Loyalty and defense: Nisei respond to an espionage case in 1941

Vol. 13, No. 54, June 1941. 12 pages. View this issue

Loyalty was the subject that ran through this 12-page issue. After an espionage case involving two foreign-born Japanese, leaders in Southern California called on Japanese Americans to reaffirm their allegiance to the United States. National JACL president Ken Matsumoto and Fred Tayama, the Los Angeles chapter’s president, said the community had to prove its loyalty and guard against any repeat. Joe Masaoka urged Nisei to support defense efforts and buy defense bonds, and Hawaiian Nisei were reported pledging patriotism too.

Other pages looked at Nisei military service and a rumor of segregated draftees that Walter Tsukamoto checked with the Selective Service. Walter Tsukamoto also wrote the Legal Forum column on pending California bills. Maye Oye’s prize-winning oration, “Let Freedom Ring,” is printed on page 5. Readers will also find Nisei Week plans for Los Angeles, chapter news, a book review by Isao Fukuba, and columns on farming, fashion and hobbies.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Reaffirm Loyalty, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Leaders in Southern California called on Japanese Americans to reaffirm their allegiance to the United States following an espionage case involving two foreign-born Japanese. National JACL president Ken Matsumoto said the community must do all it can to prevent a recurrence.
• Final Results Given for National JACL Pin Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Gardena Valley took first place in the national JACL pin drive, with Oakland and Valley Civic League finishing second and third. The article lists gross sales and pin counts for all participating chapters.

National

• Defense Urges Nisei to Awareness of Changing Conditions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Joe Masaoka of the Bay District issued a statement urging Nisei to be exemplary citizens, support defense efforts, and buy defense bonds in light of President Roosevelt’s May 27 foreign policy address. The Citizens League Coordinating Committee outlined specific individual responsibilities for Nisei.

Community

• Back U.S.O., by P.C. Staff, page 1. Representatives of the Japanese community joined more than a thousand Southern California business and professional leaders at a Los Angeles meeting launching the United Service Organizations’ national defense fundraising campaign. The USO seeks $11,000,000 to maintain recreational centers near army camps.
• Americanization Program Urged for S.C. Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Gongoro Nakamura, president of the Central Japanese Association, urged Issei in Southern California to pursue Americanization education in a radio address. He encouraged them to contribute to national defense through farming, bond purchases, and USO support.
• Citizens All, by P.C. Staff, page 1. At an El Monte Coordinating Council luncheon, San Gabriel Valley JACL president Henry Kuwabara discussed juvenile needs of American, Japanese, and Mexican youth and affirmed Japanese American loyalty. He announced plans for a public meeting where local Japanese would express their loyalty.
• Monterey, Seattle Citizens Make Plans for District Conventions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Northwest District convention in Seattle on August 30 to September 1 will feature discussion groups on economic, social, and civic problems. The Monterey Peninsula JACL relocated its July convention to the Hotel San Carlos after the government annexed Asilomar for NYA use.
• Nisei Week 1941 in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Fred Tayama announced that Nisei Week will run August 3 to 10 in Los Angeles, with Eiji Tanabe chairing and committee heads named for queen selection, business, food, street dance, and ceremonies. The festival will feature multiple community events.
• Oakland Flower Arrangements Win Honors, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Oakland JACL flower arrangements earned gold medals at the National Hobby Show sponsored by the Oakland Jr. Chamber of Commerce. Photographs show the chapter’s representatives with their display.
• Northern California and Northwest District Councils Convene, by P.C. Staff, page 11. At Hood River and San Francisco, district boards recommended a nationwide JACL week of benefit functions for the endowment fund and discussed a monthly bulletin. Northern California voted to support bond purchases from chapter sinking funds.
• Oakland Chapter Secures 61 New Members in Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Oakland JACL added 61 new members during May, with the Berkeley section under Haruki Kuroiwa contributing more than 40. An initiation party is planned for early July.
• Ken Matsumoto to Speak at Loyalty Fete in San Gabriel, by P.C. Staff, page 11. National JACL vice-president Ken Matsumoto will speak at a loyalty program sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley JACL on June 25. The El Monte Coordinating Council has pledged support for the event.
• Wataru Misaka Receives I.D.C. Scholarship Medallion, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Wataru Misaka, 17, received the Intermountain District Council scholarship medallion at Ogden High School, honored as the outstanding Japanese American graduate of the region. Isami Aoki and Ruby Kasai were named second and third.
• Japanese Citizens Give Wholehearted Aid to Red Cross Work, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Seattle chapter women are sewing and knitting for the Red Cross, with about 50 volunteers and additional workers making surgical bandages at headquarters. The article describes the community’s contribution to national relief work.
• San Jose to Take Part in Flag Day, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The San Jose JACL joined other chapters in forming the United Citizens League of Santa Clara County, participating in Memorial Day and Flag Day events. The women’s auxiliary also announced plans for welfare work and clubroom renovation.

Commentary

• Editorial: Notes and Comments, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial praises Nisei participation in national defense, including Southern California’s coordinating committee, Los Angeles chapter USO fundraising, and Northern California’s bond purchases. It also urges members to pay dues, submit membership lists, and meet the tenth-of-month deadline for chapter news.
• The President’s Corner, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The column celebrates improved Pacific Citizen support after last spring’s suspension and urges members to back the National JACL Endowment Fund drive toward a $100,000 goal. It also predicts that wartime military service will eventually improve racial tolerance in America.
• Legal Forum: Labor Union Bill and Legislative Update, by Walter Tsukamoto, page 4. Walter Tsukamoto answers reader questions about a California bill barring labor unions from racial discrimination, which was tabled in the Senate, and surveys several pending state bills affecting Nisei. The column covers birth record procedures, fishing license requirements, textbook inspection, and civil service race-question restrictions.
• Oratorical Contest Winner: Let Freedom Ring, by Maye Oye, page 5. Maye Oye’s prize-winning oration from the Portland JACL contest celebrates American liberty in contrast to totalitarian regimes. It urges citizens to vote intelligently, obey laws, and respect the rights of others.
• Need for Study of What Consumers Buy, by Dr. M. P. Rasmussen, page 6. Dr. Rasmussen argues that official fruit and vegetable grade standards, designed for wholesale trade, may not suit consumer needs given that most families have low incomes. He calls for research into actual consumer purchases before grading systems are set.
• American Rural Fronts Undergo Change: Agriculture and Defense, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The article describes how the war in Europe has cut farm exports, shifting demand toward meat, poultry, and dairy for military and domestic use. It also notes that defense factories are being built in rural areas, creating jobs for farm youth.
• Nisei in Japan Face Loss of Citizenship Under New Law, by Goro Murata, page 9. Approximately 10,000 Nisei residing in Japan face expatriation after July 13, 1941 under the Nationality Act, though most are teenagers still in school. Some plan to contest the presumption, while others consider Japanese naturalization.
• How to Be Well-Dressed on a Limited Budget, by Mrs. C. J. Frederick, page 10. A fashion column offers practical advice on buying classic, practical clothing in coordinated color schemes to stretch a limited budget. It emphasizes avoiding fad styles and checking fabric shrinkage.

In-Depth

• On Books: Honorable Enemy, by Isao Fukuba, page 2. Reviewer Isao Fukuba assesses Ernest O. Hauser’s book Honorable Enemy, based on the author’s 1939 visit to Japan. The review finds the book sympathetic in places but weak in its psychological analysis of the Japanese temperament and its reading of the China conflict.
• Interesting Hobby: Collecting Bells, by Mrs. C. J. Frederick, page 10. The author describes her collection of bells from around the world, including Mission bells, English school bells, Indian elephant bells, and Russian harness bells. She notes that friends have contributed many pieces and that bell collecting is a satisfying hobby.

Military & Veterans

• Segregation Question, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rumors of segregating Nisei draftees with African American soldiers prompted an investigation by Walter Tsukamoto, who received official assurance from the Selective Service that no segregation would occur. National President Saburo Kido urged the community to avoid spreading unfounded rumors.
• Hawaiian Nisei Pledge Patriotism, by Stanley Shimabukuro, page 4. Hawaiian Nisei are demonstrating patriotism through rallies, volunteer work in civic and police organizations, and offers of service to Governor Poindexter. Oahu’s Citizens’ Committee for Home Defense is planning a large rally to reaffirm loyalty to the United States.
• Young Buddhists of America Support U.S. Defense, by Manabu Fukuda, page 5. Young Buddhists Federation president Manabu Fukuda urges members to support American defense and welcomes Nisei military service. He describes Buddhist teachings as aligned with loyalty and sacrifice for the nation.

Arts & Entertainment

• Why I Like Blue, by Don Blanding, page 9. Poet Don Blanding presents a lyrical meditation on the color blue, describing it as cool, clean, healing, and mystical. The poem concludes that he likes blue simply because it is blue.

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