<Begin Segment 10>

DH: What is the question that you're most often asked about the subject? You've been interviewed about this so many times, what have people asked you most often about this?

MW: What have people asked you the most often about this subject of the...

WW: Gee...

DH: I think people in the, on the island, particularly, and in the greater Japanese community, see you as a real hero, for taking the stand against the evacuation of the Japanese. Did you, when you were writing those editorials, did you ever think that that would be so? That you would be famous, be a hero for this position, Walt?

WW: No, no, I did not.

DH: Why did you do it? Why were you writing that way?

WW: Huh?

DH: Why were you writing these editorials? You were the only one to take this position, it must have been a difficult position...

WW: Because it was the only thing to do. We got mad! [Laughs] When you get me mad, I finally say something. [Laughs] That was it.

DH: Uh-huh. You had said -- I had seen an editorial -- and you said, if it could happen to Japanese Americans, it could happen to German Americans or... "Schuyler" Americans, you had written.

MW: [Laughs]

WW: Right, right, right. That... that's what we wrote. [Laughs]

DH: Do you credit Milly...?

WW: I beg your...?

DH: Do you credit your wife with, with the position that you took, with having the strength to write those editorials?

WW: Why sure. We worked it out together.

DH: Did one of you have a stronger viewpoint about it than the other?

WW: I beg your pardon?

DH: Was, was Milly stronger about this viewpoint than you or about the same?

WW: I think... I was stronger. Milly didn't want to get into the... Milly was a modest woman, but she felt the way she did.

DH: I think we've taken enough of your time. Is there anything else that you want to add before we turn...?

WW: What?

DH: Anything else you want to add, before we turn this camera off?

WW: No, not that I know of. But I'll be happy to comment, if you know...

DH: I'm hoping that a lot of younger generations will see this interview and see this other information about the evacuation and this time period. Is there anything else that you would want kids to know about this sort of situation, or what they should learn out of this situation?

WW: My, I just feel very strongly that... we did what we should do. And even though we were the only ones, I felt we should do that. So did Milly.

DH: Are you surprised, now, that there have been reparations for the Japanese Americans, that, that the country's opinions have shifted over the years about the, the -- everyone agrees now, that it was wrong. Are you surprised that people's opinion have shifted?

WW: Am I what?

MW: That people's opinion have shifted. That now the public... ideas have shifted, have changed and come around to think that it was wrong. Are you surprised?

WW: Am I surprised?

MW: Yeah.

WW: Yeah!

MW: You are? [Laughs]

WW: I'm proud also that they did come, we did come around.

DH: Thank you, Walt, for talking with us.

WW: Well, I'm happy to do it... you're welcome.

DH: Thanks.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.