https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jacoby-nisei/1073/thumbnail.jp

Unidentified

English

Scholarly Commons

University of the PacificScholarly CommonsHarold S. Jacoby Nisei Collection Japanese-American Internment Collections9-1-1945News LetterUnidentifiedFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jacoby-niseiThis Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the Japanese-American Internment Collections at Scholarly Commons. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Harold S. Jacoby Nisei Collection by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, pleasecontact mgibney@pacific.edu.Recommended CitationUnidentified, "News Letter" (1945). Harold S. Jacoby Nisei Collection. 74.https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jacoby-nisei/74SPECIAL V-D SUPPLEMENT JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRACY fg» AUGUST 1945 FULL EMPLOYMENT NECESSARY fa PEACE As a gladdened nation sudden­ly realizes that the "duration of the war" is over, and releas­es its pent-up emotions in fren­zied joy-making, the possibility of mass unemployment grimly erks us back to the reminder hat the tasks of victory are many. "60 million jobs" was a war-phrase for the postwar peri­od. "Postwar" is now. And those thousands of unemployed lines at former war produotion plants indloate all too dearly the need for a vast reconversion and employment plan. Will we nisei, too, lose our jobsT What can we do to assure ourselves security in the coming period? We have already Been how the Negroes and women have been among the first to be re­leased from their jobs as com­parative latecomers in industry. They had been unable to gain em­ployment in different fields un­til war necessity and the FEPC opened up opportunities for them. We nisei are also in the same position, slnoe most of us got our jobs after evacuation. Reliable authorities estimate up to 10 million unemployed in a few months. Immediate Congres­sional action is necessary to maintain the living standard of our people. We can do our part by: 1. joining others who are fighting for a full em­ployment program, notably the labor movement, and, 2. taking political action. There are many bills in Con­gress today which deserve immed­iate attention. Congress must be reconvened at once to paBS bills dealing with the human phase of reconversion. Congress (Continued, next page) NISEI GI'S IN PACIFIC WAR Dramatically, the story of Nisei 01's participation in the war against Japan has hit the columns'of many veteran corres­pondents covering the Pacific theater. They are moving stor­ies of individual heroism — some are conspiouous deeds of bravery; others of more quiet, but as enduring, courage, the day-by-day kind, born of the swamps and the jungles that make up the terrain of Paoific war­fare. Outstanding exploits of these American soldiers of Japanese ancestry — Ill's, they are call­ed, Military Intelligence men attached to the Marines and the Infantry — are so many, we ca: mention only a few. Their work in interpreting, deooding, re­connaissance — which entailed hazardous work within Japanese lines — and in other "special and dangerous missions" is now a significant and historical faot. We know too, that there were also individual nisei infantry­men scattered in various outfitB in this theater. They took part in the fighting in the Phillip-pines, Bataan, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, the Marshalls, Ta-(Continued, next page) A W SUA/ FOR OLD The high priests of Shinto and the arrogant latter-day samurai — they who boasted that surrender was not a part of their conquer­or's vocabulary — have given up the fight they started. The "Di­vine" Emperor is now taking orders from an undivine general named MacArthur. The banzaie are heard no more. And the Potsdam Declar­ation can now be wielded with vigor to clean up the Imperial House of Japan. The blood-red Rising Sun, the Hinomaru terror of the Orient, nas set. We, the jubilant peoples of the victorious democracies, hope it is sunset forever for fascism and the destructive anachronism of war. In rejoicing we have snake-danced in Times Square, put fuse to firecrackers in Chungking, swilled vodka in Red Square and ditched the reserve of the British in the once bombed-out streets of London. But while we celebrate the end of the blood-spilling and the fall of fascism's last major bastion, let it be remembered: That the end of a war — even of a Justly and courageously fought war whloh the right side won — is the beginning of a political struggle just as grim and portenteous. That unless the terms of the Potsdam Declaration are en­forced without compromise, we face the terrible probability of another war in another generation, if not sooner — and the next one may spell the utter extinction of humanity. That there are men of influence in our national councils who would trim the branohes but leave untouched the roots of the Japanese fascist oligarchy's will to mr. That the only hope of a civilized future for Japan and for a world that doesn't want any more war anywhere is a renov­ated Japan completely cleared of the murk of medieval myths and the economic compulsions toward aggression — the clap­trap of "Divine Rule," the feverish, primitive Yamato cult, the damming up of national wealth in the vaults of the Zai-batsu. That the only logical and just sequel to our military vic­tory will be the encouragement of an unreservedly democratic people's Japan to replace the feudal-fascist regime which made Tokyo synonymous with fear, hate, treachery and blood — the sending up of a new sun over the other side of the Paci­fic to eclipse the old for all time. And let it be remembered on our own side that the breaking of the great wave of victory has piled up in our yard a vast mountain of problems the solution of whioh will require every bit as much of the energy and ingenuity we expended to win the war. Unemployment and insecurity, the time-bombs of political and economic tension. The handout of left-overs and the handout of nothing to darker-skinned Americans. The reconversion to peace­time production of the titanic industrial machine we built and op­erated at an incredible pace to avenge Pearl Harbor. Lingering apathy toward the great problems of home and abroad which are no longer the concern of politicians and statesmen alone. These, in their own way, are obstacles no less formidable than the Luftwaffe and the Wehrmaoht, the Kamikazes and the banzai bat-tali one. There are many more victories yet to be won. IMMac/TOMIDE -JACD Criticizing ex-Ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew as an advo­cate of appeasement toward mili­tarist Japan, the JACD last week conveyed to President Truman the satisfaction of its members with the acceptance of Orew's resig­nation as Under-Secretary of State. As long as Orew's ideas in­fluenced our Far Eastern policy, the letter to the President said, "there were reasons for fearing that the roots of fascism in the Orient would be exterminated only in part.• The JAOD also took note of presB rumors of a possible ap­pointment of Grew as politioal adviser to General MacArthur. If any adviser is to be as­signed to the General, the or­ganization said, the appointee rnuBt be "one who stands unquali­fiedly for the utter destruction of the war-making powers of fas­cist, Imperial Japan and who will exert every effort to as­sist the Japanese people in the realization of a truly democrat­ic Japanese State." On Dean Acheson's appointment as suocessor to Grew, the letter expressed hope that it "signi­fies the determination of our government to reject completely any half-way measures" in elim­inating military-fascism. JACD ISSUES STATEMENT ON SURRENDER In a vigorous statement of its position on the military surrender of Japan, the Japanese American Committee for Democracy weloomed the final victory as having established "the pre­conditions for a peaceful and secure world," but called for vigilanoe against the mainte­nance in Japan of the old order whioh caused the war. The statement warned that there are offioials in our gov­ernment who advocate the reten­tion of the Imperialist Japanese political and economic structure responsible for Pearl Harbor. It then asked the people of Am­erica to ensure the establish­ment of a democratic Japanese government "by seeing that the Potsdam Declaration is carried through to its logical conclu­sion." The statement full: fOllOW8 "The surrender of the fascist militarist government of Japan is joyous news for all freedom-loving people. The last link of the axis and the fascist strong­hold in Asia has been defeated militarily. The pre-condition for a peaceful and secure world has been established. "This is a time of rejoicing; however, we must not forget what our men have been fighting for, namely, that the people of all nations may live in a more demo­cratic and prosperous icrld. "All the terms of the Potsdam Declaration must be completely fulfilled. Most Important are the provisions dealing with the punishment and removal from of­fice of all those who are res­ponsible for this war, and re­moval of all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Japanese people. Only by accom­plishing these tasks can we have a free, people's Japan which is essential for the future peace of the world. "In light of our AMG's past activities in the occupied ter­ritories in Europe we believe that utmost vigilance must be exercised by the people of Amer­ica to see that the people's movement in Japan is encouraged and not suppressed. "Under these conditions and only under these conditions oan there be 'established in accord­ance with the freely expressed will of the Japanese people a peaoefully inclined and respon­sible government.' "It is also under these con­ditions that the question of the status of the unperor can be de­termined by the people of Japan. At the present time, however, there are offioials in our gov­ernment who are trying to influ­ence and weaken our policy by advocating the retention of the status quo as well as the Emper­or which would mean the mainte­nance of the same conditions which gave rise to the war. We We oalled up the following Japan.) I hope there Is still a people for oomments on the 8ur- chance for eome hind of democra-render. Here's what they said: tlo expression by the Japanese people.* EUOEHE MOT. Pres.. China Dally Hews: "Chungking's policy" (ed. note: that of forbidding Chi­nese Red Foroes to disarm the Japanese armies and puppet troops; and to maintain law and order) "reflects the determina­tion of the reactionary olique in the Kuomlntang to stop at nothing in order to suppress the OhineBe people and their demo­cratic movement — even to the point of enlisting the servioes of the Japanese and the puppet troops. It 18 tantamount to Chungking's collaboration with the enemy and their puppets." 80HO 08ATO: "Of oourse I'm very happy that mass hostilities have oeased, that the killing and dy­ing of great numbers of men have been eliminated. But I am not satisfied with the Japanese sur­render — It was not a clean op­eration. This reoent reshuf­fling of the Japanese cabinet, with the retention of the old militarist-fascist clique, and the absence of any democratic representation, has Intensified my feeling of pessimism and dis­satisfaction. I don't like their stalling at all —• it's appalling, the arroganoe of the Emperor's statement. One won­ders who are the victors and the conquered here. "All this emphasizes the need for political vigilance. The moment the battle ceases, the more alert we must be. The war in Europe Is over — and yet the war trials are not even evident. "I am very disappointed that there has been no mass demon­strations of workers, of stu­dents, of any group, against the military in Japan. Tet, there must be eome anti-fascists with­in that country; there must be some people who are discontented with their leaders. (I know of the group in China, but I mean specifically, the people within MORE-. NISEI Gl'S IN rawa, New Georgia, Leyte, Sai-pan, Iwo Jima, other coral is­lands and steamy jungles that comprised the bitter, bloody road to Tokyo. There's no need to elaborate on the record of T/Sgt. Ben Kuroki — his famous, "I must concentrate on dropping some •roses' on Tokyo Rose" was na­tionally spotlighted. His other "roses" over Japanese islands (besides his flights over Ger­many) were all a part of this total military victory. Then we might mention "Hori­zontal Hank" Gosho, Seattle-born nisei, so affectionately nick-named by his buddies of the famed Merrill Marauders because he was so often pinned down by Japanese machine-gun fire; or of Sgt. Kubo's dauntless "speeoh" (with an armed Japanese rifleman behind him) to the frightened, miserable Japanese men, women and children huddled In a oave of Salpan, which talk finally convinced them to surrender; or there's Frank Hacbiya, who vol­unteered for a dangerous scout mission in the battle of Leyte, and "got it" from a Japanese sniper while accomplishing the task. What about S/Sgt. Kenny Yasul, the "Baby Sergeant York" KAKPTARO IHOOT. Eoonomist: "My first thought goes to the suf­ferings of the Japanese people during and after this war whioh was Imposed upon them by their misleading lMders. It is ay understanding that many isseis are drawing a gloomy picture as to the future of the Japanese people. However, I think the present surrender has also a bright side in that the Japanese people for the first time in their history are given an opportunity to take the fate of their country into their own hands and to build a oountry whioh they can oall their own in the real sense of the word. This is guaranteed by the Pots­dam Declaration. We In Amerloa, must therefore encourage ana help them to aohieve the spirit of the Declaration." TIT8D HAKAMURA, Soldier's Wife: "It is with deep joy that we learned the news that with the surrender of Japan, the military phase of World War II was ended. Though we are the conquerors, our role must be that of libera­tors of the Japanese people from the yoke of military fascist oppression, and help advanoe de­mocratic stirrings there. We nisei have a special task for we are in a position to raise our collective voloe to our govern­ment for an oooupational regime which would oarry out suoh a program. We must be ever watob-ful that the Grews and Doomans do not misdirect our peace alms; that the Hearsts and Amerloa Flrstlsts do not distort a genu­ine peace to make of it a white racial victory. Only on the es­tablishment of a stable, demo­cratic Asia oan the nisei or any other peoples of the world enjoy peaceful pursuits and real pros­perity. " PACIFIC WAR. of the Burma front; Sgt. Tomae Sakamoto who Baved the life of a general In hand—to—band oombat somewhere in a South Paolfic island; T/Sgt. Terry Mlzutarl, killed while commanding a group of men during a Japanese coun­terattack and posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and a citation from his commanding general. And there are many many others. These are only a few of the several thousand nisei soldiers who served on the Pacifio — and these are only the well-known few. They are not the exceptions. We have yet to hear the entire story — heretofore closely guarded for military reasons — of their role in achieving victory. The War De­partment, Commanding Officers of South Pacific units, and corres-pondants, have all indicated the invaluable service performed, the respect and affection won from their fellow comrades, by these men. As we oan rightfully point id th pride, and humbleness, too, to the record of the 100th Bat­talion and 442nd Infantry Divi­sion In the victory In Europe, just so proudly we hall the part our nisei Mi's and combat men contributed toward the military victory over Japan. TRUMAN HEARS FROM JACD Among the thousands of tele­grams that began to pile up on President Truman's desk follow­ing announcement of the Japanese surrender was one from the JAOD. The wire, signed by Chairman Ernest S. Ilyama, declared: "We rejoice with you at the surrender of fasolst militarists of Japan. Our members will con­tinue to support you in oarry-ing through Potsdam Declaration to its ultlmare objective of es­tablishing a peaceful, free, people's Japan.* MORE: JACD STATEMENT emphatically state that the old political and eoonomic structure of Japan must be changed and aid be given to set up a democratic government. "Therefore, on this day of rejoicing, the JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRACY urges the people of Amerloa to be more vigilant to ensure the estab­lishment of a peacefully Inclin­ed, people's government In Japan by seeing that the P0tsdam De­claration is carried through to Its logical conclusion." (Note: Corrections In para­graphs 3 and 6 were inserted to the original text.) MORE: EMPLOYMENT has made certain that industry will not suffer during this per­iod, but has neglected the wel­fare of the workers. The most Important piece of legislation is expanded unemp­loyment benefits of $35 for 26 weeks. Other urgent bills are: 1) Murray Full Bnoloyment Bill whichprovides maohlnery to help insure full en^iloyment; 2) Wagner-Murray-Dlngel1 Soo-lal Security Bill to expand existing benefits; 3) Wagner Housing B111 to make available low cost housing to the people; 4) Pepper 65^ Minimum Hourly Wage 6lll: and, 5) a permanent Fair Employment Praotloe Committee to as^ sure equal job opportuni­ties to all regardless of race, color, or creed. Further, the welfare of the Japanese Americans 1b Intrinsic­ally bound to the welfare of the rest of the working people of the nation; henoe, it Is to our benefit to join labor unions, who are fighting for better liv­ing conditions for the people. Finally, It Is necessary for us, as well as the rest of the people in the United States to participate actively In local and national elections to eleot those to office who will fight for the rights of the people. Politlos is inseparable from daily living — whether we will be employed and live In pros-erity will depend greatly on the type of people we elect. from the Emperor's broadoast: " it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement." (llll) JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRACY 72 W. 52nd St., N.Y. 19 lew York POSTMASTER: If undellverable for ANY REASON notify sender, stating reason, on Form 3547, postage for whiofc is guaranteed. SEC-562., P.L.«4-R. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW YORK, N.Y. PERMIT NO.2244-

News Letter

https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1073&amp;context=jacoby-nisei

News Letter

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Scholarly Commons