Matsunaga’s bill to return Yokohama Specie Bank savings to Japanese Americans

Vol. 75, No. 9, September 1, 1972. 6 pages. View this issue

Rep. Spark Matsunaga’s claim bill led the news. It would restore about $4.5 million in Yokohama Specie Bank assets to some 2,000 Japanese Americans, most of them elderly, who lost savings when the assets were vested during World War II. Matsunaga said it would cost taxpayers nothing. The front page also covered Butterick’s explanation of why it could not recall catalogs with an offensive label, and Asian American protests over an ILGWU subway poster reading Made in Japan.

Inside, JACL’s national convention drew delegate reports and letters. George Hasegawa reported on the council session and Jerry Enomoto wrote an open letter on the Ushio controversy. Jim Yamasaki traced Issei contributions to California agriculture. Susan Sunada told Utah students about her family’s time at Heart Mountain and her husband’s service in the 442nd. Other pages covered Nisei Week, Seattle’s domed stadium, and Nixon’s order on hiring quotas.

What’s in this issue

National

• Matsunaga Bill Would Restore Funds to Japanese Internees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Spark Matsunaga introduced a claim bill to restore about $4.5 million in vested Yokohama Specie Bank assets to Japanese Americans who lost savings during WWII. He argued the measure would correct one of the blackest pages in American history at no cost to taxpayers.
• Butterick Says Catalogs Issued Monthly, Cannot Be Recalled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Butterick explained it could not recall its catalogs featuring Kenzo Takada patterns because they are issued monthly and discarded. The company said it removed the offensive label from future catalogs and envelopes at considerable expense.
• Union Poster Against Imports Called Racist, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Asian American groups protested an ILGWU subway poster reading Made in Japan as racist and asked that it be removed. ILGWU official Denaro said the criticism was not intended and an executive meeting would discuss the poster.
• Nixon Orders End to Minority Hiring Quotas in Federal Government, by P.C. Staff, page 3. President Nixon ordered federal agencies to stop using quota and proportional representation systems in hiring, emphasizing merit as the primary criterion. The order followed complaints from the American Jewish Committee.

Community

• Bilingual Recreation Program Approved in Sacramento, by Lee Moriwaki, page 1. The Sacramento City Council approved $6,771.83 for a bilingual senior citizens arts and crafts program serving Japanese and Chinese elderly residents. Knitting teacher Kiyono Ito had personally appealed to the council for the funding.
• Recreation Centers in East L.A. Little Used, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Supervisor Rachel Martinez said recreation programs in East Los Angeles fail to attract Mexican American residents because they were designed around Anglo values. She called for a social engineer to work with the community to define its own needs.
• Delano Reunion Expected to Draw 200, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Delano JACL fifth quinquennial reunion marks 30 years since evacuation and is expected to draw 200 attendees. Issei pioneers will be special guests at the Stardust Restaurant event.
• Yoshiko Uchida and Momoko Iko Writing Careers Highlighted, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The column highlights Yoshiko Uchida’s new Issei-focused research and Momoko Iko’s play Gold Watch, which portrays a Japanese American farm family before and after evacuation. The piece praises their contributions to Asian American literature.
• Final Reports Due for Sacramento Community Center Study, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sacramento subcommittees are submitting final reports for a community center study, to be presented at a September meeting. The study examines community needs for elderly and other services.
• Bay Area Community Chapter Membership Polled on Status, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Bay Area Community chapter will poll members on whether to remain in National JACL after a debate over the Ushio appointment and staff resignations. Delegates Edison Uno and Kathy Morooka Reyes favored working within the organization.
• Anti-War Protest Interrupts Nisei Week Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 4. About 100 young Asian Americans staged an anti-war demonstration during the Nisei Week parade, distributing leaflets calling the festival a contradiction. Parade officials summoned police, but the group dispersed peacefully.
• Asian Group May Block Seattle Dome Stadium, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Seattle International District group sought an injunction to delay construction of the King County domed stadium. The Governor’s Asian American Advisory Council supported the injunction pending assurances for neighborhood residents.

Commentary

• Jim Yamasaki’s Narrative on Issei, by Jim Yamasaki, page 1. Yamasaki, a Rotarian speaker, argues against the word Jap and explains why Japanese Americans should be recognized for their history. He traces Issei immigration, agricultural contributions, and the Nisei struggle for historical recognition.
• Delegate Reports on National JACL Council Session, by George Hasegawa, page 2. St. Louis delegate George Hasegawa reports on the National JACL Council session, including confirmation of David Ushio as executive director and adoption of a $359,687 budget. He also discusses the Library of Congress Japanese collection visit.
• Letters on the JACL Convention and Leadership, by Mack Yamaguchi; Sachi Seko; Tak and Kazu Iijima, page 2. Readers respond to the JACL convention, with some supporting the leadership and others criticizing the organization as reverting to a pre-war professional orientation. Letters also address the Ushio selection and the staff resignations.
• Editorial: Dayton Daily News – Can’t Afford Anti-Japanese Racism, by Dayton Daily News, page 2. The editorial condemns Rep. James Mann’s insertion of a derogatory import verse into the Congressional Record. It argues that Americans must distinguish Japanese Americans from Japanese products and avoid racial stereotyping.
• Perspectives: Open Letter to Mrs. Kaizuka, by Jerry Enomoto, page 2. Enomoto responds to Mrs. Kaizuka’s criticism of convention delegates, defending the right of delegates to question and evaluate issues. He also addresses the Ushio controversy and the treatment of staff at the convention.

In-Depth

• Japanese Americans and the Agricultural History of California, by Jim Yamasaki, page 3. Yamasaki traces the Issei contributions to California agriculture, including rice, grapes, vegetables, and land reclamation. He also notes the resulting complaints that led to the Alien Land Acts.

Military & Veterans

• Horie Plans Solo Round-the-World Voyage, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kenichi Horie, who sailed solo across the Pacific in 1962, plans a non-stop solo voyage around the world in a 23-foot sailboat. The trip is expected to cover 30,000 miles over up to 300 days.
• Susan Sunada Says Evacuation Should Take Its Place in History, by Cliff Cahoon, page 6. Logan, Utah resident Susan Sunada tells students that the wartime incarceration should be recorded in history rather than dwelt upon with bitterness. She describes her husband’s service in the 442nd and the family’s experience at Heart Mountain.

Obituaries

• Takeo Fudenna Killed in Union City Accident, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Takeo Fudenna, a 442nd veteran and farmer, was killed while inspecting his stalled pickup truck on Mission Boulevard in Union City. He was vice-president of a firm that developed former family farmland into a major commercial and housing project.

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