Vol. 53, No. 14, October 6, 1961. 4 pages. View this issue
Stephan Tamura, a longtime Orange County JACLer, was appointed to the county bench by Governor Brown, a story by Frank F. Chuman that led the front page. The same page reported that JACL membership had reached a postwar high of 17,776, with the national chairman aiming for 20,000 by the 1962 convention in Seattle. Mike Masaoka looked back at the first session of the 87th Congress and ahead to the Supreme Court term, and a report told of a Washington State court ruling against a fair housing law.
Elsewhere in these four pages: William Sasagawa’s protest over ethnic slurs in the musical Sail Away, and Susumu Nagara’s research on the pidgin English of early Issei in Hawaii. Sports covered Tommy Kono’s Mr. Universe title and four Nisei players on Whittier College’s football team. Saburo Kido’s JACL history continued with the 1936 Seattle Convention, and the Christmas Cheer drive opened with a $3,000 goal.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Judge Stephan Tamura Named to Orange County Bench, by By Frank F. Chuman, page 1. Governor Brown appointed Stephan Tamura, a longtime Orange County JACLer, as a judge in Orange County. Tamura has a long record of public service and community involvement.
JACL
- Role of JACL with Youth, page 1. The article urges the JACL to actively develop its youth program and Junior JACL to strengthen young members’ sense of Japanese American identity and leadership. It argues that parents and chapters should guide youth into service and civic responsibility.
- JACL Membership Hits Postwar High of 17,776, page 1. National JACL headquarters reported active membership reached a postwar high of 17,776. Fifteen chapters set all-time membership records, and the national membership chairman aims for 20,000 by the 1962 convention in Seattle.
- Christmas Cheer Campaign Kicks Off with $3,000 Goal, by Jim Higashi, page 4. The JACL Christmas Cheer Drive opened for its 14th year with a $3,000 goal to aid needy Japanese Americans during the holidays. The program is run entirely by volunteers with minimal expenses.
- Living with JACL: Part VIII, by Saburo Kido, page 4. This installment of Saburo Kido’s JACL history covers the 1936 Seattle Convention proceedings, including committee reports on vocational problems, the Pacific Citizen, and resolutions on dual citizenship and Americanism. The convention outlined plans for chapter structure and membership.
Community
- Joe Saito Nominated to Board of Proposed College, page 1. Joe Saito of Ontario, Oregon, an active Snake River JACLer, was nominated to the board of directors of the proposed Treasure Valley Area Community College. Voters in the area were to decide on forming the college district.
- Use of Japs and Chinks in Play Hit, page 2. William Sasagawa and his wife protested offensive ethnic slurs in a song from the musical Sail Away during its Philadelphia run. Noel Coward responded favorably to the criticism and expressed willingness to address the language.
- Hiroshima-born Scholar Researching Pidgin English by Issei in Hawaii, page 2. Susumu Nagara, a Hiroshima-born East-West Center student, is recording and transcribing the pidgin English used by early Japanese immigrants in Hawaii. He hopes to document the language before the Issei generation passes away.
- Convention Preparations Report, by Elmer Ogawa, page 2. Preparations for the 1962 JACL National Convention in Seattle are progressing, with hotel reservations and deposits being collected. The convention coincides with the Century 21 World’s Fair and the Seafair festival.
- Nisei Football and Chapter News Briefs, page 3. Multiple chapter news items were reported, including a Monterey Peninsula JACL membership drive and a Japanese mayors and chamber of commerce conference in Portland. Each brief covers local activities and upcoming events.
National
- Fair Housing Law Ruled Invalid, page 1. The Washington State Supreme Court ruled 3 to 2 that the state fair housing law was unconstitutional as applied to publicly assisted housing. The decision allowed a Seattle homeowner to refuse to sell to a Black postal worker, and JACL had joined an amicus brief opposing the ruling.
- Supreme Court Convenes, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Masaoka reviews the first session of the 87th Congress and its legislative outcomes, including several unfinished issues deferred to the next session. He also previews the Supreme Court term, which will consider legislative redistricting and other civil rights questions.
- Wartime Attorney General Biddle Heads ACLU, page 1. Francis Biddle, wartime attorney general, was named chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union, succeeding the late Ernest Gruening. He has been a longtime ACLU member and national board member.
- Congress Recesses After Long Session, page 1. Congress adjourned after the longest session since before October, leaving many controversial bills, including school aid and medical care for the aged, to the next session. The article summarizes the session’s results and President Kennedy’s legislative record.
- Kennedy Signs Immigration Bill, page 2. President Kennedy signed legislation making permanent the provision allowing Americans to bring children from abroad for adoption. The bill also granted quota visas to applicants, including 417 from Japan.
- Hawaii Advisory Committee Praised for Civil Rights Report, page 2. A Denver Post editorial praised the Hawaii Advisory Committee’s 1961 civil rights report to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights as the best of the state reports. The Hawaii committee had received no requests for action and recommended nothing needing remedy.
Arts & Entertainment
- Japan Movie Studio to Film Struggles of Issei Immigrants on Hawaii Plantations, by By Allan Keekman, page 2. Shochiku Studio plans to film Sanka Ari, a story about the 1920 sugar strike in Hawaii involving Japanese and Filipino workers, with a cast including Hideko Takamine and Keiji Sada. The film reflects growing interest among Japanese studios in Hawaiian subjects.
Obituaries
- Dr. George Miyake, page 2. Dr. George Miyake of Fresno and Clovis was named Optometrist of the Year by the Central California Optometric Society for his public service. He is a former chapter president and national chairman of the JACL Endowment Fund Committee.
Military & Veterans
- Ted Uyeda and Whittier College Nisei Football Players, page 3. Whittier College’s football team featured four Nisei players, including quarterback Seitaro Miyano, who was nationally ranked among small college passers. Coach John Godfrey praised the group, nicknamed the Japanese Bandits, for their hustle and intelligence.
Sports
- Tommy Kono Wins Mr. Universe Title, page 3. Tommy Kono won the Mr. Universe title in Vienna, his fourth such title, after competing in the middleweight class. The article notes his earlier Olympic and world weightlifting achievements.
- John Suzuki Averages 235 in League Bowling Match, page 4. John Suzuki, Santa Barbara’s top bowling average, posted a 700 series during the All-Star League. He holds a 222 average through the first ten weeks of the league.
In-Depth
- Dr. Scotty Miyakawa Directs Mammoth Task to Publish Issei Story, page 4. Dr. Scotty Miyakawa of Boston University is directing the research and writing of a definitive history of the Japanese in America, a JACL-sponsored project. The article profiles his career and academic background.
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