Americans Betrayed, the Tokyo Rose trial and Issei citizenship bills

Vol. 29, No. 1, July 2, 1949. 8 pages. View this issue

Morton Grodzins’ book Americans Betrayed, on how pressure groups produced the mass removal of Japanese Americans, ran through the pages of this eight-page issue. Larry Tajiri reviewed it on page 4, an editorial took up its account of the DeWitt Report, and Bill Hosokawa’s column discussed it with a friend. On the front page, George Machi Mayeda became the first Japanese alien to win a stay of deportation under Public Law 863. Coverage of the treason trial of Iva Toguri d’Aquino also ran on page 1, and an editorial called her a victim of the Tokyo Rose legend.

Also inside: reports from the JACL Midwest District Council meeting in Chicago, where Mike Masaoka spoke, and from the push for Senate action on the Judd bill and Walter resolution. Page 6 follows Nisei athletes, including pitcher Junius Sakuma and sprinter Robert Watanabe. T. Takeshi Ohye’s account of combat in Europe appears on page 5.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Mayeda First to Seek Deportation Stay Under New Law, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a stay of deportation for George Machi Mayeda under Public Law 863, the first such stay for a Japanese alien. The law may affect approximately 200 Japanese aliens in the United States.
• Pressure Groups Forced Army Decision for Mass Evacuation, Says Grodzins in New Book, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Morton Grodzins’ book Americans Betrayed argues that the mass evacuation of Japanese Americans resulted from racist, economic, and political pressure groups rather than military necessity. The book documents the roles of regional interests, the Justice Department’s opposition, and the Supreme Court’s deference.
• Original Tokyo Rose Records Not Available, Says Prosecution, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The prosecution told the court that original Tokyo Rose broadcast records were destroyed and will rely on monitored recordings for Iva Toguri d’Aquino’s treason trial. Defense counsel Wayne Collins protested discriminatory bond requirements for defense witnesses.
• Reveal Dishonesty in DeWitt Report, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An editorial argues that Morton Grodzins’ book exposes the DeWitt Report’s false claim that evacuation orders for both military areas were issued simultaneously. The book confirms the Fourth Army Command misled Japanese Americans who moved from Area No. 1 into Area No. 2.

Community

• Two Chicagoans Win Scholarships to Encampment, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kathryn Hiro Ide and Kaz Kita of Chicago received scholarships to the Encampment for Citizenship. The encampment will be held for six weeks in New York City.
• Temper Flare as Witnesses Land in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two defense witnesses from Australia were questioned by FBI agents at San Francisco airport, prompting a protest from attorney Wayne Collins. Collins called the action an abuse of FBI powers in the Tokyo Rose treason case.
• British Columbia Fishermen Ban Anti-Evacuee Terrorism, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Steveston fishermen’s union voted by secret ballot to reject discriminatory tactics against returning Japanese Canadians. The union declared that Japanese Canadians with proper qualifications should be accepted back into the commercial fishing industry.
• Bucks County’s Welcome House Provides Haven for Unadoptable Children of Mixed Parentage, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Welcome House, founded by Pearl Buck and Richard Walsh in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, provides a home for children of mixed Asian and Caucasian parentage who cannot be adopted. The house emphasizes high intellectual standards and a homelike environment.
• Denver Resident Beaten by Youths, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Bill Mori of Denver was robbed and beaten by a group of youths while locking his garage. He was treated at Denver General Hospital and transferred to Mercy Hospital in fair condition.
• Japanese Americans Will Participate in Centennial Fiesta, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Japanese Americans participated in San Francisco’s Gold Rush Centennial Fiesta at Portsmouth Square, where a replica of the first schoolhouse was displayed. Nisei girls in kimonos called on the mayor and Japanese dances were part of the program.
• Young Nisei Wins Boys State Office, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tommy Otoshi of Seattle was the only Blue party candidate elected at the Evergreen Boys State elections. He was elected treasurer.
• Carolyn Okada to Leave for Eastern Dancing School, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Carolyn Okada, daughter of JACL president Hito Okada, will attend a six-week summer dancing school at Connecticut College. She is the only student under college age attending the program.
• Midwest Council Appoints Chairmen for JACL Committees, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL Midwest District Council appointed district chairmen for each of the thirteen National Standing Committees at its semi-annual meeting in Chicago. Each chairman will also serve on the corresponding national committee.
• Young Democrat, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Yori Wada of San Francisco serves on the steering committee of the Young Democratic Clubs of California. The group met in Fresno to plan a program to revitalize the clubs for the 1950 campaign.
• Masaoka Says Nisei Have Role in Democratization of Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mike Masaoka, JACL-ADC legislative director, told the Midwest District Council banquet that Japanese Americans must play an increasingly responsible role in democratizing Japan as a step toward world peace. The banquet was held June 25 in Chicago.
• Tashima Favors Annual Meetings for Midwest JACL Group, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Howard Tashima of the Cleveland JACL proposed that the Midwest District Council meet once a year instead of semi-annually to reduce travel burdens on chapters. Delegates also agreed to raise per capita dues from 10 cents to 20 cents.
• Forty Attend Midwest Council Meet in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 3. More than forty delegates and boosters attended the JACL Midwest District Council meeting in Chicago on June 25 and 26. The meeting covered evacuation claims services, chapter activities, and reports from regional officials.
• Coast JACL Officials Outline Program of Remedial Legislation; Seek Elimination of Discrimination in West Coast Cemeteries, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL-ADC officials presented ten items of remedial legislation to California lawmakers, including eliminating cemetery discrimination and restoring business licenses to Issei. The measures were deferred until after the legislative session.
• Cleveland Prepares for Midwest JACL Council Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Howard Tashima described the program planned for the Midwest District Council convention in Cleveland on September 17 and 18. Activities will include bridge, golf, sight-seeing, and bowling.
• Ask Recognition for Buddhist Markers in Military Cemeteries, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii Buddhist groups asked Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson to recognize Buddhist gravemarkers in national cemeteries. Newton Ishiura argued that the families of Buddhist war dead deserve respect for their religious faith.
• Watsonville JACL Honors Nisei Grads at Barbecue, Dance, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Watsonville JACL hosted a steak barbecue and sports dance for Nisei graduates of the area, drawing 200 attendees. Co-chairmen Tom Tao and Kay Tsuda were credited with organizing one of the most successful graduation parties in the city.
• Masaoka, Ishikawa Consider JACL Role in FEPC Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL-ADC regional directors Joe Grant Masaoka and Sam Ishikawa discussed a two-year campaign for FEPC legislation after the state measure was defeated. Legislators indicated that FEPC votes are often shaped by voter preferences before elections.
• Canada Network to Broadcast Drama About Mass Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Canadian Broadcasting Company will dramatize Dorothy Livesay’s documentary poem Call My People Home about the wartime evacuation of Japanese Canadians. The program will air on the trans-Canada network in July.
• French Camp JACL Will Fete Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The French Camp JACL will honor its graduates at an annual outing and weenie bake at Arden’s Resort on July 10. Setsuki Iwata is serving as general chairman.

National

• Hiroshima Survivor Graduates From Chicago School, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A war-stranded Japanese youth who survived the Hiroshima bombing graduated from Dante elementary school in Chicago with 50 other adult students. The graduates represented twelve nationalities.
• See Possibility for Senate Action on Issei Citizenship As New Subcommittee Named, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator J. Howard McGrath was named chairman of a Senate subcommittee to study naturalization and immigration bills, including the Judd bill and Walter resolution. JACL ADC officials viewed the appointment as the first real step toward Senate action.
• Expect Justice Department to Open First Evacuee Claims Office in Los Angeles Soon, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Justice Department plans to open a Los Angeles office in mid-July to process evacuation loss claims, with more than 5,000 claims received to date. The claims deadline is January 2, 1950, though the opening could be delayed by appropriations.
• JACL Council Urges Immediate Senate Action on Walter Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL Midwest District Council sent telegrams to Senator Pat McCarran urging immediate Senate consideration of the Walter resolution providing naturalization privileges without regard to race. The message argued this would increase American prestige in the Orient.
• California Democratic Official Talks with Masaoka, Ishikawa on Judd Bill, Walter Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Democratic Committee Chairman Oliver J. Carter met with JACL-ADC officials to discuss speeding action on the Judd bill and Walter resolution in Washington. The officials also outlined a ten-point program of remedial state legislation for Japanese Americans.
• Senate Passes Bill to Admit Nisei’s Fiancee, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Senate passed a bill allowing Sadae Aoki, fiancee of Nisei deputy collector George Kato, to enter the country to marry him. The marriage must be performed within three months for her to remain.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Trainee Wins Honors at Naval School, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tomoyoshi Nakashima, a Nisei, graduated first in the Dental Technicians School at Great Lakes with a 97.32 average. Captain H.J. Grassie noted it was one of the highest averages in the school’s history.
• War Hero Sgt. Togo Sugiyama to Be Buried, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sgt. Togo Sugiyama of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, will be reburied at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. He was killed in Italy in July 1944.
• Reburial Rites Held for Nisei Soldier, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Reburial rites for Pfc. Takanori Nishi, a San Francisco native awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star, were held at Golden Gate National Cemetery. He was the son of Dr. Naganori Nishi of Albany, California.
• Dig Now, Dig Quick!, by T. Takeshi Ohye, page 5. Nisei veteran Ohye recounts the grim experience of combat in Europe, from digging foxholes under mortar fire to the fight for survival. He reflects on faith and the hope of tomorrow amid battle.

Obituaries

• Virginia Ondo Graduate, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Virginia Ondo graduated from the University of Washington with a social work major and is now employed by Boeing Aircraft in Seattle. Her mother attended the graduation.
• The Passing of a Friend, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial mourns Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Stanford president and former Interior secretary, who died at 74. It highlights his civil rights advocacy and support for Japanese Americans, including his role in the JACL sponsorship and Committee on American Principles and Fair Play.

Commentary

• Americans Betrayed: Politics and the Japanese Evacuation, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Tajiri reviews Morton Grodzins’ book documenting how race hatred and economic interests produced the mass evacuation of Japanese Americans. He argues the greater betrayal was of all Americans, since the policy set a constitutional precedent.
• The Tyranny of a Legend, by P.C. Staff, page 4. An editorial on the treason trial of Iva Toguri d’Aquino argues she is a victim of the Tokyo Rose legend, a generic name for female Radio Tokyo broadcasters. It notes that she was pursued largely because of her prominence as the embodiment of that legend.
• Morton Grodzins’ Americans Betrayed: Politics and Mass Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A review examining how Grodzins documents the regional pressure groups, Congressional blocs, and Justice Department opposition that shaped the evacuation decision. It concludes the book serves as a warning against future racial scapegoating.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa recounts a conversation about Grodzins’ book with a friend who has long remembered the evacuation. He notes the volume’s dynamite revelations about how the evacuation was engineered.
• Flight Over the Plains, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa describes an airplane flight over the Colorado plains, reflecting on how water shapes the landscape and agriculture from mountain snowpack to cultivated fields. He reflects on the balance of nature and the flight’s impact.

Sports

• Brooklyn Dodgers Eye Suisun Nisei Hurler, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Brooklyn Dodgers are interested in Junius Sakuma, a Nisei pitcher who starred for an Air Force team in Japan and pitches for Suisun in Northern California. He has chosen the Dodgers and will try out for a spot in spring training in 1950.
• Hank Matsubu Signed by Babe Herman, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Hank Matsubu, a Nisei catcher from the College of Idaho, was signed by Pittsburgh Pirates scout Babe Herman. He is playing for the Modesto Reds in the California State League.
• Fresno Nisei Have Strong Lineup, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Fresno Nisei All-Stars, featuring several college players with pro interest, defeated the Fresno Drillers 13 to 8. The team is rated among the best non-professional clubs in the San Joaquin Valley.
• Bob Watanabe Reaches Final of National AAU Sprint Event, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Robert Watanabe of Los Angeles qualified for the 100-meter dash finals at the National AAU championships in Fresno. He finished just behind the winner in a near-record time.
• Henry Aihara Named to U.S. Track Team for Europe Tour, by P.C. Staff, page 6. USC’s Henry Aihara was named to the U.S. track and field team for a meet against Scandinavian athletes at Oslo, Norway. He earned his place with a third-place finish in the AAU broad jump.
• Okamura Returns to Pro Wrestling, by P.C. Staff, page 6. George Bull Okamura is returning to professional wrestling and will be booked for matches in the Midwest. He joins other Nisei wrestlers in the profession.
• Sculptures Win Praise at Paris Exhibition, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Shinkichi George Tajiri’s sculptures were among works honored at a Paris exhibition of G.I. bill students, with special praise from Picasso. Tajiri is a Los Angeles native who volunteered for the 442nd and was wounded in Italy.

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