Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-07-12
Dear Joe
BY JAMES l.. HICKS
HOT POTATOl

The matter Of building jim-cro
hospitals In the south for veterans
has become one Of the hottest pc.
lticRl issues in Washington today.
The Veterans Administration
won't even talk about II any more
since one truth-lovinR public rela.
tions officer let the cat out the
bag and told NNPA that plans for
the jim-cro hospital at McComb,
Mississippi, were lying on the
Presidents desk waiting to be
signed.
When the story was published
exactly RA the public relations man
had given II out, the approximations
were little short Of terrific.
Joe Albright, special adviser
10 General Omar N. Bradley, Ad-
ministTatOr Of veterans affairs,
hit the ceiling. Why hadn't he
been consulted on such an an.
nOuncement7 Walter white,
NAACP secretary, hit his type.
writer keys and sent q telegram
60 President Truman urging him
not 10 approve McCOmb or any
other site for an Rll-colOred hos
pital. Representative Adam
Powell protested 10 the PTeai.
dent that the hospital should be
located In the all-Negr0 town Of
Mound Bayou. Everybody con-
ceTRed hit something.
IL has not yet been determined
who hit what at the White House,
but II II evident that the VA has
been telling Mississippi Congress.
men that Il will build an all-NegTo
hospital at McCOmb despite opp0-
sition Of colored people TO that To-
cation as we'll a. 10 segregated
hospital facilities.
General Bradley instructed VA
officials that until further notice
the stock answer TO any questions
concerning all-Negro hospitals
would be 1.-THE matter IL under ad-
visement."
Every man In the VA press sec
ton has been instructed 20 give
the same answer on jim-cro hospi-
tails, no matter what the question.
Among reporters covering the VA
the whole thing Ia getting 10 be a
joke.
Prediction: No official action will
be taken on an all-Negro hospital
until after the November elections.
II q site IL finally selected II will
not be at McComb but ut Mound
Bayou.
THE WHIRL
Colonel Eugene Dibble, the head
Of the TuSksgee Veterans Hospital,
has resigned. That IL good rid
dance, even though he will still be
used as a consultant by the VA.
DIR. John w. Lawlah, dean Of
the Howard Medical School. re-
signed effective June 30, and on
that date he ceased 70 be q mem
Der Of the Deans Committee for
Mount Alto veterans hospital. As
q member Of the committee, DIR.
Lawiah was authorized 10 name q
Negro doctor M a c0nsultant on
the Mount Alto staff but was not
able 20 find one who met spscifica-
lions. Besides being Q specialist
In his field, q conSultant at q VA
hospital must be q veteran.
The American Veterans Com
mittee took It's first bow 10 jim-cro
on June 20 when the Washington
chapter voted 10 buy q site for q
cooperative housing project which
In covered by q restrictive covenant
barring eolored people from living
there. Controversy over the deal
caused q near split In our fsyorits
vet group but the liberals finally
took the reins and on July II the
chapter will meet 20 reconsider It's
rash action. One Of the AVC's
national platform plAnks states
that IL will fight restrictive cove
nants wherever they are met.
MAIL CALL
To Lea J. Williams, 1855 Central
Street, San BernArdino, California:
The Civil Service Commission IL
working on answers 10 your timely
questions concerning the ban
BsrnaTdino Army Air Field about
receiving retirement pay and .
pension eoncurrently. To Bert
AIyes u the United Negro and
Allied Veterans; What really did
happen at thAt Chicago CouVen-
toni To all veterans: II you
have q veteran problem which re-
quirea action In Washington IN
stead Of your local VA Office, drop
us a line a. the HNPA News Ssrv-
Zee. 20O7 Piftssnth street, ". w.,
Warrington, d. C.. and We win do
what we can for you from this end.