St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1945-08-17

published five-page article on the
meeting in it's August 4th issue.
It was the consensus of opinion
that the daily papers cooperating
with the weeklies can do a great
deal toward eliminating racial con-
flicts and race hatreds and improv-
ing understanding between whites
and Negroes.
RetractiOns and Corrections
Stating that news about Negroes
and their contributions to America
is not presented as honestly or
adequately as it could be, and
whereas newspapers are quick to
carry charges against Negroes
they do not publish later retrac-
lions or contrary proof, the repre-
sentatives of the Negro press did
not omit certain weaknesses in
their own papers. Those present
consisting Of Frank L. Stanley,
newly-elected president of the pub
fishers association and publisher
of the louisville Defender"
Thomas Young, Norfolk Journal
and Guide; Roy Garvin, cairo
American; Cecil Newman, "Min-
neapolis Spokesman" and "St. Paul
Recorder; C. A. Scott, atlanta
Daily World"; P. L. Prattis, "Pitts-
burgh Courier; Ralph Matthews,
"Afro-American"; Louis Martin,
Michigan Chronicle" asked for
active cooperation particularly on
the local level, between white and
Negro newspaper men to eliminate
the causes of racial friction.
Goals for the Negro
Mr.. Garvin cited as example of
disservice the white press does the
Negro, the recent attack of Senator
Eastland on the record of the Ne
gro soldier in the second World
War. "When the denial of the War
Department was made together
with the statements of generals
who had Negro troops under their
command, the white press didn't
carry it. You see what a SANDER
that is to thirteen million people ?"
Mr.. Stanley stated there were ex-
ceptions Gin certain papers rated as
fairly liberal"
improvements Cited
The group agreed with Mr..
Brown that the identification"
problem had been cleared up in
New York. Mr.. Stanley added that
it had been improved in Cincinnati
and Chicago. Mr.. Newman said
that Minneapolis and st. Paul daily
papers used no race identification in
their news reports. 1t was agreed
that Identification that is news
worthy-that denotes unusual oc-
currence-would be welcomed; Mr..
Prattis added that he would be
willing to sacrifice the one to get
the other-eliminate Identification
in news-worthy stories, even when
it is good publicity, in order to rid
the daily press of Identification in
unfavorable and crime stories.
Newman said, Lied by such pub
locations as Editor and Publisher"
the daily press tomorrow, if it were
to revamp its entire policy would
improve race relations so per cent
in this country"
Local Cooperation Needed
Mr.. Stanley stated, in answer to
a question by Mr.. Brown on what
type of cooperation could be sug-
gested between the Negro press
and white newspapers to forestall
racial conflicts arising from ru-
mors, that there ought to be a COM
mission of Negro and white news
papers, state association. Fright
now we have in process the organ
ization of the press club in Louis
vile, white and black, where we
will sit down once a week or as
often as necessary to talk about
these things. We need to get to-
gether and stop hollering at
each other from across the road"
Mr.. Prattis added that "it would
be a good idea in communities
where there is more than one news
paper for the editors and publish
ers to come together. I further
think there must be more under
standing between the editorial de-
partment as such and the news
department as such. Frequently, as
Mr.. Stanley said, you find fine edi,
torial departments but the news
departments may be way off. That
is a pretty difficult job. There
must be acceptance of the fact