Japanese in California (Part 1 of 2)

Pacifica Foundation presents the Japanese in California one of a series of programs dealing with racial minorities produced by KPFA Berkeley under a grant from the Columbia foundation. There are only about 100 60000 Japanese in the United States and most of them live on the West Coast. They refer to themselves as the east say Nice say and some say that is the first second and third generations. They say began coming to America in the 1890s. But their numbers were greatly limited by legislation designed to keep out Orientals. Only their children born in this country are citizens of. The program or about to tempt. The subject or to recite all the facts of history. It is rather a problem. Of the characteristics of a group. And an attempt to convey something of the feeling of what it is like to be a Japanese in California. I heard. That a bit from my brother.

I sure wanted to come over here and see you are kind of a country. Led by that dream. The CSA came as we or our ancestors all came to America to face the day to day facts of existence on foreign soil. Each of the many voices you will hear speaks not only for an individual but for countless others like him sharers of the dream participants in the events who can say how much the dream helped create the reality. Why when I first came there wasn't very many Japanese Brewers to go under scrutiny and more so that people were all men no women folks you know. Where everywhere you go if you did she. You just see it manned

by Japanese. No families. No or no house to leave again. So the first thing when I came over here I had to stay with friends. A couple of years after I came over here. Women started to come to me and I stand in the first grade about two or three did so in the second grade third grade. Well at the end of about one month they put me up through it I think was fifth grade. Well I stayed in. And American family I stayed in as a schoolboy and of course I studied pretty hard and I was course I

was ordered. TO ORDER be there for the second or third grand. I think that was the reason that. They put me there. I've been I program my father was working at or near where I grew up. I had to work and help him. So I had to worry as I was a boy when I was about. Eight. My father went back to Japan and. From there on I can go to school it's a great school and work and sound. In Stockton there was a hub in the downtown area which would be comparable to what they call a Japanese town

Interscope. My father was he built. I think he was the first Japanese when we were going to build the buildings on Stockton and in so doing we moved to more or less to the outskirts of town. It was still what you would consider the wrong side of the tracks but it was an area in which she was able to. Obtain a lot and build a home. The neighborhood was as I recall now it was predominantly Italian. Neighborhood and they didn't seem to mind. There are not many Japanese family pulled into the area. I grew up in a neighborhood that was all within four five block radius I imagine there must have been 20 years and the rest of the family were probably retired sergeant.

It is just something that you know that you are different and you're somehow not part of the community. And I just feel it more in us you know in a rural community. My brothers however can distinctly remember being stoned in this campaign and then growing up. But it was less open. You lead two different lives. I recall I went to school with and you engage in all kinds of activity within the school but once you're out of school the line was clearly drawn you never saw each other socially. It was just very very clear and you left it at school the idea of democracy is just forgotten and you leave the school. Well I think in those days I didn't. Mind it too much. All the minorities. Negroes Mexicans Chinese and

Japanese were again in a somewhat segregated part of town. The schools or security however. It had been I had been giving to human relations in those days but. Thinking back on it I did realize that I had friends. We never invited them to our home nor invited there. The trip there and I grew up during the Depression as a kid and the depression a young kid and a well my friends. It was sort of been Enermax communally and I was

with them play with emotion. There was a rural community and neighborhood bar was our closest neighbor was another chap is only about. Well maybe three quarters of a mile away and whenever we did play with anyone we played with them which was maybe once a month. There was a Japanese police say within a radius of three four miles was sort of communal and they were. Let's be nationalistic and they try to carry on Japanese traditions and ceremonies and. Japanese. This classes with his Japanese press. We

started with. Shots at me with a gas shell this station put on. And also the end there is. The main purpose of this class is to give them. Some religious. Knowledge through language because many. Times knowledge is in there but isn't a must be. Translated how to translate. We knew we could find a very advocates or suitable in the English. So sometimes using original Japanese or

Chinese was more convenient. So in that point do we meet. We feel that unless a city are giving small children that knowledge of Japanese. So our purpose is to give religious. Education as well as language about it. So we got this for this Japanese class. I notice in our church where the minister speaks Japanese time. Understand it. So the trend is now to obtain English speaking ministers. But it's churches you know that the census will be able to understand. I do feel that language is something that we should maintain in some form or another at least in

terms of talking maybe not so much reading or at least talking which I'm not very good at and I think it certainly could vary with the older generation. You can get by speaking half Japanese and English. Picture only. Friend was getting your ok after all. Round we saw coral well-priced. Really people speak Japanese rather than me. But to my association I say about 50 not all but. Bob Dole.

78 in we speak you. Jerry. All materials speak English. Because it's hard for me to teach you right now or if I talk to Jack anything to down with Sarai that I try to speak increasingly by speaking between them that I don't think you guess I tank speaking in Greek now and I think they speak English outside anyway that I like them to learn Japanese. My oldest boy is going to be six months my time to teach them a ham. Anything interesting to you in a he copy. It's just in my trial. Your wife does not speak too much force so

to speak. What I have maintained through all my don't go through is that I attended school in the city and the people that I and the people that I don't fortunate enough to call. Them I seem to maintain my knowledge should belong to it. I don't not this is about the. Good Japanese number one. People forget the Japanese language. So on the special I can't get it the Chinese or Spanish speaking people. Most other people. Even the second or third generation speak very fluent by that language.

But. This Japanese generation. All right this second inhalation. There now it's up to Japanese a very for a very fast you foget that to mean that at any one point of a bad that thing out of the fire and there they are simulation a very good thing. In 1941 there were one hundred and twelve thousand Japanese on the Pacific. Two thirds of them were American citizens. By the end of 1942 they had all been forced to lose their jobs. Give up their homes and businesses and be interned behind barbed wire. Charged with any

Japanese on December 7 1941. Japanese navy had attacked Pearl Harbor. United States had gone to war with Japan. But in Gulf that morning and then we came home. Noontime I heard about Terry. I didn't dream that we would be evacuated. I mean I thought that as American citizens that we would be protected in this way we thought maybe the Japanese would be evacuated but not the Soviets and we thought it was quite discriminatory because returning from the Germans were enemies too and our very East Coast was just as vulnerable. There were submarines looking in that area but they never moved any of them because they were so strong already settling in that area they had employees and phones and influential people backing them and then we were here for

some time but then we were evacuated to a room to turn for and hear Mr. Moser timeframe there stand there for some time and we ship to I took prayers or Utah where I stayed for a while but I was one of the first to leave and go to Chicago where we were rescued free territory later on wanted. Well I do like it because why Japanese. I want to change. Germany guardian again was you know same situation. But the because we saw those in the money I chipped out of the state. But not because it was close to Syfy course. The German way Dari or any other people could have done the same dying wish they wanted to.

As a national security. But they wanted. One of those you know our assemblies and I was. Begging like that of course. The first gen I have I had was to go I don't know a dog in a farm. I grabbed a chance to Nohant I don't want to know found. During the summertime and or. When the time for dating and too much work. So I. Went into a one of those. You know and can't. Go. From there. Volunteer for the Army. For the cause. I mean runways school. You know. Or some of the language was. But I was

missing. And then. I went over to see stationing. And. For a little while I was. Working on one of those station radio station listening to. The Japanese radio or. In Japanese Army Navy. Radios in the US in and there's a chance came when. I'd be. I was able to do all my own dear for a flight. Our own a Japanese island. Advantage for us and we. Just save. Cost $100. Right down.

And then. One day I got wounded in Iridium. You're going to send me back to the hospital where you're. You know very. Innocent of drug abuse Joe got the job I got not the terrible thing that thing that I am and I felt about it and I was written my way to school and I was staying at the dean's place and we had an idea that we were going to be moved. And the Dean would not believe me and I would say we were leaving and that I thought we would have to be moved or something. And I remember the time that was toward the end of the semester and the army posted these things on the thing and that was the first time I found out about it and I remember running into it means

officer saying I have to make arrangements to leave and the Dean would not believe it until we dragged him out and showed it to him and then he realized this is this is it. And then there was no time we think about it because we just had to leave very quickly and. You couldn't in this market only show any sympathy and you be our guest and there was one there was one white boy that went to school with us studied Japanese and US and the poor fella had to leave because he's not sympathetic to it. Why this is an interesting thing. He's not living in mourning which to me I can remember feeling I was in a dream world and how this wasn't true I felt like I was in a daze for months it seemed like and

in a way we weren't prepared for it because my folks were prepared for it they said and they would be new but they didn't dream for one minute that we would be moved the children would be moved and. I guess Charlie pressing it because I just I remember how I was it's kind of a nightmare. That's the kind of scene that I hand in the relocation centers there were some that didn't cooperate and there was a group of the so-called renunciations that renounce their citizenship but they were American citizens many of them but those who had been sent back to Japan and there were young and they had a lot of the Japanese ideas and they thought this is a very bad thing you're doing very basic lot of Maryborough very good

I think as a group those people more bitter about it than we were there. I'm born raised or lived in this country grow the hotheads in a group and thank God I'm took to the violence and there were a lot of for instance officers going to jail. Dacier were beaten up and things of that type. When we first were numeric in the center there was quite a resentment against a DCL because it's a thought that we had sold them down the river into the into the relocation centers. But I think now that they realize that the JCL did the right thing and they've done a wonderful job since since the war. We were rather naive. We didn't know we knew we were American citizens but nobody else knew that we weren't. You know we didn't realize that. And so what happened was that when the when the war came.

That's exactly the situation in which we found ourselves that certain people who had worked among us church people and other people whom we had be friended in the course of our growing up in our parents had knew us but it was still a rather small minority of people who really knew us and understood us. But as far as the general public is concerned they had no idea that we were Americans our loyalty to this country and least of all our own government. And I would say generally I talk about the Japanese problem on the Pacific coast of California but it was a local ice problem you see. In 1940. I think we slowly began to realize that. What Japan was doing in Manchukuo Manchuria own. And. China. Did reflect upon us and I remember in Los

Angeles we set up a speakers bureau that was 1940. You see we could see that people identified us with Japan and the people of Japan. So we set up a speakers bureau going to speak to church groups women's clubs service organisations as many as we could cover. Outlining our position that we were Americans our loyalty was to America. That to us Japan was a foreign country. That was of course we realize we're American citizens and when there's talk about evacuating us came up I mean we didn't take it too seriously at first and said well they could evacuate as were American citizens. But it happened. And even today people ask us How could that be possible.

Because being a citizen GC We have certain rights. In fact there was a lot of talk at the time even when our evacuation became quite definite. As to what course we should take. Whether we should fight for our right to stay on the west coast or whether we should cooperate with the government in its program of evacuees as from the West Coast. And I would say that. The primary consideration in all of this thing as as far as we are concerned is the fact that our parents not being able to become American citizens they were aliens and eligible for citizenship. So overnight they became an enemy and to see through no fault of their own. We could hardly say well we're going to fight. To stay here where Americans we don't care what happens to our parents is that that was I think the biggest factor.

To help us determine what our course will be pushed there again although we start differently I mean other people felt that they are taking all this was almost an admission far. Of some close relationship with the people of Japan. From our standpoint we felt that maybe this is our peculiar contribution to America's war effort. The camp that I was in it wasn't too bad and. Partly because I think it knew straight it was a really decent guy. But it was split into two the two camps. Of people who were. On very very nationalistic and those who. Said that they would be in the army if they were called for. And. Petty things which went on between families. Who took piece point to a different point of view. They wouldn't talk to each other.

And. I think that was the most terrible period as far as I can remember the confusion and. An animosity between people of friends for years and. And. I remember the time my brother volunteered for this. Language specialty thing. I lived in a block where there were a lot of people. Thought that it was wrong. You know I how many times can you turn the other cheek said business. And. They were very very critical that my brother would do such a thing. The older people they would come up and they would. Say very insulting things to my mother about the fact that how could you like your son. Go into the army. Well I do remember though at the time there were. Sounds that were disowned by the family for. For having

signed their wild although having joined the Army they were disowned. All is forgotten but that period it was a very very terrible terrible time because we were some kids and I. I knew in camp at that time. They were telling me that they thought that my brother was very fortunate to have a family that. Didn't make it so miserable for him. And the only answer to recall very vividly. Is where them bar room firmly they had four sons. Father. I believe or we I suppose you don't make too much difference to him. But all the mother mother the boys well she was different reproach or nice. And. As it turned out the whole family. Was sent back to Richard Perle and she had that much oh

she exerted much pressure on her sons and her husband. Other incident that I can recall is where it involves a relation of mine. He volunteered all minute Pearl Harbor was. Broadcasted it was accepted. While in the service. I do recall as we weren't in the same relocation center but I do recall his mother father telling us later how they were ostracized because their sons had volunteered. I think that the treatment of the jet made during the war was very miserable. I think it was inexcusable. Having lived among the Japanese Up until the time I was in service. I felt that there could be no question as to their loyalty to the country or their

adoption. Even in a crisis. Perhaps it was because of the feelings of my mother and father and of my brothers and sisters and of my neighbors but I felt that when the time came to decide that they would decide for America not for Japan. This isn't to say that indeed negotiation period prior to the war there was among the older get me some feeling for Japan but I feel sure that when it went to a crucial decision had to be made between America and Japan that the decision would have been in favor of America. Prior to Pearl Harbor there was quite a lot of discussion among the Japanese especially among the older Japanese not too much among the younger ones. I think. Discussion would have been in the nature that Japan needed to expand.

America was standing in her way of expansion Japan needful has been the place to and a market place for her goods but. I think such talk came because the older Japanese though they had been in America quite a long time weren't quite fully accepted in the American community and so they had to feel that they belonged to some country my mother she had to sell her business said. And tragically low priced. Store other things which were stolen. And she took only the minimum through the British accent. I felt that. She always looked upon Japan as the land of her birth and a land to which she must one day go back and visit. But I think because of her children she felt that her allegiance lay with the United States. I don't think that there would be any valuation say that the monetary loss

among the Japanese prior to evacuation was very great in many cases. I thinks they lost things which I think cannot be repaid financially. I think emotionally it was a tremendous experience for him by now that if he experienced that and forgotten the scars of Longview over. The country to which I belong with him title to make a mistake as long as it once righted that mistake in later years it's good enough for me. When the war was over the Japanese would return to their homes and begin to become the predators of their line.

Many found new jobs and new places to live. Many had a difficult time readjusted. Or none of them. Could live up to be the same as it was before the war. The worst thing about how it happened. Was that it came so sudden. The government wasn't equipped to take care of property. People had stores people had crops growing. I mean all those kinds of things. There just wasn't time to take care of those kinds of things so there was a tremendous. Loss in property personal property although as since the war really did work on evacuation claims program. And the government did pass such a program and most of the people have. Been given and token compensation for their losses. The amount was nowhere near what the losses actually worked

because if you get out routed from your home all of a sudden you don't know all exactly what you had in your home when you bought it how much it was worth and all those things or it involved U.S. and then when you come to business things like Goodwill people had to well hire non-Japanese to take over their business operations. When you've been in business for 20 years what is the worth of goodwill in all those kinds of things which aren't tangible she says. Then you've been making so much per year out of your records show up but anticipated profitable world not out of the evacuation building. I'm the editor of the English section of the niche Bay Times a Japanese-American daily. We lost every piece of our equipment during the war. The company was dissolved and we had to scrape up pieces here and there and

we organized completely mechanically and otherwise. There's quite a difficult thing to do at that time because while Japanese type use as bins may figure it was very scarce. And. As far as the readership was concerned we just had to wait until the people came back in as a paper our circulation is much smaller than prior to the war. As much. As just speaking very directly I mean we filter our Russia via. Made it known that sort of thing but. I would say that the situation for the younger Japanese did a great deal. I mean it killed killed their parents or my father was never a very

outspoken person. He worked hard and used to have to work 10 12 hours a day seven days a week practically with as little shop and stocked and. But all I know is that when he had to sell out his shop and start packing to move. I think yours well his life just sort of slowed to a crawl over here no no no reason to exist after that you know we were grown up and we depend on him anymore. He just. Really just felt that there is no reason for him to exist. He worked hard and. He was helping. So there's no reason why he wouldn't be here. So. He orders. If the Japanese leave the Pacific coast it ALSO course

thousands of Americans to go to Japan. Both of Congress later allies. Many of the Americans like Japan and some of them took Japanese. A few of these marriages did not work out. And lonely Japanese girls found themselves in a Strange Land. Far from home. Needing the services of a lawyer. Probably to hand over my dear hundred 150 cases all told on the war brides and they come from different backgrounds. By and large most of the cases I have handled for war brides that involve mixed marriages either be between the war bride and a Caucasian or the husband is usually make either occasion or meet girls at one stop while I run into the problems of war brides for They've been married to naysay or

Chinese and those are very exceptional and. Most of the problems seem to stem from those families in which the husband is still in the service and there are separation long periods of separation. But I'm referred to may because the language problem. I'm well enough versed in Japanese so that I can. It's much easier for most of the war brides to speak in Japanese I mean especially when they're consulting with an attorney and sometimes there are agencies that know that I'm around. Sometimes it's referral from one war bride to another and sometimes it's a referral from another attorney who feels

that he can't handle the situation because he has a language handy. I would probably have a somewhat distorted view if I just looked at my files. I might conclude that these marriages were not on the whole successful. On the other hand if you look at the statistics on immigration and immigration of war brides in Japan as a quote of one hundred eighty five people who could come over here for a permanent residence the bar brides or non quota and on the average are the immigration statistics show that there's been between 4000 and 5000 war brides coming into this country. Annual a since about 1950. And I would say that roughly one out of every six person of Japanese ancestry in this country today

is a war bride. So that. If you wait my experience who possibly are handled the vast majority of domestic relations problems of the war brides in this area. I don't think a proportion of that runs any worse than the population as a whole Possibly it runs a better percentage that has a lesser percentage to break up a marriage. I've seen some situations where they've had nothing but misery since they've come here but I guess because they have come from a back room they were all they had seen much more adversity that they were situations that they have run into in this country are still better than the situations that they might face if they go back to jail. Found an attitude some of them feel that they have

to stay here because. They have an agenda of a marriage against Ronald wishes are. In the village where they came from might have frowned upon a mixed marriage. Therefore the poem would not be who they would find a hostile home or hostile community. To go back to the other instances where brides are more or less our friends to begin with or they've lost their families they have lost contact with their families or their families are very poor so that. The situation in Japan would be much worse. And another factor which makes them probably a little more adaptable to the type of adversity that they might run into here is the fact that most of the war brides were children during the war and they never had

the kind of easy childhood that today. Most of us feel this ideal or most of the children probably raise here or are accustomed to so that they were they went through childhood with many many handicaps and they're not used to I mean that they don't expect the but everything is going to be a bed of roses not being in marriage or otherwise. So their outlook is probably a little bit better from the standpoint of adjusting themselves to a foreign country foreign languages foreign customs to a marriage which probably is less than ideal for one type of dream marriages that we call a car blew apart. And so I married Japanese So my take on them I had one if

they were to call you friend and he hoped that you know me thought I think you might be left out because everything to me. And who would get me through it. And then my books Jack me one thing when I start looking. In the right after take a movie that's because I'm a Ferrari find it you know and I'm an American and playing and getting better much faster. That's when I decided to work that. But then I went to where you can see you know Lodovico you know but that they asked me about American citizenship first so that they don't want they go find a

job and then I don't know how to make and like you can get you know that things like this makes a discovery. But that can't be helped because I can get a message back at them. So at that time writing happy was very thing happened. Right because some people like the taking and sharing side of it and I could take you take care of anything good. Not all of that you know could be so weak. Even I try to put the same someone Japanese feeling at me saying that I mean everybody likes a time to be down they want to know in them when I was working in the company. My boss is very very nice and they're very interesting. Write your panto they ask me all kinds of patients that are sent on the asking about a gay

show you know I just have to believe they've been kind and they're going to end them by Chinese food too and they want to eat raw fish. If I caught them about in their thoughts of pride we don't and if they ask me what I had that I didn't like and it tastes like so I took them. To summarize he could talk us the khaki and and the first they all cleaned up so they don't look like fish and then they ate after they ate the athlete you know. He even ate already but I knew what we had to last one number and I could marry my father he ordered them down but they were interesting. Him and my family think I was Iraqi So I came here. Well I think on this my home. We have family in

Houston and I beginning to think are they on the plea. Why do they do mumble. My headphones. Fine me and my husband find that paper and find a growth by the way. It's good stuff. I hadn't had so much hand. My husband Randy and I meet people as always. My husband's great friend a husband and wife. People just don't like and that I can tell they won't be there all the way to me but I can tell you my hurt they don't like me but the trouble that they everybody

knows I think I've been handed to. Him. But I got all that I can write good likely right then that he really meant all the same that I make good. And when I want to be there and I think well I'll write it and I can really do mine today. There are many minority groups in America and most of them have formed associations there right. The organization of the Japanese is the JCL the Japanese American citizens.

There already are foreigners who do a serious serious there's no. Way back. And there it was in Rwanda is very hard to get started you know days because there are new sort of quote project news at that time and don't like the idea of us organizing. So news group. Right here when the first group was organized in in Fresno in Europe they call themselves the American wealthy and Seattle had a group called the progress of some of these really were first ones to to to reform under the Japanese-American some of these mega we've organized that the senses grow several Cura were bigger and bigger injuries here and so it was good together in organizing JCL. They serve as president two or three times. We're a very lonely start. Well I couldn't join you you know but

good try to prevent their sons and daughters from coming in at that time. We're right on the border because an unwinnable consumer ship and a lot of prejudice. So they felt that as long as we were treated as orphan why should we be loyal to this country. Forgot to change an awful lot since this was a 20 20 or 30 around there. We had a very different group called trying get nothing started. I remember clearly when I just alternated the president's Europe for five or six years before I would take on a. Job with the logos usually is all kid a damn wonderful job. When you occasionally. But. Oh they.

Are. They tend to. Be organization faces you know what I mean when you say years. A Japanese American born here educated here. And then the. Businessman proficient. And the. So-called middle class. Interested in ordinary people. Try to be sure. How close Perez and how powerful the Japanese communities are and then some kind. Of. Political Jab they want to get it so that

all of the great big bunk bed for the candidate and then candidate for the Democrat or the job is created and. Regarded as critical. You know all Democratic council we can. Have a banquet. The Republican Republican Democrat cause. All job news coverage because I don't believe in that. I was invited many time of course I was a member of the disease for many years. Then I did some work for that too. I got this kind of disgusted because of such a threat. I'm very lucky to be in critical few. But. In the southeast. I've got.

Literature. Regularly for it. And visit the people talk to the people. Instead of going to the party and I meet a candidate and she can't even do that. I think for the average Japanese American it social kind of thing. Well I guess all minority organizations have have to meet two things a social thing and playing a political role. But it seems like this is it almost plays a social role entirely. And I get a feeling and I may be wrong that a lot of Japanese Americans feel that we've arrived. And so nobody gets real excited about the other things that are going

on politically or socially. I think there is a need for a Japanese-American citizens Lee and anyway some Japanese American organization. On the other hand I also feel that more Japanese Americans should be active in such things is because of a civic you know I mean really active or and democratic closer. So with and I don't think there's much in this I find in general that these people who are active in let's say democratic or clubs aren't too active in the JCL It's a funny thing I guess you can't put yourself into different directions. And so. You know when I say please cat get out it. I suppose the JCL is the only group that. There's anything

you can call a group. As far as I can tell they're just. Two words come to my mind one is that they're self-centered. And. Miche. And I don't think they can be labeled as conservative or liberal. I don't think they can be labeled as. Socially conscious or not. In this just. As far as the part that is concerned. There. It's just looking outward. Japanese Americans interest supposedly. Also as far as I can tell it's not a mass movement. They have certain people who are lobbyist and so forth.

And as far as I know if they do have elections are electing the lobbyist and so forth it's a rubber stamp. No one disputes anything like this. As far as I can tell people who are. Socially conscious and one who want to do something they're Japanese-American as. They seem to get quite disgusted. Well let's say that they're liberals or something like this. They get pretty disgusted with this group and Lee. The primary drives seem to. Become. You know model sort of passport white sort of life could be on a cruise ship and just be accepted in cars on the stereo and so on. So those seems to have been the dominant drive and we try to stay out. It's. A classic example is the. McLaren man. Which

a lot beat for not only bad but they. Gave the people of McCarren after the bill was passed. Now this is a very self-centered type of. Thing being accepted. It's great to have another 40 in the book about the bird where there are no red. Need American citizens have an important part in the development of the Japanese American community and of its citizens. Whether it could remain a vital part of the play the same kind of role I have my doubts. I think each new game is accomplished. The Japanese American Citizens League must look for new tasks to ponder over and to conquer. Without it the most

valuable in the life of the Japanese American. But I thought the American citizen league was turning into into a store for innovation. You get hundreds of its members coming out to those birds for cooking lessons and when you have a meet regular meeting to discuss policy in regard to certain acts the legislation you get 30 35 for the quick holding those that you were sort of not so sure. We're pretty proud of the part we played as an organization and we get up and Japanese-Americans because we feel we are more credit than we do but that's not to win the thing to see that. Well we do have a program to still. We're trying we're on a national

program to crack to eliminate the term Jazz from the spoken language. We work with other groups and how do we work together with one of the practices much of it as an organization we we. We meet with representatives of other minorities and up here in the Bay Area. Clarence House to talk over things of major concern down south and force and conference. Relations. Back. And I'm in the car in the school segregation case we file an amicus brief. And because Bri and the Mexicans who settled the case here in California we're trying to eliminate the old movies made during wartime

which are derogatory to Americans of Japanese ancestry. Actually they're based on wild because they picked up news Americans as disloyal. In a free country. All men stand equal before the law. But when you're looking for a job and a place to live. There are disadvantages to being a Japanese-American. There one that stands out in my mind at this present moment of housing or rather than anything else. It was handled very nicely but I somehow feel

there could be more improvements made on the line. I daresay the realty boards can certainly help. It's nothing but directly in. I fly on occasions. I wondered if it may have helped if I was. If I wasn't Japanese when I was a creation of. Some some European background possible. This of these of course are. More assumptions that I've made well. Paul what a farce. Wall the circumstances seem to make me feel that I work for a public welfare department in this area. Well I I was a social worker or a caseworker for

six years and now I'm supervising a group of caseworkers. I have never had any Japanese-American client primarily the group. Well I would say one third Negro and third white men whatever you want to call them and the area in which I worked has very few Japanese-Americans in the area and. I think that this is a reason. I think if I worked in maybe San Francisco this would be quite different. I don't think some of these people really know what what nationality I want to somebody at one time ask me whether I was Mexican and I said no. It was during this time I guess I have a pretty good tan at the time but other than that they never asked

me what nationality and they might have. But I mean it didn't seem to make much difference.