Nisei loyalty, voter registration and the National JACL bowling tournament

Vol. 42, No. 10, March 9, 1956. 8 pages. View this issue

A letter signed “Lincoln Yamamoto” in Newsweek, questioning Nisei loyalty, set off this eight-page issue’s biggest story. The Washington JACL office asked the FBI and postal inspectors to identify its author, and Mike Masaoka called it a flagrant injustice. Page 8 carries replies to Newsweek from Hiroshi Miyamura, Min Yasui and Utah’s J. Allan Crockett, among others. The front page also covered President Eisenhower’s second-term announcement and a call for JACL chapters to help Nisei and newly naturalized Issei register to vote.

Also inside: the winners of the 10th annual National JACL Bowling Tournament in Salt Lake City, with full results on page 6, and a membership drive that took the San Francisco chapter past 1,000 members. The House passed the Lane-Hillings bill on evacuation claims, and reservists of the 442nd Infantry Regiment may wear the wartime patch. Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Larry S. Tajiri and Mike Masaoka round out the issue.

What’s in this issue

National

• Eisenhower to Run for Second Term, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Eisenhower announced he is ready to serve a second term, news welcomed as indicating he has recovered from his heart attack of the previous September. Japanese American interest in the 1956 elections is growing as Nisei join local party clubs and naturalized Issei prepare to vote in a presidential election for the first time.
• JACL Asks FBI Hunt ‘Lincoln Yamamoto’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Washington JACL office asked the FBI and postal inspectors to identify the author of a letter signed ‘Lincoln Yamamoto’ published by Newsweek that questioned Nisei loyalty. Representative Mike Masaoka called the letter a flagrant injustice and a violation of civil rights.
• Lane-Hillings Evacuation Claims Bill Unanimously Passed by House, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House unanimously passed the Lane-Hillings amendment to expedite final determination of remaining evacuation claims, and the bill now goes to the Senate Judiciary committee. The amended bill opens the claims program to several categories previously barred by the Department of Justice.
• Asia Reds Keep Up Discrimination Tales, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Maj. Gen. William F. Dean told the San Francisco Council of Civic Unity that Communists in Asia still cite the 1945 stoning of Nisei GIs’ homes as examples of American discrimination. Dr. Harold Fisher added that racism involves national security and not just domestic concerns.

Community

• Chapters Can Push Voters Registration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL chapters are urged to help Nisei and recently naturalized Issei register to vote, building on past assistance with alien address reports. The editorial notes that several chapters have deputized registrars and highlights the November 6 ballot proposition to repeal the alien land law.
• San Francisco Signs Over 1000 JACLers for ’56 Goal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Francisco JACL reached over 1,000 members for the first time in its 25-year history after a four-week campaign. Chapter vice-president Thelma Takeda directed the drive, which relied heavily on a telephone campaign by volunteer team captains.
• Nisei Councilman of Guadalupe Declines to Run for Second Term, by P.C. Staff, page 1. No candidates filed for Guadalupe’s April 10 municipal election, leaving the ballot blank, and Councilman Harry Miyake was among three incumbents who declined to seek reelection. Voters will be asked to write in choices for the three council seats.
• Chamber Official, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nobuo Matsumura, Japan Air Lines office manager in San Francisco, was elected president of the Northern California Japanese Chamber of Commerce. Two Nisei, Way Kuwada and Mas Yonemura, were elected first and second vice-president.
• Pasadena Co-ed Candidate for Campus Service Group, by Mack Yamaguchi, page 3. Marian Shingu, a Pasadena JACL young people representative, was among eight candidates for membership in the Phrateres women’s service organization at Los Angeles State College. The business education senior is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Shingu.
• So. Alameda County Community Picnic Set, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Southern Alameda County JACL will hold its annual community picnic on March 18 at San Gregorio Beach, with a fishing derby and games planned. Committee chairman Yutaka Handa asked attendees to meet at Sekigahama ranch for a caravan departing at 10 a.m.
• Oregon Governor Praises Japanese Americans, Says They Have Better Earned Right to Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Oregon Governor Elmo E. Smith praised Japanese Americans at the Snake River JACL installation banquet and told newly naturalized citizens that no group had better earned citizenship. He acknowledged the persecution of Japanese Americans, including wartime relocation and the Japanese Exclusion Act.
• Fowler JACL Will Not Work with Fresno Dist. Fair, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Fowler JACL unanimously voted to refrain from its usual participation in the Fresno District Fair community booth this year to allow members a rest. The chapter had won the agriculture trophy the previous year.
• San Francisco Continued: Membership Drive Results, by P.C. Staff, page 4. San Francisco’s membership drive reached 1,033 signups, with actual collections from 697 and pledges making up the rest. Team captain Miyuki Aoyama’s team led the volunteer contest with 165 persons signed up.
• Alameda JACL General Meeting Set Mar. 15, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Alameda JACL officially launched its membership drive and planned a tentative program for the year at a cabinet meeting. An important general meeting is scheduled for March 15 at the Buena Vista Methodist Church hall.
• St. Louis JACL Eyes 120 Members for ’56, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The St. Louis JACL announced a realistic goal of 120 members for 1956 at its first board meeting of the year. The chapter’s membership drive began at a January inaugural dinner and held its first social of the year in February.
• Cal-Neva Fashion Dance Plans Polished, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Committee women led by Elsie Uyeda planned a March 24 fund-raising dance for the San Francisco JACL Auxiliary at the YBA Gym, expecting 300 attendees. The event will help fund Auxiliary activities tied to the National JACL Convention.
• Idaho Falls JACLer Honored as Outstanding Farmer of Year, by Kay Tokita, page 6. Joseph Nishioka of Idaho Falls was honored by the Idaho Jr. Chamber of Commerce as outstanding young farmer for Bonneville, Jefferson and Butte counties. The 1950 chapter president has steadily improved a 160-acre farm his family purchased in 1939.

JACL

• Darkhorse Squad from Idaho Wins JACL Keg Crown, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Gayway Bowl of Payette, Idaho won the team championship at the 10th annual National JACL Bowling Tournament in Salt Lake City, beating 64 teams with a score of 2843. Sequoia Nursery of Redwood City finished third with 2821.
• JACL Sponsorship of National Bowling Tournament Approved, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Team captains voted at the Salt Lake City meeting to keep national JACL sponsorship of the Nisei bowling tournament rather than form a separate Nisei group, though entry rules will be tightened. The tournament originated in 1947 when Nisei were barred from ABC events.

Commentary

• Nol Tax-Deductable, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa reviews the Attorney General’s list of 288 subversive organizations, noting many Japanese-named groups on it. He argues that most of these groups were little more than social clubs for Issei with little real political activity.
• Very Truly Yours, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Honda discusses President Eisenhower’s second-term candidacy and how the presidency could delegate administrative paperwork to a vice-president. He draws parallels to how organizations of lesser rank could benefit from similar delegation.
• The Northwest Picture: Quartet of Artists, by Elmer Ogawa, page 6. Ogawa profiles four Seattle artists, Kenjiro Nomura, Paul Horiuchi, George Tsutakawa, and John Matsudaira, who blend East-West influences in their work. He traces the history of Japanese American artistic contributions in Seattle back to the World War I era.
• Los Angeles Newsletter, by Henry Mori, page 7. Mori reports on Assemblyman Edward E. Elliott’s filing for reelection and his record supporting civil rights and minority legislation, including the defeat of the Alien Land Law. He also notes Elliott was honored at a testimonial dinner by the Pacific Southwest District Council.
• Washington Newsletter: New Immigration Bill, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka analyzes provisions of the Watkins-Keating immigration bill relevant to Japanese, including re-entry for deportees, adjustment for students who marry citizens, and nonquota status for adopted children. He also discusses the proposed reallocation of quotas and the significance of ending Asia-Pacific Triangle restrictions.
• Real Heroes, by Min Yasui, page 8. Min Yasui wrote to Newsweek arguing that Medal of Honor recipients Hiroshi Miyamura and Sadao Munemori are the true heroes of Japanese Americans, rather than Iva D’Aquino. The letter is one of several reader responses defending Nisei loyalty.
• Judge Wonders, by J. Allan Crockett, page 8. Utah Supreme Court Justice J. Allan Crockett wrote to Newsweek calling the Lincoln Yamamoto letter an obvious attempt to smear Nisei citizens and questioned why the magazine published it. He urged an investigation into the letter’s writer.
• Mayor Says Nisei Loyal, by Earl J. Glade, page 8. Former Salt Lake City mayor and Utah governor Earl J. Glade wrote to Newsweek affirming that Japanese American citizens were the soul of loyalty during his terms in office. He praised Mike Masaoka and other Nisei war heroes as examples of patriotic citizens.
• Newsweek’s Burden, by Theodore R. Bohn, page 8. Detroit Circuit Court Judge Theodore R. Bohn wrote to Newsweek saying the Lincoln Yamamoto letter was deliberately calculated to create a misapprehension and that the magazine should investigate or retract it. He placed the burden of resolving the matter on the publication.
• Governor Speaks, by Herbert B. Maw, page 8. Former Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw wrote to Newsweek stating that Japanese Americans were among the most loyal citizens during his term covering World War II. He said the Yamamoto letter’s claims were far from the truth and did a great wrong to good citizens.
• Insult Well-Planned, by Neil R. Fitch, page 8. Neil R. Fitch, past department commander of the American Legion in Idaho, wrote to Newsweek calling the Yamamoto letter a well-planned insult to the loyalty of respected Japanese American citizens. He argued that the letter’s claims are not supported by the services rendered by Nisei.

Military & Veterans

• Bob Sakata Honored, Colorado’s Young Farmer of Year, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Bob Sakata, first vice president of the Mile-Hi JACL, was named Colorado’s outstanding young farmer by the State Junior Chamber of Commerce. The 20-year-old had been critically injured in a 1950 car wreck and later survived a gasoline explosion.
• 442nd Regimental Patch to Be Worn by Reservists, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Reservists of the 442nd Infantry Regiment will be permitted to wear the wartime shoulder patch issued in 1943, an exception approved by the Army. Men will also be allowed to wear the Presidential Unit Citation on their uniforms.
• Real Nisei Hero Miyamura Writes in Defense of Japanese Americans, by Hiroshi Miyamura, page 8. Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi Miyamura wrote to Newsweek rejecting the Lincoln Yamamoto letter and affirming that Japanese Americans’ first allegiance is to the United States. He points to the blood given by Nisei in World War II and the Korean Conflict as proof of their loyalty.

Arts & Entertainment

• TV Productions, by Larry S. Tajiri, page 3. Tajiri examines three television dramas from early 1956 that portrayed Japanese Americans: Cavalcade Theater’s Call Home the Heart, The Loretta Young Show’s The Pearl, and Lassie’s The Visitor. He praises each as effective entertainment that also promoted positive intercultural themes.

Sports

• Complete Results, Cash Distribution of Salt Lake JACL Bowling, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The complete results of the 10th annual National JACL Bowling Tournament in Salt Lake City are listed, including team, singles, doubles, all-events, and women’s divisions. Several new records were set, including a 2523 women’s team score by Tashima Brothers of Los Angeles.
• Coach Kajikawa Ends Season with 11-15 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Arizona State basketball coach Bill Kajikawa closed the 1955-56 season with an 11-15 record and a 5-7 mark in Border Conference play. Injuries to key players hurt the team, though Kajikawa had been voted conference Coach of the Year the previous year.

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