A Nisei judges, JACL meetings and a call for cleaner politics

Vol. 53, No. 20, November 17, 1961. 4 pages. View this issue

An editorial on politics and the public good opened this four-page issue, arguing that campaign charges and press sensationalism had turned good citizens away. Mike Masaoka’s column praised Governor Edmund G. Brown for naming Stephen K. Tamura and Wayne M. Kanemoto to the California bench, and San Jose editorials saluted Kanemoto’s appointment. On page 1, Mas Hironaka of San Diego was elected chairman of the Pacific Southwest District Council, and the Mid-Columbia JACL prepared to host its first Pacific Northwest District Council convention. Seattle JACL also honored Senator Warren G. Magnuson.

Bill Hosokawa’s column looked at Ranald MacDonald and Japan’s debt to Americans. William H. Enomoto wrote on the role of longtime JACLers, and J. Barre Toelken asked readers about the relocation of Japanese Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Community notes cover a Foods from Japan show in Los Angeles, a Christmas Cheer drive, a Stockton urban renewal committee and a Chicago youth basketball school.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Politics and the Public Good, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The editorial argues that campaign charges and press sensationalism have made politics appear dirty, discouraging good citizens from participating. It calls for better candidates, stronger libel laws, and reforms to campaign finance so that elections remain free and honest.
• Nisei Judges, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka praises Governor Edmund G. Brown’s appointments of Stephen K. Tamura and Wayne M. Kanemoto to the California judiciary, noting both men’s war service and JACL activity. He argues the appointments reflect merit rather than political calculation.
• Letterbox: Relocation Article Suggestion, by J. Barre Toelken, page 2. Writer Toelken, of the Northwest Review, proposes an article on the relocation of Japanese Americans in the Pacific Northwest, which preliminary evidence suggests was treated better than in California. He invites readers with relevant experiences to contribute.
• Not So Pressing, by Henry Kanegae, page 2. Orange County JACL president Henry Kanegae criticizes Japanese-language press coverage of alleged juvenile problems among Japanese Americans in the county. He argues the reports were unwarranted and asks that chapters be consulted before publication.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa muses that Americans have had a greater impact on Japan than Japanese have had on America, citing an article on Ranald MacDonald. He describes MacDonald’s teaching of English and his attempt to explain democracy to Japanese officials.

JACL

• Mid-Columbia JACL to Host First PNWDC Convention, page 1. The Mid-Columbia JACL in Hood River, Oregon, prepares to host its first Pacific Northwest District Council convention in December, with a schedule of social events, a district session, a bowling tournament, and a banquet. Oregon Attorney General Robert Y. Thornton is slated as the principal speaker.
• Mas Hironaka Voted Chairman of PSW District, page 1. Mas Hironaka of San Diego was elected chairman of the Pacific Southwest District Council board at its quarterly session hosted by West Los Angeles JACL. Other officers and new board members were installed by National President Dr. Roy Nishikawa.

Community

• Jim Mitsumori Named Chairman of New L.A. Hospital Board, page 1. Jim Mitsumori was named chairman of the board of trustees of the newly organized Memorial Hospital of the Japanese Community in Los Angeles. He is a past president of the Japanese American Optimist Club and serves on several community boards.
• Issei Citizenship School to Broaden Program, page 1. The Citizens Study Club of Oahu, which helped more than 8,000 Issei become naturalized, plans to expand its program to help aliens of all races. Its leaders estimate about 40,000 aliens in Hawaii remain eligible for naturalization.
• San Jose Editorials Laud Kanemoto Appointment, page 2. San Jose’s Mercury and News both praised Governor Brown’s appointment of Wayne Kanemoto as municipal judge. The News noted his internment during the war, Army service, and civic contributions.
• Orange County JACL Talent Show Benefits Community Center, page 2. The Orange County JACL is staging a talent show at Westminster School Auditorium to raise funds for a new Japanese American community center. Performers include dance students, a koto student, and other local talent.
• Christmas Cheer Campaign Reaches 43 Percent of Goal, page 2. The Los Angeles Christmas Cheer drive reached $1,295 of its $3,000 goal, with donations from various groups and individuals. A youth group will help sort and pack donated goods, and a Christmas Cheer queen will be chosen.
• Role of Longtime JACLer in Community Life Told, by William H. Enomoto, page 3. Enomoto, a former national JACL treasurer, describes how older JACL members contribute to community life through local boards and committees. He urges that younger members be cultivated as a visible nucleus for the organization.
• Seattleites Beckon Hokkaido Lass for Schooling, page 3. Yuko Tsubo of Hokkaido, who wrote to Seattle public schools seeking to study in an American English-speaking school, is to be brought by Ballard High School pupils, faculty, and PTA after the Christmas holiday.
• Smoked Sparrows Among New Japanese Foods at Los Angeles Show, page 3. A Foods from Japan show at the Japan Trade Center in Los Angeles will feature familiar and unfamiliar Japanese foods, including smoked sparrows, the 20th Century pear, and snow peaches. Daily demonstrations and free samples will be offered to visitors.
• Financial Roadblock Reported for New S.F. Cultural Center, page 3. A proposed $10 million Japan Trade Center project in San Francisco’s Western Addition may be blocked by Japan’s Finance Ministry, which could refuse foreign exchange funds to major Japanese firms interested in the project. Four large companies had indicated interest.
• Stockton Nisei Named to Urban Renewal Committee, page 3. Four Stockton Nisei, including Joseph Omachi and George Tabuchi, were appointed to a 97-member mayor’s committee on urban renewal as representatives of the local JACL. The committee fulfills federal requirements for citizen participation.
• Seabrook Grant Awarded to Reiko Katherine Nakawatase, page 3. Reiko Katherine Nakawatase, a junior at American University’s School for International Service, won the 1961 Seabrook JACL Student Aid Grant. She is an outstanding student and active in several campus organizations.
• Stockton Rotarians Help Bring Japanese Students in Sister City Exchange, page 3. Two Japanese girls from a Catholic high school in Shimizu resumed their studies at Stagg High School in Stockton as part of the Stockton-Shimizu sister city affiliation. The invitation followed a visit by Rotary president Bert Kitto to Tokyo.

Arts & Entertainment

• Henry Gosho Returns to Washington After Seven Years in Japan, by Emily Higuchi, page 1. Henry Gosho returns to Washington, D.C., after seven years as chief of the information division at the American embassy in Japan, to head the Japanese language section of the Voice of America. A decorated World War II veteran of Merrill’s Marauders, he discusses USIA efforts to emphasize U.S.-Japan interdependence.
• Biographer Describes Manjiro Nakahama’s Role in U.S.-Japan Relations, page 3. Honolulu author Emily Warriner, who wrote a biography of Manjiro Nakahama, discusses his role as an early ambassador of goodwill between Japan and the United States. She also praises the potential of Hawaii’s East-West Center to foster friendship.

Military & Veterans

• Senator Magnuson Honored by Seattle JACL, page 1. Seattle JACL held a testimonial dinner honoring Senator Warren G. Magnuson for 25 years of service in Congress. Speakers praised his support for persons of Japanese ancestry, including the Evacuation Claims Act of 1948.

Obituaries

• Michio Ito Dies at Tokyo Home, page 2. Famed Japanese choreographer Michio Ito died at his Tokyo home on November 6. He had trained many American dancers in Hollywood and on stage over a 25-year career.

Sports

• Nisei Fade First Day in Japan Golf Open, page 4. Four Southern California Nisei golfers were eliminated on the first day of the Japan Open golf championship at Takanodai course. Hawaii’s Nobu Asami was among those who failed to advance.
• Basketball School for Boys 10 to 15 to Begin Nov. 19, page 4. The Chicago JACL Youth Commission will sponsor a 15-week basketball school for boys ages 10 to 15 at Olivet Community Center, beginning November 19. The program is free and instructors have been recruited.

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