Hawaii statehood, a new attorney general, and Nisei at the polls

Vol. 34, No. 10, March 8, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Hawaii was the main subject of this eight-page issue. Michio Watanabe was sworn in as Territorial Attorney General on Feb. 29, the second Japanese American to receive a cabinet appointment under Governor Oren E. Long. In Washington, the Senate voted March 3 to take up the Tidelands oil bill after a heated debate in which Sen. Knowland recalled the 442nd’s rescue of the Lost Battalion. A Hawaii delegation traveled east to answer Sen. Tom Connally’s remarks. Larry Tajiri wrote about Nisei candidacies in Guadalupe and Livingston, and Bill Hosokawa reviewed the publicity for Japanese War Bride.

Also inside: the House set floor debate on the Walter immigration bill, and the Justice Department extended the deadline for compromise evacuation claims to March 22. Min Yasui announced he would leave his JACL regional post. The New York Newspaper Guild added the word Jap to its forbidden list. Page 5 covers the National JACL bowling tournament in Denver.

What’s in this issue

National

• Michio Watanabe Sworn In as Hawaii Territorial Attorney General, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California-born Nisei Michio Watanabe was sworn in as Territorial Attorney General of Hawaii on Feb. 29, becoming the second Japanese American to receive a cabinet appointment under Governor Oren E. Long. His background includes service in the territorial attorney general’s office and private law practice in Hilo.
• Hawaiian Statehood Opponents Reminded on Senate Floor of 442nd War Record, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate voted March 3 to consider the Tidelands oil bill after acrimonious debate over Hawaiian statehood, during which Sen. Knowland cited the 442nd’s rescue of the Lost Battalion. Sen. Connally’s remarks questioning Hawaii’s Americanism prompted protests and a Hawaii veterans’ delegation to Washington.
• House Sets Floor Debate on Walter Omnibus Immigration Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House will debate the Walter omnibus immigration and naturalization bill on March 13 under a four-hour open rule secured by Reps. Walter and Celler. JACL ADC director Mike Masaoka called the bill an overall improvement and a step toward complete equality, despite retaining Asia-related restrictions.
• Supreme Court Refuses Bid to Review Decision, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Duplicate entry omitted.
• House Group Favors Private Bills to Aid Japan Aliens, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The House Judiciary Committee favorably reported eight private bills for persons of Japanese ancestry, most admitting adopted or minor children of American citizens. The House was expected to approve them when it considers the private calendar.
• Senate Group Reports Out Three Bills, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported three private bills, including one restoring citizenship to Helen Sadako Yamamoto of Seattle and others admitting a Japanese wife and an adopted child. Each bill followed the expatriation or entry issues affecting Nisei families.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Soldier Hurt in Action in Korea War, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Defense Department reported Corporal Takeo Niino of Honolulu wounded in action in Korea. The brief notes his family and location.
• Nisei Veteran Challenges Texas Senator on Loyalty, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Nisei 442nd veteran joined a Hawaii delegation traveling to Washington to challenge Sen. Tom Connally’s remarks about Hawaii’s Americanism. The delegation was funded by a community fund drive after Connally questioned Hawaii residents’ loyalty.
• Coast Guardsman Takes Part in Ship Commissioning, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Coast Guard steward Mitsuo Yoshizu was one of 80 crewmen who took part in commissioning the Voice of America courier ship at Bethlehem Steel’s Hoboken shipyards. The brief covers his participation.
• Nisei Veteran Challenges Texas Senator, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Duplicate entry omitted.
• Seek Restoration of Pay, Rank for Nisei Postal Workers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Mike Masaoka urged Congressman Victor Anfuso’s special subcommittee to report out legislation restoring pay, grade, and seniority to Nisei postal workers separated because of evacuation. He argued the bill was remedial and should advance without public hearings.

Community

• Reinstate Liquor Licenses of Two California Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California State Board of Equalization reinstated liquor licenses revoked in 1942 for Edward and Matsu Inabe of Walnut Grove and another Nisei in Marysville under remedial legislation passed the prior year. The restorations followed provisions designed to correct wartime revocations.
• Nisei Files for City Clerk Job in Livingston, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Kazuo Masuda filed as one of three candidates for Livingston city clerk on Feb. 29. He is an active member of the Livingston-Merced JACL chapter.
• Nisei Candidate Seeks Election as Councilman in Guadalupe, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Noboru Miyake, president of the Santa Maria Valley JACL chapter, filed to run for Guadalupe town council, becoming the first Nisei in California to enter a councilmanic election. The election was held March 8 for three vacancies.
• Chicago Housing Group Tells Regrets Over Racist Remarks in Film About Late President, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Housing Conference of Chicago expressed regret to the JACL Midwest office for showing The Roosevelt Story, which contained derogatory commentary about Japanese and German people. The group said the film committee had screened only the first reel and that the film would not have been shown had its contents been known.
• Cleveland Chapter Maps Out Program for Coming Year, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Cleveland JACL program committee under George Ono announced a tentative schedule of social, economic, and political activities for the year. Planned events include a Karamu House trip, a home-buyers clinic, Family Nights, and an Inaugural Ball.
• 40 Veterans, Families Face Eviction at Housing Project, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Forty Nisei veteran families face eviction from Rodger Young Village in Los Angeles as the site is converted to a golf course. JACL Coordinating Council chairman Edison Uno said a mass meeting would seek an extension and new housing for the evictees.
• Supreme Court Refuses Bid to Review Decision Denying Citizen Rights of Strandee, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The US Supreme Court declined to review the Ninth Circuit ruling that Mariko Kuniyuki lost her citizenship by voting in a Japanese election. JACL ADC said the denial does not preclude later review of other Japanese election cases and the office would study next steps.
• Utah Anthropologist Will Discuss Japan Rural Life in Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Edward Norbeck of the University of Utah will lecture on rural Japan and the Inland Sea at the Salt Lake JACL March meeting. The chapter will also present $700 raised for the JACL ADC fund drive to national director Masao Satow.
• Nisei Injured in Bus Mishap, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ruth Kawasaki of Sacramento suffered cuts and bruises when a Burlington Trailways bus overturned off Highway 40 near Reno on March 5. One other passenger was seriously injured.
• Cleveland Chapter to End Campaign for Membership, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Cleveland JACL membership drive closes March 10 as teams compete to surpass last year’s record of 305 members. Winning teams will be honored at a potluck dinner prepared by the losing teams.
• Invite JACL to Participate in Civic Unity Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Chicago Commission on Human Relations invited the Chicago JACL to its fourth civic unity conference, running April 21 through June 2. Chapter president Abe Hagiwara encouraged members to participate in sessions on employment, housing, and other issues.
• Membership Drive Nears Completion in Livingston-Merced, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Livingston-Merced JACL membership drive ends March 15 with four competing teams. Winning team members will receive Pacific Citizen subscriptions or cash awards.
• Chicago Council Plans Spring Dance at Sheraton Hotel, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Girls Inter-Club Council of Chicago announced its Portrait of Spring semi-formal dance for April 12 at the Sheraton Hotel. The event will select a girl who best typifies the portrait of spring.
• Five Nisei Get State Licenses in Oakland Area, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Five Nisei from the Oakland area received state licenses as laboratory technicians and public health bacteriologists after October examinations. The licensees included Taka Inouye, Grace Matsumoto, Tami Nozaki, Terumi Otsuki, and Frances Fujimoto.
• Chicago Teen Girls Group Plans Spring Dance, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Duplicate entry omitted.
• Denver Chapter Notes Progress in Membership, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Denver JACL membership drive had 326 members as of late February, with a victory dinner planned for April after the March 31 close. Individual solicitors were leading the count.
• Kitamura Gets Plaque as Top College Player, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dick Kitamura, former Colorado A and M shortstop, received a plaque from the Denver Bears as the outstanding college senior player in Colorado at the Diamond Dinner. The honor recognized his standout season.
• Japanese Boy Scouts Given Gifts from Salt Lake, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Salt Lake City Boy Scouts donated 275 camping tents to the Boy Scouts of Japan, presented by Gen. Mathew Ridgway on Feb. 24. The gift was a token of friendship and appreciation for cherry trees sent to Salt Lake City’s Peace Garden.
• Name Yamauchi Research Head of L.A. Home, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Chester Yamauchi was appointed research director for the Shonien, the Japanese children’s home of Southern California, to complete a survey that will determine its future. The survey will cover case studies, budgets, and capital needs for reactivation.
• Delano Community Plans Annual Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Delano community will hold its annual picnic March 9 in the Sierra foothills, with Sam Azuma as general chairman and the Delano JACL assisting. Committee assignments were announced for food, transportation, and prizes.
• Cleveland JACL Names Valentine Dance Royalty, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Paul Ohmura and Sadie Katano were named king and queen of hearts at the Cleveland JACL Valentine dance. Recording artists Sunny Gale and Buddy Greco appeared through arrangement with a local radio disc jockey.
• Rev. Ray Installs Dayton Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Rev. Herman S. Ray installed the 1952 officers of the Dayton JACL at a dinner at Chungking Restaurant on Feb. 10. Dr. James Taguchi became president.
• Buddhist Guild Plans Activities, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The West Los Angeles Buddhist Ladies Guild scheduled March meetings, including an Ohigan service and social, and launched a paper drive for church funds. It also plans a choir for Hana Matsuri and other religious services.

Incarceration & Redress

• One-Week Extension Given on Deadline for Compromise Evacuation Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Justice Department extended the deadline for compromise offers on evacuation claims to March 22 to avoid conflict with income tax filing. JACL ADC director Mike Masaoka urged claimants to submit offers promptly, noting compromise awards average 17 percent higher than adjudicated claims.
• California Board Considers Request for Return of Funds Used to Settle Escheat Suits, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California State Board of Control considered roughly $400,000 in claims from Japanese Americans whose property was escheated under the Alien Land law during World War II. Eighteen claims totaling $495,792 were forwarded to the legislature for consideration in the annual omnibus claims bill.

JACL

• Min Yasui Quits Post as JACL Regional Chief, by P.C. Staff, page 3. At a Mountain Plains district council meeting in Denver, regional director Min Yasui announced he would resign June 30 after a year operating the office voluntarily. George Masunaga succeeded Roy Takeno as council chairman, and national director Masao Satow addressed program and policy.

Commentary

• New York News Guild Places Word Jap on Forbidden List After Protest from JACL, by Ina Sugihara, page 3. The New York Newspaper Guild added the word Jap to its forbidden list and urged New York newspapers to stop using it, following a request by Shosuke Sasaki. The resolution cited the term’s damage to American claims of championing human dignity and US-Japan cooperation.
• Hollywood Film Japanese War Bride Opens in Denver, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reviews the publicity for Shirley Yamaguchi’s film Japanese War Bride, which is promoted as a story of miscegenetic love. He comments wryly on the sensational advertising and the film’s prospects.
• The Nisei and the Polls, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Larry Tajiri examines growing political participation by mainland Nisei, citing candidacies in Guadalupe and Livingston and contrasting them with the more established Nisei role in Hawaii politics. He concludes that Nisei voting will become more issue-driven rather than racially bloc-oriented.
• Back at the Mardi Gras, by Roku Sugahara, page 4. Roku Sugahara recounts a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, describing rain-shortened parades and the festival’s traditions. He also observes gambling operations in St. Bernard Parish that continued after Kefauver Committee efforts.

Sports

• Chicago Marigold Arcade Team Wins JACL National Bowling Title, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Chicago’s Marigold Arcade team upset favored San Francisco squads to win the men’s team trophy at the sixth annual National JACL bowling tournament in Denver. Dr. Jun Kurumada of Salt Lake City set a new men’s singles record of 695, and Ken Yee took the all-events title.
• Chiyo Teshima Wins Playoff in JACL Bowling Title, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Chiyo Tashima of Los Angeles won the women’s all-events title in a playoff against Julia Wong of San Francisco after both tied with 1544 pins. Seattle’s Main Bowl took the women’s team event, and San Francisco was chosen to host the 1953 tournament.
• Konno Leads Ohio State to Dual Meet Win, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Hawaiian Nisei freshman Ford Konno set pool, meet, and varsity records in the 220-yard freestyle as Ohio State defeated Michigan for its 24th straight dual meet win. Teammate Yoshinobu Oyakawa finished close behind in the same event.
• Denver Cagers Beat Utah All-Star Team, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Denver’s Nisei All-Stars defeated the visiting JAAU All-Stars from Utah 81 to 47 in the feature game of a three-day invitational basketball tournament. The win positioned Denver as a favorite for the upcoming Intermountain JACL tournament in Salt Lake City.

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