Go for Broke! premieres, and a Nisei may fill Hawaii’s No. 2 post

Vol. 32, No. 20, May 26, 1951. 8 pages. View this issue

The MGM film Go for Broke! ran through much of this eight-page issue. A story by I. H. Gordon described the Washington premiere on May 17, and the paper reported on previews, Van Johnson’s praise of Nisei soldiers at the Hollywood Bowl, and a Washington Post editorial urging senators to see the film’s story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Larry Tajiri’s editorial looked at what its success might mean. The front page also carried Lawrence Nakatsuka’s report from Honolulu that a Nisei might be named territorial secretary of Hawaii.

The JACL’s legislative work ran throughout: the Evacuation Claims Act, deportation stays for Japanese nationals, and old age assistance for Issei. Mary Oyama wrote about meeting a relative, Den Morey contributed a short story, and Elmer R. Smith wrote on the meaning of prejudice. The sports pages followed Wally Yonamine’s planned career in Japan and Chet Hamamoto’s no-hit game.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Army Reports Hawaii Soldier Killed in Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Defense reported Nisei casualties in Korea, including one killed, one wounded, and one missing in action. The notice was relayed to the JACL ADC in Washington.
• Report Gallup Nisei Missing in Korean War, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hiroshi Hershey Hirokawa of Gallup, New Mexico was reported missing in action in Korea. Eight Nisei from the Gallup area have also been called into active army service.
• Texas Nisei Air Cadet Dies in Accident at Waco Base, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Aviation Cadet H. Harvey Saibara of Webster, Texas was killed in a training accident at James Connally Air Base. He had enlisted in March after giving up graduate studies and had served in military intelligence in Japan.
• Senate Confirms Appointment of Sadie Yoshizaki, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Senate confirmed Sadie E. Yoshizaki of Honolulu as a second lieutenant in the regular army, believed to be the first Nisei WAC to receive a regular commission. She was stationed at Camp Roberts.
• Collision Involves Troopship Named for Nisei Hero, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Army transport Pvt. Sadao S. Munemori was damaged in a fog collision with an oil tanker off Port Angeles. Both ships returned to port under their own power.
• Nisei Veteran Named Commander of DAV District, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Henry Sakato, a veteran of the 100th Battalion of the 442nd Combat Team, was elected commander of the Sixth District of Disabled American Veterans in Los Angeles County. He is adjutant of the Nisei DAV chapter.

National

• Report Several Nisei Under Consideration for Post of Hawaii Territorial Secretary, by By LAWRENCE NAKATSUKA, page 1. Political speculation suggests a non-Caucasian, possibly a Nisei, may be appointed Hawaii territorial secretary, with several Nisei attorneys and legislators mentioned. Governor Long is reportedly sympathetic to the idea, though the appointment rests with the president.
• Report Nisei GI Helped Trap Red Spies in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Nisei counter-intelligence officer testified in a Tokyo trial of Koreans and Japanese accused of spying for North Korea. One accused man confessed to drawing a map of an army installation at the request of the alleged spy chief.
• Urge Attorney General Halt Deportation of Issei Alien Member of Proscribed Group, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL ADC asked Attorney General McGrath to intervene in the deportation of a Los Angeles Issei whose past membership in a listed fencing organization triggered a McCarran Act order. The group argued the subversive list was never intended as a mandatory deportation guide.
• House Approves Resolution Granting Stays of Deportation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The House approved a Senate resolution granting permanent stays of deportation to 23 Japanese nationals under a JACL ADC-sponsored amendment. Approximately 2000 Japanese are affected, mostly treaty merchants and visitors with American families.
• Showdown Seen for City FEPC Proposal in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors was set for a final vote on an FEPC ordinance, with passage appearing to hinge on one vote. The JACL and Citizens Committee urged residents to write to undecided supervisors.
• Bill Authorizing Compromise Evacuation Claims Settlements, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill letting the Attorney General settle evacuation claims up to three-fourths of compensable loss or $2500 on affidavits. JACL ADC hopes for quick House floor action.
• Ask Federal Agency to Back Old Age Pensions for Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL ADC asked Federal Security Administrator Oscar Ewing to encourage state legislation granting old age assistance to resident aliens of Japanese ancestry. Several states currently deny such aid despite aliens paying taxes.

Community

• Haruo Ishimaru’s Appointment to JACL Post Told, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Northern California and Western Nevada District Council met in Salinas to honor Joe Grant Masaoka and conduct business. Haruo Ishimaru was introduced as the new Northern California regional director beginning June 11.
• Nisei Cleaning Shop Operator Traps Youth in Attempted Robbery, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chicago cleaner Richard Hidaka shot an 18-year-old burglar after catching him breaking in. Two accomplices were arrested and admitted to the attempted burglary.
• St Louis JACL Holds Preview of Go for Broke!, by P.C. Staff, page 2. St. Louis chapter members and Nisei veterans previewed the film, with civic and religious guests in attendance. A local reporter interviewed the veterans afterward and the film was scheduled to open in St. Louis May 25.
• Eastern Buddhists Make Plans for Chicago Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The sixth annual Eastern Young Buddhist League convention is scheduled for Chicago June 29 to July 1. Committee chairmen were named for each function.
• Northern California Council Holds Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The District Council approved proportional chapter assessments and discussed Go for Broke! promotional plans. Sam Ishikawa reported on ADC legislative activity in Washington and Sacramento.
• Hirayama Elected King of Campus at Fresno State, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Fibber Hirayama, a junior physical education major and athlete, was crowned Campus King at the Blue Key carnival. He was sponsored by the Nisei Club and elected by popular student vote.
• Ogden Club Groups Plan Annual Ball for Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ogden JACL and several YBA groups will jointly host a semi-formal ball honoring graduates of Box Elder, Weber and Davis County schools. Committee assignments were listed.
• Nisei Soldiers Visit Relatives in Japan Cities, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei soldiers of the 40th Division in training at Sendai used leave time to visit relatives in Japan. Several found grandparents and uncles still living there.
• ADC Benefit Nets $1700 in Denver, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A JACL-ADC benefit held in Denver in conjunction with the Mountain Plains district convention netted $1700 for national headquarters. Many organizations and communities supported the event.
• Human Relations Workshop Held by Chicago Groups, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Midwest JACL regional representative Richard Akagi participated in a Chicago workshop on human relations held with the Civic Assembly and City Club. He addressed discrimination in public accommodations.
• UCLA Group Reveals Names of Winners of Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Nisei Bruin Memorial Scholarship Committee announced four scholarships honoring Japanese American war dead who attended UCLA. Winners were named for each award.
• East Los Angeles Festival Names Eight Queens, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Judges named eight festival queens from 22 candidates at the Festival of Friendship in East Los Angeles. The queens represented various community and civic groups.
• Parents Honored by Montana JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Montana JACL held a party in Laurel honoring mothers and fathers of the community. About 40 guests attended and approximately 182 Memorial Day sprays were made.
• Nisei Elected Vice-President of State Junior Chamber, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Minol Ota, first president of the Northern Wyoming JACL, was elected a state vice-president of the Wyoming Junior Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Lovell Lions Club board.
• Nisei Pastor Named Secretary for Episcopal Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Rev. George T. Masuda of Billings was elected secretary of the Montana Episcopal diocese convention. Other officers were also elected at the business session.
• Cavaretta Slated to Appear at Chicago Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Chicago Cubs first baseman Phil Cavaretta and assistant trainer Yosh Kawano are expected speakers at the June chapter meeting. Harlan Gilbert spoke at the May meeting on the drug problem among juveniles.
• Assembly Group Approves Bill to Reinstate Licenses, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A California Assembly committee unanimously approved a bill allowing reinstatement of liquor licenses revoked from Japanese Americans. Amendments were added at the request of the Committee for Justice to Japanese Americans.
• Perjury Case Defendant Admits Aiding Nisei in Anti-Tojo Move, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Clarence Vetterli pleaded guilty to perjury in a Communist espionage investigation and said he helped send Ted Ichiro Miwa to Japan in 1941 to work against the Tojo government. The judge refused the plea and set trial for June 4.

JACL

• District Council Delegates Back Changes in Claims Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Delegates passed resolutions urging a compromise settlement, more appropriations, and liberal interpretation of the Evacuation Claims Act. They also approved chapter assessment changes and national committee appointments.
• JACL Official Will Visit Texas, Louisiana on Tour, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Min Yasui, regional director of the JACL Mountain Plains area, is touring southern communities in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama. He is accompanied by several family members and a Kika Kisei Domei official.

Arts & Entertainment

• Miyoko Ito Wins Phelan Award for Printmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Artist Miyoko Ito was named one of three first-prize winners in the James D. Phelan award competition for California-born printmakers. She also received a John Hay Whitney scholarship the same week.
• Critics Hail Go for Broke! After Premiere, by By I. H. GORDON, page 2. Washington critics praised MGM’s film Go for Broke! after its May 17 premiere attended by military, congressional, and judicial officials. The audience gave the film spontaneous applause at its conclusion.
• Film Star Hails Wartime Loyalty of Nisei Group, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Van Johnson praised Nisei GIs at an I Am an American Day celebration at the Hollywood Bowl attended by 18,000. Fifteen Nisei veterans were introduced during the show.
• Quickie Vagaries, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Brief entertainment notes cover Nisei actress Yoshiko Yamaguchi’s arrival for a Hollywood film, Nisei performers in television and stage productions, and other Hollywood items.

Commentary

• Washington Post Urges Solons to See Film on Nisei Soldiers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Washington Post editorial urged U.S. senators to see Go for Broke!, which tells the story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. It linked the film to pending Senate bills on Hawaii statehood and naturalization of Nisei parents.
• MGM and Go for Broke!, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. The editorial praises the box-office success and industry significance of MGM’s Go for Broke!, which it says may encourage more films with Nisei themes. It also notes the film’s strong reception in Hawaii and the extensive promotional campaign.
• Remedial Legislation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial supports California bills introduced to remedy discriminatory laws against persons of Japanese ancestry, including repeal of anti-Oriental employment provisions. It argues the favorable public climate and legislative atmosphere give the measures a fair chance despite the late session.
• Code of Ethics Typical of Realtor Practice, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial notes the National Association of Real Estate Boards dropped the race restriction from its code of ethics six months ago. It argues actual housing practice still excludes non-white buyers through covenants and unwritten rules.
• The People Next Door, by Den Morey, page 5. A short story about farmers who organize to drive out a Japanese American family that bought a farm. The campaign collapses after a telegram reveals the family’s son was killed in Korea.
• Box-Score on Race Relations: Meaning of Prejudice, by Elmer R. Smith, page 6. The column argues that personal discrimination in choosing friends differs fundamentally from social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups. It says civil rights laws address the latter and that the columnist’s reasoning confuses the two.
• Issei, Nisei and Sansei: Singular and Plural, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The column explains that Issei, Nisei and Sansei should not take an added s in the plural, citing standard dictionary usage. It urges Nisei writers to use the terms correctly.
• We Meet a Relative, by Mary Oyama, page 6. The writer recounts how a young Navy seaman phoned seeking maternal relatives and was welcomed into the household. The visit included a tour of Los Angeles and reflections on Japan and the war.

Obituaries

• Mother of Pioneer Nisei Pilot Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mrs. Hana Ohye died May 19 at the home of her son Henry Ohye, a noted pilot, after a twenty-year illness. She was 72 and a native of Wakayama, Japan.
• Mrs. Fujii Dies in Reno After Short Illness, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mrs. Mae Hase Fujii, wife of Reno JACL president Oscar Fujii, died May 20 after a brief illness. She had been an instructor of nurses and a JACL member.

In-Depth

• Nisei Zoologist Reports New Findings on Muscle Cells, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Teru Hayashi of Columbia University produced actomyosin fibers that contract and do mechanical work like natural muscle. The work advances earlier efforts by Dr. Szent-Gyorgyi and may aid understanding of muscle cells.

Sports

• Broad Jump Is Favorite Nisei Event, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The column profiles Henry Aihara, a broad jump champion, and George Uyeda, noting Nisei success in the broad jump and sprints. It also cites the evacuation’s effect on the careers of several Nisei trackmen.
• Fresno Bulldogs May Get Hawaii Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Fresno State’s baseball team, winners of 32 of 35 games, may take a post-season trip to Hawaii after contacting Hawaii baseball officials. The column also reports on individual Bulldog performances.
• Placer JACL Continues Drive for League Title in First Year, by Homer Y. Takahashi, page 7. The Placer JACL baseball club is in contention for the first-half title in its first year in the Placer-Nevada league. The column covers recent games, key players, and the upcoming matchup with Auburn.
• Chet Hamamoto Tosses No-Hit Game, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Chet Hamamoto, a small Nisei sophomore, pitched a no-hit game in the North Bay League for Petaluma. The column describes his performance in detail.
• Yonamine Plans Pro Career in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Wally Yonamine, a centerfielder for the Salt Lake Bees, was set to play for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants pending SCAP approval. The column notes the reported contract terms.

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