1946: Honoring the 442nd and the fight over Issei naturalization

Vol. 23, No. 4, July 27, 1946. 8 pages. View this issue

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the thread through this 8-page issue. Hawaii prepared a Veterans Week to welcome its men home, Hawaiian members of the unit sailed from New York, and John Kitasako recalled the July 15 parade and review before President Truman. An editorial discussed the unit’s coming deactivation. Alongside it ran the push for legal change: President Truman urged action on the Ellender bill for evacuation property claims, and Delegate Joseph Farrington introduced HR 7128 to end racial limits on naturalization.

Elsewhere, Larry Tajiri traced the history of the West Coast bilingual press, and Bill Hosokawa wrote that the battle against prejudice was not over. Bradford Smith argued the 1942 evacuation was unnecessary, and editorials urged California voters to reject Amendment No. 15. Local news covered JACL chapters in Monterey, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Hawaii Nisei Eye Political Races; Those Who Withdrew in 1942 Will File for Coming Elections, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese Americans in Hawaii who withdrew from the 1942 elections are returning to run again in 1946, with several candidates already filed on both major tickets. Former supervisors Chris Watase, Shiro Hamamoto and Tokuichi Miyake are among those expected to seek office.
• Hawaii to Honor Gls at Veterans Week, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Veterans Week in Honolulu will welcome home Hawaiian men who served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and other units. Committee chairmen and planning members were named for the observance.
• 442nd Men Attend Ball Game, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Members of the 442nd Combat Team were guests of the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. Photos also show the Kurahara twins, who served with the unit, being interviewed on radio.
• Hawaiian Veterans of 442nd Leave on Woodbury Victory; Mainland GIs Demobilized, by P.C. Staff, page 2. More than 200 Hawaiian members of the 442nd departed New York aboard the Waterbury Victory for Honolulu, while mainland members were separated at Fort Meade. The regiment will be formally deactivated in Hawaii.
• Deactivation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial discusses the upcoming deactivation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team despite some Army officers’ proposals to keep it permanently. It argues the unit’s purpose was to prove Nisei loyalty, and that ending segregation is the best tribute to its record.
• Letter-Box: Tribute to the Japanese American Soldier, by J. McMullin, page 6. A former officer writes to praise the Japanese American soldiers he trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, and apologizes for the ignorant Americans who abused them. He states that the Nisei soldiers earned respect through their service.

Community

• Berkeley Meeting Discusses Evacuee Business Problems, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A meeting in Berkeley on July 25 discussed discriminatory restrictions and employment problems facing returned evacuees of Japanese ancestry in California. Participants reported ongoing resettlement difficulties and welcoming efforts from local business leaders.
• 25 Scholarships Offered Nisei Girls by Nursing School, by P.C. Staff, page 2. St. Luke’s and Children’s Medical Center School of Nursing in Philadelphia is offering 25 scholarships covering three years of expenses to American girls of Japanese ancestry. Applicants must be high school graduates and the class begins September 25.
• Monterey JACL Sponsors Social Events for Nisei Soldiers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A dance and social event held July 18 at the Monterey USO entertained Nisei GIs stationed at the Presidio language school. The Monterey JACL and local volunteers helped supply dancing partners and planned future weekly dances.
• Mid-Columbia JACL Honors Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Mid-Columbia JACL held a dinner and social at Dell Hall in Hood River, Oregon, honoring local Nisei high school graduates. Committee members were recognized for organizing the event.
• Hood River Evacuees Return to Area, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Many Japanese American evacuees from Hood River have returned to the area after the war. The article notes efforts to correct an honor roll omission and the community’s reception of returning families.
• Former Nisei WAC Will Wed Officer in Tokyo Ceremony, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Atsuko Mori of Magna, Utah, a civilian government worker in Tokyo, is engaged to Lieut. Gunji Moriuchi of San Francisco, also on occupation duty in Japan. The wedding is scheduled for September 7 at the 42nd General Hospital Chapel in Tokyo.
• Summer Retreat Scheduled by Church Group, by Ethel Otomo, page 6. A Japanese American Christian young people’s retreat is planned for August 1 to 3 at Lake Sequoia near Kings Canyon in California. Organizers announced the program theme and a cabinet of officers.
• Sakahara Admitted to Law Practice, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Toru Sakahara was one of 33 young lawyers admitted to practice in a ceremony before the King County superior bench in Seattle. He was previously admitted to the Utah State bar in 1945.
• JACL Representative Speaks in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 6. JACL representative Eiji Tanabe spoke to Chicago Issei on June 30 and July 1 about national legislation affecting persons of Japanese ancestry. The Issei group reportedly formed a supporters organization with officers and directors.
• Margaret Saito Cited in Glamour Magazine Article, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Glamour magazine featured Margaret Saito, a Japanese American dentist at NYU, in a July article on women in professions. The item notes her achievement as a recognition for Nisei professionals.
• Monterey JACL Honors Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Mike Masaoka, regional JACL representative, was a guest of honor at a Monterey chapter appreciation banquet held in June. Local members hosted him during his weekend visit.
• Minneapolis Group Condemns Bias in Minority Housing, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Minneapolis Japanese American Service Committee voted to send a letter to the city planning commission condemning discrimination and restrictive covenants against all minorities. Chairman Gerald Patsey asked that the letter oppose bias based on national origin, religion, or race generally.
• Idaho Nisei Attend Sawtooth Institute, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Eight Nisei from southeastern Idaho attended the Sawtooth Institute at Camp Sawtooth near Ketchum. The article lists the participants from Idaho Falls and Pocatello.
• Selma Candidate Named for Buddhist Queen Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Yoshiye Noda of Selma was chosen as her community’s representative in the Central California District Buddhist queen contest in Fresno on August 10.
• Shower Planned for Chim Okazaki, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A bridal shower for Miss Chim Okazaki, recently engaged to Nobuyuki Kawata, will be held in New York on July 29. Hostesses Mrs. Tateuo Hasegawa and Miss Ida Otani are arranging the event.
• Mid-Summer Hop Planned by Tacoma Co-ed Club, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Co-ed Interracial Activity Club of Tacoma will sponsor a mid-summer dance on August 11 at the Spanish Castle Ballroom. Gordon Greene and his orchestra will provide the music.
• New York JACL Group Plans Picnic at Jones Beach, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The New York JACL chapter will hold a picnic at Jones Beach on August 4 and a summer dance on August 17. Committee chairmen were named for both events.
• Washington Nisei to Form JACL Chapter, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Washington, D.C. Nisei agreed at a July 19 meeting to organize a JACL chapter at a meeting planned for August 9. A temporary committee was appointed to handle constitution, membership, and budget matters.
• Seven Candidates Vie for Bussei Queen Title, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Seven young women have been entered by Young Buddhist Association groups in Central California to compete for the title of Miss Bussei of Central California on August 10. The entrants come from Fowler, Reedley, Fresno, Bowles, Selma and North Fresno.
• Monterey Wedding, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Yoshi Kodani and Haruo Esaki were married on July 21 at the Monterey Presbyterian Church. The groom is a veteran who served in Italy, France and Germany.

National

• Federal Court Rules Alien Japanese Girl May Enter U.S. as Wife of American Soldier, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Judge Paul McCormick of Los Angeles ruled that a Japan-born woman married to an American soldier may enter the United States as a non-quota immigrant despite her ineligibility for citizenship. The decision may set a precedent for other servicemen’s foreign wives.
• Truman Urges Action on Evacuee Claims Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Truman asked Congress to pass the Ellender bill providing indemnification for property losses suffered by Japanese Americans during the 1942 evacuation. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill, though House action remained uncertain.
• Canadian War Veterans Ask Citizen Rights, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese Canadian World War I veterans petitioned the Canadian government to restore their citizenship rights and redress property losses from wartime evacuation. The petition claimed their properties were sold at half value, and only 34 of the 250 original veterans remain.
• Churchmen Ask for Defeat of Anti-Alien Law, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Northern California and Western Nevada Council of Churches urged voters to defeat Amendment No. 15 on the November ballot, calling it racial legislation. The council also condemned the Nationality Act of 1940 and called for repeal of the Alien Land Law.
• Federal Court Rules Ineligibility, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A Seattle alien of Japanese ancestry, Yukio Chai, faces deportation after immigration officials ruled he entered the country unlawfully in 1907 and had been out of status. His attorney argues that his 1934 stop in Victoria, B.C. did not constitute a new entry.
• California Supreme Court Will Rule on Refusal of State to Permit Fishing by Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Attorney General Robert Kenny agreed with counsel for Torao Takahashi to take an appeal to the California Supreme Court challenging the 1945 law barring aliens ineligible for citizenship from commercial fishing. The case affects about 500 Japanese alien fishermen who lost their licenses.
• Supreme Court of California Will Rule on Refusal of State to Permit Fishing by Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Attorney General Robert Kenny and counsel for alien fisherman Torao Takahashi agreed to take the Fish and Game Commission appeal directly to the California Supreme Court. The case challenges the 1945 law restricting commercial fishing by aliens ineligible for citizenship.

Incarceration & Redress

• Issei Naturalization Bill Introduced in Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Delegate Joseph Farrington of Hawaii introduced HR 7128 to remove racial restrictions from naturalization, allowing loyal Issei to become citizens. The bill was referred to committee and was not expected to see action before adjournment.
• Study of Social, Economic Adjustments of Evacuees to Be Continued by Federal Agency, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Department of the Interior’s War Agency Liquidation Unit will continue the WRA study of Japanese American social and economic adjustment for another year. Research will focus on Los Angeles, Chicago and Denver, with findings expected in spring 1947.
• Nisei Ask Reinstatement for California Civil Service Jobs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eighty-seven California state employees of Japanese ancestry, suspended in 1942 on racial grounds, rejected a settlement offer and requested reinstatement with back pay. A hearing on the disloyalty charges is scheduled for August 28 through 30.

Commentary

• No One Will Forget Parade of Nisei GIs in Washington, by John Kitasako, page 2. The author describes the July 15 parade and review of the 442nd before President Truman as a moving tribute that symbolized national recognition of Nisei loyalty. He argues the regiment won the battle for acceptance as loyal Americans and urges fair treatment for Nisei veterans in civilian life.
• Navy Intelligence Opposed Evacuation from West Coast, Says Former OWI Official, by Bradford Smith, page 3. Bradford Smith, former head of OWI’s Japanese section, writes in Far Eastern Survey that the 1942 evacuation was unnecessary and indefensible, noting Navy Intelligence opposed it. He proposes four courses of action, including Supreme Court review, alien naturalization, compensation, and continued citizens committees.
• Naturalization Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial welcomes Delegate Farrington’s bill to remove racial restrictions from naturalization, noting that Japanese and Korean aliens are now the only sizable excluded groups. It argues the measure would give parents of Japanese American war dead a chance to become citizens, though passage is unlikely this session.
• Amendment 15, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial urges California voters to reject Amendment No. 15, a ballot measure ratifying amendments to the Alien Land Act that Senator Jack Tenney proposed to inject racial politics into the 1946 elections. It notes public attitudes have changed and that the measure is race legislation.
• The Continuing Battle, by New York Post, page 4. A reprinted New York Post editorial contrasts the honoring of the 442nd with the race-based economic terrorism against Japanese American farmers on the Pacific Coast. It frames the struggle as a fight between democracy and hate groups.
• Restricted Housing, Restricted Democracy, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Anthropologist Elmer Smith argues that racially restrictive housing covenants do not solve housing problems and instead create overcrowding and tension. He recommends direct legal challenges, cooperative standards based on income and property condition, and fair employment laws.
• Chicago Notebook: It’s Not Only Windy, It’s Hot in the City in Summer, by Joe Nakamura, page 5. Joe Nakamura describes escaping Chicago’s summer heat in Grant Park and at Sand Dune beach near Gary, Indiana, and reflects on Van Gogh paintings at the Art Institute. He also muses on the difficulties Nisei artists face in pursuing fine arts careers.
• From the Frying Pan: The Battle Is Not Yet Over for Nisei, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa urges Nisei to heed President Truman’s words that the fight against prejudice continues after the 442nd’s victories. He suggests returning veterans can lead postwar efforts for equal economic opportunity and against un-American discrimination.
• Rocky Serenade, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A Denver JACL picnic is described as Charles Kamayatsu leads children and mothers in singing folk songs and popular tunes with his ukulele. The scene evokes a sense of community and reflection on how far the families have come since the evacuation.

In-Depth

• The Coast Bilingual Press, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Larry Tajiri traces the history of the prewar Japanese American bilingual press on the West Coast, including labor disputes, competition, and violence. He reports on which dailies and weeklies have resumed or been newly founded since the evacuation.

Sports

• San Jose Zebras Will Meet GIs From G-2 School, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The San Jose Zebras, a Nisei baseball team on a five-game winning streak, will face the Presidio All-Stars on July 28 at San Jose Municipal Stadium. The Presidio team previously won 13 of 15 games in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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