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visitors, if there were several others waiting to see him, his secretary told me this, and never to wait. Little courtesies and kindnesses like this did a lot to make me feel better in very trying times. There was nothing specially personal about it, I never saw him except in his office and had no social contact with him. And yet, he had the most unpleasant temper at times, and became very offensive over the most unexpected things. He wanted me to leave the money I expected to receive, the. MF 5,000, at least the residue of what I did not need, for the use of the Blackburns. He was furious with me when I innocently suggested that I might obtain a receipt for it from Sir Arthur so that I could obtain a refund when I reached London.
that I go true!!!"
On May 9th I find an entry in my diary, "Heard today with the Americans to U.S.A. on June 20th, can it be
It did turn out to be true but not as easily as that. I had been turning matters over in my mind some days before, and wondered and wondered when we would be repatriated. The news that the Americans were going made all the rest of us feel, not jealous, but just desperately forlorn and unhappy.....forgotten and left. I had not received any money at that time and was terribly worried as to how I would be able to pay for my keep at the French Hospital when the money I still had was gone. Providence must look after us, put thoughts into our heads. I had so often said to Mr. Kimura, and later to Mr. Oda that I was born in New York and really was entitled to American- citizenship. Mr. Oda vehemently denied this and said that for their purposes I was British.
(1) Mr.Oda is reported by Dr.Henry to have com- plained bitterly of the lack
of a similar man for liaison work with the British and stated that he is very much handicapped in
*
However, I resolved to put my case in writing and submit it to Mr. Gibson, who was living at the French Hospital and doing liaison work for the American community at Stanley Prison with the Japanese. His suave personality, common sense, and geniality had accomplished wonders and he was the one person to appeal to. (1) I wrote him my position, saying that I had been born in New York, and lived the reall my girlhood, and that my family's history as Americans dated back for many many generations. I heard nothing for two days and then Mr. Angus stopped in tơ tell me that Mr.Gibson had asked him to tell me that Mr. Southard had 0.K.'d it and everything was all right. I said, "Do you really mean to tell me that Mr. Oda has approved it also?". He said that was bo. It seemed too wonderful to be true. To be getting out! Going home! I couldn't believe it.
The next day, Dr. Court and Dr. Griffiths and Mr. Evans came to lunch with me, and we celebrated the great news. They were so sweet about it, so happy in my happiness. · And it was too terribly hard for them, they were all remaining, being British. It is impossible for any one who had not been through what we have suffered to realize how one feels, to see one getting out, and know that you must remain. As Dr. Court said later, "It is simply lacerating! # Dr. Henry told me recently that Dr. Court, who is a highly strung man under his quiet self contained exterior, was very close to suicide when he and the others got there to the French Hospital early in the Spring. Their cheerful company helped him very much, got him out partially at least from the mood of brooding melancholy which seemed to trouble him so much. Dr. Griffiths, was in bad shape when we left, he had lost over 50 pounds in weight, had lost 4 pounds the week before, that was the last week in June, and was utterly depressed.
It was sickening, there was nothing I could say or do to help him the day he came to say goodbye. I was leaving in ten minutes, "to Go Home"
It was more than he could bear. I cannot get the memory of him out of my mind.
his efforts to help the British because of
this. Mr. D. C. Davis would seem the
most suitable person for the post.
•
Now that I was going, they wanted me to take word out, to tell the rest of the world what was happening. We talked until five o'clock that afternoon.
They told me s many things
that
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