Issei naturalization and the 442nd memorial in Bruyeres

Vol. 35, No. 7, August 16, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Passage of the new immigration law, and what it meant for Issei, ran through the front page of this eight-page issue. The Washington JACL ADC reported that Issei could file for naturalization right away, and chapters in the East Bay, San Joaquin County and Arizona planned victory banquets and naturalization classes. The lead story came from France: an American flag sent by the National JACL was raised at the JACL monument to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team dead in Bruyeres on Memorial Day.

Columns include Saburo Kido on whether Issei and Nisei should have separate organizations, Larry Tajiri on the Dies Committee, Bill Hosokawa on a film premiere in Colorado Springs, and Elmer R. Smith on pioneer Issei. Page 6 and most of page 7 follow Nisei athletes, including Tommy Kono, Ford Konno and Yoshinobu Oyakawa. Ann Nisei offers summer recipes.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Bruyeres Citizens Raise American Flag at JACL Monument to 442nd Dead, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An American flag sent by the National JACL was unfurled at the 442nd memorial in Bruyeres, France, on Memorial Day. Citizens of Bruyeres honored the Nisei soldiers who liberated their town and hope veterans will one day make a pilgrimage there.
• Report Tokyo Area Veterans Plan New Nisei Organization, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Former members of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team in the Tokyo area are organizing a club, whose first function will honor Gen. Mark Clark. Veterans’ groups in Honolulu said they had no knowledge of the Tokyo project.
• Honolulu Soldier Wounded in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Department of Defense informed the Washington JACL ADC that Nisei Lawrence Yoshio Yamagawa of Honolulu was wounded in Korea while serving with the U.S. Marine Corps.
• Nisei Who Gave Up Olympic Chance Hurt in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Marine Pfc. Mataichi Danny Kosora of Kurtistown, Hawaii, a former amateur boxer, chose combat duty in Korea over Olympic trials and was wounded in action. His commanding officer had offered him the choice between training and a tour of duty.

National

• ADC Reports Issei May File Application Immediately for Naturalization Under New Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Washington JACL ADC office reported that Issei may immediately file a petition for naturalization under the new immigration law. Applicants should be sure they are lawful permanent residents, and the application is distinct from the old first papers.
• Noted Dentist Found Dead in Los Angeles Locker Room, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Michio M. Nakadate, a prominent Los Angeles dentist, was found dead in a swimming pool locker room, apparently of a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, two children, and his parents and siblings.
• Paper Notes Omnibus Act Has Improvements Over Old Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Washington Post described the deportation provisions of the new Immigration and Nationality Act as an improvement over existing law, in the case of Finnish immigrant Carl Latva. The Washington JACL ADC noted the newspaper had shifted its view of the act.
• Figures Show Rise in Entries of Japan War Brides into U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Immigration statistics show Japanese soldier brides entering the U.S. rose sharply after the JACL ADC-sponsored Public Law 717 was enacted. The JACL ADC said further extension of the Soldier Brides Act is unnecessary given the new act.
• ANZUS Leaders Hear Nisei Senator’s Talk Stressing Hawaii’s Racial Brotherhood, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 5. At a World Brotherhood meeting in Honolulu, visiting ministers Dean Acheson, Robert Casey, and T. Clifton Webb praised Hawaii’s interracial harmony during an ANZUS council visit. Senator Wilfred Tsukiyama introduced the event, and Acheson endorsed Hawaii statehood.

Community

• East Bay Plans Banquet for Sixty Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The East Bay JACL chapter will honor about sixty Issei who solicited funds for the JACL ADC at a victory banquet in Oakland. The event celebrates passage of the omnibus immigration and naturalization bill.
• Arizona JACL Chapter Seeks Legislation Repealing State’s Anti-Japanese Alien Land Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Glendale Arizona JACL chapter voted to work for repeal of the state’s Alien Land Law at the next legislative session. The chapter also reviewed its role in the McCarran-Walter campaign and planned naturalization classes and a district convention.
• San Joaquin Chapters Plan Victory Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Stockton, French Camp, and proposed Lodi JACL chapters will jointly sponsor a victory banquet on Aug. 24 celebrating the omnibus immigration law. Committee assignments and a memorial tribute to Nisei GI heroes were outlined.
• Plan Japan Day, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Joaquin County Fair will honor Japanese American residents with a Japanese Day on Aug. 21. Japanese dance performances will be featured.
• Arizona JACL Will Sponsor Testimonial for McFarland, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Arizona JACL will hold a national testimonial banquet for Senate Majority Leader Ernest McFarland to thank him for supporting the omnibus bill. The chapter also endorsed the Central Arizona water project and planned an October carnival.
• Finalists in Queen Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Five finalists were selected in the Nisei Week Festival queen contest at a cocktail party in Pasadena. The queen will be chosen by popularity poll at the Coronation Ball on Aug. 15.
• Child Drowns in Ditch Near Family Farm, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Judith Gail Nishiguchi, 16 months old, drowned in an irrigation ditch near Cairo Junction, Oregon, in a ruled accidental death. Her father found her and attempted artificial respiration before she was taken to a hospital.
• Chapter Plans Testimonial for PC Editors, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Salt Lake JACL will hold a testimonial dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Larry Tajiri, editors of the Pacific Citizen, on Sept. 27. The Pacific Citizen will move to Los Angeles under Saburo Kido as of October.
• Corky Kawasaki Aids Chicago Drive for Iron Lung for Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Chicago TV host Luckey North is raising funds for an iron lung for Japan, with Corky Kawasaki supporting the campaign. The equipment is part of a CARE and World Health Organization effort, as Japan’s polio rate is rising.
• Death of Judoist Attributed to Injuries from Fall, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Los Angeles coroner attributed the death of Hiroshi Shintani, a young judo student, to head injuries sustained when he was thrown during a match at the Hollywood Judo Club. He died at General Hospital hours later.
• Seek Repeal (continued), by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Arizona JACL continued its report on the forthcoming Pacific Southwest District Council convention in Phoenix, listing planned events and committee members. Convention theme is Fun in the Sun.
• Venice JACL Plans Annual Family Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Venice JACL will hold its annual family picnic at Ladera Park on Aug. 17 with games, adult recreation, and food. Members, friends, and Issei are invited.
• Japanese Canadians Win Grand Prize for Parade Float, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A float entered by the Japanese Canadian community of Vernon, B.C. won the $100 grand prize in the city’s 60th anniversary parade. The float featured cherry blossoms, a shrine arch, and costumed participants.
• Northern California Chapters Urge Naturalization Classes, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Delegates to the Northern California-Western Nevada JACL District Council meeting in Watsonville adopted eight resolutions, including naturalization classes for Issei and support for repealing Article 19 of the California Constitution. Other resolutions addressed Pacific Citizen distribution and honors for members.
• Abandon Long Sea Search for Bodies of Two Lost Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Coast Guard and family searches failed to recover the bodies of Jack Fukunaga and Leonard Yoshino, lost after an explosion aboard the sport fishing boat Spare Time off Santa Monica. Survivors testified the boat lacked proper licensing and carried an unpermitted butane stove.
• Names Chairman for Holiday Ads, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Yukio Hashiguchi was appointed chairman of 1952 Pacific Citizen holiday greeting ad solicitation in the Chicago area. Ad sales begin Sept. 1 to help the paper financially.
• Club Donates to Shonien Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Tri Delts teenage club of Los Angeles donated $100 to the Shonien children’s home fund drive from a Moonlight Cocktails dance. Marianne Tayama also donated $100 instead of a birthday gift.
• Oregon Nisei Veterans Give Scholarships to Two Students, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Norma Dee Parish of Eugene High School and Keisho Okayama of Portland’s Lincoln High School received Oregon Nisei Veterans war memorial scholarships. Okayama plans to study advertising art at Pratt Art Institute.
• Eastern Young Buddhists Plan Convention in New York City, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Sixth Annual Eastern Young Buddhist League Conference will be held Labor Day weekend in New York City. Programs include discussion symposiums, a banquet speech by Swami Nikhilananda, a talent show, and a convention ball.

Incarceration & Redress

• JACL Regional Council Asks Repeal of Anti-Chinese Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Delegates to the Northern California-Western Nevada JACL District Council called for repeal of discriminatory sections of the California Constitution, including Article XIX. The ACLU and a 1947 state commission had also recommended repeal.
• Vote Honorariums for Six Attorneys in Masaoka Case, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Joint Conference on the Alien Land Law Test Case voted $3,500 in honorariums to six attorneys for their work in the Masaoka case. The conference will disband after the appeal period and plans a testimonial dinner.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nisei Artist Plans Trip to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei artist Steve Wada, who exhibited paintings at the Breteau Gallery in Paris, plans to travel to Japan to study block printing and ceramics. His Paris works were produced over two years in the French capital.
• Wins Award, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Fred Kawahara received a superior service award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for his work on soybean oil flavor research at the Northern Regional Laboratory in Peoria, Illinois. He is now at the University of Chicago on a fellowship.
• Life’s Iwasaki, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Carl Iwasaki’s photos appeared in a Life magazine story on the northern Canada uranium rush and a full-page photo of Eisenhower. Iwasaki and Ed Ogle traveled rapidly to the remote site by airline and float plane.

Commentary

• Should Issei, Nisei Have Separate Organizations?, by Saburo Kido, page 4. Saburo Kido responds to a Kashu Mainichi series urging Issei and Nisei to form separate organizations now that naturalization has been resolved. He argues that family, economic, and moral ties make the two groups inseparable and that a common front remains essential.
• Shadow of the Black Dragon, by Larry Tajiri, page 5. Larry Tajiri examines Martin Dies’s return to Congress and the damage done to Japanese Americans by the Dies Committee’s 1942 Yellow Book. He argues the committee’s sensationalist and biased investigations fueled wartime suspicion and the evacuation, and criticizes the continued use of its list of proscribed Japanese organizations.
• A Premiere—And Jane Russell, Too, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa recounts attending the Colorado Springs premiere of the film One Minute to Zero, shot at Camp Carson, where he was playfully cast as a Korean general. He describes the glamour of the event and his amusement at being overshadowed by child actor Leslie Toma and Jane Russell.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa’s column recounts the premiere, the technical adviser Dr. Henry DeYoung, and Mike Masaoka’s bit part in Go for Broke!. The column is lighthearted commentary on Hollywood’s treatment of Japanese American contributions.
• Food for the Dog Days, by Ann Nisei, page 7. Ann Nisei suggests Japanese dishes such as yose-nabe and a cucumber salad as alternatives to hot dogs and hamburgers for summer outdoor eating. Detailed ingredients and preparation steps are provided.

In-Depth

• The Pioneer Issei, by Elmer R. Smith, page 6. Elmer R. Smith profiles early Japanese immigrants, including a boy who became editor of a Seattle newspaper and George Shima, the Potato King of the San Joaquin delta. The column highlights the pioneering work of Issei in agriculture and industry in the American West.

Sports

• Nishita Looks Forward to Trial on Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Pitcher Bill Nishita, struggling with Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, hopes to land a Pacific Coast League berth after spring training. The column also notes local Nisei sports results across baseball, boxing, bowling, and golf.
• Umeda Faces Substitute in State Title Bout, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tommy Umeda’s California bantamweight title bout with Keeny Teran was postponed due to Teran’s injury, and Umeda will instead face Oscar Torres. The column also covers Olympic swimmer Yoshinobu Oyakawa of Hilo and other sports news.
• Home Town Fans Give Fibber a Night, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Exeter fans honored Fibber Hirayama with a night when the Stockton Ports played in Visalia. The column also reports on Nisei performances in Little League, a Hawaii league game, and a Pacific Coast Nisei bowling tournament.
• Thirty-Four Teams Enter Coast Pinfest, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Thirty-four men’s teams and eight women’s teams entered the Pacific Coast Nisei bowling tournament in Los Angeles. The column also reports on Harvey Zenimura’s Japan tour and golf and bowling results.
• Kageshina Plays Jaycee Golf Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Kengo Kaneshina of Maui, the only Nisei in the National Junior Chamber of Commerce golf tournament in Eugene, Oregon, finished the territorial tournament barefoot after a blister. A businessman had bought him clubs and shoes for the competition.
• Upset Marks First Round in Net Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Unseeded Sumi Kamachi upset Ruth Miho in first-round play of the Southern California Japanese Women’s Tennis Championships. Other first-round results and quarterfinal schedules were listed.
• Konno, Oyakawa Will Bite U.S. Swim Meet in Newark, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Olympic swimming champions Ford Konno and Yoshinobu Oyakawa will compete in the National AAU men’s outdoor swimming championships in Newark, New Jersey, from Aug. 25 to 28. They skipped a New York reception to return to Ohio State University.
• Recall Tommy Kono’s Start In Weightlifting Competition, by Marco Smolich, page 7. Sacramento weightlifting official Chet Teegarden recalls first meeting Tommy Kono and analyzes his training and technique after Kono’s Olympic gold medal. Teegarden predicts Kono could lift 930 pounds by 1956.
• Roy Higa Beats Akanuma in Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Honolulu bantamweight Roy Higa won a unanimous ten-round decision over Akiyoshi Akanuma in Tokyo, his second major victory in Japan. Akanuma was nearly counted out before the bell saved him in the eighth round.

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