JACL’s campaign against anti-Nisei films on television

Vol. 44, No. 14, April 5, 1957. 8 pages. View this issue

JACL’s campaign against wartime anti-Nisei films on television led the issue. The editorial said stations had answered the national mailing with unexpected willingness to cooperate, and WTTG in Washington, D.C. agreed to note the Nisei wartime record before showing such films. Mike Masaoka welcomed a Justice Department antitrust suit over block-booking of films to TV. Masao Satow quoted station replies from across the West, and Washington JACL president Harvey Iwata planned to write other area stations.

Also inside: planning for the 1958 JACL national convention in Salt Lake City, with a Shower of Stars fundraiser set for April 28. Bill Hosokawa wrote on Sansei weddings and on a Nisei engineer who left for Japan because of discrimination. Larry S. Tajiri traced the decline of the foreign language press. Chapter news, sports and Mike Masaoka’s Washington columns fill the remaining pages.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

  • Value of Unified Nisei Demonstrated, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL’s national campaign asking TV stations to avoid wartime anti-Nisei films has drawn cooperative responses from stations. The editorial argues that organized Nisei vigilance remains necessary to bury wartime hysteria and prevent its recurrence.
  • How Long?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa observes that Sansei couples in recent weddings still included baishakunin, traditional go-betweens, as honorary figures. He questions how many generations such customs will persist.
  • Costly Discrimination, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa tells of Hiroshi Rosy Watanabe, a Nisei engineer who left for Japan because American discrimination blocked his career, and now works for Mitsubishi. He argues discrimination is a luxury the United States cannot afford.
  • Tax Time, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa compares Japanese entertainers’ high earnings, led by novelist Natsutaro Kawaguchi, with the likely earnings of Nisei in the $50,000 class. He notes no working newspapermen are likely among that group.
  • Foreign Language Press, by Larry S. Tajiri, page 3. Tajiri traces the decline of foreign language newspapers from their World War I peak, noting Japanese papers face special costs from hand-set type. He predicts foreign language presses will survive only while immigrant groups remain distinct communities.
  • TV Accepts Responsibility, by Masao Satow, page 4. Satow reports that TV stations nationwide replied positively to JACL’s letters about objectionable wartime films and pledged cooperation. He quotes several station replies from the West Coast and Mountain states.
  • Nisei Cast as Swindler in Film, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. Honda reviews the Shochiku film Daddako Sacho, in which a Nisei named George plays a smooth swindler. Roy Yamadera of East Los Angeles JACL objected that the film creates a stereotype that could harm Nisei reputation in Japan.
  • A Good Sign, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Los Angeles column reports on the Japanese American Women’s Club, whose membership has dwindled as war brides integrate into their communities. The writers see the decline as a healthy sign of assimilation and invite club members to JACL events.
  • Los Angeles Newsletter: Japanese Navymen Get Native Food, by Henry Mori, page 7. Through efforts of Soichi Fukui and Rollins MacFadyen, Japanese navy crews training in U.S. waters can now obtain rice, umeboshi, miso, and shoyu through government procurement. The column notes the crews’ large daily consumption of rice.

JACL

  • Date for ’58 JACL Convention at Salt Lake on IDC Agenda, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Salt Lake JACL, host of the 15th Biennial National Convention in 1958, expects the Intermountain District Council to discuss dates at its April 14 meeting in Boise. The local chapter cites Labor Day weekend conflicts and is preparing for at least 600 delegates at Hotel Utah.
  • Common Problems, by Masao Satow, page 4. Satow notes that JACL shares organizational problems with the Anti-Defamation League, including reliance on a few active members. He observes that JACL, unlike the ADL, must still work to secure financial support from members.
  • Good Taste and Decency, by Masao Satow, page 4. JACL will protest to the State Curriculum Committee over a children’s story in the Firelight Reader that uses the term Jap. Satow argues that wartime animosities should not be passed on to children.
  • National Membership, by Masao Satow, page 4. JACL reports 4,613 members enrolled for 1957 so far, with San Francisco leading at 622 and Mile Hi at 396. Several chapters have already surpassed last year’s totals.
  • National Convention Plans, by Masao Satow, page 4. Satow reports that the Salt Lake City chapter has taken on the 1958 National Convention. Intermountain chapters will set dates at the April 14 meeting in Boise.
  • Orange County Chapter Shoots for 300 in ’57, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Membership chairman George Ichien set a goal of 300 members for the Orange County JACL chapter. He framed the $3 dues as a subscription to the monthly newsletter Santana Wind.
  • Yamato Cemetery Info Cemetery Care, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Yamato Cemetery in Salinas, marking its 50th year, will be relandscaped and turned over to the Salinas Valley JACL for future care. A $5,000 campaign is underway to finance the project.
  • TV Stations Agree to Note Nisei Record Before Objectionable Films, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Station WTTG in Washington, D.C. agreed to preface future showings of films impugning Nisei loyalty with explanations of the Nisei wartime record. Washington JACL president Harvey Iwata said he would write other area stations with similar requests.

Community

  • Shower of Stars Show to Aid JACL Confab, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A fund-raising amateur talent revue called Shower of Stars will be held April 28 in Salt Lake City to raise money for the 1958 national JACL convention. The committee is headed by Maurea Terashima and Jeanne Konishi.
  • Purchase U.S. Flag for Fowler Community Use, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Fowler JACL chapter decided to buy a large American flag for use by any Japanese community organization on appropriate occasions. Mikio Uchiyama will chair an April 18 showing of This Is Your Life, featuring Mike Masaoka.
  • Actor Kazuo Hasegawa Arrives for 3-Week U.S. Visit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Daiei movie star Kazuo Hasegawa, known for his role in Gate of Hell, arrived in San Francisco for a three-week visit. He plans to study wide-screen photography in Hollywood before returning to Japan April 19.
  • Legal Stenos Crown King and Queen Hobos, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Arnold and Toshi Fujita were crowned King and Queen Hobo at the Nisei Legal Secretaries Association installation on March 23. The couple and their subjects attended in tramp outfits.
  • U.S. Repays a Debt: Dr. Thomas Kaneko Naturalized in Buffalo, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Thomas M. Kaneko, a Tokyo-born chemical engineer raised in Salt Lake City, became a U.S. citizen in Buffalo, N.Y. after serving in the Japanese army and as a Siberian prisoner of war.
  • Chapter President Likened to Eddie Cantor; Yo Kasai of Detroit Has Five Daughters, by Bebe Horiuchi, page 4. Yo Kasai, president of the Detroit JACL, served as a technical sergeant in the 442nd and later coached basketball in Cleveland. He is the father of five daughters and works for Packer Pontiac.
  • Talent Show Grosses Over $1,100 for Benefit of Hospitalized Anaheim Girl, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A benefit talent show in Huntington Beach raised $1,192.45 for Kathy Kaito, an 8-year-old injured by a car. The Orange County Nisei Interclub Council organized the event.
  • Two Social Functions Set for April by San Jose JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Jose JACL plans a Welcome Party on April 12 for new members and an Easter dance on April 20, both at Onishi Hall. Games, bridge, dancing, and a movie are on the schedule.
  • Philadelphia to Host EDC, Chapter Leaders, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Eastern District Council officers and chapter leaders will meet in Philadelphia on April 14 to review activities and plan participation in the joint EDC-MDC convention in Chicago over Labor Day weekend. The meeting will also feature national JACL officers.
  • Southwest L.A. JACL Escapade Dance Set for April 13, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Southwest Los Angeles JACL will hold its Escapade dance April 13 at Pacific Manor Ballroom with music by the Elliott Brothers. Movie starlet Roberta Haynes is scheduled to appear.
  • D.C. CLers to See This Is Your Life, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Washington, D.C. JACL chapter will hold a potluck family dinner April 26 at Joppa Lodge. The program includes a kinescope of Mike Masaoka’s This Is Your Life and two color films.
  • Officers Designated, Start Membership Push, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Long Beach-Harbor District JACL launched an extended membership drive under vice-president George Iseri. The cabinet also discussed plans for various events during the year.
  • Mile-Hi JACL Movie Benefit Set Apr. 10-20, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Mile-Hi JACL will hold a benefit showing of the Japanese color film The Phantom Horse at Esquire Theater April 10-20. The chapter earns 25 cents from each ticket sold.
  • People of Japan Eager to Learn of America, Marysville CLers Told, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Wanda Gumprecht, a Colusa County home adviser who was an exchange student in Japan, spoke to the Marysville JACL about her experiences. She found young Japanese people eager to learn about America.
  • Chicago Discussion Group Hour Upped, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Chicago JACL’s Sunday discussion meetings will begin at 3 p.m. instead of 4. The next session, The Dilemma of Nisei Parents, is set for April 14.
  • Kado’s Dance Club Notes Pasadena Bowler, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tak Kiriyama of Pasadena rolled a 768 series at San Gabriel Lanes to win the weekly Los Angeles Examiner singles competition. The series was the fourth highest in the tournament’s eight-year history.
  • L.A. Travelers Win Salt Lake Nisei Basketball Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Los Angeles JATB Travelers won the 22nd annual Salt Lake Nisei basketball tournament, defeating Salt Lake Spartans 73-58. Dickie Nagai of Los Angeles was named outstanding player.
  • Tooele Prep Swim Star Hurled 120 Feet Over Garage in Auto Accident, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A car accident near a Salt Lake City garage killed two Tooele High School students and seriously injured two others, including swimmer Tosh Imai. Imai was thrown 120 feet and not found for 30 minutes.
  • Fujioka Receives Fourth Order of the Sacred Treasure, by Henry Mori, page 7. Shiro Fujioka, 78, became the first Southland Issei to receive the Fourth Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese emperor. He is the father of JACLers Pete and Dick Fujioka and attended Columbia University.
  • Joint Student Workshop Formed by Nisei Music Guild Members, by Henry Mori, page 7. Instructors and students from the Nisei Music Guild formed a joint workshop to let teachers and students collaborate and perform publicly. Mrs. Sue Takimoto Joe is among the organizers, and the group plans sessions in July and November.

National

  • Street Names for Japanese American Family to Stay, Despite Objections, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kauai supervisors kept subdivision road names Oyama Rd. and Konishi Rd. after a Caucasian homeowner objected. Supervisor Tony Kunimura, a war veteran, noted that local families lost sons in the war and contributed to the Territory’s economy.
  • Anti-Trust Suit to Prevent Block-Booking of Films for TV Welcomed by JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Justice Department filed an antitrust action against Loew’s Inc. over block-booking of films to television, which JACL welcomed. Mike Masaoka noted the suit may eliminate the excuse TV stations have used for showing anti-Nisei films.
  • Video Stations Agree with JACL Suggestions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Television station WTTG in Washington, D.C. agreed to note Nisei wartime loyalty before showing films that impugn Japanese Americans. The station’s manager expressed regret for showing two films after protests from JACL.
  • Nomura Says Security Pact with U.S. Is Necessary, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura told a Tokyo welcome luncheon for the Fujioka tour party that collective security with America is essential. He said Japan-U.S. relations must move beyond sweet words to face realities.
  • California FEPC Campaign, by Masao Satow, page 4. JACL supported a proposed California fair employment practices act, which passed a legislative committee 11 to 3. The real fight is expected in the State Senate, where a similar bill was killed in committee two years ago.
  • Jamestown Festival, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka describes the Jamestown Festival marking the 350th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in North America. He recounts the settlement’s history, including the story of Pocahontas.
  • Dan Aoki Urges Statehood for Hawaii, Says It Would Enhance U.S. Foreign Policy, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dan Aoki, administrative assistant to Delegate John A. Burns, told the Washington, D.C. JACL that Hawaii statehood would strengthen American Far East policy. He argued Hawaii is qualified and that its people deserve representation in Congress.
  • Japanese Farm Labor Investigations Planned, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Rep. Pat Hillings will conduct a one-man investigation of the temporary agricultural worker program during the April congressional recess. Public hearings are scheduled in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, and the Imperial Valley.
  • Mike Masaoka Attends Ninth Annual National Civil Liberties Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Mike Masaoka, JACL Washington representative, is attending the ninth annual Conference of the National Civil Liberties Clearing House. JACL has been a member organization since 1948.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Nisei Woman Escapes North Korea, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 3. Los Angeles-born Setsuko Nagatomio escaped from North Korea by walking over 500 miles disguised as a man. Murayama also notes that Hannah Kosaka of Seattle remains unaccounted for in Manchuria.

Military & Veterans

  • New NVC Commander: Pat Hagiwara, by Elmer Ogawa, page 6. Patrick K. Hagiwara, a Boeing engineer and 442nd veteran originally from Ketchikan, Alaska, was elected commander of the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee. He will oversee preparations for the 1958 fifteenth anniversary reunion.
  • Cherry Blossom Week, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka describes Washington’s Cherry Blossom Week, noting the trees were once called Oriental and Korean cherry blossoms during the war. He details the Mikimoto pearl crown and the festival queen selection.

Sports

  • Chicago Cubs Equipment Manager’s Brother Holds Same Job with Hollywood, by Jerry Akahoshi, page 6. Nob Kawano, younger brother of Chicago Cubs equipment manager Yosh Kawano, has been clubhouse boy for the Hollywood Stars for ten seasons. He handles uniforms, equipment, and locker room needs.
  • Puget Sound Golf Tourney Date Changed, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Puget Sound Golf Club’s 36-hole tournament moved from April 21 to April 14 at Jefferson and Jackson courses. Sab Ogishima won the March tournament with a 75-10-65.

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.

More from Issue archive