Redress commission named, plus the Stockton JACL anniversary

Vol. 92, No. 8, February 27, 1981. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page carried news on the EO 9066 redress effort: after President Reagan signed S.253 on Feb. 10, the House named its three appointees, Arthur Goldberg, Rep. Daniel Lundgren and Rev. Robert Drinan, to the expanded nine-member Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. A second story gave Seattle JACL’s Gordon Hirabayashi’s cautious optimism and the cities under consideration for hearings. The issue was also a Stockton JACL Anniversary Issue, marking the chapter’s 50th year with a history of Stockton’s Issei by Norman D. Shumway, a profile of Elizabeth Humbargar, and a note from Dr. Clifford Uyeda on the new chapter anniversary feature.

Elsewhere in these 12 pages: a Texas story on the Ku Klux Klan and Vietnamese fishermen, Ron Ikejiri’s column on stepping down as chair of the National Committee for Redress, and a welcome to new National Director Ron Wakabayashi. Columns came from Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani and Harry Honda, and there was a dinner planned for Gold Star Mothers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Battalion.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• All Nine Picked to Hear EO 9066 Redress, page 1. Following President Reagan’s signing of S.253 expanding the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians from seven to nine members, the House announced its three appointees: Arthur Goldberg, Rep. Daniel Lundgren, and Rev. Robert Drinan. The commission, along with Senate and White House appointees including Judge William Marutani, will hold hearings over a year with $1.5 million to determine if wartime internment was unjust and whether compensation is warranted.
• Optimism Expressed Over Appointments, page 1. Seattle JACL redress co-chair Gordon Hirabayashi expressed cautious optimism about the commission appointments, noting former Senator Hugh Mitchell’s sympathetic stance despite initial skepticism. Hearing sites under consideration include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles and other cities, with some communities petitioning to host hearings and a deadline of March 20 for Central California JACL chapters to submit witness names.
• 35 Years Ago, page 4. A historical recap of events from February 1946, including the 442nd RCT marking its third anniversary on guard duty in Italy, a Seattle court case regarding citizenship status, and Nisei war veteran Karl Yoneda winning a long fight for a San Francisco waterfront job. Also noted is Interior Secretary Ickes’ resignation and his past defense of Nisei rights.

National

• KKK in Texas Joins Fray Against Viet Fishermen, page 1. Following a Ku Klux Klan rally near Houston on Feb. 14 supporting American shrimpers’ grievances against Vietnamese refugee fishermen, Texas Gov. Bill Clements dispatched game wardens to enforce a law banning non-citizens from fishing boats longer than 26 feet. The rally drew about 750 attendees with cross-burning and symbolic boat-burning, while officials and resettlement workers sought to defuse tensions between native and Vietnamese fishing communities along the Gulf Coast.
• Wells Fargo Fires Nikkei, page 1. A Wells Fargo bank employee of Japanese ancestry who had managed the Miracle Mile branch for years was fired amid a dispute involving cassette tapes sent to media alleging financial wrongdoing. The story centers on accusations involving money owed to individuals named Koda, Kotow or Koga.
• Merit S&L Pays Record High of Interest, page 1. Merit Savings & Loan paid a record $6,595,000 in interest to savers last year due to an all-time high savings balance of $86,952,000, according to president Bruce T. Kaji. The institution also registered record highs in total mortgage loans and total loans per year in 1980.
• Rep. Matsui Low-Key on Redress by Congress, by Joe Oyama, page 2. Congressman Robert Matsui gave a subdued speech at the Berkeley JACL Installation Banquet, cautioning JACL leaders not to raise expectations about redress given the more conservative 97th Congress. He also lamented the defeat of a bill to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday, calling it a sign the country has lost some of its ideals.
• Teenage Suspects Charged with Murder, page 3. Two 13-year-old Los Angeles residents charged with the murder of Joe Miyoshi, 66, of Gardena were set to face trial Feb. 25. Miyoshi was shot during an apparent robbery at his auto parts store, and police called the shooting “gang related.”
• Nisei Balloonist’s Quest Ends in Mud, page 12. American balloonists Maxie Anderson and Nisei co-pilot Donald Ida ended their attempt to circle the globe nonstop when their leaking helium balloon “Jules Verne” was forced down in a muddy field in India. The craft could not gain enough altitude to clear the Himalayas during their eight-day journey that began in Luxor, Egypt.

Community

• $3,200 Raised for Redress, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council received $1,000 toward the JACL Redress Campaign from Mrs. Misao Hirohata, who won the prize in a PSWDC fund-raiser and donated it to the cause. The contribution helped the campaign net a total of $3,200.
• Asians Picket Racist Film, page 3. A coalition of Asian American groups picketed a Los Angeles theater showing a film featuring Peter Ustinov, protesting what they called insensitive perpetuation of racial stereotypes. Steve Tatsukawa of the coalition said the protest targeted the outdated imagery in the film rather than Ustinov personally.
• Nora Sterry School Offers Spring Classes, page 3. Nora Sterry Community Adult School will offer spring classes including conversational Japanese and English as a Second Language. Programs are coordinated with LA Unified School District and community leaders including Bruce Kitashima and Sid Yamazaki.
• Optimist Marathon, page 3. The Japanese American Optimist Club is co-sponsoring a “Lite” Marathon on March 21 running from the Police Academy in Elysian Park to Griffith Park. Entry forms are available at Foot Locker stores or the Municipal Sports Office.
• Stockton JACL to Celebrate Its 50th Anniversary, page 5. Stockton JACL is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with a membership of over 400, having contributed to community projects including the Micke Grove Japanese Garden and Pixie Woods Japanese Garden. The chapter’s Golden Anniversary celebration will be held Feb. 28 at the Stockton Buddhist Church.
• Elizabeth Humbargar Honored at County Fete, page 5. Elizabeth Humbargar was among 11 San Joaquin County women honored at the Sixth Annual Susan B. Anthony Banquet for her lifelong dedication to helping minority students and combating racial prejudice, especially during the WWII relocation period. She organized a committee to assist returning Japanese Americans and later received Japan’s Fourth Class Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1978.
• ‘Record’ Early Backer for Issei Naturalization, page 5. The Stockton Record newspaper was an early editorial supporter of JACL’s efforts for Issei naturalization, backing the 1947 Judd Bill that aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in immigration and naturalization laws. The editorial argued that ending such discrimination was important both domestically and for U.S. prestige abroad.
• Washington, D.C. Installs Pat Okura, page 10. Washington D.C. JACL held its 35th anniversary installation dinner featuring a media figure as guest speaker who recounted covering news from his vantage point during a historic weekend. Awards were presented to Seiko Wakabayashi and Doris Hoshide for their service to the chapter.
• San Mateo JACL Plans Installation and Monte Carlo Night, page 10. San Mateo JACL is holding a gala installation dinner for its 1981 officers with tickets at $12.50, alongside a separate Monte Carlo fundraising night at Maple Hall in San Pablo. Community guests from local Buddhist and Presbyterian churches and business leaders are expected to attend.
• West Los Angeles JACL Scholarship Applications Available, page 10. West Los Angeles JACL is accepting scholarship applications for June graduates from several area high schools, with awards to be presented at Bullock’s Westwood. Last year the chapter awarded over $3,000 across three scholarship categories.
• Travel Agents Meet in San Francisco, page 12. The Japanese American Society of Travel Agents, led by Richard H. Yamada of Chicago, held its seventh general meeting in San Francisco Feb. 20-22. Northwest Airlines official Mike Watabe urged the travel industry to develop strategies to address challenges posed by airline deregulation.
• W. Sac’to, Broderick Reunion Set Sept. 5, page 12. Pre-Evacuation residents of Broderick and West Sacramento are planning their first reunion for Saturday, Sept. 5, in Sacramento, chaired by Koki Abe. Organizers are seeking to locate former residents who can contact committee members listed for details.

Military & Veterans

• 442 Dinner to Fete Gold Star Mothers, page 1. San Francisco will host a dinner honoring Gold Star Mothers of men killed while serving with the 100th Infantry Battalion or the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The event recognizes the sacrifice of these Japanese American service members during World War II.

Commentary

• The Spawns of War, by Peter Imamura, page 3. The author critiques Lillian Baker’s defense of the WWII internment during a televised debate, arguing her
• Death Valley, by Harry Honda, page 4. The editor recounts a trip to Death Valley National Monument, reflecting on the Japanese immigrant railroad workers in Barstow and Chinese laborers who built roads through the valley’s harsh terrain. He also notes a connection between Scotty’s Castle’s designer and a Nisei who once worked nearby in Los Angeles.
• On Being Somebody, by Vicky Mikesell, page 4. A letter to the editor responds to Judge Bill Marutani’s column, reflecting on growing up in Hawaii free of the self-doubt and “second-class citizen” mentality often felt by mainland Japanese Americans. The writer urges readers to learn to like themselves rather than measure their worth against white society.
• Letting Go!, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. Ikejiri announces his resignation as chair of the National Committee for Redress due to personal and career considerations, while expressing pride in the campaign’s progress toward Commission hearings. He welcomes new JACL National Director Ron Wakabayashi and reflects on the complex, demanding nature of leading the redress effort.
• Welcome Aboard… Best Regards, page 4. An editorial thanks outgoing acting national director J.D. Hokoyama for his leadership during a transition period and welcomes new National Director Ron Wakabayashi. It calls on JACL membership to actively participate in the issues facing the organization and community.
• Anniversaries, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 5. Uyeda explains the origin of the PC’s new chapter anniversary special feature, originated by editor Harry Honda, with Stockton JACL being the first chapter to implement the idea. He notes that local advertising will help cover the cost of extra pages and hopes the feature will become a popular recurring element of the paper.
• Of Stamps, Hayakawa and Aliens in Japan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 9. Hosokawa recounts solving the mystery behind Japanese postage stamps his friend Zeke Scher had acquired, tracing them to tablets from Emperor Kameyama’s era with an inscription meaning “Enemy Country, Surrender.” He also reports on speculation that Sen. S.I. Hayakawa may not seek reelection in 1982, with several California politicians positioning themselves as potential successors.
• Ethnic ‘Hara-Kiri’, by Bill Marutani, page 9. Marutani reflects on his experiences working within various ethnic groups and ponders why minorities sometimes turn on each other or engage in self-destructive behavior rather than uniting against external pressures. He suggests Nisei have generally avoided this “ethnic hara-kiri” through sophistication and wisdom.
• Perquisitism, by Jin Konomi, page 9. Konomi recounts a bull session discussing public figures’ petty financial abuses, which evolves into a philosophical discussion about “perquisitism” as a universal human trait. A story about a gardener grandfather who gathered mushrooms and snails from clients’ gardens as unspoken perks illustrates how the phenomenon exists at all levels of society.
• Speaking Out: Japan Extends Pension Benefits to Foreign Residents, page 9. An editorial notes the irony that Japan, which once protested discrimination against its emigrants abroad, had itself discriminated against foreign residents until a recent cabinet amendment extended pension system benefits to some 700,000 Koreans and other permanent foreign residents. The move allows Japan to ratify the UN Convention on Refugees.
• Redress: A Matter of Accountability, by M.M. Sumida, page 9. Sumida examines the legal history of wartime internment cases, including Judge Louis Goodman’s 1948 ruling against the Tule Lake renunciation process, arguing that the true military justifications for internment were never actually presented as evidence in court. The piece calls for extracting pertinent facts from government archives to support future redress efforts and legal accountability.
• Membership, by Vernon Yoshioka, page 10. Yoshioka outlines fifteen suggestions for JACL chapters to boost membership recruitment, including personal phone calls, mass mailings, school outreach, and publicity through local media. He emphasizes that follow-up contact is the most critical element of any successful membership campaign.

JACL

• JACL Tri-District Conference Registration Opens, page 3. The Pacific Southwest District Council is hosting the biennial Tri-District Conference April 3-5 at the Los Angeles Hilton, with early registration discounts available until March 13. The conference will include workshops from each district council, a Friday mixer, and various planned activities including a bus trip to Disneyland.
• Pan Asian to Roast Yuki Shimoda at TDC, page 3. Pan Asian JACL is planning a roast honoring veteran Nisei actor Yuki Shimoda during the Tri-District Conference on April 4 at the Los Angeles Hilton. Shimoda’s career spans Broadway, over 25 films, and numerous TV appearances, with roasters including Nobu McCarthy, Pat Morita, Ernest Harada and Sumi Haru.
• JACL Blue Shield Open to Midwest DC, page 10. The Midwest JACL District Council received notice that the JACL-Blue Shield insurance program would be open to its members starting in a future enrollment period. Administrative steps are needed for the MDC to actually participate in the program.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Hito Hata’ Week in L.A. a Success, page 3. Visual Communications’ benefit screening of “Hito Hata: Raise the Banner” drew full houses during its February run in Los Angeles, bolstered by a favorable Los Angeles Times review. Co-director Duane Kubo thanked supporters, and the film is scheduled for upcoming screenings in Washington, D.C.
• Xylophonist Hiraoka Recovers, page 3. Xylophonist Yoichi Hiraoka, 73, is recovering from stomach cancer and will hold a recital in May to commemorate his 55-year career, supported by the Society to Fight Against Cancer of Japan. Hiraoka, once a San Fernando Valley JACL board member, defied doctors’ warnings and continued performing after surgery.

In-Depth

• History of the Stockton, Calif., Issei – 1890 to 1935, by Norman D. Shumway, page 8. Congressman Norman Shumway details the history of Japanese immigration to Stockton beginning in the early 1890s, highlighting the development of delta farmland and the rise of Kinji Ushijima, known as George Shima, “The Potato King,” whose estate exceeded $15 million at his death in 1926. The piece also covers the establishment of early Japanese businesses, churches, schools, and community organizations in Stockton.
• Tokugawa Ieyasu, by Robert H. Kono, page 12. Kono chronicles the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the last of Japan’s three great unifiers, culminating in his decisive victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 over Ishida Mitsunari’s forces. The piece details Ieyasu’s patient political maneuvering, his eventual destruction of the Toyotomi house in 1615, and the 250-year Tokugawa regime that followed.

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