Life Magazine on the Korematsu case, and the yen claimants ruling

Vol. 64, No. 17, April 28, 1967. 8 pages. View this issue

Two questions ran through this eight-page issue: what the Supreme Court’s April 10 yen claimant ruling settled, and what it left open. Life Magazine’s April 28 editorial joined Time in urging the Court to overrule the Korematsu case that validated the 1942 Evacuation. Mike Masaoka wrote that the ruling would likely repay about 4,100 claimants, while the Korematsu decision still needed to be reversed. JACL National President Jerry Enomoto called for grassroots help with national programs, and Roger Nikaido reported twice on the civil rights conference he attended in Washington.

Other pages cover a Patrick Okura report on how JACL chapters answered a civil rights questionnaire, plans for the PSWDC convention and a fall JACL Japan Tour kickoff, and Frank Ogawa’s Oakland council vote. Bill Hosokawa described an Estelle Ishigo painting from Heart Mountain, and columnists Ellen Endo, Jim Henry and Ken Kuroiwa wrote on tutoring, Japan’s tax system and personal identity.

What’s in this issue

National

• Decision on Legality of Evacuation Still Remains, Says Life Magazine, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Life Magazine’s April 28 editorial joined Time in challenging the Supreme Court to overrule the Korematsu case that validated the 1942 Evacuation. The editorial noted that the April 10 yen claimant ruling did not address the legality of the mass evacuation itself.
• Yen Claimants, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. The Supreme Court on April 10 ruled that pre-war Yokohama Specie Bank depositors were not barred from recovering their savings, a decision Masaoka says will likely repay about 4,100 claimants. He notes that other depositors remain excluded and that the Korematsu decision still needs to be reversed.

Commentary

• Ongoing Program, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. JACL National President Jerry Enomoto calls for grassroots help to carry out national programs on social responsibility. He quotes the National Legal Counsel’s closing remarks on the problems in the Deep South and asks whether civil rights issues are only legal matters.
• Hit and Run, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa reflects on how Los Angeles sprawls into separate towns linked by freeways, using Sawtelle Boulevard as an example. He contrasts its quiet pace with the frenetic haste of the rest of the city.
• Ellen Endo Tutor or Tutored, by Ellen Endo, page 4. Ellen Endo describes volunteering in a tutorial program in the Avalon Community area, where she was paired with nine-year-old Sherry. She reflects on the surprises of the experience and on Sherry’s relative competence and needs in math and grammar.
• Taxing Problem, by Jim Henry, page 4. Jim Henry examines Japan’s income tax system, noting widespread evasion by Ginza hostesses and political figures. He argues the wealthy avoid taxes while ordinary earners bear the burden.
• Pampered Youth, by Jim Henry, page 4. Henry observes that Japanese children are indulged, and says medical authorities link this upbringing to high rates of mental disorders and suicide among young adults. He notes parents’ tolerance of rude behavior toward others.
• Civil Rights Movement Not Dead, by Roger Nikaido, page 5. Nikaido reports on the National Civil Liberties Clearing House conference in Washington, where speakers debated whether the civil rights movement had died. Commissioner Samuel Jackson said Negroes’ economic position had slipped since 1955.
• Our JACL Chapters’ Involvement Record, by Patrick Okura, page 5. Okura reports on a JACL Civil Rights questionnaire in which about half of the chapters responded. Results show moderate individual involvement but limited chapter-level participation in civil rights work.
• Where’s Civil Rights Movement Heading, by Roger Nikaido, page 5. Nikaido argues that the civil rights movement is shifting from protest to program, citing speeches by Jackson, Conway and Congressman Curtis at the Clearing House conference. The speakers disagreed on whether guaranteed incomes or skills training should address poverty.
• On Being Different, by Alan Kumamoto, page 6. An anonymous Al-Co Jr. JACL writer argues that Sansei should not confine their lives to Japanese American organizations but should establish individual identities. The writer suggests that being judged by character matters more than color.
• Sansei Co-ed to Receive One of Three Young America Medals, by P.C. Staff, page 8. University of Hawaii sophomore Priscilla Akamine was named one of three winners of the Young America Medal for her work with mentally retarded children. Governor John Burns nominated her after she organized a summer day camp and a petition for expanded classes.
• Ken Kuroiwa Some Enchanted Evening, by Ken Kuroiwa, page 8. Kuroiwa reflects on a romantic relationship with a non-Japanese woman and the internal conflict it raises about heritage and purity. He questions whether inherited expectations should govern personal choices.

Community

• PSWDC Convention All Set; Advance Turnout Awaited, by Frances Kitagawa, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council convention May 5-7 at Airport Marina Hotel is ready, with a Friday luncheon, an art exhibition and a youth dance planned. Organizers await a strong turnout.
• Sonoma Jr. JACL to Host NCDYC Session; Squaw Valley Seminar to Be Aired, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sonoma County Jr. JACL hosts the Northern California District Youth Council session on May 7 at Los Robles Lodge. Reports from the Squaw Valley seminar will be presented, with a banquet speech by Tom Farrell.
• NC-WNDC Session Kickoff for JACL Japan Tour, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The NC-WNDC quarterly session on May 7 in Santa Rosa will serve as a kickoff rally for the fall JACL Japan Tour. The program includes a travelogue, entertainment and a banquet.
• Frank Ogawa Gets 50,000 Confidence Votes in Oakland, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Frank H. Ogawa, unopposed for his District 7 Oakland council seat, received over 52,000 votes in a short-term election and nearly 49,000 for the full term. His term runs through July 1971.
• Utah Citizens Aim for Equal Housing, by Rupert Hachiya, page 1. Alice Kasai was installed as the first woman president of the Utah Citizens Organization for Civil Rights at its April 15 meeting. Priorities include passing housing legislation, which failed in committee this year.
• Restaurant Sued for $100,000 by Sansei Teacher, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fullerton teacher Pamela Kushida filed a $100,000 personal injury suit against the 301 Cafe in Placentia over a 1965 fall in its hallway. The restaurant owner responded that the injuries were due to Kushida’s own failure to use due care.
• USDA Mikan Hearing, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A USDA hearing in Portland considered lifting the ban on Japanese mikan imports into four northwestern states. Supporters argued for the change while Florida representatives and plant pathologists opposed it over citrus canker concerns.
• Men of the Year, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Central Seattle Community Council named Genji Mihara and William A. Cannon as Men of the Year at its annual meeting. Mihara has long led Japanese community service organizations, and Cannon has been active in local civic and Democratic party work.
• Elimination of Poverty in America Next Goal of Human Rights Organizations, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The A. Philip Randolph Institute’s Freedom Budget sets seven objectives to eliminate poverty in America within ten years. Supporters include Martin Luther King Jr., who said ending slums would destroy ghettos.
• Long Beach-Harbor JACL Presents Concert Japanesesque, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Long Beach-Harbor District JACL will present a benefit concert on May 21 featuring the Long Beach Symphony under conductor Akira Endo. Violinist Kazue Kudo, a student of Michio Miyagi, is also featured.
• Nisei Farmers, Nursery Operators Hit by Rain, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Heavy spring rain and hail hurt Issei and Nisei growers in Northern and Central California, with April 18 hail ruining orchards and vines in the Fresno area. Nursery business also fell well below average during March and April.

In-Depth

• Japan’s Decision for War Clearly Related, by Allan Beekman, page 1. Reviewing Nobutaka Ike’s book Japan’s Decision for War, the article describes Japan’s 1941 choice between accepting American economic sanctions and going to war. It details the oil embargo, the failed diplomacy, and Hull’s November 26 note.
• History, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. The UCLA-JACL Japanese American Research Project is assembling a large body of archival material. Dr. Robert Wilson leads the project, which will take a long time to catalogue.

Arts & Entertainment

• Swirling Mists, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa describes an Estelle Ishigo painting from Heart Mountain that depicts a Nisei family in despair. The painting now hangs in the research project office and is expected to illustrate Wilson’s book.
• Oh Yeah!, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The San Francisco JACL youth group presented an original seventh annual variety show, Oeyama, Demons of Rashomon. The reviewer praised the members for creating the script, sets and costumes from scratch.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei with Indians, by Robert Kat, page 5. A new organization, the Human Rights and Responsibilities Associates, was formed in Portland to address social problems faced by American Indians. Discussion at its meeting covered alleged discrimination against Indian students.

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