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MN: -- after about three or four years, and then you called Joan Bernstein, who was heading the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. And what did you recommend to her?

RO: Well, you know, the Commission lasted many years, and so you become very fond of the staff. And I have to tell you, if I may, can I do it my way? When the Commission held its first meeting, Jack Herzig, Aiko Herzig's husband, was someone I knew, 'cause I used to serve on a public safety committee for the National League of California and Cities, and Jack staffed that body. So we, when I visited Washington I'd meet Jack and Aiko. And so when I was appointed to the Select Commission, Jack said he's gonna take me out to lunch. So he took me to this fancy restaurant near the White House. It was called Maison Blanc. And I went in there and I thought, "Wow." And these ladies, they sat there with their fancy jackets, with their label hanging on the back. And I said, "Jack, would you believe this? Look at that." And I said, "Don't worry, I got it covered." I flipped over my label with Gianfranco Ferre, and he got a big kick out of that. But at the time, my husband was working as a, heading a architectural firm in Beverly Hills. So there's more occasions to go be in Beverly Hills and Neiman Marcus, and Tommy bought me that suit for the first meeting. Gianfranco Ferre, I believe, is the architect who became a designer. But any event, that's how Jack and I were in touch when I served on the Select Commission. So when the Commission finished its work, one of the things it did was it extended the life of the Commission. And so as the Wartime Commission was moving forward, the commissioners and the Commission staff wanted to ask for an extension. So the wartime hearings were going around the country, and I stayed at Jack's house. And they asked me, would I testify in Los Angeles? And that hearing was pretty much all set, but they added me on so that I could make that pitch of asking for an extension, because the Select Commission had made an extension. How did I have this connection with Aiko? When the Select Commission ended, I wanted the staff to find positions. So I called Ms. Bernstein, and I said, "Here are some good people, lawyers, accountants, etcetera. But I want you to do one more thing. I want you to hire Aiko Herzig. She has done the research for Farewell to Manzanar, she could hit the ground running. And as you know, Aiko discovered the information about the lack of military necessity that was just instrumental in the successful lawsuit, the coram nobis cases.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.