Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-08-29
Stassen Blames
Army for Negro
Home Defense Bar
Crowd UnsYmpdthetic
To Governors Excuses
By STAFF CORRESPONDENT

heard Governor Harold Il. Stassen
attempt to defend himself against
the charge of discriminating
against Negroes in the Minnesota
Home Defense Force at a mass
meeting sponsored by the Mime
sofa Negro Defense Committee,
Tuesday night, at the Halle @.
Brown Community House, $50
Aurora Street.
After hearing a review of the
fight that has been made by the
Minnesota Negro Defense Commit
tee to get Negroes enlisted in the
Minnesota Home Defense Force
given by the Rev. Clarence T. R.
Nelson, pastor of the Camphor
Memorial Methodist Church and
publicity chairman of the Defense
Committee, and Introductory re-
marks by Frank L. Alsup, chair
man of the Committee, Governor
Stassen spoke without reference to
his notes, frankly and lay
ing all the cards on the table"
Most of the time of the Gov
ernor's address was taken in cit
ing instances to show that he is
not and never has been prejudiced
nor has ever done anything in his
public career discriminatory to the
Negro. He spoke of his associa-
ton with Negroes in the R.O.T.C.,
and as sleeping car conductor.
81 am against discrimination and
that has been my attitude from the
cradle" the Governor declared.
Governor Stassen lauded Raymond
Cannon, Mill City attorney, and
Leslie Tarver, of St. Paul, for their
work as a special committee for
him in studying and reporting "a
sound manner to grant an oppor-
tunity to the Negro race to partici-
pate in the defense of our state.
:. E"
Governor Stassen said that Can
non end Tarver reported that it
would not be advisable to organize
Jim Crow unit in the Minnesota
! Home Defense Force. go -.
The Governor placed the blame
for discrimination against the Ne
gro in the Minnesota Home De
tense Force on the United States
Army officers of the Defense
Force who follow the Army code
of placing Negroes in separate or
Jim Crow units. ra&nI
He charged that the Minnesota
Negro Defense Committee had
been unfair to him, particularly in
asking that he do something that
he could not do. The Committee
has been insisting that the Gov
ernor issue an order as command
er-in-chief of the Minnesota De-
tense Force that Negroes be en-
listed just as other citizens.
Chairman Alsup exhibited
clipping from a St. Paul daily with
picture and story of a recruiting
campaign being made by the Home
Defense Force at the present time.
Rev. Nelson read a statement made
by Col. Stutz of the Minnesota
Home Defense Force, Thursday of
last week, in defense of his refusal
to accept the application of Lee
Turpin for enlistment to the effect
81 know of no order which changes
the situation as to the enlistment
of Negroes in the Defense Force"
Lee Turpin, Victor Galloway and
Herman Few went to the Armory
on Wednesday night to enlist, but
the Company was out on man.
euvers.
Nat Smith Defends Committee
Nathaniel Smith, St. Paul post
man, defended the Minnesota Ne
gro Defense Committee when he
told the Governor that the Com
mittee had no intention of being
unfair to him. Smith said that in
view of the fact that a suit had
been brought against the State
for using public funds for the sup
port Of the Home Defense Force
and that Representative Melvin
Mas had told him that the U. s.
Government had nothing to do with
the State Militia and hence the
Committee has not been unfair to
the Governor in insisting that he
issue an order to stop the dis
elimination.
Nelson Governor In Friendly Tilt
The question and answer period
was enlivened by a verbal tilt be-
tween the Governor and Rev. Nell
son, when they charged each other
with misquoting the other, in state
ments made during the Governors
luncheon meeting with members Of
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