Vol. 37, No. 10, September 4, 1953. 8 pages. View this issue
News of Nisei soldiers freed from Communist captivity in Korea ran through this eight-page issue. Cpl. Takeshi Mukai of Tacoma told of being beaten because of his Japanese ancestry, and the paper listed other released soldiers and their families’ reactions. The Albuquerque JACL chapter planned to join the welcome in Gallup, New Mexico, for Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura. Larry Tajiri wrote about Relman Morin’s comments on what America owes the 442nd. Lawrence Nakatsuka reported on Hawaiian statehood, and Governor Sam Wilder King’s rejection of commonwealth status.
The National JACL Endowment Fund stood at $43,218, and Masao W. Satow reported on the move of national headquarters to San Francisco. Hideko Akamatsu of St. Paul was named the 1953 Masaoka Memorial Scholarship winner. Sports pages followed weightlifter Tommy Kono’s two world records. Editorials, Harry K. Honda’s column and Tajiri’s press review fill the last page.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Minnesota-Born Girl Named ’53 Winner of Masaoka Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hideko Akamatsu of St. Paul, Minnesota, was named winner of the 1953 Pvt. Ben Frank Masaoka Memorial Scholarship by JACL National Director Masao W. Satow. The award was recommended by the United Citizens League of Twin Cities and will be presented at the JACL Midwest District Council Convention in Minneapolis.
- Denver Bridge Players Listed as National Masters, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kenneth Yabe and Sam Y. Matsumoto of Denver were listed as national masters in the August edition of the Contract Bridge Forum. Taki Domoto Jr. ranks highest among Nisei in the American Contract Bridge League standings.
- Chicagoans Plan Photo Album for Crown Prince, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Chicago’s Japanese American community is preparing a photographic album of the Crown Prince Akihito’s visit to the Windy City in September. Harry Shigeta, a nationally known photographer, is supervising the project.
National
- Commonwealth Proposal for Hawaii Repudiated by Gov. Sam Wilder King, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 1. Supporters of Hawaiian statehood criticize proposals for commonwealth status as either sabotage or uninformed, noting it would deny Hawaii congressional voting representation and presidential voting rights. Governor Sam Wilder King rejects commonwealth status as creating second-class citizenship for Hawaii residents.
- Endowment Fund Now Up to $43,218, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The National JACL Endowment Fund has received $43,218, with $25,000 placed in trust with the Bank of America. National Director Masao Satow announced the fund will be administered from the San Francisco office.
Military & Veterans
- Nisei POW Says He Was Brutally Beaten by Reds Because of Race, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Cpl. Takeshi Mukai of Tacoma, Washington, released from North Korean captivity, reported being beaten with fists, feet and rifle butts because of his Japanese ancestry. He said the beatings stopped under Chinese control, though he was later sent to a camp as a reactionary.
- Albuquerque JACL Chapter Joins Gallup Celebration for Sgt. Miyamura, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Fifty members of the Albuquerque JACL chapter will travel to Gallup, New Mexico, to welcome home Congressional Medal of Honor winner Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura. Town officials are planning festivities including store closures, parades and refreshments.
- News of Release from Red Camps, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Several Nisei soldiers recently released from Communist captivity in Korea are named, with families describing their reactions. Cpl. Ray Hikida and Cpl. Takeshi Mukai are among those whose relatives expressed joy and relief.
JACL
- For a Better Tomorrow, by P.C. Staff, page 2. This column urges Japanese Americans to plan for future security and recalls the unpreparedness that led to wartime evacuation. It promotes the National JACL Endowment Fund, aiming for a million dollars to protect the community against future crises.
- National Director Reports, by Masao W. Satow, page 5. Satow reports on the move of National JACL headquarters to San Francisco and staff changes, while acknowledging the office secretaries. He also discusses plans for district and chapter programs and the ongoing Endowment Fund and ADC accounting.
Incarceration & Redress
- Relman Morin Uses Sgt. Miyamura Medal of Honor as Springboard on U.S. Minority Treatment, by Larry Tajiri, page 2. AP executive Relman Morin wrote that America cannot estimate what it owes the 442nd and questioned the cost of setting minorities apart. He illustrated his point with the story of a Nisei who renounced his American identity after feeling he did not belong.
Sports
- Weightlifter Kono Breaks 2 World Records, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Sacramento Nisei Tommy Kono set two new world records at the 1953 world weightlifting tournament in Stockholm. His total of 898.38 pounds broke the middleweight record and his clean and jerk replaced the previous world mark.
- Hawaii Swim Club Takes Second at Far Western Swimming Championships, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Coach Soichi Sakamoto’s Hawaii Swim Club finished second behind California Swim Club at the Far Western Swimming Championships in San Francisco. Arthur Fujino was the only triple winner and set a meet record in the 300-meter individual medley.
Commentary
- Editorials: Right to Live and The Hard Way, by P.C. Staff, page 8. An editorial praises a California appeals court ruling that public housing cannot bar Negroes based on race alone. A second editorial praises two Japanese stowaways who swam ashore in Hawaii and notes the dedication of Issei studying for citizenship.
- Personal Sacrifice, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Honda argues that JACL success depends on a few members willing to make personal sacrifices, drawing on Michener’s story The Bridges at Toko-Ri. He urges continued support for chapter work and national fundraising.
- Press Attitudes Toward Japanese Americans, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. This column reviews wartime press coverage, contrasting hostile columnists like Runyon, Pegler and McLemore with supportive papers and writers. It concludes that postwar newspaper coverage has been largely favorable to Japanese Americans.
In-Depth
- A Rarity: Malayan-Born Nisei Henry Hoshimi, by Larry Tajiri, page 8. Henry Hoshimi, a Malayan-born Nisei educated in Japan, served on a Japanese radio listening post during the war. He now works in Tokyo as a goodwill contact for the Yasuda interests after the war.
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