The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1940-03-29
W.F.C. Chides Northwest Enterprise;
CT. Dawson Is Mad, Cracks Back

On March Is, the following
statement appeared in the columns
of the Northwest Enterprise.
1--WE wonder what comfort Me-
groes have to CLEAN from the w.
CT. That organization made it
self the repository for commun-
ism in this state. At their con-
vention held in Seattle last Feb
ruary, the civil liberties commit
tee passed resolution to censure
Governor Martin for pardoning
Patrick Whalen, the self-confessed
murderer of Berry Lawson. On the
floor of the convention the motion
for adoption was ''scuttled" by a
leading communist who sounded
its death knell.
The few Negro delegates sat SUI
pinely by as this unholy conspir-
acy of commonwealthers and COM
munists ambushed their hopes.
In all probability the usefulness
of the Negroes to this declining
party was itself on the wane.
Communism is no panacea for
existing ills"
In refutation, we print an edit
orial from the Washington New
Dealer March 81:
A CLUMSY LIE
The propaganda machine which
has for its purpose the carpenter
ing and dissemination of lies about
the Washington Commonwealth
Federation is guilty of misusing
the columns of the Northwest En-
terprise, Negro weekly newspaper
published in Seattle.
In the March Is issue an inter-
esting piece of pure fiction is car
ried in the form of news. 1t tells
how a resolution censuring Cover
nor Martin for pardoning Patrick
Whalen, self-confessed murderer of
Berry Lawson, was "scuttled" on
the floor of the recent VICE con-
vention by leading communist"
Just how much truth there is in
this report can be attested to by
scores of delegates and the steno-
graphic accounts of all convention
proceedings. No resolution con-
demning Martin for this unde-
served pardon was ever introduced
at the convention. At the meeting
of the civil liberties committee, a
vote of censure for Martin was
proposed and adopted in the form
of verbal motion. This was duly
incorporated into the committees
report and read on the floor of
the convention where it was adopt
ed without a word of opposition
being spoken or an adverse vote
cast.
AS the WIG and the New Deal
er played an important part in
epjosing the brutal police-slaying
of Lawson, and have always in
sisted that the guilty persons
should be properly punished, this
is clumsy lying indeed. We regret
that the Northwest Enterprise was
taken in by it when the facts are
so easy to obtain"
Statements eminating from Mr.
Carter T. Dawson, a delegate to
the WCF convention inspired the
article in the Northwest Enter
prise. The Northwest Enterprise
called on Mr.. Dawson and asked
that he corroborate the statement
or admit its falsity. Dawson read
the statement, read the editorial OF
the Washington New Dealer, re-
tired to his study, asking the pub.
Usher to return in an hour for his
reply. We pass on to you.
To the Editor
Northwest Enterprise:
I have read your statement ir
the March 18th issue Of the North.
west Enterprise that a resolution
passed by the Civil Liberties Com.
mittee at the Washington Com.
monwealth Federation Convention
to censure Governor Clarence d
Martin for pardoning Patrick VIVA
len, the self-confessed murderer Of
CONTINUED on Page Three)