<Begin Segment 19>

BF: Some folks, early on in the movement, were opposed to the idea of a commission because they thought that it was obviously a way of stalling, or eventually would maybe be a dead-end. It didn't. It didn't work as a dead-end. When you look back, what do you think are some of the reasons for why?

WM: Well, I think the principal reason was that, "C'mon, let's stop horsing around" -- to use a slang phrase. "We all know it was wrong, you know it's wrong, why are we going up to Congress to make a determination, that first of all they got to determine that it was wrong? Let's just go for the money, ask for the damages." That's totally unrealistic in its purest point of view -- it's a haughty point of view. If they stopped and listened a little bit they'd know that there are many, many, ignorant people in Congress, as well as elsewhere for that matter. Also, they have to, they don't understand how Congress works, or they didn't think about it. If you had a bill determining whether or not there was anything that required compensation, redress, a proposal, a bill like that would go to chair -- to some subcommittee or committee. And if you have one chairman in one of those committees who decides, "Oh no, my people back in Georgia would not go for this." All you need is one veteran's post in Georgia writing to his Congressman who is the chair of this committee or subcommittee, and say, "George, we're opposed to this." American Legion Post in Georgia, whatever it is, I'm just giving you an example -- that would kill it. One Congressman could kill any effort, or Senator for that matter. And for us to walk into that kind of a trap and think that we can avoid all these pitfalls, is unrealistic.

BF: Whereas the commission, if you trust in the facts, and you trust that the truth is going to come out during a commission process, then I assume their recommendations because it's mandated from Congress, are a little bit stronger against things like, things like that...

WM: Sure, sure.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.