Illegal alien bills, Vietnamese refugees and a JACL board probe

Vol. 80, No. 23, June 13, 1975. 4 pages. View this issue

Immigration and refugees ran through the front page of this four-page issue. Washington JACL representative Wayne Horiuchi reported on five measures by Rep. Burt Talcott concerning illegal aliens, and Talcott corrected the Congressional Record over a distorted report of his remarks on Vietnamese refugees. The American Immigration and Citizenship Conference, of which JACL is a member, urged Congress to welcome Indochinese refugees, and Sen. Daniel Inouye hoped Japan could help. The JACL National Board also found insufficient cause to recommend terminating National Executive Director David Ushio.

Elsewhere, the House extended the Voting Rights Act through 1985, and Gov. Brown signed California’s farm labor law. Kats Kunitsugu wrote two columns, and a personal piece recalled camp life for young Japanese Americans. Seattle’s Kubota Garden may become a city park, and seven Issei moved into a Los Angeles retirement home. Planning for the Tri-District Conference in Anaheim was also reported.

What’s in this issue

National

• Bills Noted on Illegal Aliens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Five congressional measures introduced by Rep. Burt Talcott concerning illegal aliens were noted in a report by Washington JACL representative Wayne Horiuchi. The report also listed other legislation of interest, including trade and fishing-related bills.)
• Talcott Corrects Record on Vietnam Refugee Remarks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Talcott corrected the Congressional Record regarding a distorted report of his comments on Vietnamese refugees. He said he was embarrassed by the resulting controversy and the charge of making a racial slur.
• AICC Supports Vietnamese Refugees, Tells Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The American Immigration and Citizenship Conference, of which JACL is a member, urged Congress to uphold tradition by welcoming Indochinese refugees. It applauded President Ford’s appeal and congressional leadership supporting assistance.
• Voting Rights Act Extended by House 5-1, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House passed legislation extending the Voting Rights Act through 1985 with new protections for non-English speaking minority voters, including Asian Americans. The bill now goes to the Senate and requires presidential signature before expiring.
• Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Landmark Law for Farm Workers’ Union Choice, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Governor Brown signed a bill guaranteeing secret-ballot union elections for California farm workers, effective August 28. The law also limits harvest-time strikes and the short-handled hoe, and establishes an appointed board to administer labor relations.
• Sen. Inouye Hopes Japan Government Can Aid Viet Refugees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Daniel Inouye urged Japan to share in receiving Vietnamese refugees and urged Americans to welcome them. Japanese Consul General Hasegawa responded that Japan’s situation differs and that resettlement depends on private families.
• Trust in Japanese at All-Time High, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Gallup poll commissioned by the Japanese government found 49 percent of Americans in Japan trusted Japan, an all-time high. Thirty-one percent said they did not trust Japan, citing Pearl Harbor and past events.
• Farm Labor Law Gives Workers Secret-Ballot Union Vote, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The new California farm labor law requires a union to show 50 percent support before an election and bans the short-handled hoe. Growers, union officials, and Teamster leaders pledged to make the law work.

JACL

• National Committees and Projects Updated, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL committees and projects were assigned chairpersons following the national convention. Several programs were expected to be further assigned to locally constituted committees.
• National Board Finds Insufficient Cause in Probe of Leadership, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL National Board, meeting in special session, found insufficient cause to recommend termination of National Executive Director David Ushio. The board discussed resolutions concerning National President Shigeki Sugiyama and related administrative matters.

Community

• Chicago Fall Group Charter Flights to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL announced additional charter flights to Japan departing from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago in the fall. Fares, seat availability, and departure details were outlined for members.
• California Tri-District Conference Sept. 12-14 Progress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Planning progressed for the second biennial JACL California Tri-District Conference in Anaheim, with workshops, luncheon and dinner programs. Topics include Evacuee reparations and US-Japan trade.
• Bowling Tourney Entries Rolling In, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Entries were arriving for the 20th annual National JACL bowling tournament at Golden Gate Lanes in El Cerrito. Housing, souvenir booklet deadlines, and opening mixer details were also announced.
• Seven Issei Move Into Retirement Home, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seven Issei became the first residents of the Japanese Retirement Home in Los Angeles on May 30. Among them was Mrs. Harue Masaoka, 87, mother of the Masaoka family.
• Fresno Builds Up TDC Fever, by Chris Hasegawa, TDC, page 2. Fresno youth leaders preview the Tri-District Conference programs planned for August 13-17, including district presentations, a trade mart, field trips, and rap sessions. The event is presented as a joint effort of all three California district youth councils.
• Bannai Introduces State Retiree Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Assemblyman Paul Bannai introduced AB 1811, which would provide one-time benefit increases for state retirees who left service before January 1, 1974. The benefit bonus is set on a sliding scale based on retirement year.
• Local Scene: Los Angeles and Orange County Events, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Local events included a Marykrell School carnival, a Montebello church bazaar, a Shinno Gallery exhibit, and scholarship awards from the Japanese American Treaty Centennial fund. Orange County events included a Memorial Day ceremony at the Nisei War Memorial.

Incarceration & Redress

• Seattle’s 22-Acre Kubota Garden May Become City Park, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Seattle City Council designated the 22-acre Kubota Garden for purchase as a city park, requiring $700,000 as a Bicentennial project. The garden, created by Fujitaro Kubota, is a landmark of Japanese landscape design in the Pacific Northwest.

Commentary

• Crisis for Community, Ethnic Studies, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The column argues that community and ethnic studies programs face a crisis during economic hardship and must be defended. It urges community members to identify local problems and coordinate with other groups to preserve these programs.
• Evacuation: A Candid View, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A personal reminiscence recalls the self-consciousness of young evacuees, especially girls, in camp showers where curiosity and staring were constant. The writer reflects on needing thick skin to ignore onlookers during that period.
• Letters: JACL Leadership and Vietnam Refugees, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Letters to the editor include David Oku of Sequoia JACL supporting National President Sugiyama against civil rights critics, and Vaughn Greene arguing that Vietnamese refugees should be welcomed for population and cultural reasons.
• U.S.-Japan Friendship Act, by Wayne Horiuchi, page 2. Washington JACL representative Wayne Horiuchi reports on congressional support for the US-Japan Friendship Act, which would promote cultural and educational exchange. He assesses good prospects for passage given Senate action last year and Japan’s growing importance.
• Adventures in the Writing Trade, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Columnist Kats Kunitsugu recounts attending an ethnic press utilization seminar in Sacramento in place of a colleague. He describes the seminar, the keynote by Herman Sillas, and his brief remarks on Japanese American culture.
• On Margin: Eating Well and Pauling’s Advice, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Kunitsugu reflects on his daughter’s healthy eating habits compared with the traditional Nisei feast mentality. He also cites Linus Pauling’s views on vitamin C, diet, and the lower heart disease rates of Japanese diets.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei War Memorial Memorial Day Observed, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Sixteen organizations and individuals paid tribute to Nisei veterans at the Nisei War Memorial in Fairmount Cemetery on Memorial Day. Services were sponsored by the Cathay American Legion Post.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.