The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1935-11-14
THE WAY OUT
BY Loren Miller

At first thought there had been
some mistake and that the New
York Times had reported one of
Prof. Kelley Miller's speeches I'M
der the wrong headline.
still think that Gen. Charles
H. Sheriff. ewes the professor an
apology; there isn't any doubt but
that the former dean has first
rights on the sentiment that min
ority groups should go slow on
protest lest it move the oppressors
to do them dirtier than ever.
MIR. Miller has been preaching
that doctrine to Negroes for years.
MIR. Sheriff. has just returned from
Germany to tell American Jews
that continued protest against en-
tering the Berlin Olympics may
lead to a wave of anti-Semitism"
in the United States.
Before he got through, the Cen
eral was blaming Jews for Nazi
outrages by saying that they had
''overplayed their hand in pre-Hit-
Ter Germany.
Fair Play
Unfortunately for the General,
he got back just as Judge O'Ma-
honey was adducing conclusive ev-
idence of Nazi discrimination ag-
ainst non-Aryan athletes.
One of the gems he culled from
official Germany Olympic litera-
ture was that advising athletes
that the Nazis "can see no positive
value for our people in permitting
dirty Jews and Negroes to travel
through our country and compete
in athletics with our best" That's
plain enought; Jews and Negroes
aren't wanted either on the Ger
man teams or as competitors.
Perhaps Ben Johnson, Columbia
Splinter, hadn't seen that state
ment when he advised us to go
slow on the boycott plan. His point
was that there is plenty of discri-
mination by the A.A.U. in Ameri-
ca. He doesn't want us to strain
at gnat and swallow a camel;
but that's hardly an excuse for
gobbling down two camels.
Good Point
Anyhow, l am glad that Mr..
Jonson raised the point. 1 think
that Negroes ought to make more
of it; every expression of support
for the Olympic boycott should be
coupled with a demand that dis
elimination against Negroes be
halted right here.
Even Gen. Sehirrill had an I'M
comfortable moment with the
point; he said that he had no more
right to protect anti-Semitism in
Germany than a German would
have to kick against the treatment
of Negroes in the South. I can't
see why Hitler should protest the
Herndon decision either.
But 1 don't see any reason why
other Germans, especially Jews,
Catholics, liberals and anti-fascists
shouldn't protest Jim Crowism in
Alabama. Minority groups will
never get far until they do COM
bine their strength. Individual pro-
test is easily downed; it's harder to
curb organized cutlery.
Shout Louder
In fact, the end of minority per-
secution will be in sight when the
Africans in the Congo, the Jews in
Germany, Negroes in the United
States and dissenters in Germany
and Italy-to mention only a few
get together and combine their
strength, They can't effect unity
through Sont-pedallng their grle-
vances. Each must protest loudly
so that the other can hear. That
would be tough on the overlords.
That, 1 suspect, is what General
Sheriff. fears. He's been a Gener-
al so long that he thinks the world
owes him his gold braid. He be-
lieves that underlings belong in the
ditch.
But there's no use of doing the
General an injustice. There is a
point in his advice to Jews to take
their grievances lying down. You
can't get around it; if a man is
willing to lie down in the gutter,
you needn't push him there. He's
already where you want him.