◆ SpookStack

oe ee te anew weet fear, and heartbreaking disappointments. oe . - ' . - Epistle to Amonrica. "A latter from Hideo Hashimote, pastor of the Japanese Methodist Church, Fresno, California, end member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. ee April 18, 1942 Dear FRIENDS: On the eve of evacuation, I grect you: with mixed feel- ings. The swift current of events following the outbreak _ Of the present war has disrupted the lives of many of us. . T must state at the outset that it has not all been unmixed evil Asa a ministes of Christ, I have gained valuable ex- perience and opportunities of service that will strengthen and make more effective my ministry. But to the people awhom I serve these months have been time of uncertainty, Not that we have expected to ead normai fives, but it was a biow to America-loving, peaceful permanent residents who have lived i in America thirty to hfty yeats, to be suddenly classt- fied as “enemy aliens” and receive treatment as such. - The impact has been an especially hard one for the Nisei, the Americah citizens of Japanese parentage. They have no home but this—no allegiance but the United States. Already over five thousand are in the U.S. Army. Suddenly they awoke on the morning of March 3, and dis- covered to their utter bewilderment, that their own govern- ment has classified them as Class 3 “enemy aliens,” ahead of German and Italian aliens. As I go about busily engaged in welfare work among needy families; soliciting funds and food for welfare, understanding and aid from Caucasian friends; helping with registrations, disposal or storage of real and personal property; finding renters for houses and businesses; col- lecting junk; trying to preach to the being-disillusioned on the meaning of the Cross: providing nursery and reies- tional facilities; and writing these letters and a thiclae ta aie afoicigs au widely scattered friends {and forgetting about packing my * things while going about urging others to do so in the face of imminent evacuation orders); being testricted to five miles and having to be in at 8:00 P. M., I cannot believe that only thie and a half months ago 1 was iravel- ling from onc end of the continent to the other, attending the National Conference of Methodist Students at Urbana and visiting many of you. In all these days, the heart-warming and encouraging experiences in the midst of darkness have been your thoughtful Ictters and the sympathy and help of these Caucasian Friends who have helped us unstintedly. The real meaning of friendship, and of the Cheistian fellow- ship that transcends the barriers of cave and nations stand out in clear-cut relief in these heart-breaking days. What the future holds for us is very uncertain, except for the definite knowledge that there will be untold suffer- ing. But it is not the physical suffering that is the most difficult for us. We are willing to go a second mile in - for which she stands. - men without a country, not by our choice but against our eee ee hee and hin tacl. tm hin clan . FEA PUPIL TUTTLE LPR Bae RUF OP SEL serving and suffering for our nation and for the principles But it is the feeling that we are will by the decree of the Fourth Army. However, when a feeling of beirig unjustly discriminated , against is combined with physical hardship, it is next to unbearable. The Indorhian ere a Hl suo Weniers people will be housed and fed ' ‘temporatily,” have been built in about a week to ten days. There must be about fifteen or twenty of them, most of them in racetracks and county fairgrounds. Many of the durable buildings are Made-Gver stables, but the majority of them are rough _ frame structures 20 feet by one hundred fect with small windows, tar-paper walls and roofs, and asphalt floors! About five families will be housed in each. Imagine a typicat Japanese family of six or seven (not the average, because there are many newly-weds and singie men and women) living in a single room twenty feet square, in these shacks during the typical Fresno summer weather of 105 degrees outside in the shade—perhaps 125 degrees inside (with asphalt floors!). No one knows where the abare ‘where 1 {000 ta 10, favala] people will be “relocated” from these centers. The Army — has taken upon itself (or was forced by powerfully maneu- vered minority “public” pressure) a task that is not its usual. The Army has done it as well as may be expected, but it is faced with almost insuperable dithculties. fk am to be evacuated and to enter into one of these concentration camps, fer that is what they really are, with double barbed fences and all, Only families: men, women, children, sick, and invalid, are to be placed in them. 1 shall probably be responsible to between 3,000 and 5.000 souls in one of these, perhaps at Fresno Fairgrounds. Many old people will die. Many babics will be born’ and will dic, (The fargest group of Nisci is now in the early twenties). Many will pass away more because of tht loss of all that they have worked for in there lifetime and the lack of something to live for. I am to be their pastor, the minister of the Gospel. How am I to preach to them? I do not ask in resentment or cynicism. There is nothing in my heart but the fecling of ore rears 2 | Weeeay YR EEE undertake it? T even fecl that it is my providential oppor- tunity to serve the people and the Master, But more than Te tf fait sab Gain, _ ever before T feel humble in the face of the gigantic task. [need your help and sour prayers. “te is better to. ght a candic than to curse the dark- ness.” Let us all endeavor, in the name of our Master, to do our bit for His Kingdom in these days of darkness. ~ Yours in fellowship, - Hipeo Hastimeoro. - If you would like to help, write to any of the following: Cormmission on Alicns aud Pricnianea af Wael Dew ee hee oc ee oer aot ee ee ee mY pee SS ee