Reparations, Manzanar memories and a 1976 convention ahead

Vol. 82, No. 21, May 28, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue

Reparations ran through this four-page issue. The editorial page took up the proposed JACL budget for 1977-78 and a subscription rate increase, and the Columbia Basin JACL set out a plan for a reparations campaign that would include all Nikkei affected by wartime incarceration. On the front page, Terry Oliver spoke with Osamu Ikegami, an Issei in Reno, who recalled building the barbed-wire fence at Manzanar for $12 a month. Shig Sugiyama’s column looked at human judgment in government bureaucracy, and the whale issue committee reported on talks about Japanese whaling.

Also inside: national president Shig Sugiyama’s committee appointments, a Sonoma reception honoring president-elect Jim Murakami at the Sacramento national convention, and plans for the Nisei Veterans Reunion in Chicago. Bill Hosokawa wrote about German Russian immigrants, Sachi Seko offered a poem for Memorial Day, and George Yasukochi answered a review of the Farewell to Manzanar film.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Government Bureaucracy, by Shig Sugiyama, page 1. The column defends the value of human judgment in bureaucratic decision-making while acknowledging the need for accountability. It argues that punishing wrongdoers should not replace efforts to correct errors and eliminate their causes.
• Farewell to Manzanar Review Response, by George Yasukochi, page 2. A Berkeley reader responds to Frank Chin’s review of the Farewell to Manzanar film, questioning whether the documentary was intended to shame America. The letter argues the film’s shortcomings should not diminish its value.
• From the Frying Pan: Germans from Russia, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Bill Hosokawa writes about the German Russian immigrants of the Rocky Mountain and Plains states and their history from Catherine the Great through World War II deportations. He mentions a historical novel about the German Russian experience.
• Reparations Editorial: JACL Budget 1977-78, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial discusses the proposed JACL budget for fiscal years 1977-78 and the need to retire a projected deficit. It also addresses the proposed subscription rate increase for the Pacific Citizen.
• Bengie’s Bugle, by Sachi Seko, page 2. A poem honoring Bengie Sugiyama, who plays the bugle at Memorial Day services for the war dead. The poem reflects on the dignity of mourning and the sacrifices of Nisei veterans and internees.
• Let Freedom Ring, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A quoted passage from Psalm 133 and a call for unity frames the editorial’s appeal for community solidarity on reparations. The piece encourages members to support the common cause.

National

• Whale Issue Committee Reports on Japanese Whaling Talks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL’s whale issue committee met with conservation groups and figures to explain its position on whaling. The committee reported that Japanese whaling activity has declined and that the matter remains a concern for international whaling policy.
• House Panel to Study Ethnic Census Methods, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Patricia Schroeder planned hearings on the undercounting of ethnic minorities in the census. Rep. Spark Matsunaga requested that census problems affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders be examined.

JACL

• Committee Appointments Made by National President, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National president Shig Sugiyama appointed several JACL committees, including a search committee for a director and reparations and nominating committees. The appointments set the groundwork for work to be completed before the national convention.
• JACL Japan Tour Schedule and Flight Information, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pacific Citizen posts the 1976 National JACL Japan tour departure schedule with flight dates, prices, and contact information for local administrators. Tours are open to JACL members and bonafide travelers.

Community

• Seattle to Host June PNWDC Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seattle JACL will host the Pacific Northwest District Council meeting on June 12-13 with a Saturday evening session and Sunday session in Renton. Chapter president John Matsumoto announced the schedule.
• Sonoma JACL to Host Murakami Reception, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sonoma County JACL will host a reception at the national convention in Sacramento honoring member Jim Murakami, the national president-elect. The event will feature local cheeses and wines from Sonoma and Napa counties.
• Bicentennial Photo Exhibit in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Japanese in America Bicentennial photo exhibit will run at Chicago’s John Hancock Center from June 12 to July 31. The exhibit is organized in four segments covering the early years through the present day.
• PSWDC Wants Regional Post Filled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council held its spring session in Santa Barbara, featuring speakers Dr. Norman Nyun Han and Assemblyman Floyd Mori. The council called for recruitment of a regional director for the Southern California office and adopted several resolutions.
• Grand Marshals Announced for Nisei Week Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii Governor George Ariyoshi will serve as grand marshal of the 1976 Nisei Week parade in Los Angeles, alongside honorary grand marshal Konosuke Matsushita. The parade will be held August 22 in Little Tokyo.
• East LA JACL First with NWF Queen Hopeful, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Elaine Kataoka was named Miss East Los Angeles JACL and became the first entrant in the 1976 Nisei Week queen contest. Joleen New was also selected as Miss San Fernando Valley in a separate contest.
• NC-WNDC Pre-Convention Caucus Set for June 13, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Northern California-Western Nevada JACL District Council will hold a pre-convention caucus at JACL Headquarters on June 13 to discuss national convention matters. The council also reviewed a resolution asking Governor Brown to appoint a Japanese American to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board.
• NC-WNDC to Honor Top Prep Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Northern California-Western Nevada JACL District Council will launch a scholastic honor roll for outstanding high school graduates this summer. Scholarship chairman Dr. Harry Hatasaka announced the program.
• Tri-Valley JACL Holds First Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The new Tri-Valley JACL, Chapter 101, held its first meeting April 30 in Livermore to choose a name and elect officers. Members attending were pictured at the meeting.
• Sansei Named Seafair Nikkei District Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Susan Ishimatsu, a University of Washington junior, was selected as a Seafair queen representing Seattle’s Japanese community. The Seafair festivities are scheduled for late July.
• San Jose Fuji Towers for Elderly Finished, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fuji Towers, a six-story senior citizen apartment building sponsored by the San Jose Betsuin, has been completed at a cost of $3 million. Dedication ceremonies are planned for June 13.
• Mrs. Shika Thanks Community for Mother’s Day Honor, by Mrs. Shika, page 2. Mrs. Shika, named Issei Pioneer Mother of the Year, thanks the organizers and community for the Mother’s Day luncheon honoring her 100th birthday. She notes a congratulatory message from President Ford.
• Bowling Boom in Japan Going Bust, by Mas Manbo, page 3. Tenpin bowling in Japan has declined sharply from its peak, with bowling centers and lanes dropping by roughly two-thirds. Former bowling centers have been repurposed for other businesses.
• Hawaii Today: United Japanese Society Endorses Reparations, by Richard Gima, page 3. The United Japanese Society of Hawaii formally endorsed the ALOHA Association’s drive for reparations to Hawaiian people. The resolution placed one of Hawaii’s largest private groups behind the movement.
• Names in the News and Congressional Scene, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Brief items cover Hawaii news including student body elections and congressional legislation introduced by Rep. Spark Matsunaga on victim compensation and highway safety funds. Several Hawaii community notes are included.
• Happenings: Community Briefs from Around the Nation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Brief community notes report honors and events including Japanese government decorations for Issei, a Boy Scouts Silver Beaver award, and cultural exhibits. Several Japanese American organizations are recognized for their work.

Military & Veterans

• Chicago Gears Up for Nisei Veterans Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 1976 Nisei Veterans Reunion in Chicago, July 22-25, will feature a banquet with speaker Donald Rumsfeld and a parade. Pre-reunion activities are planned in Denver, Minneapolis and Camp McCoy.
• Nisei Veteran Section Vase Project Completed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A project to improve the vases at each headstone in the Nisei veterans section of Evergreen Cemetery was completed in time for the annual Memorial Day services. The project was initiated by Seichi Fukui and funded by a donation from F.S. Peter.

In-Depth

• Issei Evacuee Recalls Building Manzanar’s Barbed-Wire Fence, by Terry Oliver, page 1. Osamu Ikegami, an Issei now living in Reno, recalls being among workers paid $12 a month to build the barbed-wire fence at Manzanar. He describes the camp conditions and his later move to Reno after seasonal work in Idaho.

Incarceration & Redress

• Columbia Basin Plan for Reparations, by JACL Reparations Campaign Committee, page 2. The Columbia Basin JACL proposes that the reparations campaign include all Nikkei affected by wartime incarceration, including Latin American internees, and that a new corporation be formed. The plan discusses how awards should be computed and the importance of public education.

Sports

• Spartan Beat: Sumo Tournament and Sports Briefs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sports briefs cover Japan’s top 36 sumo wrestlers appearing at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and other local athletic news. Items include San Jose State judo coach Yosh Uchida’s NCAA championship honor.

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