St. Paul recorder. [volume], February 10, 1950, Image 4

About St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
ST. PAUL RECORDER
"An Independent Newspaper"
Established August 10, 1*34, by Cecil K Newman
Published Every Friday by Spokesman-Recorder Publishing Co
312 Newton Building (307 Minnesota St.,) St. Paul 1, Minnesota
Minneapolis office. 314 Third Ave. Hu., Minneapolis IS, Minn
PHONES
CEdar 0922
Entered as second-class matter October 26. 1338, at the poet office at
Paul, Minnesota, under the Act of March 3, 1678.
Bl BRI HI PT lON HATES
Minnesota, North and South Dakota, one year 84 00, sis months 82.G0. All
other states 83 00 per year; six months 91.00 All mail subscriptions pay*
able strictly in advance.
Cecil E. Newman
Mamie Buller ...
Gloria Wilkerson
Jimmie Griffin .
Robert Jones ...
Marjorie Cooper
Curtis C. Chivers
Oscar H. Newman
Alphonso Horton
new York correspondent
535 Edgecombe Ave.. New York City. N Y Phone. lAjuraine 3-0760
National Advertising Representatives. ABB<X?IATED Pt.'BIJBHERB, Inc
Main Office. S«2 Fifth Avenue. New York City 10, New York
Chicago Office Suite 1110, ISS North Clark St., Chicago 3, Illinois
Duluth Correspondent; Zillah Waters, 713 3th Ave. East, Duluth 6. Minn
Sioux Falls, 8. D. Correspondent. Mrs Oscar Bridgewater, 633 N Minns*
sota Ave., Sioux Falls, 8. D., Mason City, lowa Correspondent: Mrs. Kuby
Macer, 6UB 8. Jackson 81, Mason City, lowa.
Member, Minnesota Editorial Association
Member, Negro Newspaper Publishers Aaaoelatlee
News Services. Associated Negro press, Negro Newspaper Press
Association, and Continental Features
This newspaper assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts,
photos or engravings. Buch are submitted at the owner's risk
The KRORDEK believMi no man should be denied the right to
contribute his best to humanity. As long as that right is denied any
man, no man's rights are Inviolate.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1860
Handwriting on Wall for ABC?
Writing almost in regrtaul and sad retrain in tne February L
Minneapolis SUNDAY TRIBUNE, Charles Johnson, executive sporU
editor wrote:
“Officials of the American Bowling association might as well
make up their minds now, that eventually, sooner than they think
they'll lose the argument on discrimination in their entries.
"The campaign to eliminate the color line on entrants is
coming to a head all over the country. One state after another Is
enacting laws that will outlaw practices sueh as prevail in the
ABC.
"Already local governing bodies are refusing use of
municipal buildings for this gigantic tournament
"The sooner restrictions are lifter in this sport the faster win
be its progress throughout the United States and the world."
Johnson’s forthright, though belated, sports editorial on the ABC
may be the sign that the considerable Influence of the BTAR-TRIB
UNE sports pages will now enter the lists against continuance of th.
Indefensible, and bigoted policies of the American Bowling Congress.
The ABC, virtual dictator of organized and tournament bowling In
the U. 8., systematically keeps non-whlte Americans from establlsheu
and recognized tournaments by its "whites only” clause in its laws.
This means exclusion of all Americans who happen not to be born
white, from tournament play.
First to challenge the ABC practices was the United Auto
Workers who found their teams composed of white and Negro fellow
workers barred from tournament play, both locally, and nationally.
The UAW initiated the setting up of a National Committee of Fair-
Play in Bowling. Leading the movement is Betty Hicks, former golf
star and Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, as co-chairman. The com
mittee has been carrying on a campaign to inform the American
public of the ABC's unfair policies. The daily newspaper sports editors
have generally kept quiet as mice on the situation.
In this connection, it has always been the firm conviction of this
newspaper that the sports editors of the dailies have the Influence
to erase the color line from all American sports. While it is generally
true that the sports pages were for years ahead of the rest of the
other pages in their news treatment of the Negro, who excelled in
sports; the fact remains that except in isolated instances did the
pages work to halt the barring of Negroes from various sports.
An example was the long-time barring of Negroes from organized
baseball. It remained for the despised DAILY WORKER, the Com
munist organ, and the Negro weekly, the Pittsburgh COURIER to
arouse public Interest In the removal of bars against Negro-Ameri
cana. Jimmy Powers of the N. Y. DAILY NEWS was the only sports
editor of consequence in the "regular" dally press who fought for
years to force organized baseball to admit Negroes to Its playing
rosters.
Today, there are signa as exhibited by Charlie Johnson, who
certainly cannot be considered a liberal on the race question - that
sports editors are aware of their duty to campaign to end un-demo
cratic practices such as those practiced by the ABC.
‘The handwriting is on the wall." ABC, and the local authority
for it, la none less than Charles Johnson, who directs the moat
powerful sports pages In the Upper Mid-Weat.
Vicious Propaganda
The most subtly vicious piece of anti-Negro and antl-Semetlc
propaganda since the late Ray Chases' "Communists and Catspawa"
has been authored and distributed by Otto F. Christenson, executive
vice-president of the Minnesota Employers' Association.
The 15 page booklet, addressed ostensibly to the Minnesota
League of Women Voters, while professing a deep friendship for the
minority groups, such as the Jews and Negroes, uses the race scare
technique of southern politicians, like the late but unlamented Bilbo,
and the Congressman from Mississippi, Mr. John Rankin.
How the Minnesota Employers Association representing In Its
membership some of the outstanding firms in the nation could allow
Its paid employee to descend to such a low, in trying to stampede
Minnesotans against FEPC legislation, by use of the "Negro scare"
strategy, is beyond this newspaper.
Certainly Mr. Christenson's attitude and position Is understand
able. He’s got a cushy job with the employers, and a bill like the
FEPC measure is fit to the order of a fellow who wants to keep his
job, and is not particular how he does it. Strange as It seems ex
tension of industrial democracy voluntarily, or by law. is still a con
troversial and touchy subject to many employers. Many of them
have never given Negroes, Jews or Catholics an equal break in jobs
and naturally they don't want any law that would change their per
sonnel practices. This is all duck soup for Mr Christenson, and
certainly ought to earn him a salary increase.
On the other hand do employers who sell millions of dollars of
their products to the so-called minority groups throughout the
country feel that blatant opposition to job opportunity for the minor
ities is not going to be noticed by the Negro, Jewish and Catholic
consumers elsewhere?
If, for example, it was learned nationally that Minnesota's can
ning industry discriminated against Negroes in employment and was
one of the forces behind Christenson, wouldn't it be understandable if
Negro consumers in the other 47 states refused to buy canned goods
that come from our state.
Minnesota has a real reputation for fairness The Minnesota Poll
showed that 70% of the people in the state were in favor of Governor
Luther Youngdahl's order opening up the National Guard to Negro-
Americana. Our state, by the governor's action has won the admiration
of millions of Americans who believe in demscraey.
There were forces against Youngdahl’s National Guard order
just as vociferous as Christenson and the employers group is against
FEPC, but right won out.
Governor Youngdahl has had the courage to sponsor and con
tend tor a state FEPC. Most of the people in the state who have
studied the experience of states like New York with similar laws are
in favor of enactment. This newspaper believes that sooner or later
the legislature will pass such a law, notwithstanding such vicious ap
peals to race and religious prejudices as exemplified by the Christen
son pamphlet “Fair Employment Practices."
Every citixen, no matter how he feels about FEPC, should get one
of the pamphlets. In it the reader will find as base an appeal to race
and religious prejudice, as has ever been distributed in this state.
Charles E. Spring Election
The election of Charles E. Spring to the chairmanship of the
Minneapolis Mayor's Council on Human Relations was a happy
choice. “Ned” Spring is a former president of the Minneapolis Real
Estate Board and has served on the Mayor's Council for two years.
Elevation of practical hard-headed business men to the chair
manship of a human relations body reemphasises the growing con
viction that inter-group relations and unity in America is a very
important part of the nation's life. The Council did itself proud in
naming Mr. Spring.
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Bookkeeping
Sports
Advertising
Minneapolis Nows
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Advertising and Circulation
, . Advertising
Nell Russfi.
ORACIOUSNESS REWARDED BY YtAB'S SUBSCRIPTION
Editor: Enclosed in a check for four dollars for one year's sub
scription to your paper.
About a year ago I heard Mr Ni wrnan speak at Mayflower Con
gregational church and thought I’d subscribe, but like so many
things, the thought never became an action.
I called the "St. Paul RECORDER” not knowing the phone num
ber was the same in Minneapolis as the SPOKESMAN and got some
information about the St. Paul Winter Carnival Torch-light parade
with such graciousness that I was impressed so I'd like very much
to be one of your subscribers Sincerely, Mrs. Harry H Jensen, 6060
Second Ave So., Minneapolis, Minnesota. Feb 1, 1950
Editor: "Davey, your friendship, your service to labor and your
service to your country and the humanity of the world has endeared
you to millions of people whom you have never seen and never will
sec. but who know of you and will be reading of you and thinking of
you tonight, and will, and for decades to come, remember you.”
These lavish words of praise were uttered by West Virginias
Senator M. Neely at a testimonial banquet held in Chicago’s Sheraton
Hotel, December 3, honoring Pres. D. B. Robertson's 50th anniversary
as head of the Jim Crow Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen. But 14,000,000 Negroes in America do not hail Robertson
as a "great democrat!" So long as the BLF & E, and in all fairness,
one must include the Big Four of the operating railroad unions, Negro
Americans will continue to doubt the sincerity of these democratic
protestations. It would be nice to believe that the above quote was
really true and in the spirit of Eugene Debs, who was one of the
charter members of the BLF & E. who said "Nor shall my door or
my heart be ever closed against any human being on account of the
color of his skin.”
Railroads on an industry-wide scale are one of the largest em
ployers of Negroes and other minority groups. Following a very rigid
pattern of race discrimination. Negroes have been barred from all
or moat of the better paying jobs and unfortunately a large part of
the responsibility for this bad situation falls directly on the Big
Four Brotherhoods all four of whom have constitutional bars against
minority groups. Not only do these unions practice job discrimination
but their "leaders" have the audiclty to fight in the courts to con
tinue this undemocratic practice. If the "leaders” of the railroad
brotherhoods are sincere in what they say about democrracy. then
they are long overdue in cleaning their own houses.
The fight for FEPC and other civil rights legislation would be
much easier, if the leaders of these unions had not chosen to remain
silent. Sadly enough they are going to find out if they don’t know it
already, that the recent defeat of the FEPC most certainly will not
strengthen, but weaken the fight for the repeal of the Taft-Hartley
Law and other social legislation. There has been a mobilization of all
the reactionary forces in Congress, precisely against civil rights. The
various forces have seized this as a means whereby they can mobilize
themselves to block the wishes of the people. It is time to destroy
Jim Crow in the labor movement before Jim Crow destroys the labor
movement.- Edward 11. Blackwell, Jr., 3M17 4th Ave. So., Minneapolis,
Minnesota.
Editor: In your editorial in the January 27 edition you made refer
ence to the negative stand toward FEPC legislation taken by the
Christian Science Monitor. To understand any action taken by a
member of the Christian Science Church, it is necessary to under
stand their interpretation of God and Man.
The Christian Science religion is based on the premise that all
God's creation is good (as clearly stated in Genesis I. 26.27,31) God
is good Man is created in God s image and likeness, therefore man
cannot be anything but good. Various forms of evil which seem quite
real to man do not actually exist, but are merely errors in thought.
These errors in thought stem from the false belief that man is an
erring materials being rather than a perfect spiritual being
Referring to the stand a Christian Scientist must take when
corrupt practices »cem to be going on around him, the Christian
Letters To The Editor
JIM CHOW IN LABOR UNIONS MUST 001
HOW TO UNDIRSTAND CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST VIEWS
"A CIVIL RIGHTS BILL WILL STOP HIM 1 *
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Science Sentinel, April 26, 1941, says. “He holds steadfastly to the
thought that the real man manifests honesty, faithfulness, and
loyalty to good. As he maintains the spiritual fact of man's absolute
integrity, his righteous thinking is helping all concerned."
you!
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I feel that when the “Christian Science Monitor" refuses to
support legislation forcing employment of minority groups—so-called
FEPC bills with teeth - its stand is based upon the fundamental
principles of this religion as briefly outlined above.
I am not a member of the Christian Science church, but have
studied their literature a great deal. -Sincerely yours, Ransom Goins,
800 Fuller Ave., St. I’auL
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Editor: The United Negro College Fund has just concluded its
most successful campaign since its inception in 1944. In the 1949
campaign, $1,159,000 was raised - $68,000 more than in 1948, and this
was achieved at less coat. The generous support of the Negro press
contributed in a large measure to this accomplishment and we all ap
preciate the assistance of your newspaper.
The private, accredited Negro college must be helped. It is a
great source of satisfaction to us that increasing numbers have come
to agree with us, either through their gifts, or through volunteer work
in our behalf. This has been no accident. You have helped in many
ways to tell our story to the public.
Please accept our thanks Most sincerely, W. J. Trent, Jr., Ex
ecutive Director, 22 E. 4th St., New York, 22 N. Y.
SUBSCRIBE KEPT UP-TO-DATE ON IMPORTANT ISSUES
Editor: Your paper helps me keep up-to-date on some very im
portant issues. As a teacher in Franklin Junior High, Minneapolis,
I would not like to be without it.—Sincerely yours, Mildred H. Jensen,
4017 Upton Ave. No., Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 31, 1950
Editor: Has a little criticism halted your advocacy of a Negro
Council? Years ago you were not so quick to capitulate to the car
pers of retrogression.—L. M.—Minneapolis.
Editors Note Thus far majority opinion among Negroes is for for
mation of a N.-gro Council. We have not nor will not capitulate in our
desire to see a real community need filled. The Jan. 27 edition had an
editorial on the subject. Sooner or later the people will form a Negro
Rayburn Rules Supreme
Has the House of Representatives only got rid on one bottleneck
in order to be tied up by another? On Friday, with Speaker Raybum's
assistance, the Rules Committee's efforts to regain its old pigeon
holing power was defeated. The immediate aim of the pigeonholing
advocates was to block consideration of a fair employment practices
bill. On Monday, with the speaker's assistance, the pigeonholers
achieved the same result without changing the rules.
Monday was discharge day —designated as a time to permit
chairmen of committees whose bills have been held up by the Rules
Committee to bring them to a vote. The rules provide that the speaker
shall recognize chairmen for that purpose. But Chairman Lesinski of
the Labor Committee, having original charge of the FEPC bill, failed
all day long to catch the speaker's eye.
This was managed by the speaker's recognizing instead the chair
can of a committee seeking to get action on two other blockaded
bills giving statehood to Alaska and Hawaii. But these bills were
not seriously debated, and then the time was consumed in obvious
stalling roll calls and quorum counting that took more than half
the legislative day
The next discharge day does not come until February 13. Will
this procedure be repeated then ? We trust not, for this looks like a
more slippery method of pigeonholing. By it a small minority, with
the connivance of a speaker, can block consideration of almost any
measure. FEPC aside, this method gravely damages representative
government. C hristian Science Monitor.
Continued from February 3 Edition
To Secure These Rights;
Education Helps But Not Enough
Actually the choice is not be
tween law and no law. Much in
tolerance and discrimination are
today encouraged by law. This is
particularly true of the many
states In which Negroes are de
nied the right of first-class citi
zenship through segregation laws.
Thus, it is not true that those who
advocate protection of civil rights
through legislation are necessarily
trying to force people to abandon
private voluntary practices- to
interfere with "folkways.”
Those who are opposed to civil
rights laws on the ground you
cannot legislate morality should
ponder the possibility that we have
been legislating immorality!
If it be admitted that laws may
be helpful as a means of safe
guarding civil rights, there is still
the issue whether such laws
should be local or national, with
the critics of the Truman civil
rights program insisting that only
the local community, or at most
the state, should so use the legisla
tive power. Here, too, it should be
made absolutely clear that the
Civil Rights Committee believed
the battle for civil rights must
always be fought in good part on
the local -front Accordingly, it
directed many of its specific re
commendations for legislative ac-
THANKS FROM NEGRO COLLEGE fUND
WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE OF NEGRO COUNCIL
By Robert Carr in the N. Y. Times
Installment No. 2
tion to the states and local com-
And yet there are certain com
pelling reasons why Federal ac
tion is necessary. Let us consider
three.
First, the record shows that in
so far as civil liberty has been en
croached upon by public officers,
rather than by private persons,
the threat from state and local of
ficials has been greater than that
from Federal officials. This is a
difficult assertion to prove statis
tically, but there are certain rea
sons why it is so.
For example, against the threat
offered to freedom of the press by
Federal sedition act, the threat
resulting from a local ordinance
restricting the distribution of
handbills is minor indeed. But an
alysis of Supreme Court decisions
shows that in the collective sense
state and local statutes have en
croached upon freedom of the
press far more than have Federal
statutes.
Where a state or a community
is either unable or unwilling to
prevent its officers from en
croaching upon fundamental free
doms the Federal Government has
a responsibility to step in and take
action. Indeed, the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amend
ments to the Constitution place an
express obligation upon Congress
to see that the rights protected by
these Amendments against state
action are safeguarded.
Second, logic suggests that the
high moral principles of the whole
society be used to check the lapses
of wayward parts. The many and
varied components of the moral
fiber of the larger area give it a
strength and resiliency that can
not be matched in many of its
parts. It is a fact that in our na
tion at large we have shown a
deeper understanding of the free
way of life and a higher regard for
civil rights than has been true in
certain of our states and com
munities. Should we not put that
greater national sense of moral
responsibility to work in protect
ing our rights'
Third, whether we like it or
not, civil rights difficulties have
become an international issue
which the Federal Government
must meet. The Civil Rights Com-
mittee saw evidence that when-
ever a lynching has occurred in
this country in recent years the
word has echoed from one end of
the world to the other within a
matter of hours. People every
where and particularly colored
people—who make up two-thirds
of the world’s population—have
looked to the United States for an
explanation as to how such a
shocking event can occur in a
democratic country, and for the
taking of remedial steps to pre
vent the recurrence of such out
rages.
(To be concluded in this paper's
February 17 edition)
Page 4. St. Paul RECORDER, Friday. February 10, 1950
PUBLISH!® CORNER
The editor of the Ivanhoe TIMES made some cogent points in
a recent editorial in his paper. Evidently he, as most of us, has had
to put up with a lot of "heat" in trying to do his job as he sees it.
His piece is reprinted here—Saith he:
"Everyone, it seems, has a very definite idea about how a news
paper should be edited.
They want you to print ALL the news—except when that news
conceivably concerns them in a slightly derogatory way.
They want you to discuss things political—but they’ll cuss you up
one side and down another because you’re a damn Republican or a
stupid Democrat.
They want a "free press"—but they're the first to use censorship
methods to "keep it out of the paper."
They believe firmly that a newspaper should take a leading hand
in community projects—but they're the last people in the world to
serve on a committee when there's work to be done.
They love to see a good neighborhood scrap reported on the front
page—but God help the editor who reports factually their brushes,
domestic or public.
They believe that objective reporting should be every editor’s
creed—but they'll carry a chip on their shoulder for months and
years if the editor has tried to be objective in his account.
Yup. the editor gets plenty of free advice.
No one seems to give that editor credit for having an abundance
of human frailties, and no one seems to think the poor devil is trying
his level best to keep the majority of his readers happy while still
maintaining a few of his ragged and fast diminishing principles."
It's always a pleasure and an education to chat with former
Governor Hjalmer Petersen. We had a good long talk with him at the
recent state confab of Minnesota editors. In many people's opinions
Hjalmer was one of the best governors this state ever had. He finish
ed the unexpired term of Floyd B. Olson. A true Independent, he was
side-tracked by the DFL powers-that-were and Elmer Benson got the
nod for the governorship.
Mr Petersen publishes the Askov American at Askov, Minnesota
He has never mentioned it. but his paper employs the only Negro
linotype operator in the state His journal is well known all over
Minnesota, lowa, North and South Dakota for its grasp of the
international scene.
Petersen is a stiff punching, courageous defender of his political
beliefs. Anyone who engages him in a political battle is apt to get
a good going-over, with no fair punches pulled.
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