The push to repeal the Detention Camp Act, March 1970

Vol. 70, No. 10, March 13, 1970. 8 pages. View this issue

The campaign to repeal Title II of the Internal Security Act, known as the Detention Camp Act, ran through this eight-page issue. JACL President Jerry Enomoto asked readers to write to House Internal Security Committee Chairman Richard Ichord, and a joint appeal by Enomoto and Mike M. Masaoka on page 5 set a March 20 deadline. Local councils in San Fernando and Burbank adopted repeal resolutions, and a page 4 list names 127 co-sponsoring congressmen. Editor Harry K. Honda made the same call in his editorial.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa described a House hearing on ethnic heritage studies in schools, and Mike Masaoka reported on welfare reform in his Washington newsletter. Enomoto wrote about preparations for the 20th Biennial JACL Convention in Chicago, and the letters page included a debate over Joe Kurihara at Manzanar. Bowling results from the Denver tournament and news from the chapters fill the sports and community pages.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Enomoto: Write a Letter, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. JACL President Jerry Enomoto urges readers to write to House Internal Security Committee Chairman Richard Ichord to support repeal of Title II, the so-called Detention Camp Act. He notes growing momentum for repeal since the 1968 National Convention resolution.
• New JACL Members Due ‘JACL Story’ Brochure, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chapters that signed up new members may request copies of the revised JACL Story brochure from National Headquarters. National Director Mas Satow said the brochures are available for public relations use.
• Time to File for JACL-JAL Fellowships, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan Air Lines is offering four study fellowships at Sophia University in Tokyo for the fourth year. Applicants who are JACL or Jr. JACL members must submit forms to their district governor by April 13.

Community

• Windy City, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. Enomoto recounts a busy weekend in Chicago preparing for the 20th Biennial JACL Convention at the Palmer House. He also describes a television appearance promoting Title II repeal and meetings with local JACL leaders.
• Pay-Off, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. Enomoto praises Japanese residents of Walnut Grove who finally purchased the land they had lived on after a rent strike. He credits the Legal Aid Society of Sacramento and the Sacramento JACL for support.
• Kashiwa Lauds Buddhism in U.S. for Keeping Crime Rate Down, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shiro Kashiwa, assistant attorney general, told the Buddhist Churches of America convention that Buddhist teachings contribute to the low crime rate among Japanese Americans. He spoke at the keynote banquet in Seattle.
• $15,000 Scholarship Fund in Stockton Set, by Richard Hayashi, page 1. Stockton JACL and community members honored retired teacher Elizabeth Humbarger at a testimonial dinner attended by over 500 people. A successful fund drive raised nearly $15,000 for the Miss Elizabeth Humbarger Scholarship.
• Campus Violence Due to Drop, Says Heyns, by Roger Wise, page 3. UC Berkeley Chancellor Roger Heyns predicted that campus violence would continue to decline, speaking at the San Jose JACL installation dinner. He attributed the decline to more sophisticated students and a general abhorrence of violence.
• Riverside Honors Its JACL Chapter, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Riverside Mayor Ben Lewis issued a proclamation commending the Riverside JACL for its civic role. The chapter pledged continued participation in the Riverside-Sendai Sister City program and the city’s centennial.
• New York Issei Given Medallions on Centennial Day, by Joe Oyama, page 3. The New York JACL held a reception honoring Issei over 80 years old, presenting each with a Wakamatsu medallion. Governor Nelson Rockefeller proclaimed January 18, 1970 as Japanese American Centennial Day in New York State.
• Dr. Mayeda Heads Detroit JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Detroit JACL held its 24th annual installation dinner-dance, installing Dr. Kaz Mayeda as chapter chairman. Awards were presented to chapter members for their service.
• Pulse on the Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Multiple chapters reported on their activities, including the Detroit JACL installation, Riverside honors, and a Spokane donation of Hosokawa’s book to local schools. Chapter news from across the country is summarized.

Military & Veterans

• Title II Repeal Resolution: City Councils, Local Groups Continue to be Approached by JACLers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. City councils of San Fernando and Burbank adopted resolutions supporting repeal of Title II, and the San Francisco teachers union also endorsed repeal. The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorially supported repeal of the Emergency Detention Act.
• NVC Decision to Use Elks Hall Hit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Seattle citizens group led by Merrill Gosho criticized the Nisei Veterans Committee for holding its installation dance at the Elks Club, which excludes non-whites. The letter urged the NVC to seek other facilities.

Sports

• Bowlers Find Denver Lanes Tough to Master, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bowlers at the 24th annual National JACL Bowling Tournament in Denver faced difficult lanes and no tournament records were set. Ken Namimatsu of San Jose won men’s all-events and Mary deBarbrie of San Carlos won women’s all-events.
• Nat’l JACL Bowling Tourney Results, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Results are reported for the 24th National JACL Bowling Tournament held in Denver, including men’s and women’s team, doubles, singles, and special event winners. Squad prizes and high averages are also listed.

National

• Noguchi, Hollinger Status Part of County Charter Change Study, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Los Angeles County Citizens Economy and Efficiency Committee is seeking community comments on proposed charter changes. Issues include the chief executive’s authority, the status of department heads such as Dr. Thomas Noguchi, and possible expansion of the Board of Supervisors.
• White-Only Membership of Elks Struck on Three Fronts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Opposition to the Elks’ white-only membership policy grew through school board resolutions, Pentagon appeals, and JACL pressure. In Santa Maria, a student refused to march in the Elks Parade and the local school board was asked to bar participation.
• Washington Newsletter: Welfare Reform, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. The House Ways and Means Committee reported the Administration’s Family Assistance Plan, a guaranteed minimum income proposal that could pass the House soon. The plan would guarantee a basic income for families while requiring heads of household to register for work or training.
• The 127 Co-Sponsoring Congressmen, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Eight bills to repeal the Emergency Detention Act are before Congress, with 127 co-sponsoring congressmen listed. Several city councils, churches, and organizations have also passed resolutions supporting repeal of Title II.

Commentary

• Airing of Opinions, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa describes a House subcommittee hearing on HR 14910 concerning ethnic heritage studies in schools. He notes that the JACL’s distribution of the Nisei book to lawmakers helped build awareness of Japanese American history.
• Editorial: Time to Sound Off, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. The editor urges readers to contact the House Internal Security Committee to support repeal of the Emergency Detention Act. The editorial also addresses lowering the voting age to 18.
• Rice Culture Cause of Passive Traits of the Japanese, by Allan Beekman, page 8. Beekman reviews the book Japanese as Consumers, which attributes Japanese passive traits to wet-rice agriculture. The book also examines Japanese consumer habits and attitudes toward material goods.
• Letters: Re: Joe Kurihara, by John Hamada, page 8. John Hamada writes a letter disputing Roy Sano’s praise of Joe Kurihara’s actions at Manzanar. He argues Kurihara’s assassination plot against fellow JACLers was not heroic.
• Staff Behavior, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A letter from a JACL group criticizes staff member Warren Furutani’s remarks at a peace rally and the posting of political posters in the JACL office. The writers defend their objections against charges of overreaction.
• Friday, the 13th, by Ed Mitoma, page 8. Ed Mitoma writes a brief letter to editor Harry Honda about the installation of his chapter’s officers on Friday the 13th. The letter is brief and lighthearted.
• Chicago Convention, by Bob Imaizumi, page 8. Bob Imaizumi argues JACL should not hold its national convention in Chicago because of police brutality at the Democratic convention. He says holding it there condones a police state.
• Publisher Looking for Author to Pen Of Japanese Ways, by Joe Hamanaka, page 8. Hamanaka describes an opportunity for a writer to produce a book in the Dillon Press nationality folkways series on Japanese Americans. The author should have background in West Coast Japanese communities and their wartime history.
• Scholarship Speech: What Is a Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A scholarship address describes the Nisei as a second generation Japanese American defined by independence, courage, and hard work. The speaker portrays the Nisei as resilient, dedicated professionals and community members.

Incarceration & Redress

• Final Push to Repeal Detention Camp Law, by Jerry Enomoto and Mike M. Masaoka, page 5. JACL urges members to write or wire House Internal Security Committee Chairman Richard Ichord by March 20 in support of repealing Title II of the Internal Security Act of 1950. The campaign marks the climax of JACL’s effort begun two and a half years earlier.

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