Evening star., 1949-09-24
Criticism Of Robson
Seen as Wrong Way
To Fight Communism
Veterans Should Ignore
Red Tactics in Tokinq
Bottle to the Streets
By Dorothy THOMPSON

Governor Dewey has correctly
analyzed the riots that occurred
on August 27 and September 4
in the vicinity of Peekskill, N. Y,
in connection with the appear
ances there Of Paul Robeson.
Mr.. Robson has deeply Offend
ed American feelings. He has
made most provocative statements
against this country and in be-
half Of the Soviet Union with
which our relations are seriously
strained. necessitating great sacri-
fees for defense. And the over
whelming majority of Americans
correctly believe that the initiative
in the cold war was not taken by
the United States.
Although there is sharp criti-
cism of Soviet policy in our own
press, it is temperate compared
with the unremitting government
initiated barrage against the
United States, which started the
moment World War II ended, is
wildly mendacious. and uses the
insulting verbiage of f1shwive
It is natural that if an Amer
ican joins these attacks, he will
fan fierce tempers. There would
be something wrong with the
spirit of this country If we were
not outraged.
In Contradictory World.
How one feels regarding Mr..
Robson himself is another mat
ter. AS a leading apologist for
communism his conduct may
awaken anger and grief. accord
ing to how one analyzes psyche
logical causes. Mr.. Robson is not
only a remarkably fine artist. he
is a man in whom there is much
nobility of spirit. The attitude of
this country toward him as a
Negro and artist has forced him
to live in a contradictory world.
His talents have won him inter-
national fame, but he cannot be
sure of accommodations in an
American hotel. Yet he never ap-
pears on a platform but white
women and girls break into
ecstatic sighs, gasps and moans Of
the sort to Which Frank Sinatra
and other have been subjected by
female exhibitionists.
Far from being socially scorned,
Mr.. Robson has been shamelessly
pursued by white women privately
and publicly, from penthouse
"revolutionaries" to English
duchesses-and to his own dis
gust and embarrassment. In
short, he has never been treated
normally, but sighted because Of
his race while fawned on because
of his person. That this should
affect his view of our civilization
is not surprising. Though 1t does
not excuse him, 1t does help to
explain him.
He is the greatest public asset
the American Communists have.
and they are exploiting him to
the fullest. They do not care a
hoot about Mr.. Robson; they
care for no individual. The frus-
trations that have aienated him
from his country rejoice them,
for they make him willing to be
used and isolated from patriots
who otherwise admire him.
Set Stage for Violence.
In the Peekskill meetings the
Communists used him for the
specific purpose of inciting riot.
They wanted and anticipated it.
forming guards in preparation for
what they hoped they had pro-
voked. Having exacerbated Amer
lean patriotic sentiments to the
fullest, they set the stage for
violence. and their opponents
obliged. AS a result. they got
national and worldwide publicity
and maneuvered themselves into
appearing as champions of free
speech and assembly.
The American people need
clearer instructions in Communist
tactics to avoid playing the fall
guy Taking the fight to the
streets" is a Communist tactic, in
which they can present them
selves as defenders against "fas-
cists." But to accept the provo
cation is no way to defend civil
ization.
The veterans and others who
demonstrated expressed justifi-
ably outraged feelings, but they
expressed them exactly the wrong
way. The right way would have
been contemptuously to ignore
the Robson meetings and thus
foil the Communists purpose. The
$4,000 people who assembled in
the audience were already con-
verted. Had they passed unno-
ticed they would have rated a
paragraph or two in the back
pages of the New York press. But
by falling into the BOBBY trap laid
for them, anti-Communists have
enabled the world to be appraised
OF a race riot" (Which it was
not) against an internationally
famous artist.
Communism thrives on violence
and counter violence. It willis
under isolation and contempt.
released BY the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
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