Earl M. Finch, and plans to preserve the incarceration camps

Vol. 130, No. 6, February 11, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Earl M. Finch, a Mississippi man who became a one-man USO for Nisei soldiers during WWII, was the subject of the lead stories. Martha Nakagawa profiled Mark Santoki, the Hawaii Herald editor who traced Finch’s largely unknown generosity and is writing a book about him. An abridged version of Santoki’s four-part series followed Finch’s life from his birth in 1915 in Ovett, Mississippi. Nearby, Vice President Al Gore proposed a $4.8 million initiative to preserve WWII incarceration (often called internment) camp sites, including a new National Historic Site at Manzanar. Richard Godfrey wrote in support of the Manzanar plan.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa made the case for Larry Tajiri’s wartime editing of the Pacific Citizen, and Bill Marutani reflected on differences between Kibei and Nisei. William Hohri rebutted a letter about Mike Masaoka. The issue also covered the Wen Ho Lee detention hearing, Census 2000 outreach, and Fox and CBS diversity agreements.

What’s in this issue

In-Depth

• In Search of Earl M. Finch, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Editor Martha Nakagawa profiles Hawaii Herald editor Mark Santoki’s research into Earl Melvin Finch, a Mississippi man who became a devoted supporter and one-man USO for Nisei soldiers during WWII. Santoki discovered Finch’s extensive but largely unknown philanthropy, including adopting sons and funding scholarships, and is now writing a book about him.
• Earl Finch: One Man USO, page 1. This abridged version of a four-part Hawaii Herald series recounts the life of Earl Melvin Finch, born in 1915 in Ovett, Mississippi, who grew up poor and later became a champion for Nisei soldiers. Despite facing local ostracism and FBI suspicion, Finch dedicated himself to supporting Japanese American servicemen throughout WWII and beyond.

National

• Vice President Gore Proposes $4.8 Million Initiative to Preserve WWII-Era Internment Camps, page 1. Vice President Al Gore announced a National Park Service report and a proposed $4.8 million initiative to preserve WWII internment camp sites, including funding for a new National Historic Site at Manzanar. JACL leaders praised the announcement as a significant step toward preserving this important chapter of American history.
• Justice Department Says Nuclear Scientist Should Remain Jailed, by Associated Press, page 1. The Justice Department argued that former Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee should be denied bail because he could still disclose secrets about missing computer tapes containing classified nuclear weapons information. Lee’s attorneys have sought his release, arguing prosecutors failed to prove he is a flight risk or danger to national security.
• Anti-Illegal Immigrant Billboard Goes Up Again, page 3. The California Coalition for Immigration Reform erected a controversial anti-illegal immigrant billboard near the California-Arizona border for the third time since 1998, prompting objections from Hispanic civil rights leaders who say it targets their ethnic group. The coalition defends the sign as factual and not intended to be racist.
• Attorneys Say Will Use Insanity Defense in Uyesugi Trial, by Associated Press, page 3. Attorneys for Byran Uyesugi notified the court they will pursue an insanity defense in his upcoming trial for the murder of seven Xerox coworkers in Hawaii’s worst mass shooting. Court-appointed mental health experts found he suffered from delusions but did not meet the legal definition of insanity, while defense experts will argue otherwise.
• Fox, CBS Make Commitment to Diversity, by Associated Press, page 3. Fox and CBS signed agreements with the NAACP and other civil rights groups to increase diversity both on-screen and in company hiring practices, following similar deals reached earlier with NBC and ABC. Civil rights leaders including Karen Narasaki and Norman Mineta praised the agreements while emphasizing the need for continued monitoring and long-term change.
• National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium Produces New Census 2000 Video in 11 Asian and Pacific Islander Languages, page 4. The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium produced a multilingual video to help Asian Pacific Americans accurately complete the 2000 Census, addressing a 2.3 percent undercount from the 1990 Census. The campaign includes flyers, posters, workshops, and partnerships with community organizations across the country.
• Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Appoints Rodney Salinas as Executive Director, page 4. APAICS announced the appointment of Rodney Salinas as its new executive director, following his work as national finance director for a congressional campaign and prior roles in public policy and education initiatives. Salinas previously served on the D.C. Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs and has long been involved with APAICS programs.
• President Clinton Nominates Tanoue, Houseworth to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, page 4. President Clinton nominated Donna A. Tanoue and Richard C. Houseworth to leadership positions at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Tanoue, already FDIC chair, previously helped stabilize Hawaii’s troubled financial institutions during the 1980s, while Houseworth currently serves as Arizona’s superintendent of banks.
• $4.8 Million Initiative Will Preserve Internment Camps, page 7. This continuation article details support from various organizations, including the American Jewish Committee and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, for the administration’s $4.8 million initiative to preserve WWII internment camp sites. It outlines specific funding plans for Manzanar’s visitor center, land acquisition efforts, and a U.S. Forest Service interpretive exhibit in Arizona.
• Lee Continuation: Justice Department Details Case Against Wen Ho Lee, by Associated Press, page 7. This continuation details further allegations against Wen Ho Lee, including his deletion of classified files after FBI interviews and his ties to Taiwan. It also discusses CIA director John Deutch’s separate mishandling of classified information on unsecured computers, which was not prosecuted.

Commentary

• Manzanar Preservation Plan Needs Support, by Richard Godfrey, page 4. Richard Godfrey describes the National Park Service’s plan to restore portions of the Manzanar internment camp, including a barbed wire perimeter, watchtower, barracks, and visitor center, to educate future generations about the WWII internment experience. He cites historical context and calls for public support of the restoration and fundraising effort.
• Larry Tajiri, a Better Choice, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa argues that Larry Tajiri, not James Omura, deserves greater recognition as an influential Japanese American journalist for his wartime leadership of the Pacific Citizen. Hosokawa credits Tajiri with sustaining JA morale and providing an editorial voice during internment despite modern reassessments favoring Omura’s activism.
• Rebuttal to Yamada Letter of January 7, 2000, by William Hohri, page 6. William Hohri rebuts a letter by attorney Yamada defending Mike Masaoka against allegations regarding a proposed ‘suicide battalion,’ branding proposal, and opposition to redress legislation. Hohri cites historical documents to support the original allegations by professors Yamamoto and Iijima and challenges Yamada’s interpretations of dictionary definitions and historical causation.
• Kibei and Nisei: Reflections on Differences, by Bill Marutani, page 6. Bill Marutani reflects on cultural and psychological differences between Kibei and Nisei Japanese Americans based on personal experiences from his youth, internment camps, and military service in postwar Japan. He theorizes that Kibei individuals developed fewer racial hang-ups than Nisei due to being educated in a racially neutral environment in Japan.

JACL

• PSWD Names Oratorical Contest in Honor of Dr. Roy Nishikawa, page 4. The Pacific Southwest District JACL renamed its Oratorical Competition in honor of Dr. Roy Nishikawa, a past JACL national president recognized as JACLer of the Biennium. This year’s contest topic asks how the Japanese American community should address issues surrounding WWII internment.

Community

• Doi Honored at Marin JACL Annual Dinner, page 8. Toyoko Doi was honored at the Marin JACL annual installation dinner for her active service as a cabinet member since the chapter’s founding in 1977. JACL national director John Tateishi installed the chapter’s officers for the coming year at the event.
• Finch’s Legacy and the Search for Answers, by Martha Nakagawa, page 8. This continuation of the Finch profile explores various theories about what motivated Finch’s extraordinary generosity toward Nisei soldiers, including friendship, sympathy for the oppressed, philosophical influences, and speculation about his sexuality. Santoki emphasizes that Finch’s contributions should not be lost to history and calls for anyone with information about Finch to contact him.

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