St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1943-07-02


$50 inefficient is the police force
and so many of its members are
from the deep South with all the
anti-Negro prejudices of the Ku
Klux Klan that the trouble may
break out all over again as soon
as the troops leave" was the blunt
appraisal given the Governor.
Among the other immediate and
long range issues discussed with
the Governor were the wanton
shooting by State Policeman Ted
Anders of Julian Witherspoon, &C.
year-old medical student in the St.
Antoine Y. M. C. A., June %, the
alleged looting of homes and apart
ments of Negroes by state police
men, the critical food situation in
the Negro areas on the east and
north side, the wholly dispropor-
tionate arrests and convictions of
alleged Negro rioters in contrast
with white rioters, and the failure
to use Negro soldiers, state troop
ers and city police. Specific meth
DDS of attack on each of these prob
lens were worked out by the con-
ferees.
Judge Ira W. Jayne, presiding
justice of the Wayne County Circuit
Court and NAACP vice president,
had arranged previous conference
for himself and Walter White,
NAACP executive secretary, with
the Governor. At their sugges-
ton, a representative group of De-
troit Negroes were invited to the
conference held June %. They
were DR.. James ]. McClendon and
Gloster Current, president and Sec
rotary respectively of the Detroit
Branch of the NAACP; Rev.
Charles Hill, chairman of the Citi-
zens Committee; Mrs. Beulah Whit
by of the Detroit o. C. D., and ma
tional president of the AKA;
Charles Mahoney, member of the
State Labor Commission; Senator
Charles Diggs, Louis E. Martin of
the Michigan Chronicle; Mrs. ]. E.
Mccall of the Detroit Tribune; and
John R. Williams of the Pittsburgh
Courier.
Mayor Does Nothing
Investigation by the Federal Gov
eminent of the 'tnonfeasance, mis-
feasance and mal-feasance" of the
Detroit police and Mayor Jeffries
was asked by the NAACP. "The
riot could have been stopped Sun
day night with the firm use of force
including few fire hoses had the
police of Detroit wanted it stopped"
the Association declared. Instead
there is Photographic and other evil
dence which is irrefutable that the
police not only did nothing to pre-
vent white rioters running wild but
actually held Negro victims while
white hoodlums beat them. Mayor
Jeffries has been implored by white
and Negro groups for more than a
year to do his duty and check the
vicious forces which infest Detroit
but he has done nothing. The Fifth
Column in Detroit has it's head
quarters in City Hall and Police
Headquarters because it is weak
ness and prejudice there which has
cost thirty-one lives, the destruction
of property, tragic stoppage of the
production of war supplies our
fighting men overseas desperately
need" the NAACP charged.
White and Marshall on the Scene
Walter White arrived here by
plane during the height of the riot
ing June II when asked by the De-
troit Branch to assist in meeting
the grave situation. Thurgood
Marshall, special counsel, reached
here June % from Washington
where he conferred Wednesday
with Attorney General Francis
Biddle and other government Of
ficials regarding the riots in De-
troit and other cities. Attorney
General Biddle assured Marshall
that he was seriously concerned"
about the Detroit riots and was
carefully watching the situation"
He also assured Marshall that any
evidence of the commission of fed
eral crimes would be promptly in
vestigated as soon as referred to
him. Mr.. Marshall will assist in
gathering evidence, providing coun-
sci and taking such other steps as
are deemed necessary to prevent in
justice and victimization of the
sorely tried Negroes of Detroit.
A pathetic and unending stream
of riot victims have thronged the
Detroit NAACP Branch office here,
overlooking frequently into the
hallway and onto the steps. At
fdavits and statements have been
taken, the facts checked and steps
taken to help bring peace back to
the city. NAACP. lawyers under
the Craftsmanship of Willis M.