Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-03-14

the Minnesota Defense Force.
Frank L. Alsup, secretary of the
Defense Committee, presided at the
meeting in the absence of the chair
man, Samuel A. Reed, who was in
New York City. The meeting was
opened with the audience singing
America" followed by invocation
offered by the Rev. Benjamin N.
Moore, pastor of the st. James A.
NJ. E. Church, St. Paul.
LittleiOhn Speaks
Maeeo Lttlejohn, of the Dining
Car Walters and Employees Union,
SIG, first of the six speakers on
the formal program, declared that
1--WE will not let Governor Stassen
cruelty US on the cross of dis
elimination and segregation" J. L
Rowland, representing Leslie Law
renee Post of the American Legion,
st. Paul, spoke about the discrimi-
nation that he and other Negro vet
Grams were forced to accept during
the World War both in America
and overseas. 81 will not permit
the government to take my son and
make him a victim of such dis
criminatory practices, and, if that
be treason" he said, make the
most of it."
Miss Garden Raps Governors In
vestigatOrs
Miss l. Myrtle Garden, director
of Halle Q. Brown House, said that
ut is an awful thing that any
Negro would permit himself to be
used to divide his people by a Gov
ernor or any other public official.
The thing that would have broken
the Governor down would have
been for the Negro Committee of
two (appointed by Governor Stas-
sen) to have told Gov. Stassen that
we can not serve since there is a
representative committee appointed
by the people already studying the
problem" She urged the citizens
to be vigilant for things might hap
pen in Minnesota that are happen
ing in Mississippi.
~" Student Makes Plea
Ralph S. Ward, Jr., a student at
the University of Minnesota, rep
resenting youth and men of draft
age made an appeal for the Negro
young people so that they might
have the opportunity to serve their
country as full-fedged citizens on
with other citizens. He
denied that the attempt of Negroes
to secure equality is an attempt ITO
be white"
LegiOnnaire DenOunces Stassen
Governor Stassen was severely
criticized for appointing a commit
tee ITO investigate the Negroes"
by ]. w. Pate, representing the
Johnny Baker Post of the Ameri-
can Legion, Minneapolis, and Ames
Lodge of the Elks. He was out
spoken in his denunciation of the
Governors special investigating
committee of Raymond Cannon,
Minneapolis lawyer and leader
among Republicans, and Leslie Tar
yer of st. Paul. Pate attacked their
method of procedure in the investi-
cation and declared that "they
could have been heroes among all
fair thinking people if they had
told the Governor when he ap-
pointed them that the Negroes, our
people, only want to be treated and
recognized as citizens. No more,
no less"
Rev. Nelson Outlines Committees
Actions
Rev. Clarence T. R. Nelson, pres
ident of the Twin City Ministerial
Alliance and publicity chairman of
the Negro Defense Committee, re-
futed Governor Stassen's statement
in St. Paul daily for February 2
that, "The case has not come to my
attention and I have not refused the
committee an audience" by reading
correspondence from the files of
the Defense Committee, indicating
that the Governor had been told
about the case of discrimination of
the Negro in the Minnesota De-
tense Force by a representative in
the U. S. Congress as early as No
vember, last year.
Rev. Nelson read several letters
which pointed to the fact that the
Governor had been informed of the
situation by several individuals
and organizations and that he had
been repeatedly written for an au-
dience to discuss the matter.
Rev. Nelson lauded the large
number Of white citizens who were
attending the mass meeting for
their interest in this fight for
on the mart Of the Negro