<Begin Segment 21>

BF: So the, but, so that was, the timing as when to announce, or publicize the report, or make the findings known. And the recommendations were separated. But the recommendations, how were they drafted? Was that Angus Macbeth who drafted them, then brought it forward to the commission and said, "What do you think?"

WM: Yes, the staff would prepare that, we would review it.

BF: Was there must discussion? I assume there must have been about the recommendations.

WM: Well, beforehand there was. But not much -- there was not much really to discuss. I mean, what else can you do? I mean, it's going to be some money, reparations, apology... and the only question is how much money?

BF: Was that the issue that had some discussion on it, the amount?

WM: Well, you have to understand, I forgot who said it, but once you come up with... just about all the witnesses wanted $25,000. There were a couple who said, $250,000. But by then the commissioners had heard $25,000. So it's not going to be more than $25,000 as a political matter. And what are you going to do -- the victims seek $25,000, you gonna award them $45,000 or $50,000? So that was the ceiling, and that's exactly what happened. And do you come in with exactly $25,000? Some may view that as, well, they're only listening to the witnesses, they're not listening to any other things. So you cut it down to $20,000 as a compromise, and you don't come up with $25,460 -- I mean, that sounds like you're awarding exactly the amount of damages that they suffered, so you round it off the $20,000.

BF: A lot of these decisions sound really, really pragmatic.

WM: They have to be. They have to go through Congress. And Congress is a very pragmatic institution when it wants to be.

<End Segment 21> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.