Redress, Proposition 13 and the road to the 1978 JACL convention

Vol. 86, No. 21, June 2, 1978. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress led the news in this eight-page issue. The Denver Commission on Community Relations, in a resolution signed by Syl Morgan Smith and Minoru Yasui, urged Congress to provide equitable reparations to Japanese Americans for the World War II incarceration (often called internment). A VFW post in Japan was also pressing for reparation. Clifford I. Uyeda’s “Can It Happen Again?” series continued, and a Tule Lake pilgrimage was planned for June 3-4. Proposition 13 drew attention too, with Asian American educators voicing their fears and Senator S.I. Hayakawa saying he would vote for it.

Other pages looked ahead to the 25th biennial National JACL Convention in Salt Lake City, with hotel rates and a proposed budget of near $750,000. Bill Hosokawa wrote about a survey on intermarriage and ethnic ties, Sachi Seko remembered columnist Edison Uno, and George Inagaki recalled his wartime years in Salt Lake City. Chapter news and a profile of produce wholesaler George Ushijima fill the rest.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Community Relations Group Backs Redress for Evacuees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Denver Commission on Community Relations unanimously urged Congress to enact legislation providing equitable reparations to Japanese Americans for WWII internment. The resolution, signed by Syl Morgan Smith and Minoru Yasui, recounts the forced removal of 110,000 people and the estimated $400 million in losses.
• Community to Honor Rev. Nicholson, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Los Angeles community appreciation dinner will honor Rev. and Mrs. Herbert Nicholson, retired Quaker missionaries who worked with Japanese Americans. Several organizations are co-sponsoring the July 23 event.
• Asian/Pacific Mental Health Clinic in L.A. Now in New Site, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Free mental health care is now available at the Asian/Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center at a new Los Angeles location. Supervisor Ed Edelman secured $250,000 in funding and the clinic is staffed with bilingual-bicultural personnel.
• Canadians Restoring 1904 Buddhist Church, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The former Canada Buddhist Mission building in Vancouver’s East End is being restored to its original condition by new owners Helen and David Storms. The project has taken two years so far and is expected to take three more.
• Downtown L.A. JACL Mother’s Day Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Downtown L.A. JACL held its 16th annual Mother’s Day luncheon at the New Otani Hotel honoring Mrs. Maki Mimaki and Mrs. Sugi Kotake. Civic dignitaries and community groups attended the event.
• Eden Township JACL Benefit Bazaar, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Eden Township JACL will hold its 15th annual benefit bazaar June 10-11 at the Eden Japanese Community Center. The chapter also honored scholarship recipients and area graduates at a senior recognition dinner.
• Keeping in Touch: NC-WNDC Meeting Report, by Chuck Kubokawa, page 7. NC-WNDC Governor Chuck Kubokawa reports on the May 7 district meeting held in San Juan Bautista, including new chapter welcomes and action items. Topics covered include dues, convention resolutions, and data sharing among chapters.
• NC-WNDC Plaques to Honor Scholars, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Nominations are being solicited until June 10 for the NC-WNDC scholastic achievement awards recognizing high school students. Recipients will receive individual plaques and be listed on a district honor roll.
• Ushijima Bares Secrets of His Success in Wholesale Produce Business, by P.C. Staff, page 8. George Ushijima, president of Growers Produce Co. in Oakland, describes how his postwar produce business grew from a small route into a firm grossing over $27 million. He attributes success to good reputation, quality merchandise, and follow-through with customers.

Military & Veterans

• VFW Japan Post Backs Reparation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. VFW Post 9723 in Japan is pushing for evacuee reparation and internment credit for civil service retirement for the third time. Two resolutions will be presented at the Pacific Areas VFW convention in Seoul before going to the national VFW convention in Dallas.

National

• Initiative for Nonquotas Fizzles, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An initiative in California that would have prohibited preferential treatment based on race, religion, sex, or ethnicity failed to qualify for the November ballot. Sponsor Lawrence Walsh ended his drive without filing any signatures.
• Hayakawa Says He’s for Prop. 13, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Senator S.I. Hayakawa announced he would vote for Proposition 13 out of frustration that tax cuts do not get through the legislature. He argued the measure would force government to learn to budget as individuals do.
• Asia Society Debuts Magazine, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Asia Society launched its first issue of the magazine Asia, edited by journalist Joan Ogden Freseman. The publication is priced at $2.50 per copy.
• Women Honored at White House IWY Ceremonies, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Fifteen Asian-Pacific American women attended White House ceremonies for the International Women’s Year report. The group elected co-chairs and named members to the 469-member continuing committee.
• U.S. Interior Dept. Seeking More Business with Minorities, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Department of the Interior plans to award 10% of its $1.3 billion annual purchases to minority and women-owned businesses. A forthcoming booklet will explain how to do business with the department.
• Report: 54,100 Foreigners Hit by A-Bombs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A report compiled by Nagasaki citizens estimates that more than 54,100 foreigners were affected by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The group has asked the government to establish measures to help the foreign survivors.

JACL

• Package Deal, Hotel Rates Set for 1978 JACL Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Registration and housing forms for the 25th biennial National JACL Convention in Salt Lake City, July 17-22, are now with chapters. Pre-registration discounts and hotel room rates are outlined for convention events.
• JACL Budget Near $750,000, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The National Executive Committee and district governors approved a proposed budget for the 1979-80 biennium that raises regular dues to $16. The budget includes a new membership development campaign and will be considered at the July convention.

Commentary

• Asian Educators Look at Prop. 13, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Asian American educational leaders largely oppose Proposition 13 for fear it will reduce school quality, cut bilingual programs, and eliminate teacher positions. Several spokespersons outline the budget cuts they expect if the measure passes.
• Nipping Bias in the Bud, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial argues that racial prejudice is best addressed in elementary school, where textbooks largely omit Japanese American history. It calls on publishers and educational systems to include accurate information about Nikkei contributions.
• Nisei Talent Registry, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL received a short-notice request from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for minority nominees to advisory committees. The editorial argues a Nisei talent registry would have allowed JACL to respond quickly.
• A Standard to Remember, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall says civil rights progress has been unimpressive, setting as a standard equal rights for the poorest Mississippi child and Rockefeller children. The editorial endorses his goal.
• ACLU Needs Help, by Arnold B. Larson, page 4. Larson, a longtime PC subscriber, urges JACL members to join the American Civil Liberties Union, which faces financial trouble after defending Nazi marchers in Skokie. He argues defending free speech protects all minorities.
• Who’s Cruel?, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 4. Nakajima responds to a letter by Dr. Sheila Waters by arguing that Allied forces also committed cruelties against Japanese POWs and civilians. He contends Western powers manipulated China and Japan for colonial advantage.
• Conservation, by Whale Issue Committee, page 4. The committee criticizes Japan’s response to international protests over the killing of 1,000 dolphins and urges Japan to respond to criticism with logical reasoning. It calls for greater respect for various life forms.
• From Happy Valley: A Fan of Edison Uno, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Sachi Seko reflects on the late columnist Edison Uno, whose Minority of One column she admired. She suggests collecting and publishing his writings as a gift to future generations.
• JARP-Montero Survey, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa examines Darrel Montero’s survey showing rising intermarriage and declining ethnic ties among Nisei and Sansei. He warns that JACL membership and programs will need significant re-evaluation.
• What Memories Utah Brings, by George Inagaki, page 5. Inagaki recalls his wartime years working with National JACL Headquarters in Salt Lake City, including fishing trips and friendships. He regrets he cannot attend the upcoming convention there.

Incarceration & Redress

• Wanted: 1944 JACL Convention Minutes, by P.C. Staff, page 2. National Headquarters has only the first 52 pages of the manuscript for the 1944 National JACL Convention minutes. The PC is seeking a complete copy from any former delegate for reproduction.
• Tule Lake Pilgrimage June 3-4, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Student and community groups in Northern California are planning a commemorative pilgrimage to Tule Lake on the June 3-4 weekend. Over 200 participants are expected and contact information for organizers is provided.
• Can It Happen Again? Part XXVIII, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 4. Uyeda argues that Canadian and American wartime removals of Japanese and the later arrests of French Canadians show the need for public awareness. He contends redress will help expose past injustices so they are not repeated.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.