wife and one child, a daughter 11 years of age, and aged mother-in-law as dependants, but I am sure I can find some way of having them taken cared for the duration. I sincerely feel that I can do much more toward the American War effort by actually being in the arm forces of our country. This was the first opportunity for me to volunteer. I am ready to go anywhere that the Army might be able to use me.
Sincerely ours,
/s/ Fred M. Tayama
EXHIBIT 4
BRIEF REPORT OF THE KIBEI MEETING HELD AT MESS HALL 15
MANZANAR RELOCATION CENTER
AUGUST 8, 1942
(Recorded by memory the following morning by Fred Tayama)
The meeting was called to order about 8:30 P.M. by Mr. Ben Kishi, chairman. The Chair asked the audience to rise and bow their heads for a minute of silent prayer. It was then explained by the Chairman that the prayer was for World Peace.
The Chairman, Ben Kishi, then explained that permission had been obtained from the Administration to hold the meeting in the Japanese language -- that five speakers had been obtained. But that before introducing these speakers he had an announcement to make. "There is a petition being circulated among the residents to retain Chief of Police Horton and Ass't. Chief of Police Day", Kishi said. "I, Ben Kishi, will personally ask that every one sign this petition for these two Chiefs have always worked for the common good of the Japanese residents in this Center." The petition was passed around and it was observed that many signatures were obtained.
The first speaker to be introduced was Mr. Raymond Hirai. He announced that he had compiled six points that he would like to have the people consider seriously. The six points were as follows:
1. Hospital
2. School
3. Food
4. Wages
5. Housing
6. Self-government
Mr. Hirai pointed out that there are only 9 doctors here within the center and that three out of the nine are dentists. "We have here a population of 10,000. On the outside there is 1 doctor to every 400 people. We must demand that we have more doctors; instead of 6 doctors we should have twenty-five doctors."
In regards to school, Mr. Hirai said, "When we first arrived here with the volunteer group, we were promised that schools would be the first to be constructed. To this day not a single school building can be seen.� America talks about democracy and citizenship. How can we develop good citizens when they deny education to our growing generation?
"The type of food we get in this Camp can be proven by the fact that since coming to Manzanar I have lost 26 1/2 pounds", explained Hirai. ""It is the American government's responsibility that proper food and care be given to us residents (big applause). The residents should demand these conditions and the production of food products within the Center should be secondary (great applause).
In regard to wages, Hirai said, "When we were asked to come here voluntarily to prepare living conditions for the rest of the evacuees, we were promised union wages. I worked 28 days in April. I received $2.37 for my compensation. Is there any one in the audience who can figure out the rate of my pay? Look for example, the rate of pay for camouflage workers. Camouflage is a war producing. They are using minors; many around the ages of 15 and 16. Talking about the [illegible]
As for housing, Hirai spoke very little. He pointed out that there is too much congestion.
"We must demand re-election of all Block Leaders", said Hirai about the Self-Government. "We have people now in control who are unable to say anything and are just aking [asking] orders from the Administration". This is our camp and the Japanese people should decide for themselves how this camp should be governed; we should not listen to those prejudiced whites." (great applause)
The next speaker was Kiyoshi Hashimoto. His title was 'Kibei Nisei no tachiba' (The Stand of the Kibei Nisei). Hashimoto's talk was very poorly arranged. He got stuck many times. He did say, however, that he could not say at this time what he would like to say in regards to the stand of the Kibei Nisei. Several persons in the audience shouted out, "wakkete-oru", meaning 'we understand'. At this point a man seated near the speaker's table stood up and asked that he be allowed to speak, giving the impression that he could say what Hashimoto was trying to say. Certain sections in the audience told him to sit down. Immediately another group in the audience followed demanding that he be allowed to speak. The latter won. This man started by saying that his name was Joe Kurihara. "I was born in Hawaii, Kurihara started. "I have never been in Japan but in my vein flows Japanese blood; a blood of Yamato damashii. We citizens have been denied our citizenship rights; we have no U.S. citizenship; we are 100% Japanese." A roaring applause and stamping of feet on the floor which could be heard throughout the camp greeted Kurihara's remark.
The next speaker was Bill Kito. Kito commented on the formation of the Manzanar Citizens Federal. "The citizens can do much in improving the conditions of the camp; benefiting all residents of the center." He stressed the fact that Isseis must be protected and that were certain Niseis who were completely disregarding the Isseis. (At this point a voice came from the audience that those Nisseis [Niseis] ought to be struck down; followed by a great applause favoring such an action).
The chairman called on the next speaker whose title was "War Participation". When the speaker's name, Karl Yoneda was mentioned, a great 'boo' greeted him. 'Sit down.' Get out. Shup [Shut] up. The only place where Yoneda's speech could be heard was when he mentioned, "I agree in more than one way the remarks of the former speakers and how you people must feel. I too, am of Japanese ancestry and although an American citizen, I have been placed within the enclosure of this Camp. But being bitter and just talking about it won't get us any place." Then he started to say that in spite of our segregation and hardship, we must still participate in the country's war effort, Yoneda was booed and it was impossible to hear what he was saying; although he tried in vain to say something for about five minutes.
The next speaker was Masajo Tanaka. He said, "I am a Kibei Nisei, but the Kibei Niseis are not Americans; they are Japanese (big applause). The Kibeis are not loyal to the United States and they might as well know about it (roaring applause). But the Kibeis should use their citizenship rights for their own benefit (everybody looking around the room; no applause). I cannot understand why there are a few Niseis who still talk about their citizenship rights; and about American democracy. I have heard that there are a few who even send reports outside (boo and down with those rats). Those fools can holler all they want but in the eyes of the American people they too are Japanese and nothing but Japanese."
The Chair announced that this concluded the speakers slated to talk; that anyone who wished to speak could come before the microphone. Five or six xpeakers [speakers] appeared before the audience. A fellow by the name of Tateishi, who said he was the Block Leader of Block 23, said that he was a Kibei; appreciative of his U.S. citizenship rights but that meant very little. Jimmy Oda tried to defend the rights of citizenship and he was promptly booed down, after being called a red and 'baka' (fool). Another middled [middle] aged fellow, who said that his name was Juichi Uyemoto said "I was born in Hawaii, but I have spent most of my life in Japan; in fact I spent 30 years in Japan. I came to America four years ago thinking America to be a country of the free and in general an ideal place, but I now find myself thrown in this dump like pigs." Another fellow, who said his name was Hirai cae [came] before the microphone and announced that he would like to have all Kibeis now working in the Camouflage quit immediately and asked the parents of those camouflage Nisei workers use their influence to have their children quit the camouflage as soon as possible.
There being no other speaker, the Chair adjourned the meeting amidst the clamor that "we may never be able to hold a meeting like this again and Japanese soldiers will be here soon to liberate all of us." The Chairman, Ben Kishi announced that he would personally be responsible for the consequence of the meeting.
The meeting lasted about 2 hours. The mess hall was packed; many standing on the doorsteps. I would say about 400 were inside the building and possibly over a hundred outside; many standing outside by the windows. Many Isseis were observed. Approximately 70 Nisseis [Niseis] were there but none spoke up. It was obvious that any Nisei who tried to defend America's standpoint would immediately be booed down, if not actually thrown out. It is my opinion that if any Nisei or any one else had insisted upon defending America, physical violence would have resulted.
Early this week I had been asked by Ben Kishi to be one of the speakers. I declined to be a speaker on the grounds that in order to make a speech in Japanese I would need more time to prepare. I did tell Kishi however, that I would make an attempt to answer any question in Japanese; especially those questions directed toward the policies of the Japanese American citizens league before and after the evacuation which seems to be one of the things misunderstood by the people. He agreed that I would be given that opportunity, but neither the Chair nor the assembly directed any questions toward me.