The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-05-22
RIOT RUMORS.
BY.
DAILY PAPERS
GrOundless RumOrs Had
Increased Capt. a Is
Racial Tension

WASHINGTON, D. C.-Coopera-
ton OF the Washington dailies was
won this week by the NAACP
Bureau here in its campaign to
scotch the recent barrage OF
groundless rumors responsible for
increased racial tension in the nat
onal capital.
The daily papers had been fol-
lowing a policy OF printing nothing
Of the rumors on the ground that
their mere publication would
spread them. TIE papers even re-
fused to refute rumors but the
NAACP Washington Bureau was
able TO persuade them that the sit
uation was so serious that it de-
manded exposure by the daily
press. AT the insistence OF the
NAACP Bureau every important
Washington daily has. during the
last few days, featured articles and
editorials on the dangers OF rumor
mongering
The NAACP stated that superin-
te. dent o. police, Maj. J. Kelly and
Commissioner John Russell Young
deserved praise for their sober
treatment of tie scare Induced by
the wildfre spread of rumors OF
impending race riots. The NAACP
succeeded also in getting the CO.
operation OF the Owl and the De-
p4rtment OF Justice.
Preamble To RumOr
Two peaceful events supposedly
served as preamble to the riot
rumor. One was the successful
picketing OF the Little Lunch cafe
at l4th and u streets by the Civil
Rights committee OF the Howard
university NAACP chapter. This
restaurant has now agreed to serve
both Negro and white people,
breaking TIE precedent Of twenty
eight years. The other was the
parade and mass meeting to listen
to Congressman Marcantonio dis
cuss employment of Negroes by
bus and trolley lines here.
The dailies, in exposing the ex-
travagance of the rumors that were
being circulated among Washing
toms white citizens, warned that
while the FIJI and local police
could find no indication that the
rumors had been planted by Hitler
agents. such rumors would GER
tainly accomplish. Hitler's work for
him.
Among the fantastic stories that
were being circulated among whites
and unheard by Negroes was the
rumor that all the banks in the
city were to be robbed. 1t was
rumored that the parade to the dis
elimination protest m :eting was to
become a full fledged invasion on
the capital.
It was rumored that 800 thugs
were being imported from New
York to invade downtown hotels
ami theatres. It was rumored that
buses and street cars lad been
turned over by Negroes and that
Fort Belvoir had cancelled all
leaves of Negro soldiers recause
t-ere was going to BE- rioting in
Washington.
Public building guards told wom-
en- clerks to get off the streets be-
fore 6 pm. Stories that Negroes
had bought up all the pocket knives
and ice picks were revived.
None OF these rumors had any
basis but bus and cab drivers whis-
pered cautions to white passengers
to get off the streets. Congress
man Rankin shouted on the floor of
the House on Friday afternoon thai
everyone knew that riot was
about to break in Washington. De-
partment store clerks asked on
Thursday to be allowed to 90 home
early. And the switchboards of
all white newspapers were tied up
with all sorts OF reports of antici-
pated racial strife.