Evacuation claims hearings and the 1954 JACL convention

Vol. 39, No. 9, August 27, 1954. 8 pages. View this issue

Evacuation claims and the coming JACL convention shaped this eight-page issue. Public hearings on the Hillings Amendment to the Japanese Evacuation Claims Law were set for San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Mike Masaoka urged claimants and attorneys to attend. He also reviewed the 83rd Congress, and the front page reported that Congress passed relief from deportation for Peruvian Japanese. Page after page prepared readers for the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention in Los Angeles, Sept. 2-6: delegate lists, committee chairmen, a calendar of events and the Sayonara Ball.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa wrote about Japanese folk tales and children’s books by Mitsu and Taro Yashima, and Larry Tajiri urged continued care of the Nisei soldiers’ memorial at Bruyeres, France. Harry Honda recalled Army life, and Haruo Ishimaru reported from San Francisco. Sports and Nisei Week coverage fill out the issue.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

Congress Passes Remedial Bill for Peruvian Japanese, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Congress passed an amendment to the Refugee Relief Act granting relief from deportation to stranded Peruvian Japanese, with the bill sent to the White House. Lobbyist Mike Masaoka said President Eisenhower was expected to sign it within days.
Miyamura Nominated for Nisei of Biennium Award by Albuquerque JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi ‘Hershey’ Miyamura of Gallup, N.M., was nominated by the Albuquerque JACL for the Nisei of the Biennium award. The article details his wartime heroism, postwar speaking tours, and public service on behalf of Nisei.

Community

City of Los Angeles Extends Warm Welcome to Convention in Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously adopted Councilman Edward R. Roybal’s resolution welcoming delegates to the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention. The resolution cites the contributions and wartime record of Americans of Japanese ancestry in Los Angeles.
‘Tanko Bushi’ Dance Specialty at Mixer, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese coal miner’s song ‘Tanko Bushi’ will be taught as the specialty dance at the Freeway Frolic convention mixer at the Statler Hotel on Sept. 2. Bobby Hammack’s combo will provide the music.
Stockton Photographer Missing Since Aug. 14, Whereabouts Sought, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Stockton photographer Gunji Watanabe has been missing since Aug. 14 and his family is anxious to locate him. Information on his whereabouts can be given to the Stockton Missing Persons Bureau or local police.
Placer Legionnaires Named to District Posts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Nisei members of John A. Stacker Post 175 of the American Legion in Loomis were appointed to district offices in the Sixth District. George Makimoto and George Hirakawa received the appointments.
68 Naturalized, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sixty-eight Issei were naturalized in ceremonies before U.S. District Judge Claude McColloch in Portland, Oregon on July 1. Speakers at the ceremony included an editor of the Oregon Journal and an Oregonian editorial writer.
Issei Americanization Class Thank You Dinner in Idaho Falls, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Thirty-five Issei honored Americanization instructor Mrs. Marjorie O. Johnson and interpreter Mrs. Masaki Fujimoto at a dinner in Idaho Falls following their successful naturalization examinations. Mrs. Johnson urged the Issei and Nisei to recognize that the country needs their culture.
N.Y. 442nd Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The New York 442nd Association will hold its annual picnic at Heckscher State Park on Sept. 5. Walter Bjork is the chairman.
Macadamia Nut Industry Grows from Jungle Lava Land, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Castle & Cooke’s macadamia nut orchard on the Big Island of Hawaii is producing its first commercial harvest after six years and $1.1 million in investment. Most of the workforce is of Japanese ancestry, and the article describes the harvesting and processing methods.
Santa Cruz Issei Petition Denied, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Toshito Kadotani’s petition for naturalization was denied after he admitted a past affiliation with Heimusha Kai, a defunct organization that collected war relief funds for Japan. Five other Issei were sworn in as U.S. citizens the same day.
Perry Post Legionnaires Named to District Posts, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nine Nisei members of Commodore Perry Post 525 of the American Legion were appointed to 17th District committee posts. The appointments covered areas such as constitution, legislation, housing, and naturalization.
Yamakawa Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 3. David Yamakawa of San Francisco was named the 1954 winner of the Pvt. Ben Frank Masaoka Memorial Scholarship from a field of 18 candidates. He graduated near the top of his class at Mission High School and was active in numerous school and community organizations.
New York JACL Fund Appeal, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The New York JACL’s 1954 Fund Appeal has raised $773.06 of its $3,000 goal. Contributions are tax deductible and should be mailed to JACL at its New York post office box.
Treat for Young and Old Promised at JACL Convention Outing at Royal Palms, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The convention outing at Royal Palms in Palos Verdes is planned with food, games, entertainment, and dancing for families. Admission prices and registration deadlines are outlined for attendees.
Scene from the Golden Gate: Auxiliary Debut, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 5. The San Francisco JACL Chapter Women’s Auxiliary held a successful first fashion show at the Buchanan YMCA attended by over 200 people. The article names the models, committee members, and special guests including opera star Tomi Kanazawa and Miss Japan 1954.
Nisei Week Festival Ends, by Henry Mori, page 7. The 14th annual Nisei Week Festival in Los Angeles concluded with a traditional ceremony and featured an oratorical contest and baby show. Festival officials managed street events within city restrictions.
Americanization Course to Open Here Sept. 15, by P.C. Staff, page 7. An Americanization class to prepare Issei for naturalization will open at Hobart Grammar School on Sept. 15 under the sponsorship of the Downtown Los Angeles JACL. Instructor Miki Moriwaki has taught this course at other local schools.
Ex-JAL Stewardess Gets Scholarship at U.C., by P.C. Staff, page 7. Former Japan Air Lines stewardess Hiroko Aoyoshi of Tokyo will study at the University of California at Berkeley for a year through the help of an American teacher. The scholarship was arranged through the Foreign Student Fund and International House fellowship.

Incarceration & Redress

Meeting Rooms Set for Evacuation Claims Hearing on Hillings Amendment, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Public hearings on the Hillings Amendment to the Japanese Evacuation Claims Law are scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The amendment would remove the $2,500 compromise ceiling or allow claimants to seek judicial determination in the Court of Claims.
Evacuation Claims Hearings, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka urges claimants and attorneys to attend the Hillings Amendment hearings and present their views, as the outcome depends on the testimony presented. He notes congressional concerns about repetitive testimony and time limits.

JACL

National Convention Running Six Days, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The schedule for the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention at the Statler Hotel, Sept. 2-6, includes National Board meetings and registration. Delegates are advised to attend the evacuation claims hearings held during the convention.
Nat’l Convention Next Week, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka calls the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention in Los Angeles the first held in the city since 1938 and praises the planning led by Dr. Roy Nishikawa. He encourages delegates and boosters to attend and take advantage of the preparatory work.
Scholarship Winner Yamakawa Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 3. David Yamakawa of San Francisco won the 1954 Pvt. Ben Frank Masaoka Memorial Scholarship chosen from 18 candidates. He had a 2.92 grade average and was active in numerous community and school organizations.
Official Convention Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The article lists official delegates to the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention from the district councils of the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Central California, Pacific Southwest, Intermountain, Mountain Plains, Midwest, and Eastern regions.
Nat’l Committee Chairmen for C.L. Confab Named, by P.C. Staff, page 4. National JACL President George Inagaki named the chairmen of the National Committees that will preside over meetings and present reports at the convention. The committees include Program, Public Relations, Finance, Membership, Constitution, and Legislative and Legal.
Convention Sayonara Ball Definitely Open to Public, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The convention Sayonara Ball committee announced that the Sept. 6 semi-formal dance at the Statler Hotel is open to the general public. Tickets are $3 per person and must be purchased in advance from committee members or the JACL regional office.
Convention Calendar of Events, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The article lays out the daily schedule for the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention from Sept. 1 through Sept. 6, including board meetings, council sessions, banquets, and special events. Activities include the opening ceremony, Issei banquet, and convention ball.
Convention Fashion Models Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Models were announced for the California fall fashion show at the national JACL convention, to be held Saturday, Sept. 4 in the Pacific Ballroom at the Statler Hotel. Fashion show chairman Marianne Kimura confirmed that admission is by registration card only.

Obituaries

Ashes of First Nisei Born in U.S. Buried in National Cemetery, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The ashes of World War I veteran Frank Chujiro Akabane, recognized as the first person of Japanese ancestry born in the United States, were buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery on Aug. 16. Akabane died in Los Angeles in December 1953 at age 74.
Mother Killed in Bus Accident on Way to Wake, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mitsuno Motokane, 71, of Honolulu was killed by a bus on Aug. 9 while on her way to a friend’s funeral. Her son Masao had died in Okinawa in 1945 while serving with the U.S. Army Counter-Intelligence Corps.
Bishop Breton, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Bishop Albert Breton, who established the Japanese Catholic mission in Los Angeles before the Maryknoll Fathers took over, died Aug. 12 at Kamakura, Japan. The notice briefly recounts his founding of the mission.

National

Japan Ready to Send 10,000 Emigrants in ’55, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan plans to send 10,250 emigrants to North and South America in 1955, with the largest number going to Brazil. Foreign Office official Takashi Ishii announced the figures.
Authorize Over $110,000 to Pay Big Claim Awards, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Congress approved over $110,000 in a supplemental appropriation to pay 23 Japanese evacuation claims awards in the final days of the 83rd Congress. The funds were consolidated into a single bill, and Masaoka reported no other outstanding evacuation claim appropriations remain in this Congress.
5 House Judiciary Subcommittee Members to Conduct Claims Hearings, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The five House Judiciary Subcommittee members who will conduct the West Coast hearings on the Hillings Amendment are introduced with their backgrounds. The subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Edgar A. Jonas.
Hawaii’s New Delegate, by Portland Oregonian, page 8. The Oregonian reports that Mrs. Joseph R. Farrington has been elected to succeed her late husband as Hawaii’s delegate to Congress. The article describes her career and her commitment to Hawaiian statehood.

Commentary

83rd Congress Adjourns, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka reviews the record of the 83rd Congress, which adjourned with the House sine die and the Senate in indefinite recess. He assesses the GOP’s legislative record and the upcoming midterm elections.
Nisei, JACL Fared Well, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka reports that the past biennium was the most successful for public bills affecting persons of Japanese ancestry since the 80th Congress, with seven public acts enacted. He notes the continuing relevance of appropriations tied to government programs.
A Facet of Army Life, by Harry Honda, page 2. Honda recalls his Army service with Gabby Yamamoto, a Kibei recruit whose humorous exploits and eventual service as a Japanese language instructor are described. He reflects on the Nisei who served in stateside training roles that were essential to the war effort.
Very Truly Yours, by Harry Honda, page 2. Honda recalls comical incidents from Army life involving Gabby Yamamoto, a Kibei soldier whose daughter had just signed a film contract. He reflects on the overlooked service of Nisei who trained troops stateside.
Rumors About My Weight, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 5. Ishimaru responds to rumors about his weight, admitting he reached 230 pounds and made a bet with his office staff to reach 195 by Convention time. He jokingly suggests he may arrive at the convention with one leg missing.
Hearings in California, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The editorial urges Nisei and Issei to attend the House Judiciary Subcommittee hearings on the Hillings Amendment in San Francisco and Los Angeles. It explains the purpose of the amendment and advises witnesses to prepare written statements in advance.
From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa recalls childhood memories of Japanese folk tales such as Urashima Taro and Momotaro and suggests they should be part of American children’s literature. He then recommends Mitsu and Taro Yashima’s illustrated children’s books about rural Japan.
Plenty to Watch, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa reviews Mitsu and Taro Yashima’s children’s books evoking the rural Japan of Taro Yashima’s boyhood. He notes these books would especially interest Sansei children who know little of their grandparents’ homeland.
Remember Bruyeres, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Tajiri urges the JACL to continue supporting maintenance of its memorial to Nisei soldiers at Bruyeres, France, dedicated in 1947. He describes the town’s annual ceremonies and the community’s care for the memorial.

Sports

Sportscope, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Wally Kau won the 1954 Greater New York Nisei Tennis championship, and Shig Morimoto took the Japanese tennis championships in Los Angeles. Baseball and softball results from the weekend are also reported, including the Zebras-Lodi game and the Fairmount Cleaners softball win.

In-Depth

Scholarship Students From Japan Fail to Impress in Leadership Roles, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 7. Longtime Japanese American residents in several Western cities voice criticism of scholarship students from Japan, describing them as spoiled and lacking leadership qualities. Some observers note that students from Korea show more promise, while others praise young farmers from Japan.

Arts & Entertainment

Larry Tajiri: Madame Butterfly Film Planned With Japanese Singers, by Larry Tajiri, page 7. Tajiri discusses the long history of the opera Madame Butterfly in American film and stage, noting a new Italian production planned in Rome that will feature Japanese singers in the Japanese roles. The production is a joint venture with Japan’s Toho Films.
Teahouse of the August Moon Adapted for Japanese Production, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Tajiri reports that the Pulitzer-winning play Teahouse of the August Moon has acquired rights for a Japanese language production and that an MGM film is planned. He reflects on the play’s depiction of American occupation and democracy.

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