Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-07-12

during the final days before tn,
We shared table, food and cognRc
In Paris Hotel Scribe where the
newsmcn who had been through
the toughest part Of the war knew
how asinine II is to draw color
lines.
Then, later, on the other side
Of the world we sweRted together
making an old fshy-smelling Japan
restaurant into the Tokyo Foreign
Correspondents Club.
Ryan and I have known each
other under some trying circum-
stances. and we have always met
and moved about on n strictly man
to-man basis, heretofore.
Also. there are q few other guys
aboard the press ship, uSS Ap.
palachlan, proceeding to Rikini.
whom ! have known elsewhere.
There's Clete Roberts Of ARC
who was one Of the carly crowd
u correspondents under Mac
Arthur's command In Australia,
back In the days when we weren't
NN"NNN "N'h'ihk WV ""'
There's Larry Scion ~ the Lon
don News Chronicle, whom I knew
both In Europe and the Far East;
there's Keith Wheeler Of the Chi.
cRgo Times, who was out IN China
in a ricksha when last | saw him;
there's Tom Priestlv Of Universal
Newsrecl and Bill Tyrce 81 United
Press, who are my eliminates and
acquRintances Of long war-cover-
are standing,
There are few others left over
from the wars. and several with
whom I've been on the same as
siRnments back In the States -
among these Volta Torrcy Of Pop
ular Mechanics Magazine and
Frank bartholomew Of United
Press.
We nod TO each other and pass
chatter when our paths meet on
this big shin Of many divisions but
the camnraderie that existed among
ncwsmen who saw and covered the
war doesn't exist aboard this craft
Occasionally, the "old gang" will
get together and swap yarn or
two, but n wet rag In always thrown
into the conversation by some glor-
flied StateSide copybov who Eaun.
ters M and asks silly questions
like. what did you do when thev
were shooting In your direction ?"
Too many Of the people aboard
this vessel simply "don't belong"
TO that democratic society Of news
men who saw the war.
I'm from the South
The SouthcrnerA come up when
the gang Ia having n setto and
preface whatever they have 90 con
tribute by saying, "Im from South
Carolina, y'know"--as II that mat
tered.
Such announcements are doubt
less meant for me and ] catch them
dexterously, throwing out a sharp,
That's too bad" and carrying on
with chidinV Clcte Roberts about
headlonR dive into a New Guinea
f0Whole.
The rebels create n queer situa-
'ion aboard the Appalachian and
the Navy policies. which those bald
f"c"d double-t takers In Washington
claim brook no discrimination, aid
and Rbet the Dixie attitude toward
this lone cOlored citizen among
Crossroads correspondents.
The full qualifications Of this are
what confound my good friend,
Cornelius Ryan.
He In first Of all an Irishman
who works for this 81. Louis paper
because he's trying TO learn some
thing about the States. During
the war, he represented an English
newspaper and he still has the basic
unbiased attitude Of the United
Kingdom peoples.
He tells me he noted for several
days that my seat al the ward
room table In Mt the end: that
get served last and the three others
Rt the table are two places away
10 the side and before me.
He asked, rather bluntly, one
day: What sort 81 plague In there
al your end Of the table 7"
! tried 10 explain 10 him that
such Ia the way Of Americans and
he nearly fO0red me with the told
20 ubD observation that fear I'm |
contaminated because 81 my color |
Ia silly because all the messmsn
are also my color and the food
would certainly already be con
taminRted II color has anything 10
do with II.
lie went on % say he's found |
America n disappointment because
Of "shallownesa." Our nation lacks |
culture and rood manners, this
keen. minded irishmRn says.
The national white attitude on |
the race question. including that
~ the so-called liberals. stinks 20
the high heavens, he contends. and
sets out 10 prove II by announcing:
Prom now on I'm sitting with you
AZ meals"
Now, really. I'm having some
thing Of q time with Ryan.
Navy Gets Blame
There are others 20 whom the !
attitude Of the Navy officer who
assigned ward room seats IN often.
siys. They have come over and .
kidded me about the "Iim crow .
corner" because we've discussed the .
matter nj other times and under.
stand the thing o.. at least under.
stand the thing -. or At least each |
other.
They are willing 20. or nj least |
have no quRlms about sitting be- |
side me, but they know they might 4
lose q good contact with or n good 4
tip from a Southern-born acisntist |
or newman II they did so. They .
are pragmAtists who detsst but .
rive ground 10 Americas racial .
attitudes.
Ryan IL something else. Tie hates |
the thing. thinks rs petty. and .
rropOEes 10 do something shout H. /,
What's more. he's beIliRerent |
enough about his convictions 20
h9ht shout them should anybody |
try 70 talk him aWav from me.
Interesting thisi
And, about the Navy we'll /.
rs s0rt Of responsible for the
while thing.
I'm not the basic reason for the
anti-colored attitude aboard this
ship. It's the pattern Of aspara-
tim, segregation and selection NJ
rpsrisI tasks for eol0red that sets
the stare.