Citizenship for Issei and Nisei soldiers in Korea, August 1950

Vol. 31, No. 8, August 26, 1950. 8 pages. View this issue

Naturalization for alien Japanese residents led this eight-page issue. General MacArthur cabled congratulations to Rep. Francis Walter for House Resolution 288, which had passed both House and Senate but was held up by a pending motion from Sen. Scott Lucas. I. H. Gordon wrote that Congress now handled such questions with far more maturity than in the 1920s. The Korean War ran alongside it: Sgt. Isaac Furukawa, a 442nd veteran from Seattle, was reported killed in action, and Corp. Hideo Nakama of the 100th Infantry Battalion and Pfc. Ken Kondo were also among the dead.

Elsewhere, a House-Senate conference set a $1,300,000 ceiling on the evacuation claims program. Inside are Elmer R. Smith on criticism of JACL during the forced removal, Bill Hosokawa’s review of a novel about a Japanese soldier, and news of the “Go for Broke” casting in Honolulu. Also in this issue are the new Soldier Brides Bill, Nisei Week in Los Angeles, and Nisei sports.

What’s in this issue

National

  • Gen. MacArthur Lauds Walter For Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 1. General MacArthur cabled congratulations to Rep. Francis Walter for House Resolution 288, which would allow alien Japanese residents to become American citizens. The resolution has passed both House and Senate but is held up by a pending motion by Sen. Scott Lucas to reconsider.

Military & Veterans

  • Matsuo Wins Commission in U.S. Air Force, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Jon T. Matsuo, born in Honolulu, has been nominated for a regular commission as second lieutenant in the Air Force. The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee reported the nomination.
  • Sen. Knowland Cites Nisei GIs in Urging Hawaiian Statehood, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. William Knowland praised Hawaii’s contributions to the Korean fighting, noting the disproportionate share of Hawaiian troops. He cited Jack C. Arakawa, a 442nd veteran, as the first casualty and argued Hawaii’s statehood would aid U.S. relations in the Far East.
  • Nisei Veteran of 442nd Unit Killed in Action in Korean War; Two Missing, 11 Others Hurt, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sgt. Isaac Furukawa, a 442nd veteran from Seattle, was killed in action in Korea, the third Nisei GI reported killed there. Two Japanese Americans were listed missing and eleven wounded in Defense Department casualty lists.
  • 100th Veteran Reported Killed in Korea Front, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Corp. Hideo Nakama, a veteran of the 100th Infantry Battalion, was killed in action in Korea on July 19. He is the second Hawaii resident killed in Korea.
  • Report Hood River Soldier Succumbs to Combat Wounds, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pfc. Ken Kondo, nephew of Mrs. Ishino Inuki of Hood River, died of wounds received in combat on the Korean front. He is the first Oregon Nisei killed in the Korean war.
  • Hawaiians Interview Veterans for Film Roles, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Scores of Nisei veterans of the 442nd were interviewed in Honolulu by MGM casting official James Broderick for roles in the forthcoming film ‘Go for Broke.’ The photo caption identifies several interviewed veterans.
  • Nisei Linguists in Combat, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Nisei linguists have played a crucial role in the Korean War as interpreters, though few Americans speak Korean. Their wartime service in the Pacific, Asia, and occupation of Japan has been largely unpublicized due to military secrecy.
  • Hawaiian Nisei GI Evacuated From Corregidor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Hawaiian Nisei GI was evacuated to Australia hours before the fall of Corregidor, and Pacific Citizen’s early report on Nisei combat service was highlighted. Early Nisei reports from the Pacific front were limited because of secrecy and censorship.
  • New GI Brides Act Will Permit Entry of Ineligible Alien Wives, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Soldier Brides Bill admits as nonquota immigrants the spouses and minor children of servicemen who served since Dec. 7, 1941. The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee explains which marriages qualify and how applications are processed.
  • President Signs New Bill for Nippon Brides, by P.C. Staff, page 8. President Truman signed the Soldier Brides Bill, sponsored by Sen. Pat McCarran and the JACL ADC, admitting Asiatic spouses of American servicemen. The law covers marriages occurring before Feb. 19, 1951 and affects more than 700 Japanese spouses.
  • Lieut. Hachiya’s Predicament: Korean War May Keep Nisei Officer from Fiancee, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Lt. Kiyoshi Hachiya’s private bill required him to marry his Japanese fiancee within three months, but he has been sent to Korea. JACL ADC is trying to reach him with news that the new Soldier Brides Bill gives him more time.

Incarceration & Redress

  • House-Senate Conference Sets $1,300,000 Ceiling on Budget For Evacuee Claims Program, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A House-Senate conference approved a $1,300,000 budget for the Japanese American evacuation claims program for the coming fiscal year. The figure split the difference between the House and Senate versions, with administrative spending limited to $250,000.
  • Attorney Gets Depositions on Strandee Cases, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Attorney Tsurutani spent more than four months in Japan taking depositions for 60 pending federal cases involving people who lost U.S. citizenship during the war. The witnesses testified they were forced into the Japanese army if considered Japanese nationals.

Community

  • Nisei Truck Driver Faces Manslaughter Charge in Collision, by P.C. Staff, page 1. George Nakano, 21, was charged with negligence by a coroner’s jury after a collision that killed Lamar Trotti, Jr. and Mrs. Hattie Johnson. A misdemeanor manslaughter proceeding is expected against him.
  • Issei Woman, 88, Attends Special Pioneer Celebration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mrs. Katsu Uchida, 88, a native of Kyoto, was the oldest Issei to attend the Nisei Week Pioneer Day picnic at Arroyo Seco Park on Aug. 20. The event honored longtime community pioneers.
  • Route for Planes In Cross-Country Flight Charted, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Eight refueling and overnight stops were scheduled for the Henry Ohye Trophy race from Los Angeles to Chicago, covering 2,027 miles. The race ends at Lakefront Airport near the JACL national convention site.
  • California’s American Legion Alters Former Stand, Urges Amendment of Alien Land Law, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The California American Legion unanimously passed a resolution at its state convention supporting exemption of parents of Nisei veterans from the alien land law. The resolution was presented by Nisei Townsend Harris Post No. 438 of San Francisco.
  • Petition Asking Impeachment of Nisei Is Filed, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Honolulu’s city attorney filed a petition seeking impeachment of Supervisor Richard Kageyama over his false loyalty oath after admitting past Communist Party membership. Kageyama, the first Nisei elected to the Honolulu board, has had his salary withheld since April.
  • Sachi Kazunaga Named Queen Of L.A. Nisei Week Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sachi Kazunaga, 22, was crowned queen of the Los Angeles Nisei festival on Aug. 19 after winning the popular vote. She and her attendants made official visits to civic leaders, hospitals, and media during the festival week.
  • Suicide Try Made by Nisei In Chico Jail, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Larry Miyakawa, also known as Roy S. Kim, attempted suicide in Chico jail after his arrest on fictitious check charges totaling $74.41. Police found he carried about $7,000 in uncashed checks from a nonexistent society.
  • Report Tom Okino Not Surprised By Failure to Win Appointment As Circuit Judge in Hawaii, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Attorney Tom Okino of Hilo was passed over for a Hawaii circuit judgeship in favor of Maurice Sapienza, reportedly due to Governor Stainback’s support. Chuck Mau, a Honolulu supervisor, was appointed to another circuit judgeship in an apparent political compromise.
  • Salt Lake City Nisei Questions Captured North Korean Officer, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Lt. Henry Kuwabara, a Nisei intelligence officer from Salt Lake City, interrogated a North Korean lieutenant-colonel who surrendered to American forces. The officer revealed the positions of 22 North Korean guns, which American flyers later bombed.
  • Dr. Sakada Named Candidate For JACL Recognition Award, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Dr. Randolph M. Sakada was nominated for a JACL Distinguished Leadership Award for his prewar and Chicago chapter leadership and his work as chairman of the 1950 National Convention Board. The nomination praises his managerial competence and community service.
  • Denverites Protest City’s Displacement, by Randy Sakada, page 8. Denver JACL members protested Dr. Randolph Sakada’s statement that the Chicago convention was the only one east of the Rockies, noting Denver hosted the 1946 national convention. They jokingly threatened to annex Chicago as a suburb of Denver.

Commentary

  • Statesmanship Prevails as Congress Discusses Proposal For Equality in Naturalization, by I. H. Gordon, page 2. Gordon observes that Congress now discusses Oriental-related legislation with far more maturity than during the 1920s exclusion era. He credits the Nisei GIs of World War II and the JACL with helping bring about the Walter Resolution’s passage.
  • Turnabout Is Fair Play, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial praises the California American Legion for unanimously urging exemption of Nisei veterans’ parents from the alien land law. It notes the Legion’s historic role in anti-Nisei legislation and its dramatic change in attitude.
  • Proof Relative to Equality, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial argues that equal treatment and opportunity work in the armed forces, citing Nisei linguists and combat soldiers who served alongside other GIs. It points to the Nisei’s valuable contributions in Korea and the Pacific.
  • Metropolitan Life Succumbs, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial reports that Metropolitan Life Insurance Company opened Stuyvesant Town to qualified Negro tenants after city council pressure. It warns that the housing issue involves a broader principle about discrimination in publicly funded housing.
  • Record of Nisei Loyalty Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial reflects on the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of Nisei service, noting that few stories were published during the war about Nisei interpreters. It calls for recognition of their contributions to the American war effort.
  • Ask Our Readers: Nisei Letters Discuss Missionaries, by H. V. Nicholson, page 4. Missionary H. V. Nicholson writes that Nisei are studying Japanese and many are already expert, meeting a great need for missionaries in Japan. He encourages Nisei with a real call to service to consider this work.
  • Denver, Colorado: Return to the Rockies, by Roku Sugchore, page 5. Sugchore describes Denver’s Japanese American community, which swelled during the war with evacuees and then dwindled as many returned to the West Coast. He notes that Denver Nisei still believe in the city’s future and its advantages.
  • Long the Imperial Way: The Story of a Nippon Soldier, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reviews Hanama Tasaki’s novel about a squad of Japanese infantrymen in China before Pearl Harbor. He praises the book for explaining the mindset of the Japanese soldier under an oppressive, feudal military system.

JACL

  • Satow Urges Return of Ballots in JACL Elections, by P.C. Staff, page 2. National director Mas Satow urged members to return ballots in the JACL’s officer election by the Sept. 1 deadline. More than 10,000 ballots were mailed, with about one-fourth returned so far.
  • Masaoka Will Be Keynote Speaker At Council Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mike Masaoka, JACL ADC legislative director, will keynote the Northern California-Western Nevada district council meeting on Aug. 26 in San Francisco. Masaoka is also conferring with national leaders on the organization’s biennial budget.
  • JACL Sponsors Essay Contest on Convention Theme, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The National JACL is sponsoring an essay contest titled ‘Blueprint for Tomorrow’ in conjunction with its biennial Chicago convention. Prizes include bonds and plaques, with entries open to members and non-members.

Arts & Entertainment

  • MGM Officials Test Hawaiians For GI Film, by P.C. Staff, page 3. MGM director Robert Pirosh and technical adviser Mike Masaoka arrived in Honolulu to select Nisei for roles in the 442nd movie ‘Go for Broke.’ Casting director James Broderick interviewed more than 150 Nisei veterans and non-veterans.
  • Japanese Actress Offered Top Role in Broadway Musical, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Japanese film star Shirley Yoshiko Yamaguchi, visiting Hollywood, was offered the lead in a Broadway musical version of ‘Messer Marco Polo’ and her first American screen role in ‘East Is East.’ The Broadway offer depends on extending her U.S. visa beyond Dec. 31.
  • Hollywood Notes, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Brief notes report on Nisei performers in Hollywood, including Frank Kumagai signed by 20th Century Fox and Nisei players called for background scenes in RKO’s Macao. Casting calls for Oriental players are expected to increase due to Korean war-themed films.

In-Depth

  • Examine Anti-JACL Criticism During Evacuation Period, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Smith examines criticisms that JACL leaders agreed to evacuation and ‘sold out’ persons of Japanese ancestry. He argues government policy had already set the evacuation precedent before JACL was consulted, and that the JACL’s position was shaped by pressure and circumstances.

Sports

  • Fresno, Denver Set Intersectional Series, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A best-of-five Nisei baseball series between Fresno and Denver begins Sept. 2 in Fresno, billed as the United States Nisei championship. The Denver roster includes university stars George Nagai, Calvin Chai, and Hideo Hirose.
  • Konno Places 3rd As Furuhashi Betters Record, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ford Konno, a 17-year-old Nisei from Honolulu, finished third in a 500-meter exhibition in Kure, Japan, as Hironoshin Furuhashi set a new world record. Konno’s strength is the longer distances above 800 meters.
  • Yoshizaki Takes Top Honors in Golf Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Min Yoshizaki of Los Angeles won the championship flight of the Nisei Week golf tournament with a 66 net score. About 140 golfers competed at Fox Hills and Baldwin Hills country clubs.
  • Yonamine Takes Over Fifth Place in Pioneer Bat Race, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Wally Yonamine, center fielder for the Salt Lake Bees, raised his average to .338 and moved into fifth place in the Pioneer League batting race. His single produced the winning run in a 2-1 victory over Great Falls.
  • Honolulu All-Stars Win Opening Game In Wichita Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Honolulu All-Stars won their first National Baseball Congress tournament game 12-0 over Jefferson Town, Ky., behind the no-hit pitching of Ed Correa. The game was halted after five innings under tournament rules.

Obituaries

  • Vital Statistics, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Routine listings of births, deaths, and marriages in the Nisei community during early August 1950. Deaths reported include Shigezo Nishida, Yonezo Sawasaki, and Tatsuhiro Honda.

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