St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-04-13

ment of Colored People "unless
federal civil defense administ
of racial discrimination and 81
Walter White, NAACP execu-
tive secretary, today made public
his reply to Mr.. Caldwell's tele-
gram of April asking that five
leaders of the Association parti-
cipate in the Washington confer
ence. In a wire, dated April 3, to
the civil defense administrator,
Mr.. White said that 'it will be
impossible to accept that invita-
ton unless and until you repu-
date your testimony before the
Senate Armed Services committee
of January Is, in which you re-
iterated your opposition to the u.
s. Supreme Court decision out
having Acknowledgement through
medium of white Democratic
primaries and admitted your urg-
ing South to resist that decision
as well as your refusal to follow
common courtesy in addressing
American citizens irrespective of
race"
Reminding Mr.. Caldwell of his
sponsorship while governor of
Florida, of the southern regional
education pact "as a means of
evading abolition of segregation
in southern unsupported univer-
sites as ordered by the Supreme
Court" Mr.. White told him that,
in the opinion of the NAACP, mo
conference or program will be
fruitful of beneficial results unless
administrator of such program is
willing without reservation to
obey both the spirit and the letter
of the Federal Constitution"
The Washington conference, ac-
cording to Mr.. Caldwell, will be
addressed by President Truman
land other distinguished speak
ers."
The appointment and confirma-
ton of the former Florida COVER
nor was opposed by the NAACP
in a letter and a conference with
the President and at the hearing
before the subcommittee of the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee. In a letter dated February 81
and later at White House con-
ference on February %, the
President was informed by Mr..
White that the appointment of
Mr.. Caldwell lis regarded as an
insult" because of the appointee's
anti-Negro record as cited in the
testimony of Clarence Mitchell,
director of the NAACP Washing
ton Bureau, before the Senate
committee.
A plan of action to oppose the
continuance in office of Mr.. Cald-
well was approved by the Associa-
tons board of directors at an
emergency meeting on March 81.
The text of the exchange of
kilograms follows:
Request you and four of your
leaders reserve May seven and
eight for important civil defense
conference in Washington, D. c.
The President and other distin-
guished speakers will address the
convention. Letter follows
Willard Caldwell, Administra-
tor, Federal Civil Defense Ad-
ministration."
"Reurtel April 3 inviting me
and four other leaders of MA
ACP to attend civil defense con-
ference Washington May seven
and eight, it will be impossible
accept that invitation unless
and until you repudiate your
testimony before Senate Armed
Services Committee of January
l5,1951 in which you reiterated
your opposition to U. S. Su-
preme Court decision outlawing
Acknowledgement through med
ium of white democratic pri-
mares and admitted your urg-
ing South to resist that decision
as well as your refusal to follow
common courtesy in addressing
American citizens irrespective
of race and your espousai Of
regional education as means Of
evading abolition Of segrega-
ton in southern unsupported
schools as ordered by United
States Supreme Court.
TT is the measured opinion
of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People that no conference or
program will be fruitful OF
beneficial results unless admin
istrator Of such program Is
willing without reservation to
obey both the spirit and letter
of the Federal Constitution.
Any other course is negation Of
Democracy and human free
dom. We await your reply.
waIter White