A book about the 1942 evacuation costs a press director his job

Vol. 31, No. 26, December 30, 1950. 8 pages. View this issue

The fight over “Americans Betrayed” led this issue. William T. Couch, director of the University of Chicago Press, said he had been dismissed for refusing a University of California request to hold up Morton Grodzins’ book on the 1942 mass evacuation. Charles Aiken, director of the University of California’s Evacuation and Resettlement Study, acknowledged the request but doubted it caused the firing. An editorial took up the case, and I. H. Gordon reported that the Walter naturalization bill looked unlikely to pass before the Senate adjourned until January 2.

Elsewhere, Larry Tajiri wrote about preview audiences for MGM’s “Go for Broke!” and the 442nd Combat Team, and Mike Masaoka urged premieres in Honolulu and Washington. Casualty reports from Korea ran on page 1. JACL President Dr. Randolph M. Sakada sent a New Year message, and chapters in Salt Lake, New York and Placer County named new officers. A long article on slow evacuation claims runs across pages 2 and 8.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Chicago University Press Director Loses Post Over Book About Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. William T. Couch, director of the University of Chicago Press, said he was dismissed for refusing a University of California request to hold up publication of Morton Grodzins’ book ‘Americans Betrayed’ about the 1942 mass evacuation. University officials acknowledged the request but doubted it affected Couch’s job.
• Aiken Doubts Book Involved in Couch Ouster, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Professor Charles Aiken, director of the University of California’s Evacuation and Resettlement Study, said the university did request that Chicago not publish the book. He doubted the publication caused Couch’s dismissal since the book had appeared long before it.
• Slow Adjudication of Claims for Evacuee Losses Frustrated by Red Tape, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Of the roughly 24,000 evacuation claims filed, adjudication has moved extremely slowly due to bureaucratic procedures, limited staffing, and a restrictive legalistic interpretation by the Justice Department. The author argues the pace and narrow rulings undermine the rehabilitative purpose of the Evacuation Claims Act.
• Issei Registration Under Law Assisted by JACL Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Aliens must register under the McCarran Security Act between January 1 and 10, and JACL chapters nationwide will help Issei complete the required forms. Officials explained who must register and the penalties for failing to do so.

Military & Veterans

• Report Nisei GI May Be One of Massacred War Prisoners, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A letter from Cpl. Oliver T. Ginoza describes paratroopers finding 75 massacred American POWs near Sunchon, Korea, and a possible link to missing Sgt. Robert M. Shindo. The account recounts the rescue operations and burial ceremony that followed.
• Nominate First Nisei Navy Pilot for Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Joe L. Akagi of Texas has been nominated for a naval aviation ensign commission, believed to be the first Nisei commissioned as a navy pilot. He was attached to the Pacific fleet after completing training at Pensacola, Florida.
• Report Nisei Killed, Three Hurt in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Defense Department reported one Nisei GI killed in action and three wounded in Korea during the past week. The casualty list names the soldiers and their families.
• Nisei Sergeant Killed in Japan While Hunting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sgt. Yukio Hashimoto of Kauai was fatally wounded in a hunting accident in Fukui prefecture when a companion’s shotgun discharged. Occupation authorities are investigating the incident.
• Name Nisei Veteran as Court Bailiff, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Roy T. Hatakenaka, a 100th Infantry Battalion veteran, was appointed bailiff of the second division of the U.S. Circuit Court in Hawaii on the recommendation of Judge Chuck Mau. The other circuit court justices concurred with the appointment.
• Two Nisei Paraplegics Move Into New Homes in Honolulu, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two Nisei paraplegic WWII veterans, William Y. Higa and Mitsuru Fujioka, received specially designed homes financed by federal and territorial funds. The homes are side by side in Aina Haina and include wheelchair-accessible features.
• Four Nisei Receive Army Bronze Stars, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Four Nisei soldiers in Korea were awarded Bronze Star medals, three of them with the 24th Infantry Division and one with the First Cavalry Division. The awards recognize combat action and meritorious achievement.

National

• See Little Chance of Senate Action on House-Passed Bill Before End of Special Session, by I. H. Gordon, page 1. Passage of the Walter naturalization bill this session appears unlikely after the Senate adjourned until January 2. Sen. Richard Russell’s repeated objections and the limited Senate agenda leave the bill likely to be reintroduced in the 82nd Congress.
• Urge MGM to Hold Premieres of 442nd Film in Two Cities, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka urged MGM to hold simultaneous world premieres of ‘Go for Broke’ in Honolulu and Washington, D.C. He argued that Honolulu’s ties to the 442nd and the capital’s role as a showcase for democracy make both cities fitting venues.
• Senate Bill Grants Stay to Three Japanese, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Senate approved a resolution suspending deportation proceedings for about 300 aliens, including three Japanese treaty merchants. The Senate also approved two House bills admitting Japanese fiancees of American servicemen.
• Kageyama Case Runs Course, Won Battle to Retain Seat as Supervisor in Honolulu, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 2. Richard M. Kageyama, the only Nisei on the Honolulu city-county board of supervisors, kept his seat after admitting past Communist party membership. Efforts to remove him through resignation demands, impeachment, and grand jury action all failed.

JACL

• A Message for the New Year, by Dr. Randolph M. Sakada, page 2. JACL National President Dr. Randolph M. Sakada calls on members to work for peace and protect democratic freedoms during a period of national emergency. He urges greater support for the JACL and its ADC fund drives, which face a shortage of funds.
• Denver Convention Proved Turning Point for JACL, by Elmer R. Smith, page 6. The article argues that the JACL’s Denver convention program committed the organization to full participation in American social and political life. It also recounts wartime recognition of JACL leaders and the Pacific Citizen’s awards for its editorial work.
• JACL Pledges Full Support in National Emergency, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The JACL ADC sent a letter to the President pledging the organization’s loyal support during the national emergency declared in December 1950. The letter says Japanese Americans will again serve and sacrifice as in World War II.

Community

• Nisei Missing as Boat Struck by Navy Tug, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Masao Okamoto of Acampo is missing and presumed drowned after a navy tug struck the small fishing boat he was in on the San Joaquin River. Two others aboard were rescued, and a search for the body found no trace.
• Long Term in Prison Faces Farm Worker in Knife Slaying, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Haruo Udo, 30, was found guilty of second degree murder for stabbing fellow farm worker Henry Stanley Jr. in Dinuba. The defense argued Udo’s mind was blurred after being struck, and sentencing was pending before Judge Stone.
• Salt Lake Chapter Installs Cabinet at Xmas Dance, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Salt Lake JACL installed Tipe Sia Mochizuki and his cabinet during a Christmas night chapter dance at the YWCA. Officers for the new term were named across the vice-presidential, secretarial, treasury, and historian posts.
• Legalistic Approach Slows Adjudication of Evacuation Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Continuing the claims discussion, the article argues that the Justice Department’s narrow legalistic interpretation is destroying the rehabilitative intent of the Evacuation Claims Act. It calls for a reexamination of administrative policy to speed processing.
• Erection of Monument to Gls Highlights Snake River Year, by Smith Morimoto, page 8. The Snake River Valley JACL joined in erecting a monument honoring local World War II servicemen, unveiled at Ontario City park in September. The article also reviews the chapter’s other activities, including a parade appearance and its graduation banquet.
• Distaff Members Dominate New York JACL Elections, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The New York JACL elected Frank Okazaki as president and a new board in which six of ten members are women. The election followed a panel discussion on the chapter’s goals for 1951.
• Frank Hironaka Heads Placer JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Frank Hironaka was elected president of the Placer County JACL, succeeding James Makimoto. The article lists the new vice presidents and other officers and notes a year-end social planned for December 30.

Commentary

• Behind Americans Betrayed, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines the University of California’s effort to block publication of Morton Grodzins’ book on the wartime evacuation, and the dismissal of Chicago Press director William Couch. It argues the book’s documentation that the evacuation was a political betrayal of all Americans makes its publication a matter of academic freedom.
• Amended Law Gives Benefits to Household Workers, by Charles H. Shreve, page 4. Under amended Social Security law, regular household workers become eligible for old-age and survivors’ insurance coverage. The article explains the three percent tax split between worker and employer and the 24-day and $50 quarterly thresholds for coverage.
• Nisei USA: Terrific Is the Word for It, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Preview audiences responded enthusiastically to MGM’s ‘Go for Broke!’ about the 442nd Combat Team, with nearly all comment cards rating it outstanding or excellent. The column also discusses Hollywood’s shift toward story-driven films and race-relations themes.
• Farewell to Fifty, by Bill Sakamoto, page 5. The columnist reflects on a grim 1951 outlook marked by renewed war footing, austerity, and civil defense drills in New York. He considers what the coming year means for Nisei serving in the armed forces and for businesses facing controls.
• Random Thoughts for 1951, by Bill Sakamoto, page 5. The columnist lists planned topics for future columns, including New York Issei restaurant operators, the impact of war on Chinese stores, Japanese silk’s declining market, and the return of Japanese trading firms. He also notes the difficulties of Nisei journalism and publishing.
• A Time for Memories and Friends, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reflects on the Christmas season as a time for memories and old friends, noting how commercial obligations crowd out neighborliness. He values personal notes on holiday cards and asks readers to remember soldiers fighting in Korea.

Sports

• Konno, Kawamoto Nisei Athletes of 1950, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Hawaiian swimmer Ford Konno is named the Nisei athlete of 1950 for his international middle-distance victories, and Evelyn Kawamoto is cited for her national swimming titles. The column also covers other Nisei athletes in basketball and football.
• Kubota Named to All-CIF Football Team, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Compton halfback Ralph Kubota, the smallest and one of the leading ball carriers in Southern California, was named to the all-CIF football team. He led all Southern California running backs with more than 1,100 yards this season.

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