<Begin Segment 10>

SI: But when the American Legion stirred up things, well, it was a, Kent Schumaker and Jess Eddington and that politicians, Wilber, that went to Salem? All three was the one that really stirred up Hood River to keep us from coming back.

LT: How did they stir up Hood River? What did they do?

SI: See, they were World War I veteran, and if it wasn't for them, I don't think the Legion would have... but then this Wilber was a representative in Salem, and they even passed a law, they had to make a state legislator pass a law that Issei Japanese subjects couldn't buy a land. But the loophole in the law was that Nisei could buy in his name. But between three of those guys, they really stirred up the Hood River. And boy, they went, they just had a big campaign for us to not come back anymore.

LT: What did they do specifically to try to prevent you from returning?

SI: They just had a big campaign in the paper and had people stir up signed petitions and everything else.

LT: And what did the petitions say?

SI: They don't want the "Jap" back.

LT: And where did they appear, those signs, those petitions?

SI: It was the Hood River News, that's their local newspaper.

LT: Okay, okay. Were there any other actions they took to stir up sentiment against Japanese Americans?

SI: I don't know of any incident, but then I've heard some places there was some, there was some things that... I think Hood River sheriff's department was supposed to collect guns and radio, shortwave radio, that could pick up Japan. And they were supposed to turn it in to the sheriffs. And by god, I could remember, when I got back here, sheriff says, "You've got to," Dad had a "Monkey Ward" radio that picked up Japan, and we had a gun. So we got those back after we got back here.

LT: Well, when you and your family returned to the valley, what did you see? What was it like to return to a community where three prominent leaders had, as you say, stirred up everything to prevent you from returning?

SI: Well, they come to us, once we got back to our farm, well, we had a place to stay, so there was nothing they could do, as long as we stay at home. I don't think they threatened us to leave, but then... so (we) just kept on farming.

LT: Okay, okay. Well, what did you see when you came back to your farm?

SI: Well, let's see. There was some farms that were not kept up too good, but then it was like some of the equipment was, they used it for their own use. And I remember we had one brand-new, Dad brought a brand-new Caterpillar tractor that was used to, I think it was a gas model. Anyway, when he came back, he used, the guy that was running the farm, used it for logging, and he didn't have it no more. So when he come back, there was some other tractor there, I guess. He got the tractor back, but it was a different model.

LT: What about your trees? How had they been cared for?

SI: Oh, I don't know. I don't particularly remember particularly how the trees were treated. But I guess I didn't, I didn't particularly see how it was.

LT: Well, what about your family's ability to make purchases? Were you able to go to stores?

SI: Oh, I heard that there was a town in here, Hood River... oh, my uncle wanted to buy a truck, and I think he went to the Dalles, and Ernest Motor in Dalles said, "Oh, we'll sell you a truck," so he got a Studebaker truck from Dalles. And I think Gerbrandt, he had a Plymouth Dodge Chrysler distributorship, and then he, I think Gerbrandt was able to sell and get the cars from him, or trucks.

LT: So you were able to make purchases from some stores in the valley?

SI: Yeah, eventually more and more started to cater to...

LT: Did you have any personal experiences with stores?

SI: No.

LT: Okay. You mentioned going to Tip Top?

SI: Oh, yeah, one time I stopped in to buy a Coke or something, just to try it out, and they said, "Go on (get) out." They wouldn't serve me.

LT: What about your neighbors? What kind of a reception did they give you?

SI: What was that?

LT: Your neighbors?

SI: Oh, neighbors, well, they accepted us eventually. But then nothing too... there was nothing too hostile about it, but then they accepted us.

LT: What is it like to come back to a community when newspapers, advertisers...

SI: I think we were just too busy trying to make a living and survive on the farm, that they didn't bother us. [Laughs] You're just trying to survive, so you just go ahead and do what you want to do. We didn't socialize too much with the neighbors anyway.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2013 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.