Vol. 49, No. 8, August 21, 1959. 8 pages. View this issue
Hawaii’s move to become the 50th state led the front page, with President Eisenhower set to proclaim it at a White House ceremony and Senators Fong and Long and Rep. Inouye preparing to take their new offices. Beside it, the JACL Washington office protested administration proposals that would return wartime sequestered property to Germans but not Japanese owners, and the Washington, D.C. chapter formed an Anti-Discrimination Committee with John Yoshino as chairman. Saburo Kido wrote about the eight Issei pioneers honored at a Los Angeles luncheon, and Shig Wakamatsu wrote on JACL membership and a planning commission for 1960-70.
Elsewhere in these eight pages, Mike Masaoka analyzed the Landrum-Griffin labor bill, and Henry Mori recalled the 19th Nisei Week Festival. A report found 24 civil rights laws passed by 14 states in 1959. Chapter news came from Berkeley, Sonoma County, Stockton, Detroit and West Los Angeles.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Vanishing from the American Scene, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The editorial notes that American newspaper readership is at an all-time high even as the number of newspapers declines. It attributes the consolidation, including the San Francisco merger, to the economics of rising costs and small margins in newspaper publishing.
- Ye Editor’s Desk: Youth Sympathetic, page 6. The editorial examines Salt Lake JACL’s evaluation of whether to form a JACL-affiliated youth group, finding interest but no immediate justification. It argues that age should not be the criterion for youth groups, and that interest and projects should drive them.
National
- Ike to Proclaim Hawaii as 50th State Today, page 1. President Eisenhower will formally proclaim Hawaii the 50th state at a White House ceremony. Hawaii plans a celebration to coincide with the signing, and Senators Fong and Long and Rep. Inouye will take their new offices.
- Tokuzo Counsel for Al Capone’s Widow, page 1. Chicago attorney Harold R. Gordon, known for his work with the 1000 Club, has been retained by Mae Capone to sue Allied Artists over The Al Capone Story. The suit also targets the producers and theater involved, claiming misappropriation of Capone’s life story.
- Administration Bias Against Japan Protested by JACL, by JACL News Service, page 1. The JACL Washington office protested administration proposals that would return wartime sequestered property to Germans but not Japanese owners. The JACL argues this is discriminatory and undermines the principle of private property sanctity.
- Labor Legislation, by Mike Masaoka, page 7. Masaoka analyzes the House passage of the Landrum-Griffin labor reform bill over labor-backed alternatives and the difficulties ahead for House-Senate reconciliation. He reviews the history of labor law from Norris-LaGuardia through Taft-Hartley.
- Civil Rights Laws Enacted by States, page 8. A Congressional study finds that 24 civil rights laws were passed by 14 states in 1959, including fair employment and housing laws in several states. The article summarizes advances in public accommodations and education.
- Stanford to Train Teachers in Nihongo, page 8. Stanford University established a training center for teachers of Japanese and Chinese with a grant from the U.S. Office of Education. Professor Shau Wing Chan directs the center as part of expanded Asian languages programs.
- Rep. Inouye Calls for Halt to Nuclear Bomb Testing, page 8. Rep.-elect Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii urged a halt to nuclear bomb testing on CBS’s Capitol Cloakroom, citing radioactive fallout concerns. He also expressed hope that light industries would develop in Hawaii to supplement its economy.
Community
- Seattle Fisherman Drowns in River, page 1. Pete Okubo, 42, of Renton drowned in the Yakima River after failing to rejoin his fishing companion, and his body was found days later. He is survived by his wife and four sons.
- Shinoda Named to Board of Nat’l Floral Group, page 1. Joseph Shinoda of San Lorenzo Nursery Co. was elected to the board of directors of the Society of American Florists. He has served as president of the Southern California Floral Association and the California State Florists Association.
- D.C. Chapter Organizes Special Anti-Discrimination Committee, by JACL News Service, page 1. The Washington, D.C. JACL chapter formed an Anti-Discrimination Committee in response to recent incidents, including exclusion at Maryland beaches and the denial of a teaching job to a Hawaiian Sansei. John Yoshino was named chairman.
- Visitor Helps Fight San Francisco Fire, page 1. Paul Ohtaki, a Nisei visitor from Minneapolis, used a fire extinguisher to bring a blaze in a Post Street doorway under control before firefighters arrived. The building is owned by Mas Ashiawa of Soko Hardware Co.
- Nisei Driver Backing Into Gravel Pit Killed, page 2. George Uyede, 36, of St. Catharines, Ontario, was crushed to death when the concrete mixer truck he was driving rolled over a gravel pit bank. A co-worker said he had sped up the drum rotation when the truck began to roll.
- Nisei Engineer Aids in Proposed Water System, page 3. Susumu Karaki, a Nisei research engineer at Colorado State University, worked on a unique morning-glory-shaped spillway model for Denver’s proposed Dillon Reservoir. Lab technicians produced working models to refine the final design.
- Watsonville Graduate Nurse Wins Triple Honors, page 3. Amy Mori of Watsonville received three awards at Mount Zion Hospital’s graduation, becoming the first triple winner. Alice Ishihara of Watsonville also graduated from Kaiser Hospital nursing school on a scholarship.
- New Banking Facility Chosen as Locale for 1959 IDC Confab, page 3. The Prudential Federal Savings building in Salt Lake City will host the 1959 Intermountain District Council convention over Thanksgiving weekend. Mt. Olympus JACL is hosting, and the convention program includes a talent contest, banquet, and bowling.
- Seabrook JACL-Sponsored Boy Scout Troop Ends Summer Camp, page 4. Two Seabrook Troop 47 scouts, Kenneth Bano and Robert Yagura, earned the Eagle rank at the Camp Kimble campfire. Scoutmaster Vernon Ichisaka has guided the troop for seven years.
- Traditional Japanese Dances Add Color to Detroit-Windsor Friendship Festival, page 4. Detroit JACLers participated in the first International Freedom Festival with ondo dancing, a Japanese float, and kimono-clad parade participants. The group also staffed a nationality booth during the four-day festival.
- ‘Jobs for Junior’ Benefit Dance Set by West L.A. Auxiliary, page 4. The West Los Angeles JACL Auxiliary plans an Aloha Night benefit dance to fund Jobs for Junior, a volunteer program that helps youth ages 14-18 find employment. The dance is set for October 3 at the Monica Hotel in Santa Monica.
- Community Talent Revue Planned by Berkeley JACL, page 4. The Berkeley JACL will sponsor a community talent revue on September 26 at the local high school Little Theater. Auditions for Sansei, Nisei, and Issei performers are being arranged by committee.
- Traditional Fall Activities Planned by Sonoma County JACL, page 5. The Sonoma County JACL has scheduled a sukiyaki dinner, a chapter meeting, a 1000 Club swimfest, and a benefit fishing derby. Proceeds from the derby will go to the chapter’s 1960 Pioneer Memorial Scholarship fund.
- Stockton JACLers Stage Japan Dances at Fair, page 5. Two groups of JACL-sponsored dancers will perform traditional Japanese folk dances during Japan Night and United Nations Night at the San Joaquin County Fair. The performances are part of the Pageant of Nations presentation.
- Harbor Hi-Co Set for Annual Installation Hop, page 5. The Harbor Hi-Co youth group will hold its third annual installation dinner-dance on August 29 at the Wilton Hotel. Ken Nishino will be sworn in as president along with a slate of new officers.
- New York Welcomes EDC-MDC Joint Convention, by Akira Hayashi, page 5. New York JACL invites members to the EDC-MDC Joint Convention over Labor Day weekend and describes the volunteer effort behind it. The column thanks committee chairs and volunteers for their work.
Incarceration & Redress
- To Our Issei Pioneers, by Saburo Kido, page 2. Eight Issei pioneers were honored with citations at a Los Angeles luncheon for their contributions to their communities. The columnist laments the poor Nisei attendance and suggests the Pioneers’ Day become a major Nisei Week event.
JACL
- Importance of Membership, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 2. JACL National President Shig Wakamatsu praised the Northern California-Western Nevada district for its membership gains and stressed that membership funds the organization’s operations. He framed membership as a united will toward the goal of equal participation in American democracy.
- Presidents Corner: Planning Commission Outlines 1960-70 Program, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 3. Wakamatsu announced a planning commission to chart JACL’s program for 1960-70 and invited chapter input on long-range goals. He argued that JACL should shift from survival-based goals to improving the quality of rights for all Americans, including civil rights and political participation.
Military & Veterans
- Army Reservist Killed in Maneuver Accident, page 2. Specialist 4th Class Ben T. Takeno, 25, was killed and two others seriously injured when their Army truck plunged over an embankment while returning from maneuvers at Camp Roberts. He was the son of Rikinosuke Takeno of Orange.
Arts & Entertainment
- Nisei with Brooklyn Accent, by Larry S. Tojiri, page 3. The column reports that numerous Hollywood and Broadway producers are seeking Japanese and Oriental actors for upcoming productions, including Flower Drum Song, The World of Suzie Wong, and Cry for Happy. It also notes the continuing success of Oriental-themed stage works on Broadway.
- Japanese Classic Music to Be Aired, page 3. KFAC will broadcast its first all-Japanese classical music program, featuring the Tenrikyo Gagaku orchestra and traditional instrumentalists. The program includes several traditional pieces performed on koto, shakuhachi, and sangen.
- Newsletter: Nisei Week Festival, by Henry Mori, page 7. Henry Mori recounts the 19th Nisei Week Festival, including the queen selection won by Faith Higurashi and the Issei pioneers luncheon honoring eight Issei. He also comments on the family’s reactions to television coverage of the pageant.
- Avant-Garde Potter of Japan Lectures to Miamians, page 8. Kyoto potter Teruo Hara, founder of a contemporary crafts group, lectured in Miami during a four-month U.S. tour. He explained his group’s efforts to individualize pottery and integrate ceramics into Japanese architecture.
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