The Walter resolution stalls, and JACL presses a Hollywood studio

Vol. 29, No. 17, October 22, 1949. 8 pages. View this issue

Two fights over fairness ran through the October 22, 1949 issue. On the front page, Harry Sherman agreed to remove all Japanese references from the shooting script of “Pride of Palomar” after a JACL protest over Peter B. Kyne’s anti-Japanese novel. The Walter resolution, which would grant naturalization rights to Japanese and other aliens, stalled when Sen. Richard B. Russell objected. Writers I. H. Gordon and the editorial page looked at what comes next in 1950. Bill Hosokawa’s column “From the Frying Pan” turned to professional wrestling’s ethnic gimmicks.

Also inside: plans for the first Nisei Memorial Day on October 30, with services in the United States, France, Italy, Hawaii and Japan. A deadline notice covered claims against three Japanese banks. Stories on page 6 followed the push to end the American Bowling Congress’s race exclusion. Joe Oyama profiled the ceramic artist Ken Uyemura, and a review covered Robert W. O’Brien’s book on the student relocation program.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Hollywood Producer Deletes Anti-Japanese References in Story from Racist Kyne Book, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Harry Sherman agreed to remove all Japanese references from the shooting script of “Pride of Palomar” after JACL protest over Peter B. Kyne’s anti-Japanese novel. The studio assured the JACL that the film would contain no racist content.

National

• Federal Judge Grants Stay Pending Appeal for Iva Toguri D’Aquino, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A federal judge granted a stay of execution to Iva Toguri D’Aquino, convicted of treason for her wartime Tokyo Rose broadcasts. Her attorney also sought bail pending appeal.
• Georgia Senator Blocks Walter Resolution Passage, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Richard B. Russell’s objection stopped Senate passage of the Walter resolution, which would grant naturalization rights to Japanese and other aliens. The measure remains on the Senate calendar until Congress reconvenes in 1950.
• Fine Employer for Exploiting Nisei Workers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Denver novelties manufacturer was fined $350 after pleading guilty to violating the Fair Labor Standards Act in employing nine Japanese American workers. The charges involved failure to pay minimum wage and overtime.
• Erroneous Report Starts Impromptu Celebrations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An INS report incorrectly stated the Walter resolution had passed the Senate, sparking celebrations and congratulatory telegrams. The story was an error caused by a misplaced advance copy.
• Believe Prospects Excellent for Walter Resolution Early in 1950, by I. H. Gordon, page 2. Despite failure to pass before adjournment, the Walter resolution is expected to become law early next year. Advocates outlined the procedural path forward in the Senate.
• Sen. Kilgore Makes Final Try to Pass Walter Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sen. Harley Kilgore attempted to win unanimous consent for reconsideration of the Walter resolution just before Congress adjourned. Majority Leader Lucas blocked the effort under a previous agreement.
• President Signs Bill to Admit Canadian Bride, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The President signed a private bill granting permanent residence to Toshiko Keyser, a Canadian Japanese married to an American veteran. The bill was introduced by Rep. Francis Walter.
• Deadline Nears for Filing Claims on Japanese Banks, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL warned that the 60-day extension for filing debt claims against Mitsui, Sumitomo, and Yokohama Specie Banks expires November 18, 1949. Almost 3,000 claim forms have been distributed.
• NAACP Group Asks Sen. Lucas for Walter Bill Action, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Chicago NAACP joined the JACL and other civic groups in urging Sen. Scott Lucas to bring the Walter resolution to a Senate vote. The resolution cleared committee but failed to pass before adjournment.
• Three Officials Named to U.S. Appeals Court, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Three Justice Department officials who handled Japanese American property and evacuation cases were nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals. They are David Bazelon, George Washington, and Charles Fahy.

Community

• Sho Sato Named to Harvard Law Review Editorial Staff, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sho Sato, a Denver honor graduate, was selected as one of the editors of the Harvard Law Review. He is recognized as a notable Nisei academic achievement.
• Set Dinner, Dance for Northern California Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A dinner and dance at the Hotel Bellevue will highlight the two-day Northern California and Western Nevada JACL district council convention. The convention opens Nov. 5 in San Francisco.
• Goto Will Attend Kansas City Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Y. Baron Goto of Honolulu, who testified for the Judd bill and Walter resolution, stopped in Los Angeles en route to a land grant colleges convention. He is assistant director of agricultural extension at the University of Hawaii.
• Hold Final Rites for Miss Mae Ishioka, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Final services were held for Mae Ishioka, an active member of the Nisei Progressives who died suddenly in Los Angeles. She is survived by family members.
• New York JACL Will Hold Ball at Delmonico, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The New York JACL’s fifth anniversary ball will be held at the Hotel Delmonico on October 29. Organizers expect the largest Nisei crowd in New York history.
• Masaoka to Speak at JACL District Meeting in Denver, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mike Masaoka will deliver the major address at the first JACL Mountain Plains district convention in Denver on November 12 and 13. National president Hito Okada and national director Masao Satow are also expected to attend.
• Blueprint for Tomorrow Will Be JACL Convention Theme, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 1950 JACL national convention in Chicago will carry the theme Blueprint for Tomorrow. Chairman Randolph Sakada said the theme recognizes that much work remains to integrate Japanese Americans fully.
• Former Hawaii Resident Sues for Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A petition was filed in federal court on behalf of Edward Okasako, who seeks a U.S. passport after being forced into the Japanese army. He was born in Hawaii but went to Japan as a child.

Military & Veterans

• Veteran of 442nd Wins Design Award at Fashion Academy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Takashi Uyehara, a former machine-gunner with the 442nd Combat Team, won the student designer of the month award at the Academy of Fashion Design. His winning design was a man-tailored teal sharkskin suit.
• Organize All-Nisei DAV Post, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Veterans of the 442nd Combat Team organized DAV Chapter 100 in Los Angeles, the first all-Nisei DAV unit. The post will hold monthly meetings and plans a membership drive.
• Services in U.S., France, Italy Will Mark First Observance of Nisei Memorial Day, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Commemorative services will be held October 30 in Italy, France, the United States, Hawaii, and Japan to honor Nisei soldiers. The date marks the fifth anniversary of the rescue of the Lost Battalion.
• Special Rites Will Mark Observance of Nisei Soldier Day, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Churches of multiple denominations in New York’s Japanese American community will hold services honoring Nisei GIs on Nisei Soldier Memorial Day. Programs will honor both the living and the dead.

Arts & Entertainment

• Miyoko Ito Opens Exhibit in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei artist Miyoko Ito is holding a one-man show of lithographs and watercolors at the Palmer House Galleries through October 27. The show features a range of prize-winning works.
• Nisei Artists Will Be Featured in Chicago Concert, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Five Nisei musicians, including violinist Katherine Kido and pianist Haruko Satow, will perform in the second annual concert of the Japanese American Music Club. The concert is set for October 22 at Kimball Hall.

Commentary

• Delay on the Walter Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial argues that Sen. Russell’s objection delays but does not defeat the Walter resolution, which should pass the Senate in 1950. It notes the Judiciary Committee’s unanimous recommendation and warns against an omnibus approach that would delay equality in naturalization for years.
• A Project for Bruyeres, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial urges that the JACL maintain its liaison with the people of Bruyeres, France, who honor the 442nd at a memorial monument. It proposes permanent cooperation and notes the town hopes veterans will return on a pilgrimage.
• Kyne’s Race-Baiting Novel, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines Peter B. Kyne’s The Pride of Palomar as racist propaganda that helped pass anti-Japanese legislation. It contrasts the 1922 Hearst film with the producer’s 1949 assurances that the new adaptation will avoid racial prejudice.
• Vagaries, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A column of brief Nisei community items covering Hollywood casting, a Nisei congressional candidate’s district, a Colorado steelworker, and a Nisei correspondent. It also notes the deaths of Nisei passengers in a Mexican airline crash.
• Minority Week and Race in U.S. Colleges, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Based on a Public Affairs Committee pamphlet, this column describes religious and racial discrimination in American college admissions. It cites examples against Jewish, Catholic, and Negro applicants and recommends remedies.
• From the Frying Pan: Wrestling’s Newest Attraction, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa satirizes professional wrestling’s reliance on ethnic gimmicks and comments on the Great Togo, George Okamura. He also reflects on Japanese holiday foods.
• Ceramic Artist, by Joe Oyama, page 5. Joe Oyama profiles Ken Uyemura, a young ceramic artist whose work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Uyemura incorporates Oriental touches into his modern dishware designs.

In-Depth

• Robert O’Brien Tells Story of Student Relocation Program, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A review of Robert W. O’Brien’s book The College Nisei, which documents the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council and its wartime work. The review explains how the program dispersed Nisei students across the country.

Sports

• Seattle to Urge Dropping of ABC Race Exclusion, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Seattle City Bowling Association resolved to press the American Bowling Congress to remove the word white from its membership rules. The action followed the ABC’s ban on the all-Nisei Clippers joining the Boeing league.
• Takeshita Loses Some of His Luster, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Honolulu welterweight Robert Takeshita lost a ten-round decision to Rudy Gutierrez in Los Angeles. The bout was the first Nisei main event on the West Coast in years.
• CIO Asks for Revocation of American Bowling Congress Charter for Race Prejudice, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The CIO asked Illinois officials to revoke the ABC’s charter because its membership rules discriminate against non-Caucasian bowlers. The ABC defended its policy as a membership matter.
• Expect 1,000 at Cincinnati JACL Affair, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Cincinnati JACL plans a chow mein dinner for November 13 expecting 1,000 attendees. Proceeds will fund the 1950 Midwest District Council meeting and promote community understanding.

Obituaries

• Chief Abbot Pays Tribute to Nisei War Dead, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Chief Abbot Kocho Otani joined a Buddhist ritual at the grave of Toshiaki Shoji, the first Nisei veteran buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery. Military police fired a salute and Taps was sounded.

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