Vol. 65, No. 4, July 28, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue
A court ruling on yen deposits led the news. Judge William B. Jones held that about 6,100 claimants whose deposits were vested after Pearl Harbor would receive their funds by July 1, 1968, and attorneys A.L. Wirin and Fred Okrand explained the three categories of eligible claimants. National President Jerry Enomoto wrote about his visit to New York and Washington, D.C., and Jim Henry reported from a U.S. Army hospital in Yokohama that treated more than 500 wounded soldiers flown in from Vietnam.
Elsewhere, Rep. Patsy Mink spoke on free speech and dissent, and Bill Masaoka covered the House anti-riot bill. The Pacific Southwest District Jr. JACL planned a service project at an orphanage in Tijuana, and a UC Berkeley team began a study of Issei and Nisei in the Bay Area. Columns by Alan Kumamoto, Yosh Hotta and Jeffrey Matsui fill page 4.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- More About the Trip, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National President Jerry Enomoto recounts his visit to New York and Washington, D.C., including dinners with local JACL members and a tour of the United Nations. He describes meetings with Eastern District chapters and Jr. JACL members in the nation’s capital.
- Anti-Riot Bill, by Bill Masaoka, page 2. The House passed an anti-riot bill 347 to 70 making it a federal crime to use interstate travel to incite riots, though the Administration had not requested it. Critics such as Emanuel Celler argued the measure was ambiguous and would not address the causes of urban unrest.
- Youth, Sex, Survey, by Alan Kumamoto, page 4. Kumamoto discusses JACL’s focus on youth programs and the value of including young adults in chapter planning. He describes a forthcoming survey of Jr. JACL members and a Portland workshop topic on Sansei sexuality.
- Reason for Uneasiness, by Yosh Hotta, page 4. Hotta reflects on a television report of a U.S. soldier halting treatment of a wounded Vietnamese civilian once newsmen appeared. He argues that Asian Americans must not assume full acceptance has been achieved.
- Siempre Luchando, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Matsui draws on Charles McCabe’s idea of ‘always the struggle’ to suggest that achieving goals can leave an empty feeling. He argues that continued effort and some insecurity are healthier than complacency.
- East Wind: Choosing a Mate, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The columnist argues that, all else being equal, a Nisei mate offers better prospects for a stable marriage than a non-Nisei. The piece is lighthearted and acknowledges that individual exceptions exist.
- A Dole of Undeserved Welfare, by Nancy M. Ventker, page 6. A Cincinnati housewife writes that prejudice operates in both directions and that dignity comes from self-reliance rather than dependence on welfare. She cites Jewish and Japanese American resilience as examples of families preserving their dignity.
- Buddahead, by Berry Suzukida, page 6. A Chicago reader recalls the term ‘buddahead’ used affectionately among Nisei at Santa Anita Assembly Center. He suggests the word may derive from ‘buta head’ and was used as camaraderie rather than an insult.
Military & Veterans
- GIs Wounded in Vietnam at Yokohama Hospital, by Jim Henry, page 1. A U.S. Army hospital in Yokohama treats more than 500 wounded soldiers flown in from Vietnam, many of whom express conviction in their cause. The article contrasts their experiences with criticism from peace marchers back home.
Community
- Togasaki Opens Rotary Office, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 1. George Kiyoshi Togasaki, newly named Rotary International president-elect, has opened a Tokyo office to prepare for the 1969 Honolulu convention. The article also recalls the early role of Umekichi Yoneyama in introducing Rotary to Japan.
- Three Days at Tijuana Orphanage Set as PSW District Youth Service Project, by Connie Yamaguchi, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council Jr. JACL will hold its first district-wide service project at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico, in August. Volunteers will be asked to follow a code of conduct and bring donated supplies.
- Deadliest Jr. JACL Meeting in History, by P.C. Staff, page 1. San Francisco Jr. JACL members watched a karate demonstration by Gosei Yamaguchi, 6th dan, and his students. The Okinawan-derived style blends hard and soft techniques.
- Delicate Changes in Literary Works of Contemporary Authors Reveal Depth of Impact, by Koichi Isoda, page 1. Critic Jun Eto’s essay on postwar Japanese literature examines the loss of the traditional ‘mother’ image as Americanism reshapes family life. The article explores how novels by Kojima and Shono reflect the spiritual anxiety of modern Japan.
- Li’l Tokio Brawl Ends in One Dead, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three Nisei involved in a July 18 Li’l Tokio brawl were released without bail after the death of Ronald Hada, 25. Police said the evidence indicated Hada was the aggressor.
- San Jose Juniors Involve Members on Committees, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Jose Jr. JACL chapter assigns its nearly 60 active members to six standing committees. Each committee chairman also serves on the chapter cabinet.
- EDC-MDC Convention: Mini-Paper Dresses Previewed for Chicago Confab at Rally-Lu, by Dr. Frank Sakamoto, page 4. Chicago and Milwaukee JACL chapters and Chicago Young Japanese Americans held a Rally-Lu to promote the 1967 EDC-MDC convention over Labor Day. The event featured a fashion show of paper dresses and a prize drawing.
- Authors — Americanism and Its Impact on Japanese Literature, by Koichi Isoda, page 4. Isoda continues his analysis of postwar Japanese literature, arguing that American democracy and technology brought political gains alongside a loss of integral ideals. He links the nihilism in young Japanese writers to the influence of Hemingway and other American authors.
Obituaries
- Tamejiro Watanabe, 94, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tamejiro Watanabe, a Hiroshima native who came to America in 1892, died in Spokane at age 94. He was believed to be the oldest Issei in the Pacific Northwest by length of residence.
In-Depth
- UC Berkeley Study Underway Among 5,000 Issei-Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A UC Berkeley research team is surveying Bay Area Japanese American households to explore why Japanese Americans in California live longer than other Californians. The five-year study examines how migration and cultural change may affect cardiovascular health.
National
- Return of Yen Deposits From July 1, 1968, Assured, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Judge William B. Jones ruled that about 6,100 yen claimants whose deposits were vested after Pearl Harbor will receive their funds by July 1, 1968. Attorneys A.L. Wirin and Fred Okrand explained the three categories of eligible claimants.
- Rights of Free Speech and Dissent Sacred to All Americans, Declares Mink, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rep. Patsy Mink told Castle High School graduates that free speech and dissent are the most sacred American liberties. She argued that citizens must be allowed to question government policy, including on Vietnam, provided they act lawfully.
- No More ‘Watts Riot’ Type Coverage Seen in No. Calif., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Northern California radio and TV stations adopted voluntary guidelines for covering civil disorders, including cooperating with police and avoiding sensational reporting. The plan was developed by the Radio and Television News Directors Association chapter.
Incarceration & Redress
- Bosworth’s Books Donated, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Francisco Nikkei Lions and JACL chapter jointly donated copies of Capt. Allan Bosworth’s book America’s Concentration Camps to public libraries. The donation was a community service project.
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