Mike Masaoka visits Hawaii as the JACL looks to statehood

Vol. 35, No. 12, September 20, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Mike Masaoka’s ten-day visit to Honolulu led this eight-page issue. The former director of the JACL-ADC arrived on Sept. 12 with his wife, Etsu, and said the JACL would push for Hawaiian statehood as a major objective. Lawrence Nakatsuka’s Honolulu column described the welcome and the round of testimonial dinners, and two editorials, one from the Pacific Citizen and one from the Hawaii Hochi, honored Masaoka’s part in winning immigration and naturalization rights for the Issei. Another editorial looked at President Truman’s new commission on immigration and naturalization law.

Elsewhere are Larry Tajiri’s Nisei Notes and Bill Hosokawa’s column on his children. Wilson Makabe describes his visit to the 442nd memorial near Bruyeres, France. John F. Aiso’s appointment as a Los Angeles court commissioner is reported, and a page of sports covers Nisei bowlers, baseball in Japan and boxing.

What’s in this issue

National

• Masaoka Visits Hawaii, Says JACL Will Push Statehood, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka, former JACL-ADC director, arrived in Honolulu on Sept. 12 for a ten-day visit sponsored by Japanese organizations. He said the JACL will push for Hawaiian statehood as a major objective and will cooperate with the territorial statehood commission.
• Nisei From Hawaii Will Be American Delegate to UN Youth Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Hawaii Nisei will represent the U.S. at a United Nations youth leaders conference in October. Four Honolulu candidates were chosen by a committee at the request of the Interior and State Departments.
• Los Angeles Nisei Attorney Named Court Commissioner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. John F. Aiso, a WWII Nisei officer of the highest rank, was appointed a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner, the highest government post yet reached by a person of Japanese ancestry in California. His career spans military intelligence work and law practice.
• JACL Joins National Drive to Urge Voting in Elections, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL joined a national nonpartisan Register and Vote Campaign to increase voter turnout this November. The campaign, coordinated by the American Heritage Foundation, urges eligible citizens to register first.

Community

• Nisei Win Scholarships at UCLA, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ten Nisei were among 222 UCLA students awarded scholarships for the 1952-53 academic year. The recipients are named in the article.
• Nisei Trainer Wins Fashion Award in Utah Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hisako Terasawa of Salt Lake City took one of the top spots in the Make-It-With-Wool fashion show at the Utah State Fair. She is a senior at the University of Utah.
• Central California Chapters to Hold Fall Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Central California JACL district council will hold a one-day fall conference in early November, with chapters assigned to various committees. Hiro Mayeda of Tulare County chairs the event.
• Two California Nisei to Attend Buddhist Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Dr. Kikuo Taira and Manabu Fukuda were chosen as official delegates from the Buddhist Churches of America to the second World Buddhist Conference in Japan. The conference runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 18.
• Organize Northern California Committee for JACL Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Representatives of the JACL, JACL-ADC, and Kikaken Kisei Domei formed a Northern California JACL Endowment Fund committee and elected its cabinet and board. The fund will seek contributions from persons who received evacuation claims awards.
• Atom-Blasted City Needs Help, Says Nisei from Hiroshima, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Makoto Iwashita, who worked four years in Hiroshima for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, said the city seeks American and other industry to restore its economy. He described a recovered, peaceful city with a growing population.
• Ellis Community Center Plans Drive for Building Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Ellis Community Center in Chicago will launch a fund drive on Oct. 1 for a new building it will share with the Kenwood Community Church. The center runs a nursery school, recreation programs, and adult education.
• Japanese War Brides Learn Basic English at Army Post, by P.C. Staff, page 2. War brides from seven nations are studying basic English and American cooking in a special course at Fort Lewis, Washington. The article profiles Mrs. Yuriko Preskitt, a Japanese-born wife learning English and American customs.
• War Brides Plan New Organization in Manhattan Area, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Five Japanese war brides and their husbands met at the Japanese Methodist Church in New York on Sept. 14 and decided to form an organization. They said they had found no problems since they began meeting together.
• JACL Prexy to Attend Testimonial Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL national president George Inagaki will attend a testimonial dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Tsurumi Yamasaki, editors of the Pacific Citizen, in Salt Lake City on Sept. 27. Speakers include Masao W. Satow and Prof. Elmer R. Smith.
• Western Buddhist Youth League Plans for Seventh Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 11th annual Western Young Buddhists League convention will be held in Los Angeles in 1953 under the theme ‘Today—Our Future.’ Committee chairmen and officers are listed.
• Regional Office Will Be Closed Sept. 25-Oct. 3, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Northern California JACL regional office will close for vacation from Sept. 25 through Oct. 3. Director Haruo Ishimaru will attend the Pacific Northwest Victory and Testimonial banquet in Seattle honoring Mike Masaoka.
• Student Wins Floral Award, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tadashi William Horimoto of Santa Monica was among 23 UCLA students honored with prize awards this year. He received the Burpee Award in Floriculture for a third-year student.
• Gov. Stevenson Expresses Concern Over Job Problems in Meeting With L.A. Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson met with community leaders including Frank Chuman and Tats Kushida in Los Angeles. He expressed support for Hawaiian statehood and recalled his support for federal naturalization equality legislation.
• Chuman Heads Nisei Committee for Stevenson, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Attorney Frank F. Chuman will chair a Nisei committee supporting Governor Stevenson’s presidential campaign. Chuman praised Stevenson’s record and integrity in announcing his appointment.
• San Mateo JACL Starts Blood Reserve, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Mateo JACL chapter established a blood reserve with the San Mateo Blood Bank to ensure blood is available to members and families in emergencies. The chapter is soliciting donors.
• Nisei Escapes Serious Hurts as Two Die in Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Nisei truck driver, Ben Okasaki of Sacramento, was slightly injured when a car skidded and collided with his truck near Livermore, California, killing two Stockton residents. Police found a speeding ticket issued earlier to the car’s driver.
• JACL Award Given Konno in Honolulu, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ford Hiroshi Konno received the JACL distinguished achievement medal at a Honolulu testimonial dinner honoring Hawaiian athletes. Other honorees included swimmers, weightlifters, and a national women’s golf champion.
• Attorney Asks Aid for Nisei Accident Victim, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Attorney Frank F. Chuman traveled to Washington, D.C. to seek permanent disability payments for Sadami Arifuku, a Hawaiian Nisei whose 1942 brain injury at Kahuku Army Airfield was rated permanent. The Bureau of Employees Compensation had rejected the application.
• Nisei Sprint Star Shoots Prowler, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Bob Watanabe, a UCLA medical student and former sprint champion, shot at a prowler who entered Dr. James Goto’s office in Los Angeles. A man later arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound and was held for questioning.
• Political Forum Will Feature Denver Supper, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Denver JACL will hold a Hallowe’en pot-luck on Oct. 30 featuring a political information forum with Republican and Democratic speakers. Ruth Ishiguro will also report on the National Encampment for Citizenship.
• Resettlers Set Annual Meeting in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Chicago Resettlers Committee will hold its annual meeting on Sept. 29 to elect officers and board members. A new film, Angry Boy, will be shown along with pictures of the July community picnic.
• Chapter Hears Japan Official, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Japanese Consul General Kenichiro Yoshida is scheduled as guest speaker at the Downtown Los Angeles JACL luncheon on Sept. 18. Yoshida is a Tokyo Imperial University graduate who served in liaison work with Allied Occupation officials.
• Shonien Drive Wins Support, Says Chairman, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Chairman Chester Yamauchi reported continuing support for the Shonien Building Fund Drive from individuals, clubs, and businesses in Los Angeles and outlying areas. Several organizations made contributions and planned benefits.

Incarceration & Redress

• Nisei Regains U.S. Citizenship Via Court Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shigeo Takayama is believed to be the first Nisei to regain U.S. citizenship through naturalization after losing it by serving in the Japanese Army. The case may set a precedent, though the McCarran-Walter Act may limit future use of the procedure.
• ‘Brief Case’ Burglar Admits Looting 80 Homes of Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Morris B. Washington, Jr. was arrested in Chicago after admitting to burglarizing more than 80 Japanese American homes, using a guidebook of local Nisei names. Police said he targeted families who kept valuables at home rather than in banks.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Veterans Win Support in Drive to Beautify Memorial, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific War Memorial Commission unanimously supported the 442nd Veterans Club’s drive to refurbish the World War II memorial in Honolulu. The club asked the territorial governor for funds to paint the memorial and install floodlights.
• Veteran of 100th Named to Honolulu City Legal Staff, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Spark M. Matsunaga, a Purple Heart veteran and former Army captain of the 100th Infantry Battalion, was appointed assistant public prosecutor for Honolulu. He is known for his plea for Hawaiian statehood before a Senate committee in 1950.

Commentary

• New Immigration Act Expands ‘Child’ Definition, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Washington JACL ADC office reported that the new Immigration and Nationality Act expands the definition of child to include stepchildren and legitimated children. Adopted children remain subject to private bill requirements.
• Honolulu Report: Hawaiians Spread Welcome Mat for Visiting Masaokas, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Mike and Etsu Masaoka were greeted with leis in Honolulu and scheduled for a crowded itinerary of testimonial dinners and meetings across the islands. Organizers thanked Masaoka for his work on the Walter-McCarran immigration law.
• Editorial: The New Truman Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines President Truman’s new seven-man commission on immigration and naturalization law. It argues that the national origins quota system reflects racial bias and calls for continued revision of these laws.
• Editorial: Aloha, Mike Masaoka!, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial welcomes Mike Masaoka to Hawaii and honors his role in securing passage of the McCarran-Walter immigration bill, which removed racial restrictions on Japanese immigrants. It credits the JACL and many liberal voices for the victory.
• Nisei Notes: Notes for Unwritten Columns, by Larry Tajiri, page 5. Columnist Larry Tajiri shares unwritten ideas on the role of the Nisei press, Japanese stereotypes in fiction and film, the Nisei in literature, and the mystery of a War Department list of Nisei for repatriation. He also recalls the story of Miss Okei, the first woman of Japanese ancestry to come to America.
• New Frontiers for Nisei?, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The column argues that opportunities remain open for Nisei in uranium prospecting, farming in new regions, writing about the evacuation, retail Japanese goods, television repair, subcontracting, and pooled investment. It urges Nisei to pursue economic frontiers their Issei parents missed.
• From the Frying Pan: Catching Up on the Family, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa humorously describes his young son Pete’s struggle with counting and his older son Mike’s junior high school customs. He also recounts his daughter Susan asking the meaning of the word sarcastic.
• Hawaii Film Big Jim McLain Features Nisei Characters, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Warner Bros. film Big Jim McLain, about Communists in Hawaii, features a Nisei ex-Communist character played by Soo Yung. Several Honolulu Nisei appeared briefly in the picture.
• The Lapel Pin, by Den Morey, page 6. A short story recounts how Sadao won Hideko’s attention by planting a duplicate heart-shaped lapel pin at a bus stop. The narrator, Sadao’s sister, discovers that Hideko had orchestrated the encounter herself.
• Editorial: Hawaii Hochi on Masaoka Visit, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Hawaii Hochi editorial welcomes Mike Masaoka to Honolulu and credits him, along with the JACL and liberal allies, for the repeal of discriminatory immigration and naturalization restrictions. It notes that the McCarran-Walter law’s unfavorable aspects are not Masaoka’s doing.

In-Depth

• A Nisei in Europe: Visit to Bruyeres, by Wilson Makabe, page 5. Wilson Makabe reports on his visit to Bruyeres, France, and the 442nd memorial on Haut Jacques in the Vosges forest. He describes the monument, its surroundings, and the nearby U.S. military cemetery at Epinal.

Sports

• ABC Now Has Large Nisei Membership, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Approximately 5,000 Nisei bowlers have joined the American Bowling Congress since membership opened to them two years ago. Bowling results from several Nisei leagues are reported.
• Nippon Bleacherites Ride Nisei Players, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Nisei baseball players in Japan still face jeers from fans who view them as foreigners, according to a report from a Hiroshima game. Wally Yonamine performed well for the Yomiuri Giants despite the taunts.
• Matsukawa Named Hawaii’s Co-Captain, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Quarterback Sadao (Joe) Matsukawa was named co-captain of the University of Hawaii football team, which has six Nisei starters. The Hawaii Red Sox also defeated the visiting Fort Myer Colonials in Honolulu.
• Kim’s Managers Turn Down Aragon Bout, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Managers of boxer Philip Kim reportedly declined a $6,000 offer to fight Art Aragon. Kim is scheduled to meet Bob Torrance next, and the article notes other Nisei sports results.
• Taketa Looks Good to Golden Raiders, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Several Nisei football players are expected to play for San Jose State and other California junior colleges this season. Hash Taketa, Jim Kajioka and Tom Yagi are listed among the Golden Raiders’ linemen.
• Hawaiian Nisei Boxer Signs for Tokyo Bout With Shirai, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Roy Higa of Honolulu agreed to a 10-round non-title bout with World Flyweight Champion Yoshio Shirai in Tokyo on Sept. 27. He will need to shed weight to meet the 114.5-pound limit.
• Montreal Wins U.S.-Canadian Nisei Softball Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Montreal defeated Cleveland in a replayed final to win the second International Nisei Softball Tournament in Toronto. The article describes the tournament and results.

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