Civil rights, a treaty in Japan and chapter news, April 1960

Vol. 50, No. 16, April 15, 1960. 8 pages. View this issue

Civil rights ran through this eight-page issue. A U.S. Civil Rights Commission report found California leading the nation in democratic voting practices, even as housing and job discrimination persisted. Mike Masaoka wrote about the Senate passing its civil rights bill 71 to 18, and A.W. Tashema wrote about lunch counter sit-ins. On the front page, JACL News Service reported that Japan’s ruling party meant to push ratification of the revised U.S.-Japan security treaty before the Diet adjourned, and San Francisco JACL reported 1,154 members.

Elsewhere, Shig Wakamatsu’s Presidents Corner listed issues for the national convention, and Bill Hosokawa wrote a column from Denver. Chapters announced picnics, dances and an Easter egg hunt, and the sports pages covered bowling, fencing, boxing and the Nisei Relays set for May 15. Plans for a May 22 samurai parade marking the 1860 treaty centennial appeared on page 7.

What’s in this issue

National

• What We Mean by ‘Moral Principles’, page 1. The author questions what ‘moral principles’ means, distinguishing between goodness, principles, and the norms that guide human action. He argues that morality should be judged by the greatest happiness of the greatest number and the common good.
• Japanese Ratification of U.S.-Japan Security Treaty by May 26 Anticipated, by JACL News Service, page 1. Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic party planned to push ratification of the revised U.S.-Japan security treaty before the Diet session adjourns. Opposition came from St. Paul University faculty and more than 200 Japanese physicists, including Nobel Prize winner Hideki Yukawa.
• California Voting Practices Hailed; but Rights Group Finds Bias in Housing, Jobs, page 1. A U.S. Civil Rights Commission report found California leads the nation in democratic voting practices, though housing and employment discrimination persist. State advisory committee findings were released April 8 as grass-roots evaluations of civil rights.
• Anti-Nisei Propagandist of World War II Predicts East-West Showdown by 1965, page 1. Kilsoo Haan, who predicted the Pearl Harbor attack, now forecasts a showdown between the USSR-Red China alliance and Western powers by 1964 or 1965. He based his prediction on Communist plans to secure food supplies and advanced weapons.
• Nisei Relays Set for May 15, by Fred Takata, page 5. The Los Angeles Coordinating Council is organizing the 9th annual JACL Nisei Relays at University High School on May 15. Entries for junior and open divisions are due April 30.

JACL

• San Francisco JACL Due to Report 1,154, page 1. San Francisco JACL, top chapter in membership for two years, has turned in dues for 1,154 members to date. The total is only 50 short of the all-time high of 1,206 and the chapter aims for 1,300 this year.
• Fremont JACL to Hold Picnic at Pescadero Beach, page 4. The Fremont JACL will hold its annual community picnic at San Gregorio Beach on April 24. The event includes a fishing contest, games, and a weenie bake.

Community

• Fountain Valley, page 1. Fountain Valley voters re-elected James A. Kanno, its first Nisei mayor on the mainland, and councilman Robert Wardlow. Kanno has served as mayor for three years.
• Whittier Teacher in Bid for State Honors, page 1. Yoshio Nakamura, Whittier’s teacher of the year, was named outstanding teacher of the San Gabriel Valley district and advances to statewide competition. He is an art teacher at Whittier High School.
• Southwest L.A. Starts Search for Nisei Week Queen Candidate, page 1. The Southwest L.A. JACL is searching for a successor to 1959 Miss Nisei Week Faith Ashi. Candidates will be selected in June with a chapter ball planned for June 11.
• Santa Maria Valley JACL Prepares for Election, page 1. The Santa Maria Valley JACL has nominated a slate of officers for its upcoming election. Candidates are listed for president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and executive secretary.
• Buddhist Church Head to Address Students at Univ. of Michigan, page 1. Dr. Shincho Hanayama, bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, will lecture on Buddhism at the University of Michigan April 19 and 20. The visit was arranged by Prof. Joseph K. Yamagiwa.
• Christmas Seals Sale Nets Record $12,798, page 2. Placer County Tuberculosis and Health Association reported a record $12,798 collected in the 1959 Christmas Seal sale. Proceeds are divided among state, national, and local programs.
• Girl Scouts Learn Cooking and Goodwill at Same Time, page 2. East Lansing Girl Scout Troop 233 is learning Japanese cooking and customs from Mrs. Lillian Kumata. Mrs. Kumata lived in Japan and worked with the U.S. Army in Osaka.
• Placer County Nisei Wins Election for City Treasurer of Gardena, page 3. Bruce Kaji won his first election bid for city treasurer of Gardena with 4,064 votes against 3,304 for opponent Sidney Lemberger. Kaji’s victory is noted in the local election results.
• Fountain Valley 25-Cent Airmail Stamp Ceremony Set, page 3. The first-day sale ceremony for the new 25-cent airmail stamp commemorating the U.S.-Japan treaty centennial will be held at the Whitcomb Hotel in San Francisco on April 22. Japanese Consul General Masao Abe and Japan Air Lines officials will attend.
• BCA Board Head Elected Chairman, page 3. Albert S. Kosakura of Berkeley was re-elected president of the Buddhist Churches of America board of directors. Several other officers and district representatives were also named.
• Fred Funakoshi to Head Los Angeles Optimists, page 3. Fred Funakoshi was elected president of the Japanese American Optimist Club, succeeding Joe Itano. An installation dinner-dance is scheduled for May 7 at the Statler Hilton.
• Salt Lake JACL President Talks to Prep Students, page 3. Henry Kasai, Salt Lake JACL president, addressed three classes at Bountiful High on Japan and Japanese Americans. He also explained the role of JACL in Japanese American history.
• Tourist Season Opens in Japan, page 3. A Pacific Citizen correspondent in Tokyo describes visiting Nisei tourists and the cultural value of visiting ancestral villages. The column also notes George Kuniyoshi’s plans to expand Rexall Pharmacy products in Japan.
• Presidents Corner, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 4. JACL President Shig Wakamatsu reports on 1960-70 Planning Commission progress and lists seven key issues for the national convention. These include PC membership, staff salaries, and the Washington office.
• San Francisco JACL to Pick Chapter Oratorical Entrant, page 4. San Francisco JACL will hold a chapter elimination contest for the national oratorical finals. Four contestants have already entered the national competition.
• Marysville Chapter Plans Community Picnic, page 4. The Marysville JACL announced its annual community picnic for May 1 at Sperbeck Ranch, featuring games and food. The event is open to all community members.
• Early Reservations Urged for NC-WNDC Golf Entries, page 4. Eden Township JACL urges early reservations for the NC-WNDC golf tournament at the El Cam Country Club in Newark on May 15. Several local members are listed as coordinators.
• East L.A. Egg Hunt at Belvedere Park Sunday, page 4. The East Los Angeles JACL will host an Easter Egg Hunt at Belvedere Park on Sunday with donated eggs from local businessmen. Akira and Mrs. Hasegawa are directing the event.
• Long Beach JACLers Set for First Social Dance of Year, page 4. The Long Beach-Harbor District JACL will host its spring social Oriental Fantasy with music by George Atsumo and his combo. The dance will be held at the Harbor Community Center.
• Parlier JACL Bowlers, page 4. Winners of the second Parlier JACL family bowling night were announced with high team, individual, and series scores. Harry Kubo was among the high scorers.
• Reedley Car Wash, page 4. Reedley JACL will hold a car wash fundraiser at two locations to support the high school scholarship fund and youth activities. Frank Kimura and Ed Yano are the co-chairmen.
• Most Valuable Student, page 4. Lillian Yano, a South High student in Salt Lake City, won first prize of a $100 government bond in the Elks Club students contest.
• Pasadena Chapter Helps Register Voters and Naturalization Applicants, by Fred Takata, page 5. The Pasadena JACL chapter held a meeting to register voters and help Issei complete naturalization applications. The turnout was strong and the columnist encourages other chapters to follow this model.
• Chapter Programs and Activities Commended, page 5. National JACL Headquarters commended 18 chapters for submitting quarterly reports on their 1959 programs. The compendium serves as program suggestions and a basis for judging Chapter of the Year.
• Twin Cities UCL Pushes 1960 Membership Campaign, page 5. The Twin Cities UCL launched its membership drive with Ted Matsuyama and Simpey Kuramoto in charge. Annual dues are $3.50 per person and $6 per couple.
• Placer Jr. JACL Picnic Ball Not Semi-Formal, page 5. The Placer Jr. JACL announced its April 23 Picnic Ball at the Auburn Recreation Building will be coat and tie rather than semi-formal. Music will be by the Veltones.
• Berkeley JACL Basketball Tournament, page 6. The third annual Berkeley JACL basketball tournament drew nearly 100 youth, with San Jose winning the perpetual trophy. Terry Maruyama and Glenn Taketa led San Jose to the championship over Sacramento.
• Detroit Pair Ranks Eighth at Toledo ABC Tournament, page 6. George Wong and Tom Fukuda of Detroit shared eighth place in doubles at the American Bowling Congress tournament in Toledo. Frank Kumamoto was also named to the 50-member ABC board.
• Sacramento Golfer Scores First Ace in 20 Years, page 6. Kei Maruyama of Sacramento scored a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at Bing Maloney course. He completed the round with a score of 78.
• Pharmacy Award Given to Cleveland Student, page 6. Joel K. Ito of Cleveland received the Dean Clair A. Dye scholarship at Ohio State University for pharmacy students. The award was sponsored by the local Rho Pi Phi fraternity chapter.
• Portland Bazaar, page 6. The Nikkeijin Kai bazaar will be held April 24 at the Nichiren Buddhist Church to raise funds for remodeling its office. Several local organizations including the Portland JACL are assisting.
• Nisei Family Sells Orchard Acreage, page 7. The Handa family of San Jose won a damage suit against a housing developer that had breached a contract to buy their prune orchard. The court found the Handas had not been bound by the agreement.
• Los Angeles Newsletter, by Henry Mori, page 7. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce honored newly named Orange County counsel Stephen Tamura at a testimonial. Judge Ernest Tolin and other Nisei attorneys discussed the possibility of forming a Nisei Bar Association.
• Prints by Kiyoshi Kagawa Shown in S.F. Museum, page 7. Oakland artist Kiyoshi D. Kagawa’s prints are on display at the San Francisco Museum of Art through May 15. The exhibit is the fourth in a series exploring contemporary printmaking in the Bay Area.
• Los Angeles Japanese Insurance Man Receives Honors, page 7. Kiyoshi Kagawa of Venice-Culver JACL received high honors at Occidental Life Insurance Company’s Top Producers Club. He was installed as a member and given a gold watch at a banquet in his honor.
• Methodist Women to Meet in Berkeley, page 7. The Pacific Japanese Methodist women’s societies will hold their annual meeting at the Palo Alto Wesley Methodist Church. Speakers will address the role of Christian women.
• Civil Rights Panel in Salt Lake City, page 7. Rupert Hachiya, active Salt Lake JACL member, participated in a civil rights panel co-sponsored by the Utah Citizens Civil Rights Committee and the American Friends Service Committee.
• Brazil-Bound Nisei, page 7. Ellen Ogawa, daughter of Mrs. S.O. Ogawa of Sanger, departed for Japan to study for two years before going to Brazil. Her travel was noted in local community news.
• Samurai Parade Planned for San Francisco Centennial, page 7. A May 22 parade will recreate the procession of Japanese samurai who walked San Francisco streets 100 years ago. The centennial celebrates the 1860 treaty that opened U.S.-Japan diplomatic relations.
• ACLU Objects to Race Item on 1960 Census, page 7. The American Civil Liberties Union objected to the race question on the 1960 census and said it would defend anyone threatened with prosecution for refusing to answer. The census director said the question has appeared in every census.
• Committeemen Named for Parlier JACL 25th Anniversary, page 7. Committee chairmen were named for the Parlier JACL 25th anniversary banquet, including Gerold Ogata, Harry Kubo, and Ronald Ota as co-chairmen. The committees cover arrangements, finance, and entertainment.
• Yoshino Addresses Prep School Citizenship Meet, page 8. John Y. Yoshino, liaison officer of the President’s Committee on Government Contracts, addressed the first annual High School Citizenship Conference in Washington. He discussed the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and its programs.
• Seattle NVC Elects Commander, page 8. Ray Saito was elected commander of the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee. Other officers and results of the annual election were also reported.

Military & Veterans

• Court Commits Nisei GI to Mental Institution, page 1. Pvt. Larry Tomita of Porterville was committed to Atascadero State Hospital after a Tulare County court found him a paranoiac following the grenade death of Billy Orton. Tomita was charged with manslaughter and illegal possession of explosives.
• Japanese Shrimp Boats Land Catch for U.S. Market, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Denver columnist Bill Hosokawa reports on several small items including shrimp demand, Japanese steel industry growth, and Nisei family dynamics. The column touches on Japanese imports and Singapore’s changing reputation.

Obituaries

• San Francisco Issei Dies from Penicillin Shock, page 1. Kingiro Hedani, 70, of San Francisco died of penicillin shock hours after treatment for a minor skin ailment. He was active with the San Francisco Buddhist Church and is survived by his widow, children, and 12 grandchildren.

Commentary

• Not Morality vs. Money, by A.W. Tashema, page 2. The letter writer argues that framing business segregation as morality versus money begs the question and that lunch counter sit-ins need northern public opinion pressure on the South. He urges President Eisenhower to speak out forcefully on civil rights.
• Shoot for Two, page 2. The editorial proposes basing chapter membership quotas on the Shoot for Two campaign goals and the 1956 membership totals. It argues that this performance-based approach is more realistic than the existing formula.
• Senate Civil Rights Bill, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. The Senate passed its version of the civil rights bill 71 to 18 after eight weeks of debate, limited mainly to voting rights. Senators Johnson, Dirksen, and Rogers were credited with its passage, and the liberal bloc vowed to renew the fight next year.
• Nisei Enumerator Relates Adventures in Census Taking, page 8. Hal Noguchi, a Nisei census crew leader in Chicago, recounts his experiences including unanswered doorbells, a dog, and households reluctant to disclose their ages and incomes. The story was originally published in the Chicago Daily News.

Sports

• Welcome Home, World Champions, page 2. The editor welcomes the Los Angeles Dodgers as world champions as major league baseball opens. He says he will keep rooting for the team as a longtime fan.
• Co-chairmen Named for JACL Olympics Track Meet, page 5. Dr. Harry Nomura and Mich Fukuda were named co-chairmen for the 1960 Nisei Olympics at Kezar Stadium on June 5. The San Francisco JACL sponsors the annual athletic event.
• Brazilian Nisei Sumo Wrestler Trains in Japan, page 6. Shungi Watari, a 21-year-old Brazilian Nisei weighing 275 pounds, arrived in Japan to train as a sumo wrestler. He was recruited by Kanemitsu Yoshikawa and will join Futabayama’s stable.
• Fuzzy Shimada Wins Port Stockton Bowling Tournament All-Events, page 6. The second annual Port Stockton bowling tournament ended with Save Mart’s 810 team winning the handicap series. Fuzzy Shimada took the scratch all-events title with 1956.
• Madeline Miyamoto Fencing at Fairleigh Dickinson, page 6. Madeline Miyamoto, a freshman fencer at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, went undefeated in 51 dual meet bouts. She also won the Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Association championship.
• Idaho Boxer Keeps NCAA 112-Lb. Title, page 6. Heiji Shimabukuro of the College of Idaho won the 112-pound NCAA boxing championship at Madison, Wisconsin. The Hawaiian Nisei was also named to the All-American boxing team last year.
• Placer County JACL Nine to Play Semi-Pro Loop, page 6. The Placer County JACL will field a baseball team in the Foothill Baseball League this season. The league includes Live Oak, Wheatland, Sacramento Eagles, and Forest Hill.

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