Evacuation claims and citizenship bills before Congress

Vol. 26, No. 21, May 22, 1948. 8 pages. View this issue

Bills in Congress dominated the May 22, 1948 issue. A joint House-Senate committee was named to settle differences over the alien deportation suspension bill, H.R. 3566. Seven witnesses, among them Dillon Myer, testified before a Senate subcommittee for H.R. 3999, the Evacuation Claims bill to repay evacuees for lost property and businesses. Tosuke Yamasaki covered the hearing, and an editorial urged passage before Congress adjourned. The JACL also filed a 66-page statement for the bill. The naturalization bill, H.R. 5004, drew endorsements from American Legion and VFW posts.

Elsewhere in the eight pages: Bill Hosokawa wrote about Japanese American farming near Fort Lupton, Colorado. Lt. Charles Johnson told of meeting a Hiroshima survivor. Larry Tajiri’s column and several editorials took up civil rights. Families asked for the return of Nisei soldiers’ remains, and sports and chapter news from across the country filled the later pages.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Mother Sends Sailor Son’s Remains… Ship Gl’s Body to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mary Takao asked the Army to return the body of her brother, Sgt. Thomas T. Takao, killed in Italy with the 100th Infantry Battalion, to Japan for burial. The request makes his remains the second Nisei soldier’s body to be sent to Japan by next of kin.
• Vets to Provide Honor Guard for Reburial Rites, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The United Veterans of Fresno will furnish an honor guard at burial ceremonies for Nisei soldier dead in Fresno County. The American Legion Post 4 will join them, and both groups will take part in Memorial Day services at Liberty Cemetery.
• VFW Post Votes Support for Evacuation Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sacramento Nisei VFW Post 8985 unanimously endorsed the evacuation claims bill, H.R. 3999. The post asked that the Judiciary Committee be urged to act in favor of the measure.
• Los Angeles VFW Post Backs Evacuee Claims, Judd Bills, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Lt. Col. James M. Beck Post 2651 VFW unanimously endorsed the Issei citizenship bill H.R. 5004 and the evacuation claims bill H.R. 3999. The resolutions praised the wartime record of Japanese Americans.
• Lieut. Konishi Hopes Father May Become American Citizen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Second Lieut. Harry Konishi, who held a road block against Yugoslav forces in 1945, returned to Platteville, Colorado on emergency leave. He expressed hope that pending legislation would allow his father, a long-time resident, to become a citizen.

National

• House, Senate Committee Will Debate Deportation Suspension, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A joint House-Senate conference committee was named to resolve differences over H.R. 3566, the alien deportation suspension bill. The Senate amendments drew strong House objections, and the Washington JACL ADC warned the bill could die in committee over the treatment of Japanese versus European aliens.
• Fresno Legion Approves Bill On Naturalization, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The executive committee of American Legion Post 4 in Fresno unanimously passed a resolution supporting H.R. 5004, the naturalization bill. The resolution will go to the membership for approval at the post’s next meeting.
• McCloy, Myer, Biddle, Ennis Urge Speedy Senate Action on Compensation for Damages, by Tosuke Yamasaki, page 1. Seven witnesses testified before the Cooper-Magnuson subcommittee on May 21 in support of H.R. 3999, the Evacuation Claims bill compensating evacuees for property and business losses. They urged Senate passage before Congress adjourns.
• Mother Pleads With Sailor Son To Drop Romance With Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mrs. Samuel Hickman of Columbus, Ohio, asked the Navy to bring home her son Paul, stationed in Pearl Harbor, after he announced plans to marry Betty Namihara, a Honolulu Nisei. She said she would keep pressing officials and hoped the couple could reunite after a year at home.
• House Concurs With Senate’s Amendments to Keating Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The House approved Senate amendments to the Keating bill, which eases naturalization for alien veterans of World Wars I and II and now goes to the President. The measure is expected to help about 100 Japanese alien veterans.
• Atom Blast Victim Seeks Father in United States, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Miyoko Matsumoto, injured in the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, is seeking word of her father Naoichi Matsumoto and a brother who served in the U.S. Army. She has written to friends in Los Angeles for help.
• Under Any Other Name, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Southern states proposed regional graduate schools to avoid admitting Negro students to existing professional programs after a Supreme Court ruling. The House passed the bill, but the Senate referred it to committee, effectively killing it for the session.
• Nisei Held in California as Possible Stowaway on Clipper, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A youth of Japanese ancestry was detained in Redwood City after being found aboard a Pan American Clipper at San Francisco airport. He claimed to be a U.S. citizen born in Seattle, and immigration officials indicated they were unlikely to pursue his case.
• Townsend Harris Post Supports Claims Proposal, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Townsend Harris Post of the American Legion in San Francisco endorsed the Evacuation Claims bill H.R. 3999. The post asked the JACL’s Mike Masaoka to present its views to the Senate subcommittee.
• Noted Witnesses Urge Early Passage of Claims Proposal, by Tosuke Yamasaki, page 5. Additional witnesses at the Senate hearing, including Interior Department officials and Dillon Myer, supported the evacuation claims bill. They cited the government’s role in property losses and the cooperative attitude of evacuees.
• 9,000 Nisei Will Receive Bronze Stars, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Nisei soldiers who earned a Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge are entitled to a Bronze Star Medal, according to the Washington JACL ADC. More than 9,000 veterans are eligible, and next of kin of killed soldiers will receive Gold Star buttons.
• Congress Candidate Announces Support Of Judd Proposal, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Democratic congressional candidate Jonathan H. Rowell announced support for the Judd Bill extending immigration quotas to Japanese and granting citizenship to alien Japanese residents. He urged its passage before the June adjournment.
• ADC Seeks Support of VFW For Issei Citizenship Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The JACL ADC met with VFW legislative staff about possible endorsement of H.R. 5004. The VFW said it could not yet endorse changes to immigration law but had liberalized its view toward the limited naturalization bill.

JACL

• Okada Names Committee for JACL Parley, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL President Hito Okada announced 218 members serving on national committees, including a new legislative committee headed by Don Komai. The committee will make recommendations on the ADC and its work to the September national convention.
• JACL Urges Passage of Bill to Repay Evacuees for Losses Resulting from Mass Removal, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL filed a 66-page statement supporting H.R. 3999 with the Cooper subcommittee. It argued that the organization urged cooperation with evacuation as a patriotic duty and that evacuees should now be compensated for losses.

Community

• YBA to Honor Memory of DSC Winner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Bowles YBA will hold a candlelight memorial service on May 28 to honor Pfc. Joe Nishimoto, a Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross recipient killed with the 442nd. Those who died since returning to Bowles, Oleander and Monmouth will also be remembered.
• Rose Hanawa Wins Phi Beta Kappa, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rose Hanawa, secretary of the senior class at the University of Denver, was among 38 students awarded keys to Phi Beta Kappa by the university’s Gamma chapter. The honor recognizes her academic achievement.
• Nisei Delegates Attend Confab On Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Three JACL representatives, Thomas T. Hayashi, Mrs. Etsu Masaoka, and Robert M. Cullum, attended the Third National Conference on Citizenship in Washington. They reported that the discussion groups on naturalization and citizenship were productive and well attended.
• Buddhists to Hold Third Annual Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Eastern Young Buddhist League will hold its third annual conference in Chicago May 28 to 31. The program includes a forum, oratorical contest, elections, a banquet, and Memorial Day services.
• Chicago JACL Aids Parkway Community, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago JACL chapter will sponsor a table at the open house and garden soiree of the Parkway Community House on May 30. Invitations are being extended to chapter members and their friends.
• Screen Star, Governor Visit Salt Lake JACL Booth, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Governor Herbert Maw and screen star Joan Leslie visited the Salt Lake JACL women’s auxiliary booth at the Crusade for Children program on May 12. The booth was one of the most elaborate at the event sponsored by the Lions women.
• U.S. Buddhists Will Celebrate Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Buddhists across the United States will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Buddhism in America with a nine-day golden jubilee in San Francisco from August 21 to 29. Events include memorial services for WWII dead, a coronation ball, a bazaar, and contests.
• Congressman: Japanese Won Citizenship Privileges, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The text notes that Japanese veterans who served in the U.S. Army in World War II gained citizenship privileges, but a few others missed out because they fell outside statutory limits. The Keating bill was expected to address that gap.
• Baptist Church Wins Human Relations Award from City, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The First Baptist Church of Chicago received an award for outstanding service in human relations from the Mayor’s Commission on Human Relations. Pastor Rev. Jitsuo Morikawa accepted the award on the church’s behalf.
• Kaz Oshiki Named to Edit Drake University Book, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kaz Oshiki, a junior in Drake University’s education college, was named editor of the 1949 Quax yearbook. He previously served as managing editor of the student newspaper, the Drake Times-Delphic.
• ROTC Award Won By Nisei Student, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Robert Nagamoto, 15, took first place in individual drill competition at the annual high school ROTC field day in Kansas City. He is the only cadet sergeant in his sophomore class.
• Chinese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Phoenix’s Wing Ong, elected to the Arizona legislature in 1946, believes Asian Americans should take a larger role in community politics. The column also reports that Charles Leong will resume publishing the Chinese Press in San Francisco.
• JACL Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Issei and Nisei in Cincinnati gathered for a JACL picnic at the Redmond estate in Oaks. Activities included softball, bingo, races, and prize drawings.
• Hosokawa: From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The column describes Japanese American farming in the Fort Lupton, Colorado area of the South Platte Valley. It explains how wartime evacuees were initially viewed with suspicion before the two groups integrated.
• Nisei Pictorial Magazine Out in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Chicago pictorial quarterly Nisei Vue made its first appearance, edited by Shigemi Mazawa. The first issue features stories on homeless Sansei children, profiles of Mike Masaoka and Rev. Jitsuo Morikawa, and a report on Chicago resettlement.
• Organize New England JACL Chapter at Boston Meeting, by Mary Kimoto, page 6. The new New England JACL chapter held its organizational meeting in Boston with an address by Harvard philosopher Ralph Barton Perry. Perry argued that supporting civil rights organizations is a responsibility of all Americans.
• Stockton JACL Will Hold Semi-Formal Dance in June, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Stockton JACL will host a semi-formal dance on June 19 at the Stockton Rod and Gun Club. Several local leaders, including a city attorney and a CIO union head, are invited as special guests.
• Veteran Nisei Hot Rod Driver Hurt in Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Yam Oka, a veteran Nisei hot rod driver, suffered serious chest injuries when his car went over the crash wall during a qualifying heat at Culver City Speedway. The report gives details of the accident.
• Nisei Delegation Attends Denver Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A delegation of 18 Nisei attended the American Am An American Day ceremonies at Denver’s City Auditorium on May 16 under the chairmanship of George Masunaga. The Denver JACL banner was displayed in a reserved box.
• San Benito JACL Holds Successful Membership Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The San Benito County JACL achieved 100 percent membership success in its recent drive. The chapter also donated copies of Ralph G. Martin’s book to local libraries.
• Colorado Unity Group Supports Nisei Measure, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Colorado Unity Council unanimously endorsed the Evacuation Claims bill H.R. 3999 and the naturalization amendment H.R. 5004 at its Denver conference. More than 150 delegates from throughout the state attended.
• Philadelphians Support Bill To Pay Evacuation Losses, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Philadelphia organizations and individuals wrote to Senator John Cooper in support of H.R. 3999 to compensate Japanese American evacuees. Supporters included college and welfare leaders and Col. C. J. Harrold.
• Memorial Day Rites To be Sponsored By Denver JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Denver JACL will sponsor a community Memorial Day service on May 31 at the Nihonjin-kai hall honoring Nisei war dead. Multiple churches and the Cathay American Legion will participate.
• Bussei Review, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The CC YBA will stage a show called Bussei in Review in Fresno on May 29, featuring about 150 performers. Acts include Selma YBA’s Hawaiian-themed production and a band led by Tad Araki.
• United Veterans Plan Annual Carnival Soon, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The United Veterans of Fresno will hold their second annual carnival on June 18 at the Italian entertainment park. A dance and grand prize savings bond drawing will also take place.
• Idaho Falls JACL Will Hold Tri-City Graduation Dance, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Idaho Falls JACL will sponsor a Tri-City graduation dance on May 29 at the American Legion hall. Nisei graduates from Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and Rexburg will be special guests.

Commentary

• Minority Week, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial notes that 51 New York schoolboys were cancelled from a Washington trip after it was learned that four of them were Negroes. The incident is cited as a lesson in the gap between American ideals and practice.
• No Comment, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The column quotes Mississippi Governor Fielding L. Wright defending racial segregation as necessary and inevitable. It offers his statement without further comment.
• The Four Chaplains, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The column recounts how four chaplains of different faiths gave up their life jackets and went down with the troopship S.S. Dorchester in 1943. A commemorative stamp honoring them is to be issued May 28.
• Back to School, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The column suggests summer courses in race relations and social action at Oberlin and Fisk University. It gives dates and contact information for each program.
• Silver Lining, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Neighbors in Suffield, Connecticut rebuilt the home of an elderly Negro couple after a January fire. The column presents it as a heartening example of neighborliness across racial lines.
• Father Flanagan, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial mourns Msgr. Edward J. Flanagan of Boys Town, who died in Berlin and was buried at the institution he founded. It notes his welcome to evacuees of Japanese ancestry and his planned appearance at the JACL convention.
• Evacuee Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial urges Senate passage of H.R. 3999 before Congress adjourns, noting that evacuee losses are estimated above $100,000,000. It warns that delay makes proving claims more difficult with each passing month.
• Dialogue in Hell, by Jack Scott, page 4. A satirical dialogue has Hitler and Goebbels in Hell applauding the British Columbia ban on Japanese Canadians. The piece mocks Canadian discrimination by showing the Nazis approving of its parallels.
• Color Chart, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. The column reports that the Native Sons of the Golden West have shifted from the Yellow Peril to the Red Peril. It is a short commentary on the organization’s anti-Japanese history.
• Mistaken Advice, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Associated Farmers of Orange County sent Nisei a letter wrongly linking the Southern California ACLU to Communism. The column defends the ACLU’s record of protecting civil liberties of all Americans.
• Unifying Force, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The column notes that major newspapers across the political spectrum have editorially supported Nisei rights, including the evacuee claims bill and the Judd bill. It lists several prominent dailies that backed the measures.
• Inside Story, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The column reports on Morton Grodzins’ book on non-military pressures behind the West Coast evacuation, now offered to a New York publisher. It also recommends the WRA book Wartime Exile.
• Liberties in Paradise, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Hawaii civil liberties committee has been formed in response to several cases involving civil rights of Japanese Americans. One case concerns an alleged bombing of a Nisei official’s home.
• Sono and Politics, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The column notes that Nisei are being courted by 1948 campaigns, including the MacArthur and third-party efforts. It highlights Sono Osato’s musical debut and her political involvement.
• Takahashi Verdict, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The column anticipates a Supreme Court decision within two weeks in the Takahashi case, which challenges a California law barring aliens of Japanese ancestry from commercial fishing. The outcome may be a landmark for equality under law.

In-Depth

• Crying Her Heart Out, by Lt. Charles Johnson, page 5. An American lieutenant recounts meeting Yoshiko Hamasaki, a Hiroshima bombing survivor who was ill and alone in Yokohama in 1945. He describes how she later sought him out in Tokyo to express gratitude.

Sports

• Southpaw Prepster, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hideo Hirose, a left-handed pitcher for Denver’s Manual High School, threw a one-hit game against East High. He struck out eleven, though wildness hurt his performance in the 8 to 2 win.
• Coach Kajikawa, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Arizona State alumni publication praises Bill Kajikawa as one of the greatest all-around athletes to graduate from Tempe. He now coaches basketball and baseball and assists with football.
• Nisei Sees All Chicago Cubs Games Free as Clubhouse Boy, by John P. Carmichael, page 7. Yosh Kawano, a Nisei who served as batboy and mascot for the White Sox before the war, now works as a clubhouse boy for the Chicago Cubs. The column describes how he was asked to run an errand for the team.

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