Vol. 81, No. 12, September 19, 1975. 4 pages. View this issue
Redress was the lead story of this four-page issue. John W. Dean III, the former White House counsel, spoke to nearly 300 people at the California JACL Tri-District Conference in Anaheim and urged JACL to launch an educational campaign seeking redress for Japanese American evacuees. The front page also reported that the House passed HR 3884, which repealed the law behind Executive Order 9066, and that Matsunaga’s amendment requires periodic presidential reports on national emergencies.
Elsewhere, Harry K. Honda’s Editor’s Desk looked at Assemblyman Paul Bannai’s 1975 record, and Jerry Enomoto wrote from Geneva as a delegate to a United Nations congress. Readers will also find the JACL-Hagiwara Fund awards, a debate among Seattle chapter members over a possible split, bilingual election materials ordered in 464 counties, and Wayne Horiuchi on the Rice Production Act of 1975.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Dean Speaks at Tri-District Conference: Seek Redress for Evacuees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Former White House counsel John W. Dean III addressed nearly 300 attendees at the California JACL Tri-District Conference in Anaheim, urging JACL to mount a new educational campaign seeking redress for Japanese American evacuees. He argued that the education resulting from a redress effort would benefit everyone and help prevent future evacuations and detentions.
- Intermountain District Convention Held in Idaho Falls, by Yuki Harada, page 1. The Intermountain District Council convention in Idaho Falls drew major attention at its August gathering. Delegates discussed chapter and district business at the event.
- Seattle Chapter Members Debate Direction; Split Considered, by Eira Nagaoka, page 1. Seattle JACL members discussed criticism of the chapter board’s inattention to the broader community, and an ad hoc committee was approved to study decentralization and a possible new chapter. Past chapter splits in Los Angeles and Eastbay were also reviewed as precedents.
- Nikkei Uses Term ‘Bachi’ to Describe Postwar Social Upheaval in California, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A letter from S.C. Nakamura to the L.A. Times compared the expulsion of Chinese, Japanese, and later Black residents from California’s San Joaquin Valley communities, drawing on the Japanese word ‘bachi’ for divine punishment. The letter responded to racial harassment of Black students at Taft College.
- Rice Production Act of 1975, by Wayne Horiuchi, page 3. Wayne Horiuchi explains HR 8529, the Rice Production Act of 1975, which would expand rice acreage to new growers, adjust target prices, and aim to lower rice prices. Endorsed by Eastern and Midwest District Councils, the bill is described in terms of its four major sections.
- San Francisco JACL Plans Angel Island Outing for Keiro, by P.C. Staff, page 3. San Francisco JACL will host its annual Keiro outing at Angel Island on October 4 for Issei aged 70 and older and their spouses. Transportation, lunch, and sponsorship options for the event are described.
- Utah Hosts Students from Japan; JA Community Assists, by Alice Kasai, page 3. Salt Lake’s Japanese American community helped welcome six groups of students from Japan this summer, including exchange students from Nagoya and high school visitors. Host families, JACL welcomes, and Governor Calvin Rampton’s dinner are described.
- JACL Swim Meet Held at Gunn High School, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The first JACL invitational swim meet, sanctioned by the Pacific AAU, was held in Palo Alto with 87 participants from the Northern California-Western Nevada District. Results across age groups and events are reported, and the meet will be repeated next year.
- OEO Grant Finances Utah JA News, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A federal and state Office of Economic Opportunity grant has funded the Utah JA News, published by the three Utah JACL chapters and distributed free to Japanese American families in the state. The publication’s editors and advertising information are noted.
JACL
- JACL-Hagiwara Fund Awards Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Scholarship Committee announced the year’s Hagiwara Fund awards, which provide grants to needy Japanese students and JACL family members pursuing high school, college, or trade education. Awards of $500 each were made from the fund established in memory of Abo Hagiwara.
National
- House Repeals E.O. 9066, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House passed HR 3884 terminating powers under national emergencies existing at enactment, including repeal of Section 1383 of Title 18 that underpinned Executive Order 9066. The article traces the order’s history and notes that Matsunaga’s amendment requires periodic presidential reporting on emergencies.
- Justice Dept. Orders Bilingual Election Materials in 464 Counties, 27 States, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Justice Department notified 464 counties in 27 states that they must provide bilingual election materials under the amended Voting Rights Act. Officials discussed implementation challenges, costs, and the need for guidelines before the 1976 elections.
Military & Veterans
- Bannai Bill Signed: WRA Leave Retirement Credit Eased, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assemblyman Paul Bannai’s bill AB 261, eliminating the requirement that Nisei state employees pay the employer share of retirement contributions to receive service credit for wartime relocation leave. The change addresses employees forced from state jobs during the evacuation.
Commentary
- Editor’s Desk: Buzzing with Bannai, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Editor Harry Honda reviews press releases from Assemblyman Paul Bannai of Gardena to assess his legislative record for 1975. The column covers Bannai’s positions on the state budget, public employee retirement, consumer credit, and various other bills.
- Perspectives: As a Delegate to a U.N. Congress in Geneva, by Jerry Enomoto, page 2. Jerry Enomoto writes from Geneva, where he is a U.S. delegate to the Fifth United Nations Congress on crime prevention and treatment of offenders. He reflects on the limited usefulness of the ceremonial delegation and on the difficulty of achieving practical results.
- Guest Column: More Catching Up, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Denver writer describes the Organization of Chinese Americans and its purposes, noting parallels to JACL’s struggles and needs. The column also profiles Dr. David Suzuki and other notable Nikkei and Canadian figures.
- Letter: Emperor’s Visit, by Hisako Noguchi, page 2. Hisako Noguchi writes to note that her brother-in-law, Dr. Richard Y. Morita, also a Nisei scholar, participated in the 1953 visit to the Emperor’s marine laboratory. She identifies his background and her family connection.
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