Vol. 52, No. 2, January 13, 1961. 4 pages. View this issue
A change in Mike Masaoka’s place at JACL led the news. Under a two-year agreement effective January 1, 1961, he would serve in an advisory capacity rather than as a staff member, and national president Frank Chuman paid tribute to his decades of service. Joe Nishioka, IDC Chairman, wrote about Idaho’s constitution, which still barred Chinese and persons of Mongolian descent not eligible for citizenship from voting or serving as jurors. He outlined plans to repeal it by legislative action or a court test case. Entry forms for the 1961 National JACL Bowling Tournament in San Jose also went out to chapters, and Mike Masaoka’s column previewed the 87th Congress.
Also in this four-page issue: letters on the paper’s new standard format, Richard Akagi’s case for keeping the Pacific Citizen name, Saburo Kido’s recollections of early JACL, and Bill Hosokawa’s column on a cadet at the Air Force Academy writing to Pat Suzuki.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Entry Forms for ’61 National JACL Bowling Tournament at San Jose Mailed to All Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Entry forms for the 1961 National JACL Bowling Tournament in San Jose have been mailed to chapters and bowling leagues across the country, including Hawaii. Organizers hope for some 40 teams and over 200 bowlers to participate.
- Salt Lake JACL’s Officers Installed, by Alice Kasai, page 1. George Yoshimoto was installed as Salt Lake City JACL president for 1961 by past national president Mike Okada at a New Year’s Eve ceremony. The chapter’s board includes a husband-and-wife team heading the chapter and Ladies Auxiliary.
- New Mexico 1000er Reported Interpreter for Eleanor Roosevelt, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mrs. S. Ruth Hashimoto of Albuquerque was reportedly selected as personal interpreter for Eleanor Roosevelt at a U.N. conference in Tokyo this summer. Hashimoto is a past president of the Albuquerque JACL chapter.
- Nisei Housewife Elected Honorary Mayor of Calif. Community, Wins Over 6 Others, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ellen Kishiyama, an active San Luis Obispo JACLer, was elected honorary mayor of Baywood Park after winning a penny-vote fundraising contest. The funds raised will support local youth activities including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Little League.
- Nisei Serving Another Year on C. of C. Board, by P.C. Staff, page 2. John T. Furuiki, a French Camp JACL past president, will serve another year as a director of the French Camp District Chamber of Commerce. He is an active local Nisei leader.
- Nisei Farmers Buy Sacramento-Area Ranch for $950,000, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hamatani Brothers, a family farming organization of Courtland, purchased a 2,200-acre ranch near Nicolaus for $950,000. The highly developed property includes row crops, orchards, and grazing land.
- Husband-Wife Team Heads Salt Lake JACL Chapter and Auxiliary, 3rd in History, by P.C. Staff, page 2. George and Hatsuko Yoshimoto became the third husband-and-wife team to lead the Salt Lake JACL chapter and Ladies Auxiliary. The chapter has launched a membership drive under the direction of three vice presidents.
- Active 1000er Elected as Majority Whip, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Gordon H. Winton Jr. of Merced, an active 1000 Club member, was selected as California Assembly Majority Whip for another session. The Democrats hold a 47-33 majority in the Assembly.
- Tokyo Topics: Lower U.S.-Japan Airmail Rates Asked, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Congressman Daniel Inouye has taken up the issue of high U.S.-Japan airmail rates, which are higher than rates to Europe and South America. The rate calculation is based on Washington, D.C. rather than the Pacific Coast.
- Nisei CPA Announces Offices in SWLA Area, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Arthur H. Mayeda, a Southwest Los Angeles JACL member, opened his accounting office at 2327 W. Jefferson Blvd. after five years with a Beverly Hills CPA firm. He is a Seattle-born Korean War veteran.
- Seattle Nisei Recap of 1960 Events, by Richard Akagi, page 2. Richard Akagi reviews the year’s Seattle Nisei events, including the Miss Nisei Centennial queen contest, a Seafair parade float, and Jack Tanabe’s salmon derby win. The column also covers the Seattle World’s Fair preparations and anti-alien land law campaign.
- Old-Timers of Denver Japanese Community Honored by Gov. McNichols and JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Mile-Hi Chapter honored Denver’s Issei pioneers at a banquet attended by about 400 people, with Governor McNichols expressing tribute. The Issei, many of whom arrived penniless and became successful citizens, received kotobuki gifts.
- Living with JACL: Part Two, by Saburo Kido, page 4. Saburo Kido recalls how San Francisco JACL members raised funds for delegates to attend the 1930 National JACL Convention in Seattle. He also describes publishing the Nikkei Shimin chapter bulletin and early advocacy for naturalization and fraternal insurance proposals.
JACL
- Salt Lake City Chapter Credit Union Nominations and Board Service Benefit Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Credit Union board announced nominees for director, supervisory, and credit committee posts, with elections at the January annual meeting. A new temporary disability benefit was also approved for members.
- Masaoka-JACL Relationship Changed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka will no longer be a JACL staff member but will serve in an advisory capacity under a two-year agreement effective January 1, 1961. National president Frank Chuman paid high tribute to Masaoka’s decades of service to JACL and Japanese Americans.
- JACL Board Elects Six New Members; Installation Jan. 21, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Six new members were elected to the Cleveland JACL board, with installation set for January 21 at Stouffer’s. Keynote speaker James Nobel, director of the Cleveland Council of Human Relations, will address the event.
Commentary
- Idaho’s Anti-Oriental Statute, by Joe Nishioka, IDC Chairman, page 1. Idaho’s constitution still bars Chinese and persons of Mongolian descent not eligible for citizenship from voting, serving as jurors, or holding civil office. The author outlines plans to repeal the law by legislative action or court test case with JACL support.
- 87th Congress Convenes, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. The 87th Congress convened as the Kennedy administration prepared to take office, with Democrats controlling both branches for the first time in six years. The article reviews Senate and House leadership and committee changes and the rules fights that will shape the New Frontier agenda.
- Format Reaction: Letters on the New PC Look, by Letter Box, page 2. Readers commented favorably on the Pacific Citizen’s switch from tabloid to standard newspaper format, with several praising the new masthead and easier reading. The editor noted the change was intended to make the paper more distinctive.
- Pacific Citizen Name Should Be Retained, by Richard Akagi, page 2. The author argues the Pacific Citizen name should be kept because it is apt, distinctive, and has built JACL’s public reputation over many years. He urges members to discuss the issue rather than leave the decision to a committee.
National
- White House Conference on Aging Opens as Eisenhower Greets Audience of 2,700, by Iwao Yoshino, page 1. President Eisenhower addressed 2,700 delegates at the opening session of the White House Conference on Aging, urging a full airing of opinions. Frank Chuman represented JACL as the only Nisei from the mainland in the California delegation.
- Japan Trip Planned by Eisenhowers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President and Mrs. Eisenhower were reportedly expected to make a leisurely private trip to Japan in September or October. Japan was expected to welcome the visit, which would help make amends for the anti-treaty demonstrations of the previous summer.
- NAACP Report Accuses AFL-CIO of Failing to Eliminate Union Bias, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The NAACP released a study accusing the AFL-CIO of failing to mount a meaningful campaign against racial discrimination in affiliated unions, particularly in railroad and construction trades. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell disputed the findings, blaming a minority of unions.
- Opposition Expected in Confirmation of Negro Housing Chief, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Robert C. Weaver, the first Negro named by President-elect Kennedy to a top executive post, faces expected Senate opposition from building trade interests. Weaver was named chief of the Federal Housing and Home Finance Agency.
Military & Veterans
- Eisenhower Greets White House Conference Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese American Citizens League was one of 300 national organizations participating in the White House Conference on Aging. JACL held its own pre-conference program last fall and reported its findings.
- Cadet Asks Pat Suzuki’s Permission to Drink Coffee, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa recounts how Air Force Academy Cadet William Sakahara wrote to entertainer Pat Suzuki Shaw for permission to drink coffee, a traditional custom. The column also mentions other Sansei and Nisei service members at the Academy.
Sports
- Kego Classic Set for Hawaii and NBA Loops, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Several Hawaii JACL bowling leagues will send winners to the mainland for the annual championship tournament. Entry fees and event details for men’s and women’s competitions were announced.
Arts & Entertainment
- Harriet Yamasaki, Star of Flower Drum Song, Weds, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Hawaiian-born Nisei singer Harriet Yamasaki, star of Flower Drum Song playing in London, married Canadian engineer Joseph Coyle at the Brompton Oratory. She plans to concentrate on serious concert singing after returning to Canada.
Obituaries
- Haruo Hashiuchi, Seattle Editor, Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Haruo Hashiuchi, a longtime Seattle Japanese newspaper editor, died at age 61. He was remembered for his service to the Japanese American community.
In-Depth
- Issei Story Assignment No. 1, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Puyallup Valley JACL committee on the Issei Story project completed its first series of assignments, researching early Japanese immigrant history. The project, directed by JACL History Project chairman Shig Wakamatsu, will produce a volume overseen by Dr. Scott Miyakawa.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.