Twin-City herald., 1939-11-04
WE HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN
FROM THE WAR'-ROBESON
BY Ben Davis, Jr.,
Associate Editor, CHA


Associate Editor, CHA
Paul Robson, internationally FAM
GUS actor and singer, is convinced that
the European conflict is an imperial
ist war in which the Negro people
have nothing to gain no matter which
side wins"
The noted artist has just returned to
America and will do series of plays
on Negro life and American folk
themes.
81 believe that the cause of the Ne
gro colonials as we'll as the interests
of the Negro people in America lies
with those who are fighting for peace.
If peace is brought about is will mean
that the whole struggle for Negro free
dom can be strengthened, without SO
- many of the best sons of the Negro
people and the working class losing
their lives in this useless slaughter" !"
Robson said.
Praises Red Army Role
He praised the Soviet Union, assert
ing that the march of the Red Army in
to Western Ukraine and Western
Byelo-Russia gave these oppressed
peoples the advantages of equality and
opportunity which have already been
achieved in the Soviet Union"
"While Chamberlain and Daladier
are merely talking about it, the Sow
let Union showed the world how to
stop fascism by hating Hitler's east
ward march and by its mutual assis-
tance pacts with the Baltic states" he
continued.
Robenson expressed his views in an
interview with the Crusader News
Agency at the home of friend, where
he was rehearsing with his accompan
ist, Lawrence Brown.
Robson and his wife, Mrs. Eslanda
Goode, a talented chemist, and their
12-year-old son, Paul, Jr., returned tc
America last week to remain perma
nently. For the last several years
they have resided in England and il
the Soviet Union. Paul, Jr. attended
Soviet schools and won high praise.
Primarily the famous baritone will
devote most of his energies to tht
theatre, but also do concert and radio
work. He is now rehearsing on th'
folk play John Henry" based on thu
half-legendary figure John Henry" ;
powerfully built Negro railroad work
er.
Recalls Betrayed of Negro
Robson said that the movement TO
peace in England is much stronge
than zone can gather from the pres
reports here"
"As for the Negroes, millions o
whom are victims of the British EN-
pire how can they believe Chamberlai
is fighting for them, when the Cham
berlain government contemptuousl
burshes aside the demand of India fo
liberation and maintains her oppres
sive rule in South Africa" aske
Robson, who has spent much time
Africa, where he learned several N;
tive dialects.
"If anyone is really interested
freedom of oppressed minorities, or
the liberation of the Negro, he Cal
not help applauding the Soviet actic
in freeing the Western Ukrainians ar
White Russians. If you disagree wit
this action, then you must agree wit
Nazi slavery or with the subsection
weaker peoples by British and Frenc
imperialism. And if Chamberlain b
lieves in democracy for small nation
why did he hand so many over to Hi
Ter and Mussolini? The Negro peop
will not forget Spain, Czechoslovaki
Austria-and certainly not Ethiopia.
THE terrible irony of it all is tn
there are about one million bla
Senegalese troops being used by D
ladier now to help French imperialis
richer and more ruthless against t
colonies" Robson said.
Jamaica Movement Crushed
Illustrating how the war is bel
used to crush the struggles of the \
gro people, Robson referred to the
cent movement for progress in Britis
owned Jamaica, West Indies.
II was working with number
labor and progressive forces in Ell