Open housing, civil rights and the 1968 start of JACL’s year

Vol. 66, No. 1, January 5, 1968. 6 pages. View this issue

Housing and civil rights ran through the first issue of 1968. National President Jerry Enomoto reflected on the Pacific Northwest District Council convention in Portland and argued against repeal of Washington State’s open housing law, Referendum 35. Philip Hamasaka reported that Washington chapters, the district council and National JACL had united behind the measure. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye told a Hawaii audience that civil rights is a more serious problem than Vietnam. Chapter news included the installation of Mrs. Nobi Tsuboi as Portland JACL president and the re-election of Ritsuko Kawakami in East Los Angeles.

Elsewhere in the six pages: Tamotsu Murayama on orienting new Japanese immigrants to the U.S., a 442nd Veterans Association banquet announcement, columns by Alan Kumamoto and Jeffrey Matsui, an open letter on Vietnam, a Japan travelogue, and a look back at the paper’s January 7, 1943 coverage.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Enomoto Column: Preview, Youth, Food for Thought, Business, Study Committee, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. JACL National President Jerry Enomoto reflects on the PNWDC convention in Portland and the Youth program. He also argues against repeal of Washington State’s open housing law, Referendum 35 (later 45), and announces a study committee on a national JACL scholarship foundation.
• Accent on Youth: When Is Time-to-Go?, by Alan Kumamoto, page 4. Youth director Alan Kumamoto considers when longtime JACL leaders should step aside, suggesting honorary roles for those who have led the organization. He also offers guidance to youth advisers on when to leave their posts.
• Sounding Board: Dizzy December, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Jeffrey Matsui recounts the hectic December production of the Holiday Issue and reports on the San Diego chapter installation. He also highlights the Progressive Westside Christmas party and the Christmas Cheer drive.
• Editorial: Chapter News Policy and Holiday Issue Postmortem, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Pacific Citizen clarifies its chapter news policy, explaining the need for follow-up articles and the return to headlining chapter activities. It also reviews errors in the Holiday Issue and introduces new reference features.
• Open Letter to LBJ, by Washington, D.C. News Notes, page 5. A satirical open letter proposes making South Vietnam the 51st state of the Union to resolve the Vietnam problem. It mocks the logic of such a move and its implications for U.S. policy.
• Question of Vietnam, by Yosh Hotta, page 5. In a letter to the editor, Yosh Hotta responds to a William Hohri comment about the Vietnam War and the Dec. 8 letterbox. He compares continued participation to a gambler playing a crooked game.
• Summer Fellowship Letter, by Mary Sabusawa, page 5. Mary Sabusawa thanks JAL and the JACL summer fellowship committee and describes continued activities after her Japan trip, including cultural booths and TV appearances. She also discusses the difficulty of readjusting after returning home.
• Next JACL Tour: Should JACL Sponsor Such Tours?, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The editors question whether JACL should sponsor more tours like the recent Japan trip, noting uncertainty about whether they promote genuine good will. The piece invites reader opinion on the matter.

JACL

• JACL Backs Wash. State Referendum 35 on Housing, by Philip Hamasaka, page 1. JACL chapters in Washington, the PNWDC, and National JACL unite in supporting the state’s housing amendment bill against repeal. The article explains the ballot measure, the PNWDC resolution, and National President Enomoto’s endorsement.

Community

• Portland Installs Mrs. Nobi Tsuboi, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mrs. Nobi Tsuboi, a longtime district and chapter leader, was elected 1968 president of the Portland JACL. She succeeds Albert Oyama, M.D., and the board is expected to bring new approaches to chapter programs.
• East Los Angeles JACL Re-elects Ritsuko Kawakami, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The East Los Angeles JACL re-elected Ritsuko Kawakami as president for a second term. Installation will take place Jan. 19 at a 20th anniversary dinner-dance in Montebello.
• Progressive Westside’s Christmas Party for Retarded Children, by George Yoda, page 3. The Progressive Westside JACL hosted 250 patients at Camarillo State Hospital for a Christmas dinner-dance, with magicians, music, and gifts. Members described the event as a joyful, direct form of community service.
• Seattle Buddhist Church Sponsors Low-Income Housing Project, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Seattle Buddhist Church volunteered to sponsor a low-income housing development planned for Collins Playfield in connection with the Yesler-Atlantic Urban Renewal Project. Church president Yothita Fujii told the City Council the church has the financial capability.
• PSWDYC Takes a Trip, by Karen Sumida, page 4. A poem by Santa Barbara Jr. JACLer Karen Sumida recounts the PSWDYC chartered bus trip to Phoenix, Arizona over Thanksgiving weekend. It describes the hayride, bonfire, banquet, and the return drive.
• Portland Junior JACL Hosts PNWDYC Convention, by Paul Tamura, page 4. The Portland Junior JACL hosted the PNWDYC Convention in December, but college-age attendance was low. The author suggests a separate young adults group or college-aged assistant youth advisers to address the gap.

National

• Civil Rights More Serious Than Vietnam, Sen. Inouye Declares, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye told a Hawaii audience that civil rights is a more serious problem than Vietnam. He urged soul-searching about riots, illiteracy, and poverty while emphasizing pride and struggle.
• Orientation of New Japanese Immigrants to U.S. Proposed, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 1. The OJA proposes a study group with the US Embassy and Japanese Foreign Office to prepare Japanese emigrants for the U.S. when quotas are lifted in July 1968. The article cites 1966 emigration figures and urges emulation of the Issei’s virtues.

Military & Veterans

• Col. Leslie F. Zimmerman to Keynote 442nd Veterans Installation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Air Force chaplain Col. Leslie F. Zimmerman, a survivor of the Bataan death march, will keynote the 442nd Veterans Association installation banquet Feb. 3 in Los Angeles. The brief announces the event.

In-Depth

• Japan Travelogue: Food, Gardens, and Modern Contrasts, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The article recounts a trip to Japan that emphasized the variety and quality of food, the sophisticated garden design, and the historical depth of Kyoto and Nara. It also contrasts these with modern industrial vigor and criticizes public sanitation and small-scale facilities.

Incarceration & Redress

• 25 Years Ago: Pacific Citizen, Jan. 7, 1943, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A look back at wartime news includes a Gallup poll favoring Nisei return, WRA resettlement plans, and the Korematsu test case. It also covers community activity in camps and the Stockton JACL women’s auxiliary.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.