1951: JACL’s Eastern District meets and immigration reform advances

Vol. 32, No. 14, April 14, 1951. 8 pages. View this issue

Speedy settlement of evacuation claims and the removal of racial bars from immigration law ran through this eight-page issue. The JACL’s Eastern District Council, meeting in Washington, D.C., passed a resolution supporting compromise settlements of claims and elected Akiro Hayashi its chairman. National President Dr. Randolph Sakada and Mas Satow met with congressmen and Justice Department officials that same weekend. I. H. Gordon wrote on the broad agreement among witnesses at the omnibus immigration hearings, and a report followed the AFL’s reversal on Oriental exclusion.

Elsewhere, the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee opposed segregated units in the draft bills, and an editorial warned against using the 442nd’s record to justify them. Lawrence Nakatsuka wrote about a former Nisei labor leader, and the issue carried news of Nisei wounded in Korea. Bill Hosokawa and Mary Oyama contributed columns, and chapter news and sports fill the back pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL’s Eastern Area Council Approves Steps to Expedite Payment of Evacuee Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Eastern District Council of the JACL, meeting in Washington, D.C., passed a resolution supporting speedy compromise settlements of evacuation claims. The convention also elected new officers, urged immigration and naturalization equality legislation, and changed its meeting schedule to annual.
• Joint Senate-House Committee Seeks Acceptable Version of Omnibus Bill on Immigration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A joint Senate-House subcommittee is working to reconcile three omnibus immigration and naturalization bills before they reach the floors of each chamber. The bills share provisions to remove racial barriers and create priority immigrant classes, though disputes remain over quotas and expatriate citizenship suits.
• AFL Witness Asks for Final Repeal of Racial Exclusion, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Witnesses from the AF of L and the Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers urged Congress to eliminate racial discrimination in immigration and naturalization laws at the close of joint hearings. The AF of L’s position marks a sharp reversal from its earlier advocacy of Oriental exclusion.
• Note Unanimity of Congress Opinion for Elimination of Race Bans from Immigration, by I. H. GORDON, page 3. All three omnibus immigration bills and nearly every witness at the hearings agree on eliminating racial distinctions in immigration and naturalization law. The author notes this marks a major reversal for organizations like the American Legion and AFL, which once backed Oriental exclusion.
• JACL President Spends Busy Week-End in Nation’s Capital, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL National President Dr. Randolph Sakada and Director Mas Satow met with congressmen and Justice Department officials on evacuation claims and immigration legislation during the Eastern District Council convention. They also attended convention sessions and a private screening of Go for Broke!

Incarceration & Redress

• Former Nisei Labor Leader Finds Himself an Outcast, by By LAWRENCE NAKATSUKA, page 2. Jack Kawano, a former Nisei labor leader who broke with Communism, was denied a chance to have his letter read at the ILWU convention after asking the union to guarantee members’ right to testify before investigating committees. Bridges and the convention rejected the letter, and Kawano now works as a theater janitor.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Airman Will Recover From Injuries in Plane Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Navy airman Richard K. Akutagawa survived a plane crash on San Clemente Island that killed the two other crew members. He wandered the island for two days before fishermen rescued him and is recovering from severe injuries.
• Parents Learn Son Wounded in Korean Conflict, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The parents of Pfc. George T. Yusa of Pasadena learned their son was wounded in Korea on March 12 with injuries described as not too serious. He is recuperating from a wrist injury at an army hospital in Osaka, Japan.
• JACL Opposes Segregation Proposals in Draft Measures, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee opposed a proposed amendment to draft and UMT bills that would allow segregated units. Mike Masaoka called it a rank excuse for discrimination and argued the 442nd’s record should not be used to justify segregation.
• Army Corporal Will Return from Korean Front, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Cpl. George Fujikawa, wounded in Korea on March 6, is being moved from an army hospital in Tokyo to Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco. He had been wounded in Korea six months earlier and returned to duty.

Community

• Sacramento Chapter Elects ’51 Cabinet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Sacramento JACL elected Bill Matsumoto as president for 1951 along with a full slate of vice presidents and officers. The new cabinet was installed at a March 29 meeting.
• Seabrook Chapter Elects Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Seabrook JACL named Charles Nagao president for 1951, with James Mitsui and Frances Kawaijiri as vice presidents. Other officers and delegates were also chosen.
• Denver JACL Officials Find Trouble Comes in Bunches, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Several Denver JACL conference leaders faced illness, injury, and family events just before the Mountain Plains district council convention. Organizers nonetheless expected the conference to proceed as scheduled with large attendance.
• Fresnans Welcome New JACL Members, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Fresno JACL scheduled a welcome party for new members featuring a novelty basketball game, a fly-casting demonstration, and films of the 1950 World Series. A benefit movie is planned for May.
• Auxiliary Plans Open House for Japanese Airmen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Salt Lake JACL women’s auxiliary will host an open house on April 17 for three Japanese airport officials studying Salt Lake City airport operations. The visitors completed a 22-week study in Oklahoma City.
• Delano Nisei Bowlers Win City Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Yonaki Bros. team won the Delano city bowling tournament with a 2960 total. Tets Nakagama also took the singles title with a 664 series.
• Eden Township JACL Plans Joint Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Eden Township JACL will hold a joint business and social meeting with the South Alameda County chapter on April 19. The group also plans an entertainment program for Issei in May.
• Cleveland JACL Discuss Program, by Gene Miyake, page 7. The Cleveland JACL program committee outlined a year of informational and educational activities, including a community survey and a November workshop on housing and employment. The April general meeting will discuss the JACL’s functions and invite constructive criticism.
• Eastern Young Buddhists Plan Chicago Convention in June, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Eastern Young Buddhist League will hold its sixth annual convention in Chicago from June 29 to July 1. The theme is Gateway to Harmony, with delegates expected from several eastern and midwestern cities.
• Tenant Loses Assault Case in Chicago Court, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A Cook County jury found Henry and Cheryl Endo not guilty of assault charges brought by a former tenant who sought $100,000 in damages. The plaintiff had alleged the assault was part of a campaign to remove Caucasian tenants from the building.
• Court Jurisdiction Will Be Issue in Honolulu Case, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Edwin Shigeo Fukumoto’s suit against Secretary of State Dean Acheson will be heard in Honolulu, with the central question being whether a Nisei who recovers Japanese citizenship may sue to set it aside in a U.S. court. Attorney A. L. Wirin is representing him.
• Nisei Forgery Case Reported to Northern California Office, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Nisei passing a forged $50 check at a San Francisco Japanese restaurant was reported to police and the Northern California JACL. The suspect had approached the cafe operator with a story of financial hardship and car trouble.
• Resettlers Plan Leadership Training Workshop in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Chicago Resettlers Committee will host a leadership training workshop on April 16 focused on club organization and member participation. Malcolm Knowles will lead discussions on group dynamics with local JACL and resettler leaders.

Commentary

• A Warning Against Segregation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial warns that pro-segregationists may use the 442nd combat team as an example to justify segregated army units. It argues the 442nd fought for equal acceptance rather than segregation and that using its record this way would be misleading.
• Practice and Preachment, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines the gap between democratic ideals and discriminatory practice in America, noting the casualty lists of minority servicemen in Korea. It argues that national minority organizations, including the JACL, increasingly work together against discrimination.
• These Are Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial reviews Dr. John A. Rademaker’s book on Hawaii’s Japanese Americans during the war, which argues their wartime loyalty demonstrated the strength of democratic values. The editorial extends the book’s message to the broader fight against racial discrimination.
• McWilliams, Montagu Explore Racial Relations, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. The reviewer recommends Carey McWilliams’ revised Brothers Under the Skin and Ashley Montagu’s Statement on Race as useful resources on race relations. Both books argue that social relationships, not biology, are the central issue in racial conflict.
• Growing a Green Lawn, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa humorously describes the labor involved in fertilizing and maintaining a lawn, from spreading barnyard fertilizer to endless mowing. He concludes with a wry suggestion that painted concrete might be a sensible alternative.
• “Smog-Lites”: The Origin of a Name, by Mary Oyama, page 6. Oyama explains the name of her column, a play on the smog that blankets Los Angeles, and reflects on what she sees as the city’s appeal. She argues that Nisei who remain isolated in ethnic circles miss opportunities for integration that exist in the wider community.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nisei Girl Co-Authors Book on Lawn and Garden, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Betty Kanameishi, a Nisei editor at Popular Mechanics, co-authored the how-to book Lawn and Garden. Her father was a Los Angeles florist before evacuation, and she graduated from the University of Wisconsin in journalism.

Sports

• Nisei Liquors Hold Lead in Bowling League, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Nisei Liquors team remained atop the Chicago Nisei Men’s bowling league after a 2-2 split with the Sugano Tourists. Several other teams posted strong series and handicapped results in league play.
• Konno-Marshall Duel Postponed, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ford Konno did not enter the National AAU indoor swimming championships, so his expected duel with John Marshall did not take place. The report also covers Nisei results in boxing, track, and high school sports.
• Tab Only Nisei in Pro Ball as Yonamine, Matsubu Fail to Report for 1951, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Wally Yonamine and Pete Matsubu have not reported to their professional teams, leaving Tak Abo as the only Nisei in professional baseball this season. Yonamine has received offers from Japanese teams and Hawaii leagues.

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