A Tule Lake landmark, Nixon impeachment and a JACL president-elect search

Vol. 78, No. 19, May 17, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue

The former Tule Lake Relocation Center, which once held over 18,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, was declared a California State Historical Landmark, with a plaque to be placed at the campsite. The NC-WNDC planned a pilgrimage to Tule Lake for May 25-26, and Marge Yamamoto wrote about her childhood there. Henry Tanaka’s column looked at the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry into President Nixon and the fight over the Watergate tapes.

JACL business ran through the six pages. No one had been nominated for National JACL president-elect, a gap Harry K. Honda addressed in the Editor’s Desk. Two proposals for a JACL public relations office in New York were drafted for the Portland Convention. Elsewhere, the Air Force dropped the ‘JAP’ acronym from its reports, and Shake Ushio wrote about his grandchildren of mixed heritage.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Tule Lake Relocation Center Declared State Historical Landmark, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The former WRA Tule Lake Relocation Center has been declared a California State Historical Landmark, with a plaque to be placed at the campsite. The site once housed over 18,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

Commentary

• Impeachment, by Henry Tanaka, page 1. Henry Tanaka examines the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry into President Nixon and the White House’s refusal to fully release Watergate tapes. He also discusses JACL’s defeated resolution to require clearance of National JACL public statements.
• A Grandfather’s Hope for Children of Intermarriage, by Shake Ushio, page 2. Shake Ushio writes about his grandchildren of mixed racial heritage and the challenges of identity and belonging faced by children of intermarriage. He urges JACL to plan constructively for a future in which many members will have non-Japanese ancestry.
• Editor’s Desk: To the ‘Un-Quiet Americans’, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. The editorial examines the lack of a nominee for JACL president-elect and outlines the duties of the position. It calls on members to become involved in the organization’s leadership.
• Where Do We Go From Here?, by Marge Yamamoto, page 3. Marge Yamamoto recalls her childhood at Tule Lake and her Tri-State High School years. She reflects on the significance of returning to the site and the importance of compassion.
• Ms. March on the March, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Kats Kunitsugu reflects on the political career of Helen Kawagoe, the first Japanese American woman elected to office on the mainland, who won a municipal election in Carson, California. Kunitsugu notes her open and unpretentious approach to campaigning.

Military & Veterans

• Air Force Drops Use of Offensive ‘JAP’ Acronym, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Following a request from Sen. Hiram Fong, the U.S. Air Force discontinued the use of the acronym ‘JAP’ in its Judge Advocate reports. The symbol was replaced with ‘JAN’ after a campaign led by Tohru Yamanaka.

National

• Fong Stresses Mutual Trust in Japan-U.S. Friendship Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Hiram Fong urged mutual trust and understanding between the U.S. and Japan while supporting a bill that would use Japanese payments for the Ryukyus and Daito Islands to fund scholarly and cultural exchanges. The bill was introduced by Sen. Jacob Javits.
• Racist Job Application Form Discontinued by White Front Stores, by P.C. Staff, page 1. White Front stores discontinued a job application form containing questions about Japanese ancestry after complaints from the JACL and the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. The company’s attorney stated the form was withdrawn.
• Press, Prosecution Stress ‘Ancestry’ in Chicago Nisei Policeman Trial, by Chiye Tomihiro, page 3. Chiye Tomihiro criticized the prosecution and press for repeatedly emphasizing the Japanese ancestry of Chicago policeman Masanobu Noro during his extortion trial. She also condemned hate letters sent to the Noro family.

Community

• Wanted: President-Elect, by P.C. Staff, page 1. No candidates have been nominated for National JACL president-elect, though seven nominees were submitted for other national offices. Nominations may still be made from the floor during the convention.
• Historic Pilgrimage to Tule Lake Planned by NC-WNDC, by Seiichi Otow, page 3. The NC-WNDC is organizing a pilgrimage to the Tule Lake campsite on May 25-26, with participants from Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose. Community members in Tule Lake and Klamath Falls are assisting in planning.
• Aisarema, Inc., by Craig Shimabukuro, Gail Nishioka, page 3. Aisarema, Inc., a nonprofit educational Asian American organization in Los Angeles, offers a bookstore, gallery, and library of Asian American materials. The group is seeking community support to expand its services.
• Seattle Japanese Baptist Church Celebrates 75th Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Seattle Japanese Baptist Church celebrates its 75th anniversary with a keynote address by Rev. Dr. Jitsuo Morikawa. The church’s history traces back to 1894 when a Japanese mission was founded in Seattle.
• Keiro South Opens in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Keiro South, a 99-bed Medi-Cal certified nursing home operated by the Japanese American community, opened in Los Angeles. The facility is staffed by Japanese-speaking personnel and provides an Oriental-style diet.
• Japanese American Sports Achievements and Local News Briefs, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Brief news items cover community events, sports results, and local developments across various Japanese American communities. These include coverage of chapter activities and individual achievements.

JACL

• Two Proposals for JACL PR Office Planned, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Two proposals were drafted for a JACL public relations office in New York, to be presented at the Portland Convention. The proposals differ in their initial budget requests and staffing approaches.

Arts & Entertainment

• Churchill as Warlord: Review, by Allan Beekman, page 5. The review appraises Ronald Lewin’s book on Churchill’s wartime leadership, examining his decisions and warnings about the Nazi threat. The reviewer assesses the book’s treatment of Churchill’s strategic choices.

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