Statehood debate, Issei citizenship and the Nisei in 1954

Vol. 38, No. 14, April 2, 1954. 12 pages. View this issue

The Senate’s resumed debate on Hawaii-Alaska statehood led the news, with opponents pressing for commonwealth status instead. Mike Masaoka reported that the House approved $1,560,000 for smaller evacuation claim awards, and wrote a column on Congress at a crossroads. Across the country, JACL chapters worked on citizenship for older immigrants: Sacramento planned a potluck for about 105 new Issei citizens, 405 Issei in Northern California prepared for exams, and Santa Maria opened a class with 85 students.

Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Larry Tajiri and Haruo Ishimaru took up whether Nisei should join mainstream service clubs or form all-Nisei groups. Honolulu’s second Cherry Blossom Festival was announced on the cover. Also inside are Tokyo Topics on wrestling and television, a Chicago column, news of vested property claims, and a Seattle veterans committee installing officers.

What’s in this issue

National

• Senate Resumes Debate on Hawaii-Alaska Statehood, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate resumed debate on Hawaii-Alaska statehood, with opponents pushing for commonwealth status instead. Senators indicated a vote was near, and the House faced a stormy session ahead.
• Another $1,500,000 Approved by House for Evacuee Claimants, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. The House approved $1,560,000 to pay smaller evacuation claim awards under $2,500. JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka said the bill shows smaller claims have nearly all been paid and urged enactment of the Hilling’s Bill for larger claims.
• Army Chemical Corps Studies Deadly Nerve Gas After Tree Spray Poisonings, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Army Chemical Corps is studying TEPP, an orchard spray related to military nerve gas, after a Nisei toddler in Cortez, Calif. and a boy in Hood River, Ore. died from exposure. The laboratory work aims to help prevent future deaths.
• Nisei Student Wins Alien Land Law Moot Court Competition, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A moot court competition in New York pitted law schools against each other on the constitutionality of an alien land law modeled on Japanese American cases. Georgetown Law School defeated the University of Chicago team in the final round.
• Retired Admiral Charges FDR Knew Pearl Harbor Attack Was Coming, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Retired Rear Adm. Robert A. Theobald alleged in a serialized book that Franklin Roosevelt knew of the Pearl Harbor attack in advance and deliberately allowed it. The claim is contained in his book The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor.

Community

• Two Livingston-Merced JACLers Run for Office, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Livingston-Merced JACL members are candidates in upcoming local elections. Bob Morimoto seeks a school board seat, and State VFW Commander Don Winton runs for State Senate.
• Wyoming JACL Plans All-Wyoming Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Northern Wyoming JACL chapter is organizing a large all-Wyoming Japanese picnic near Lander on June 6. Members were also urged to attend the National JACL convention in Los Angeles.
• Sacramento JACL Slates Potluck to Honor 100 New Citizens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Sacramento JACL will hold a potluck on April 3 to honor some 105 new Issei citizens. Local immigration officials and class instructors have been invited to attend.
• Cherry Blossom Week in Honolulu Starts Apr. 19, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Acting Governor Farrant Turner called on Hawaiians to take part in the second annual Cherry Blossom Festival, April 19 through May 1. He cited Hawaii’s role as a meeting ground of Eastern and Western cultures.
• 405 Northern California Issei To Take Citizenship Exams, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four hundred and five Issei petitioners will take written group citizenship examinations in Japanese April 12-16 in San Francisco. The JACL Regional Office assisted in preparing the list of petitioners who completed JACL-sponsored classes.
• Watsonville VFW Nisei Post to Be Organized, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An all-Nisei VFW post is being formed in Watsonville, with Bill Mine as temporary chairman. The first organizational meeting is scheduled for April 7.
• Salt Lakers to Present Cherry Trees to State Fairgrounds, by P.C. Staff, page 3. B.Y. Kaneko, a recently naturalized Issei, chairs a committee presenting Japanese cherry trees to the Utah State Fairgrounds on Arbor Day, April 5. The trees serve as a memorial to Salt Lake’s First Citizens.
• Santa Maria Naturalization Class Starts with 85 Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eighty-five Issei, mostly 60 or older, began a naturalization class in Santa Maria sponsored by the local JACL and high school district. Local officials praised the effort as a notable step for older immigrants.
• WYBL Conference Attracts 1,000 in Fresno, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Over 960 Buddhist young people registered for the 12th annual Western Young Buddhist League convention in Fresno. Chiz Miyazaki was crowned Miss Bussei of 1954, and Alan Watts delivered the keynote.
• Honolulu Newsletter: Statehood Push Continues, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 4. Hawaii’s governor planned a special legislative session to press the statehood campaign. The writer argues the people of Hawaii will accept nothing short of statehood, not commonwealth status.
• Chicago Corner: Around the Windy City, by Smoky H. Sakurada, page 4. The column covers Chicago community news including a Korean War veterans testimonial, an upcoming Kabuki performance, four Nisei receiving advanced degrees, and church fundraising events.
• JACL Chapter Bulletins Present Program Opportunities, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A JACL column urges chapters to publish monthly bulletins as a public relations tool. It offers advice on financing through local advertisers, content, printing, and distribution.

Incarceration & Redress

• Denver Naturalization Ceremony Set for Apr. 12, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A U.S. District Court naturalization ceremony will be held in Denver on April 12, with 138 persons including 21 Issei being naturalized. Ray S. Tani will serve as interpreter for the oath.
• Vested Property Claim Forms Available; New Deadline Feb. 1955, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Forms for filing claims for return of property vested by the U.S. during and after World War II are now available. A recently enacted JACL-supported measure extended the filing deadline to February 9, 1955.

Commentary

• Congress at the Crossroads, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka writes that the 83rd Congress has reached a crossroads, with Republican leaders deciding whether to speed up major legislation or adjourn early. The choice will likely shape the GOP’s fortunes in the November elections.
• Embassy Turnover, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Most of the Japanese Embassy personnel who reopened after the Peace Treaty have left or are leaving for Japan. The editorial praises their efforts in building goodwill between the United States and Japan.
• Tokyo Topics: Professional Wrestling Boosts TV Popularity, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 3. Professional wrestling has driven rapid growth in television popularity across Japan, with Rikidozan and Masahiko Kimura drawing millions of viewers. The column also notes the high cost of TV sets and the limited domestic production.
• Navajos Boiling Mad at Japanese Imitation Crafts, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Navajo Arts and Crafts Guild protested to Washington that Japanese-made imitations of Navajo beadwork and Kachina dolls are being sold on the reservation at one-fifth the Indian price.
• Nisei and Service Organizations, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 9. Ishimaru argues that Nisei should join existing service clubs rather than form segregated all-Nisei groups, since joining mainstream organizations better spreads understanding. He acknowledges the JACL’s necessary role in advocacy for Japanese Americans.
• Sukiyaki at Smorgasbord, by Bill Hosokawa, page 12. Hosokawa reports that the Country Kitchen in Littleton, Colorado, is serving sukiyaki alongside its smorgasbord after the owners returned from Japan. He also shares thoughts on the dish’s history and preparation.
• Onus of Self-Segregation, by Larry Tajiri, page 12. Tajiri examines the trend toward all-Nisei service and veterans organizations, noting it reflects continuing segregation in some areas while integration succeeded elsewhere. He argues these groups could open membership on an area basis to combat self-segregation.
• Do Not Despair, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The editorial encourages JACL membership canvassers who face low Nisei enrollment, arguing that the long-term benefits of the organization justify modest membership dues. It compares the JACL to churches and veterans groups that serve all members.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Attorney Yoritoshi Appointed INS Examiner in Honolulu, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Gary Yoritoshi, a local attorney, was appointed as an examiner with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Honolulu. He is the first person of Japanese ancestry to hold this post there.
• Navy Names Nisei Harold Horiuchi Chief Production Engineer, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Washington Nisei Harold Horiuchi was appointed chief production engineer at the American Car and Foundry Company’s new electronics division. He contributed to Project Tinkertoy, a modular electrical wiring system that reduces production lead time.
• Nisei Veterans Committee Installs Officers in Seattle, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dave Hirahira was elected commander of the Nisei Veterans Committee of Seattle, succeeding Joe Hamanaka. The women’s auxiliary also chose new leadership for the coming year.

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