Vol. 73, No. 4, July 23, 1971. 6 pages. View this issue
Labor trouble on Central California farms led the news. Harry K. Honda reported that UFWOC pickets at Nisei-owned farms around Fresno put confidence in JACL at stake, and Nisei growers formed the Nisei Farmers League in response. Vandals slashed tires on equipment at the Hamada Brothers ranch near Reedley. Two chapters, Gardena Valley and San Mateo, answered Newsweek’s June 21 article on Japanese Americans, and the San Francisco JACL took on low-cost housing near the Japan Trade Center and the Kenzo boutique name.
Columns include Raymond Uno on a Salt Lake outing, Bob Takasugi on due process, David Ushio’s proposal for a Cabinet Committee for Asian American Affairs, and Bill Hosokawa on slurs. Ron Hirano wrote on Asian American history in school textbooks, and Yuji Ichioka questioned the decision to use the atomic bomb. Dr. Scotty Miyakawa remembered Trudy King Toll’s work for Nisei students.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Small World, by Raymond Uno, page 1. Raymond Uno recounts a Salt Lake Chapter Ladies Auxiliary outing where he reconnected with Maizie Horiuchi, whose sister Madge was an old friend, and reflects on how Japanese Americans were hard to tell apart to outsiders. He ties the story to the difficulty of recalling people met in camp.
- Legal-Ease: University Discrimination Case Raises Due Process Concerns, by Bob Takasugi, page 1. Bob Takasugi, National Legal Counsel, discusses a case involving a Temple City teacher accused of discrimination and the difficulty of defending individuals against powerful institutions. He argues that academic institutions must still respect the due process rights of staff.
- Cabinet Committee for Asian American Affairs, by David Ushio, page 2. JACL Washington representative David Ushio argues that the ‘Ideal Minority’ myth obscures real social problems in Asian American communities. He proposes a Cabinet Committee for Asian American Affairs to investigate discrimination and needs and solicits documentation from community leaders.
- Of Bannocks and Japs, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa responds to Jon Funabiki’s column on hate words by noting the word ‘bannock’ refers to a real Indian tribe. He argues that offensive slurs are often used out of ignorance and that the community should protest slurs against all groups.
- Hiyo Ti Fuja: Editorial Note, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. The editor reviews the PC’s midyear finances, noting projected 1971 expenses and income and the reliance on advertising and subscriptions. He concludes that the paper must hope its advertising projections hold.
- Master Plan for Asian American Education, by Ron Hirano, page 4. JACL Education Commission member Ron Hirano argues that school textbooks ignore or distort Asian American history, including the Chinese railroad workers and Japanese incarceration. He recommends a multicultural curriculum and new task forces to review materials.
Community
- Watsonville Elks Against White-Only Rule, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Members of the Watsonville Elks Lodge No. 1300 voted to drop the racial restriction on national Elks membership. The Register-Pajaronian editorial praised the move as a credit to the lodge.
- Kobayashi in Accord with JACL Goals, Gardena Valley JACL Tells Magazine, by Helen Kawagoe, page 1. Gardena Valley JACL president Helen Kawagoe released her letter to Newsweek disputing its June 21 article on Japanese Americans. She states the chapter’s commitment to equal rights for all people and disagrees with the portrayal of Nisei attitudes toward Black neighbors.
- San Mateo JACL Sounds Off on Newsweek Feature, by Tom Hisata, page 1. The San Mateo JACL board criticized Newsweek’s article ‘Outwhiting the Whites’ as shoddy journalism with a cursory depiction of Japanese Americans. Chapter president Tom Hisata called for a sociological study of changing Japanese American attitudes.
- Fear Low Cost Housing May Kill Japan Center and Nihonmachi, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Francisco JACL board opposed siting low-cost housing across Post Street from the Japan Trade Center, arguing it would further strain the already struggling Nihonmachi economy. The chapter urged the community to fight for its own survival.
- Bogus $10, $20 Bills Infest S.F. Merchants, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Counterfeit $10 and $20 bills turned up in deposits at the Bank of Tokyo of California’s Japan Center office, according to branch manager Hideo Shirayanagi. Federal authorities reported a sharp increase in counterfeit currency in San Francisco.
- San Francisco JACL Prepared to Object to Opening of Kenzo’s Boutique in Area, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Francisco JACL board vowed to protest the planned opening of Kenzo’s Jungle Jap boutique at I. Magnin, calling the use of the epithet insensitive and offensive. The chapter said it would appeal to the Japanese consulate general, businessmen, and the community.
- Milwaukee Folk Fair Sales May Be Taxed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Italian, Turkish and Japanese groups in the International Institute Folk Fair were selected as test cases in a pending sales tax dispute. Milwaukee JACL representatives Jim Miyazaki and Eddie Jonokuchi warned an adverse ruling would brand the groups as tax dodgers.
- 3 Nikkei in Sac’to City Council Race, by Bill Matsumoto, page 1. Three Japanese Americans, Stanley Taniguchi, Robert T. Matsui and Richard Tsukiji, filed for the Sept. 21 Sacramento city council elections. The first district-based council elections will make these races notable.
- Vandals Slash Tires of Nisei Farm Equipment, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Vandals slashed tires on farm equipment and damaged a pump at the Hamada Brothers ranch near Reedley over a weekend during a labor dispute. The Hamadas believed the vandalism was retaliation for press coverage of Nisei farmers resisting UFWOC.
National
- Title II Repeal Bill Awaits Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Honolulu branch of the American Communications Association endorsed HR 234 to repeal the Emergency Detention Act, joining more than 230 organizations. Rep. Spark Matsunaga said the bill had been cleared for floor action by the House Rules Committee.
- Farm Labor Crisis Hits JACL, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Confidence in JACL among Central California Nisei is at stake as UFWOC pickets target Nisei-owned farms around Fresno. JACL staff consulted with union organizers and the newly formed Nisei Farmers League as the issue loomed before the National JACL executive session.
- Nisei Farmers Organize to Deal With Labor Union, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese American farmers in Central California formed the Nisei Farmers League to respond to UFWOC organizing efforts and sought state farm labor legislation. The group says the picketing has not turned violent but worries about the union’s contract demands.
In-Depth
- Traces of Carbon on Lunar Samples, Says Nisei Savant, by P.C. Staff, page 1. NASA scientist Dr. Vance Oyama reported traces of free carbon in moon rock samples from the Fra Mauro region during life detection experiments. He described the discovery of life on the moon as a long-shot event that would still be significant.
Incarceration & Redress
- Atomic Bomb Decision Deserves Questions, by Yuji Ichioka, page 5. Yuji Ichioka examines Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, noting that he and other camp youngsters never questioned it at the time. He begins a critical review of the political and military context of that decision.
Obituaries
- A Name to Remember: Mrs. Trudy King Toll, by Dr. Scotty Miyakawa, page 5. Dr. Scotty Miyakawa memorializes Gertrude ‘Trudy’ King Toll, who died in 1969 and was a driving force behind the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council. He recounts her wartime advocacy, her help opening colleges to Nisei students, and her civic work in New England.
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