Vol. 39, No. 11, September 10, 1954. 12 pages. View this issue
The 13th Biennial National JACL Convention in Los Angeles filled most of this issue. The National Council unanimously adopted resolutions opposing totalitarianism, and George Inagaki of Venice, Calif., was re-elected National President. Ex-Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura received the Nisei of the Biennium Award from Min Yasui, with Gov. Goodwin J. Knight giving the main address. Judge John F. Aiso spoke at the Issei Recognitions Banquet, and Dore Schary gave the keynote address, printed on page 6.
The paper also covered the House Judiciary Subcommittee’s hearings in San Francisco and Los Angeles on evacuation claims. Mike M. Masaoka wrote about them, and Haruo Ishimaru reported on testimony from wartime Mayor Fletcher Bowron. Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Larry Tajiri, Harry Honda and Tamotsu Murayama look back on the week, and Lawrence Nakatsuka reports on Nisei candidates in Hawaii.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- National JACL Hits Communism, Renews Pledge to America; Inagaki Elected to Second Term as National President, page 2. At the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention in Los Angeles, the National Council unanimously adopted resolutions opposing all forms of totalitarianism, including fascism and communism, while also addressing international relations with Japan. George Inagaki of Venice, Calif., was re-elected National President, and the new 1954-56 cabinet was installed by Dr. Thomas T. Yatabe.
- Japanese Contributions to State, Nation Lauded by Gov. Knight, page 3. California Governor Goodwin J. Knight addressed over 400 people at the JACL convention, praising the contributions of Issei and Nisei to California and the nation, specifically naming several accomplished Nisei leaders. He highlighted the 23,000 Nisei who served in the armed forces and praised the work of Hiroshi Miyamura and Mike Masaoka.
- Nisei Recognitions Banquet Installs New Officers, Honors Miyamura with Biennium Award, page 4. At the Nisei Recognitions Banquet, Dr. Randolph Sakada announced special awards and Silver Medallion honors for distinguished community leadership, while Min Yasui presented the Nisei of the Biennium Award to ex-Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura. Governor Knight delivered the principal address, and tributes were paid to outgoing officers including George Inagaki and Dr. Thomas Yatabe.
- Issei Contribution to America Cited, Granting of Citizenship May Help Keep Asia in Free World, page 7. Judge John F. Aiso delivered the principal address at the Issei Recognitions Banquet, praising the Issei’s lifetime of toil and sacrifice in raising Nisei children as loyal Americans. He argued that naturalization of Issei removes the stigma of unassimilability and plays an important role in the ideological struggle to keep Asia free from Communist domination.
- Issei Recognitions Banquet Draws Over 500, Honors New Citizens, page 8. Saburo Kido served as toastmaster for the Issei Recognitions Banquet honoring newly naturalized citizens, with greetings read from President Eisenhower and Lt. Gen. Joseph Swing. Mike Masaoka spoke of JACL’s role in winning passage of the Walter-McCarran naturalization law, noting over 6,000 Issei have become naturalized citizens.
National
- Evacuation Claims Hearings, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka’s Washington Newsletter column recounts the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Claims’ week of public hearings in San Francisco and Los Angeles on evacuation claims, noting the friendly and sympathetic atmosphere among congressmen. He discusses likely legislative outcomes including filing deadlines, judicial review, compromise ceilings, and JACL’s effective legislative groundwork in arranging witnesses and testimony.
- 64 Nisei Candidates in Hawaiian Elections; Interesting Races Seen, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. The Honolulu Newsletter column reports that 64 Nisei have filed as candidates in Hawaii’s biennial political elections, representing 30 percent of all 213 candidates for territorial and county offices. The piece highlights several key races including Senate and House contests featuring Nisei war veterans and a comeback attempt by a former admitted Communist Party member.
Community
- Issei Couple Booked for Distilling Sake, page 3. An elderly Issei couple in Seattle were arrested after a raid on their rooming house turned up 100 gallons of sake and a homemade still. The wife explained they made the liquor for personal use, saying it was good to have a drink after eating.
- Okinawa Star: Goro Murata Joins Newly Organized Okinawa Morning Star, page 3. Goro Murata, a former Montebello, Calif. resident and Nisei newsman who was business manager for the Nippon Times, has joined the newly organized Okinawa Morning Star in Naha. A Whittier College graduate, he will serve as director, business manager, and secretary-treasurer for the new American-owned English daily.
- Another Nisei Appointed to Fowler City Council, page 5. Floyd Yoshio Honda, 47, was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Fowler City Council. A 1927 graduate of Fowler High School, he is active in local Lions, Chamber of Commerce, and the JACL chapter.
- Tokyo Topics: JACL Convention Inspiring, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 8. Murayama’s column congratulates Los Angeles JACLers on a successful convention and reflects on the transformation of Issei attitudes toward the JACL movement over the decades. He praises George Inagaki’s leadership and Sgt. Miyamura’s modesty, while calling for continued unity and warning that JACL’s most critical period lies ahead.
- Chicago Corner, by Smoky Sakurada, page 8. This Chicago chapter news column reports that pianist Lily Miki will perform in concert Sept. 25 at Kimball Hall under Chicago chapter sponsorship, with proceeds benefiting young Nisei artists. The column also covers local Chicago news including Roosevelt College’s renaming and various community events.
- Los Angeles Newsletter, by Henry Mori, page 11. Mori’s column recaps convention highlights, praising orators Mike Masaoka and John F. Aiso at the Issei Recognitions Banquet and crediting Min Yasui’s reporting assistance during the convention. He also reports that Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura became a father to a son named Mike Y. Miyamura during the convention, and that newspaperman Tamotsu Murayama presented Boy Scout appreciation medals at a Koyasan ceremony.
- Stockton Photographer Still Missing, page 11. Reports that missing Nisei photographer Gunji Watanabe had been seen boarding a bus in Seattle proved false after his wife and father investigated. Watanabe has been missing since Aug. 14, and the supposed sighting turned out to be a different person matching his general description.
- Drunkard Bumped 8 Ft. by Car, Wine Bottle Unbroken, page 11. A 54-year-old Mexican man was treated for head cuts and jailed for drunkenness in Denver after walking into a car driven by Donald T. Uno. Remarkably, the wine bottle he was carrying remained unbroken despite being knocked more than eight feet by the impact.
Incarceration & Redress
- Bowron Tells Jonas Subcommittee His Role on Japanese Evacuation, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 3. Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson opened hearings on Japanese American evacuation losses, while wartime Mayor Fletcher Bowron confessed his personal role in evacuation and admitted the injustice to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Claims. ABC newscaster Chet Huntley also testified about covering the evacuation and the stoicism he witnessed among internees at Poston.
- Persons Who Aided Japanese During Evacuation Period Honored by JACL, page 5. At the first JACL Convention luncheon, Dr. Roy Nishikawa welcomed delegates and the convention honored non-Japanese allies with Certificates of Appreciation, including Esther Bartlett, A.L. Wirin, and Father Hugh Lavery for their assistance during the war years. Loren Miller of the NAACP accepted an engraved scroll on behalf of honorees, calling for continued unity in the fight for equality.
- Claims Hearings Continue with Testimony from Attorneys and Claimants, page 11. Continuing coverage of the evacuation claims hearings details testimony from attorneys Tom Hayashi, Harold Gordon, and Min Yasui regarding difficulties facing claimants outside major claims offices, plus testimony from numerous individual claimants about farm, business, and property losses. JACL officers and Mike Masaoka were commended by congressmen on the subcommittee for their legislative work.
Arts & Entertainment
- Violinist Recital, page 5. Japanese violinist Kenji Kobayashi will be presented in recital at Union Church in Los Angeles, performing Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor. The event is sponsored by the Nisei Music Guild.
Commentary
- New Horizons: Contribute Heritage to America, by Dore Schary, page 6. MGM production chief Dore Schary’s keynote address at the JACL Convention argues against the idea of a ‘standardized’ American, urging minority groups to retain their diversity while contributing to American life. He warns against hate-mongers who exploit diversity to divide Americans and calls for strength against recklessness and irresponsibility.
- Dr. Bunche Goes Up, by Seattle Post-Intelligencer, page 6. This reprinted editorial praises Dr. Ralph Bunche’s appointment as Undersecretary for the United Nations, calling him a world-wide troubleshooter who has already demonstrated his talent in negotiating the Israeli-Arab armistice. The piece notes pride both in his personal achievement as the son of a slave and as evidence of American democracy at work.
- Very Truly Yours: Convention After-Thoughts, by Harry Honda, page 8. Honda recounts personal memories and highlights from the JACL convention, including Dore Schary’s keynote speech, Loren Miller’s call for unity, and various humorous moments among delegates. He closes by noting he only managed 16 hours of sleep during the five-day convention.
- New Horizons, page 12. This Pacific Citizen editorial reflects on the significance of the 13th Biennial National JACL Convention, highlighting Dore Schary’s keynote speech, Mike Masaoka’s historical review, and Judge Aiso’s tribute to Issei pioneers. The editorial commends convention chairman Dr. Roy Nishikawa and his many volunteer helpers for the convention’s success.
- From the Frying Pan: Sunshine Makes Her Itch, by Bill Hosokawa, page 12. Hosokawa profiles dancer Michiko Iseri, who performs in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ‘The King and I’ and helped choreographer Jerome Robbins develop the show’s acclaimed dance sequences. The column traces her journey from a child dancer studying odori in Los Angeles to a leading figure in the Broadway production, including her time at Heart Mountain internment camp.
- Vagaries: Selling Habits Changing, by Larry Tajiri, page 12. Tajiri’s column discusses a Denver survey of 101 homeowners showing decreasing racial prejudice in home sales, with 57 percent willing to sell to Nisei buyers compared to only 15 percent five years earlier. He also includes entertainment news about Nisei performers including Tommy Kono, Shirley Yamaguchi, and Michiko Iseri’s acclaimed dance role in ‘The King and I’.
Military & Veterans
- 1st RMC Nisei Graduate, page 11. Lt. Tony Takashi Baba, 22, of Chatham, Ontario, is now serving with the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Korea. He is the first Nisei graduate of the Royal Military College at Kingston, commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation in 1953.
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