The Tokyo Rose trial and the fight for naturalization, 1949

Vol. 29, No. 2, July 9, 1949. 8 pages. View this issue

Two stories ran side by side in this issue: the trial of Iva Toguri d’Aquino, known as Tokyo Rose, and the push for citizenship for resident aliens of Japanese ancestry. The front page reported that government prosecutors used peremptory challenges to produce an all-Caucasian jury, and that the trial would cost the government between $500,000 and $750,000. Larry Tajiri wrote on the role of race prejudice in the case. On immigration, the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee turned its attention to the Walter resolution as the McGrath Senate subcommittee took shape, and Mike Masaoka and Hawaii Governor Ingram Stainback were both in the news.

Elsewhere in these eight pages, Takeshi Yoshihara left Minidoka for Annapolis, and Togo Tanaka took radio commentator Paul Harvey to task. Bill Hosokawa wrote about a family reunion in Manhattan, and Jobo Nakamura described life in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo. Reburials of 442nd Combat Team soldiers, sports news and art notes fill out the issue.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL ADC Pushes for Immigration and Naturalization Equality in Senate, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The newly organized McGrath Senate subcommittee will hold hearings on July 19 and 20 on the Judd bill and Walter resolution to remove race restrictions from naturalization law. JACL ADC legislative director Mike Masaoka said the organization will shift its emphasis to the Walter resolution as the more likely measure to pass before the summer recess.
• Hawaiian Governor Supports Citizenship for Issei Group, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii Governor Ingram Stainback told JACL ADC legislative director Mike Masaoka he would encourage passage of immigration and naturalization equality legislation. He offered to testify before the McGrath subcommittee on the value of such legislation and Japanese contributions to Hawaii.

Military & Veterans

• Takeshi Yoshihara Becomes First Nisei Appointed to Annapolis, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Takeshi Yoshihara, who spent his early years at Minidoka relocation center, was appointed by Rep. Hal Holmes to the U.S. Naval Academy and departed for Annapolis this week. He had expected West Point and was senior speaker at his Bainbridge Island high school graduation.
• Final Rites Held at Arlington for Pvt. Roy Shiozawa, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Funeral services were held at Arlington National Cemetery for Pvt. Roy Shiozawa, killed near Florentino, Italy in April 1945 while serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was born in Idaho Falls and enlisted after graduating from high school.
• High Winds Force Cancellation of Nisei Role in Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. High winds forced San Francisco’s Japanese American unit to withdraw from the city’s Fourth of July parade just before starting time. The Nisei veterans and YBA girls had planned to carry the large Monterey JACL flag.
• Nisei Sergeant Gets Bronze Star, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sgt. Yukio Yokoe, a former Denver University student, received the Bronze Star at a retreat parade in Yokohama for exemplary action against the enemy in Italy in 1944 while serving with the 442nd Combat Team. The decoration was presented by Lt. Col. David Kurtz.
• Mass Given for Nisei Soldier in Seattle, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A requiem mass was held in Seattle for Pvt. John R. Kawaguchi, killed in action in Italy in 1944 while serving with the 442nd Combat Team, whose remains were returned for reburial. He had volunteered from Minidoka relocation center after attending the University of Washington before evacuation.
• Final Rites Held for Two Nisei War Dead in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pfc. Kiyoshi Muranaga, posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and Pvt. Tom Nishimoto, a Bronze Star recipient, were reburied in Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. Both were members of the 442nd Combat Team and were killed in Italy.

Incarceration & Redress

• Non-White Jurors Excluded from Tokyo Rose Panel, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Government prosecutors used peremptory challenges to remove Black, Chinese, and mixed-race prospective jurors, producing an all-Caucasian jury for the trial of Iva Toguri d’Aquino. The government stated it would not seek the death penalty, with a minimum sentence of five years and a fine upon conviction.
• Tokyo Rose Trial Will Cost U.S. More Than Half-Million, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Assistant Attorney General Tom De Wolfe estimated the Tokyo Rose trial will cost the government between $500,000 and $750,000. The tabulation included airfare for Japanese witnesses, witness per diems, and judicial and court expenses.
• Prosecutor Opens Federal’s Case in Tokyo Rose Trial, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Prosecutor Tom De Wolfe outlined the government’s case that Iva Toguri d’Aquino voluntarily broadcast propaganda over Radio Tokyo, while the defense claims she was under compulsion. Several former POWs who worked at Radio Tokyo are expected to testify for the defense.

Community

• Nisei Husband Saves Family in Fire at Lodge, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Harry Korematsu of San Francisco rescued four family members from a fire at the Conway Summit Lodge near Bishop, California on July 4. One guest, Mrs. Lilla Ragin, died in the blaze.
• Misao Takata Crowned Queen at Bussei Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Misao Takata of Parlier was crowned queen of the Central California Young Buddhists Association celebration on July 1 at Rainbow ballroom. She was the first Nisei selected as queen of the Parlier Harvest Festival the previous year.
• Nisei Week Proceeds May Go Toward Community Center Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Downtown Los Angeles JACL and Nisei Week board decided that festival proceeds could seed a fund for a future Little Tokyo community center. Sam Ishikawa of JACL ADC said other Nisei organizations would be invited to contribute.
• Maryknoll School Plans Reopening in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Maryknoll School, once the largest Catholic institution for children of Japanese ancestry in the United States, will reopen in September in Los Angeles. It was closed during the mass evacuation and used by the Cathedral parish during the war.
• Nisei Couple Will Go to Japan as Lifetime Missionaries, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mr. and Mrs. Aigi Kamikawa of Hood River, Oregon, the first Nisei missionary candidates accepted by the Disciples of Christ church, will leave for Japan in November. They will teach at a mission school in Tokyo.
• Brain Surgery Performed on Gunshot Victim, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Four-year-old Linda Kimura underwent delicate brain surgery in Los Angeles to remove a .22 caliber bullet fired accidentally by a neighbor boy on July 4. Physicians said she was doing as well as could be expected.
• Lil’ Tokyo: Pattern for a Ghetto, by Jobo Nakamura, page 5. Nakamura describes the life and streets of Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo, where returning evacuees have gathered alongside Issei, Kibei, and Sansei. He observes that Japanese Americans are gradually dispersing across the city while Little Tokyo remains a vital refuge.
• George Furuta Gets a License, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Denver restaurateur George Furuta obtained a scarce mixed-drinks liquor license through political connections he had cultivated in his precinct. Hosokawa presents the case as evidence that Denver Nisei are becoming effective participants in local politics.
• Sacramento Gallery Presents One-Man Show by Kuniyoshi, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A one-man exhibition of works by Yasuo Kuniyoshi, spanning his thirty years as a prominent American artist, opened at the E. B. Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento. The show includes 29 pictures, mostly of people, along with landscapes.
• Two Nisei Win L.A. Art Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Isamu Adachi and Lawrence Yonsmaet were awarded scholarships at the Los Angeles County Art Institute. Director Gaylord Richmond said the institute wished it could have awarded additional grants to deserving Japanese American students.
• Chicago JACL Pushes Plans for Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Chicago JACL has appointed chairmen for convention committees planning the 1950 national JACL convention centered at the Stevens hotel. Activities include an oratorical contest, queen contest, fashion show, and veterans memorial service.
• Hawaii Nisei Co-eds Win Appointments to Mainland Hospitals, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Five University of Hawaii Nisei co-eds were appointed to one-year dietetics internships at mainland hospitals, including Barnes Hospital in St. Louis and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. They planned to depart for the mainland in July to begin their training.
• Girl in Japan Will Wed Utah Nisei Veteran, by P.C. Staff, page 8. President Truman signed a private bill allowing Sadae Aoki, a Japanese singer engaged to Nisei veteran George Kato of Ogden, to enter the United States. She must marry Kato within three months of arrival to remain in the country.
• Townsite May Be Established at Newell, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A proposal to establish a townsite at Newell, former home of 18,000 evacuees at Tule Lake, faces opposition from homesteaders who settled in the area before recent land drawings. A public meeting was scheduled to discuss the controversy.

Commentary

• Postscript: Do You Know about Paul Harvey?, by Togo Tanaka, page 2. Tanaka criticizes radio commentator Paul Harvey for repeating the discredited rumor that Japanese Americans in Hawaii committed sabotage at Pearl Harbor. He cites official reports from military intelligence and the FBI debunking those claims and asks Harvey to correct his statement.
• Spotlight on Tokyo Rose, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Tajiri argues that race prejudice is a definite factor in the Iva Toguri d’Aquino trial, citing the government’s eight peremptory challenges that excluded non-Caucasian jurors. He connects the case to prewar discrimination that pushed many Nisei overseas and to the wartime evacuation.
• Discrimination and Education, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial reviews a Connecticut interracial commission study finding that Jewish and Italian-origin applicants were admitted to private colleges at lower rates than Protestants and Catholics. It concludes that race and religion should not determine an American’s access to education.
• The Walter Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial explains that the Walter resolution, which the JACL ADC now prioritizes, would grant naturalization to legally resident aliens ineligible for citizenship. It notes the measure has a better chance of Senate action than the broader Judd bill before the summer recess.
• Walter Resolution Editorial and Naturalization Equality, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial welcomes the formation of the McGrath subcommittee as a possible path for Senate action on the House-approved Walter resolution. It stresses that the measure would assure naturalization for legally resident aliens now ineligible for citizenship.
• Reunion in Manhattan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The author describes a rare reunion of his eighteen-member family in Manhattan after fifteen years apart, comparing their scattered lives across New York, Hawaii, and Denver. He reflects on changing Nisei family trends, including smaller families, weaker Japanese language skills, and the aging of his generation.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa reflects on a family Fourth of July fireworks evening in Denver, drawing a sentimental portrait of his daughter’s delight with Roman candles. He uses the scene to muse on the simple pleasures of family life.
• Family Trends and Nisei Parents, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa observes changes across Nisei families, including smaller families, declining Japanese language skills, and greater freedom for Sansei children. He concludes with reflections on Nisei prosperity, education, and aging health concerns.

JACL

• Future Status of JACL-ADC Regional Offices to Be Subject at Los Angeles Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL national staff and board will meet in Los Angeles on August 6 and 7 to decide the future of ADC regional offices, since the ADC budget is only outlined through October 1. Recommendations will go to district councils before final action at the 1950 national convention in Chicago.
• Los Angeles Chapters Best Chicago JACL in Membership Duel, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The four Los Angeles JACL chapters combined for 764 members to win the membership contest against Chicago, though Chicago remains the largest single chapter with 704 members. Winners receive DeMet turtles according to the contest terms.

Arts & Entertainment

• Tokyo Joe Fight Scene and Hollywood Notes, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Howard Kumagai, a judo expert and 240-pound Nisei, was signed to fight Humphrey Bogart in the climactic scene of Columbia’s Tokyo Joe. Other notes cover Al Nozaki’s art direction on Rope of Sand and Sessue Hayakawa’s painting between film scenes.
• Kuniyoshi Defends Artists Group Against Charges in Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Yasuo Kuniyoshi, national president of Artists Equity, rejected Rep. George Dondero’s charge that the organization is a Communist front. He emphasized the group’s work in securing fair payment for artist-exhibitors and its success influencing business practices.
• Sessue Hayakawa Hopes to Make Comeback on American Screen, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Silent-film star Sessue Hayakawa, who appeared in Tokyo Joe and Three Came Home, said he hopes to regain permanent American residency and resume his Hollywood career. He noted he refused to collaborate with Nazi filmmakers during the war.

Sports

• Jiro Nakamura Signs Contract as Modesto Reds Complete Pro Ball’s First All-Nisei Battery, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Modesto Reds of the California State League signed pitcher Jiro Nakamura, creating what officials called the first all-Japanese battery in professional baseball alongside catcher Hank Matsubu. Nakamura had been an outstanding pitcher for San Mateo Junior College.
• Fred Yoshikawa Wins Northern California Nisei Golf Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Fred Yoshikawa of Fresno won the Northern California Nisei golf championship over the Fourth of July weekend, edging out Sim Nambu by one stroke. High winds made play difficult on the Mira Vista course in Richmond.
• Nisei Student Wins Hawaiian Links Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Sukeyoshi Kushi, a University of Hawaii student, won the 1949 Public Links championship of Hawaii and left for Los Angeles to compete in the National Public Links tournament. He was the surprise winner of the field of 79 golfers.
• Sakamoto Coaches Hawaiian Women’s Swim Team for U.S. Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Coach Soichi Sakamoto is taking Hawaii’s strongest women’s swimming team to the AAU national championships in San Antonio, Texas, including five Nisei swimmers. The team was preparing to leave by plane for the meet.

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