Vol. 57, No. 24, December 13, 1963. 4 pages. View this issue
Housing and civil rights filled the front page of this four-page issue. A new group, California Realtors for Fair Housing, formed to back the Rumford Fair Housing Act against a repeal initiative sponsored by CREA, and the ADL’s Milton Senn urged B’nai B’rith realtors to join it. Mike Masaoka reported that comprehensive civil rights legislation was unlikely to pass before January. The Central California District Council endorsed in principle a National JACL Civil Rights Fund, and Sato testified for JACL on minority employment before a state Senate committee.
Inside, Bill Hosokawa wrote about Harvard research into machine translation. Another story followed Tomoya Kawakita, a man without a passport or a country. The Fresno convention of the Central California District Council, Judge John Aiso’s talk on civil rights, a school in Fountain Valley named for an Issei pioneer, and the Christmas Cheer fund in Los Angeles also appeared.
What’s in this issue
National
- CA Realtors Form Group to Back Rumford Act Against CREA Initiative, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A new statewide group, California Realtors for Fair Housing, opposes the CREA-backed initiative to repeal the Rumford Fair Housing Act. Its leaders argue the initiative would harm race relations and urge realtors to reconsider their association’s position.
- B’nai B’rith Urged to Oppose CREA Initiative, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The ADL’s Milton Senn asked B’nai B’rith realtors to affiliate with the new California Realtors for Fair Housing group. He said they should act on their belief in an open housing market.
- Civil Rights Delay Stalls Bill in Congress, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Masaoka reports that comprehensive civil rights legislation is unlikely to pass before the new session in January. He describes President Johnson’s push and a discharge petition aimed at forcing House action early in 1964.
- State Employees Rate Orientals Top in Pay Category, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Governor Brown proposed a four-point program to eliminate discrimination in state employment after a survey of state workers. The survey found Orientals earned the highest median salaries of any group.
Community
- Nagoya Teacher Apologizes for Racial Bias Among Japan Pen Pals, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Minneapolis teacher learned that some Japanese pen pals did not want to write to Negro students. The Jewish Community Relations Council raised the matter with the Japanese Embassy, which the article presents as part of a broader problem of prejudice worldwide.
- Fountain Valley Names School for Issei Pioneer, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Fountain Valley School District received approval to build Hisamatsu Tamura School, named for a pioneer whose son is Judge Tamura. The 770-student school is scheduled for completion next May.
- Central California JACL Convention in Fresno, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Central California District Council convention in Fresno drew its largest attendance ever, with installation of new officers and a banquet. Judge John Aiso spoke on civil rights and the treatment of criminal justice.
- Puyallup Valley JACL Installs Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Puyallup Valley Chapter installed its new officers at a dinner in Tacoma, with Mayor Herold Tollefson as the principal speaker. The mayor described his trip to Japan and its preparations for the Olympics.
- Christmas Cheer Fund Nears $2,000 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 1963 Christmas Cheer fund in Los Angeles had reached nearly two-thirds of its $3,000 goal. Contributions from individuals and chapters were listed in the recap.
JACL
- CCDC Approves JACL Civil Rights Fund in Principle, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Central California District Council endorsed in principle a National JACL Civil Rights Fund proposed by the Eastern and Midwest districts. National President Okura urged members to close the persistent gap between civil rights promises and their fulfillment.
- JACL Testifies on Minority Employment Before State Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sato testified before the Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Race Relations on behalf of JACL. He noted progress in public accommodations and education but said discrimination in housing, promotions, and apprenticeships remains.
Obituaries
- Dr. Edward K. Strong, Stanford Psychologist, Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Edward K. Strong, a Stanford University psychologist, died at age 79 after an extended illness. He was known for his 1934 study of the California Nisei, published as The Second Generation Japanese Problem.
Incarceration & Redress
- Tomoya Kawakita Now a Man Without a Country, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tomoya Kawakita, who lost his U.S. citizenship after a wartime treason conviction, remains stranded because he has no passport and cannot be issued one. The Japanese Foreign Ministry says his citizenship was renounced in 1946, leaving him unable to leave the country he is ordered out of.
Commentary
- Age of the Electronic Monsters, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa reports on Harvard research by Susumu Kuno into machine translation of English using an IBM computer. He notes the machine still struggles with ambiguous sentences and will need human help for years.
Military & Veterans
- Salinas Sansei Guard Named Most Inspirational Player, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Randy Sato, a Sansei guard at Salinas High, was voted the most inspirational player on the varsity football team at the annual fall sports banquet. He also lettered in track and wrestling.
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