St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-04-26

orgy of race riot headlines. The
New York World-Telegram under
bold type screamed "Seven Hurt
in Tennessee Riot as Negroes
Battle Cops; the liberal New
York Post, in an Associated Press
release, headlined "Shots Fly in
Race Rioting in Tennessee" One
newspaper devoted a full page to
riot" photographs under the
streamer Highway Patrolmen and
Guardsmen Bring Rioting Negroes
Under Control"
AS the press wires out Of Column
bia, Tennessee, hummed hot with
the latest flashes on the riot"
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
rushed several reliable investiga-
tors into the seething Southern
community. They uncovered as
shocking a tale of mass terrorism,
unbridled vandalism, and murder
as America has known since the
hooded Khan first robbed, mutilated,
and burned defenseless Negro
citizens.
Readers Of the Negro press have
by now received a far more ac-
curate picture of what actually
transpired than have the men and
women whose sole information
came from the misleading dailies.
They know that Columbia is noted
for its arrogant lynching, several
years back, Of a 13-year-old boy
from the courthouse window
after a duly constituted grand jury
had declined to indict him for rape.
They know that on the morning
OF February 27, after a night of
cOld-blooded preparation, the State
Of Tennessee's uniformed storm
troopers lay down a machine-gun
barrage, battle fashion, in the seq
regated Negro residential section.
They know that these incriminat-
ing facts never made" the re-
spectacle dailies.
Nor did the daily press print the
pictures Of Negro businesses
wantonly wrecked by the police:
insurance company offices, funeral
parlors, barber shops, poolrooms,
and a doctors office. And to cap
the climax Of fraudulent reporting
the dailies which used the shock
ing photographs distorted the truth
behind these pictures of men,
women and even children, many
Of them bloody, herded together in
the streets, hands raised high, sur
rounded by heavily armed police
and state troopers.
Among the important steps that
need to be taken in the Columbia
case is coast-to-coast protest
by local groups to editors and the
wire-services for the biased por-
trayal Of the "rioting Negroes"
The great free press" of America,
which at every turn boasts of its
objectivity and impartial coverage,
must be severely taken TO task for
misrepresenting not minor details
but the entire episode. Delega-
tions should call upon editors and
publishers. Letters to the editor
are also in order. Anyone wishing
a blOw-by-blow description of the
riot" may order a newly published
pamphlet, ItFTOT III tennessee,
from the NAACP National Office
in New York City.
Other groups have recognized
the great significance Of this case.
Jewish, labor, church and fraternal
organizations have joined with us
in forming a national committee
to defend the victims now absurdly
charged with everything from "at-
tempted murder" on down. To-
gether with this committee, the
NAACP has pledged to fight this
blot on America. There are four
points to which we are uncom-
promisingly committed:
/. answering legal defense Of
the Negro victims Of the Tennes-
see pogrom.
?. Prosecution Of persons ac-
tually responsible.
8. Focusing Of national atten-
ton so that public opinion shall be
alerted against a recurrence.
1. Restitution wherever posi-
bic Of property losses Of victims
Of official vandalism.
Let your generous contribution
speak your belief in American
decency and democracy.