St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-04-19

QuAAA1s
Recently, Con- John Lee
gresham Adam Clayton Powell
Of New York sought to outlaw
racial prejudice in Washington, ID.
c., by lacking an amendment on
the District Of Columbia appropria-
tons bill which provided that none
Of the money made available In the
appropriation could be used by
"any agency or department which
segregates the citizens Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia in employment,
facilities afforded, services per-
formed, accommodations furnished,
or instructions or aid granted" The
amendment was defeated by vote
Of 40 to 1872, an overwhelming at
hrmation by the best minds Of the
greatest citadel Of democracy in
this troubled world, that for all Of
the lip-service given by our states
men to the ideal, there will be no
peace, in America, or anywhere
else, II one Of the conditions Of
peace Is to be racial equality.
Capital q Hate Hoyel
Washington, d. c., Is as fragrant
q hate hovel as was Berlin, Ger
many, in the hey-day Of the Mani
rampage, The master minds who
make II so are from almost every
state in the union. They converge
periodically upon the place COM
missioned TO make laws for all
the people, but primarily they are
guardians Of the fear principle Of
white supremacy. Hold law grant
ing protection for the right Of q
minority group before an average
Congressman or Senator, and be
reacts like 4 mad bull that sees red,
though with somewhat more dignity
and greater articulation.
Prejudice Ridden
The capital Of the United States,
as a prejudice-ridden community Of
equality-frightened lawmakers, Ii
a greater threat to world peace
than any other condition In the
world today. How can we sell trust
ing belief in the United States
dominated UN0 to the millions Of
dark-skinned people and the small
nations Of the world when our law
makers don't have enough conf
dence In the simple principle that
can make II work, to apply that
principle to our own people4 This
nation can no longer hide behind
the old deceits In explaining away
the race problem. The world has
bled too freely, and the evidence Of
stark human brutality, whether on
the part Of the fascists, or the pro-
claimed saviors Of democracy, has
been witnessed by too many people
for the belief that a white skin ID
the mark Of a higher civilization,
TO persist,
1t would be well for these men
who do not want racial equality in
Washington to know that there
are some of us who know what
their leadership has contributed to
historical truth. They have been q
part Of the world leadership that
has made this the era Of mass
murder. Theirs are the bloated
bellies that stuck out proudly when
the war was over as they pro-
claimed the great victory for de-
mOcracy, ad nauseam. On their
heads will lie responsibility for the
next slaughter Of the innocent, for
they are the ones who sire the
United States policy Of racial and
dollar imperialism.
Martin Praised
There is great significance in the
fact that only representative Mar
tin Of Massachusetts, leader Of the
Republican bloc, had the courage to
exert some effort in behalf Of the
amendment. Not another Republi-
can voice was raised in defense Of
democracy at home. Their action
has given irrefutable proof that the
much castigated Southern reaction
airy Congressman have counter
parts from every state in the union.
The Bilboes and the Rankins rant
and rave, and consequently are
known by their works. Like-minded
Republican and Democrat repre-
sentatives from the North, the East
and the West, use the more subtle,
NiAh~-hNAAbAN w NDNBNo W tOAu kAlG
line for white supremacy.
As a case in point, the vote on
the Powell amendment was on a
non-recOrd basis. That means that
no Identification Of those who voted
for or against can be made. II is
a smooth operation that will en-
able many Of the representatives
who voted against the measures to
continue masquerading as stalwart
champions Of Democracy. This IL
not the first time there have been
set-ups like this one on progressive
legislation. Congress Is a forum
where compromise and manipula-
ton have become the tools with
which a representative must work
II he wants to succeed. No doubt
Congressman Powell knew his
amendment wouldn't pass, but he
wanted it on the record that he
had tried. 1t will help in his cam
paign for reelection, and maybe, IL
he Is sent back often enough, one
daV he will he able IN strika n tall