Immigration law, Hawaii statehood and the Fujii ruling in 1950

Vol. 30, No. 18, May 6, 1950. 8 pages. View this issue

The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee said it had taken no stand on the McCarran omnibus bill to revise immigration and naturalization laws, while legal counsel studied its 247 pages. Mike Masaoka stressed that the group had not endorsed the measure. Senate hearings on Hawaii statehood also ran across pages 1 and 2, with Nisei witnesses such as Wilfred Tsukiyama and testimony from I. H. Gordon. Admiral Nimitz praised the California court decision in the Sei Fujii case, and an editorial on page 4 looked at the ruling.

Sports fill much of pages 6 and 7, including Wally Yonamine’s first games with Salt Lake, Wat Misaka recalled by a former teammate, and the American Bowling Congress dispute over its whites-only rule. Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Jobo Nakamura and Masamori Kojima appeared as well. News of the Chicago chapter’s 1002-member drive and chapter notices from around the country complete the eight pages.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• JACL ADC Reserves Stand on McCarran Omnibus Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee announced it has taken no stand on the McCarran omnibus immigration bill while legal counsel studies its 247 pages. Mike Masaoka stressed the organization has not endorsed the measure and is hopeful of Senate action on the Walter resolution to open naturalization to ineligible residents.
• Tom Shimasaki Nominated by National JACL Recognitions Group, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tom Shimasaki of Tulare County was nominated for his outstanding JACL and community service, which dates to 1936 and includes multiple chapter and district offices. He was also a leader in the PAC movement and is a nominee for national board secretary.

Community

• Ex-Produce Club Gives Balance of Funds to ADC, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Junior Produce Club of Los Angeles, a prewar produce market association, donated its remaining bank balance of $348.26 to the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee. The check was sent by its president and executive secretary.
• Sixth CCDC Chapter Elects Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The newly organized Selma JACL, the sixth chapter to join the Central California District Council, elected George Abe as president along with a full slate of cabinet officers. The chapter is now part of the district council.
• Isei Flyers Plan Air Race from Los Angeles to Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nisei flyers will compete in the Henry Ohye trophy race, a handicapped air race of more than 2,000 miles from Los Angeles to Chicago in late September. All qualified Nisei pilots on the coast are invited to participate.
• Housing and Politics to Be Discussed at Chicago Forum, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Ellis community center in Chicago will hold a second forum on Housing and Politics on May 7 with several speakers. The forum series also includes later sessions on democratic living and community resources.
• Japanese Children Give Cherry Trees to Salt Lake City, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Children of Japan presented 3,000 cherry saplings to Salt Lake City and the University of Idaho as a goodwill gesture, to arrive in the fall. Four stone lanterns for the International Peace Garden will also arrive soon.
• Chicago Chapter Gets 1002 Members to Win Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago JACL won its membership contest with Los Angeles chapters by enrolling 1002 members, the largest chapter membership in the organization’s history. Individual recruiters were cited for especially large membership drives.
• Final Drive Gives Chicago Victory in Race With L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago membership committee exceeded 1000 members after a furious final week of solicitation before the April 30 deadline. Leaders hope to reach a goal of 1500 members before the drive ends.
• Tsurutani Will Postpone Japan Testimony Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Attorney Tsurutani postponed his trip to Japan to take testimony from Nisei strandees because the Justice Department ran out of transportation funds. He expects Congress to provide funding soon.
• Church to Mark 117th Birthday at Dinner Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The First Baptist Church of Chicago will celebrate its 117th birthday on May 10 with a dinner and program. The theme Two For One reflects a goal of at least two attendees for each year of the church’s history.
• Negro Minister Honored by Seattle Community Group, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Jackson Street Community Council named Rev. Fountain W. Penick its Man of the Year for his fair employment work and community leadership. Alexander Bishop was elected council president at the annual meeting attended by 575 persons.
• Seabrook Names New Cabinet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. George Sakamoto heads the new Seabrook JACL cabinet, with vice presidents and other officers listed. Board members at large and special board members were also named.
• Nisei Elected to YW Board, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mrs. Chiz Satow was elected to the board of directors of the Salt Lake YWCA at its annual meeting. She chairs the adult committee for the organization.
• Unions Seek to Organize L.A. Garment, Restaurant Workers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Union officials met with Japanese American community leaders in Los Angeles to promote unionization of Nisei and Issei workers in garment and restaurant industries. Speakers said non-union workers receive lower pay and lack benefits.
• Bill Will Permit Grandson of Utahn to Come to U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 3. A House Judiciary subcommittee approved a private bill allowing the 5-year-old grandson of B. Y. Kaneko of Salt Lake City to come to the United States from Japan. Rep. Reva Beck Bosone urged approval.
• Alice Ogawa Wins Union Post, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Alice Ogawa was elected to the executive board of ILGWU Local 266 in Los Angeles, and Margaret Nakatani was elected to the board of Local 496. Both were inducted at an installation banquet.
• John Maki Gets Associate Rating at U. of Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 3. John M. Maki was promoted from assistant to associate professor of Far Eastern and Slavic languages at the University of Washington. Kosaku Yoshida was also appointed Walker-Ames professor of mathematics.
• Nakaso Elected President of Young Buddhists Group, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Claire Nakaso of Berkeley was elected president of the Young Buddhists League of the West for 1950-51 at a convention attended by 800 delegates. Rosie Moritomo was crowned Miss WYBL-1950 and will travel to Hawaii.
• French Camp Group Plans Celebration of Mother’s Day, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The French Camp chapter women’s auxiliary will honor JACL members’ mothers at a May 13 party. Committee chairs and hostesses for the event were named.
• Honolulu Newspapers Demand Kageyama Resign From Board of Supervisors, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. Honolulu’s daily newspapers and fellow supervisors have called for Nisei supervisor Richard Kageyama to resign after he admitted Communist party membership in 1947. Kageyama says he intends to remain in office to redeem himself.
• Santa Rosa Mayor to Address JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mayor Ward Von Tillow will welcome guests at the Sonoma County JACL installation dinner on May 13, where Chick Furuye will be installed as president. Regional director Joe Grant Masaoka will be guest speaker.
• May Day Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rose Marie Yasui was crowned May Day Queen at John Francis Polytechnic high school in Los Angeles. She was crowned by Girls League president Anne Kim.
• Miss Ai Hoshino: Japanese College Girls Too Independent, Declares Educator, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Ai Hoshino, president of Tsuda College, says Japanese college girls are becoming too independent and are not yet trained to resist dangerous political ideas. She recommends small group discussions to guide students.
• Ogden Man Fetes JACL Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Ogden JACL officers and board members were honored at a steak dinner hosted by Kay Mukai to mark the chapter’s 12th anniversary. Chapter ADC funds of $750 were presented to national president Hito Okada.
• JACL Retains Noted Attorney for Evacuation Claims Work, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The National JACL retained former Justice Department attorney David McKibbin to expedite evacuation claims for more than 24,000 claimants. The regional office said he will handle general procedural and legal questions.
• Southwest L.A. Chapter to Hear Five Candidates, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Southwest Los Angeles JACL chapter will host five candidates for public office at its May 9 meeting. Candidates include Glenn Anderson, Gordon McDonough Jr., and Harry Flannery.
• Nisei Divorcee Says She Is Not Ready to Wed Mail Suitor, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Mrs. Judy Aya Enseki said she is not ready to marry John Warner Klund, a Delaware man who advertised for a Japanese bride. She said they had exchanged more than 100 letters but had never met.
• Stranded Nisei Will Return for U.S. Citizenship Tests, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Several Nisei strandees are returning to the United States to testify in federal citizenship cases. Cases involving Katherine Yonemura, Isamu Kanno, and Noboru Kanbara are described.
• Boys’ Festival Will Be Feted in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The YM-YWCA Buchanan Street center will hold an open house on May 7 to celebrate the Japanese boys’ festival with exhibits, swordsmanship, judo, and refreshments. The program was planned by an English class of Issei and Kibei students.
• Nisei Supervises Forty Employees at Denver Firm, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Margarette Funayama, a 22-year-old Nisei from the Amache relocation center, now supervises 40 employees at American Lady Bakers in Denver.
• Milwaukeans Join Opening Rites for New City Arena, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Milwaukee JACL members participated in the grand opening of the city’s new arena on April 10 by marching in an international procession in kimonos. Eight girls took part in the parade.
• Venice Chapter Plans Spring Event, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Venice JACL chapter will hold a spring social event on May 12 at the Moose Lodge in Santa Monica. New president Fumi Utsuki also announced the 1950 ADC drive with a goal of $1,100.
• Japan Christian University Speaking Tour of U.S. Started by Dr. Yuasa, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dr. Hachiro Yuasa, first president of International Christian University, arrived in the United States to begin a speaking tour raising funds for the university. His schedule includes multiple cities during May.
• Nisei Participate in Campaign for Japan Christian University, by P.C. Staff, page 8. International Christian Youth Week concluded in New York with a service where donations toward International Christian University were presented. Japanese organist Eisaburo Kiyoka performed and soprano Agnes Miyakawa sang.
• Conference Plans for Eastern Young Buddhist League Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Cleveland Buddhist Temple members are preparing for the fifth annual Eastern Young Buddhist League convention on May 30 at the Hotel Hollenden. Committee chairs and program details are provided.
• Name Officers for Homedale-Parma Area, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Officers for the Homedale-Parma district were announced at the Boise Valley JACL meeting, with Ben Nukida as president. Membership reached about 120 members for 1950.

National

• Nimitz Praises Court Decision in Fujii Case, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz praised the California court decision nullifying the state’s alien land law in the Sei Fujii case. He said that if upheld, the ruling would show how the United States supports the United Nations.
• Strandee Case to Be Heard in Arizona Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Emy Yamamoto, a Nisei strandee seeking recognition of her U.S. citizenship, will be heard in Phoenix federal court. She lost citizenship under the 1940 Nationality Act after voting in Japanese elections, and A. L. Wirin represents her.
• Senate for Statehood: Territorial Delegation Meets Arguments of Opponents, by I. H. Gordon, page 1. Hawaii statehood proponents, including several Nisei leaders, made a vigorous case before the Senate Interior Committee against opposing arguments. Witnesses stressed Hawaii’s racial harmony and loyalty while dismissing claims of significant Communist influence.
• Sen. Butler Injects Race Issue as Statehood Hearing Ends, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate hearing on Hawaiian statehood concluded May 5 as Sen. Butler again raised the race issue regarding Hawaii’s non-Caucasian population. Delegate Farrington asked the committee for a clear answer on statehood.
• Ten Japanese Arrive to Open Agencies in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ten Japanese government officials arrived at Coos Bay, Oregon, to open overseas agencies in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Their work will focus on trade but also cover matters involving Japanese nationals in the United States.
• Senate Passes Bill to Permit Entry of Bride, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Senate passed House legislation allowing entry of Mrs. Katsuko Nakahara Huntley, wife of a Kansas man, despite an unregistered Japanese marriage. The bill was returned to the House for concurrence in amendments.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Leaders Ask Statehood Before Senate Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Continuing the Hawaii statehood hearings, numerous witnesses including Nisei Senate president Wilfred Tsukiyama urged immediate statehood and rebutted concerns about communism and racial composition. Testimony also addressed education, economics, and the wartime record of the Nisei and the 100th Battalion.
• Veterans Groups Plan Observance on Memorial Day, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Four veterans organizations will take part in Memorial Day services at the Nisei memorial in Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. Robert Uno of the Nisei Veterans Association will direct the services.
• Nisei Veteran Named Commander of VFW Post, by P.C. Staff, page 3. George Otani was elected commander of the Parma, Idaho VFW post, succeeding Willard Gonsatt. The Nisei veteran served with the 442nd combat team and has been a post member since 1945.

Commentary

• The U.N. and Discriminatory Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The California appellate court ruled the state’s alien land law unenforceable under the UN charter in the Sei Fujii case, the first time a US court used the charter to invalidate a state law. The editorial argues the ruling exposes the gap between US principles and practice and may prompt revision of discriminatory laws.
• The Restrictive Covenants, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Berkeley realty board proposed rules requiring neighborhood approval before selling property to non-Caucasians, despite a 1948 Supreme Court ruling against restrictive covenants. The editorial criticizes this as placing property rights above human rights.
• Brazilians, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The item notes Japanese Brazilians served in the Brazilian brigade in Italy and that Sao Paolo has about 50,000 persons of Japanese ancestry, with some entering politics.
• Garment Workers, by Masamori Kojima, page 4. Masamori Kojima of the ILGWU examines the tension between unionized and non-union Japanese American garment workers in Los Angeles, whose lower wages undercut organized shops. He argues the situation must be resolved through trade union education to avoid racial conflict.
• Bourbon Street, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A travel essay describes the nightlife of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, with its bars, strip shows, and B-girl hustles. The writer traces the B-girl origins to Issei-run beer and wine establishments on Main and Fifth streets in Los Angeles in the 1930s.
• A Whiff of Old Singapore, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa reviews a copy of the Malaya Tribune, noting a bombing at the Adelphi hotel, rat-catching news, and the advertisements and film listings of old Singapore. He reflects with nostalgia on his earlier years living there.
• Do You Know? JACL Fought Discriminatory Legislation 19 Years Ago, by Elmer R. Smith, page 6. The column recounts JACL’s early 1930s campaigns against discriminatory California bills and federal dual-citizenship proposals. It also covers the successful passage in 1935 of a bill granting citizenship to WWI veterans of Oriental ancestry.
• West Coast Newsreel: A Story About Toshio, by Jobo Nakamura, page 6. Jobo Nakamura recalls a college classmate Toshio, a hardworking tenant farmer’s son whose romance with a wealthy landowner’s daughter ended because of class distinctions. Nakamura describes how Toshio later became a successful professional who overcame that early bitterness.

Arts & Entertainment

• Rikoran, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Actress Shirley Yoshiko Yamaguchi, known as Rikoran, is singing in Hawaii and will tour the mainland, having met MGM producer Joe Pasternak. The item notes her background and a possible Technicolor film test.
• Cancelled, by P.C. Staff, page 4. US Army authorities in Japan cancelled the screening of the 20th Century Fox film Three Came Home in Tokyo, judging it too rough. The item notes Nisei veterans played the brutal Japanese soldiers.
• Sculptor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Sculptor Isamu Noguchi is in Japan on the final leg of a round-the-world tour. The item recalls that he volunteered as the first evacuee admitted to the Poston relocation center to help establish an art program.

Sports

• Terada Returns from Browns Trial, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Terry Terada returned from the St. Louis Browns farm system and will catch for the Salt Lake Bussei this season. The item also notes Wat Misaka’s roster presence and recalls Hito Okada’s home run.
• Wally a Hard Man to Get Out, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Wally Yonamine adjusted to Pioneer League altitude and got on base repeatedly in his first games with Salt Lake. The item describes his hitting in the openers against Ogden and Boise.
• Watanabe Loses to Gay Bryan, by P.C. Staff, page 6. UCLA’s Bob Watanabe was shut out by Stanford’s Gay Bryan in sprint events, and other Nisei athletes across California and Utah are briefly noted. Several high school and college track results are summarized.
• Two Factions in Bowling Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The American Bowling Congress faces court pressure to drop its whites-only membership rule, and one faction proposes restructuring to keep it. The ABC convention on May 12 is expected to debate the issue.
• Yogi Will Play Pro Ball in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Hawaii infielder Shinsuke Yogi signed to play professional baseball in Japan with the Mainichi team. The item also notes Masa Gunda considering a Japanese offer and that Japanese teams want Wally Yonamine.
• Watsonville’s Hashimoto Wins Races, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Mits Hashimoto of Watsonville won the 100 and 220 dashes at the Coast Counties Athletic League track meet. Other local Nisei bowling, pitching, and baseball results are summarized.
• Tsuda Sets New League Record in High Jump, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Jim Tsuda of Placer high school set a new Sierra Foothill league record with a 6-foot-2-inch high jump. The leap came at the annual league track and field meet in April.
• Chicago Plans Second Annual Bowling Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The second annual Chicago men’s and women’s bowling tournament will be held May 20 and 21 with a weekend of dining and dancing. Merchants donated trophies and entry details are provided.
• Wat Misaka’s Cage Prowess Told by Former Teammate, by Dick Kleeman, page 7. Minneapolis Laker Arnie Ferrin recalled playing alongside Wat Misaka on the championship Utah basketball team. Ferrin described Misaka as a fine athlete and straight-A student who later played briefly for the New York Knicks.
• Yonamine Gets Three for Nine in First Two Games, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Wally Yonamine made his professional debut with the Salt Lake City Bees, playing first base in a win over Ogden. He collected hits and walks and was moved back to the outfield after the team acquired a new first baseman.
• ABC May Build Own Alleys to Retain Whites Only Rule, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The American Bowling Congress will consider a proposal to restructure membership and build private alleys to keep its non-white exclusion after a court fine in Illinois. Secretary Elmer Baumgarten explained the proposal.
• Nisei Bowlers Back JACL’s Fair Play Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Additional contributions to the JACL National Bowling Fund were received from Seattle leagues and an Ogden league, bringing the total to $225.50. The donations support JACL’s fair play bowling campaign.
• Broad Jump Won by Athara in Three-Way Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Henry Athara of USC won the broad jump with a leap of 23 feet 0.5 inches in a triangular meet against Michigan State and Yale. USC took first place in the meet.
• Three Nisei Win Coast Titles in Weightlifting Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Tommy Kono, Itsu Morinaka, and Bo Shimashiro each won weight class titles at the Pacific Coast weightlifting championships in Berkeley. Their winning totals are listed.

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