Exciting news swept the camp! The Commandant informed us that a neutral ship would leave for the States at the end of this month after negotiations for diplomatic exchanges were completed between Washington and Tokyo. Out of 3700 people, only about two hundred would go, so there was no need to get too excited.
Coming from the hospital today, I watched three young American matrons fraternizing with Japanese officers. Their deck chairs were placed directly in front of the Japanese office, and there they sat and waited until one of the Japs joined them.
The camp, of course, was scandalized and disgusted by their behavior, and if their names were bandied about in a light manner, they had only themselves to blame. As a result of their friendliness with our jailors, they went in and out of the camp as they pleased.
People were betting that these women would be on the much-sought-after exchange list to the States.