St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-08-01
Russia Says Negroes
Are Treated AS Pariahs

America should be justably proud OF the triumph oil
its athletes the 1852 Ompcs Particularly sweet was our
victory over the state subsidized of Russia who made
remarkable showing and kept u boys and girls push
ing every minute of the way.
Russian newspapers of course, did not take her teams
defeat with good grace present regime wants to
use Rua emergence Olympic athletic contenders for pro-
paganda its theological warfare with the western
powers especially the U, g.
In its propaganda reports of Oympcs broadcast to
the press world Russia emphasized that the u s. Negro
athletes who many first places for America are par
iahs'' in their homeland
However Americans may rationalze such charges,
must there than element of truth in what
the Reds charge.
In the Olympics all other world contacts the u. s. is
put distinct disadvantage by its refusal to meet at home
politically and otherwise the fact that American Negroes are
still pariahs" in all parts of this andust the
Russian Reds reported with such glee
Take for example, the Negro youths who champion
ships their native land Hesin Charley Adkins Gary
Indiana boy who defeated Russian lad Vkto Modnov for
the light weerweght championship cannot eat in most of the
restaurants in Gary Ind u A, his home town
If Harrison billiard, American Negro who the ITO
hurdles for his country wants to travel by train coach in
the south of his native land he travel in dirty next
the engine Jim Crow coaches dictated by the sectional
caste system of his native land
If Nal Whitfield or Andy stanfield Olympic track
stars Minneapolis St. Paul. there certain public
cafes where they would be refused shund off into
private dining parahs unfit to be served in the
of their paer fellow citizens Any Russian Red visit
ing these cities of course, would be served properly
If John Henry Davis, worlds Olympic champion
weight litter American Negro who halls from Brooklyn
out Minnesota TO fish at Of famed 10000
lakes in nine out of ten he would be refused
datons of Minnesoas fishing resorts and might
even be refused rental of q boat
Most of these Negro American athletes will not have
porunty find jobs in their country with
their particular training and ability because of the American
color bar in employment 1t is true that they fare better
in this regard their nonahetic fellow Negroes but it
must be remembered that Jesse Owens of the greatest
Olympic track stars of all time still bouncing around from
job to job, chiefly because of his
Their country which is happy to have them win ath-
letics victories for the Stars and Stripes allows its Con-
gress TO be blocked from passing legislation that would
guarantee them a modicum of job opportunity.
At Helsnk the American Negro athletes Loyalty
angry about the Russian reports and defended their
best they could against the charge that they parah
home However who adequately defend against the
truth that America actually does day. treat its Negro
citizens SS years after Emancipation, parahsf
Like ostrich with head in the sand too many Amer
ignore that in the world propaganda that it's the
lies that Russia spreads about the T. S which hurt but the
truths We leave it readers whether when Russian
controlled newspapers describe American Negroes paahs
in their native land-how close they to the truth