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EL PASO HE!t,v/V,*A* \.VDenson, Ark., SetupFar From Perfect,Reporternas15y EUGENE RUTLANDKcripps-Ifownrd Staff WriterDENSON. Ark., Jan. 6.—Dreamsof an ideal relocation center whereV\some 8000 Japanese-American WestbeCoast evacuees would be almostself-supporting for the duration,in tiod;have turned into a nightmare ofconfusion, waste of food, slowdownwitlcon:Strikes, refusal to work and threats!01'1 ISheadagainst construction workers at the! ■I°^lt;i h t ciJerome Relocation Center. Theevacuees began moving into thecenter here on Oct. 8.I eolleoinvestigating reports of deplorable conditions and silk glove hnn-o return todling of evacuees” from high officials of the Rife Construction Co.Tdireonand1 w oNevdisappoint-Normallycrisis. Butand the United States Engineers atthe Center, The Memphis Commercial Appeal learned that:Three truckloads of JapaneseconconTthe/ears of ex-(tiding. A1-! Hobbs,evacuees recently cornered H. H.assistant areaannouncedreturn tog his reportengineer,United States Engineers, and Leonard Ball, foreman, and threatenedtic lt;beeto kill them during a cuss-fest” atan isolated spot in the camp beforeFormilitary guards who were helpless ;.o intervene inside the center.Japanese-American cooks andtheir assistants are wasteful orcareless in preparation of food,for electivenaryJan.to be16, W.of the CityCommittee,i enter theof blanksy calling atthrowing away much food that isedible. An inspection of garbagepails showed evidence of this.Reputable officials of the construction company reported that oneCorspo:moionMoiNDeronCarvv i tlasttatiAof the men hauling garbage fromthe camp found partial sacks of po-theTtatoes, quantities of oranges, applesand grapefruit in good condition infivearethe garbage pails.Construction officials reporteds building, evacuecs “knock off” when-nng assess-prorated2 p. m.,ision will beever they like to have tea.Evacuees refused to unloadlumber at first but finally agreedto unload the cars. They threw'icials haveand nonen, ition.Mr.members ofthe lumber into water filledditches along the tracks instead ofstacking it. The lumber is for theconstruction of schools at thecamp.A crew of90 evacuees felled sixe will seektrees in a dayMany school teachers are on thepay roll and no schools are in op-Foritionoration.Thefts of material from contrac-sult222fouoneofHoiDStatheder1 aiqlamViroveberBthe:Bortors have been reported to WRAauthorities and no action has beenmajingtaken.imyE. B. Whitaker, field director ofthe War Relocation Administration,een grantede Aaronson j saIC* t*le rc^son the military policedo not patrol the inside of the cen-0 merchan-h its cap-and itster is because it would take tooin,o.many soldiers, who are needed elsewhere. There is an internal se-lent of the i curity division of the WRA whichlat the cor-notmean merchandis-whohas charge of the policing insidethe center. This division is headedwners, il merchan-cityandtheJean’scontinue toe said, andimmediate;rchandisingby one man with some assistance from the evacuees.Mr. Taylor said that the WRAChajforweis having some difficulty gettingthe Japanese-Americans to unload coal because they don't likeOhpeiofbe^to handle it. He said that he gota group of them to unload thethecoal. Reputablecenter said thatpersons thisat theissatgroupdown and unloaded the coal lumpmy lump instead of using shovels.An intelligent Japanese-American,Blaofguerocwho had a responsible position in j toCalifornia and who is a collegegraduate, said that the WRA hasseen it has made a mistake and ismaking arrangements to let out bout 25 per cent of us.iscitidebI believe that they made a mis-Soi]take by not waiting until the Tolen jInvestigating Committee report wasthesefinished before setting up large camps .We are not workingmbeedistand it demoralizes us,” he said.If they had put us in small inis jthalandand let us farmwe of food.campswould be producing a lotis it’s killing ambitionthose of us who want t work.”As itofConstruction officials, who havebeen erecting the center for sixmonths, were critical of the silk-glove” treatment that the WRA of-astheOtheincithefactser\welficials are giving the evacuees.A survey of the warehouses atthe center revealed that by purchases through the War Department the Japanese-Americans aregetting first-class meats, the same kind served men in the armedmaratteA ITF.streforces. In the center’s large andmodern cold storage plant andthousands of pounds of first classbeef and lamb, crates of fruits,celery, oranges,vegetables andapplies, freshenblocsaidper:werhundredsofpounds of bacon and hams.One of the Japanese chefs saidthat meat is served twice a weekin the form of steaks or stew. Anorder of 21,000 pounds of beef isused every three weeks. The center can get the meat because itorders through the United StatesArmy Depot.Mr. Taylor said that coffee is be-beingthemgrationed and that itservedday.isOne ofonce achefs said that cocoa, tea and coffee are served daily, but was lim-LU1andited because of the sugar rationing.Mr.Taylor said that plans are under way to give indefinite furloughs to evacuees who are able tohad1 get jobs. Ten or 12 evacuees'0Ibeen given furloughs.Some 200evacuees were leave from the center withS.given chaperon to go Christmas shopping. He pointed out that they were takenfrom the camps in trucks andtrucks.;1IGkin 1Ha'sTIEof tdoBA'novreturned to the center inThey shopped in groups.ingBR.
Newspaper Details
El Paso Herald Post
El Paso, Texas, US
Wed, Jan 06, 1943
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Travis R.
AL, USA 07 Sep 2022
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