Naturalization victory, a JACL queen and Nisei soldiers in Korea

Vol. 31, No. 9, September 2, 1950. 8 pages. View this issue

The Walter resolution, which removes race as a requirement for naturalization, went to President Truman’s desk, and the paper followed it closely. National JACL president Hito Okada praised its passage, while an editorial warned that security riders could invite a veto. At a San Francisco district council meeting, speakers including Mike Masaoka and Saburo Kido urged the JACL to keep fighting the alien land law. Lillian Yuriko Uyeda of Stockton was crowned the district’s candidate for National JACL queen.

Nisei in Korea were also in the news. Bill Hosokawa wrote from the Taegu front about Nisei linguists and military police, and the paper reported on Sgt. Isaac Furukawa’s Silver Star and on three Nisei missing in action. Six Hawaiian Nisei were picked for screen tests for the film Go for Broke. Plans for the Chicago national convention filled several pages, and the sports page covered Wally Yonamine and Nisei golf and bowling.

What’s in this issue

Community

  • Northern California’s Entry: Lillian Yuriko Uyeda Chosen JACL Queen Candidate, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Lillian Yuriko Uyeda, sponsored by the Stockton chapter, was chosen by the Northern California-Western Nevada district council as its candidate in the National JACL queen contest. She was crowned Aug. 26 at the Bellevue hotel in San Francisco and received the first place trophy from National JACL President Hito Okada.
  • Senate Passes Private Bills for GI Brides, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Senate passed and sent to the President 21 private bills admitting brides, fiancees and minor children of American servicemen and veterans. The JACL ADC noted most bills for brides predated the Soldier Brides Bill and fiancee admission still required private legislation.
  • President Gets Bill to Readmit Issei to U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 2. A private bill passed by the Senate permits Mrs. Shikaju Nakashima, who left the United States for Japan in 1935, to return to her American citizen daughter in California. It is the second such bill approved by Congress since World War II.
  • District Council Holds Meeting in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Northern California-Western Nevada district council met aboard the APL liner SS President Wilson in San Francisco, with Bob Takahashi presiding and Hito Okada as guest speaker. Lillian Yuriko Uyeda was named district queen at the coronation ball.
  • Chicago Resettlers Will Take Part in Chest X-Ray Tests, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago Resettlers Committee will participate in a free Community Chest chest X-ray program in the Near North area sponsored by the Tuberculosis Institute and Cook County. The project runs from October through the end of the year.
  • Invite Chicago’s Mayor to JACL Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Chicago Mayor Martin H. Kennelly was presented a giant invitation to the eleventh biennial National JACL convention by convention board chairman Dr. Randolph Sakada and public relations chairman Mari Sabusawa. The mayor accepted and said he would make every effort to attend.
  • Convention Bureau To Provide Dates, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The date bureau at the Chicago national JACL convention will arrange dates for social functions held during the convention and will operate a special desk at convention headquarters.
  • Denver to Be Host to JACL District Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Mountain Plains JACL district council convenes in Denver at the Shirley-Savoy hotel with Mike Masaoka as major speaker. The program includes a public meeting, a midnight frolic, an outing, and a coronation-awards banquet.
  • 30 Designers Enter Creations in Convention Fashion Show, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Twenty-two Chicago-area models will display clothes by about thirty designers from across the country at a fashion show and tea during the national JACL convention. The theme is Design for Tomorrow and the event is open to the public.
  • Chicagoans Start Drive to Raise Convention Funds, by P.C. Staff, page 7. More than 100 workers began a canvass of Chicago and suburbs to raise funds for the national JACL convention. The drive is organized by area with coordinators and district chairmen, and tickets will be sold for a 1950 Ford prize.
  • Japanese American Creed Will Be Read at Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese American Creed written by Mike Masaoka will be read by James Shikami at the opening ceremony of the national JACL convention in Chicago. The creed was first read into the Congressional Record in 1941 and is available through JACL offices.
  • Delano Chapter to Play Host for District Council, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Delano JACL will host the Central California district council quarterly conference on Sept. 10 with speakers including Mike Masaoka, Tats Kushida, and Joe Grant Masaoka. Topics include the evacuation claims program and the alien land law.

National

  • JACL Must Continue Campaign Against California Land Law, San Francisco Meeting Told, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Delegates to the Northern California-Western Nevada district council urged the JACL to keep fighting the alien land law and its legislative program even if Issei citizenship legislation passes. Speakers including Mike Masaoka and Saburo Kido discussed claims program delays and the continuing harassment of Nisei homebuyers under the land act.
  • Federal Court Upholds Nisei in Stranded Test, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A federal appeals court ruled that Kiyoshi Kawaguchi, a Nisei stranded in Japan, had the right to appear as a witness in his own citizenship case. The court reversed a lower court decision and sent the case back to Seattle federal courts for rehearing.
  • California Democratic Chief Asks Truman Sign Walter Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Glen Anderson, California Democratic party chairman, wired President Truman urging him to sign the Walter resolution granting naturalization rights without racial restriction. He said the measure fit the civil rights plan adopted by the state Democratic convention.
  • President Truman Gets Walter Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senate Majority Leader Lucas withdrew his motion to reconsider, sending the Walter resolution removing race as a requirement for naturalization to the White House. The JACL ADC called it one of Truman’s civil rights goals, opening naturalization to roughly 85,000 Japanese and other Asians in the U.S.
  • Strandee Who Voted in Japan Elections Regains Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mariko Kuniyuki, who lost her American citizenship by voting in Japanese elections in 1946 and 1947, had her U.S. nationality restored by Federal Judge Pierson M. Hall. Hall ruled Japan was not a foreign state while under Allied occupation.

Military & Veterans

  • Nisei GI Hurt in Korea Attends JACL Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sgt. Paul Yamagiwa of Sacramento, the first Nisei GI wounded in Korea to return to the United States for treatment, attended the Northern California-Western Nevada JACL district council meeting in San Francisco. He was a patient at Letterman general hospital.
  • Three Nisei Soldiers Missing in Action in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Defense reported Nisei casualties in Korea, including three missing in action, one wounded, and one who died of wounds. The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee released the names and family details.
  • Six Hawaiian Nisei to Get Screen Tests for MGM Film, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Six Hawaiian Nisei were selected to travel to Hollywood for screen tests for MGM’s forthcoming film Go for Broke, about the 442nd combat team. Director Robert Pirosh chose them after interviewing 350 Nisei in the islands.
  • Sgt. Furukawa Sought to Aid Encircled Unit, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sgt. Isaac Furukawa of Seattle, a 442nd veteran killed in action in Korea, was posthumously awarded a Silver Star for volunteering to break through enemy lines with ammunition for an encircled battalion. The citation describes his driving a truck through heavy fire in an attempt to reach the trapped unit.
  • Bronze Star Award Made to Wounded Nisei Sergeant, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sgt. Fred Y. Furukawa, brother of Isaac Furukawa, received a Bronze Star for heroic achievement in Korea on July 6 and was later reported wounded. He led his machine gun squad back to its unit through enemy lines without casualties.
  • First Canadian Nisei Reported in Korean War, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Seaman A. J. Kobayashi of Fort William, Ontario, serving aboard the Canadian destroyer Cayuga, is the first Canadian of Japanese ancestry involved in action in the Korean war. He was pictured in a Canadian Press photo interrogating members of an intercepted ship.
  • Nisei USA: Nisei Play Vital Role in Korea, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa reports from the Taegu front in Korea that Nisei are serving as linguists and in military police and liaison roles. He describes how Nisei interrogate prisoners and how South Korean soldiers in American gear can look like Nisei.
  • Nisei Returns After 18 Days Behind Enemy Lines in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Pfc. Charles Uno of Hawaii and Cpl. Lester J. Drake of Toronto, Kansas, returned to American lines after 18 days behind enemy lines in Korea following an encirclement. They survived by eating cucumbers and turnips and reading the New Testament.
  • Report Death in Korea of Oregon Nisei GI, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Pfc. Ken K. Kondo of Hood River, Oregon, died of wounds suffered in Korea, the Department of Defense reported. The article notes his town once struck Nisei names from its honor roll during the war but later restored them.

JACL

  • California Delegates to Convention May Charter Air Liner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California delegates to the National JACL convention in Chicago may take a chartered Flying Tiger plane leaving San Francisco Sept. 27, according to JACL ADC regional director Joe Grant Masaoka. Round-trip fares would be between $120 and $150 depending on passenger numbers.
  • Nominate Six Outstanding Nisei for JACL Convention Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Six Nisei were nominated for JACL distinguished leadership awards to be presented at the eleventh biennial national convention in Chicago. The nominees are Dr. Thomas T. Yatabe, Teiko Ishida Kuroiwa, Fred Ochi, Thomas M. Yego, Dr. Roy Nishikawa, and Frank Chuman.
  • Travel Service to Be Provided at Chicago Confab, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The travel facilities committee will provide maps, travel guides, and fare information to delegates attending the Chicago national convention. It will also pool delegates for special rail, charter air, or bus travel and asks chapters to report delegate numbers and travel plans.
  • Walter Resolution’s Passage Hailed by JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL national president Hito Okada praised Congress for passing the Walter resolution eliminating racial restrictions in naturalization. He said the JACL’s three-point legislative program was complete and credited Nisei patriotism and Issei support for the success.
  • Final Plans Near Completion for National JACL Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Preparations for the eleventh biennial national JACL convention in Chicago are in final stages, with board and staff meetings, the JACL-ADC Issei meeting, and a schedule of council sessions, tournaments, exhibits, and an awards banquet. The convention opens with a national council meeting on Sept. 28.
  • Denver to Choose JACL Queen During District Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Denver chapter’s representative in the National JACL queen contest will be selected and crowned during the Mountain Plains district council convention. Candidates were selected through a chapter popularity poll.

Sports

  • Six Hawaiian Nisei Screen Tests for MGM, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Six Hawaiian Nisei were chosen for screen tests for the MGM film Go for Broke about the 442nd. The article covers the selection process run by director Robert Pirosh.
  • Allen Nagata Coaches at Honolulu School, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Allen Nagata was named head football coach at St. Louis College in Honolulu, succeeding Neal Blaisdell, with Jyun Hirota as assistant. The article also covers Hawaii Baseball League finances and other local sports news.
  • Ed Nakagaki Surprise Winner in AJA Golf, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ed Nakagaki won the Territorial AJA golf championship at the Waialae course with a total of 219 after a 54-hole tournament. Sukeyoshi Kushi finished third and Ken Miyaoka, the defending champion, had the best single round.
  • Honolulu Post Eliminated in Legion Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Kau Tom post of Honolulu, with several Nisei players, was eliminated in the American Legion junior baseball regional playoffs at Yakima. The article also covers other Nisei athletes and a Nisei Week baseball game.
  • Hirayama May Hurl for Fresno Ball Team, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Fresno Nisei are scheduled to play Denver’s Nisei team in a best-of-five series beginning Sept. 2, with Fibber Hirayama possibly pitching. Hirayama led the California collegiate conference in batting and was invited to play for the state semi-pro all-stars.
  • Wally Yonamine Tops Pioneer League First-Year Men With .338, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Wally Yonamine of the Salt Lake Bees is hitting .338 with 151 hits and leads first-year men in the Pioneer League batting race. The article describes his strong defensive plays during the week.
  • Salt Lake Nisei Bowlers Enter Major League, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Okada Insurance team became the first Nisei team in a major league sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress on the mainland, defeating Magna 8 to 1 in the Salt Lake City Major League. George Kishida bowled a 604 series.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Tule Renunciant Asks Right to Return to U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Haruye Jeanette Murata, a Stockton native who renounced her citizenship at Tule Lake and went to Japan in 1945, petitioned a Los Angeles federal court to establish her citizenship so she can return. She claims the renunciation was coerced and the Yokohama consulate denied her passport.
  • Red Tape and Evacuation Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial says a $1,300,000 congressional appropriation for evacuation claims is too small to speed the program, with only $250,000 for administration. It notes fewer than 700 claims processed and urges amending the Evacuation Claims Act to expedite payments.
  • Limited Budget Will Slow Down Claims Program, Says Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Mike Masaoka says the $1,300,000 evacuation claims budget for fiscal 1951 means the Justice Department cannot expand its activities for at least a year. He warns the program could drag on 25 to 50 years and urges the department to work efficiently within its limits.

Commentary

  • Editorial: The Possibility of a Veto, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial argues the Walter resolution for naturalization equality is nearly law but warns the security riders attached in conference could invite a presidential veto. It urges Truman to sign the measure rather than let it be defeated by unrelated provisions.
  • On Rumors by Ruark, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Columnist Larry Tajiri criticizes Robert C. Ruark’s True magazine article on Hawaii for repeating rumors about Japanese nationalism and for calling Japanese Americans Japs while ignoring their war record. He argues Ruark’s claims about statehood opposition are inaccurate and that Hawaii deserves statehood.
  • Between Carbons, by Al T. Miyadi, page 5. Columnist Al Miyadi comments on Westbrook Pegler’s column acknowledging that the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans was a precedent that threatened constitutional rights. He also discusses California politics, including Governor Warren and Congressman Nixon repudiating Gerald L. K. Smith.
  • We Say, Amen, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The paper reprints a San Francisco Chronicle editorial arguing that American soldiers’ use of the slur gook reflects contempt that undermines efforts to win Asian peoples’ confidence. It urges Americans to abandon condescension toward Asians.

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