Minneapolis spokesman., 1941-12-26
THIS
WORLD
Red Russia and Propaganda
Radio Music
Theoretical Sympathy
AviatOrs

prOpag aganda mills to make Russia,
Red Russia, a place to be scOrned
like a case of smallpox, by God
fearing citizens. The rush to
canOnize Russia after she entered
the war on "Our" side gave even the
most gullible person an insight on
how the mills of propaganda turn.
So far reports of our war activity
have been as extremely clear-cut
as circumstances allow and with a
lack of the stuff fed the people of
the Axis powers by their controlled
press.
People will pardon a poor speak
er over the radio but poor singing
and music will mar the best pro-
gram on the air. We know they
will applaud a deficient speaker by
personal experience. Perfection in
music requires constant practice
we are told, but many choral
groups rush to a radio studio for
a broadcast without proper prac-
tice. The results are gosh-awful!
Because the American Negro is
always made to feel the color pref
udice of his white American broth
en- he has a theoretical sympathy
with the Japs! Amazing! you say.
This statement may sound remark
able but it is the truth. Most Ne
grOes will to whites deny this
''theOreticap sympathy, but never
theless they have it. When the
Chinese and Japanese were barred
from citizenship in the United
States, the cOlOred people felt with
them a bond of sympathy because
they, brought here as slaves, eman-
cipated, yet given only the status
of half-citizens, understood the
implicsticls of color snObbery
sympathizing with whOmeVer it was
visited upon. Understand US, we
said theoretical sympathy"-we
did not say practical sympathy or
approval of Japan's course. If
Ethiopia or black Haiti jumped on
the U. S. tomorrow the American
Negroes would be in the first line
of defense-prOVided the War and
Navy Departments allowed them to
join up. The Negro is deeply rooted
in this his native land, and while
he might cuss its inconsistencies,
sympathizes with other national
tiles which have been looked down
upon by his American white broth
er. He fOrgets all of this meanness
of his fellow Americans when
America is attacked, runs out,
grabs a gun and a flag and begins
to give the enemy ''the works."
Filipino aviators, recently organ
lied, have made good, the press
service says. Our Jim Crow Negro
unit stationed at Tuskegee, or is it
Hampton, is yet to be heard from.
It's a pity Negro youths with avia-
ton aptitudes are not recruited in
large numbers. America may see
the day, if it is not already here,
when she'll need every flyer she
can get. England found she
couldn't build an air force to COM
pete with the Luffwafe by keeping
the ranks of the air forces closed to
the poor whites or the blacks or
browns! Maybe we should profit
by Great Britain's mistakes.
Reminder: While you are finish
ing your Christmas Shopping don't
forget the T.B. seals, the Red Cross
or Defense bonds. They should be
must ON your shopping list.
ThurgOOd Marshall of New York,
chief counsel of the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement Of
Colored People, according to the
N. Y. papers has advised Jonas
Schwartz, counsel for Lee Turpin,
not to drop the action instituted in
Federal court against the Mime
sofa Home Defense officers who
unlawfully refused him admission
to the units. The answer Of Gov
ernor Stassen and his co-defend-
ants in the suit was 4 pip. A denial
is made that Turpin was denied ad-
mission when 1t is known that the
official in charge of recruiting the
force wrote a letter, seen by this
correspondent, which says there is
NO place in the Minnesota Home
Defense Force for Negroes, or
words precisely to that effect.
This column should close with a
wish for A Merry Christmas for |
all but we just must add "for all !