Evacuation claims and the JACL’s San Francisco convention

Vol. 34, No. 25, June 21, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Evacuation claims and the coming JACL convention shared the front page. The National JACL Evacuation Claims Committee planned to recommend extending the compromise settlement procedure to all claims, whatever their size, and compensation for families who suffered losses. The 12th biennial convention in San Francisco was expected to draw over 1,000 members, the first on the West Coast since the 1942 mass evacuation. Bill Hosokawa sent greetings to the delegates from Denver, and Larry Tamiri wrote about honoring the Pacific Coast Americans who defended Japanese Americans during the war.

The omnibus immigration bill drew an editorial, a statement by Sen. Pat McCarran and a protest by the Nisei Progressives. Elsewhere the eight pages carried the Chicago chapter’s third year at 1,000 members, Min Yasui among the nominees for the Nisei of the Biennium award, a report on about 25,000 Japanese in Peru, and sports news, including Evelyn Kawamoto’s 400-meter record.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Chicago JACL Hits 1000 Member Mark for Third Year, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Chicago JACL chapter has signed 1,028 members in its current campaign, making it the largest chapter in the national JACL. The drive will conclude in about two weeks, with the chapter hoping to surpass its former record of 1,087.
• National JACL’s ‘Homecoming’ Convention Expected to Be Largest in Group’s History, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL’s 12th biennial convention in San Francisco is expected to draw over 1,000 members, the largest in the organization’s history. It marks the first West Coast convention since the 1942 mass evacuation.
• JACL Luncheon to Recognize San Francisco Area Friends of Japanese American Group, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Twenty-one San Francisco Bay Area individuals who contributed to better human relations will be honored at a June 28 JACL convention luncheon. The Rev. Harry C. Meserve will speak on the role of the Nisei during the threat to freedom.
• Pioneer Night Fete Will Pay Tribute to Issei Immigrants, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A banquet on June 28 at the Buddhist Church will honor some 400 Issei aged 70 or older and those who arrived before 1910. The evening will include an elaborate program of ceremonies and entertainment.
• Announce Change in Hair Stylists Contest at Confab, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hair Stylist Contest at the National JACL Convention has moved to the Nob Hill Room of the Fairmont Hotel on June 30. Contestants will work exclusively with oriental hair, judged by leading stylists.
• JACL Will Be Forum Subject at Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Northern California-Western Nevada District Council will host a June 30 forum titled ‘Who is JACL?’ Public participation is encouraged through question boxes set up near the council room.
• Sayonara Ball Will Be Final Event on Conclave Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Sayonara Ball, closing event of the JACL convention, will be held June 30 at the Fairmont Hotel. Entertainment and decorations, including a large crystal ball centerpiece, are planned.
• Five More Nisei Nominated for JACL Biennium Award, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Five Nisei were nominated for the JACL’s Nisei of the Biennium award, including Min Yasui, Patrick Okura, William Enomoto, Ford Konno, and Tom Konno. The recognitions committee will announce winners in six fields.

Incarceration & Redress

• Extension of Compromise Plan Urged in All Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Evacuation Claims Committee will recommend extending the compromise settlement procedure to all evacuation claims regardless of amount. It also recommends compensation for internees whose families suffered evacuation losses.

Community

• Denver Mothers Raise $561.10 for JACL-ADC, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Denver Nisei Mothers Club presented the JACL-ADC with $561.10 in net profits from its Oriental Food Benefit held May 23 at the YWCA. More than 600 persons attended the event, which grossed $964.60.
• Long Beach-Harbor To Send Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mas and Nobie Narita will serve as official delegates from the Long Beach-Harbor JACL chapter at the national convention in San Francisco. The brief notes their appointment.
• New Chapter Activated in Hollywood Area, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hollywood JACL chapter was formally organized at a June 18 meeting, with Arthur Ito named president for 1952. A membership drive will begin under John Endo, with an installation dinner planned for early July.
• 11-Year Old Girl Wins $750 For Scholastic Achievements, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Emi Sano, an 11-year-old San Mateo student, won the $750 Turnbull school award for sixth-grade achievement. Her principal and classmates praised her scholarship, friendliness, and sportsmanship.
• Cool Weather for Delegates: Bring Those Top Coats, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Convention delegates to San Francisco are advised that June weather is cool, averaging about 59 degrees with little rain. The article also offers packing and dress suggestions for women and travelers.
• Dude Ranch Will Be Scene of JACL Convention Outing, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The convention outing will be held at the Pink Horse Ranch on the Peninsula, featuring swimming, fishing, picnicking, dancing, and a talent show. Two meals will be served and awards will be presented during the day.
• Maui Veterans Plan Carnival to Raise Scholarship Funds, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Maui AJA Veterans Club will hold its 4th annual scholarship carnival on July 3, 4, and 5. Proceeds will fund University of Hawaii scholarships for Maui students in financial need.
• ‘Package Deal’ Offered Special Convention Goers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A $25 package deal offers convention delegates registration and access to most events, including the banquet, fashion show, and tournaments. It is presented as a time and money-saving bargain.
• Plans ADC Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The San Diego JACL chapter will hold an ADC dinner at the Japanese Congregational Church to celebrate the near completion of its ADC drive. Appreciation scrolls will be presented to campaign helpers.
• Cleveland JACL Has Paper Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Cleveland JACLers held a paper drive to bolster their club treasury, led by Nobe Asamoto and a team of volunteers. The drive helped raise funds for the chapter.
• Airline Contributes Playing Cards for Convention Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Northwest Airlines donated forty decks of playing cards to the national JACL convention tournament committee. The cards feature scenes of Japan and familiar landmarks.
• Plan Campaign to Reactivate Shonien Children’s Home in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 3. A $25,000 fundraising campaign will reactivate the Shonien, a Japanese children’s home in Los Angeles. The board plans a new facility in Highland Park and a foster family approach.
• Martha Kaihatsu Joins NY Firm, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Martha Kaihatsu, former publicity director at Knoll Associates, joined Virginia Burdick Public Relations as an account executive in home furnishings. She was previously associated with fabric designer Angelo Testa.
• Ontario Girl Wins Nursing Fellowship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Jane Horiuchi of Ontario received the $150 Malheur Memorial Hospital nursing scholarship. The award is given annually by several Nyssa civic organizations and the hospital auxiliary.
• Long Beach to Name Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Long Beach will crown a queen and two attendants at a Japanese community carnival held June 21 and 22. Candidates are pictured and the coronation dance is set for Saturday evening.
• Father Receives Letter from Son in Prisoner Camp, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Set. Ted Hada of Denver, a prisoner of war in China since February 1951, wrote to his father from a Chaingsong camp. The letter reported he could walk again without a cane.
• Two Nisei Students Leave for Japan on Goodwill Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Three young Americans of Asian ancestry, including Nisei Ernest Bokura and Filipino American Acoba, left San Francisco on a YMCA-sponsored goodwill visit to Japan. The trip is funded by the Committee for Free Asia travel awards.
• Win Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 3. James K. Komatsu and Eiji Amemiya were among 24 Pepperdine College students awarded scholarships by the George H. Mayr Educational Foundation.
• Many Race Groups Represented in Chicago Art Class, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Students of a Chicago art class, including Nisei and immigrant members of varied backgrounds, displayed their works at Lake View library. The class is part of the JACL’s special interest group under instructor Mrs. Nieman.
• Ann Nisei’s Cookery: Three Ways With Chicken, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The column offers three chicken recipes from Persian, Italian, and Mexican traditions, including Persian chicken with rice, raisins, and almonds and Chicken Cacciatori. Each recipe includes detailed ingredients and cooking instructions.
• Nisei to Teach Home Economics in Iowa School, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Mitsie Yoshinaga, a Nisei from Hawaii and Simpson College graduate, will teach home economics at Tripoli High School in Iowa during 1952-53. She was active in campus leadership positions.
• Church Bazar Will Feature Art Works, Japanese Foods, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Long Beach Japanese Presbyterian Church will hold a bazaar June 27-28 featuring Japanese art, ceramics, and foods such as osushi and chow mein. Several church groups are sponsoring the event.
• House Committee Reports 14 Private Japanese Bills, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The House Judiciary Committee reported 14 private bills for relief of persons of Japanese ancestry, including bills to restore citizenship and admit adopted children and fiancees. Sponsors were identified for each bill.
• San Mateo Girl Gets Essay Award, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Lucy Ikeda of San Mateo received the American Legion essay contest award at College Park Elementary School commencement exercises. The award was presented by contest chairman Mrs. A. Rainie.
• Nisei Graduates Win Honors at Fresno State, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Ten Nisei graduated from Fresno State’s commencement, including honor graduates Kenichi Sunamoto and Joe Inami. Several were recognized for scholarship and campus leadership at a Nisei Club banquet.
• Credit Union Will Send Out Dividends Early in July, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The National JACL credit union will mail 1.5% dividend checks early in July, after posting a $1,994.15 profit for the period ending May 31, 1952. Elected officers for the year were also announced.
• Nisei Student Heads Baptist Youth Group, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Bill Nakahira of Wahiawa, Oahu was elected president of the Baptist Student Union at Wayland College in Plainview, Texas. Samuel Choy was appointed BSU secretary, the first Oriental American to hold that post.
• Pennsylvania Girl Weds Navy Ensign, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Eleanor Masae Morisuye of Sharon, Pennsylvania married Ensign Leo Lemley on June 11 in St. Joseph’s Church. Both are Penn State graduates and the couple will relocate for service and teaching.
• Chicago Group Plans Dance for Cerebral Palsy Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Chicago Iris group will hold a benefit dance on June 28 at the Kenwood gym, with proceeds going to the Cerebral Palsy Fund drive.
• YWCA Announces Jazz Age Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Iwao Kawakami will speak about the Jazz Age at a Sunday open house at the San Francisco YWCA. Kawakami has spent nine years collecting jazz records and making tape recordings.
• Eden Girls Name Kimi Fujii Prexy, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Eden Girls Club of San Leandro elected Kimi Fujii president, with other officers installed at a June 14 dinner in San Francisco. The club also named new vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.
• Marysville Youth Named Outstanding in Graduating Class, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Robert Tadashi Hatamiya became the first Nisei to win Marysville Union High School’s American Legion award as its most outstanding graduate. He also won a $400 Anna Bell Karr scholarship.
• Cleveland Plans Community Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Cleveland’s Nisei and Issei clubs will hold a joint community picnic at Lake Park in Mantua on a set date in July. Programs include swimming, games, and contests for children, with various groups handling duties.

National

• President Signs Six Bills to Admit Aliens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Truman signed six private bills for the relief of persons of Japanese ancestry, five of which admitted Japanese children for adoption. One bill allowed a Japanese fiancee to enter the United States for marriage.
• Nisei Progressives Urge Truman Veto of Omnibus Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Nisei Progressives launched a telegram and letter campaign urging President Truman to veto the McCarran-Walter omnibus immigration bill. The group condemned the measure as racist and reactionary.
• Omnibus Measure Liberalized, Sen. McCarran Tells Senate, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sen. Pat McCarran told the Senate that the conference version of the omnibus immigration bill contains liberalizations, including special provisions for Asian-origin persons. The Senate then passed the conference report by voice vote.
• New York Paper’s Editorial Praises Omnibus Measure, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The New York World-Telegram editorial praised the omnibus immigration bill as a considerable step forward in updating immigration law. Sen. McCarran inserted the editorial into the Congressional Record.
• Akagi Testifies Before U.S. Job Bias Group, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Richard Akagi urged the President’s Committee on Government Contract Compliance to require labor unions to end discriminatory membership practices. He argued union bars are as harmful to employment as discriminatory employers.
• Nisei Major’s Promotion Wins Senate Okay, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Senate confirmed Maj. Thomas M. Kobayashi’s permanent appointment to major in the regular U.S. Army. Kobayashi served as assistant adjutant with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy and France.

Military & Veterans

• First West Point Nisei from Hawaii Returns on Leave, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kenneth K. Ikeda, the first Nisei from Hawaii to enroll at West Point, returned home on his first leave from the Academy. He is a welterweight on the Army freshman boxing team.

Arts & Entertainment

• Combined Bay Region Vocal Chorus to Debut at Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Combined Bay Region Vocal Chorus, directed by Frank Ono, will make its debut at the JACL convention opening ceremonies. The chorus will perform a program including the JACL Hymn.
• Nisei Chorus to Sing for JACL Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Combined Bay Region Vocal Chorus will sing at the JACL convention opening, with a photo of its members. The chorus program includes patriotic and popular selections.
• Miyoko Ito Wins $300 for Canvas, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Miyoko Ito received the $300 Mr. and Mrs. H. Armstrong award for her non-objective canvas ‘The King Bird’ at the 56th annual Art Institute of Chicago exhibit. She is a Berkeley native with a background in several prestigious art schools.

Commentary

• The White House and the Omnibus Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial considers whether President Truman will veto, sign, or let the McCarran-Walter omnibus bill become law. It argues that the conferees’ liberalizations make the bill an improvement over existing law and urges signing.
• Questions for the Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial outlines major issues for national council delegates, including evacuation claims, regional office funding, relocation of JACL headquarters and the Pacific Citizen, relations with Japan, an endowment fund, and legislative program. It frames these as key decisions for the convention.
• Nisei Keeper of Their Brother’s Keeper, by Larry Tamiri, page 4. The column honors Pacific Coast Americans who defended Japanese Americans during World War II and urges the Nisei to honor them. It praises Dr. Monroe Deutsch and others and argues the Nisei must defend others’ civil rights in return.
• Say Hello to the Golden Gate, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa reflects on the JACL’s growth from its 1930 Seattle convention to the present, noting the organization’s maturing approach. He sends greetings to the San Francisco convention from Denver.
• Japanese in the Americas: Ann Nisei’s Cookery, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The column offers chicken recipes from several cuisines, including a Persian stewing hen dish and Italian Chicken Cacciatori. Serving suggestions with rice or pasta are included.

In-Depth

• The West Coast Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Graduate student Atlee E. Shidler is researching the Pacific Coast Committee on American Principles and Fair Play. The committee and its predecessors worked to counter wartime racist propaganda and prepare communities for evacuee return.
• Japanese in the Americas: 25 Thousand in Peru, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Japanese Peruvians number about 25,000 and mostly intermarry within their community, unlike Chinese immigrants. They concentrate in Lima, Callao, and agricultural valleys, notably cotton farming in the Chancay Valley.

Sports

• Mrs. Tashima Earns Bowling Laurels, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Chiyo Tashima, the national JACL women’s all-events champion, defended her TV bowling title for ten weeks on the Western Challenge Bowling program. She averaged 192 pins per game before losing to Peggy Farley.
• Four Nisei Qualify for Lifting Trials, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Four Nisei from Hawaii qualified for the National AAU weightlifting meet and the Olympic tryouts in New York City on June 27 and 28. George Yoshioka, Emerick Ishikawa, Richard Tomita, and John Odo are among the team.
• Kojima’s Bat Aids Hanshin Tigers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Kats Kojima, a Hawaiian Nisei playing pro ball in Japan, has been hitting well for the Hanshin Tigers. He hit a home run to help his team win an 8-7 game over the Kokutetsu Swallow.
• Hirayama Makes Impressive Debut in California League, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Satoshi ‘Fibber’ Hirayama, captain of Fresno State’s baseball team, made an impressive pro debut with the Stockton Ports. He was the only Japanese American playing organized baseball that season.
• Evelyn Kawamoto Sets New U.S. Record in 400 Meters, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Evelyn Kawamoto, an 18-year-old University of Hawaii freshman, set an unofficial American record in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 5:13.4. She is competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
• Hayashi Makes Hole-in-One on Minnesota Course, by P.C. Staff, page 6. George Hayashi scored his first hole-in-one in 14 years of golf on the 177-yard fifth hole at the New Ulm Country Club. His playing partners had a standing bet that paid him $15.
• Placer JACL Team Opens Second Half With Victory, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Placer JACL ball club opened its second half of the Placer-Nevada league with a 5-8 win over the Nevada City Athletics. George Goto relieved Yo Takayama and pitched well in the win.
• Women Singles Event Added to Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A women’s singles event was added to the JACL convention bowling tournament at the Downtown Bowl in San Francisco. Entry fees and handicap details were announced by the co-chairmen.
• Kubayama Loses Bid for Spot on Olympic Team, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Roy Kuboyama of the University of Hawaii lost in the Olympic boxing trials in Kansas City, ending his bid for the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He was outpointed by George Goodbeer in the first round.
• Fukuda Named Coach of West Region Boxers, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Patsy Fukuda, coach of Hawaiian boxers who won three championships in the Western Olympic trials, was named team coach for the Kansas City Olympic trials. He previously mentored several AAU champions.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.