Nisei Soldiers Memorial Day, Issei naturalization and war criminal amnesty

Vol. 39, No. 16, October 15, 1954. 8 pages. View this issue

Remembrance and citizenship ran through the news. Maj. Orville C. Shirey, a former 442nd Regimental Combat Team officer, was named guest speaker for the Nisei Soldiers Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 31, ten years after the rescue of the Lost Texas Battalion. Mike Masaoka asked the Naturalization Service to speed Issei petitions so applicants could join Veterans Day ceremonies, and he also urged general amnesty for remaining Japanese war criminals during Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida’s Washington visit. Haruo Ishimaru backed that idea in his column.

The death of Justice Robert H. Jackson drew an editorial, Masaoka’s newsletter and Larry Tajiri’s Vagaries, all recalling his Korematsu dissent. Elsewhere: the Fowler JACL booth won a grand prize at the Fresno District Fair, Tommy Kono set two world weightlifting marks, and Bill Hosokawa profiled optometrist Wesley Uyesugi.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Former 442nd Officer to Speak at Nisei Soldiers Memorial Day Services, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Maj. Orville C. Shirey, former 442nd Regimental Combat Team officer, will be guest speaker at the annual Nisei Soldiers Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 31. The event marks the tenth anniversary of the rescue of the Lost Texas Battalion.

National

• General Amnesty for Japanese War Criminals Urged When Yoshida Arrives for Visit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka urged President Eisenhower to grant general amnesty to remaining Japanese war criminals during Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida’s upcoming Washington visit. He argued that such a gesture would strengthen pro-American factions in Japan and follow precedents set by China, the Philippines, and France.
• Naturalization Service Push: Issei Petitions for Nov. 11 Rites, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka asked Commissioner Joseph Swing to expedite pending Issei naturalization petitions so applicants could take part in special Veterans Day naturalization ceremonies nationwide. He noted that Issei eligibility only recently opened under the 1952 Immigration Act and that JACL chapters stood ready to cooperate.
• Yoshida to Speak at New York Japan Society Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida is scheduled to speak at a Japan Society dinner in New York. Sen. Alexander Wiley and Sen. J. William Fulbright will also address the gathering.
• Term Insurance Adjudication for Evacuee Claimant, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Justice Department set a fair market value of $850 for a term life insurance policy lost during evacuation, a precedent-setting ruling. The decision found that term insurance, unlike regular life insurance, required separate valuation because it accumulates no reserve or equity.
• Pardon Sought for Japanese War Criminals, by Mike Masaoka, page 5. Masaoka argues that the remaining Japanese war criminals should be released during Prime Minister Yoshida’s visit to Washington. He notes that many American defense attorneys would support release and that the gesture would strengthen U.S.-Japan relations.

Community

• Urban League Presents Service Pins, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Urban League of Denver presented Five Year Service pins to a dozen local leaders, including Nisei attorney Min Yasui. The pins were authorized by national headquarters and presented by executive director Lester Granger.
• Naturalization Service Push, by Mike Masaoka, page 3. Masaoka urged that Issei naturalization be expedited for Veterans Day ceremonies that follow Nisei Memorial Day. He stressed the outstanding war record of Nisei sons of naturalized Issei.
• Chicago Corner, by Smoky Sakurada, page 4. The Chicago JACL held a political rally with candidates for the November elections and announced its next chapter meeting. The column also covers the Japanese American Service Committee athletic program and a Hallowe’en dance.
• Fowler JACL Community Booth Wins Grand Prize at Fresno District Fair, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Fowler JACL chapter’s booth won first prize in Class A at the Fresno District Fair. Officials and visitors praised its agricultural display and its sound and lighting effects, which were built entirely by chapter members.
• Chicago All Set for Fall Carnival, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Chicago JACL fall carnival will be held Oct. 23-24 at Olivet Institute under joint chairmen Harry Mizuno and Tomas Ichikawa. Committees are arranging food, games, and ticket sales.
• Toru Ikeda Accepts Parlier Teaching Post, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Toru Ikeda has been assigned as a teacher at Parlier High School. He continued studies at Fresno State College while serving as JACL regional representative.
• Nisei Fishermen’s Boat Wins Fiesta Prize, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Western Explorer, a Nisei-owned tuna clipper skippered by Frank Manaka, won the grand sweepstakes award at the Fishermen’s Fiesta in San Pedro. The win was its second since 1952.
• Denver Duplicate Bridge Group Marks Second Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Mile-Hi JACL Bridge Club, believed to be the only organized Nisei duplicate bridge group in the United States, marks its second anniversary with a midnight buffet. It has held frequent tournaments and parties.

Commentary

• Associate Justice of 13 Years, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Justice Robert H. Jackson, who died recently, served on the Supreme Court during the critical 1942-1952 period affecting persons of Japanese ancestry. His dissent in the Korematsu evacuation case is especially remembered for its eloquent defense of constitutional rights.
• Fowler Community Grateful, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Fowler JACL chapter’s community booth won top honors in Class A at the Fresno District Fair. The editorial praises the members’ effort and the favorable publicity it brought to the community.
• Tokyo Topics, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Murayama recounts his reunions with friends in Chicago, including C. M. Finnell, Dr. T. T. Yatabe, Tom Masuda, Dr. Isamu Tashiro, and Rev. Gyomei Kubose. He reflects on the Americanization of Japanese war brides and the value of such reunions.
• Washington Newsletter: Justice Jackson, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka reviews Justice Robert H. Jackson’s role in key cases affecting Japanese Americans, especially his Korematsu dissent. He quotes Jackson’s warning that wartime racial classifications could become a dangerous precedent.
• Very Truly Yours, by Harry Honda, page 2. Honda describes a trip to the Grand Canyon and the busy preparations for the Holiday Edition, including solicitations for greetings and the deadline for creative submissions. He thanks chapters for their support.
• No Evidence of Racial Bloc-Voting, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The editorial examines Hawaii’s election races and finds no evidence that Nisei practice racial bloc voting more than other groups. It notes the defeated Nisei and Filipino American candidates and the Chinese community’s reluctance to form a minority coalition.
• Japanese War Bride Was Too Japanese for Singing Role in Mme. Butterfly, by John S. Robinson, page 5. A Seattle Grand Opera production of Madame Butterfly cast a Japanese-born war bride as Suzuki, but she was replaced because her approach was considered too authentic for American staging. The article contrasts Japanese and American operatic styles.
• A Scene from the Golden Gate: A World Perspective, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 5. Ishimaru praises Mike Masaoka’s proposal for general amnesty for Japanese war criminals as a statesmanlike gesture. He argues that Nisei should develop a world perspective and strengthen Japanese-American relations.
• Editorial: Supreme Court Vacancy, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The editorial notes Justice Robert H. Jackson’s role as chief prosecutor at Nuremberg and his liberal constitutional interpretations, especially his Korematsu dissent. It urges prompt appointment of a successor so the Supreme Court can function fully.
• From the Frying Pan: Fabulous Optometrist, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Wesley Uyesugi, formerly Newton Uyesugi, overcame keratoconus that threatened blindness to co-found Plastic Contact Lens Company in Chicago. His persistence led to lenses that let him see normally and to a career teaching other optometrists.
• Vagaries: Graveside Prejudice, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Tajiri examines racially restrictive cemetery covenants that deny burial to non-Caucasians, citing a Supreme Court case involving Sgt. John Rice. He also notes Justice Jackson’s Korematsu dissent and reports on the Madame Butterfly film project.

Arts & Entertainment

• Ugetsu Classic to Be Shown in Two-Week Run at Mile-Hi, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Mile-Hi JACL will sponsor a two-week showing of the Japanese film Ugetsu Monogatari in Denver. The film, a prize winner at Cannes and Venice, is praised for its contemplative style.

Sports

• Retaining Calif. Nisei Golf Title, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ervin Furukawa of Puget Sound Golf Club successfully defended his California State Nisei golf championship at Pebble Beach. He won with a 153 total, and Frank Yoshioka finished second.
• Kono Shatters Two World Weightlifting Marks, Wins Title, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tommy Kono set a new world record in the light-heavyweight class with a total lift of 957 pounds at the world weightlifting championships. He won his third title in three years in three different weight classes.
• The Southwester, by Tats Kushida, page 6. Kushida reports on former WRA and Poston personnel now working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and on the death of Chicago pioneer Issei Frank H. Chino. He also notes a convention romance and grape donations to the JACL convention.

Obituaries

• Berkeley Medical Technologist Given American Cancer Society Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 6. George Okawachi of Berkeley received a scholarship from the California division of the American Cancer Society to train in exfoliative cytology. The training prepares him for early cancer diagnosis through the Papanicolaou technique.

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