St. Paul recorder., 1945-10-05

EDITORS MUTE: Dan SarOneEJ
contributing cOlumnist to the Spokes-
man-Recorder papers, this week takes
the place of Harry McAlp4n, who is on
his way to the Pacific for a tour of
Naval bases. Gardner, one of the most
controversial writers of the Negro
press, offers some challenging comments
on the Nations Capitol.
We have won the Battle of the
White Primary in Georgia and in
Texas to all appearances and we
have also won the Battle of Fair
Employment in the State of New
York, at least. The U. S. has won
the Battle of the Pacific, the Battle
of the Atlantic, of Toxic, and OF
Berlin. Now the only Battle that
has not been won is the Battle OF
Washington, D. c.
Despite all the millions OF brave
words that have been poured forth
on mimeographed releases to the
press, over the radio, on lecture
platforms, and on the street cor
ners, the capital of the nation still
remains the major bastion of dis
elimination, intolerance, and racial
hatred. Nothing has been done to
change the situation and today one
finds that the problem is still, to all
appearances, insurmountable.
The other day we happened to
drop down to Washington to at
tend a conference and had occasion
to go to the Veterans Administra-
ton Building to interview General
Omar Bradley on what is going to
happen to Negro veterans in the
various hospitals being established
throughout the land. Our concern
centered around the jim-crow set
up at Tuskegee Institute, and the
committee of editors and publishers
who were granted an interview to
the Missouri general had their
thoughts many miles away from
Washington in worrying about jim
crow at Tuskegee.
The irony of the situation was
revealed a short time later, when
we came out of the building and
went down to the main floor. 1t
was around one o'clock and most
of the group were in a mood for
dinner, or at least drink. When
these desires were voiced, how
ever, one of the group who hap
pened to be more familiar with
Washington, vOuchsafed the in
formation that we would have to
go back to the Negro section of
Washington, which is around U
Street, to even get a drink of
water, because the white folks,
in the section where we were,
served no Negroes.
Of course, Tuskegee, Alabama, is
a sore spot to all. 1t is rightful
that something be done to break
down the rigid jim-crow that oc-
ours in Alabama as well as in
Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, and
Arkansas, but how are you going to
bother those states when right in
the nations capital you can't even
get drink of water ut is known
fact that segregation exists in
Washington partly on account of
the acceptance of jim-crow and
segregation by Negroes who should
know better.
To the rank outsider who has not
lived in Washington or that vicin-
ity, it seems that sacrifice of the
basic principle of integration has
been made for financial remunera-
ton derived from furthering Negro
businesses and institutions that
exist solely because the Negroes
are jim-crowed out of other places
where they might prefer to spend
their money. The merits of this
situation are debatable and would
divide sharply into two camps; the
one peopled by those who are ada
mantly in favor of complete inte-
grafton without compromise, and
those who believe in voluntary seq
regation to achieve economic stand
ing and stability.
The racial tension in Washington
is on the surface, not hidden as in
certain other cities. If you are a
Negro, then the whole weight of
your color is thrown upon you by
the whites. There are no ifs and
butts about it; Negro no matter
how fair in complexion, is subject
to the same indignities that his
blacker brother might endure. 1t
is all part of a system.
Washington is the focal point
of the sOuth-the haven of all
the reactiOnaries, bOurbOns, race
baiters, ignOramuses parading
around in all the dignities of
elected OfficialdOm, and those
who make careers out of the
playing on racial strifes based
on color. The battle of Wash
ington will have to be fought
and won before any other battle
is won in this country.
Washington is the seat of au-
thority, the seat of government,
the place where all eyes are
turned for guidance, leadership,
and policy. If such guidance,
leadership, and policy as the Off
cial code of the American gov
ernment, are cOlOred or clothed
n