Alien land law fights, stranded Nisei and a veteran’s last flight

Vol. 24, No. 17, May 3, 1947. 8 pages. View this issue

William R. Ogie, a Japanese American former Army Air Forces bomber pilot, stayed with his falling plane to steer it away from Columbus, Georgia, and died of his injuries. His story led the front page of this May 3, 1947 issue. Beside it, Roger Baldwin announced a Tokyo office of the JACL to help stranded Nisei return home, and the JACL San Francisco office reported that Japanese American landowners had lost over half a million dollars in California Alien Land law cases. Larry Tajiri wrote about the roughly 10,000 Nisei stranded in Japan, and Bill Hosokawa wrote from Denver.

Other pages followed the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee and hearings on a bill to remove race bias from deportation law, with testimony from Edward J. Ennis. Rev. W. Sherman Burgoyne was honored for his stand in Hood River, Oregon, and John Kitasako told that story. Naomi Kashiwabara contributed a short story. This eight-page issue also carried chapter news from across the country.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Japanese American Veteran Gives Life in Crash Saving Columbus Residents, by P.C. Staff, page 1. William R. Ogie, a former Army Air Forces bomber pilot, stayed with his falling plane to steer it away from Columbus, Georgia, and died from injuries after the crash. He was buried in Columbus on April 14.
• 442nd Veteran Succumbs in Chicago to Combat Injuries, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Esami Okamoto died at his Chicago home on April 21 from wounds suffered in combat with the 442nd. He is survived by his wife and a six-month-old daughter.
• Navy Accepts Hawaii Nisei Into Reserve, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Admiral Louis E. Denfeld announced the navy will again accept Japanese American enlistments in the naval reserve. Approximately 200 enlistments are expected in the current campaign.
• U.S. Army Sergeant Faces Possible Deportation as Alien, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Technical Sergeant Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, who faces deportation to Japan despite wartime service, may be the subject of a private bill for citizenship. He was inducted six weeks after the special law for alien servicemen expired.
• Qualified Civilians May Apply for Army Commissions, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A new war department directive lets qualified civilians, especially Japanese language instructors, apply for direct commissions in the military intelligence service. Those accepted would be reserve officers on active duty for occupational duties in Japan.
• Nisei Veteran Attends Minnesota AVC Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Peter Ohtaki, a former MIS veteran and co-editor of the Northwest Nisei, was one of three St. Paul AVC delegates at the Minnesota state convention in Winona. The article notes his wartime editing work on MIS publications.

Community

• Baldwin Announces Formation of Tokyo Office of JACL to Assist U.S. Citizens in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Roger Baldwin announced a Tokyo branch of the JACL to help stranded Nisei obtain certification and return home, with over 3000 applicants awaiting transport. The branch would serve as a liaison between American and Japanese authorities.
• Nisei Telephone Operator Backs Strike Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sade Nakamura, one of the few Nisei telephone operators on the mainland, explained she is striking because the union is helping workers. She reported earning $27 a week and has been walking the picket line.
• Nisei Atom-Bomb Survivors Arrive in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Nisei atom bomb survivors, Mrs. Chieko Nagamoto and Nobuko Sumiyoshi, arrived in San Francisco with 39 other stranded Nisei. Both heard the B-29 that dropped the bomb and survived the house collapse.
• Nisei Couple File Answer in Ouster Suit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Clifford and Mary Matsuura answered a Los Angeles suit seeking their eviction under a racial restrictive covenant, arguing such covenants violate the 14th Amendment. Co-defendant is the California Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
• Hayakawa Lectures on Semantics at New School, by P.C. Staff, page 2. S. I. Hayakawa gave two lectures at the New School in New York under the New York Society for General Semantics. He discussed language and experience, and semantic factors in race prejudice.
• Nisei Elected by Students Despite Teacher’s Ban, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ken Osaki was elected president of the boys’ federation at Madera high school despite a teacher’s racially motivated objection. The majority of the 500 boys voted for him.
• Col. Aiso Declares Japan’s Economic Problems Unsolved, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Lieut. Col. John F. Aiso said military occupation has failed to solve Japan’s economic problems because of military interference with civilian experts. He argued businessmen should handle business matters.
• San Mateo Chapter Holds Installation of New Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Mateo County JACL chapter held installation ceremonies for new officers with William Enomoto as president. Local merchants donated prizes for the social event.
• Speaker Urges Nisei Support for JACL-ADC, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Chicago attorney Harold R. Gordon urged Nisei to support the Anti-Discrimination Committee at a Midwest Buddhist church young people’s meeting. He explained that the ADC was formed to lobby for legislation affecting Japanese Americans.
• Nisei Elected Student Chief at Orem School, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Makoto Hideshima was elected student body president at Lincoln high school in Orem, Utah, for the 1947-48 term. He defeated Rey Allred in the school election.
• Identify Body of Man Found in Sacramento River, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Coroner W. C. McNeary identified the body of Jutaro Nakamichi, 67, taken from the Sacramento River. Nakamichi had been in ill health and had threatened suicide before disappearing.
• Protest Regulations on Issei Travel to Hawaiian Islands, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL Washington office protested Hawaii travel permit rules for Japanese nationals and urged the secretary of state to eliminate them. The letter argued the restrictions cause unnecessary hardship and violate constitutional guarantees.
• Hood River Incident Cited as Triumph for Democracy, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Rev. W. Sherman Burgoyne received the Thomas Jefferson award for his efforts to restore Nisei names to the Hood River honor roll. He called the outcome a victory of right over the Nazi-like tactics of local extremists.
• Burgoynes Feted at San Francisco JACL Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Burgoynes were honored at a San Francisco JACL dinner and an interracial meeting that followed. Speakers praised the couple for their stand on behalf of Japanese Americans.
• Reactivated Monterey JACL Plans Financial Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The reactivated Monterey Peninsula JACL chapter outlined plans for an ADC fundraising drive, a community picnic, a skating party, and a June carnival-bazaar. Committee assignments were announced for each event.
• Santa Maria Chapter Raises Funds for JACL, Defense Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Santa Maria Valley JACL chapter made its first donations to the National JACL, ADC, and Legal Defense Fund, contributing $600 split equally among the three. The article reports on this new chapter fundraising effort.
• Wirin Seeks Early Decision From State Supreme Court on Anti-Alien Fishing Law, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A. L. Wirin asked the California Supreme Court for an early decision in the Torao Takahashi case challenging the 1945 alien fishing law. He argued the amendment targeted Japanese aliens, affecting about 200 mostly elderly fishermen.
• Alan Cranston Will Speak at Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Alan Cranston, former OWI official and author, will speak at a joint United Citizens League and San Mateo JACL meeting on May 8 in Palo Alto. The article announces the upcoming event.
• Spokane JACL Plans Bowling Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Spokane JACL will hold a bowling tournament on May 4 with singles and doubles competition for men and women. George Higiya and Murphy Iga are co-chairmen.
• Canada Removes Restrictions on Movement of Evacuees Outside of British Columbia, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Labor Minister Humphrey Mitchell announced that restrictions on Japanese Canadians living east of British Columbia have been lifted, though restrictions remain in B.C. A CCF amendment to remove all restrictions was defeated 105 to 31 in Commons.
• Florence Takayama Presents Recital, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Nisei pianist Florence Takayama gave a recital at Carnegie Chamber Hall in New York City on May 1. She performed works by Rameau, Mozart, Brahms, Ravel, Debussy, and Chopin.

National

• Masaoka Raps State Fund for Land Law Cases, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Joe Grant Masaoka criticized a proposed $65,000 California budget item for prosecuting Alien Land law escheat cases, in addition to a $200,000 bill. He urged residents to protest the appropriation to Governor Warren and local legislators.
• ACLU Head Urges Repeal of Racial Bars in Deportation Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Edward J. Ennis urged Congress to remove racial discrimination from deportation proceedings and allow the attorney general discretion in hardship cases. He noted Japanese aliens were overwhelmingly law-abiding.
• Hearings Completed on House Bill to Eliminate Race Bias in Federal Deportation Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Public hearings on H.R. 2933, a Justice department bill to remove race discrimination from deportation laws, were completed with testimony from JACL and others. Attorney General Tom Clark voiced support for the bill.
• ILWU Delegates Support Move for Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. ILWU delegates at a San Francisco dinner pledged support for the JACL ADC campaign to remove race restrictions from naturalization laws. Saburo Kido and Sakae Uyehara spoke on behalf of Hawaiian Japanese Americans.
• Hawkins Backs Bill to Outlaw Race Bans in Housing, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Assemblyman Augustus F. Hawkins introduced a California bill prohibiting racial restrictions in the ownership or occupancy of real property. The bill was introduced in the state legislature.

Incarceration & Redress

• Report $500,000 Paid State in Alien Land Law Cases, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL San Francisco office reported that Japanese American landowners have lost over half a million dollars through escheat proceedings since 1945. Eleven of sixteen completed cases were compromise settlements, with dozens more pending.

Commentary

• Gov. Maw Asks Congress Leaders to Extend Citizen Rights to Issei Residents, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw urged repeal of discriminatory federal legislation and support for evacuee compensation bills. He praised Japanese Americans in Utah as law-abiding citizens with an outstanding war record.
• Saskatchewan’s Lead, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Saskatchewan’s new Bill of Rights made racial discrimination in employment, property, and public places a criminal offense. The editorial praises the province’s CCF government for its stand on Japanese Canadian rights.
• Cost of Racism, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial condemns the California Alien Land law as racist and says the state has collected $437,090.64 from Nisei landowners. It urges striking a proposed $65,000 appropriation and defeating a $200,000 appropriation.
• Coast Race Relations, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Carey McWilliams warns of rising racial intolerance on the Pacific coast as unemployment grows. The editorial calls for planning to prevent riots in cities like Portland, Los Angeles, and Oakland.
• Changing Attitudes, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial notes a shift in west coast sentiment on immigration, citing wartime quota bills and a San Francisco Commonwealth club vote favoring quotas for Japan and other countries. It presents this as evidence of changing attitudes.
• Case of the Stranded Nisei, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Larry Tajiri examines the roughly 10,000 Nisei stranded in Japan, categorizing them as minors taken by parents, economic seekers, and others. He notes that many were exploited and that stranded Nisei provided valuable bilingual personnel for occupation.
• Methodist Minister Led Fight for Freedom in Hood River, by John Kitasako, page 5. Rev. W. Sherman Burgoyne of Hood River, Oregon, fought the American Legion’s removal of Nisei names from the honor roll and was recognized with the Thomas Jefferson award. The article details the community hostility faced by returning evacuees and the gradual shift in attitudes.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa reports that a Denver councilman criticized wartime police licensing practices that denied Japanese American businesses licenses. He also covers Denver’s mayoral race and Seattle’s wartime Mayor Millikan’s call for evacuation.

JACL

• Yasui to Attend UNESCO Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Min Yasui, Denver JACL representative, will attend the Mountain-Plains regional UNESCO conference in Denver as a National JACL delegate. The conference covers education, communications, and other cultural topics.
• Cleveland JACL Will Discuss ADC, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Cleveland JACL will hold a special meeting on May 10 to discuss the activities of the Anti-Discrimination Committee. The meeting will be held at the Central YMCA.
• Midwest District Council of JACL Organized by Six Chapters at Chicago Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Six chapters formed the JACL Midwest District Council, the first east of the Mississippi, adopting a $27,000 area quota for JACL and ADC. A district workshop on training local leaders was planned for fall in Chicago.

In-Depth

• Express, by Naomi Kashiwabara, page 5. A short fiction piece in which Joe, a dishwasher in a skid-row hotel, reflects on his limited prospects while talking with his young son about a train ride. The story closes with him finding the boy asleep and accepting that tomorrow is another day.

Sports

• Vagaries, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A roundup noting Wat Misaka’s role in the All-Hawaii team’s win over the Harlem Globetrotters, and several other items about Nisei athletes and news. The column also notes the MIS language school’s status and the Los Cerritos evacuee loss survey.

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