Civil rights marches, JACL chapter news and a berry growers’ bust

Vol. 60, No. 15, April 9, 1965. 4 pages. View this issue

Civil rights led the commentary in this four-page issue. A front-page column notes that at least six Japanese Americans were reported to have joined the marches in Alabama, and Kumeo A. Yoshinori’s “Thoughts on Five Topics” lays out planned JACL actions on civil rights, miscegenation laws and expense reimbursement. A page 3 column asks what might have happened if Nisei had staged demonstrations in 1942. Other national stories covered Governor Brown’s support for broader voter rights and Labor Secretary Wirtz’s call for growers to compete for domestic farm workers.

A story project traced the boom and bust of Japanese American berry growers in the Santa Clara Valley. Chapter news included Monterey JACL reaching a record 321 members, San Diego JACL receiving its incorporation papers, and PSWDC honoring wartime friends of Japanese Americans. Also inside: a Japanese garden dedicated at Micke Grove, Jack Takagaki’s run for the USC student body presidency, and the Chapter of the Year Award.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Thoughts on Five Topics, by Kumeo A. Yoshinori, page 1. The author discusses several topics facing the JACL, including a national fundraising drive and the Walter Memorial Fund. He outlines planned actions on civil rights, miscegenation laws, and reimbursement of individual participants’ expenses.
• What Would Have Happened?, page 3. The column imagines Nisei staging civil rights demonstrations in 1942 and considers how the public and government would have reacted. It argues that Nisei cooperation during incarceration ultimately won them acceptance more quickly than Negroes have gained theirs.
• Television and Population Problems, page 3. The column praises an NET documentary on Japanese population control and contrasts it with the Academy Awards broadcast. It notes that Japanese marriage ages and family sizes contributed to a rapid decline in birth rate.

Community

• Monterey JACL Hits New High for 12th Time, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Monterey JACL chapter reached a record membership of 321 members, surpassing the previous year’s high. The chapter has set an all-time high in membership for the twelfth time.
• Tanomoshi Custom Eyed by Internal Revenuers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Internal Revenue Service agents and auditors are reportedly investigating tanomoshi, a traditional Japanese savings custom, through bank and financial records. The inquiry concerns deposits and financial records from recent years.
• PSWDC to Honor Friends of NIE at Elbee Confab, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council will honor individuals who assisted Japanese Americans during the war years, including Prof. John Penery and Rev. Rummel. The honorees are recognized for their outstanding efforts on behalf of Japanese Americans.
• Ikebana International to Mark Race Bias, page 1. Ikebana International prepared for its first world convention in Los Angeles, with discussion of problems arising from its growth. The organization, founded to promote Japanese flower arrangement, faced membership and chapter issues.
• Japanese Garden Dedicated at Micke Grove, page 1. A Japanese garden was dedicated at Micke Grove in Stockton. The dedication was part of community activities in the San Joaquin area.
• Nisei Week Parade Calls for Participation, page 1. The Nisei Week festival in Los Angeles scheduled a parade for Sunday, August 22. Organizers called for community participation in the event.
• First Nisei Files for USC Student Body Presidency, page 1. Jack Takagaki announced his candidacy for student body president at the University of Southern California, becoming possibly the first Nisei to seek the post. A four-way race was expected.
• San Diego JACL Gets Incorporation Paper, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The San Diego JACL chapter, originally organized in 1903 and reactivated after the war, received its incorporation status. The chapter also formed a women’s auxiliary and a Jr. JACL program.
• Monument Dedicated in Memory of Denver Issei, page 3. A monument was dedicated in memory of a Denver Issei community member. The brief marks the honoring of a pioneer figure.
• Open Housing Bill Fires, page 4. Washington State House Bill 500 proposed barring discrimination by real estate agents in housing sales and rentals. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate committee.
• Transit Subsidy, page 4. Seattle officials considered a levy to subsidize the city’s transit system, which has been suffering deficits. Planners argued that a tax of modest size could cover the shortfall.
• PSWDC Honors Friends of NIE (Continued), page 4. San Diego JACL honored Rev. Burnett, Prof. Penery, and Sergeant Sergel for their wartime assistance to Japanese Americans. The honorees were recognized for their support during the evacuation and relocation period.
• Chapter of the Year Award Announced, page 4. PSW District Council JACL chapters are nominated for the Chapter of the Year Award, to be presented May 1. The award includes a plaque and recognition at the district council meeting.
• Jr. JACL Queen Candidate Selected, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Sipo Ota was selected by San Francisco Jr. JACL to represent the chapter in the NCDYC queen contest. She is a senior at Washington High School and was chosen at an April 2 luncheon.
• PSWDC Confab Bowlers, page 4. A convention bowling tournament was announced for the PSWDC confab in Long Beach at Santa Fe Hall. Competition is restricted to three players per chapter.

In-Depth

• Story Project: Boom & Bust of Berry Growers, page 1. The article traces the rise and fall of Japanese American berry growers in the Santa Clara Valley after World War II. Many growers overextended credit and lost their farms when berry prices collapsed about five years earlier.

National

• Dissenting Judge Hits Nevada Land Ruling, page 1. A dissenting justice criticized a Nevada Supreme Court ruling that upheld the foreclosure of a Japanese American resident’s property. The dissent argued the record showed no evidence to justify overturning the summary judgment.
• Brown Supports Broader Voter Rights Measures, page 1. California Governor Brown endorsed expanded voter rights legislation and an anti-bias bill targeting state licensees. The measures were introduced in the state legislature during the same week.
• U.S. Growers Must Compete for Domestic Workers, Says Wirtz, page 1. Labor Secretary Wirtz announced that growers must compete for domestic farm workers rather than rely on imported Mexican braceros. He cited poor camp conditions and dissatisfaction with the bracero program’s effects on domestic labor.

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