Vol. 13, No. 50, February 1941. 10 pages. View this issue
Loyalty and service were the theme of the front page. During National Defense Week, the Intermountain District Council presented a combined loyalty and service pledge to Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw in Salt Lake City, and a similar resolution was planned for Idaho Governor Chase Clark in Boise. Mike Masaoka led the delegations. Los Angeles formed a Speakers Bureau to educate the public about the Nisei, and Kay Nishida’s Newsfront column urged Nisei to use the JACL to show their stake in national defense.
Much of this ten-page issue followed JACL chapters at work. Installations of new officers were reported from Stockton, Tulare County, the Bay Area, Northern and Southern California, and Puget Sound. Also inside: a federal income tax guide, a Legal Forum answer by Walter Tsukamoto on draft board appeals, a national pin drive, and farm and marketing columns.
What’s in this issue
National
- D.C. Presents Loyalty Pledge to Utah Governor, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Intermountain District Council presented a combined loyalty and service pledge to Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw during National Defense Week ceremonies in Salt Lake City. A similar resolution was to be presented to Idaho Governor Chase Clark in Boise.
- Family Farms Show Decrease, by P.C. Staff, page 4. John Vesecky, president of the Farmers’ Educational and Cooperative Union, warned that the average family-size farm is disappearing due to industrialization and low prices. He called for measures to raise family farm incomes to parity.
- Poor People Make Poor Land… Government Aid for Farmers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Federal programs assist low-income farmers through rehabilitation loans, cooperative services, and tenant purchase aid. The article uses Utah as an example of how these measures help small landholders.
Community
- Los Angeles Organizes Special Groups to Foster Goodwill in Community, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Los Angeles JACL chapter’s new Social and Cultural Committee planned a tea for civic leaders and a Speakers Bureau to educate the American public about the Nisei. Members of the bureau were named by chairman Masao Satow.
- JACL Weekend Planned for May 31 and June 1, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Francisco chapter scheduled a JACL weekend with a talent parade, dance, and a Lake Merced outing. The chapter also planned a census of about 2,000 Nisei over 18 in the city.
- Pocatello, Idaho Falls Petition for Charters, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The IDC executive committee approved petitions from the Pocatello and Idaho Falls Japanese American societies for charters. Recommendations were sent to National President Saburo Kido for ratification.
- Tulare Communities on Review: Delano, Dinuba, Lindsay, Orosi, Visalia, by Natsuko Misono; Fred Nishida; John Kubota; Haruo Tashiro; Tom Shimasaki, page 5. This historical survey traces the Japanese American settlement, organizations, occupations, and community relations in five Tulare County districts. It notes the progress from early discrimination to civic participation.
- Stockton JACL Heads Named, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Al Kawasaki was named president of the Stockton JACL, with a cabinet including vice-presidents, secretaries, and a treasurer. The chapter’s new board of governors was also listed.
- Bay Area Inaugural Ball Draws 400, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Four hundred attended the joint Bay Area JACL inaugural ball in San Francisco, sponsored by the Oakland, Alameda, and San Francisco chapters. National President Saburo Kido administered the oath to the new officers.
- Visalia Daily Features Tulare County Inaugural, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Visalia Times-Delta prominently covered the Tulare County JACL inaugural dinner, quoting speaker Tom Shimasaki on loyal citizenship. Officers were inducted by national executive secretary James Sugioka.
- Northern California Chapters Install New Cabinets, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Numerous Northern California JACL chapters, including Salinas Valley, Parlier, Sonoma, Watsonville, Lodi, Eden Township, Sacramento, Placer, San Jose, and others, installed new officers. Lists of cabinet members for each chapter are given.
- Puget Sound-Area Schedules Joint Inaugural Ball at Seattle in March, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The four Puget Sound JACL chapters planned a joint inaugural ball in Seattle in early March. Each chapter will invite distinguished guests from its city.
- New Leaders Selected in Southern California Leagues, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Southern California JACL chapters, including San Gabriel Valley, Santa Maria, San Diego, Long Beach, Orange County, and others, installed new officers. Guest speakers and civic leaders attended several of the installations.
Commentary
- Notes and Comments, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editors urge chapters to send membership dues to the national treasurer before the end of March. They also explain advertising and news reporting procedures and thank Professor Chiura Obata for his artwork.
- The President’s Corner, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The national president urges chapters to publicize Nisei activities and send clippings of press coverage to headquarters. He also calls for renewed dues collection and a new membership campaign with an endowment fund goal of $25,000.
- Newsfront, by Kay Nishida, page 4. Kay Nishida describes civic events in which Nisei draftees and JACL leaders engaged with community leaders to demonstrate loyalty. The column argues the Nisei should use the JACL to show their stake in national defense.
- Marketing Problems: Growers’ Responsibility, by Dr. M. P. Rasmussen, page 6. Rasmussen argues that growers must understand retailing and help retailers sell their vegetables through display and sales programs. He examines how gross margins and item variety affect produce sales.
- Rural Credit Tops a Billion Dollars, by C. R. Arnold, page 6. C. R. Arnold reports that farmers’ production credit associations lent over a billion dollars since 1933 with losses under one-half of one percent. Farmer ownership of association stock is growing and some associations have begun paying dividends.
- Legal Forum: Draft Board Appeal, by Walter Tsukamoto, page 9. Walter Tsukamoto answers a reader’s question about appealing a draft classification, explaining the five-day deadline and Class III dependency claims. He outlines the appeal steps through the Board of Appeal and the President.
JACL
- Nat’l Pin Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Kay Hirao, national pin committee chairman, announced a campaign with a goal of 2,500 pins and prizes for sellers. New rules restrict the diamond-studded and pearl-studded pins to certain past officers and contributors.
- Mike Masaoka Serves as State Chairman, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mike Masaoka served as chairman of the Speakers’ Bureau of the Utah State Infantile Paralysis Drive. He was the youngest person and first Japanese American to hold the position and was credited with the drive’s record success.
Military & Veterans
- Nisei Draftees Treated Fairly, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The president notes that Nisei draftees are not being segregated and reports good treatment in the army. He asks chapters to track and report the names and addresses of draftees.
In-Depth
- Federal Income Tax Guide, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The article explains the 1941 federal income tax filing requirements, exemptions, dependents, and head-of-family rules. It also covers allowable business, professional, casualty, charitable, depreciation, and travel deductions.
- Rural Learnin’, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Adult education and rural schooling efforts, including WPA programs in Oklahoma, are expanding literacy and vocational training. Authorities hope educated farmers will better their living standards.
- Japanese Missions Leave Valuable Heritage to Japan After Half Century of Activity, by Goro Murata, page 5. American Protestant missions are withdrawing from Japan by June 1941 after fifty years of evangelical, educational, and social work. Most of their schools, churches, and institutions will be left to the Japanese people.
- Tomato Resistant to Wilt, Especially Adapted to Distant Shipping, Tested, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Researchers at Riverside developed a tomato variety resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt and suited to long-distance shipping. Field and canning tests showed the variety performed well in infested soil.
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