<Begin Segment 27>

TH: But I tell you, people in the International District, Japantown and things, those owners, the hotel, building owners, were very understanding. That's why they were able to get by and then another reason that they didn't think of buying property because of the owners gave them such a pretty good deal except for Rainier Heat. I understand a lot of people are problems with them, but like in my case we had a place on 6th and Columbia, and my father purchased that in 1929 when business was very good. Signed a 5 year lease and after about a year and a half or two years, business dropped because of the Depression, owners wouldn't listen to reason, they won't give (us) reduced rent, then you had a hard time. Then when after lease expired, you renewed the lease again, we got a better deal, but still things were tough. And they, if you didn't pay your rent in those days, the rent for the building, the owners would slap a notice you pay up in so many days or vacate.

DG: There wasn't too much discrimination against the Japanese.

TH: Japanese operators, no.

DG: Why do you think that was, the hotel people didn't feel the discrimination.

TH: Well, because their business is limited to the -- mostly to the working class whites or the Orientals. That's why.

<End Segment 27> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.