Nisei Soldier Memorial Day and the Walter-McCarran debate

Vol. 35, No. 17, October 24, 1952. 12 pages. View this issue

Nisei Soldier Memorial Day on Oct. 30 led this 12-page issue. JACL President Inagaki urged chapters to observe the day, and Capt. John J. Rock, a former platoon leader with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, was set to speak at a service at Arlington National Cemetery. The same page reported four Hawaii Nisei killed in action in Korea. Sam Ishikawa defended the Nisei position on the Walter-McCarran Act in a column, and the editorial “Mending Our Fences” called for a stronger JACL and 15,000 members by 1953.

Elsewhere are Tats Kushida’s look at Nisei life in the Coachella Valley, a report on Shosuke Sasaki’s campaign to end the use of the word “Jap” in print, and the Shonien Home fund drive in Los Angeles. Bill Hosokawa’s column noted a turkey plant at the former Heart Mountain camp. Sports pages by George Yoshinaga cover Phil Wildcat Kim, college football and the Tokyo Giants.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Capt. John J. Rock to Speak at Nisei Memorial Day Service, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Capt. John J. Rock, a former platoon leader with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, will speak at the Nisei Memorial Day service at Arlington National Cemetery. The observance honors Nisei soldiers from World War II and Korea.
• Nisei Soldier Memorial Day Urged by JACL President, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL President Inagaki urged chapters to observe Nisei Soldier Memorial Day on Oct. 30 in honor of Nisei servicemen. He noted growing Nisei casualties in Korea and praised the integration of Nisei into the regular U.S. Army.
• Two Nisei Gls Reported Killed in Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four Hawaii Nisei servicemen were reported killed in action in Korea, two by the Army and two by the Navy. Names and next of kin were listed in the report.
• Hiroshima A-Bomb Witness Now G.I., by P.C. Staff, page 2. Marine Pfc. George S. Kobayashi, born in Hawaii and educated in Japan, witnessed the Hiroshima atomic bombing as a Japanese Army officer candidate. He was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps recently.
• Remains of Six Hawaii Nisei GIs Come Home from Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The remains of six Hawaii Nisei soldiers killed in Korea were returned home for interment. Army headquarters at Fort Shafter announced the names and next of kin.

Community

• Coachella Valley: A Garden of Eden in Agriculture and Race Relations, by Tats Kushida, page 1. The Coachella Valley Nisei community is praised for its active participation in civic organizations such as Lions, Rotary, PTA, and the Methodist Church. The local JACL chapter, with 100 percent of eligible Nisei members, is cited as one of the most active in the national organization.
• Stockton Youth Heroics Uncaps Gas Tank of Truck in Burning Garage, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tad Kamigaki prevented a gas tank explosion by removing the truck’s gas cap during a garage fire in Stockton. He then roused the family from the burning house and was treated for burns.
• New Executive Secretary Named by Japanese C. of C., by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tsutomu Takeda, a UC Berkeley graduate, succeeded Matao Matsumura as executive secretary of the Southern California Japanese Chamber of Commerce.
• Shonien Home Fund Drive Passes $10,000 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Shonien Home building fund drive in Los Angeles reached $10,140.63 from 1,034 contributors. House-to-house canvassing was to begin in neighboring cities.
• Former High School Prof Teaches Education in T.H., by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Stanley Noda, who received his doctorate in education from Ohio State, joined the University of Hawaii Manoa faculty. He had previously taught in the territory for nine years.
• So. Calif. Victory Banquet Cancelled to Back L.A. Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A proposed Dec. 7 Northern California victory celebration for the Walter-McCarran bill was cancelled. Groups agreed to support the Dec. 6 testimonial banquet in Los Angeles instead.
• Golo’s Campaign Hits Minor Snag, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Honolulu Treasurer Lawrence Goto is being confused with Y. Baron Goto, leading to calls for plants and flowers. Both explain the University no longer gives plants away.
• Statistician Wages Successful Campaign Against Use of ‘Jap’, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Shosuke Sasaki, a New York JACL member, persuaded several publications including the Wall Street Journal and Twentieth Century-Fox to stop using the word ‘Jap.’ Editors acknowledged the term was offensive.
• 10-Week Americanization Course Taught in Japanese to San Francisco Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 2. About 150 Issei registered for citizenship classes at a San Francisco church, taught in Japanese by K. Tomizawa. The course is sponsored by the Committee for Japanese Citizenship and the local JACL.
• Japanese War Brides Club Organized in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Japanese war brides club has formed in San Francisco and meets biweekly at the International Institute. The Institute arranged a nursery and transportation is a main challenge for members.
• Stanford Gets Copy of Japanese Peace Treaty, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mayor Elmer Robinson of San Francisco presented Stanford University with a certified copy of the Japanese Peace Treaty signed in September 1951.
• Servicemen’s Canteen to Reopen Nov. 1 at New Quarters, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Los Angeles servicemen’s canteen run by four Nisei veterans organizations will reopen Nov. 1. Hostesses will welcome visiting servicemen and provide meal and entertainment tickets.
• Hawaii Health Statistics Bureau Reviewed by National Expert, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Iwao Moriyama, a San Francisco-born statistician with the U.S. Public Health Service, completed a review of Hawaii’s health statistics bureau and found it compares with the best in the nation.
• War Brides Club Organized in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Japanese war brides in the San Francisco Bay Area have formed a club meeting biweekly at the International Institute. A nursery with an attendant is provided during meeting hours.
• Head-on Auto Crack-up Kills 3, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Three people died in a head-on collision on Highway 40 near Heber, Utah, including two Salt Lake City men returning from a fishing trip. The crash occurred when one driver swerved to avoid a stalled truck.
• Quits City Post to Campaign Against Man Who Appointed Him, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Katsumi Kometani resigned as chairman of Honolulu’s Board of Public Parks and Recreation to campaign for Neal Blaisdell against Mayor John H. Wilson. He explained that Blaisdell was a longtime personal friend.
• Calling for Help!, by Harold Tokuzo Gordon, page 4. The 1000 Club column asks readers for ideas on the column’s format and content. It also shares Chicago and West Coast 1000 Club news and social notes.
• Placer High Has Nisei in Band for First Time, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Three Nisei students, Amy Matsumoto, Don Yamada, and Harry Hamada, became the first Nisei members of Placer High School’s band.
• Pregnant War Bride Disappears from Home, Found 800 Miles Away to Be Near Husband, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Miyeko, a Japanese war bride eight months pregnant, traveled 800 miles by train to Camp Gordon, Georgia, to be near her soldier husband. Her husband obtained emergency leave to bring her home safely.
• Hawaii Dieticians Elect Nisei President, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Shizuko Higano, chief dietician at Kuakini Hospital, was elected president of the Hawaii Dietetic Association. The organization has about 8,000 national members, with 50 in Hawaii.

Arts & Entertainment

• Former Seattle Violinist Joins St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Teruko Akagi, a Nisei violinist formerly of Seattle, signed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. She previously played three years with the Kansas City Symphony.
• Tokyo Violinist Ready for Her New York Debut, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Yoko Matsuo, a Tokyo violinist and winner of a 1952 Naumburg award, will give her New York debut recital at Town Hall on Nov. 4. She studies at Juilliard under Louis Persinger.
• Phil Wildcat Kim’s Victory Streak Ends, by George Yoshinaga, page 10. Phil Wildcat Kim’s undefeated streak in the Pacific Coast welterweight ranks ended against Art Aragon at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Aragon’s hard punching proved too much for the Island Korean.
• Philadelphia Artist Awarded $1,000 Prize, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Ben Kamihara of Philadelphia received a $1,000 painting award from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation’s 1952 scholarship competition. He was one of 13 artists honored.

Commentary

• Washington: A Picture, by Dick Akagi, page 2. The author observes that the 1952 presidential campaign in Washington, D.C. lacks the spice of past campaigns. He contrasts it with Chicago politics and reflects on the role of precinct captains.
• Walter-McCarran Law vs. Presidential Nominees, by Sam Ishikawa, page 3. The author defends the Nisei position of supporting the Walter-McCarran Act as an improvement that should be refined through constitutional procedures. He argues that quota inequities against Asian countries remain a concern.
• Credit Unions: A Poor Man’s Bank, by Ted Okumoto, page 6. The article explains the advantages of credit unions for JACL members, including low interest rates and free life insurance on savings and loans. It describes how credit unions are democratically run and profit-free.
• Mending Our Fences, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The editorial urges the JACL to strengthen its internal structure and chapters now that major legislative goals have been achieved. It calls for a national headquarters, a Washington office, and a goal of 15,000 members by 1953.
• From the Frying Pan: Turkey and Heart Mountain, by Bill Hosokawa, page 12. Hosokawa notes a turkey processing plant established at the former Heart Mountain camp and recounts news about a Colorado horticulturist. He also shares a personal reflection on his father’s decades in America.
• Gee Whiz: Jiro and the Madison Avenue Lingo, by Roku Sugahara, page 12. The columnist humorously describes helping a Japanese publishing friend navigate advertising jargon on Madison Avenue. The piece satirizes the confusing language of ad agencies.

In-Depth

• Hawaii’s Aloha Week Comparable to Famous Hospitality, by L. Nakatsuka, page 3. The article describes Hawaii’s Aloha Week festival, which preserves Hawaiian culture and promotes racial harmony through events like the International Lantern Parade. It is offered as a preview of the hospitality planned for Nisei 442nd veterans visiting for a 10th anniversary reunion.

JACL

• National Director Reports, by Masao W. Satow, page 4. National Director Satow reports on the discontinuation of the JACL Reporter, the 1953 membership drive, convention minutes, and the ADC testimonial banquet. He also discusses plans for National Headquarters relocation and the JACL Endowment Fund.
• Japan Society Formed in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Japan Society of San Francisco was established with Joseph A. Moore as president and Chiura Obata as director. The organization was formed to promote cultural understanding between Japan and America.

National

• South America Wants Immigrants, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Kaju Nakamura, president of the Society of Foreign Trade Promotion in Tokyo, reported that several South American countries would accept mass Japanese immigration. He cited agricultural and industrial needs in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Panama.

Sports

• Gridiron Grunt and Groan, by George Yoshinaga, page 10. San Jose State edged College of the Pacific 26-21 despite losing defensive tackle Jim Kajioka. Several Nisei gridders were noted across various college and high school programs.
• Tokyo Giants Book Spring Practice Tilts, by George Yoshinaga, page 10. Lefty O’Doul arranged spring training games in the U.S. for the Tokyo Giants, who will face several major league teams. Hawaiian Nisei Wally Yonamine was highlighted as a key Giants performer.
• Nisei Cager Tries Out for Trojan Five, by George Yoshinaga, page 10. Dick Nagai is trying out for a starting spot on the USC basketball team, the first Nisei in many years to do so. He was a former all-city selection from Roosevelt High.

Obituaries

• Births, Marriages, Engagements, and Deaths, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This vital statistics roundup lists births, weddings, engagements, and deaths among Nisei families across California and other states during October 1952.

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