Repealing Title II and the Internal Security Act’s detention camps

Vol. 69, No. 19, November 7, 1969. 8 pages. View this issue

Repeal of Title II of the 1950 Internal Security Act ran through the front page and the editorial page of this 8-page issue. City councils in Hayward, Gardena and Berkeley passed resolutions urging repeal, and the Episcopal Diocese of California did the same. Editorials from The Seattle Times and The Washington Post called the detention camp provision an obnoxious law that Congress should remove, and both recalled the wartime detention of Japanese Americans. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto wrote about the Reno meeting of the NC-WNDC, where Dr. Kengo Terashita was reelected governor.

Columns include Mike Masaoka on school desegregation, Bill Hosokawa on moving out of a family home, and David Takashima on youth in JACL. Dr. Paul Takagi wrote about the Issei, and Harry K. Honda answered the controversy over the title of a Hosokawa book. Elsewhere: a pioneer’s 1867 gravestone rededicated in Reno, and Spark Matsunaga speaking to American Buddhists.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Enomoto: Keep Nevada Green, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto reflects on a recent Reno chapter visit, praising the hosts and the NC-WNDC meeting. He also notes efforts to restore abandoned Japanese graves and thanks the local hosts for their hospitality.
• NC-WNDC Reelects Gov. Kengo Terashita, Adds DYC Chairman to Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Kengo Terashita was reelected governor of the NC-WNDC district at its October meeting in Sparks. The council also adopted a seven-point civil rights policy and seated the district youth council chairman on the board.
• PSWDC to Consider Supplemental Group Insurance, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council will meet at Sherman Oaks to elect officers and consider a supplemental group health insurance plan. Warren Furutani will be introduced as field director for special projects.

Community

• Graduate Wins Dr. Nobe Award, by Berry Suzukida, page 1. Alan Obayashi, a San Diego JACL-sponsored scholarship winner, receives the 1969 $500 Dr. Nobe Memorial Award. He plans to pursue civil engineering and biochemistry to work on clean water and pollution issues.
• Story of Pajaro Valley Japanese Taped for Watsonville Public Library, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Watsonville Public Library recorded a talking book on the history of the Pajaro Valley Japanese community. The program included readings, Issei history, and displays of Japanese art.

Incarceration & Redress

• Tombstone of Early Japanese Pioneer Rededicated at Reno, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The gravestone of Takahashi, an 1867 Japanese pioneer, was moved to a permanent site at Mountain View Cemetery in Reno. About 200 people attended the rededication service conducted by Rev. Akira Hata.
• Title II Repeal Move Continues Upswing, by Ko Licht, page 1. The Episcopal Diocese of California passed a resolution urging repeal of Title II of the 1950 Internal Security Act. Delegates cited the dangers of detention without judicial review and the World War II Japanese detention experience.
• City of Hayward Commends JACL for Leadership, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Hayward City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing Title II of the Internal Security Act and asked Congressional representatives to seek its repeal. The council also praised JACL for sponsoring the repeal bills.
• Gardena City Council Backs Title II Repeal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Gardena city council adopted a resolution supporting repeal of Title II of the 1950 Internal Security Act. Ken Yoshikawa of the Southern California JACL committee presented the appeal.
• City of Berkeley Cites Goodwill to Its AJA Residents, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Berkeley City Council voted 8 to 1 to oppose Title II of the Internal Security Act and urge its repeal. The resolution also expressed friendship and goodwill toward the city’s Japanese American citizens.

National

• Matsunaga Urges Buddhists in U.S. to Be Fully at Home in America, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Spark Matsunaga urged American Buddhists to integrate fully into the mainstream while offering contemplative ideals to a stressed society. He also cited Japanese Americans’ wartime experience as an inspiration to other minorities.
• Oriental Workers Victims of Racism at Sacramento Air Force Base, by George Williams, page 3. A Civil Service Board decision found that Ming H. N. Moy, a budget analyst of Chinese ancestry, was denied promotion due to racial discrimination. The board ordered her immediate promotion and closer review of supervisors’ personnel recommendations.

Commentary

• Public School Desegregation Test, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka analyzes a unanimous Supreme Court ruling requiring immediate school desegregation, which contradicts the Nixon Administration’s approach. He argues the decision will shape the political strategy for the 1972 election.
• Time to Move On, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa reflects on ten years in his family home as his children have grown and moved out. He concludes that the family is ready to downsize to a more manageable house.
• Youth Represent ‘New Blood’ That JACL Long Sought, by David Takashima, page 6. Takashima reflects on the October youth meeting and the new energy young members bring to JACL. He argues the organization must give youth real voting power and decision-making roles.
• Nisei—Quiet Americans, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. The editorial defends the PC Letterbox and the editor’s right to publish divergent views. It also addresses the controversy over the title of Bill Hosokawa’s book and the threatened boycott.
• Repeal This Obnoxious Law, by The Seattle Times, page 8. The Seattle Times editorial calls for repeal of the detention camp section of the 1950 Internal Security Act. It argues the law must be eliminated to prevent repetition of the injustice done to Japanese Americans in World War II.
• A Slur on America, by The Washington Post, page 8. The Washington Post editorial urges Congress to repeal Title II of the Internal Security Act, calling the detention camp provision a symbol of totalitarianism. It notes the law’s potential to target dissenters and recalls the wartime detention of Japanese Americans.
• On Methods of Achieving Goals, by Dr. Frank Sakamoto, page 8. Sakamoto argues that disruptive protests by some members risk building public resentment and an authoritarian backlash. He urges members to be aware of the consequences of their methods.

In-Depth

• Notes on ‘The Quiet American’, by Dr. Paul Takagi, page 6. Takagi, a Berkeley criminology professor, explores the historical roots of Japanese and Issei social behavior and political philosophy. He discusses the contrast between the Japanese and American concepts of government and moral obligation.

Arts & Entertainment

• Macabre Climax, by Allan Beekman, page 8. Beekman reviews Yukio Mishima’s novel Thirst for Love, praising its plot structure and story line. He critiques the author’s overuse of introspection and the translator’s awkward renderings.

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