The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1950-02-01
School Bodrd Denies
Use Of HulI
TO Speaker

10 speaker
Portland's school director.
denied use of Benson auditorium
to Carey McWnliams, speaker fol-
the Citizens Committee for Civil
Rights, whose scheduled appear
ance Sunday, January 20, at :
pm. came under fire of the Amer.
lean Legion's subversive activities
committee and the chief Of Port
land detectives.
In so doing. the board broadened
its own rule on use of school build.
ings and took to itself the position
of judge Of what constitutes sub
versive activity.
Present board ruling, adopted
less than two years ago when Ger
hard Eisler was scheduled to be
heard from a school platform,
reads:
"Use Of buildings or other
property in the district shall
not be granted TO any organlza-
ton which Is listed as subver-
siye by the attorney general OF
the United States"
Amendment Added Later
To this was added in form OF
an amendment proposed by Direc-
tor Stanley Rose: "Or to any In
dividual who has been affiliated
with organizations SO listed"
Action on the McWilliams case
followed an emotional talk by
Capt. William D. Browne, chair
man of the legion's subversive &C
tivities committee and head of
Portland's detective division, who
read four-page list of organiza-
lions with which, he said, Nc
williams had been associated and
which has been compiled by Calf
ornia's Tenney committee.
The Citizens Committee for
Civil Rights, Captain Browne
said, Is not named on the list,
although he declared 1t to be
subversive.
superintendent Paul A. Rehmus
was asked following the meeting
whether the school district keeps
a list Of the national memberships
of organizations branded subver-
sive by the attorney general or
or other investigating agencies.
There is no such list in the bust
ness office, he said. And the only
way we could find out who Is on
these lists would be to consult
Captain Browne"
Application First Approved
An internal dispute over the
alleged left-wing background of
McWilliams, Tuesday night led to
resignation of Rev. L. c. Leikauf
as chairman of the loyal Citizens
Committee for Civil Rights. He
issued a statement which said
ION behalf of my congregation,
the Lutheran Ministerial Associa-
ton of Portland, and myself per-
sonally, 1 wish to state that we
here withdraw from the Citizens
Committee for Civil Rights and
will have no part in the Carey
McWilliams meeting. We shall
continue to work for justice and
liberty for all, but we will do 1t
in the spirit of Christ, our Master
who said Matt. 5:44)I Love your
enemy" Following this withdraw
al of the Lutheran minister's spon-
.sorship, Irwin Goodman, attorney
for the committee, applied for use
of the Benson hall. His application
was approved by the school dis
trict's business office in accord
ance with the then ruling of the
board on use of the buildings.
Vote of the board on Nc
williams use of the auditorium
was six to one in favor, with
Wendell Grey dissenting. Mrs.
Gladys George, who had presi-
ousIy protested that the board
Is in no position to make de-
cisIons Of this kind" said her
vote would have been yes, FUN
der existing rules of the board"
Both Mrs. George and Grey op
posed the Ross amendment.
New Hall Hired
Goodman said Friday the Care,