Kubota Changes Moving Day, He and Tenant End Dispute

[Photo caption]: MRS. SIMON HERBERT, HENRY T. KUBOTA and SHELDON G. HAGEN. New deadline ends dispute

At odds for nearly three days, Henry T. Kubota, returning Seattle Japanese and hotel operator, and Mrs. Simon Hubert, who rents his home at 341 19th Ave. struck a "truce" today in their dispute over occupancy of the house.

Shepherded by Sheldon G. Hagen, Seattle district director of the War Relocation Authority, and Russell Bankson, W.R.A. information officer from Washington, D.C., the 43-year-old Japanese alien and Mrs. Herbert, who has a husband and three sons in the service, reached an agreement, today in Hagen's office.

He Didn't Understand

Smiling and shaking hands after Kubota had explained in heavily accented English that he "did not understand so many people living in my house," it was mutually agreed the home will be vacated by June 1.

The house is occupied by Mrs. Hebert, two shipyard workers, two Boeing workers, and two service men and their wives. Kubota had stated that he would notify Mrs. Hebert to vacate in 30 days, and she had said she would resist eviction because she felt she was performing a patriotic duty in housing the other tenants.

Some tenseness prevailed as Kubota and Mrs. Hebert met in Hagan's office, but it soon vanished.

"When I go away (when he and his family were evacuated shortly after the outbreak of the war), I leave my house," Kubota said. "I understand mother and father with only two children live there while gone. I come back and I think will be more easy for them to find house than myself.

"Agent not tell me these people all live there. I'm sorry. I did not know. I sent notice. Then I read in papers about war workers. I do not want to cause trouble. I sent new notice yesterday. Give until June 1."

Kubota then explained that his wife, in Denver with their two children, had rheumatic fever and suffered a heart attack in August. His physician, he said, had advised him to bring Mrs. Kubota to Seattle.

Shown a copy of the notice by Kubota, Mrs. Hebert said she believed that "this presents an entirely different picture."

Mrs. Hebert Denies Prejudice

"It would have been very difficult for us to have found a place to live on such short notice in these times," she said. "I do not want to be put in the light of being unfair about this.

"I have received numerous calls by persons accusing me of being guilty of racial prejudice and I would like to clear that up now. I have no prejudices. I was only concerned with my tenants being able to find another place to live and not being thrown out in the street.

"If we must find another place, there is nothing I can do but start looking for it. I believe Mrs. Kubota is within his rights and I see no other course for me except to move and to give my tenants notice."

Talking with Kubota after they had reached an agreement, Mrs. Hebert said:

"I am sorry to hear about your wife. I met her before she left and I found her a charming little woman. I would not want to stand in the way of her coming back here because of her illness."

Mrs. Kubota is an American citizen, as are her three children.