Evacuation claims hearings and the Hashimura Togo stereotype

Vol. 41, No. 15, October 7, 1955. 8 pages. View this issue

Compensation for losses from the wartime forced removal ran through much of this eight-page issue. Congressional hearings on the Lane-Hillings bill (HR 7763) were held in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with testimony from congressmen, attorneys and JACL president George Inagaki. Mike Masaoka’s Washington newsletter reviewed the hearings, and an editorial answered the Justice Department’s objections. On page one, Larry Tajiri’s Vagaries column traced the Hashimura Togo stereotype from Wallace Irwin’s 1906 stories to Bob Kinoshita’s appearance on Milton Berle’s television show.

Elsewhere, Masaoka answered a New Leader article that called the JACL merely a social club, and the issue followed the housing case of Dr. Sammy Lee. Bill Hosokawa wrote about Japanese cancer specialists visiting Denver, and Tats Kushida described the Fishermen’s Fiesta at Los Angeles Harbor. Chapter news, bowling results and plans for the 442nd Fox Company reunion fill the later pages.

What’s in this issue

In-Depth

• Hashimura Togo and the Evolution of the Japanese Stereotype in American Entertainment, page 1. Larry Tajiri traces the origin of the Hashimura Togo stereotype from Wallace Irwin’s 1906 Collier’s stories through prewar films and radio to postwar television. He notes how Bob Kinoshita’s TV role on Milton Berle’s show offered a more literate, dignified portrayal.

National

• Pre- & Post-Evacuation Expenses Item Revives Wide Claimant Interest, page 1. Congressional hearings on the Lane-Hillings bill (HR 7763) prompted renewed interest in compensation for evacuation expenses. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Claims heard testimony in San Francisco and Los Angeles on the proposed lump-sum payments.
• Officials Urge Passage of Claims Legislation at West Coast Hearings, page 1. State and city officials and Northern California congressmen urged passage of legislation to expedite remaining evacuation claims. Los Angeles hearings featured testimony from congressmen, attorneys, and JACL president George Inagaki.
• 3rd Pacific Mayors Meet in Yokohama Nov. 10-11, page 2. The third Pacific Mayors Conference will be held in Yokohama to promote relations between Japan and U.S. Pacific coast cities. American mayors will tour Japan’s major tourist spots afterward.
• JACL Defended in Reply to Article on Sammy Lee Housing Case in New Leader, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 3. Masaoka responded to a New Leader article by Rev. Robert Lee that dismissed the JACL as merely a social club. He detailed JACL’s record of civil rights activity, including fighting alien land laws and school segregation.
• Claims Hearings on West Coast Continued, page 4. Testimony at the Los Angeles hearings on the Lane-Hillings amendment included congressmen, attorneys, and Mike Masaoka, who stressed international implications. The Los Angeles City Council adopted a resolution supporting the bill.
• Holifield Statement to Lane Subcommittee, page 4. Rep. Chet Holifield submitted a statement thanking the subcommittee for pursuing just determination of evacuation claims. He described Japanese Americans as industrious and law-abiding and urged favorable action on HR 7763.
• National Director’s Report: Masao Satow on San Francisco Convention and Claims Hearings, by Masao Satow, page 5. Satow reports on San Francisco chapter taking over 1956 convention hosting duties and on the evacuation claims hearings. He also covers the State Pension residency issue and the Romero school segregation case.
• D.C. JACL Asks White House Aid in Integration of Metropolitan Police Boys Club, page 5. The Washington D.C. JACL asked President Eisenhower to help integrate the Metropolitan Police Boys Club, which operates segregated programs. Masaoka argued the policy conflicts with the administration’s stated goals.
• Washington Newsletter: Claims Hearings on West Coast End; Real Task Ahead, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka reviews the concluded West Coast hearings on the Lane Bill and contrasts them with last year’s. He criticizes testimony from a Justice Department attorney and outlines the long legislative road ahead.

Community

• Rep. Clair Engle to Address Placer County JACL Goodwill Dinner, page 1. Rep. Clair Engle of Red Bluff will speak at the Placer County JACL 15th annual goodwill dinner on Nov. 21 in Roseville. Committee chairmen for the event were named.
• Father Minamiki Named First Principal of New Hiroshima Catholic High School, page 2. Fr. George Minamiki, S.J., a 1941 Loyola graduate, was named first principal of the Collegium Hiroshima, opening in 1956. The California Jesuit Province is responsible for the new school.
• Japanese Babies Available for Adoption in Denver, page 3. Denver Child Welfare officials report Japanese infants are available for adoption, though qualified adoptive parents are hard to find. Applications can be filed through the JACL office.
• Piano Teacher Home After 19-Yr Japan Stay, page 3. Vera Tanaka Matsumura, a former Oakland piano teacher, returned from 19 years in Japan. She plans to resume teaching in the Bay Area and continue studying with a concert pianist.
• Carnival Time in Chicago, by Smoky Sakurada, page 4. The Chicago JACL annual carnival will be held Oct. 22-23 at Olivet gym with a tearoom, door prizes, and Operation X-2. The column also notes a basketball benefit game and other Chicago community news.
• Two Different Double Features Billed for Gardena Valley Benefit, page 4. The Gardena Valley JACL will screen Japanese films at the Japanese Community Center on Oct. 14-15. Features include Mikuden Aiutsu and Nuregami Gompachi on Friday and Kino to Asu no Aida on Saturday.
• Alameda County JACL Sets Harvest Barbecue, page 4. The Alameda County JACL will honor Nisei growers at its annual harvest barbecue at Warm Springs School on Oct. 22. Dinner will cost $1.50 per plate.
• Housing Panel Attracts Attention at East Los Angeles JACL, page 7. The East Los Angeles JACL held a panel on housing discrimination featuring Mary Lee Shon, John Buggs, and John Ty Saito. Speakers discussed segregation and the need for integration in housing.
• Toyo Miyatake’s Son Bobby Working in New York, page 7. Bobby Miyatake, son of photographer Toyo Miyatake, now works as an assistant fashion photographer for Vogue in New York. He was recommended by Art Center after completing his certificate.

Commentary

• Japanese Medical Profession Helps, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa describes visits by Japanese cancer experts Dr. Komei Nakayama and Dr. Sadao Kashihara to Denver. He reports on Nakayama’s rapid stomach surgery techniques and Kashihara’s observations on cancer incidence and polio immunity in Japan.
• Hollywood Films and Japanese Audiences, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. Murayama argues that American films such as Blackboard Jungle and House of Bamboo fuel anti-American sentiment in Japan. He criticizes Hollywood for producing sexy and gangster pictures that harm Japanese-American friendship.
• Honolulu Newsletter: Lawrence Nakatsuka on Leave for Far East Goodwill Mission, by Larry Nakatsuka, page 3. Nakatsuka will take about 2.5 months leave to tour Asia for the U.S. State Department, visiting Japan, Hong Kong, Burma, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Pakistan. He is the first Nisei-born spokesman for the International Educational Exchange Service.
• San Francisco Hospitality, by Howard M. Imazaki, page 3. Imazaki praises the National JACL for hosting visiting Congressmen and staff at a Chinese dinner in San Francisco regarding evacuation claims. He notes Congressman Lane’s sympathy toward Japanese American claims.
• Where’s That Probe?, page 3. The author questions the lack of any investigation promised by Housing Administrator Albert Cole after Dr. Sammy Lee was denied a home loan in a FHA-insured subdivision. The piece argues government is complicit in housing discrimination.
• Dateline Northwest: Dog Shows Up Master, by Budd Fukei, page 5. Fukei writes about the contrast between a well-behaved collie and neighborhood dogs that trespass and frustrate his lawn care. He concludes that a dog is only man’s best friend when its owner keeps it properly.
• The Sou’wester: Okai and Whodunit, by Tats Kushida, page 6. Kushida playfully analyzes the Japanese term yamato-damashii and recognizes JACL volunteers who helped prepare the Lane Subcommittee hearings. He also notes attorneys and officials who supported the amendment.
• Editorials: Against 92 Percent, page 8. The editorial responds to Justice Department objections that liberalizing the evacuation claims law would disadvantage the 92 percent of claimants already paid. It argues all evacuation losses should be recognized.
• Newspaper Week, by Harry Honda, page 8. The editorial marks National Newspaper Week, emphasizing press freedom and the durability of the printed word. It notes the Pacific Citizen files serve as a research source on persons of Japanese ancestry.
• Fishermen’s Fiesta, by Tats Kushida, page 8. Kushida describes the ninth Fishermen’s Fiesta at Los Angeles Harbor, its decorated boats, and the USS Rochester open house. He also notes the changed landscape of Terminal Island since prewar days.

Arts & Entertainment

• VistaVision Visits Japan Playing on U.S. Screens, page 2. James A. Fitzpatrick released a color travelogue showing Japan’s scenic spots, Ikebana, Odori, and sukiyaki. The film was released in New York in late August.

Military & Veterans

• San Francisco Hosts Fox Co. Reunion, page 3. The 442nd RCT Fox Company reunion will be held Nov. 11-13 in San Francisco, hosted by local Fox veterans. The program includes tours, a golf tournament, dinners, and a Monte Carlo night.
• Sammy Lee’s Purchase Home Near Garden Grove, page 3. Maj. Sammy Lee and his family were welcomed by neighbors in Garden Grove after purchasing a home despite earlier housing discrimination. Neighbors planned a block party to welcome the family.

JACL

• Membership and Renewals to the 1000 Club, page 4. JACL chapters submitted membership renewals to the 1000 Club during September 1955. Members are listed by chapter and year of membership.
• Chapter Memos: Salt Lake City and Venice-Culver JACL, page 4. Salt Lake City JACL heard Dr. Oakley Gordon speak on human relations at its Oct. 1 meeting. Venice-Culver JACL plans a pre-Halloween potluck on Oct. 22.
• JACL Defended Against Charges of Being Merely Social Club, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka’s reply to Rev. Robert Lee lists JACL’s civil rights achievements, including school desegregation and housing campaigns. He argues the JACL record speaks for itself.

Sports

• Yoyo Konishi Bowls 276 Game in Seattle, page 7. Seattle bowler Yoyo Konishi rolled a 276 game in a women’s league at Recreation Lanes. She has previously won national bowling titles in 1950 and 1951.
• D.C. JACL Bowling League Starts Rolling, page 7. The Washington D.C. JACL mixed bowling league began a six-team season ending April 27. Team captains and chapter officers were named.

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