JACL’s president on detention camps, and a Nisei first for Buddhist Churches

Vol. 66, No. 23, June 7, 1968. 6 pages. View this issue

National President Jerry Enomoto opened the issue by criticizing the House Un-American Activities Committee for suggesting detention centers to control ghetto rioters. He recalled that the unconstitutional mass incarceration of 110,000 Japanese Americans in 1942 showed how such measures can be abused. Other front-page news covered Rev. Takashi Tsuji’s installation as the first Nisei bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, Rev. George Nishikawa’s election as president of the Council of Oriental Organizations, and the JACL National Planning Commission’s review of the organization’s programs and policies.

Inside are columns by Bill Hosokawa on Japan’s Eta, Bill Marutani on childhood taunts, and Roger Nikaido on Washington. Allan Beekman reviewed a book on the segregation of Japanese schoolchildren in San Francisco. Readers will also find a note on the 100th Battalion being called up, plans for the JACL convention fishing derby, and details of the Nisei Relays in Long Beach.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Detention Camps, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National President Jerry Enomoto criticizes the House Un-American Activities Committee for suggesting detention centers to control ghetto rioters. He recalls that the unconstitutional mass incarceration of 110,000 Japanese Americans in 1942 shows how such measures can be abused.
• Washington Newsletter: The Lone Texan, by Roger Nikaido, page 2. President Johnson, now a lame-duck, accepted a $6 billion spending cut to secure his proposed tax surtax. The column also covers his proposal to lower the voting age to 18.
• Hawaii Column: Prof. Oliver Lee, by Richard Gima, page 2. The University of Hawaii board of regents fired Prof. Oliver M. Lee and President Thomas Hamilton resigned, prompting a protest by about 1,000 people. The article covers the controversy surrounding the dismissal.
• The Untouchables, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa reviews George DeVos’s book on Japan’s Eta, a discriminated-against group of about two million people. He draws parallels to the lasting psychological effects of oppression on American Negroes and possibly Nisei after wartime confinement.
• Actor Boone Finds Nikkei at Bottom of Hawaii Revolt, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 3. Kunitsugu responds to actor Richard Boone’s free-verse piece on Japanese in Hawaii, which praised their rise to power. The column weighs Boone’s honest admiration against the uncomfortable image of Nisei as monkeys.
• Tokyo’s Dream Taxi, by Jim Henry, page 3. Tokyo taxi driver Masakazu Sato offers passengers slippers, reading material, music, and candy in his cab. He says he wants passengers to feel at home.
• Board: Executive Reorganization, by Henry Kato, page 4. Pacific Northwest District Governor Henry Kato reports the district council’s responses to JACL’s proposed executive reorganization. Comments addressed the president-elect role, treasurer qualifications, and the 1000 Club chairman.
• The Gamble in Farming, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Pacific Northwest growers are discouraged by rising costs, declining prices, and weather risks, with many considering selling out. The article urges cooperatives and public education to strengthen agriculture.
• East Wind: Sticks ‘n Stones, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani recalls childhood responses to taunts and the family incident when his daughter was called Chinese at school. He reflects on how racial words hurt children and adults.
• West Wind: Picnic, by Yosh Hotta, page 4. Hotta describes a Fremont Chapter picnic and an encounter with an old friend George at dinner afterward. He recalls a past chapter installation where he and George guarded the bar.
• Hawaii Travel Column, page 5. A humorous guide to visiting each of the major Hawaiian islands with tips the usual brochures miss. It covers Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, Lanai, and Molokai.
• Editorial: Business and Community Responsibility, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The editorial praises businesses that take on urban and community problems, including Du Pont’s Upward Bound support. It asks whether Japanese American firms show similar commitment to equal opportunity.
• Director’s Report, by Masao W. Satow, page 6. National Director Satow previews National Council business for the 20th Biennial Convention and announces the George J. Inagaki Citizenship Award. He also notes the installation of Rev. Takashi Tsuji as bishop and a growing need for material on Japanese Americans.

Community

• Gardena Teenager Booked for 10th Time by Police in 4-Yr. Period, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nineteen-year-old Mark Tanaka was arrested on the Gardena High School campus and charged with furnishing dangerous drugs to a minor. The article details his nine previous arrests since 1964.
• COO Elects Nisei Minister President, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Council of Oriental Organizations unanimously elected Rev. George Nishikawa as its first president in Los Angeles. The council plans a July conference on Oriental concerns and programs for federal funding.
• Buddhist Churches of America Inaugurates First Nisei Bishop, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rev. Takashi Tsuji was installed as bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America in San Francisco, the first Nisei to hold the post. He called for openness to other faiths and support for the Institute of Buddhist Studies.
• New York GOP Candidate Stresses Nisei Can Best Understand Minority Problem, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Moonray Kojima, a GOP candidate for the New York State Assembly, criticized both conservatives and liberals for failing to address inflation and racial unrest. He argued that minorities need economic ownership and opportunity rather than dependence on government.
• Sumitomo-JACL Open Collegiate Scholarship Plan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL chapters may nominate college students for two $500 Sumitomo Bank of California scholarships. Preference goes to students in banking, finance, business, or economics.
• S.F. State Student Arrested at Sit-In, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Thomas M. Yamasaki was among 26 people arrested during student sit-ins at San Francisco State College. Faculty members including S.I. Hayakawa criticized protesters’ claims of victory in negotiations.
• Birth Rate Declines, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii recorded its lowest birth rate in history in 1967 at 19.4 births per 1,000. The figure continues a decline from 1966.
• Kaji Appointed L.A. Central Area Tax Appraiser, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Bruce T. Kaji was appointed a State inheritance tax appraiser for the Los Angeles County Central District. His background includes public accounting and service as president of Merit Savings and Loan.
• Labor Unions Seek Nisei Apprentices, by Elmer Ogawa, page 3. Seattle machinist Marvin Rice recruits Nisei for apprenticeships in the machinist trade, which offers a path out of dead-end jobs. He notes that journeyman pay has risen to $4.66 per hour with strong benefits.
• City Agrees to Pay Nisei Architect $50,000, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Los Angeles Recreation and Park Commission agreed to pay Umemoto-Perkinson Associates $50,099 for preliminary golf development plans. It withheld a further $13,437 for supervisory services until the project proceeds.
• Inequity in Immigration Law on Adoptions Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rep. Spark Matsunaga introduced legislation to remove the two-year residence requirement for non-orphan adopted children entering the United States. He argued the current law unequally burdens adoptive families.
• Morozumi Honored by Boy Scouts of Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Scientist Henry Morozumi, who was the first Japanese to reach the South Pole with the National Science Foundation, received the Bronze Cuckoo from the Boy Scouts of Japan. He is listed in Ten Outstanding Young Men of America.
• Japan Air Lines Tokyo-Bound Tour and Sony Opens New Facility, by P.C. Staff, page 3. American President Lines lowered first-class fares from San Francisco to Yokohama to $410. Sony opened its new El Segundo facility with Akio Morita present.
• S.F. Nihonmachi Merchants Organize, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A nonprofit Nihonmachi Merchants Association was formed in San Francisco to promote the new Japanese town. Bank of Tokyo branch manager Toshio Nagamura presided over the bylaws committee.
• Striped Bass Derby Planned, by Mori Shimada, page 4. Mori Shimada, convention fishing derby chairman, plans a striped bass fishing trip on San Francisco Bay for August 22 during the JACL convention. He describes productive spots and tide conditions based on last year’s results.
• Youth Panel Closes Communications Gap at PSW Rally, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Pacific Southwest District Youth Council held a pre-convention rally with an adult-youth panel discussing JACL involvement on issues. Youth urged representation on the PSWDC executive board.
• 150 Athletes Sign for PSW Trackfest, by P.C. Staff, page 5. More than 150 athletes will compete June 9 in the 17th annual JACL Nisei Relays co-hosted by Long Beach and Orange County chapters. The Capitol Life trophy is at stake.

In-Depth

• Sociological Study Shows Less Affluent Have Poorer Health, Lead Shorter Lives, by P.C. Staff, page 1. University of Chicago sociologists Philip Hauser and Evelyn Kitagawa found that less educated Americans suffer higher death rates. Their study of 340,000 deaths concluded that matching the college-educated death rate would prevent about 250,000 deaths.
• Segregated San Francisco Schools for Japanese Recalled in New Book on T.R., by Allan Beekman, page 2. Beekman reviews a book on the 1906-1908 Japanese-American crisis, including the segregation of Nikkei schoolchildren in San Francisco. He argues the book neglects Hawaii’s role in driving Japanese migration to the mainland.

JACL

• Planning Commission Takes Long Look at JACL Program, Policies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL National Planning Commission met over Memorial Day weekend to study operations and policies. Its proposals include a president-elect position and a six-man national executive committee, with a final report expected by June.

Military & Veterans

• 100th Battalion Call-Up First, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 100th Battalion, the original Nisei unit, is being called up and was previously combined into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The article recounts the unit’s record in Italy and France during World War II.

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