Vol. 41, No. 14, September 30, 1955. 8 pages. View this issue
Housing prejudice and the unfinished evacuation claims were the main subjects of this eight-page issue. Larry Tajiri’s front-page column argued that the JACL should organize a campaign against housing discrimination, starting with a community survey modeled on a Denver study by the Anti-Defamation League. Congressional hearings in Los Angeles and San Francisco took up a bill to speed and liberalize the remaining claims, and Mike Masaoka compared the long wait to claims from the Napoleonic era still before Congress. Senator Harley Kilgore also scheduled hearings on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and invited Masaoka to testify.
Other pages include Bill Hosokawa on an afternoon with Japanese air force officers in Denver, and Tamotsu Murayama’s profile of Tokyo editor John Fujii. Harry Honda reviewed the film Yang Kwei Fei, and an editorial wished President Eisenhower a speedy recovery. Tats Kushida wrote a tribute to Henry and Alice Sakemi of Indio.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Housing Prejudice, by Larry Tajiri, page 1. The JACL should launch an organized campaign against housing discrimination, beginning with a comprehensive community survey modeled on Denver’s Anti-Defamation League study. The survey method revealed that discrimination was concentrated in certain exclusive neighborhoods and among a small number of realtors and homeowner associations.
- Afternoon of Conversation, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa describes a two-and-a-half-hour discussion with Japanese air force officers in Denver, arranged by Ted Okura, about American democracy and US-Japan relations. The visitors’ questions ranged from McCarthyism to Japan’s place in American thinking.
- Tokyo Topics: John Fujii, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Murayama profiles John Fujii, a Nisei journalist from Alameda who became editor and publisher of the Orient Digest in Tokyo. His background includes stints in the United States, Singapore, and Japan, and a commitment to Japanese-American relations.
- Editorial: Get Well, Ike!, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The editorial reflects on President Eisenhower’s heart attack and its short- and long-range effects on the presidency and the 1956 election. It argues that Eisenhower’s unique standing in foreign affairs makes him hard to replace.
- Yang Kwei Fei, by Harry Honda, page 8. Honda reviews Daiei Studios’ color film Yang Kwei Fei, starring Machiko Kyo, praising its cinematography and poetic storytelling. He anticipates the film may compete for an Oscar, though its sound recording needs improvement.
- Washington Newsletter: Evacuation Claims and Napoleonic-Era Claims, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka compares the long-delayed evacuation claims to 19th-century claims from French privateer seizures still pending before Congress. He also analyzes an ADA voting record study of the 84th Congress.
National
- California Urges Liberal Claims Law, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Congressional subcommittee hearings in Los Angeles and San Francisco considered legislation to expedite and liberalize the remaining Japanese American evacuation claims. Fourteen of fifteen San Francisco witnesses endorsed the bill, while Justice Department attorney William Jacobs was the lone dissenter.
- Hawaii Economic Expansion Opens Industrial Investment Opportunities, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii’s economy is diversifying beyond sugar and pineapple toward tourism and industrial development, including a proposed $30 million Standard Oil refinery. Experts project the islands must create 4,000 to 5,000 new jobs annually to absorb a growing young population.
- Congressional Hearings on Immigration Law Scheduled, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Senator Harley Kilgore scheduled Senate hearings beginning November 21 on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, and invited JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka to testify. The administration had declined to present policy witnesses, with Secretary Dulles saying the matter was still under study.
Community
- Fisherman Drowns in Riverboat Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fred Hidezo Fukui drowned in the Sacramento River after the outboard motor of his boat failed and it collided with an oil barge. His nephew Ray Kamikawa swam ashore safely.
- Near-Northside Redevelopment Plan, by Smoky Sakurada, page 4. A $25 million plan to transform 30 acres of blighted Chicago land into an apartment and store center was announced, and the Midwest JACL office lies within the project area. The development would provide about 1,300 dwelling units and garages for 675 cars.
- Sonoma County Anticipates 100 Delegates to NC-WNDC Parley, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Sonoma County JACL is preparing for the November 5-6 No. California-Western Nevada District Council convention in Sebastopol, expecting about 100 delegates. Planned events include a welcome reception, a 25th anniversary dance, and a bass fishing derby.
- Paul Coates TV Film on Lee Case to Be Shown, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The East Los Angeles JACL meeting will screen the Paul Coates Confidential File film on the Major Sammy Lee case, followed by a panel on local housing discrimination. Panelists include Assemblyman Edward Elliott and Mrs. Mary Lee Shon.
- Chicago JASC to Recognize Pioneers at 10th Anniversary Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Japanese American Service Committee of Chicago will hold a 10th anniversary program on October 2 honoring pioneers who guided the agency from its founding. The evening includes a talent show and a dramatic presentation on the agency’s work.
Obituaries
- Henry and Alice Sakemi Killed in Highway Tragedy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Henry and Alice Sakemi, longtime JACL leaders of the Coachella Valley chapter, were killed in a head-on collision on US Highway 99 along with a neighbor boy and the other driver. Their son Stephen survived with leg injuries.
- Sakemis Go, by Tats Kushida, page 6. Kushida pays tribute to Henry and Alice Sakemi of Indio, recalling Henry’s community leadership and Alice’s civic service. He notes their deaths follow those of other Nisei leaders that year.
Incarceration & Redress
- Seattle Japanese Community History, by Budd, page 5. A University of Washington student traces the history of Seattle’s Japanese community from the 1880s immigration wave through the Gentlemen’s Agreement to a well-organized community by 1909. The article also describes the activities of the Seattle Japanese American Community Service and the wartime arrest of its president Genji Mihara.
Military & Veterans
- First Nisei Teaches at UC Berkeley Boalt Hall Law School, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Sho Sato, former deputy attorney general of California, became the first Nisei to teach at Boalt Hall School of Law as visiting associate professor. Colleagues praised his scholarship and his service in the Attorney General’s office.
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.