Vol. 54, No. 10, March 9, 1962. 4 pages. View this issue
A statewide financial drive in Idaho led the news. The Idaho Falls JACL set a June 1 target for removing the state’s alien land law and asked chapters across Idaho to help through contributions and outreach to lawmakers. Mike Masaoka wrote from Washington on President Kennedy’s decision to resume atmospheric nuclear testing, arguing that American deterrence mattered to the security of the free world, including Japan.
Also on the front page: Ellen Kimura was named JACL Convention Queen, with a first task of inviting Governor Rosellini to the convention, and Jerry Enomoto was set to speak at the San Jose Community Youth Service’s first anniversary dinner. Saburo Kido looked back on JACL’s emergency meetings of 1942, a New York reader wrote about keeping the story of the wartime incarceration alive, and Bill Hosokawa profiled the Konishi family of Platteville, Colorado. Chapter news came from West Los Angeles and Berkeley.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Statewide Idaho Campaign Launched to Remove Alien Land Law, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Idaho Falls JACL launched a statewide financial drive targeting a June 1 date to remove the alien land law from the state’s books. Chapters across Idaho were asked to support the effort through contributions and legislative outreach.
- Ellen Kimura Named JACL Convention Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ellen Kimura, who represented the Japanese community in the Seafair Frolics, was named JACL Convention Queen and will serve as official hostess. Her first assignment is to visit Governor Rosellini in Seattle to invite him to the convention.
- Jerry Enomoto to Speak at San Jose CYS First Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Community Youth Service of San Jose will celebrate its first year of operation with a family dinner featuring JACL National Board secretary Jerry Enomoto as guest speaker. Other CYS events planned include an intersectional basketball game.
- From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa profiles the Konishi family of Platteville, Colorado, whose 13 children have achieved notable success, most recently Alban Konishi’s nomination to the Air Force Academy. The column notes the family’s accomplishments as an example of Japanese American achievement.
- West Los Angeles JACL Celebrates Receipt of PSWDC Plaque, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The West Los Angeles JACL chapter celebrated receiving a plaque from the Pacific Southwest District Council. The event recognized the chapter’s contributions to the district.
- Berkeley Decides on Building Plans, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Berkeley JACL chapter decided on plans for a new building after reviewing options for its headquarters. The decision followed discussion of rental costs and the need for a permanent facility.
Commentary
- Atmospheric Nuclear Testing, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Washington correspondent Mike Masaoka examines President Kennedy’s decision to resume atmospheric nuclear testing and the reactions it provoked. He argues that American nuclear deterrence remains essential to the security of the free world, including Japan.
- Evacuation Should Not Be Forgotten, by Eaton, Creston, New York, page 2. A New York reader responds to a newspaper editorial that described the evacuation story as the work of a small group, arguing that the JACL is a large national organization. The letter praises JACL’s sustained efforts to keep the memory of the wartime incarceration alive.
- Living with JACL, by Saburo Kido, page 2. Saburo Kido recalls the 1942 emergency meetings that guided JACL through the mass evacuation of Japanese Americans from the West Coast. He reflects on the difficulty of leadership when community leaders had been removed and the decisions made at the time could not be fully publicized.
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