<Begin Segment 15>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

TI: Okay. Just one more follow up question, and you mentioned earlier, a gentleman by the name of Miller Freeman as having a vision for Bellevue. He helped bring the bridge across and developed the Bellevue land. He's also noted, a noted, sort of, anti-Japanese character.

SA: Very.

TI: He was head of the Anti-Japanese League.

SA: 1916. I read that.

TI: And so did you, did people have a sense of that? Did the Japanese American community know of his sort of anti-Japanese --

SA: We were all aware of that. Every person that you would talk to of the Nikkei community would know that Miller Freeman was anti-Japanese. In fact, he had a group of Nikkei come over to his house to talk it over about the situation (during World War II). (...) And two Issei (representatives) of the Japanese community, (...) and (three Nisei representatives) they're all gone now. (...) We all knew each other (in Bellevue). And very supportive of each other. So you mentioned someone's name, we all knew each other, the three hundred people in Bellevue. We were just all very cohesive, close-knit group. But Miller Freeman, everyone knew who he was because he was very anti-Japanese.

TI: And also very powerful.

SA: Very powerful. He was instrumental in getting that (I-90) floating bridge (built). (He) and his son and grandson (developed) Bellevue Square, the Hyatt Regency. Just recently, his grandson wrote a, published a book about the family. And he has, I think one or two pages about the Japanese people, about how his father respected the Japanese people. I mean, it was not true. But in reading this book (...) I was just incredulous to read that in 1980s when they needed money for the Hyatt Regency, they sought out Japanese money. Itochu, you've heard of the Ito Company? It's one of the conglomerates of Japan. They provided a lot of the money, because Japan was booming at that time. And I couldn't believe it. I think I lent you the book. So I'll show the picture of the ribbon-cutting, of these Japanese representatives, and the wife is in the kimono. And oh my goodness, if (they) only knew about, about the family and how much they hated the Japanese. [Laughs]

TI: Yeah, it's so ironic.

SA: Very ironic.

TI: But you mentioned that early meeting of these Isseis who went and talked with Miller Freeman, yeah, Miller Freeman. Can you describe what that meeting was all about?

SA: About the situation, when the war started. It had after the war started. And it's in (Strawberry Days), but it's in detail in the (Strawberry Days) book that was written by Dave Niewert.

SP: Strawberry Days?

SA: Strawberry Days. It's written about that meeting, when the war started, (Miller Freeman had Japanese American community) representatives come. And one was, the name was Inatsu, and he was one of them (...) that went to meet with Miller Freeman because he wanted to talk to them and have a meeting with them.

TI: So Miller Freeman wanted the meeting. He wanted to talk to them?

SA: Yes, he did. He's the one that wanted the meeting, as far as I'm concerned. Because it wouldn't be the Japanese community (requesting it). He would be the one. I'm almost sure of that. (Narr. note: The meeting was on December 13, 1941.)

TI: And was there any outcome from that meeting?

SA: Not really. And after that there was disinterest on the part of the Japanese. And he was mad because I think one, only two showed up or something, when four or five were supposed to show up. He was very angry. (Narr. note: Mr. Freeman wanted this meeting so that there wouldn't be any "treasonous" activity in the Japanese American community.)

TI: So I just want to confirm something you said. So you said, more recently, Miller Freeman's grandson came out with a book. And in there, a couple of pages...

SA: He writes about the Japanese, how he respected them.

TI: So when you saw that, you were just incredulous.

SA: (...) I saw these pictures of the (Bellevue) Hyatt Regency opening, with the ribbon cutting. And then these Japanese representatives from the Ito Company (at) the ribbon cutting, (...). Japan was booming (in) the 1980s. (I) was just incredulous. And that's the land(...) I looked at (historian) Mr. Tsushima's book, that that was the land where the Japanese had cleared, where the Hyatt Regency (stands). And I don't think (Itochu) were aware of the history of the Bellevue immigrants, because, you know, times have changed. (...) I got a lot of information from the (Strawberry Days book). Most of it is accurate (...).

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.