Evening star., 1948-04-19

Addresses NAA(P
After Arriving Here
With Actress Wife
Elliott Roosevelt launched an at
tack on President Truman's atti-
tude toward civil rights at mass
meeting OF the National Association
for the Advancement OF Colored
People yesterday. ,terming the Presi-
dent less than frank"
Mr.. Roosevelt made an lnsched-
uled talk at the meeting after he ar
rived with his wife, Faye Emerson,
actress appearing at the National
Theater this week. Miss Emerson
was on the program as speaker.
The attack on the administration
brought a resounding defense of
Mr.. Truman from another speaker.
Senator Chavez, Democrat, of New
Mexico
Failure to Act Charged.
The wrangle started when Mr.
Roosevelt charged the administra-
ton had the power to follow through
on the report of the Civil Rights
Committee. He said that by execu-
tive order President Truman could
"once and for all wipe out segrega-
tion and discrimination" in the
armed forces. In addition, Mr..
Roosevelt said. he could force the
civil rights program in the District
If he so desired.
LET the President speak up he
declared. Let him come forward
and tell the people of the world
that Washington is going to be the
Capital Of democracy for the world.
II he would take these steps, I
would be sorely tempted to back
water on whom I'm going to sup
port"
Mr.. Chavez attacked the stand Of
the late President Roosevelt's son
as soon as he got his chance on the
platform.
He pointed out that the prior
President" Franklin D. Roosevelt)
had Is years to issue such an ex-
ecutive order-but colored boys went
into World War II fighting for
democracy on a segregated basis.
Proud" Of President.
I'm proud of the President as far
as his duty toward this question is
concerned" he declared. He has
been pounding and pounding on us
to have civil rights legislation
passed"
AS he closed his speech he said:
1--WE, the Democrats, do not de-
serve to win unless we're for civil
rights"
Another speaker, Representative
Keefe, Republican, of Wisconsin,
also took a crack at Elliott Roose-
welt. He said nothing the NAACP
wanted would be obtained by lis
tening at glib promises" OF poll
ticians.
Before Mr.. Keefe started speak
ing, Mr.. Roosevelt and his wife left
the All Souls Unitarian Church,
Sixteenth and Harvard streets NV,
where the meeting was held. Re-
ferring to this, Mr.. Keefe said: "I'm
glad to stay here until the meeting
is over. I'm not going to run out. !"
Russian Propaganda Noted. .5a
The meeting was held by the Dis
trict Branch of NAACP as the
climax of the annual membership
drive.
Walter White, national secretary
of the NAACP, also spoke. warning
that Russia is telling people around
the world that discrimination is
not practiced in Russia-but look
at the United States.
They are using it as a sales talk
with devastating success" he de-
clared.
He pointed out that the revolt
against President Truman by the
Southern Democrats because of the
Presidents interest in civil rights
was being broadcast over the world
"a world composed two-thirds of
people who do not have white skins.
There can be no question where
America stands on this question" he
told the packed church.
Miss Emerson Speaks.
He said the only way to avert
disaster to democracy was to live
up to what the United States is
preaching over the world and then
spread it to all peoples. Democracy
will fail If the minorities are denied
their rights, he added.
Miss Emerson, in her talk, also
spoke out for an end to discrimina-
ton and segregation. She was in
troduced by Miss Ida Fox Of the
Committee for Civil Rights. who
reminded the audience that it was
because of actresses and actors and
other theater people that the Ma
tional Theater either had to change
its anti-Negro policy by August l
or there will be no more legitimate
theater in Washington"
The Rev. Stephen G. Spottswood,
president of the District Branch of
NAACP, presided. Mrs. Thomasina
w. johnson, NAACP membership
chairman, presented awards to ap-
proximately so persons who had
done outstanding work in the men,
bership campaign. Awards also
went to radio stations WQQW,
WOOK, WINK, WTOP, WWDC and
VOL for their aid, and to the
Afro-American and Pittsburgh
Courier newspapers.