A 12-page issue: the Exchange clubs’ “white” policy and the 83rd Congress

Vol. 39, No. 14, October 1, 1954. 12 pages. View this issue

Racial restriction in a national service club led the news. The Exchange clubs’ board of control reaffirmed its policy of “white” members only, after charters were revoked or surrendered in several California towns. Another front-page story covered objections to Carey McWilliams’ book Brothers Under the Skin, which discusses the Japanese evacuation, and its clearance for San Francisco schools. Mike Masaoka’s Washington Newsletter summed up the 83rd Congress and the seven public bills it passed for persons of Japanese ancestry. An editorial, “What Has JACL Done?”, pointed readers to it. Masao W. Satow reported on the 13th Biennial National JACL Council.

Elsewhere, Gov. Goodwin Knight praised Japanese Americans in his convention speech, and Mary Oyama described her first day in Honolulu. Tamotsu Murayama profiled Mrs. Tomoko Yamamoto of Des Moines. The sports pages carried the convention bowling results, and Tats Kushida and Smoky Sakurada wrote about the coming Holiday Issue.

What’s in this issue

National

• “White” Member Only Policy Has Exchange O.K., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Exchange clubs’ board of control unanimously reaffirmed its policy restricting membership to white members, prompting the revocation of several club charters. The national constitution’s all-white clause will be challenged at the national convention in Louisville.
• McCarran Book Raises Big Furor, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Marin County residents objected to Carey McWilliams’ book Brothers Under the Skin, which discusses the Japanese evacuation, among other books in school libraries. San Francisco’s school superintendent cleared the book for use in the city school system.
• Sen. Pat McCarran Dies Suddenly After Rally in Nevada, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Pat McCarran of Nevada died of a heart attack after addressing a Democratic rally in Hawthorne. He was co-author of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act that removed racial restrictions on naturalization and immigration.
• Nisei Artist Had Hand in Designing Canadian Currency, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Canadian Nisei artist, Ajlan Fujiwara, helped design lettering for the new Canadian bank notes. He noted that engravers altered some of his work.
• Hawaii Economic Future Requires New Industries, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Nakatsuka discusses Hawaii’s economic challenges, including about 6 percent unemployment and 5,000 youths entering the labor market annually. He argues Nisei families should pay special attention to employment planning.
• Ferry Pearl: Utah State Fair Art Competition Winner John Mizuno, by Alice Kasai, page 5. Utah artist John Mizuno won first place in both the modern oil and watercolor divisions at the Utah State Fair. A former 442nd veteran, he has exhibited widely and plans a one-man show in San Francisco.

Community

• Issei Grower Buys Old Hospital Site, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Issei strawberry grower T. Kizuka purchased the old Watsonville county hospital building and apartments for $48,000. The sale was handled through real estate operator R. Hopkins.
• Girl of Noble Japanese Birth Learning American Ways, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tamaka Matsudaira, a descendant of the Tokugawa clan, works as a secretary for an architectural firm in Los Angeles. She describes enjoying American freeways, shoes, and the greater freedoms women have gained since the war.
• Nisei Grower Enters Onion Growing Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Royal Koji of Oregon Slope is competing in a national onion growing challenge issued by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, with an estimated yield of over 1000 sacks per acre. The contest aims to defend Malheur County’s reputation.
• Sansei, Eisenhower Shake Hands, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Eisenhower visited the Louie Ohlen farm near Brighton, Colorado, where he shook hands with four-year-old Phyllis Sasa. The Sasa family are tenants on the farm.
• Goodwill Stone Lantern Given to Seattle Seat, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A stone lantern from Yokohama will serve as a goodwill memento for Long Beach, sent in appreciation for the rose garden display from the city’s people. The gift was requested by a Yokohama official.
• Nisei Joins Robert Shaw Chorale Tour, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Honolulu tenor Shigeru Hotoke joined the Robert Shaw Chorale for a national tour, accepting a one-year engagement. He hoped the experience would benefit his teaching career.
• Co-Op Investors Sign Up as First Advertisers in ’54 PC Holiday Issue, by Smoky Sakurada, page 4. The Chicago Co-Operative Investors became the first organization to sign up for greetings in the 1954 Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue. The column also reports on community news including pianist Lily Miki’s concert and JACL events.
• Arizona JACL Honors Sato with Award, by Robert Uno, page 4. Carl K. Sato, the first Nisei candidate for the Arizona legislature, received the Arizona JACL Distinguished Service Award at the September chapter meeting. Sato was running as the Republican candidate for Mesa-Lehi district.
• Gilroy JACL Thanksgiving Day Dance Site Selected, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Gilroy JACL secured a venue and band for its first annual Thanksgiving dance at the IOOF Temple. George Porcella’s orchestra will provide music.
• Gov. Knight’s Convention Speech: Japanese Americans Help Make State a Better Place, by Gov. Goodwin Knight, page 8. Governor Knight praised Japanese Americans for their agricultural contributions, wartime service, and civic participation in California. He cited the record of Nisei veterans and the growing number of naturalized Issei.

Obituaries

• Aiko Saita, Nisei Singer, Dies in Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Canadian-born Nisei alto Aiko Saita died of an intestinal tumor in Tokyo at age 44. She had been popular in Japan and internationally after studying music in Milan.

Commentary

• Tokyo Topics: Tamotsu Murayama on Mrs. Tomoko Yamamoto, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Murayama profiles Mrs. Tomoko Yamamoto, an Issei woman in Des Moines who has improved American home interiors through Japanese decorating and flower arrangement. He notes her long service and influence as an editorial adviser to Better Homes magazine.
• Washington Newsletter: Statistical Activities of the 83rd Congress, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka summarizes the legislative record of the 83rd Congress, noting JACL’s best showing since the 80th Congress with seven public bills benefiting persons of Japanese ancestry. He highlights the Refugee Relief Act amendment, the Nisei election law fix, and evacuation claims appropriations.
• Very Truly Yours, by Harry Honda, page 2. Honda discusses the risks and opportunities of foreign trade, noting that many Japanese American importers are active in the competitive import-export business. He observes that the era of quick profits is over.
• Mailbox: Pacific Coast Student Scholarship Students Defended, by George Minamiki, S.J., page 8. Father Minamiki defends Japanese students studying in the U.S. against sweeping generalizations made in a previous article. He argues that many depend on scholarships and that their struggles for education deserve understanding.
• Nisei Vignettes: Opinion on Japanese Students, by P.C. Staff, page 9. A reader letter argues that the Japanese students’ hardships deserve sympathy, not condemnation. The writer urges Nisei to help bridge the cultural gap with these students.
• Smoglites: First Day in Honolulu, by Mary Oyama, page 9. Mary Oyama recounts her first day in Honolulu, describing local customs, foods like lomi salmon and lau-lau, and the city’s sights. She notes the warm hospitality of her hostess Mrs. Addie You.
• The Sou’wester: PC Holiday Time, by Tats Kushida, page 10. Kushida urges chapters and businesses to support the Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue, noting early ad sales. He also thanks volunteers from the JACL Club Service Bureau.
• Editorials: Deaths in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The editorial reflects on the death of fisherman Aikichi Kuboyama from the hydrogen bomb test and the Toya Maru ferry disaster that killed over 1,100 people. It notes the limits of human judgment in underestimating dangers.
• Editorials: What Has JACL Done?, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The editorial answers the common question about JACL achievements by pointing to Mike Masaoka’s Washington Newsletter summary of the 83rd Congress. It recommends the article as reference for membership solicitors.

JACL

• Your National Director Reports, by Masao W. Satow, page 5. Satow summarizes decisions of the 13th Biennial National JACL Council, including credentials policy, constitutional revisions, a $2 membership dues increase, and the 1000 Club. He also reports on budget, finance, legislative, and evacuation claims matters.

Sports

• Sportscope: Football, Golf, and Bowling News, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Roundup of Nisei athletics including Univ. of Hawaii’s football win over Fresno State and results from the Chicago JACL golf tournament. Also reports Fuzzy Shimada’s listing among top bowlers.
• H.O. Produce Cops CL Convention Team Title by Single Pin, by P.C. Staff, page 10. H.O. Produce Co. won the team bowling title at the JACL Convention tournament at West Pico Bowl. Full results for singles, doubles, and mixed events are listed.

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