Vol. 80, No. 24, June 20, 1975. 4 pages. View this issue
A dispute over national JACL leadership ran through this four-page issue. Shig Sugiyama’s column urged members to put the internal strife behind them and focus on the organization’s work. A staff report covered the National Board’s special session on investigations involving the national leadership, with debate over proxy voting and rules of order. Kate Kunitsugu, a youth observer, asked in a letter what JACL was afraid of. The front page also reported, in a story by Harry Honda, that the United States had quietly agreed to table its 10-year whaling moratorium proposal.
Bill Hosokawa’s column drew on telephone conversations between General DeWitt and Bendetsen to question whether the World War II incarceration was a military necessity. Other pages carried a report on bias against foreign-trained Korean and Filipino health professionals, a federal study of Asian and Pacific Island Americans, and letters on Indochinese refugees. The Bay Area JACL sent $1,000 toward Topaz memorial monuments.
What’s in this issue
Community
- U.S. Seen Ready to Drop Whale Moratorium, by Harry Honda, page 1. The United States has quietly agreed to table its proposal for a 10-year whaling moratorium at the International Whaling Commission conference in London, according to reports. Japan has reportedly been informed of the U.S. position.
- Spokane JACL Charters Fall Flight to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Spokane JACL is organizing a group of 52 members for a fall tour to Japan open to Inland Empire and Northwest residents. The chapter has arranged the trip with a travel service.
- Dentist Certified as Ski Instructor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Dr. Harry Hatasaka, a Palo Alto dentist and former JACL governor, was certified as a ski instructor at Heavenly Valley. He completed the clinic in April under Austrian examiners.
JACL
- Internal Strife Over JACL Leadership Continues, by Shig Sugiyama, page 1. Sugiyama addresses the internal controversy within National JACL, urging members to move forward with solidarity and focus on the organization’s work. He calls for support of the Executive Director and attention to pressing community concerns.
- JACL Special Board Meeting: Morning Session in Detail, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The National Board met in a special session to address investigations involving the national leadership, with procedural disputes over proxy voting, chairmanship, and rules of order. Board members debated whether the president could vote and how the investigation should proceed.
National
- Foreign Medical Bias Scrutinized, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A California Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report found that licensing practices deny foreign-trained Korean and Filipino health professionals the chance to practice. The report recommends reforms to licensure boards and training programs.
- Federal Project Launched on Asian and Pacific Island Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights launched a $276,000 project to study problems facing about two million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. The study will address unemployment, social services, aging, and the impact of Indochinese refugee arrivals.
- Minority Count in L.A. Schools Noted, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Minority student enrollment in the Los Angeles school district rose 24 percent in 1974-75, according to the district’s annual survey. Asian American student enrollment increased from 27,350 to 30,775.
Commentary
- Civil Service Bias, by Connie Sakai, page 3. A letter writer describes continued pressing of a discrimination grievance against the U.S. Air Force after a related ruling. The writer argues that Asian Americans face recurring problems of being treated casually by institutions.
- Letter on Refugees and Coverage of Indochina Issues, by Masaru Odoi, page 3. The writer argues the Pacific Citizen should include a devil’s advocate column and examine practical disadvantages of Indochinese refugee resettlement in California. He contends that JACL leaders do not speak for all Japanese Americans.
- Response on Refugee Policy, by Stephen Nakashima, page 3. A letter responds to a prior commentary on Vietnamese refugees, arguing the refugees should be welcomed and sponsored by churches and organizations. The writer emphasizes a Christian obligation to help those in need.
- What Is JACL Afraid Of?, by Kate Kunitsugu, page 3. A youth observer describes the June 7-8 National Board meeting as lacking objectivity, with members dismissing youth viewpoints. The writer argues JACL must listen to youth and stop being afraid of open debate.
Incarceration & Redress
- Confessions of a Warm Body: DeWitt-Bendetsen Evacuation Records, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Excerpts from telephone conversations between General DeWitt and Bendetsen reveal the planning of the Japanese American evacuation. The column argues the evacuation was not a military necessity.
- Topaz Memorial Committee Receives $1,000 from Bay Area JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Francisco Bay Area JACL Topaz Memorial Committee sent $1,000 to the Utah group planning two memorial monuments at Topaz and in nearby Delta. The committee is raising $4,000 from Bay Area families who were incarcerated at Topaz.
Sports
- Rich Nagai: Ice Hockey Star from Toronto, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Rich Nagai, Bowling Green State University’s leading scorer in ice hockey, returns next year as a tri-captain after a strong three-year career. The article details his statistics and playoff performance.
Arts & Entertainment
- Asian American Caucus to Meet at Librarians Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Asian American Librarians Caucus will hold a panel at the American Library Association conference in San Francisco. The discussion will address contributions of Asian Americans to the United States.
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