Vol. 34, No. 6, February 9, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue
Questions of belonging ran through this eight-page issue. The Army defended replacing white crosses with flat stone markers at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, citing discrimination concerns among Buddhist Nisei war dead, while Mike Masaoka urged a House subcommittee to restore upright grave symbols. Federal Judge William B. Byrne restored American citizenship to twelve Nisei strandees who had voted in postwar Japanese elections, ruling the votes were made under fear and coercion. Editorials looked at the Kawakita citizenship case and at faster processing of evacuation claims before the March 15 deadline.
Elsewhere, JACL found nearly 300 Issei and Nisei names on a Los Angeles tax refund list. Chapters in Denver and Salt Lake planned benefits for the JACL ADC drive. Sports pages covered the Denver bowling tournament, where 58 men’s teams entered, and a column by Elmer R. Smith discussed racial stereotypes.
What’s in this issue
Military & Veterans
- Army Cites Discrimination Against Buddhist Nisei GIs To Explain Change of Markers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Army defended replacing white crosses with flat stone markers at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, citing discrimination concerns among Buddhist Nisei war dead. Congressional hearings on restoring the crosses drew strong opposition to the change.
- Masaoka Urges Restoration of Upright Grave Symbols, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka, speaking for the 442nd Veterans Club and the Hawaii YBA, urged a House subcommittee to restore upright religious grave markers in Honolulu. He also requested recognition of the Buddhist Wheel of Righteousness symbol.
- Yatojo May Give Up Bullfighting, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Augusto Yatojo, the only bullfighter of Japanese ancestry, had a difficult outing in Spain after an earlier successful debut. The article reports the crowd’s jeers and suggests he may leave the profession.
National
- Twelve Wartime Strandees Win Citizenship Restoration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Federal Judge William B. Byrne restored American citizenship to twelve Nisei strandees who had lost it for voting in postwar Japanese elections. The judge ruled the votes were made under fear and coercion and were not voluntary.
- Girl Wins U.S. Textile Design Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rose Hiraga, a paralyzed former evacuee, won a textile design competition sponsored by the Associated American Artists galleries. She paints with a brush strapped to her wrist while lying or sitting in her wheelchair.
- Salinas Train Death of Issei Ruled Accident, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Coroner Elmer J. Machado ruled that the January death of Iwakichi Yoshioka, struck by a Southern Pacific switch engine in Salinas, was an accident and not a suicide. Funeral services were held at the Salinas Buddhist church.
Commentary
- Speedup on Compromise Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial praises the Justice Department’s faster processing of evacuation claims under the compromise settlement program. It urges claimants to use the compromise procedure before the March 15 deadline.
- Supreme Court and Kawakita, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines the legal question of whether Tomoya Kawakita renounced his citizenship before his treason conviction. It notes the ruling could affect many stranded Nisei denied passports under the Nationality Act.
- JACL Community Service, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL ADC identified nearly 300 Japanese American names on a Los Angeles income tax refund list that newspapers had not published. The editorial presents this as an example of the organization’s broader community service.
- York, a Business Wonderland, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A columnist describes how New York business deals offer steep discounts on goods through a web of wholesalers, jobbers, and discount houses. He also notes the city’s unusual services and the constant undercutting of prices.
- Behind the Racial Stereotypes, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Smith argues that racial stereotypes arise from prejudice built on experience or verbal teaching, and can be changed through education and individual contact. He rejects the view that fighting stereotypes is futile.
Community
- Near 300 Issei, Nisei Names Found in JACL’s Check of Los Angeles Tax Refund List, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL Regional Director Tats Kushida announced that nearly 300 Issei and Nisei in Southern California are eligible for unclaimed income tax refunds. Refund seekers were directed to the Collector of Internal Revenue in Los Angeles.
- Denver Group Promises Support of ADC Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American Association in Denver agreed to support the JACL ADC financial drive. The group is tentatively planning a recital by tenor Yoshie Fujiwara to benefit the campaign.
- Attend Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Kiyoshi and Mrs. Otsuka of Sedgwick, Colorado, served as official delegates to the Colorado Association of Soil Conservation Districts convention. Mr. Otsuka is a director of the Sedgwick County district.
- New Milwaukee Officers Installed, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Kazumi Gus Oura installed the new Milwaukee JACL chapter officers for 1952 at a recent ceremony. Nami Shio was installed as president and James Momoi as vice-president.
- Chicago Churches to Join For Cooperative Program, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Kenwood Church and the Ellis Community Center Church of Chicago will begin a joint cooperative program on Brotherhood Sunday, February 17. The Ellis church was founded to serve Japanese Americans who moved into the Kenwood area after the war.
- Salt Lake Chapter Plans Movie Show For ADC Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Salt Lake JACL chapter will sponsor a double-feature film program at the Buddhist Church on February 15 and 16 to raise funds for the JACL ADC. The chapter is also considering a concert by tenor Yoshie Fujiwara.
- Two Hawaiian Nisei Named District Judges, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Bert T. Kobayashi and Ben G. Takayesu were appointed district magistrates for the First Judicial District of Hawaii. Six other Hawaii magistrates are also of Japanese ancestry.
- Western Young Buddhists Plan Annual Confab in San Jose, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Western Young Buddhist League will hold its tenth annual convention in San Jose February 22-24 under the theme Peace Through Faith. The program includes discussion panels, a choir festival, a queen contest, and a basketball tournament.
- Flower Growers in Los Angeles Reelect Inagaki, by P.C. Staff, page 8. George Inagaki was reelected chairman of the Southern California Flower Growers Inc. at its annual meeting in late January. Other officers were also reelected to serve the all-Nisei growers organization.
Sports
- Oregon Nisei Help Win Dual Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Nisei swimmers from Hawaii led the University of Oregon to a 58-28 dual meet win over Oregon State. Yoshinobu Terada, Milton Kotoshirodo, and Henry Kaiura each won events.
- Invite S. F. Chinese Saints To Intermountain Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Salt Lake JACL invited the San Francisco Chinese Saints and several other teams to its 17th annual basketball tournament March 27-29. Tournament director Yoshinobu Kojimoto announced the field.
- Tommy Umeda Protests Action Stopping Bout in Australia, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Nisei featherweight Tommy Umeda protested a referee’s decision to stop his February 4 bout with Ray Coleman in Sydney and award Coleman the win. Umeda said he could have continued after turning his back to signal a glove problem.
- Report 58 Teams Enter JACL Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Fifty-eight men’s and sixteen women’s teams entered the 6th annual National JACL bowling tournament in Denver, set for February 29 to March 2. The event will be held at the newly opened Ellitch’s Gardens lanes.
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