Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-02-14

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Denies Request for Appointment
In the wire the governor denied
he had received a request for an
appointment. The defense commit
tee exhibited letters at its Satur-
day night meeting showing its long
correspondence with the governors
office, to refute the chief execu-
tive's claim.
Governor Stassen also said he
had asked the state military de-
partment to study the defense
force problem as it affected the
Negro.
He also stated his administration
had never Disseminated against
the Negro and did not intend to.
He mentioned that he had CO.
operated in establishing the Phyllis
Wheatley camp for underprivileged
children. He cited the DeWalt case
in which he refused to grant ex-
tradition papers upon request of
the state of Arkansas.
Changed Rockwell Procedure
The governor said, when the
improper question was injected in
the Rockwell hearing, 1 personally
requested that a referee be ap-
pointed and special counsel be
named as / did not approve Of this
question" He referred to a re-
mark made by NJ. Ted Evans, as
sistant attorney general, whose
faux pas in asking DIR. Rockwell
whether Negroes had attended a
party at his home created consider
able comment all over the country.
Charges False Issues Are Raised
Governor Stassen in the closing
paragraph of the wire in charging
political motives were behind the
present agitation for removal of
race bars in the home guard said:
at appears TO me that possibly
some of your people for political
purposes are endeavoring to stir
up false issues and the tragedy is
that in so doing, they will hurt
their own people more than they
will their political opponents"
Defense committee members
secuted the governors charges of
politics pointing out that many of
the committee were supporters of
the governor during the last cam
paign.
DEFENSE COMMITTEE MEETS
The majority of the Negro de-
tense committee met Saturday
night ut Halle Q. Brown House.
The governors telegram was evil
IDENTIFY considered but no statement
was issued to the press. Sam Reed,
chairman of the committee and
president of the St. Paul NAACP,
said Wednesday that no appoint
ment had been secured to date de-
spite the governors offer to see the
committee. Reed said Richard Pur-
cell, a governors office secretary,
said he would let him know when
Stassen could arrange an interview.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS CAN
NON AND TARVER
Tuesday the governors office an
nounced to the Spokesman and Re-
corder newspapers the appointment
of Raymond Cannon of Minneapolis
and Lawrence Tarver of st. Paul
to study the defense situation.
In letters to his appointees, he
said, 81 am requesting you to ad-
wise me regarding a sound manner
to grant an opportunity to our fell
low citizens, who are of the Negro
race, to participate in the defense
of our state and our country in the
emergencies that are ahead of us,
particularly arising through our
National Guard leaving the state
to enter Federal service. 1 wish
you would give this matter careful
thought. Confer with other veter-
ans of the last war, with +he Legion
Posts and with other leaders whom
you may wish to confer with and
then report to me for conference
in which l will determine the ac-
ton the state will take"
CANNON ISSUES STATEMENT
Mr.. Cannon, one of the men
named by Stassen, issued a state
ment in which he said in part, "The
request made to Mr.. Tarver and
myself respecting participation of
Negro citizens in the Minnesota
Defense force is self explanatory.
have it on authority that the gov
ernor has not refused audience in
this matter to any person or group
of persons of our race. He has in
dicated that he is not opposed to
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