<Begin Segment 29>

RP: The other thing, just getting back to your WRA job in Los Angeles, can you recall how much you earned a month?

MI: Yep.

RP: What was it?

MI: I earned $180.

RP: And what did you earn on your job as, in the evacuee property section of Manzanar camp?

MI: I was equal to a surgeon. How about that?

RP: Nineteen dollars a month?

MI: [Nods]

RP: So you went from ($16) to $180 a month?

MI: Yep.

RP: You were able to save a little money.

MI: That was a lotta money then. You know when you say... and then a $100 of that I gave to my mother to keep. And I kept the eighty, but most of the time I didn't need the eighty 'cause she's buying everything anyway. But there was a funny story about that, too. When I first got that job and I had to go down to L.A. I was being interviewed and, whether I'm fit for the job or whatever, you know, the FBI's gonna check on you.

[Interruption]

MI: ...FBI agent, I guess for security, his questions in the beginning was okay. And all of a sudden he started drifting towards areas I thought was not proper.

RP: Like what?

MI: He was asking different sexual questions, habits. And, oh, I can't remember the whole thing. It was, very... and I got mad. I said, "What has that to do with my job?" And I said... and he knew right away and he stopped. But I reported him immediately to Mr. Robinson. And Mr. Robinson said, "I want you to write down everything he asked you." And I did. So I'm pretty sure he got reprimanded. But I thought, whoa. And I thought, "Good for you, Mary." You know, I didn't think I had it in me to say that enough is enough.

RP: Okay, well Mary, thank you again for, for completing our interview. Wonderful job and we appreciate it, both of us. And...

MI: I hope I was able to make some kind of a contribution or...

RP: A tremendous contribution.

<End Segment 29> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.