<Begin Segment 28>

MH: And then Mary Pickford and then those actors room there upstair as buildings. And then they didn't lock the door so anybody could go and see it. But one thing, Japanese never steal things.

BF: This was at Santa Anita?

MH: Santa Anita.

BF: The actresses were there?

DG: They had must have had special...

BF: Oh, the booth to watch the racing.

MH: No. Booth, no. Room have. They have, those are well-known actress, actor have a room.

DG: They have their own room.

MH: And then all time, they come so often so all kinds things there.

BF: What an odd contrast to have these famous Hollywood people living there...

MH: Not living.

BF: Well, just visiting in these luxury rooms and then...

MH: Luxury, yes. To have tea and wine or all kinds.

BF: And the Japanese in the stables.

DG: Right.

MH: They can't live there, Japanese. All the, see, horse race, horse place.

DG: Is where they lived? Right.

MH: And then the professional people that barrack. So, but could go in there and then...

BF: And visit. Or kind of peek in and look around.

MH: Yeah. Lots of Mary Pickford's dresses hanging down or something. See, they come and then warm and change clothes and take shower and something like that.

DG: Did they visit at all during the time that you were there?

MH: No, they didn't come at all, the Japanese are there, but clothes and then those things missing, so later lock the door. But I thought, suspect that's the American people. The officers at Santa Anita is no-job people hired from... six months, two years, some three years, no job.

DG: Oh.

MH: Those people want some kind of W...

BF: WRA?

MH: Something that... the people.

DG: Because of the Depression. Oh, and they were able to come in and out?

MH: They are the officers for us.

DG: Oh, okay.

MH: So they are going all over the place. And then once in a while they check us and then looked at electric cooker. "You can't have this one," and take home.

BF: For themselves.

MH: Uh-huh. Scissors, "You can't point this. This is dangerous," they take it. Everything.

DG: And there was an uprising after that investigation because everybody...

MH: They don't investigate anything. That's why Santa Anita riot came.

DG: Riot, right. That's what I mean.

MH: Japanese people are really disappointed and angry.

<End Segment 28> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.