Politics, fair housing and the aftermath of Dr. King’s death

Vol. 66, No. 15, April 12, 1968. 6 pages. View this issue

JACL national president Jerry Enomoto opened the issue with a call to chapters to host public information programs on candidates and issues during the election year, while the organization stays nonpartisan. News stories covered California Governor Ronald Reagan’s reversal on the Rumford Fair Housing Act, about 65,000 visitors at San Francisco’s first Cherry Blossom Festival in Nihonmachi, and Senator Daniel Inouye’s talk on peace in Honolulu. Harry K. Honda’s editorial reflected on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kerner Commission’s warning of two separate societies.

Elsewhere in these six pages are Bill Hosokawa on the arts and dancer Yuriko, Alan Kumamoto on today’s youth, and a review of the film The Emperor and the General. Also inside: Dr. Takeru Higuchi’s title as father of physical pharmacy, Herb Wakabayashi’s hockey honors, an East Wind column on Vietnam, and Phil Matsumura on the San Jose national convention booklet.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Political Front, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. JACL national president Jerry Enomoto urges chapters to host public information programs on political candidates and issues while the organization remains nonpartisan. He reflects on President Johnson’s withdrawal from the presidential race and urges members to make their votes count.
• The Arts, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Columnist Bill Hosokawa reflects on the loss of Larry Tajiri and the decline of coverage of Nisei performers in the arts. He highlights dancer Yuriko’s New York performances and her career with the Martha Graham company.
• Yesterday’s Tomorrow, by Alan Kumamoto, page 4. Alan Kumamoto examines the struggles of today’s youth, including draft issues, teenage runaways, and generational communication gaps. He argues that young people are not simply problems to be solved but essential to shaping society’s future.
• West Wind, by Yosh Hotta, page 4. Columnist Yosh Hotta satirizes the proliferation of honorary titles and free admission policies for older Issei. He jokingly suggests he would adjust his top hat as a sign of honor.
• Green Power, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Jeffrey Matsui describes the Green Power Foundation’s training program for workers with criminal records in Watts and his support for its $10 associate membership. He praises the staff’s commitment and says the organization will succeed.
• Nisei Dilemma, by James Oshika, page 6. A reader responds to a previous column by arguing that Japanese Americans should speak out on civil rights and Vietnam rather than avoid dissent. He contends that democratic debate strengthens society.
• ‘Enryo’ Disadvantage, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A letter writer warns Japanese American women about high-pressure salesmen selling expensive stainless steel cookware, who exploit enryo and social networks. The writer describes the tactics used and urges readers to be cautious.
• A Confrontation Next, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. The editorial reflects on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and the growing tension between white power and Black Power. It discusses the Kerner Commission’s warning that America is moving toward two separate societies and calls for compassionate, sustained national action.
• Vietnam Commentary, by East Wind, page 6. This column traces U.S. involvement in Vietnam from the 1954 Geneva Accords through the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations. It argues that escalating aid and advisers deepened the conflict despite earlier promises.

Community

• Father of Physical Pharmacy Title Bestowed on Nisei Prof, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Takeru Higuchi, a Nisei pharmacy researcher, now heads his own department at Kansas University after twenty years at Wisconsin. He has been honored with the title ‘father of physical pharmacy’ and a Regents professorship, and has trained many doctoral students.
• Grass Will Be Greener at EOC Center, by Gerry Mitsunaga, page 1. San Jose Junior JACL members helped plant a lawn at the EOC Youth Center with help from local gardeners and nurseries. The center serves a minority neighborhood on the lower Eastside with programs for mothers, children, and teenagers.
• Civic Women Groups Appraise Ethnic Minorities, by Henry Mori, page 3. Women from three civic organizations attended a Los Angeles community action session that included a talk by JACL national youth director Alan Kumamoto on Japanese American history. Speakers discussed stereotyping and the shared challenges faced by minority groups.
• Doingest Chapter Honored, by P.C. Staff, page 4. National second vice-president Dr. David Miura commended the Westside JACL for its work with mentally retarded children, including two large Christmas parties. He urged the chapter to lead other chapters in civil rights and social service efforts.

National

• Reagan Alters Stand, Would Veto Housing Act Repeal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California Governor Ronald Reagan reversed his earlier position and said he would veto any outright repeal of the Rumford Fair Housing Act. He said he was impressed by the symbolic importance of the law to minorities after meeting with their representatives.
• Sakura Festival Draws Big Crowds, by Howard M. Imazeki, page 1. An estimated 65,000 people attended San Francisco’s first annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Nihonmachi and the new Japanese Cultural and Trade Center. Organizers credited careful planning and good weather for the festival’s success.
• Coexistence or Annihilation, Says Sen. Inouye in Peace Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye told a Honolulu Rotary Club World Understanding Week event that peace requires mutual understanding among the United States, Russia, and Red China. He argued that coexistence is the only alternative to annihilation in the thermonuclear age.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Hockey Star Wins All-American Honors, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Herb Wakabayashi of Boston University was named to the 1968 College Hockey All-America team after leading the nation’s sophomores in scoring. The Chatham, Ontario native finished with 43 points and is eleventh on BU’s all-time scoring list.

Arts & Entertainment

• The Emperor and the General, by Allan Beekman, page 3. This film review covers Toho Studio’s dramatization of the events in Japan leading up to the Emperor’s 1945 surrender broadcast. The reviewer praises Toshiro Mifune’s portrayal of General Anami and the film’s historical account drawn from Soichi Oya’s book.

JACL

• Enomoto — Continued from Front Page, by Jerry Enomoto, page 6. Jerry Enomoto thanks James Michener and the Reader’s Digest Foundation for a donation and acknowledges an Issei member’s generous gesture. He also notes a bond contribution honoring a deceased Issei pioneer.
• Convention Confab Corral, by Phil Matsumura, page 6. Phil Matsumura describes the planning of the San Jose national JACL convention souvenir booklet and the expenses involved in producing it. He asks chapters to submit greetings and advertisements promptly and to name booklet chairs.

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