Charles Kikuchi November 17, 1942 Developments on the Gila Newspaper
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Charles Kikuchi November 17, 1942 f Q (6 ft Developments on the Gila Newspaper ?he Gila Courier had its beginnings in the Tulare Assembly Center as the editor there anticipated that there would be a need for a reliable source of infor- mation during the first period of confusion. Before discussing these points, I might mention briefly a little more of Ken, (See previous notes on more details) Ken worked for five years on the Rafu Shimpo, a Japanese language paper in Los Angelos. He w a s t h e English section. (1927-32) He then went into the produce business where he was a byer for a large Caucasian concern. He contacted the Japanese chiefly in t&s work. In Los Angelos he wa a dues-paying member in the JACL, but he never took an active part in it. About the time of evacuation, Ken moved to the free zone near Fresno, He then began to see the importance of the whole thing and he wanted to fight the move to get all of the Japanese behind fences. He said that while he was a boy in Lowell Massachusetts, he lived behind barbed wired fences during the first war. His father had a restaurant within one of the defense plants there. Anyway, Ken started to mimeograph a lot of articles written on this whole question and they were sent out to various interested Nisei through the Fresno Loyalty League, a member chapter of the JACL. In this connection, he began to write to the center editors of the various camps because he began to see more and more tfiat evacuation would also be immediate for the free zone people. This is how he renewed his acquaintanceship with Brownie * Furutani, the editor of the Tulare paper. They used to write for opposition papers back in the early 30*s. It became evident that they would both land at Gila so plans were made for the two of them to plan out the paper for this center. Naturally Brownie wanted to look after his own staff. But just before Tulare was evacuated, Brownie and his wife decided to go to Texas to $oin some of his wife's relatives. He really did not want to go, but his wife was able to persuade him, H© is now operating a small chicken farm, in Texas and very unhappy Charles Kikuchi November 17, 1S42 about the whole thing. Brownie figured that Ken would get the editorship. He even wrote to Mr. Smith to make sure that they would not be left out. Ken came here just after the Turlcck people came in. He was in Canal camp at this time. He wanted to get into the paper work right wa y , but he found that there was nobody from the Turlook Center who was capable of working on the paper. The Turlock paper probably turned out the poorest assembly paper. He could not find anyone who had definite ideas about how the paper should be organized. Finally, Mr. Gaba put him on in his community recreations paper. Ken found out that all it was doing was to act as a publicity organ for Mr. Gaba. (CAS Bulletin) Ken quit this and began to correspond with Brownie again because he found out that the Tulare group was going to come in soon. He did not know any of the other Tulare paper workers. Since Canal was full he realized that the Tulare group would be in Butte camp so he transferred over here. He found conditions in this camp just as bad and there was no possible way of getting supplies. He knew that Tulare planned to bring most of their equipment so he wrote Brownie again. On August 20 Brownie wrote a letter in which he gaVe and analysis of his staff. (See the letter below) INSERT: , Tulare Assembly Center Tulare, California August 20, 1942 My dear Ken: This is the last letter I am writing from the Tulare Assembly Center. Paitof my staff is oil the way and the rest will follow from day to day. According to plans the next groups will leave Tulare center on Tuesday.' One will leave to- morrow though. I guess the housing conditions must not be ready as you indicated in your letter. Te had a staff meeting today for the last time and I gave the kids the final instructions on what to do. To be sure that you will know the full business angle of the Tulare News, I am writing to you the detailed account and also the best possible plan for your paper. With the housing and other necessarys sti,l in the air,...I am sure it will take some time before you will have a full working Charles Kikuchi November 17, 1942 staff and also the newspaper office«««I have requisitioned to Mr, Smith. You can have the following working on the printing staff: George Iwasaki: technical and for purchasing. He is a good writer too. He is a bit slow in his work and very disorderly, so be sure to check him up. He also has a tendency to get mixed in "order house" business and likes to fool around in this line. He is the best mimeograph operator and excellent in this line. Tadashi Mas unoto: Pinter. He is a hard worker. A bit rough, but I think you will like him. Isamu Otsuki: He is a young kid and will probably enter high school, but he is a hard working kid. The best you can find. ' He is also a draftsman and cuts heads on the stencils. He is a mimeograph operator. Ruth firaki: \ good writer and probably the best typist and stencil cutter you can find. She is an excellent reporter and secretary. I am hoping that you will let her head the office business and let her become the office secretary-treasurer. The funds of the Tulare News is entrusted to her, which amounts to $160.00« She has a good business sense with a very good personality. Until the office is actually started you can let her do reporting work. (She is very careful in her writing and so it makes her a slow writer.) Michiko Yamamoto: She will make a good associated editor or city editor. In spite of her many years in high school journalism she has ability plus brains. A good and fast reporter and writer and a good stencil cutter...one of the best. In case you are not very much familiar with mimeograph newspaper, you can depend on Michiko to carry the work as I had to do. She is indispensable. John Fujimoto: Artist and cartoonist. He is an excellent worker too and you can depend on him for any art work. He can head your art department and he can cut all the heads for the stencils. Alice Uchiyama: Special art editor, reporter and writer« A good foreman in any department. She has originality and excellent taste« Paul Hagiya: An honest worker and a good leader. Sports writer, but I am hoping that you can promote him to Associate Editor or City Editor. If you prefer him to head the sports department you can let him handle it alone and in his own way as I have done. Shigeo Otsuki: Circulation manager. If you lave him in this department you will not have to worry about citoulation any more. He can manage well. He did all the statistic work for the sports department and ended up by being a spcrrts writer. He is good in math. Hard worker like his little brother Isamu. George Nakamura ) — Both are excellent reporters and sports writers. You can Sunao Tautsumida) depend on them for excellent work. George was my co-operation reporter and did a good job on it. He knows this department pretty well, sunao was strictly a sports writer. Jessica Hoshino: Reporter, writer and artist. She is only sixteen but has talent in all departments. With her triple threat ability. She is lots of fun too. John Tachihara: Sports writer. He will probably go to school., but he has the stuff in him to become a good writer« Charles Kikuchi November 17, 1942 May Moriguchi: Hard worker, and excellent reporter, but cannot write well. You can depend on her for anything, if you instruct her, YasuJ-ro Tsutsumida: Typist and stencil cutter. She is slow in her work, but tries hard. If you can use her in the circulation department under Otsuki..I think she will serve you best. Chizuko Yamamoto: A good reporter and writer. She is very nice and can work very hard. She pairs with Alice Uchiyama so you just have to hire both to get any of them. Tokiko Inouye: Typist and literary writer. She will probably go to school. Tom Eirashima: Cartoonist. **e is angling to go into the agricultural field in Gila (Davis graduate) so you may not be able to have him on tletstaff. If you can see him, I am sure he will be willing to contribute the cartoons. Ken Kobayashi: Cartoonist:—very shy. Be will go to school, but with arrangements he will contribute. The funds which beloiags to the Tulare News will be in your management. To be sure that public funds will not be abused I have appointed George Aratani and Yoshiko Araki to be co-signers of the checks with Prank Sakamoto and Mas Oji as auditors with reports being checked by Harry Miyake and Ken Utsunomiya. I hope you will remember this arrangement, ^he funds came from donations and movie collections.