Vol. 61, No. 7, August 13, 1965. 4 pages. View this issue
The death of Dr. James Takao, a Cincinnati dentist and longtime JACL leader, led the front page. He died August 9 at age 56, after serving as MDC chairman and as Cincinnati JACL president. The same page carried the Economic Opportunity Act’s anti-poverty programs, explained at a conference, and Harry Honda’s report on a Little Tokyo gathering where speakers addressed the needs of aging Issei. Congressman Spark Matsunaga also received a pen used to sign the Medicare bill.
Inside, Bill Hosokawa praised Mike Masaoka’s 79-page submission on immigration law reform. Chester Yamauchi wrote about Manjiro Nakahama, known as John Mung, a Japanese castaway who became the first Japanese immigrant to America. Other pages covered the National JACL Executive Board, efforts to gather documents for a Japanese history project, and plans for the NC-WNDC convention in Reno.
What’s in this issue
Obituaries
- Dr. James Takao Succumbs, Was 56, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. James Takao, a Cincinnati dentist and longtime JACL leader who served as MDC chairman and Cincinnati JACL president, died August 9 after several weeks of hospitalization. He was remembered for his active service to the JACL, including the 1000 Club and Sapphire Pin awards.
- Rev. Frank Herrin Smith, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rev. Dr. Frank Herrin Smith, a longtime Methodist missionary in the Orient and former superintendent of the Pacific Japanese Methodist churches, died August 9 at age 5 in Los Altos. He was decorated for his 51 years of work in the Far East.
National
- Spark Matsunaga Receives Pen Used to Sign Medicare, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Congressman Spark Matsunaga received one of the pens President Johnson used to sign the Medicare bill into law in Independence, Missouri. Matsunaga, a strong supporter of the bill, said it fulfilled a five-year struggle for comprehensive health care for senior citizens.
- Anti-Poverty Program Explained at Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shriver and other officials outlined the Economic Opportunity Act’s programs, including Job Corps, Neighborhood Youth Corps, VISTA, Head Start, and community action grants. The article explains the definition of poverty and the broad coalition of groups endorsing the war on poverty.
Community
- Lil Tokyo Anti-Poverty Group Aims Sights on Issei Aging, by Harry Honda, page 1. Japanese Americans in Los Angeles gathered at a conference on the anti-poverty program, organized by the Japanese American Community Service and JACL Pacific Southwest District Council. Rep. Patsy Mink urged community participation, and speakers addressed youth delinquency and the needs of aging Issei.
- Four More VISTA Volunteers Join Domestic Peace Corps Project, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four new volunteers joined the Domestic Peace Corps project of the Bar Association of San Francisco, including Judy Kawamoto of Denver. The project provides a no-bail program that screens arrested persons for release, saving the city substantial costs.
- Savoring Documents for Japanese History Project, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The article describes efforts to preserve documents for a Japanese history project. It highlights community participation in gathering historical materials.
- NC-WNDC Convention City: Reno, by Ida Fukui, page 4. The Reno Chapter met with National Director Mas Satow and NC-WNDC chairman Dr. Tom Tazoka to plan the upcoming District Council convention in Reno October 16-17. Hospitality arrangements, including packets and accommodations at the Riverside Hotel, were discussed.
JACL
- Executive Board in Action, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The National JACL Executive Board reported on its activities, including membership, leadership development, and program committee work. Membership in the Central California District Council and the national membership calendar were highlighted as signs of growth.
Commentary
- From the Frying Pan: Immigration, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa praises the JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka for his lengthy 79-page submission supporting immigration law reform and ending national origins quotas. He notes the document’s thoroughness and its favorable reception by congressional committee members.
In-Depth
- The First Immigrants, by Chester Yamauchi, page 3. The article recounts the story of Manjiro Nakahama, known as John Mung, a Japanese castaway who became the first Japanese immigrant to America, along with three other Japanese who reached North America before him. It draws on the books Monjiro and Yankees and Samurai.
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