Supreme Court rulings on citizenship and Proposition 14, June 1967

Vol. 64, No. 22, June 2, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue

Two Supreme Court decisions led this six-page issue. The court ruled 5-4 that the government cannot strip an American of citizenship without consent, and it affirmed that California’s Proposition 14 is unconstitutional. JACL National President Jerry Enomoto praised the ruling and, in his Perspectives column, urged Californians to strengthen the Rumford Act as an Assembly committee studied fair housing bills. Civil rights ran through the issue, including Emi Somekawa’s column on human rights work in the Pacific Northwest. Bill Hosokawa was commissioned to write a popular history of Japanese Americans.

Other pieces looked back. Joe Grant Masaoka traced the history of the plague, and Alf Pratte wrote about martial law in Hawaii and the Japanese aliens interned on Rainbow Island. Mike Masaoka reported on Daniel K. Inouye’s autobiography, and a 25 Years Ago column recalled June 1942. The Nisei Relays, the Hollywood JACL’s Nisei Week queen candidate and Ken Kuroiwa’s column on Sansei are inside.

What’s in this issue

National

• Supreme Court Rules on Citizenship, California Prop. 14, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the government cannot strip an American of citizenship without consent, and affirmed that California’s Proposition 14 is unconstitutional. The decisions were hailed as major victories for the Japanese American Citizens League.
• Fair Housing Bills Under Study by State Assembly Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California Assembly committee took fair housing bills under submission after hearings on May 17. The California Committee for Fair Practices, including JACL, set six principles calling for retention of the Rumford Act.
• Justice Dept. Locating Yokohama Specie Bank Yen Deposit Claimants, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Justice is trying to locate several thousand Japanese Americans whose claims for yen certificates of deposit issued by Yokohama Specie Bank remain unresolved. The claims relate to assets seized at the outbreak of World War II.

Commentary

• Perspectives, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. JACL National President Jerry Enomoto urges Californians to oppose the Burns bill SB 9 and to strengthen the Rumford Act. He reflects on hearings where witnesses testified in favor of fair housing and on a committee member’s condescending remarks.
• Washington Newsletter: Inouye’s Autobiography, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka reports on the release of Senator Daniel K. Inouye’s autobiography, Journey to Washington, and how Washington JACL Jr. members are distributing copies. He quotes forewords by President Johnson, Vice President Humphrey, and Majority Leader Mansfield.
• From the Frying Pan: Looking Ahead, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa comments on a Scripps-Howard editorial questioning US overcommitment abroad and the future of the U.S.-Japan mutual assistance treaty expiring in 1970. He also notes the Supreme Court citizenship ruling’s significance for Nisei who voted in postwar Japan.
• Sounding Board: World’s Against Me, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Jeffrey Matsui begins a weekly column reflecting on generational differences and youth attitudes. He jokes about his editor’s scheduling and about typesetting errors in his prior columns.
• Thoughts About Dads, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A column reflects on fathers and their children, noting that sociologists say young people do fine when left alone. It also praises the JACL’s role in opening bowling membership to all races.
• Open Generation, by Ken Kuroiwa, page 4. Kuroiwa argues that Sansei should be free to choose partners based on compatibility rather than ethnic background. He contends that preserving Japanese values does not depend on marrying within the ethnic community.
• Trivia, by Accent on Youth, page 4. A column explores youth pop culture interests and the search for identity among Sansei. It discusses how younger people view their elders as the stopped generation.
• House Speaker Gima, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Hawaii House Speaker Elmer Cravalho resigned and stated he would not seek reappointment if he lost the Maui County chairmanship race. The column covers the political maneuvering that followed.
• Dangerous Trend, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A Japan Academy committee warned that commemorations of the Meiji Restoration could revive militaristic feudal admiration and distort history. The column also discusses declining baseball popularity in Japan.
• Human Relations, by Emi Somekawa, page 5. Somekawa praises Seattle’s Philip Hayasaka and Donald Kazama for their work on human rights in the Pacific Northwest District Council. She urges JACL members to take a more active role in civil rights.
• Letter: That Pat Personality, by Elmer Ogawa, page 6. Elmer Ogawa praises Karen Hanamoto’s interview with Pat Suzuki as capturing her personality and character. He commends the reporting.
• Letter: 75c on a Dollar, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 6. Uyeda contrasts the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission’s roughly 75 cents on the dollar paid to US corporations for WWII property damage abroad with the under 10 cents paid to Japanese Americans on evacuation claims.
• 25 Years Ago, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Retrospective look at June 1942 events including the Army’s evacuation orders, attempts to disenfranchise Nisei voters, camouflage netting work at Manzanar, and the ACLU’s support for JACL opposition.
• Perspectives: Youth Recognition, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The San Jose Jr. JACL honored three Japanese Americans for community service at its recognitions banquet. National Jr. JACL Youth Chairman Russ Obata urged understanding of youth concerns about Vietnam and civil rights.

Community

• Hosokawa Commissioned to Write Popular History, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Veteran journalist Bill Hosokawa has been commissioned by the JACL History Project Committee to write a popular history of Japanese Americans, due by December 1968. The committee chose him unanimously for his writing experience and Nisei perspective.
• S.F. Japan Center Must Not Lose Its ‘Cultural’ Sight, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Howard Imazeki of the Hokubei Mainichi urged the $12 million Japanese Cultural and Trade Center not to focus solely on commercial success. He called for proper outreach to cultural groups such as flower arranging and tea ceremony societies.
• Downtown L.A. JACL Data Service Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Downtown L.A. JACL will host Tug Tamaru, manager of the city’s data service bureau, at its June 15 luncheon. Tamaru is a leading Nisei civil service executive.
• Sacramento Community Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Preparations are underway for the annual Sacramento community picnic at Elk Grove Park on June 4, expected to draw about 5,000 people. The local JACL chapter underwrites the expenses.
• Hollywood JACL Nisei Week Queen Candidate, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Cathy Midori Okamura was introduced as the first candidate for the 27th Nisei Week queen contest by the Hollywood JACL. The deadline for queen candidate submissions is June 25.
• Sacramento Youth Help 6-Year-Old Regain Use of Muscles, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Three high school girls from Sacramento volunteered twice weekly to help a six-year-old regain use of underdeveloped muscles through patterning exercises. The local JACL chapter praised their contribution.

JACL

• JACL President Lauds Supreme Court Stand, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto praised the Supreme Court decision striking down Proposition 14. He said the ruling protects the constitutional rights of minority Americans.
• JACL Japan Tour Itinerary Revised, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Because of heavy tourist travel in late October, hotel space in Osaka was unavailable, so the JACL Japan Tour itinerary was swapped with Kyoto. Additional flight seats are being sought.

Sports

• Over 100 Athletes to Compete in PSW Nisei Relays at Venice, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 16th annual Pacific Southwest JACL Nisei Relays will draw over 100 athletes in four divisions at Venice High School. Orange County is the defending open class champion and several chapters have strong entries.

In-Depth

• Black Death Aftermath, by Joe Grant Masaoka, page 3. Masaoka traces the history of bubonic plague from medieval Europe to its 1894 arrival in Hong Kong and spread to Hawaii and the West Coast. He explains how a 1900 Honolulu outbreak diverted Japanese immigrants to San Francisco and fueled anti-Japanese calls for exclusion.
• Episodes of Evacuation: Internment on Rainbow Island, by Alf Pratte, page 3. Pratte examines how martial law in Hawaii during WWII affected Japanese aliens, who lost jobs and property and were interned at Rainbow Island. He includes recollections from attorney Robert Hogan and George Shoji Yamamoto, who was held under suspicion.

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