St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-04-07
UncOvering
Washington
By Harry S. McAlpin
CWhite House Correspondent

Negroes are not proud of the
source of the new help they are
receiving in getting their message
over to some of the people who need
it most, but they are inclined to
be tolerant in accepting it.
A new paper-the Alabama Sun
dedicated to the maintenance of
white supremacy" has appeared
in Birmingham, Ala. Volume 1,
number l, was published on March
"a. Eighty per cent of the reading
matter was devoted to reprints of
articles appearing previously in Ne
gro newspapers particularly the
Birmingham World, the Afro
American, the Chicago Defender
and the Pittsburgh Courier-with
new headlines, however, to suit the
Alabama Sun.
In small print at the top of each
such article, the editors of the Sun
wrote a caustic comment, purport-
eddy to point out the impracti-
cality, the viciousness, the stupid
ty, or the audacity of the demands
and revelations made in the re-
produced articles.
Here are a few samples: Over an
article headed "Would Unfrock
Clergymen practicing Segregation"
the editor noted: "Here is an ar
ticle from the Pittsburgh Courier
a Negro paper, Read it and weep
Or laugh" Over another headed
"Ask Probe of Bias in Utility Serv-
ice Hiring" with a Baltimore date
line, the editor commented: "Here
is an example of what might hap
pen here (B'ham). This was pub
lished in the Chicago Defender, Ne
gro newspaper"
On reading the reproduced ar
ticles, however, one could not help
but be struck by the clear, concise,
logical presentations they con-
tanned.
That these articles should thus
be brought to the attention of the
kind of people most likely to buy
the Alabama Sun opens up a new
field to the Negro press. Robert
E. White, the editor of the Sun
and those who are supporting the
venture from the hidden recesses
of anonymity, are unconsciouslJ
rendering a much needed service.
Of course, the paper is vitrioliC
in it's own treatment of the race
question. 1t takes the usual Dig
at Mrs. Roosevelt. 1t unhesitating
ly uses epithets in referring to Ne
groes. A 3-column cut on the from
page, of Mrs. Roosevelt and Georg,
Goodman, Red Cross worke
brought back from England to worl
in the Red Cross fund drive, i
captioned Eleanor Greets Nigge
Again"
It makes the same illogical argu
ments common to all who attemp
to defend the undemocratic theor
of white supremacy" And on tn
front page, Immediately below tn
cut, is an article and application
blank urging whites to join tn
"White Supremacy League"
The net result is that the pape
presents a glazing, paradoxical cor
trast between what it says it il
tends to do and what it actual
accomplishes. The purpose is e1
pressed in the lead editorial.
says in part:
"The big dailies of this state, g
a whole, hush-hush the entire MAJ
ter. White people as a whole d
not know the facts of this troubl
which has been brewing for a nun
Der of years, between the race
And facts prove the pot is about I
bust wide open as a result.
Gin order to send those outsiC
agitators back where they belon
thus permitting our white Peep
and our Negro people in the Sout
to live peacefully in the same Sc
ton, both the white race and Il
Negro race in the South, shou
have the FACTS. That is why Il
ALABAMA SUN was born-b
cause the people should have fac
regarding this vital matter and tt
Birmingham papers, like mo
others in the South, hush-hush t
truth.
eff this SUN shines too hot
some people, then we will ha
done our duty.
"Most of the articles we W
publish are COPIED from Neg
papers. The name of each pap
will be given in each article.
Remember, WE DID Nc
WRITE THIS BULL that has t
name of a Negro paper with
but we merely copied what THE
published!"
And so, the Alabama Sun /
comes a Negro digest-somewh
"slimy," tits true, but useful.
Somehow, it brings to mind t
remark made by a young scient
to his previous employer. He h
been working in a mental job, W
physically kicked out for showi
some ambition to get ahead, viii
resulted in his getting a more su
able job in a chemical laborato
He went on to win fame and fortu