Naturalization for Issei and evacuation claims, June 1949

Vol. 28, No. 23, June 11, 1949. 8 pages. View this issue

Citizenship for the Issei was the main news of the June 11, 1949 issue. The House unanimously approved the Walter resolution, which would remove racial restrictions on naturalization for about 90,000 Japanese aliens, and it now moved to the Senate subcommittee. Mike Masaoka explained what the measure meant, and an editorial followed it. Money for evacuation claims was the other big story: a Senate committee reported a $1,200,000 fund, and JACL chapters in Los Angeles, Stockton and San Mateo offered free help with filing. Hawaii Senate President Wilfred Tsukiyama, honored by Coe College, urged action on statehood.

Columns this week came from Bill Hosokawa, on floods that recalled the Granada relocation center, and Togo Tanaka, on a lakeside lot sold with a Caucasian-only clause. Page 7 carries sports, including Henry Aihara’s broad jump win, and Nisei Week plans in Los Angeles, the first since the war, are on page 3.

What’s in this issue

National

• Senate Urges Action on Statehood Measure, page 1. Hawaii Senate President Wilfred Tsukiyama received an honorary degree from Coe College and urged Congress to honor the original intent that Hawaii become a state. He argued Hawaii has met every economic, social and political test for statehood.
• House Approves Resolution on Citizenship for Issei, page 1. The House unanimously approved the Walter resolution, which would remove racial restrictions on naturalization for about 90,000 Japanese aliens. The resolution now goes to the Senate subcommittee on immigration and naturalization.
• Central Figure in Tokyo Rose Case Reunited with Husband, page 1. Philip d’Aquino met his wife Iva Toguri d’Aquino in San Francisco for the first time in eight months, ahead of her treason trial. He had been paroled from immigration authorities in Seattle after a detention.
• Philip d’Aquino Questioned by Seattle Authorities, page 1. Philip d’Aquino was detained in Seattle on arrival from Tokyo for routine investigation tied to technical defects in his entry papers. His attorney said he expected release once the errors were corrected.
• JACL ADC to Urge Opening of Travel to Okinawa Area, Lower Rates for Relief Parcels, page 2. The JACL ADC will seek equal travel consideration, parcel rates, and relief shipment rules for persons of Okinawan ancestry comparable to those for Japan. Masaoka noted the unsettled political status of Okinawa complicates these efforts.
• Alleged Stranded Nisei Gets Jail Term for False Claim in Application, page 2. Masaru Tohgeda was sentenced to one year at hard labor in Japan for falsely claiming U.S. nationality to gain entry to the United States. He had submitted false military and citizenship records when applying at the Kobe consulate.
• Congress Passes Walter Resolution on Naturalization, page 4. The House unanimously approved the Walter resolution granting naturalization rights regardless of race, after JACL ADC lobbying. The resolution now moves to the Senate subcommittee, where much work remains.
• Yasuo Kuniyoshi Leads Artists’ Protest Against Censorship, page 6. Artists Equity president Yasuo Kuniyoshi explained that a Hutchinson, Kansas exhibit protests the rejection of Salina post office murals. He said local denunciation of the artworks prompted the exhibit against censorship.
• 30 Per Cent of U.S. Citizens Prejudiced, Official Says, page 6. Frank N. Trager of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League estimated that about 30 percent of Americans hold active prejudice. He noted progress since 1938 but called the national pattern of discrimination alarming.
• New York NAACP Endorse Major Provisions of Judd Bill, page 8. The New York NAACP branch endorsed the naturalization and immigration equality provisions of the Judd bill. It sent its resolution to the President and key congressional leaders.

Community

• Alma Mater in Iowa Confers Degree on Senator Tsukiyama, page 1. Coe College conferred a doctor of civil laws degree on Hawaii Senator Wilfred Tsukiyama in recognition of his legislative career. Tsukiyama departed Honolulu for the ceremony and later addressed the alumni dinner.
• Harvard Nisei Named as 1949 Class Marshal, page 1. Dwight Nishimura, a Harvard senior, was named one of three class marshals for the 1949 graduating class. He had served as varsity football manager and was active in the New England JACL chapter.
• Nisei Student Wins High Honor at Coast School, page 2. May Nakanishi received the Associated Women Students plaque at Santa Barbara College for scholarship, leadership, character and service. She had served as AWS president and led several campus programs.
• Fresno JACL Group Honors Parents at Pioneer Night, page 2. The Fresno JACL honored Issei parents at a Pioneer Night talent show at the International Institute. Prizes went to the oldest Issei present, and a hobby display of local artisans’ work was also featured.
• Japanese Canadian Buddhist Minister Impressed by Nisei Economic Recovery on Coast, page 2. Rev. Takashi Tsuji reported that west coast evacuees had regained their farms and businesses and that Buddhist churches had paid off mortgages. He contrasted this with Canada’s evacuation policy and praised the drive of U.S. Nisei.
• Memorial Rites Held for Two Victims of Vanport Flood Disaster, page 2. Memorial services were held in Portland on the first anniversary of the Vanport flood, which destroyed a community of 18,000. About 300 residents of Japanese ancestry lost homes and furnishings.
• JACL Groups to Aid Filing of Claims Papers, page 2. Three Los Angeles JACL chapters will offer free evacuation claims filing services beginning June 13, with volunteer lawyers and interpreters. Claims up to $2,500 can be processed at the chapter stations.
• Stockton Chapter Will Aid in Processing of Evacuee Claims, page 2. The Stockton and French Camp JACL chapters will offer free help with evacuation claims forms every Tuesday night at the Stockton Buddhist Kaikan. The service was announced by Harry Itaya.
• Nisei Architect Chosen to Design C of C Memorial, page 3. Hideo Sasaki of Detroit was selected as one of three architects for a $250,000 war memorial building in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The building will serve as international Jaycee quarters.
• Mike Masaoka to Be Honored at Testimonial Dinner During Eastern District Convention, page 3. The JACL Eastern District Council convention in New York will honor Mike Masaoka with a testimonial dinner for his work on naturalization rights. The event will feature Rep. Walter Judd and JACL national president Hito Okada.
• Los Angeles Prepares for Nisei Week, page 3. Los Angeles’ Japanese American community began preparations for its Nisei Week celebration, August 13-21, the first since the war. Frank Okada is general festival chairman and Eiji Tanabe is board chairman.
• San Mateo Tells Services for Claims Filers, page 3. San Mateo County JACL offers free help and stenographic service for filing evacuation claims at Sturge cottage on the first Thursday of each month. Bob Yatabe will be in charge.
• Nishibayashi Graduates with Honors, page 3. Several Nisei graduates in Ohio and elsewhere received academic honors and degrees this June. Details include degrees in medicine, law, physics, and music.
• Prejudice Increases Minority Delinquency, Says Police Officer, page 3. Paul T. Hubbard told California probation officers that racial discrimination increases juvenile delinquency among minority groups. He cited a county where delinquency rose sharply for one racial minority.
• Otter Scholarships for Nisei to Attend Coast Encampment, page 3. The Chicago JACL committee is selecting candidates for scholarships to the Encampment for Citizenship, held July 1 to August 12 at Fieldston, New York. The program combines lectures, discussions and recreation for citizenship training.
• Two Nisei Patients Receive Diplomas at Coast Sanatorium, page 3. Nine patients at Firland sanatorium received high school diplomas in a ceremony in Seattle. Teachers instructed the students individually as they completed required coursework during their illness.
• Serizawa Takes Part in Dedication of Lake Estes, page 7. Toshi Serizawa, president of the Hawaiian Junior Chamber of Commerce, poured water from Hawaii into Lake Estes at its dedication. The ceremony drew about 7,000 people.
• Hold Youth in Theft of Car Belonging to Stockton Nisei, page 7. Police arrested a 23-year-old man who stole a car from George Kubo’s home in Stockton after a chase. An officer fired a shot during the pursuit.
• New Dayton JACL Has 27 Members, page 7. The newly organized Dayton JACL reported 27 members and contributed $25 to the ADC financial campaign. Masaru Yamasaki is chapter president.
• Nisei Girl Performs at Northwestern Student Recital, page 7. Haruko Satow gave a well-received piano recital at Northwestern University, performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin. She is pursuing a master’s degree in music.
• Retreat Cabinet Meets in Fresno, page 8. The Young People’s Central California Sequoia Lake Retreat cabinet met to plan the August retreat at Camp Redwoods. Committees are finalizing leadership and program arrangements.
• Kawasaki Concludes Speaking Tour on Conditions in Japan, page 8. Corky T. Kawasaki of the American Friends Service Committee spoke to about 35 groups on postwar conditions in Japan. His tour ended in Boston on June 12.
• Shigeta Lectures to Workcampers, page 8. Harry K. Shigeta, an internationally known photographer, lectured Ellis Workcampers on the history of photography and showed examples of his work. The group planned a benefit dance.
• Two Nisei Patients Receive Diplomas at Coast Sanatorium, page 8. Nine patients at a Firland sanatorium near Seattle received high school diplomas. Teachers provided individual instruction for their coursework.
• Engagement, page 8. Irene Umekubo and Harry Nakano announced their engagement at a Chicago gathering, with a September wedding planned. Dinner and congratulations were offered by family and church representatives.
• Japanese Minister To Teach Class at Baptist Church, page 8. Rev. Isamu Chiba will teach an adult study class at the First Baptist Church’s school of missions in Seattle during June. Ruth Watanabe will lead a youth class.
• Smorgasbord Dinner Held in Boston, page 8. The New England JACL held a smorgasbord dinner where Dr. Jerome Greene spoke on how Issei can contribute to American society. He discussed wartime conduct and Issei qualities.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nisei Co-ed Wins Role in Film with Dorothy McGuire, page 1. Reiko Sato, a Los Angeles City College student, was cast in a featured role in the 20th Century Fox film Oh, Doctor! starring Dorothy McGuire. Sato had previously played a first film role in an MGM production.
• Theater Group Plans All-Nisei Musical, page 2. The Japanese American Theatrical Guild will present On Stage, the first postwar all-Nisei production, in Los Angeles on June 24-26. Job Kinoshita will direct and Tets Bessho and his Nisei Serenaders will headline.
• Japan Night, page 4. A Japan Night event in Detroit sponsored by the local JACL drew an enthusiastic audience with performances by dance troupes. Featured performers came from Chicago and Ann Arbor.
• Kuniyoshi Will Visit Pescadero School of Art, page 6. Painter Yasuo Kuniyoshi is expected to spend a summer weekend at the Pescadero summer school of art. The school begins its season June 27.

Commentary

• Walter Measure Eliminates Race Restrictions in U.S. Naturalization Law, page 1. The Walter resolution would allow all legal immigrants to apply for naturalization regardless of ancestry, benefiting roughly 90,000 Japanese aliens. Masaoka said the Senate would likely act before adjournment, though the Judd bill remains stalled.
• The Evacuee Claims Program, page 4. The editorial reports that the $1,200,000 initial appropriation for evacuee claims may open Justice Department field offices on the Pacific coast after July 1. It notes that claims may exceed $10,000,000 and that the filing deadline is January 2, 1950.
• Jim Crow in the Nation’s Capital, page 4. The editorial argues that Dr. Ralph Bunche declined an assistant secretary of state post because of Washington’s segregation practices. It concludes that discrimination in the capital exposed democratic shortcomings the country must address.
• Vagaries, page 4. This column notes that the magician known as Okito was actually Theodore Bamberg, not Japanese, and recounts his name changes. It also reports miscellaneous news about Nisei in New York and Hollywood.
• Cousin Willie Tackles Nisei Week, by Roku Suyehane, page 5. The columnist mocks his cousin Willie’s appointment to a Nisei Week program committee and suggests new ideas for the festival. Proposals include a flower show, photo contest, and funds for community projects instead of commercial promotion.
• And the Rains Came to Granada, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Floodwaters in southeastern Colorado revived memories of Granada war relocation center, where evacuees later farmed land near Holly. The column wonders how Nisei farmers in the flooded valley will fare.
• Advice for a Home Purchaser, by Bil Hosokawa, page 6. The column relays a reader’s advice that a Nisei home buyer should choose a middle-class neighborhood for his children despite financial sacrifice. The reader argues environment strongly shapes child development.
• Our Pete Has a Birthday, page 6. A personal column marks the first birthday of the author’s son with a chicken dinner and a list of his early accomplishments. It is a light family anecdote.
• Postscript, by Togo Tanaka, page 6. A real estate agent visits Tanaka and reveals that lakeside lots carry a Caucasian-only clause. Tanaka responds with pointed sarcasm about racial exclusion in housing.
• Student’s Letter Protests Sign Against Family, page 8. A white Fresno student wrote to the Bee protesting a neighbor’s No Japanese Wanted sign aimed at a Japanese family building nearby. The letter argues that such prejudice is un-American.

Military & Veterans

• House Passes Walters Bill Continued, page 2. The naturalization resolution would affect about 96,000 immigrants, nearly all Japanese, and would give all peoples equal rights to apply for citizenship. Masaoka said naturalization is the priority legislation ahead of immigration reform.
• Nisei Participates in Atomic Research in Massachusetts, page 2. Yoshikazu Sakakura, who graduated from MIT, took part in advanced atomic research with noted experts. He was elected to an honorary research society, the first undergraduate in the institution’s history to receive that honor.
• Kawano Reelected, page 8. Jack Kawano of Honolulu was reelected to the ILWU board of directors. Harry Bridges was also reelected union president.

Incarceration & Redress

• CRDU Will Await Result of Present Naturalization Bills, page 3. The Northern California Civil Rights Defense Union decided to hold off on challenging the alien land law until the naturalization legislation is resolved in Congress. Eastern attorneys advised that the Supreme Court is unlikely to overturn its prior ruling.
• Senate Group Report Favors Appropriation for Payments of Losses of Coast Evacuees, page 3. A $1,200,000 evacuation claims fund was included in an appropriations bill reported by the Senate committee. Masaoka said payments could begin next fall, though claims over $2,500 require individual congressional approval.

Sports

• Fastest Nisei, page 7. Bob Watanabe of UCLA won the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes at an intramural meet with sensational times. He is ineligible for conference competition until next year as a transfer.
• Iseri’s Loss, page 7. Tak Iseri, long unbeaten Sacramento YMCA swimming champion, was beaten by Bob Mattila at the Stockton Water Carnival. Henry Aihara also gained a strong chance at the NCAA broad jump title.
• Ichinose’s Protege, page 7. Shig Takahashi will train Honolulu boxer Johnny Efhan, who will make his mainland debut in Stockton on June 15. Efhan is a protege of Sad Sam Ichinose.
• Golden Boy, page 7. Robert Takeshita could earn national recognition by defeating Terry Young in Honolulu. A win could lead to a possible Madison Square Garden bout next fall.
• Five Nisei Girls May Enter National Swim Championships, page 7. Hawaii Nisei swimmers coached by Sakamoto may compete at the national AAU championships in San Antonio in August. The team is seeking funds and several members have strong event prospects.
• Aihara Wins Jump at Compton Meet, page 7. Henry Aihara won the broad jump at the Compton Invitational with a leap of 23 feet 9.5 inches. His USC teammates finished second and third.

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