The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-12-11
Hon. Harold Ickes
Secretary of the Interior
Washington, D. c..

Hon. Harold Ickes
Secretary Of the Interior
Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
The Helena Typographical UnioI
No. 95 wishes to express it's opposi
ton to the move Of the Department
of the Interior in the matter of slaugh
tering thousands of head of Elk from
the Yellowstone elk herd or any Other
herd of game animals wherever they
may be located for the purpose Of
furnishing meat for Japanese in
ternees.
We object to this pampering of the
Japanese and we are certain that any
amount of such pampering will not
get one iota of consideration for "our
people" who may be held by this de-
testable enemy in their concentration
camps.
We feel that if it is necessary to
reduce any of our game herds of elk
that it would be much better to place
the meat on sale at various points SO
that anyone may buy a quarter of an
animal for his own consumption and
| enjoyment. We know of many a man
who has hiked his legs off trying to
| locate one to shoot for his own table
only to go home frustrated and with
out his meat, after having spent per-
haps as much as $4,000. We don't
feel that those fellows are going to
feel very periodically inclined to
learn that our common enemy per-
haps is eating meat that he cannot
have because he wasn't permitted to
enter the park and kill it or because
the season is closed and he is there
fore not permitted to shoot an animal.
We can think of several ways to
furnish meat and food for the Japs
in our concentration camps. First,
let's take the horse meat being Of
fered for sale in California and let
the Japs have that. Second let's
seine some of our lakes and rivers
for carp and suckers for the Japs.
Third, let's take some of the third
rate beef that is so tough one can't
chew it which is being offered for sale
over the counters of butcher shops all
over the country. The Japs in our
concentration camps have plenty of
time to chew and some of us haven't!
Fourth, then there's the supply of rice
we have in this country for sale in
all the grocery stores, they like it and
we can get along without it.
Now, Mr.. Secretary, let's be sensi-
BILE about all this honorable business
of caring for our enternees. We are
sure that there is not one member of
any Typographical Union in America |
that wishes to see even the Japs in |
our internment camps mistreated in |
any way, because we realize that |
many of them are loyal citizens of
this country, but we know that not
one member Of this great union favors
he distribution of our choice elk
nerds in this manner.
We feel that for the good of ma
.ional unity and the war effort that
he distribution of our elk herds to
he Japanese would be a great blow
% the war effort, that such a move
would be demoralizfng to say the
east, that it has already led to many
hours of heated debate, causing lack
# confidence in our government, and
UGH short-sighted actions can only
'e seen as acts of sabotage in, our
var effort, to the extent that it in
erfers with the workers frame of
mind who may have trudged) YEARLY !,
yer the hills and mountains of our
reat country in search of one of
hese monarchs of the hills only to ,
ONE home empty handed and learn ;
hat he cannot have one but that our
ap internees are to be the privileged l.,
mes and sit down to full table of :
Tx steak.
We don't think it is fair and when :
re recall that few years ago the !,
ged and needy in this country were
enied the privilege that you now !;
eek to give the Jap enternees it gets .
be down right disgusting Don't :,
on think we are right in Directing =
this method of curtailing the elk :
erds of the Yellowstone preserve or E
ny other preserve?
We will not rise any objection to :,
wing any or all of the surplus elk !,
erd to the Indians, because they :
ave just claim to them, but the
ups, MOI =
Respectfully yours, v
HELENA TYPOGRAPHICAL W
UNION NO. 95 NJ
By Foster Bevans, Secy. O.
u .
Copies were sent to the representa- fl
yes and senators in congress and s:
e National Wild Life Association in
ging their assistance also g,
The Montana Typographical Con- m
renee has also sent out letters op- et
sing the slaughter of elk herds for m
e purpose of feeding the Japanese tb
along the same line as the pr
owe letter.-Ed fo
e.
WHAT WILL OUR POST WAR b,
POLICY BE? ne
Rudyard, Montana, Dec 2, 1912 in
10 Peoples Voice Gl
Helena, Montana an
ar Editor: tn