St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-04-14


the forcefu testimony of the existence of
cracy in America In other American institution will
In no other institution in American life will find
greater freedom of choice and expression. Phyllis
Wheatley 10Th Anniversary Brochure
The above statement appeared part of the statement
of purpose the handsome brochure issued the 25h ami
versary of the founding of Phyllis Wheaey Settlement last
year Last Friday the board of directors of settlement
house. in refusing allow Mrs Robson speak
public meeting at the institution strayed far from the principles
enunciated in the brochure.
To this newspaper position by the major
W ndefensbe When the board denied Mrs Robson of
the house used the tactics by which the Reds of Russia
keep silent voices which do not approve of Soviet policy
Still indefensibe pressure exerted on Wheat
ley House by the Council Social Agencies
The Council presured the Wheatey board spoes
claimed had received rs telephone calls protesting the
meeting All but two of the 25 calls admitted
anonymous The question which naturally arises when
and to what extent has the Council of Social Agencies taken
cOgnizance of anonymous telephone cas Secondly when
it before exercised board to cancel egt
mate engagement on the basis of anonymous protessf
this newspaper that the Council of Agen
did great harm to the Community Fund by
covert action in the Robson
1t important to sound thinking the episode, review
the issues involved in the
The Civil Rights Congress- which composed of Negroes
and whites has been meeting at Wheatey House for
months The organization months ago the u
general as one of the groups which as Com
mun party front 1t listed being among the
organizations So far the u g. has not taken action
to name it ON the list of front Apparently to
date such group cannot legally be banned from operating in
the u s.
The Minneapolis chapter has a small membership Com
munists and Communists 1t has participated in several
civil rights In several instances it brought relief per-
of Negro ancestry whose basic rights had been denied
Most nteracial organizations not excepting the
conservative not received with open privately
owned meeting halls usually simply because they inter
racial There st people who look with suspicion in
Minnesota any group which has single non-white
in its membership If such groups avail them
selves of places like Phyllis Wheaey for meetings. the ques
ton may be asked where must they go to meef
Apparently it alright for the Civil Rights group
meet in Phyllis Wheatey until it scheduled distinguished
cultured internationally known Negro woman who has
dared to challenge u s. mOres which attempt justify the
Those opposed Mrs appearance have used the
word Communist loosely So far have been able
of being member of the Communist party Mrs Robson
peated Monday what she has said publicly time and time again.
munist party.
OF course it undenable fact that American people,
black and white feel the Robesons Communist sym
pathzers Negroes generally do not with either
OF the Robesons when they the nfaby of Russia
friend of the oppressed and undeprveged of the free
dom OF ITS press or the excellence of its oneparty system
However when Paul Robson his wife stand up against
and prescription under which millions of Americans Negro
ancestry still live todayAmerican Negroes support their OBJ
servaons in overwhelming numbers In its action the Wheaey
board chose to ignore the temper and desires of the Negro
community for which the house primarily established
In doing they violated both their obligations to the
people the house and also the sacred principles of free
speech the right of assembly which is the basis for
much of what is good in America.
Even if concede that wheatley was not established
primarily to furnish Clown Hail. facilities for the expression
Of free speech its obligation clear if is in the slightest
degree concerned with better citizenship, land believe
and it must be interested in Installing and encouraging the
obligations and privileges of citizenship.
Phyllis wheatley was not established primarily to feed
and cohe the needy has repeatedly both when an
emergency has arisen.
Critics of free speech for those whose politics. attitudes
differ from their often the trite analogy free
dom of speech does not give the right to yell fire in
crowded theaer Such thinking is Illogical when used in de-