John F. Aiso named to the Los Angeles Municipal Court

Vol. 37, No. 13, September 25, 1953. 8 pages. View this issue

John F. Aiso’s appointment to the Los Angeles Municipal Court led the news. Governor Warren named the 43-year-old to the vacancy left by Judge Ben Rosenthal’s death, making Aiso the first mainland Nisei appointed to a California judgeship. Harry K. Hondo’s piece on page 6 looked back at his work in the community before the war and his years as a Superior Court commissioner. Also on the front page, the National JACL planned to cooperate with a new government committee on job discrimination, and President Eisenhower signed the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation.

Citizenship ran through the rest of the issue: swearing-in ceremonies in Honolulu and Phoenix, an I Am An American Day dinner in Seattle, and Issei citizenship classes at several JACL chapters. Mike Masaoka answered questions about the Supreme Court, and Larry Tajiri and Bill Hsia wrote columns. The sports pages followed Kinji Shibuya’s title match, Ford Konno’s swimming record and the New York Giants’ tour of Japan.

What’s in this issue

National

• Japanese American Named to Los Angeles Municipal Bench, by P.C. Staff, page 1. John F. Aiso, 43, became the first mainland Nisei appointed to a California judgeship when Governor Warren named him to the Los Angeles Municipal Court to fill the vacancy left by Judge Ben Rosenthal’s death. Aiso served as a military intelligence instructor during World War II and rose to lieutenant-colonel.
• JACL to Join Government Fight on Job Bias, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL will cooperate with the newly created Government Contract Compliance Committee, established by executive order from President Eisenhower to address employment discrimination. The Washington JACL office will represent persons of Japanese ancestry before the committee.
• Eisenhower Signs U.S.-Japan Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Eisenhower signed the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation with Japan, completing ratification of an agreement first signed in April. The treaty grants nationals of each country most-favored-nation treatment regarding entry, residence, property and commercial activity.
• Largest Mass Swear-In Rites of Hawaii Includes 136 Japanese, by By Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 1. In Honolulu, 209 new citizens including 136 Japanese nationals took the oath of allegiance in the largest swearing-in ceremony in Hawaii’s history before 800 spectators. Governor Samuel Wilder King and Delegate Joseph Farrington offered congratulations at the McKinley High School auditorium event.
• Questions and Answers on the Supreme Court, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Washington Newsletter columnist Mike Masaoka answers reader questions about the Supreme Court as President Eisenhower prepares to name a Chief Justice. The column covers rejected nominees, past chief justices, and the court’s liberal and conservative leanings.
• Seattle JACL Honors 151 Naturalized Issei at ‘I Am An American’ Day, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Seattle JACL honored 151 Japan-born residents naturalized over the past year at an I Am An American Day dinner. Congressman Thomas Pelly welcomed the new citizens with remarks about Seattle’s Japanese American community.

Community

• Arizona Issei Head Largest Group Naturalized in Phoenix, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Thirty-one Arizona Issei were among 102 persons naturalized at a Phoenix U.S. District Court ceremony, the largest group sworn in at one time there. The article lists the new citizens and notes earlier diploma ceremonies for Arizona JACL citizenship students.
• California Bedding Plant Marketing Order Still in Force, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Los Angeles court ruling declaring the California bedding plant marketing order invalid did not halt its enforcement, according to the state Bureau of Markets. Henry Ishida, chairman of the Bedding Plant Advisory Board, explained the order’s purpose and benefits to Japanese American growers.
• Catholic Interracial Features Nisei Story, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Catholic Interracial Council’s September issue featured an article by Mary Minamoto about her family’s experiences during the Dec. 7, 1941 evacuation, incarceration and resettlement. The piece also discusses recent Congressional legislation providing reparations for evacuation claims.
• Chapter Notes and Nisei Achievements Roundup, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A roundup of Nisei achievements includes scholarship awards, a Mexican Independence Day honor for a Los Angeles JACL chapter representative, and a Cortez Growers Co-op success story. Numerous individuals are recognized for academic and professional accomplishments.
• Mountain-Plains District Confab Dates in Query, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Denver JACL will host the Mountain Plains District Council conference in late November, with chapter presidents being queried on date preferences. District chairman George Masunaga announced the planning details.
• Denver JACL to Honor 24 Issei Citizens, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Twenty-four Issei who recently became citizens will be feted by the Denver JACL at a fall social and dinner program on October 21. Dr. George Takeno and John Noguchi are organizing the event.
• Pacific Northwest District Council Plans December Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pacific Northwest District Council began preparations for its December 5-6 convention in Portland. Co-chairmen Martha Osaki and Henry Kato announced a schedule including dance, banquet, golf, and a Mt. Hood outing.
• Fowler JACL Citizenship Class Graduates 76 Students, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Seventy-six students received certificates from the Fowler JACL American citizenship course taught by Gary Kadani and Mitsuzo Yamane. Fujito, 85, was the oldest student to complete the program.
• Chapter Memo: Citizenship Classes and Local Activities, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Several JACL chapters reported on citizenship classes and local events, including Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Downtown Los Angeles, Detroit, and San Francisco. Enrollment, instructors, and program plans were described.
• John Aiso Named to Los Angeles Municipal Court, by Harry K. Hondo, page 6. The article celebrates John F. Aiso’s appointment as the first Nisei to hold a judicial post on the mainland, recognizing Japanese Americans’ acceptance in American life. The writer recounts Aiso’s pre-war community involvement and his years as a Superior Court commissioner.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Designer Wins Printing Week Stamp Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Honolulu artist Hiromu Maehara took first place in the Printing Week stamp design contest sponsored by the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen. His design will serve as the official emblem of 1954 Printing Week nationwide.
• Nisei Surgeon-Chemist Awarded Lilly Prize for Blood Research, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Dr. Harvey A. Itano of Pasadena was named recipient of the 1954 Eli Lilly and Co. Award in biological chemistry for fundamental research. The $1,000 award recognizes outstanding young American chemists.

Commentary

• Japanese Newspaper Front-Page Salt Lake City Story, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 3. Japan Bureau correspondent Tamotsu Murayama recounts how Japan’s first modern daily, the Nichi Nichi Shimbun, reported on the 1872 Iwakura Embassy’s visit to Salt Lake City. The embassy was snowed in and observed the Mormon community with curiosity.
• Public Housing, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The editorial reviews improved housing opportunities for Nisei after the war while noting that low-cost housing for newly married Nisei free of discrimination remains unresolved. It argues that slum clearance and freeway projects displace families without providing adequate replacement housing.
• Watch the Kids, by Harry K. Hondo, page 8. The columnist warns about rising juvenile delinquency among Nisei and Sansei in Los Angeles and urges parents and community organizations to provide wholesome youth activities. Officer Stanley Uno of the LAPD is quoted on the need for community-wide prevention.
• Meetin’ People’s Fun, by Bill Hsia, page 8. Columnist Bill Hsia describes meeting Japanese Americans and war brides at the JACL dinner honoring Hiroshi Miyamura in Gallup, New Mexico. He also details the travels of national JACL director Mas Satow to the event.
• Till the Day I Die, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Larry Tajiri reflects on visiting the mummies in the church of San Angel in Mexico City as a metaphor for religious and political persecution. He reflects on the continuing repression of non-conformity in the modern world.

In-Depth

• Modern Japanese Hotel Overlooks Oregon Students’ Visit, by Ann Sullivan, page 5. Oregonian staff writer Ann Sullivan profiles ten Japanese graduate students who spent a month living with American host families in Eugene through the Experiment in International Living. The article describes how the visitors adjusted to American home life and customs.

Sports

• ‘Barefoot Boy Makes Good’: Nisei Wrestler Gets Crack at World Title, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Kinji Shibuya, a Honolulu-based Nisei wrestler, challenged world heavyweight champion Lou Thesz in Minneapolis, losing after a salt-throwing incident was spotted by the referee. Shibuya, formerly a Los Angeles football player, gained attention through television wrestling.
• Bloomer Girls Edged Out in National Baseball Title Series, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Mitchell’s Maids defeated the Bloomer Girls five games to four in the National Baseball Girls’ World Series, with Denver’s Nancy Ito playing shortstop for the losing side. The series went the full nine games.
• Nisei Gridder Dies From Neck Injury in Practice, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Yuichiro Doi, a 20-year-old Honolulu freshman at Midland College, died after suffering a dislocated neck during a tackle in football scrimmage. Funeral services were held at Nuuanu Memorial Park Mortuary.
• Konno Establishes New Mexican 1,500-M Swimming Record, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ford Konno of Honolulu set a new Mexican national record in the 1,500-meter freestyle with a time of 20:20.4. The performance was well below his Olympic mark.
• New York Giants to Play Japanese Professional Teams, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The New York Giants will play 14 games against Japanese professional baseball teams beginning October 17 against the Tokyo Giants. The tour is sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun and is the first Major League team tour of Japan.

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