Voting rights, the Oyama case and a Nisei story for Broadway, 1946

Vol. 23, No. 20, November 23, 1946. 8 pages. View this issue

Civil rights and the work still ahead after the war filled this 8-page issue. Twelve organizations in British Columbia asked a legislative committee to let Oriental Canadians vote. A. L. Wirin, special counsel for the JACL and ACLU, traveled east to confer on a Supreme Court brief in the Oyama test case against California’s Alien Land law. National JACL officers met in Salt Lake City, and editorials backed a Washington office for the Anti-Discrimination Committee. A JACL-backed brief against segregating Mexican American children cited the Korematsu decision.

On the arts pages, Larry Tajiri and Bill Hosokawa wrote about the new Broadway play Some of the Sky, and Toshio Mori contributed the short story Lahio Mori. John Kitasako’s Washington column looked at the end of a committee that had aided relocatees. Previews of the film Barriers and Passes drew criticism, and Ben Kuroki was scheduled to speak at a Nisei night in Washington. Sports and club news run through the back pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• British Columbia Groups Call for Voting Privileges for Citizens of Oriental Descent, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Twelve organizations in British Columbia testified before a provincial legislative committee in favor of enfranchising Oriental Canadians, who are currently barred from voting in that province. The New Canadian reported that the revised elections act may include provisions to end these restrictions.
• Nisei Civil Service Workers Leave for Occupation Jobs, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A group of United States civil service workers, including Nisei and American girls, departed Seattle aboard the USS Arcadia for occupation duty in Japan. The ship was also expected to carry approximately 200 Japanese Canadian repatriates.
• Drastic Changes Recommended in Evacuation Film, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Members of the San Francisco JACL previewed the documentary Barriers and Passes and urged major revisions. Critics said the color shots of relocation camps were too pretty and gave a misleading impression of camp conditions.

Incarceration & Redress

• Attorney Will Discuss Brief in Oyama Case, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A. L. Wirin, special counsel for the JACL and ACLU, traveled east to confer on a Supreme Court brief in the Oyama test case challenging the California Alien Land law. He also planned to pursue claims for property seized from persons of Japanese ancestry by the Alien Property Custodian.

Arts & Entertainment

• Kuroki Book Author Will Be Heard on Radio Broadcast, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ralph Martin, author of Boy From Nebraska about Ben Kuroki, was scheduled to discuss his book on a Los Angeles radio program. Martin was also collecting material for a new book about the problems of veterans.
• Tickets On Sale for Benefit Concert by Masako Ono, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tickets went on sale for a Dec. 29 concert by soprano Masako Ono at Fresno State College, benefiting the CCYBA organ fund. The program will include Japanese folk songs, popular and classic numbers.
• Nisei Story for Broadway, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. A new Broadway play titled Some of the Sky tells of a Nisei woman who marries a GI and faces racial prejudice on his mainland farm. The column describes the play’s aims and compares it to earlier stage works about race.
• Mme. Butterfly Revisited, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa argues that older interracial romance dramas such as Madame Butterfly present outdated fatalistic views. He suggests newer plays like Some of the Sky reflect a more contemporary and democratic approach.
• Lahio Mori: A Short Story, by Toshio Mori, page 5. An elderly Issei friend, Hamada, asks the Saiki sisters to perform a Japanese folk dance to recapture his homeland memories. Their reluctant performance moves him deeply, and the story closes with his sense of loneliness.
• Book Review: Patterns of Prejudice (Glass House of Prejudice by Dorothy W. Baruch), by M.O.T., page 6. The reviewer praises Dorothy Baruch’s book on prejudice, which uses case studies of the 1944 Zoot Suit riots and other discrimination to examine effects on both victims and aggressors. The review notes the book does not address economic motives behind organized prejudice.

Military & Veterans

• Three Nisei Ex-GI Groups Organized in California, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three new Nisei veterans groups formed in Northern California, including the San Francisco Drakes, which focuses on athletics and social activities. Former Nisei GIs at the University of California and in the Walnut Grove area also organized veterans committees.
• Army Trains 1500 Nisei GIs for Jobs in Japan Occupation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Army is training 1500 Nisei for postwar occupation work in Japan at the Presidio of Monterey. The USO has addressed recreational needs by organizing dances with junior hostesses who attend from surrounding towns.

Community

• Challenging Segregation of Mexican American Children, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL joined a friend-of-court brief challenging the segregation of Mexican American children in a Westminster, California school district. The brief cited the Korematsu decision and argued that constitutional protections against ancestry-based discrimination apply.
• Kuroki to Talk at Nisei Night in Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Nisei night program sponsored by the Washington East and West Association and the Washington JACL will feature a talk by Ben Kuroki on Nov. 26. Dillon Myer will chair the event, which includes a soprano performance and films of the 442nd.
• Portland JACL to Sponsor Nisei Blood Donors List, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Portland JACL chapter decided to sponsor a donor list so critically ill Japanese American patients can receive transfusions despite segregation in some local medical facilities. The chapter also supported a proposed community-wide blood bank open to all races.
• McKinley Newspaper Wins National Award for War Service, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The McKinley High School newspaper in Honolulu, the Daily Pinion, received the George H. Gallup award for its wartime service in educating and uniting youth. The staff of student editors and reporters was also named.
• Oakland Plans Fete to Honor Nisei Veterans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Oakland will honor Japanese American war veterans at a Thanksgiving dinner sponsored by two local churches. Entertainment and a keynote address by J. Munroe Warner are planned.
• Evacuees Find Furniture Taken From Home, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Henry and James Tanda located $1500 worth of furniture allegedly stolen from their Salinas home during evacuation, held in a San Francisco storage house. Court action and possible theft charges are being pursued.
• Older Nisei Girls Hold Initial Club Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The newly organized Older Nisei Girls Club of Sacramento elected officers at its first meeting and planned a candlelight installation service. The club aims to develop character, education and fellowship among young Nisei women.
• Ogden YBA Schedules Girls’ Preference Hop, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Ogden YBA will host its annual Girls’ Preference Holiday Hop on December 13 at the Weber college ballroom with music by Shorty Ross and his orchestra. Admission is $2 per couple.
• Four Hundred Attend Fresno Buddhist Post-War Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 8. More than 400 delegates attended the first post-war CCYBA conference in Fresno, where Manabu Fukuda was elected president. Plans included basketball leagues, Sunday school expansion, and a Masako Ono concert.

JACL

• National JACL Board Meets to Outline Future Program, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL officers and regional representatives gathered in Salt Lake City to discuss reorganization proposals, including a Washington office for the Anti-Discrimination Committee. The meeting aimed to push evacuation claims and naturalization legislation in the next Congress.

Commentary

• Washington News-Letter: Capital Committee for Nisei Dissolves After Two Years, by John Kitasako, page 4. The Washington Committee for Japanese Ancestry dissolved after aiding relocatees, and the columnist notes that Nisei rarely expressed appreciation to their Caucasian supporters. He urges Nisei to write letters of thanks and speak up as the Congress considers evacuation claims.
• Lobby for Progress, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial defends lobbying as a legitimate democratic function and urges support for a JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee office in Washington. It argues that pending bills on evacuee claims and naturalization require organized representation in Congress.
• Against Race Isolation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial warns that racism remains active despite the lifting of wartime pressure on Japanese Americans, citing hate groups and the Ku Klux Klan revival. It argues that discrimination against any minority ultimately threatens all, and supports JACL litigation on behalf of other groups.
• Interracial Unity, by P.C. Staff, page 4. An Associated Press survey found sustained efforts for interracial tolerance across the country, though tensions persist. The editorial notes that most progress has been made at state and local levels rather than through national legislation.
• A Lesson for Political Strategists, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The column argues that the defeat of Proposition 15 in California and repeal of an Oregon Chinese alien law show that organized voter education on discriminatory legislation succeeds. It credits the JACL for its campaign and urges offensive action against injustices.
• The Child Mind, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A family recalls their young daughter’s fixation on a washtub that once held a catfish and worms from years earlier. The brief reflection notes how children remember experiences more vividly than adults.
• Tomorrow’s Heirs: Winter’s Festival, Not Quite Dead, Thanksgiving, by Sachi L. Wada, page 5. Wada writes on the beauty of the first snowfall, on young women’s courtesy on a streetcar, and on the Thanksgiving reminder to be grateful to be alive. She urges readers to consider how fortunate survivors are.

Sports

• Nisei Scores Twice as Pomona College Beats Caltech, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Shoji, a Nisei backfield star for Pomona College, scored two touchdowns in a 52-14 win over Caltech in a Southern California conference game. His runs included a long score and a 14-yard touchdown.
• Salt Lake Nisei Team Wins First Round, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Salt Lake Nisei basketball team won its opening game in the Salt Lake County Recreation league, led by Fumio Kasai with 14 points. The team led 12 to 5 at the half.
• Konoshima, Miyagawa Seek National Crown for Wisconsin Ring Squad, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Two Nisei boxers, Akio Rock Konoshima and Dick Miyagawa, anchor the University of Wisconsin boxing team aiming for a national championship. Konoshima captained an undefeated 1946 team and Miyagawa previously won an NCAA title at San Jose State.

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