St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-02-25

traitors and field officers. When
these problems arise, attempts are
made to correct them Immediately,
a spokesman declared.
To substantiate this claim, re-
quest has been made that an order
be issued to the field directors of
the Red Cross in India to the effect
that all clubs be made available to
all servicemen, regardless of race,
and that none be declared "out of
bounds" for colored soldiers, as re-
suit of discriminatory charges
brought to the organizations atten-
ton by the NNPA bureau.
These charges were contained in
a letter from a first sergeant of a
Quartermaster corps concerning
the experience of four of his men
who were recently on a pass to one
of India's well-nown cities.
According to this report, on ar
irving in the town the men went to
the Red Cross Center. On entering,
after an all night journey, they
checked their bags with native
porters and went to the dining
room. About the time they were
sitting down, they were accosted
by the host, who had hurried over,
and told "This place is out of
bounds for colored soldiers" They
were told to try the "colored" Red
Cross.
There were no available accom-
modations at the "colored" Red
Cross, and the suggestion was
made that they perhaps could stay
in a nearby camp. But after
months in camp without leave, the
men sought a hotel.
At the first hotel they tried, they
were given rooms-and after set
ting themselves, they went out to
a movie. When they returned they
were informed by the clerk that a
mistake had been made-the place
was reserved for women only. But
the men had talked with some white
enlisted men who were then living
in the hotel, and knew this was
only an excuse.
The second hotel, which was
reputed to have moderate rates,
quoted them a price of II rupees,
equivalent to $24.OO, for two days.
The only place they could find to
stay was in a hotel catering to
lower-class Indians. The sanitary
conditions were poor. They had to
go to the USO each day to battle
and shave. They spent two days
under such conditions.
The first sergeant writes that he
took the matter up with the Red
Cross representative and was told
nothing could be done, but he
would look into the case"
Giving credence to this story is
an account of Red Cross discrimi-
nation in India reported in PM
daily newspaper in New York;, as
told by John H. Faux, white, for
mer Red Cross assistant field d.
rector at camp in Cairo.
Faux says the Red Cross has al
lowed itself to become associated
with Jim Crowism in the minds of
Negro soldiers serving throughout
North Africa and the Middle East.
Faulk resigned because he felt
his post was useless" He said he
was convinced there existed in the
minds of Negro soldiers a "uni-
versal distrust" of the organization
which was supposed to be their
"big brother"
He charged that the Red Cross
refused to let the men attend
dances; and admitted them to clubs
at furlough centers with a con-
descending "do come in, you're
colored." The majority of super
visors he said were prejudiced
against Negroes. He accused the
organization of failing to take a
definite stand against discrimina-
ton.
Faulk is a Southerner, and col
lected Negro folk lore in rural Tex
as and Louisiana on a Rosenwald
fellowship before the war.
Publicity Director Begs Question
Harold G. Anthony, Red Cross
director in Washington,
insists "our clubs are open to white
and Negro alike. That's definitely
Red Cross policy.
eff it is disagreeable to the white
soldiers when Negroes enter the
clubs, that is not our fault. IF
things are as bad as Faux says,
the Red Cross is not responsible"
Jesse o. Thomas, executive as
sistant at the Red Cross and race
relations adviser, took a more posi-
tive attitude. He declared that the
basic policy of the Red Cross is
democratic, though he admitted
some Of the operations are not in
= .