Title: Two pages of newspaper clippings from scrapbook, c. 1942, (denshopd-p72-00015)
Densho ID: denshopd-p72-00015

Portland to Be First Jap-Free City

Next Tuesday To Find Town Sans Nippos

Many Register Under Army's Ouster Order; First Families to Be Admitted to Center Friday; Citadel, Legion Hall Sign Many

By Richard H. Syring

Hundreds of Portland and Multnomah county Japanese and Japanese-Americans today began registering for evacuation to the Pacific International Livestock exposition center by noon May 5.

The first Japanese -- 135 workmen, who with families will total about 350 -- will be admitted to the assembly center between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday. Evacuees proper will be admitted Saturday and will continue to enter until noon May 5.

"By noon next Tuesday, Portland will be the first city in the nation completely evacuated of Japanese," said Ernest Leonetti, manager of the war-time civil control administration in Oregon.

Many of the Japanese being "assembled" here probably will be sent to the Tule lake section near Klamath Falls.


Jap Registration Here About 1700

Co-operation of People Due for Internment Lauded; Physical Examinations Started

A few more than 1700 Japanese and Japanese-Americans registered at control centers of the Wartime Civil Control administration here Wednesday and Thursday.

Although the figure is 200 persons short of the expected total, Ernest H. Leonetti, Manager of the WCCA for Oregon, said that only a comparative few families had not registered before the Thursday deadline. His associates are checking these against travel permits, lists of Japanese residents of Multnomah county west of S.E. and N.E. 122nd avenue who are confined elsewhere, out of the state, or those who have died since the initial registration.

Pavilion Will Probably House 1800 Japanese

Population then, of the assembly center in the Pacific International Livestock pavilion at the deadline -- Tuesday noon -- likely will not exceed 1800 persons, Leonetti said.

A spirit of friendly, willing co-operation characterized the two-day registration at control centers, Leonetti said. He praised the Japanese-American Citizens League and its president, Howard Nomura, for contributing to the smoothness of what might have been a difficult job.

Thursday evening, when typists were striving to keep abreast of the registration, several Japanese girls assisted in the clerical job and worked until 10:30 p.m. They were exempted from the curfew ruling under escort. Leonetti said that several young Japanese men and women have been volunteering their time as interpreters and assisting otherwise in the registration.

Physical Exams Given

As the list of non-registrants was being checked, physical examinations were being given today to those Japanese who registered Thursday will be examined Saturday. On Saturday also about 100 internees will be employed as camp assistants in the assembly center, will report there to get established in their duties before the influx of the mass of internees on Monday and Tuesday morning.

In addition, on Saturday, members of the camp employes' families will enter the assembly center as well as 200 other evacuees. Assembly center population on Saturday night will approximate 500.


Methodist Youth To Hold Meeting


The Portland district Methodist Youth fellowship's annual convention, transferred from Astoria because of military regulations, will be held Saturday and Sunday at Trestle Glen camp ground on Deep creek, President Margaret Engdahl has announced. Registration has been restricted to three members from each youth group because of limited housing facilities.

Election of officers, constitution revision and general business will be a part of Saturday afternoon's session, beginning at 1 o'clock. Sunday's program includes morning watch, a banquet, presentation of activity awards and installation of officers.


EVACUATION REGISTRATION for approximately 1900 Japanese and Japanese-Americans began here today and will be completed Thursday. Evacuation to Pacific International Exposition assembly center will start Saturday and will be completed by noon, May 5. Above (from left) -- Roy Ichizo Akiyama, 122 N.W. 3d avenue, and Isaburi Murakami, 76 S.W. Yamhill street, are first to register at Salvation Army citadel. At right -- Miss Sue Williams, receptionist, and Ernest Leonetti, manager of war time civil control administration in Oregon. Below -- Japanese waiting turn for registration.


BIG GIRL -- That's Janis Korlann, Grant high school Rose Festival princess, who stands around 5 feet 8 inches tall, and whose 'crowning glory' is exactly that.


Japanese Students Join Historic Mass Migration To W.C.C.A. Reception Center in North Portland

Lincoln's Japanese students, 49 in all, left school during the week of April 27-May 1, to take up residence at the W.C.C.A. center, formerly the Pacific International Livestock Exposition center.

A few days before their departure, Mr. York released a bulletin directing the teachers to give all students who were in good standing at that date a final grade for the term's work, instead of an "incomplete." No cases of "incomplete" or failures have been reported.

In Good Standing

Not only were the Japanese students in good standing so far as their grades are concerned, but almost all of them owned students body cards, paid in full. They are holding their cards until the appearance of the Yearbook, at which time they will mail them in which postage and receive their copies.

The bi-weekly Cardinal will also be sent to the center.

Many Students Assisting

Lincoln's diminutive student body treasurer, Kaz Kawata, Sab Ikeda, manager of the basketball squad, and his brother Tsugua were among the first to volunteer their services at the center. As a result these boys are working, helping the later arrivals to get settled. Fumiko Yumebe, scribe on last term's Cardinal, is employed as a nurse's assistant, and several arrivals to get settled. Fumiko Yumebe, scribe on last term's Cardinal, is employed as a nurse's assistant, and several of the other girls are doing typing and varied clerical work.

A large number of former Lincolnites are at the center, among them Dr. Newton Uyesugi, who has been active in the Japanese American Citizens' League, and has served, most helpfully in assisting the evacuees in their departure.

Tanaka Married

A number of marriages were performed during the weeks preceding May 1. One of interest here is that of George Tanaka and Olive Takai. George is known best for his lively linoleum-cut cartoons which were featured in the Cardinal a few terms ago.

Among the many pleasant gestures made before their departure was one by Minnie Niiyama, who left on the principal's desk a letter and a neat sum of money as a gift to the school. Mr. York says that he will use the gift to apply on the new movie projector.


There was much exchanging of gifts and autographs last week; impromptu parties arranged by old friends; showers -- with a few tears flavoring the festivities.

The Hi-Y's parting gift to the little financier, Kaz, was a pearl-studded Hi-Y pin.

Those Japanese who were Lincolnites and have left for the center are:

Bunzo Nakagawa

Isao Endow

Mikie Nakata

Sachiko Nakata

Kenji Onishi

Esther Torri

Minnie Nijiama

Yona Yamada

Teruko Yumibe

Bernice Iwata

Elsie Masuda

Kaz Kawata

Masao Akiyama

Tillie Mayo

Tomio Nitta

Yoshiko Hachiya

Toshiko Hirama

Takae Nakata

Miyoko Trubai

Wanda Komachi

Mary Sasaki

Eunice Torii

Misao Michikami

Kimie Akiyama

Renzo Enkoji

Hanaye Fujihara

Masaaki Fujihara

Kaoru Fukumoto

Mary Hachiya

Tomeko Hamamura

George Hashijuni

Saburo Ikeda

Tsuguo Ikeda

George Maruko

Teruko Murakami

Mary Nakata

Shigeko Ochiai

Mary Okazaki

Henry Sakmoto

Koji Sono

Grace Tambara

Peggy Tanaka

Jean Tanaka

Fred Uyesugi

Kiyoo Yamamoto

Kiyoko Yumibe

Tsruyu Yuguriba

Grace Ebihara

[Photo caption]: Saburo Ikeda, who with more than two score other former Lincoln students, await the order to be transferred to a relocation camp.


Many Stand in Line To Register Early

Registering places were open today at the Salvation Army Citadel, N.W. 6th avenue and Ankeny street, and the Navy American Legion hall, 128 N.E. Russell street. Many were in line before the opening at 8 a.m. These two offices were to remain open until 5 p.m. today and from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.

Only Japanese in the county, west of N.E. and S.E. 122nd avenue, and all on the West Side are involved in this first registration. West Side Japanese are registering at the Citadel and East Siders at the Legion hall.

Registration was carried on with little confusion and much co-operation from the Japanese, according to Leonetti. Only one person was required to register for his family.

Leonetti said persons who registered today must appear at the registration place Friday for a cursory medical examination. Persons registering Thursday will be examined Saturday. A more complete medical examination will be given at the assembly center.

That the whole registration and evacuation is being carried on in an "orderly and democratic manner" was revealed by Leonetti in announcing that Japanese who haven't disposed of household goods may have them tagged, picked up and stored for the duration.

Japanese also will be given free transportation to the assembly center by volunteers, Leonetti said, if they have no means of travel.