Dore Schary and the McCarran-Walter Act anniversary

Vol. 38, No. 18, April 30, 1954. 8 pages. View this issue

Plans for the national JACL convention in Los Angeles led this 8-page issue. Dore Schary, the MGM executive who produced “Go for Broke,” was named keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies on Sept. 2. The Washington, D.C. chapter announced a June 27 banquet marking two years of the McCarran-Walter Act, and Joseph M. Swing was nominated as Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization. JACL also pressed for the Hillings evacuation claims bill, and a Senate bill on strandee voting was passed over after an objection.

On the commentary pages, Mike Masaoka wrote about the Geneva Conference, Harry Honda about the Army-McCarthy hearings, Bill Hosokawa about three stitches in his son’s head, and Larry Tajiri about State Senator Jack Tenney. Elsewhere, Issei new citizens were honored in Ogden and with cherry trees in Salt Lake, and the Placer JACL baseball club won its first two games.

What’s in this issue

National

• ‘Go for Broke!’ Producer Dore Schary to Keynote National JACL Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dore Schary, MGM vice-president in charge of production and producer of ‘Go for Broke,’ will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremonies of the national JACL convention in Los Angeles on Sept. 2. The speech will touch on the convention theme of ‘New Horizon.’
• Washington Chapter to Celebrate Second Anniversary of McCarran-Walter Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Washington, D.C. JACL chapter plans a testimonial banquet on June 27 at the Sheraton Park Hotel to mark the second anniversary of the McCarran-Walter Act. Honorees will include Sen. Pat McCarran, Rep. Francis Walter, and naturalized Issei citizens.
• Gen. Swing Named INS Commissioner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Eisenhower nominated retired Lt. Gen. Joseph M. Swing to be Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, succeeding Argyle Mackey. Swing was among the first Army men to land in Yokohama after V-J Day.
• Strandee Voting Bill Objected To in Senate, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Senate bill introduced at JACL request by Sen. Arthur Watkins to restore citizenship to those who lost it by voting in postwar Japanese elections was passed over after Sen. Albert Gore objected. JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka is pursuing a vote on the measure.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Jet Pilot Lt. George Shibata Promoted to First Lieutenant, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Lt. George Shibata, the first Nisei appointed to a federal service academy, was promoted to first lieutenant by the Air Force. A West Point graduate and jet pilot, he is stationed in Korea.

Community

• Hillings Evacuation Claims Bill Clearance Urged by JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka met with Bureau of the Budget officials to expedite clearance of the Hillings evacuation claims bill. He urged a favorable report so the House Judiciary Committee could act on the measure.
• Amesbury Students Raise Money for Typewriter for Japanese Principal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Junior high students in Amesbury, Mass. performed odd chores to buy a typewriter for Yasuo Ishii, principal of a school in Shizuoka-ken, Japan. The typewriter was presented in Japan on April 15 and the two schools have begun a letter exchange.
• Dr. Morikawa Named Baptist Delegate to World Council Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Jitsuo Morikawa, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Chicago, was named one of two official delegates for the American Baptist Convention at the World Council of Churches conference in Evanston this summer.
• Old Dobbin Wins Case Against Auto, But Horse Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A San Jose superior court judge ruled against a Japanese American family’s $25,350 personal injury suit after their car struck a grower’s plow horse on the highway. The judge found no negligence and the horse died in the crash.
• Ogden Business Destroyed by Fire Easter Sunday, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A fire on Easter Sunday destroyed the Kay Noodle Parlor in Ogden and damaged the neighboring Intermountain Publishing Co., with losses estimated at $50,000. The cafe owner, Kay Mukai, said he would not reopen.
• Nisei Bass Player Wins on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scout, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Cleveland comedy quartet Tune Toppers, including bass player Yoshiaki ‘Sharky’ Nadaoka, was declared a winner on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scout program. Nadaoka has lived in Cleveland for ten years.
• Honolulu Farmer Refuses to Register as Alien, Believing Japan Won War, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Kametoku Tomei, a stubborn Issei farmer in Hawaii, was fined $50 and placed on probation for failing to register as an alien because he believed Japan had won the war. A consular official finally convinced him otherwise shortly before his court appearance.
• Canadian Survey Shows Improvement in Nisei College Attendance, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The New Canadian reported 322 Nisei attending Canadian universities and colleges, about 15 per 1,000 persons of Japanese ancestry. The paper noted this is a substantial improvement over prewar figures.
• Housewife Nearly Bilked by Solicitors Posing as Relief Fundraisers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two men posing as Japanese relief solicitors approached a Los Angeles housewife for donations. Local community leaders said they knew of no such drive, and the solicitors had no receipt books or official literature.
• Nisei Deed Holder in Oklahoma Well Hits Oil, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Two Nisei professionals, Dr. Howard Suenaga and Dr. Takeshi Ito, learned their oil well in Tulsa, Oklahoma began producing 60 barrels a day. They hold partial interest in an 80-acre tract.
• San Francisco CL Organizes Issei Division for 90 Chapter Members, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Francisco JACL chapter organized an Issei division to address language and age differences. The division will conduct a membership drive, help new Issei voters, and assist naturalization applicants.
• Ogden Issei Honored at Ben Lomond Cafe, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Some 80 Issei who recently became naturalized citizens were honored by the Ben Lomond JACL chapter at a banquet in Ogden. The group was drawn from a larger class of 180 who had studied in citizenship classes.
• Salt Lake JACL Plants Cherry Trees to Honor Naturalized Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Salt Lake JACL planted 20 cherry trees on the State Fairgrounds as a tribute to Issei who gained citizenship, with a formal dedication planned for May 2. A film program on Japan will follow the ceremony.
• Reactivation of San Fernando Valley JACL Chapter, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Fernando Valley JACL was reactivated at a meeting at Tom Endow’s home, with a constitution committee formed and a charter petition to be sent to national headquarters. The chapter had existed there before evacuation.
• Atty. Yonemura to Move to New Oakland Office, by P.C. Staff, page 5. East Bay attorney Mas Yonemura announced he will move his offices to the Financial Center Building in Oakland on May 1. Yonemura was one of three attorneys who won the case allowing Issei men classified as 5-F to become citizens.
• Denver Judo Club Moving to New Location, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Denver Judo clubhouse, condemned by city inspectors after plaster fell from the ceiling, will relocate to a former sewing school at 1930 Lawrence St.

Commentary

• Background Notes on Geneva Conference, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka outlines the Geneva Conference on Korea and Indochina, explaining U.S. objectives of a united, free Korea and the need for caution against Communist tactics. He notes the importance of negotiating from a position of strength.
• Judging McCarthy and the Army, by Harry Honda, page 2. Honda comments on the televised Army-McCarthy hearings, noting their unprecedented nature and the difficulty of reconciling the conflicting charges. He encourages the public to weigh the testimony for themselves.
• Editorials: Anniversary Affair, Geneva Conference, Pitted Windshields, Convention Note, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The editorial page marks the Washington JACL anniversary banquet, notes the importance of the Geneva conference, comments on pitted windshields, and reminds readers of the September national convention in Los Angeles. Each item urges public attention and community participation.
• Three Stitches in the Head, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa recounts his son Pete being hit by a brick and needing three stitches, then bumping his head on a closet door. The episode prompts him to buy liability insurance and reflects on family life.
• Tenney and Race Prejudice, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Tajiri criticizes State Senator Jack Tenney for using race prejudice against Japanese Americans for political gain and notes his campaign troubles in Los Angeles County. He recalls Tenney’s wartime role in anti-Japanese activities.

In-Depth

• Japan Tourism: Cappy Harada and the Hawaiian Travel Service, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Tokyo Topics profiles Tsuneo ‘Cappy’ Harada, president of Hawaiian Travel Service, a former Japanese professional baseball figure who has built a reputation in Japanese tourism. The article also covers his marriage to actress Teruko Akatsuki.

Arts & Entertainment

• Azuma Kabuki Dancers to Perform at Los Angeles Biltmore Theater, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tokyo’s Azuma Kabuki Dancers and Musicians open a 13-performance engagement at the Biltmore Theater from May 5 to 15. The troupe, sponsored by Sol Hurok with Prince Takamatsu, comes after record-breaking audiences in New York.

Sports

• Placer JACL Nine Wins Loop Opener Over Nevada City, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Placer JACL baseball club opened the 1954 Placer-Nevada League season with an 18-3 win over the Nevada City Athletics. Norm Matsuoka led the hitting and Bob Takemoto pitched the full game.
• Placer JACL Wins Again on Easter Sunday Over Lodi, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Placer JACL defeated Lodi AC 11-8 on Easter Sunday at James Field in Loomis. Bob Hayashida batted three for five and the team had also won three pre-season games.
• Nisei Relays Set for July 11 at Rancho La Cienega, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Bob Watanabe and Dave Yokozeki, co-chairmen of the third annual JACL Nisei Relays, expect about 100 Southland entries for the July 11 meet. Entry deadline is June 25 with a $1 fee.

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