Carter names Marutani to the redress commission on wartime incarceration

Vol. 92, No. 2, January 16, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried the news that President Carter named Judge William M. Marutani, Dr. Arthur Flemming and Joan Bernstein to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, the panel studying Executive Order 9066 and the redress question. Marutani, who was held at Pinedale and Tule Lake during World War II, pledged to handle the work with integrity. John Tateishi’s column described the preparation under way for the commission’s hearings, and Bill Marutani and Ron Ikejiri also wrote on the commentary page.

Other front-page stories covered JACL’s effort to cancel the ‘JAP’ trademark, a job bias ruling for Dr. Carole Fujita, and the Terminal Island film project passing its fundraising goal. Inside are a report on a 400-person immigration conference at USC, chapter installation dinners, and Bill Hosokawa’s account of his work at The Denver Post.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Carter Names Marutani to EO9066 Study (Redress) Panel, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Carter appointed Judge William M. Marutani, Dr. Arthur Flemming, and Joan Bernstein to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. Marutani, who was incarcerated at Pinedale and Tule Lake during WWII, pledged to handle the responsibility with integrity despite expecting criticism from all sides.
• Terminal Island Film Project On!, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A $5,000 Christmas gift from June Fujita pushed the Terminal Island film project past its $30,000 fundraising goal, resulting in a $56,000 total project. JACL Regional Director John Saito and film project treasurer Kisaye Sato expressed gratitude for the community’s contributions.
• Crucial Interim, by John Tateishi, page 4. Tateishi reports optimism about the Redress campaign’s progress, noting the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians has been funded and is receiving appointments from the Senate and White House. He describes ongoing preparation work including legal arguments, psychological impact studies, and historical research being coordinated for upcoming commission hearings.

National

• JACL to Contest Use of ‘JAP’ as U.S. Trademark, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL, New York JACL, and patent attorney David T. Nikaido are working to cancel the ‘JAP’ trademark registered by Condas, S.A. before it becomes uncontestable after Jan. 13, 1981. Washington Representative Ronald K. Ikejiri called for community support and legal defense funds to fight the registration.
• Kublai Khan’s Fleet, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sonar detected wooden hulks submerged off Nagasaki believed to be wreckage from Kublai Khan’s 1281 invasion fleet. A Tokyo university professor confirmed the discovery after local fishermen found earthenware and porcelain cups in their nets.
• L.A. County Civil Service Finds Nisei Job Bias Victim, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Carole Fujita, represented by attorney Russell Iungerich, won a ruling from the L.A. County Civil Service Commission finding she was a victim of sex and race discrimination at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center. Despite 42% of pharmacists there being Asian American, no Asian American or woman had ever been promoted to supervisor in the department’s history.
• Mansfield to Stay as U.S. Envoy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President-elect Ronald Reagan announced that Mike Mansfield, 77, will remain as ambassador to Japan. Mansfield, a former Senate majority leader and Montana Democrat, has been credited with improving U.S.-Japan relations over the past quarter century.
• Asian-White Hostility Flares at Portland High School Campus, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Vietnamese refugee student, denied a transfer from Roosevelt High School due to racial harassment, stabbed a white student during a confrontation involving three white students on Dec. 9. JACL members including national president Dr. Jim Tsujimura attended the pre-trial conference to ensure the student wasn’t held improperly, and the case drew comparisons to 1942 incarceration-era injustices.
• Government, by P.C. Staff, page 2. House Speaker Thomas P. ‘Tip’ O’Neill appointed Rep. Norman Y. Mineta to the steering and policy committee, the top organizational body in the House. Mineta also serves on subcommittees covering East Asian-Asian affairs and forestry and water resources affecting California.

Community

• County Office Cited for Aiding Law Clerks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The L.A. County Office of Affirmative Action Compliance, directed by Ishikawa Jr., received a national commendation from the National Assn. of Counties for its program recruiting women and minorities for legal positions. The program aims to promote minority and women law graduates to attorney positions within county government.
• Orange County’s New Asians Frolic, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hmong tribal community, now the second largest Hmong settlement in the U.S., celebrated their New Year festivities at the Brookhurst Community Center in Anaheim on Dec. 26. The event was featured by the L.A. Times introducing the community to its readers.
• Stockton Gears for Its 50th, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Stockton JACL will hold its golden anniversary banquet on Feb. 28 honoring Issei members 90 years or older. A detailed banquet committee list was provided including emcees, ticket coordinators, and entertainment organizers.
• Sansei Lawyer Heads Berkeley, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Berkeley JACL announced new chapter leadership with a Sansei lawyer taking the helm. Brief chapter news noted alongside other chapter pulse items.
• San Fernando Valley JACL Installation Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Fernando Valley JACL will hold its annual installation dinner on Jan. 17 featuring a well-known Hollywood actor from Star Trek as guest speaker. Hane Nishizaka is general chairperson with tickets priced at $17.50.
• French Camp JACL Combines New Year’s Party with Installation Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 3. French Camp JACL will hold a combined New Year’s party and installation dinner on Jan. 17 at the French Camp Community Hall. Hideo Morinaka and Tom Natsuhara are among those organizing entertainment and cocktails.
• 400 Attend L.A. Meet on Immigration Issues, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Over 400 people attended the Asian-Pacific Immigration to the United States conference at USC’s Davidson Conference Center on Dec. 12-13, featuring 14 workshops and keynote speakers including attorney Ellen Ma Lee and journalist Kyung Won Lee. UCLA Professor Don Nakanishi noted the conference demonstrated that immigration issues are vital concerns across all Asian-Pacific communities amid ongoing deliberations by the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy.
• Job Bias Case Draws Community Support, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A community support group formed by the Asian/Pacific Women’s Network is backing Dr. Carole Fujita in her discrimination case, with numerous organizations joining including LA County Asian American Employees Assn. and JACL-PSW Board. The ‘Friends of Carole Fujita’ Committee is sponsoring a benefit luncheon on Jan. 18 to help with legal fees.
• Milestone: Mrs. Terry Nishida Marries Russ Sato, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Terry Nishida, secretary of MileHi JACL, married Russ Sato of Honolulu on Dec. 6. The couple will reside in Honolulu and be affiliated with the Honolulu JACL chapter.

Commentary

• Fighting Words, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. JACLers in New York and Washington are preparing legal documentation to cancel the ‘JAP’ trademark registration before it becomes uncontestable. The author argues the derogatory term’s continued trademark status would be an official reminder of institutionalized racism and calls for community support of a legal defense fund.
• Hostages in Iran, by Bill Marutani, page 4. The columnist reflects on the ongoing Iran hostage crisis, arguing that Iran’s seizure of 52 Americans constitutes kidnapping rather than legitimate grievance, especially given the demand for a $26 billion ransom. He acknowledges mixed feelings about earlier U.S. treatment of Iranian students but maintains that Iran’s actions cannot be justified by any claims of American espionage.
• Evacuation Poll, by D. Y. Miyauchi, page 4. A letter writer challenges the assumption that most Nisei accepted the 1942 evacuation as patriotic duty, noting that JACL leaders never canvassed the over-18 Nisei population about their views. The writer suggests a non-JACL scholarly poll should be conducted to document Nisei views from that era before memories fade.
• Yamauchi-Iko, by Momoko Iko, page 4. The writer defends Wakako Yamauchi against an attack by Peter Takeuchi in a previous letter, characterizing Takeuchi’s letter as written during confusion or senility. The response is brief and dismissive, suggesting the matter is unworthy of further serious engagement.
• Good for the Soul, by William Hohri, page 4. The letter writer criticizes JACL’s handling of the 1980 Sweepstakes lottery under postal regulations and takes issue with plagiarism in JACL’s congressional testimony, naming several uncredited authors beyond Michi Weglyn. The writer also challenges claims about JACL informants, stating that documented evidence from National Archives hearings shows fathers were subjected to harsh punishment without trial based on fabricated evidence.
• Besides This Column and Books…, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa describes his daily work as editor of the editorial pages at The Denver Post, detailing his process of reading syndicated columns, meeting with staff writers who specialize in various subjects, and determining the newspaper’s editorial positions on current issues. He explains the collaborative process involving daily staff meetings and weekly meetings with the publisher to debate positions on topics ranging from the Polish crisis to local transit issues.

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