Evening star., 1947-10-15

Newell Urges Owner,
Not 10 Sell Hastily
In Segregation Cases
Clifford H. Newell, president o1
the Federation of Citizens Associa.
tions, last night advised white own
ers of property not to sell their
homes and move away If a coIored
person moves into the neighborhood
The colored person then will sell
back the property land go back and
live among his own people where
he can better carry out his obliga-
tions to his race" Mr.. Newell de-
clared in a speech at a Brookland
Citizens Association meeting.
Mr.. Newell did not mention re-
strictive property covenants in the
prepared text of his speech. He de-
Tended, however, what he called an
'immemorial" custom that people
prefer ito live among other people
who entertain the same social way
of life"
Negroes who have lived here for
some time are not trying to move
into white neighborhoods, he con-
tinued.
Sees Plenty Of Places.
Surely" he said, metropolitan
Washington is almost limitless In
area, and there are plenty of places
where colored people can build their
homes, If they are prudent and eco
nomical, where they should want to
build them, among their own peo-
pie"
Mr.. Newell said there are certain
organizations that appear to be
exceedingly active in trying to arouse
all the trouble they can between
the races" Intelligent colored peo-
pie, he said, do not synpathize with
agitators who work against the best
interests Of the Negro by making
him a pawn in the name of social
democracy, which IS hut atother
name for communism. "
"We should help all deserving COL
ored people to better themselves and
their race but they should assume
responsibilities to help themselves, !"
Mr.. Newell continued. "The time
may come, and probably will many
years hence, when there will be
practically no distinction between
the races. But that time is not yet.
To force the time element will only
injure their cause.
IF a colored person is unwise
enough to move into your block,
don't sell your home and move away.
Social custom will assert itself; and
predict that, after this agitation
has expended itself, the colored
man will want to sell back to his
white friend and 60 back and live
among his own people, where he
can better carry out his obligations
to his race"
Cites Expenditures.
The federation president cited
figures showing that, during the
last. 10 years, the District spent
s6,950,556 on erection of schools for
colored children, while spending
81, ,662 ,290 on schools for white chill
dren. The Recreation Department,
he said, has spent $375,210 since
1912 for maintenance of colored
Fairgrounds and $677,7 ,788 for play
grounds for white children. More
than 80 per cent of the Welfare
Departments expenditure of about
$11 .000, 900 during the last year was
spent for colored people, he said.
Mr.. Newells speech drew a quick
retort from Daniel H. Schwartz,
director of region S, United Public
Workers of America (CIO), who
charged him with making a major
contribution to racial tension" in the
District.
Newell should read the Declara-
ton of Independence and learn
something about Americanism," Mr..
Schwartz declared. Negroes in the
District are full citizens of this
country and understand their rights
much better than Newell thinks they
do. Our union will Immediately pro-
test to the Board of Education the
use of Brookland School for Newell's
vicious race-baiting talk"
Representatives of the union were
expected to appear at the Board of
Education's regular meeting this
afternoon.
Robert Ware Straus, executive
secretary of the Southern Confer
ence for Human Welfare's commit
tee for Washington, also hit Mr.
Newell's statement. He said it had
made the "so-called citizens asso-
Citations appear as merely front Or
ganizations for the Real Estate
Board" He termed it unfortunate"
that Mr.. Newell did not name Straus'
committee as the prime agitator
for ending race discrimination in the
District"
McNearny Supported.
The Citizens Association gave a
vote of confidence to Arthur B. Nc
Nearny, president, in view of criti-
cisms leyeled against him following
an address he made on covenants
before the Dahlgren Terrace Citi-
zens' Association recently.
Maj. Robert j. Barrett, superin-
tendent, and the Metropolitan Po-
lice Force were commended by the
association. Mr.. McNearney told
members he is particularly pleased
with the record of Capt. Walter
Storm and the men at No. IL pre-
cinct.
The meeting. held in the Brook
land School, Tenth and Monroe
streets NE. was conducted by
Mr.. McNearney.