Vol. 79, No. 10, September 6, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue
The fifth JAY Biennium at Cal State Hayward led this six-page issue. JACL President Shigeki Sugiyama praised the young delegates for finishing their agenda ahead of schedule, and the Northern California-Western Nevada District Youth Council wrote its own account of the programs and business sessions. The national news was a bill by Rep. Spark Matsunaga to repeal the obsolete cooly trade laws of 1862, which the House Judiciary Committee approved unanimously.
Elsewhere, the Amache Pilgrimage was rescheduled for Sept. 28, and Allan Beekman wrote about Hawaii’s primary and reviewed an anthology of Asian American writing. Kats Kunitsugu covered a strike by 26 employees at Little Tokyo’s Horikawa restaurant. Other pages include a Ford Foundation report on college enrollment, a Navajo veteran’s testimony, and a Seattle Issei inventor’s engine.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- To the Point: JAY Biennium, by Shigeki Sugiyama, page 1. JACL President Shigeki Sugiyama praises the JAY Biennium held at Cal State Hayward for its efficient organization and youth leadership. He also discusses changes to EXECOM representation, including Dale Shimasaki’s new NYCC role and Lillian Kimura’s election as Governors’ Caucus chair.
- Editor’s Desk: Nisei Week Festival, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Editor Harry Honda suggests renaming Nisei Week Festival to reflect the growing presence of Sansei and later generations. He reflects on the festival’s history and its community role.
- Frying Pan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A columnist welcomes a new grandchild, Jonathan, and reflects on the challenges of environmental damage and political stability. Includes reference to a peaceful presidential transition.
- Book Review: Asian-American: Representative Ethnic Writing, by Allan Beekman, page 5. A review of an anthology of Asian American prose and poetry edited by David Tsin-Fu Wand. The reviewer praises its interesting contributions while critiquing the editor’s framing of representative writers.
National
- Repeal Seen for Obsolete Law Enacted in 1862, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Rep. Spark Matsunaga’s bill to repeal the obsolete cooly trade laws originally enacted in 1862. Matsunaga expects President Ford to sign the measure shortly after Labor Day.
- Hawaii Primary Draws Attention, by Allan Beekman, page 1. Hawaii’s September primary features open races for governor and lieutenant governor, with strong Democratic contenders. Congressional incumbents Inouye, Matsunaga and Mink face limited opposition.
- Blacks, Latins Still Lag in College Enrollment in ’70s, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Ford Foundation report found blacks and Spanish-surnamed students remain underrepresented in higher education while Asian Americans are overrepresented. The study was based on an HEW Office for Civil Rights survey.
- Commonwealth Club Overflows as Shockley-Innis Debate Genetics, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nobel laureate William Shockley and Roy Innis debated racial IQ differences before a packed audience in San Francisco. Shockley advocated eugenic measures while Innis rejected the validity of IQ tests as measures of innate intelligence.
Community
- IDC Meets in Portland; Youth Concerns Discussed, by Margret Hasegawa, page 1. The Intermountain District Council discussed youth issues, budget and dues changes, and its next meeting in Salt Lake City. Delegates also adopted a resolution supporting the NAACP position in the Boy Scouts dispute.
- NC-WNDC Questions ‘Save Whale’ Moves, by P.C. Staff, page 1. NC-WNDC will hold a panel discussion on whether conservation boycotts of Japanese goods harm Japanese Americans. Governor Dr. Harry Hatasaka said the group supports saving endangered whales but questions the methods used.
- Engine ‘Better Than’ Wankel’s Said to Be Developed by 85-Year-Old Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Seattle Issei inventor Kaemon Kurose claims to have developed a rotary engine superior to the Wankel design. He has struggled to find manufacturers interested in producing it.
- Roger Tokunaga: Marysville JACLer Civil Engineer on Cal Who’s Who, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Roger Tokunaga, a Yuba City civil engineer and past Marysville JACL president, was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who in California. He has served in community and youth sports leadership roles.
- Strike at Horikawa Restaurant, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Twenty-six employees at Little Tokyo’s Horikawa restaurant went on strike over grievances against a manager. The column examines the labor dispute and the restaurant owner’s response.
- Seabrook JACL Marks 30th Year, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Seabrook JACL celebrated its 40th anniversary commemorative dinner with speaker Bill Hosokawa, who discussed public relations for JACL. Newly installed chapter officers and scholarship recipients were recognized.
Military & Veterans
- 70% of Vets Poor, Unemployed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Navajo veteran Frank Isaac, a Iwo Jima flag-raising witness and code talker, testified about the poverty and neglect faced by Navajo veterans. He noted the reservation’s low per capita income and lack of veteran benefits.
Incarceration & Redress
- Amache Pilgrimage Rescheduled for Sept. 28, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Amache Pilgrimage Committee moved its trip to the former Amache WRA camp near Granada, Colorado, from Sept. 21 to Sept. 28. The pilgrimage honors those incarcerated there during World War II.
JACL
- 5th Biennium Successful, by NC-WNDYC, page 3. The Northern California-Western Nevada District Youth Council reports on the successful 5th National JACL JAY Biennial Convention at Cal State Hayward. Programs, business sessions, and an open forum with JACL leaders were highlighted.
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