<Begin Segment 13>

TI: Going back to the newspaper, as an editor, were there any restrictions on what topics could be written about?

PT: Not that I know of. Not that I know of.

TI: How about just in terms of common practice? If you wanted to be critical against the administration, were those kind of articles allowed?

PT: Nobody dared. And the reason is each issue was reviewed by the administration before it was printed out.

TI: Okay, so you all knew that, that it was going to be reviewed. So it was like maybe having a teacher read something.

PT: And this is after the "riot." But I would like to go back a little bit about where I was, working as an orderly. Dr. Goto was the sole surgeon, and I don't know if you want to write this or not, but he did a lot of appendectomy.

TI: So removals of appendixes.

PT: And then the FBI came and they wanted to Dr. Watanabe, not Goto. I think Watanabe was upset and called the FBI in because I think Goto was doing abortions.

TI: Oh, I see.

PT: And when he was transferred to the other camp near Salt Lake...

TI: Utah, Topaz?

PT: Topaz. I heard that guys who were working with Goto said that he was continuing to do them. So that's why he was transferred out. He was transferred out along with all the...

TI: JACL?

PT: JACL people.

TI: So at the time, were you aware of -- I mean, you worked as an orderly for a while -- of things like abortions?

PT: Uh-huh.

TI: So that was, I guess, young women getting pregnant.

PT: Yes, I just dismissed it. He can do social work, too, if he wants to. [Laughs] But I couldn't prove it.

TI: Again, that's something you don't see ever written about, things like abortions in camp.

PT: No. But if you want, I'll give you a copy of the FBI report.

TI: Yes, afterwards I'd like to look at those things.

PT: But they don't use the word. Why would the FBI come and talk to one of the doctors but he would not talk to the head doctor who was this guy or his wife? His wife was a doctor, too.

TI: Or why is the FBI even dealing with this issue.

PT: It suggests to me that they called the FBI because they felt maybe that's one of their, what is it that they swear when they become doctors?

TI: Oh, the Hippocratic Oath?

PT: Yes, it may be in there.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.