Vol. 1 No. 3

Camp Harmony News-Letter

Vol. 1 No. 3 -- Puyallup, Wash. -- May 14, 1942


Page 1

WAGES FOR EVACUEES BETWEEN $8-$16 MONTHLY

Wartime Civilian Administration Offices in San Francisco announced today that wage scales for Japanese evacuated from Pacific Coast areas to inland centers would range from $8 to $16 monthly.

This will be in addition to food, shelter, hospitalization and medical costs which will be furnished without charge.

Beside the wage allowances, each person will also be allowed a coupon book for the purchase of personal articles at camp canteens, it was announced. Single adults will be allowed $2.50 a month; man and wife, $4; and individuals under 16 years old, $1.

YOUNGEST EVACUEE WILL BE THREE-WEEK OLD

Three-week old Naomi Uno, new born daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Masaru "Chick" Uno, will be Camp Harmony's youngest evacuee when she arrives tomorrow into Area "A" with her mother. They will join their father, Chick Uno, the camp's athletic director.

The mother and child had been resting at Maynard Hospital in Seattle.

FIRST BABY EXPECTED

The stork with Camp Harmony's first baby is hovering over the household of Mr. and Mrs. Koichi Sawa of Area A-2-88.

When it will alight with the bundle is not definitely known but Mrs. Sawa is expected to enter Tacoma Hospital this week-end.

The prospective father was formerly a baker's helper until the bakery moved this week into Area "D". He has one child, Roland Kiyotake, age three.

HDQTRS. MEET CLARIFIES SELF-GOVERNMENT SET-UP

ISHIHARA ELECTED TEMPORARY CHRM'N

Self-government for Camp Harmony moved closer toward maximum efficiency as available headquarters staff members met yesterday at the central offices in Area "D" to discuss coordination of all area activities.

George Ishihara, personnel supervisor, was elected temporary chairman, pending arrival of Chief Supervisor James Sakamoto this Saturday.

Staff members declared there was still considerable confusion among the camp's fast growing population as to the established administrative machinery and procedure to be followed in disposing of area problems and complaints.

All section and area questions, it was agreed, must first be discussed by area councils. Area officers were advised not to take their difficulties directly to the Wartime Civilian Control Administration office.

WCCA officials, according to headquarters, will not recognize issues unless they are presented by headquarters. All matters not settled by area councils are to be referred to headquarters, which in turn will deal directly with the WCCA office as a final resort.

"We have been informed by WCCA officers," Chairman Ishihara said, "that too many area officers are taking too many minor area problems directly to top WCCA officials."

Ishihara pointed out
(cont'd, page 2)

JOY-HIKES BETWEEN AREAS SCORED

All Area Directors are requested to take immediate stops to stop indiscriminate visiting between areas. Headquarters warned that "smuggling" of individuals not assigned to work crews and without permission must cease. Areas "A" and "D" were cited as having the greatest number of offenders.

"Unless 'pleasure visits' are brought to a halt, all permits now held by those with legitimate reasons for going from one area to another may be revoked" a headquarters spokesman declared.

Possibility that visiting between areas on Sundays will be permitted was foreseen after all evacuees have been settled in their respective areas.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The News-Letter, after an unintended period of inactivity due to mimeograph paper shortage, has again assumed publication and will hereafter be delivered to your stoops every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

So long as the News Letter is assured a continued supply of paper, we will continue publication. The Circulation manager will appreciate cooperation of Area section leaders to facilitate the distribution of the News-Letter to each family unit. Previous issues of this sheet were distributed through voluntary carriers in Area A. A similar distribution plan is offered other areas.

Page Two

CHURCH PROGRAMS...

Following is the Area "A" interdenominational church program for this Sunday as announced by the Rev. Tsutomu Fukuyama:

Church School -- 9 a.m. Age group up to 11 meet in No. 3 while those from 12 up meet in Mess Hall No. 4.

Issei Service -- 2 p.m. in Mess Hall No. 2.

Nisei Service -- 3 p.m. in Mess Hall No. 4.

Rev. Fukuyama also announced that a Bible study group is meeting weekly at 7 p.m. tuesdays in A-3-21 on 4th Ave.

Meanwhile, Rev. G. Shoji announced St. Peter's members in Area "A" will meet this Sunday for a Holy Communion Service from 6:30 a.m. at the Area Headquarters Office.

Here's MORE on HDQTRS

that if the Camp is to continue on a self-government basis, all problems must be handled in an "organized, business-like manner, or else we will lose the privilege of conducting our own affairs."

Headquarters staff was defined as "the supreme coordinating body for all four camp areas, and will be the only administrative group set up to work in direct conjunction with WCCA."

Explanations concerning procedure to be followed in settling complaints were prompted by the transfer yesterday of all single men from Areas "A," "B" and "C" to new quarters in "D." Headquarters had been informed of a petition of protest, subsequently referred to Area "D" Director Frank Kinomoto, which was reported circulating among the transferred bachelors.

Yesterday's meeting also spiked apparently prevalent notions that the camp administration was in the hands of the Japanese American Citizen's League.

"Basic steps, such as the transfer and relocation of people within the different areas, are decided by the WCCA and the Army," a headquarters spokesman declared.

Additional discussion at the meeting centered upon clarification of staff members' individual duties and assignments.

Attending were Ishihara, Personnel Officer Taul Watanabe, Judge Advocate Clarence Arai, Classification Officer Dyke Miyagawa; Dick Takeuchi, Publicity; Julius Fujihira, Headquarters Commandant; Kaz Tamura, Chief Fire Marshall; Sanni Kaneko, Police Chief; Yone Arai, Chief Personnel Assistant; Chick Uno, Athletics; Merry Mimbu, Education; and Tom Kobayashi, Chaplain.

BACHELORS WILL REMAIN IN PRESENT QUARTERS TILL MONDAY

Bachelor men who were removed from all areas to a temporary dormitory in Area "D" earlier this week will have to saty (sic) there until Monday.

This was indicated after a representative group met with WCCA officials this morning to discuss bettering conditions in the bachelors' quarters.

After Monday, moves will be made toward providing improved facilities for the bachelors, Iwao Kaita, spokesman for the bachelors, announced.

Two-hundred thirteen bachelors are presently quartered in the dormitory, Kaita revealed.

AREA "D" NEWS

Area "D" Information Manager Frank Watanabe has the following to report on his sector: Area Director is Fran Kinomoto.

...at pressent the area has 1,600 with capacity for about 1,500 more.....the entertainment and morale committee is working on a dance for this coming Saturday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m....the bath-houses are not working as yet but will be in a couple of days...a census is to be taken within the next few days of the area...and so is the headquarters staff office...the camps infirmary is located in this area....aread "D" persons are eating their meals in one big mess hall much (sic) has a capacity for 2,000....stamps may be purchased at the postoffice which is directed by Mrs. Ruby Aoki...a staff meeting was held last night with the following section leaders giving their reports: 1 -- Kenji Nogaki; 2 -- George Ishihara; 3 -- Frank Hidaka; 4 -- Frank Hattori; and 5 -- Iwao Kaita.

3 BARBERS OPERATING
Business in Area A

In makeshift quarters, three ex-barbers in Area "A" have begun to resume their trade. A "Second Avenue Barber Shop" opened its door Tuesday with the operator, Mrs. S. Ishikawa charging 15 cents for children and 25 cents for adults. Also reopening business are Tosh Hirabayashi, 3-98, and Mr. Sato, 4-10.