davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-01-01
BY MRS. aBoBBrE" wATANABE

By MRS. "BOBBIE" WATANABE
Out of the vast barbed wire bar
ricades of Tule Lake, Minidoka.
Heart Mountain and Portland as
scmbly centers. care the first Of a
handful of Mise! with the lure Of
employment in the beet harvest, and
the first call of freedom to the out
side world and civilization This
was In the summer Of 1912.
It was mostly men at first-men
who had never worked in fields be-
fore, business men, and men with
different professions who have
turned farmers since. Then the
women and children followed-he-
sitant ct first as to what the re-
actions would be and what the flu
ture on the outside world held for
them but confident that they would
be given ample protection from
some place.
They cali IL the sagebrush
country. but-here in Ontario and
the Snake River Valley-the ia
panese have helped make this lit
tie town Of Ontario boom town!
The farmers all have done well
during these war years.
There are more than 200 farmers
in OUR great valley which ranges In
acreages from 40 to many hundreds
of acres, all in row crop. In line
with other industries, farming has
gone into mass production with tht
use Of modern mechanical labor
saving equipments. Harvesting Of
sugar beets which required many
man-hours is now practically dons
by mechanical equipment.
With the help of these wartime
Nisei farmers, this community Ia
being recognized as one Of the
leading agricultural producing area,
nation. The laborers, too. have mad,
a comfortable living for themselves
As a whole, the people Of On
tario and surrounding towns have
received ms with open arms. There
may have been q few incidents
At the time, but little incidents"
are soon forgotten and healed.
Women, as well as men. worries
and sweated out in the fields al
day. Some women even crew-bosse'
their own outfits!
Even yours truly tried poundin
nails in the art Of making lettuc
cratesl My husband was nailin
crates at the time, and making goo
money at it. And me with nothin
to do. I decided to earn Twin
for myself" tool He offered m
double his pay. for every one
made over one hundred. Well. aftt
finding out that 1t was very muc
painful pounding my fingers.
worked harder pounding nails! I
his amazcment, after the first no,
| or two, he started bribing me to Q
| to the store to buy him beer an
coke. I didn't go! His wages for thi
The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-01-01
BEAUTY OF YAKIMA VALLEY
CHARMS WAPATO RETURNEES

broken. . roof burned out. A gar
ish neon sign announced Mexi-
can tavern. A former garage had
hideous green shades drawn over
filthy windows ON which were let
tered west Side Pool Hall" Cius-
tiers of dark-skinned people were
leaning languidly against the build
ings and others sat idly on dilapi-
dated jalopies pared in front.
That was homecoming In 1s4sI
Since then, In ones and twos,
family groups Of former residents
have returned gradually TO the
valley. A few have come and
gone, but the majority have come
back 10 stay 20 that now the ia
panese population In the valley
comprises . goedly third OF more
of the pre-evacuation total.
What Is that which brings one
back to a geographical location?
Contrary to the local Chambers Of
Commences advertisement, we who
have lived in this vicinity most OF
our lives, are aware of its unattrac-
tive features. Its heat in summer,
its frigid winters, its wind, dust.
and flies, its lack of cultural facili-
ties; Its narrow and bigoted people
who set fires, who flagrantly dis
played mo Jap" signs: its weeds;
and its many slCven. ramshackled
houses that give the many reserva-
ton farms an appearance of power
y and degeneration. And. finally
the long hours Of back-bresking
work that is associated With earn
ing a decent living.
It may be one, or some other rea-
son that these Japanese families
Lave returne1--,and are staying
Perhaps, 1t was because their farms
we're here, or here was nc other
place to go. II may be that the
blossom time in spring has no equal
n its breath-tax'ng beauty; tha'
fresh vegetables and fruits are with
n easy reach, and for a song; that
/. 2 sky is a clear blue and the sur
shines the year around; that des-
pte the ck-brealsing toll. one
can 60 for days in winter without
doing a lick of work; or that some
men who came here as homestead.
ers are now millionaires; or that
in spite of the grapes Of wrath
appearance of parts Of 1t, the val.
ley is one Of the richest farming
centers in the world with It's year
ly agricultural payroll running In
to hundreds Of millions dollars.
| Maybe II Is because some Of
the people remember the two
room apartments, three flights
up. the crowded street cars, the
indifferent city crowds, the fox
holes, and Army barracks; that
among the race mongers, the
mobsters, are friends who think
for themselves, and have proven
their loyalty.
Perhaps it is because they Sc
progress in job availability that no,
there are the white collar worker!
the professionals. along with tn
domestics and the farmers, an
that more and more Caucasians-
Continued on Page Ffve)
The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-01-01
BY KARA KONDO

It was a Sunday late in septem-
Der when we came home to the val
ley. The early evening sun was
warm and slightly hay. diffused
by the dust of a dry Yakima VAL
ley autumn. Just where Yakima
Valley really begins or ends, hard
ly anyone knows, but as we came
ever the hills above Prosser and
saw the unsymmetrical, yari-color-
ed farms lying below, bordered by
rolling sage covered foothills and
Mt Adams looming undisturbed and
n,ajestically above them, we knew
we were home.
Driving through the lower valley
we saw that frost had already come
The fall harvest had begun and
some Of IT was already over. Hop
yards were stripped and the poles
stood naked with only remnants of
dried hops left clinging scatteredly
to the anchor wires. Boxes were
piled high In orchards. Many trees
were barren, but many others were
still loaded with red. dsst-covered
apples. A heady odor Of hops
grapes, apples and other fan pro-
ducts permeated the air. Breathing
deeply of the almost forgotten
scent, pride welled within, and q
lump rose in our threats. After oul
forced departure from this valley
certainly one owed no love or loyal
" to 1t. but running through my
minds eyes we're pictures of the
fertile farms of Ohio, the aget
charm of generations Of work or
we1l-tended rolling acres Of Penn.
sylvaniae the fabulous stock farm,
IN Kentucky. They might compare
and even s,irpass In agricultural ex.
cellence, but they could never mattel
the fragrance Of Yakima Vale,
harvest.
Wapato. the center Of the ia
panese Of the pre-war, pse-eva-
cuation period, had changed but
slightly. There were q few add
tional buildings-just q noticeable
growth. Apprehensively we ap-
preached, and drove slowly
through the streets. We had
heard Of the unfavorable and
almost volatile feelings of the re-
sidents against the return Of the
japanese to the valley.
No one noticed us particularly.
sppesred tl,at 1e were Just anothe
dark-skinned dark-hared coupl
driving a<ound in a car with al
out-of.stste license. That was
common SIGHT In Wapsto, a agri
cultural town flln of transc'ents Il
TIE summer ana fall months. It wa
apparent too that there were man
more dark-skinned people now :
Indians, Filpinos, Negroes, and pre-
dominantly, Mexicans.
We turned up the street, to "Ja
panese town." There. the full i'm
pact of evacuation. the sad statu
Of the Japanese, hit us with col,
rasnshackled reality. The three
quarter block long row Of fran
buildings stood sagging; paints fad
ed and peeling, windows dirty an
Evening star., 1949-10-02
READ THESE EASY CONTEST RULES

I. Write line 10 rhyme with Quicker oots tos Mothers
ooss) good 10 sos' ihe entry bork Of right
piece Of poper ond noa II with one trademark from
Qvoksr Mothers Oots poekoss 70 Roy Rogers.
thon midnight Mondoy. November "a. 194e. and
received by November 80. l9l9.
2. Prize. consist Of 1.t Prize trip 70 Hollywood with
oil expense. poid for child ond one oduIt TO and
from any pocs Of residence In the United Ssoes plus
100000 Gosh for appearing with Roy Rogers in
Republic picture. Or lst Prize moy be 100000 GOSH
Also IS 500 merchandise prizes for other winners TosoI
vo'os Of sz2.s5o.oo.
). Entries will b judged HE bosis Of orisnoHty.
Evening star., 1949-10-02

So get moving padners Get yourself package Quaker
right away Remember Quaker Oats is Giant Nutrition in
Value and in Flavor! Costs less than penny servng-yet
there's growth endurance energy in oatmeal
than any other whole grain cereal!
Get Quaker Oats and send your contest entry Immediately
This be the only chance you'll ever have to be in movie
with Roy Rogers. -. :
Evening star., 1949-10-02

sUfobnfy and opness. Deesion OF Judges finoI DupI
cote awords In Of Ties. Contest will be judged
by Reuben H. oonneiisy Corporation.
4. Anyone oss through living in the United State.
moy enter excepting employees Of The 0uoker oos
Company and It's advertising ogeneiss and their fomis.
All entries the property Of The Quaker Got. Com
pony and moy ybs rsioinsd by them.
5. You moy enter any number Of lines in this offer pro-
vided 0soksr or Mothers oofs srodsmork oeeom-
ponies each entry The Quicker Ooi Compony reserves
tho right to use or not 10 use HE winning lines.
8. komSs Of winners will b on file at The ooker Ooh
Company, Chicago. Crond prize winner will bs an
noureed on the Roy Rogers Show" Mss, Sun PM
!
Evening star., 1949-06-17

VARIOUS nstgho0s hoods where tAry car Play
s. weeks q yeAr. not Just ore
H<nsamin Franklin one~ suggested that
we should Deny self for seifs saks and
knew this Is very good ioxsc and Il shoald
be followed by mothers whose vanity ard
greed make II necessary for them 10 60 10
work when they cool6 I've . mocerAts srnka-
BILE life at home where they could cArr sax
their children On their husbands s&lsrses
OF course. there are CASES where % 10 nee-
ess&ry for mothers 10 be employed eu,
many more where IL is rot 80. Why not set
rid Of the married women WHOSE husbands
salaries are adequate for normal needs and
open their jobs 10 the younger generation
who. after MI. have . right TO thems Tina
viii tend to more happy homes for the
youngstegx HERBERT r DAVIS
Editors Note; The Star is not appeal-
ing TO Mr.. Davis He should not feel
affronted. therefore by an invitation 10
those who feel so inclined 10 help send
more little children TO summer camp,
The Community Chest has turned over
about $4,000 to as agencies TO support
their summer activities This will tAkr
care OF about &sl children out Of total
Of more than TOO who could 60 10 camp II
the money were available Those who
care to contribute 10 make ap this differ
ence-and hundreds al good people do
care-are sending IN contributions 10 TIE
camp fund
Evening star., 1949-06-17
White House Reconstruction

Legislation for reconstruction of the
White House finally agreed to by the House
and Senate conferees leaves unsettled the
question whether the outer walls, as well
as the interior, win be replaced. In other
words, whether the interior will be re-
constructed or the mansion entirely rebuilt.
That Is the main issue which seemed to
separate the conferees.
The compromise, however, Is wise one.
1t spells out the powers and responsibilities
of the Commission on Renovation of the
White House, which seems not to have
been done in the legislation establishing
it, and leaves to this commission the de-
cision as to how the work Is to proceed.
One basis of that decision, naturally, will
be the preparation and careful study of
alternate methods-one of which conceiv-
ably may be the rebuilding of the exterior
walls as we'll as the interior. The COM
mission is even given a third plan for
consideration, which involves use of the
White House as sort of memorial or
museum, with the Chief Executive to be
housed somewhere else.
With all this leeway, however, the COM
mission Is bound by language to the effect
that no matter how the reconstruction
work Is done, the result must be effected
without change of present architectural
appearance Of the exterior of the mansion
or the interior of Its main floor"
Representative Keefe Of Wisconsin, one
Of the members of the commission, ex-
planned to the House other problems facing
the commission in the preservation or
orderly disposal of White House relics,
down to and including fragments Of old
brick. Everything taken out of the
White House must be itemized and, in
effect, placed under lock and key. Other
wise, people all over the country will be
Offering such relics as souvenirs and
making money out of this situation" The
commission may have to decide on some
plan of making unused material, taken
from the White House, available for pur-
chase under system fair to everybody.
The commission has been carefully
chosen. It includes, in addition to four
members Of Congress, an engineer and
architect of prominence and will have
available the counsel of other such profess
sionals Congress will have opportunities
to review its decisions as the work pro-
crosses. There Is an authorization for the
total expense, but the money will be made
available in installments. The commission
will thus report to Congress as the work
goes forward and additional funds are
needed. Discussion in the House on We'd
nesday showed clearly enough that while
there are differences of opinion as to
procedure, there is none whatever on the
preservation Of the mansions architecture
as we know 1t today and no lack Of deter
mination to do the best possible job in
making 1t a At habitation for the President.
Evening star., 1949-06-17
Finunce IL or Drop II

The unexplained action OF the House In
disapproving, for the second time. Federal
appropriation for the 1850 Sesquicentennial
celebration Is probably death blow to the
program. II the Federal Government Is
not sufficiently interested In the so-cailed
Freedom Fair to advance the money for
1t, there seems to be no reasonable alter
native but TO call the whole thing OF.
Certainly 1t Is not the responsibility Of
District citizens TO finance this national
Observance, even II II were feasible TO
do 50.
A suggestion has been made that the
Treasury lend the money necessary 10 stage
the exposition. But this, 1t Is said, would
require special legislation-and there Is
no reason to believe the House would look
more kindly on this plan than 1t did on
the direct-appropriation method. The pro-
posal to bill the District government for
the fair is without merit, even considering
the possibility Of repayment from admis-
sion fees collected from Sesquicentennial
visitors. President Truman, who is ex
ofhcio head of the Sesquicentennial Com
mission, is right in contending that the
celebration should be Nation wide in scope
and that it should be financed and sup
ported by the National Government. There
are numerous precedents for such appro-
priations, including a 5000 900 grant for
the Texas Centennial in 1885 and Federal
loans and grants totaling more than
$ll 600 900 for the Saint Louis Exposition
in 1904. Why the HOUSE should balk at a
$4,000, 900 appropriation Tin the nature of
a loan) for a national observance of the
l50th birthday anniversary of the Nations
Capital is beyond comprehension.
If the congressional impasse on this
question cannot be broken and II no alter
native method of financing the program
with Federal funds can be devised, the
only. sensible course left is to drop the
Freedom Fair idea altogether It would
be better to have no program at all than
to attempt to STAGE an inadequate one.
Evening star., 1949-06-17
More FederuI JUDGES

In passing on voice vote the so-called
omnibus Federal judgeship bill, the House
has merely reacted to a need which is
too obvious to permit Of dispute.
As passed by the House, the bill calls
for the establishment of twenty-four new
judgeships In the Federal circuit and
district courts. It authorizes three more
judges for the District Court of Appeals
and two additional judges for the District
Court bench. The other new judgeships.
al Of which have been recommended by
the judicial Conference Of the United
States, would be established In various
sections Of the country where need exists.
The statistical record gives clear
picture Of what has been happening in
the Federal courts. The District courts,
through the adoption Of such time-saving
procedures as the pretrial conference, have
been increasing their rate of disposition
OF cases. But this has been accompanied
by such rise in the volume Of new bust
ness that, on balance, the courts have
been falling steadily behind. The lower
courts are about<a year behind in the
handling of private civil cases, and this is
u COIlQltlUIl- kk1db 10 W w AS~
fiected in the appellate tribunals.
This Is q situation which initiates
against effective administration of justice.
In the District, with its population increase
Of more than 100000 since 1910, the condi-
ton is especially acute. In the Court Of
Appeals, which has had no new judgeships
since 1888, the record shows the highest
pending case-load per Judge of any Federal
appellate court In the country. The pro-
posal for three new judgeships would
enable the court TO- sit in three panels Of
three judges each, thereby greatly facili-
tating Its disposition Of cases. In the Dis
trict, or trial, court the situation is equally
bad. With no judges added since 1888,
this tribunal has seen q 25 per cent In
crease in its volume Of litigation since
1910. In the Federal district courts In
the States the average time between the
joining of issue and trial OF civil jury
cases is 81 months. In the Nations Capital
the corresponding time lag is 1873 months,
and this despite the record Of the local
judges for efficient handling Of business.
Manifestly, this Is condition which
ought to be corrected, and the favorable
House action is o long step In that direc-
ton. But II anything is to be accomplished
the Senate Fmust act, and the 1udgeship
bill is lang1isling there In the Senate
Judiciary Committee. It ought to be re-
ported out and passed.
Evening star., 1949-06-17
Arithmetic and Existence

willard L. Thorp, Assistant Secretary Of
State for Economic Affairs, is not neces-
sarily wrong when he suggests-as he did
In his recent speech at Amherst College
that three plus three are six for no other
reason than that mankind has arbitrarily
developed system OF numbers based on
ten Nor is he necessarily wrong when he
says that III we had only two fingers on
each hand and had built up q system Of
numbers based on four. three plus three
would truly be twelve"
All this may seem very confusing, but
any amateur thinker who has had taste
Of scholastic epistemology or criteriology-
the study of true and certain knowledge
will find Mr.. Thorp's observation alto
gether acceptable, II not understandable.
Actually, we cannot be absolutely sure
that our arithmetic Is accurate; we cannot
be absolutely sure of anything. The reason
for this goes back to the First Cause I'm
caused. If we admit the possibility that
the First Cause Uncaused Is God-all-wise,
omnipotent, eternally existing, without be-
ginning or end-then we must admit an
INFINITE number Of other possibilities, in
cluding not merely that three plus three
do not make six but also that neither Mr..
Thorp nor the rest Of US are really here.
Diehard atheists may, presume to deny
the basic possibility Of Supreme Being,
but agnostics win acknowledge 1t even
though they doubt it, and all believers, OF
course, will affirm It with vigor. And what
follows from this? In pure logic, II in
tellectually mature people agree-as they
must-that there may be an all-powerful
God governing everything and capable OF
doing anything. they must agree also that
they may not be what they think they are,
that what they cali their world may be
imaginary, and that they themselves may
- nonexistent except as free-wheeling
projections OF some sort In kind OF su-
pernatural drama directed by an omnip-
otent Divinity. In other words. given
that Divinity, we cannot be certain that
what we take for granted-whether 1t be
ourselves or our arithmetic-is actually so.
But such thinking, of course. even
though it may be philosophically and logi-
cally sound. would plunge us into mental
and physical chaos If we took 1t too se-
riously and acted In keeping with it Since
MI but possible few of Us are convinced
that we exist It would be very foolish OF
m 10 govern ourselves-either spiritually
or materially-as II we were somewhere
else instead OF here. 30. wholly apart from
the anchors Of religious faith, we have
ADOPTED arbitrary standards like our
present dag system Of numbers 70 estab-
Nsh amodicYm OF what We presume 70 b
Evening star., 1949-06-17

order In what we presume TO be real
world.
Still, the fact remains that Mr. Thorp's
idea Is not 30 outlandish as 1t may seem.
Philosophically speaking. 1t Is not abso-
lutely inconceivable that three plus three
make twelve and that we are really non-
existent. In way, considering the mess
our society is in, the latter possibility seems
vaguely comforting.
Evening star., 1949-06-17
Eisenhower on Federal Aid

In his letter to Representative Gwinn,
General Eisenhower-in his capacity as
president of Columbia University-has
launched what might be called q limited
offensive against Federal aid to education.
On the one hand, he has made clear that
he favors such aid In certain particulars,
especially as 1t applies to the poorer States
and to the financing Of fellowships or
scholarships for scientific research. On the
other hand, however, he has unleashed q
strong barrage against the all-inclusive
nature Of the administration bill already
enacted by the Senate and now awaiting
action in the House.
Under that bill the Federal Government
would spend $500, ,000, 900 year on edu-
cational aid. Although most of the out
lay would 60 to schools In the poorer
States, every State without exception, no
matter how well of or how capable of tax
ing care Of its own needs, would be cut in
on at least some OF the funds. It Is this
arrangement that has drawn General
Eisenhoweris fire. As practical matter,
in his opinion, such q policy would have
the effect Of fostering In all parts Of the
Nation "an ambition-alnost a require
ment-to spend money freely under the
impulse of competition with other locali-
ties In the country"
Beyond that, as matter of principle,
General Eisenhower has made the point
that the Senate approved bill would tend
to discourage the kind of "watchful econ
omy" that can be exercised only through
local outstanding of local revenue, and he
has warned that 1t might convert the Ma
tion's educational system into yet an
other vehicle by which the believers in
paternalism, II not outright socialism, will
gain still additional power for the central
government" On the latter point he has
expressed the particularly emphatic belief
that "the army OF persons who urge
greater and greater GENERALIZATION Of au-
thority and greater &nd greater depend
ence upon the Federal treasury are really
more dangerous to our form Of government
than any external threat that can possibly
be arrayed against us"
During debate on the Senate bill, Sem
ator Tydings advocated an amendment TO
limit Federal aid to the twenty-five States
with the lowest incomes. But the proposal
with which General Eisenhower seems to
be In tune-was defeated by vote Of 81
to II. Moreover, subcommittee Of the
House Labor Committee has approved
q bill essentially the same as the SEN
ates version, and there Is some reason
to believe that the committee as whole
will do likewise. It may be, however,
that the Eisenhower attack-particularly
because it represents the views of num-
Der of other educators-will inspire last
minute change In congressional sentiment,
though the political situation suggests
otherwise.
In any case, however, General Eisen-
hower,s warning deserves eyerybody's at
tention. 10 many people II may seem TO
be exaggerated because Of the Senate bills
provisions igainst Federal interference.
But such provisions are By no means
ironclad guarantees. Wholly apart from
its possible effect on "watchful economy"
aid TO education, Hike camel h0sing itself
into ! tent can opsn tho WY . ths ult-