Evening star., 1952-10-11
By Crosby S. Noyes
Stor Stoff Correspondent

py SToSDy ,. NoyeS
Stor Stoff Correspondent
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. lit,
say that Gov. Stevenson's ad
visers are upset about how thei
Southern trip is going is some
thing of an understatement.
1t hasn't anything to do with
the reception the Governor is get
ting on his swing through Dixie
AS he leaves today for Miami ane
Nashville, the outlook is for more
big crowds and more of the show
of solid Southern strength tha
characterized the visit to New Or.
leans Yesterday.
What has the boys chewing
their finger nails is the inevita.
BILE reaction to what happened ir
New Orleans yesterday when tht
campaign, through al
most incredible mismanagement
headlong into the issue
of civil rights.
1t started on the arrival of the
press party at New Or
leans Mosant Field. The pres.
buses for the 50-odd correspond
ents were waiting, but there also
was a special car that had beer
sent out to pick up the three Ne
gro reporters in the party.
Tried to Settle Matter.
On the ride into town, James
L. Hicks, correspondent of the
Afro o-American, stood up and
spoke his piece. More than a
week ago in Springfield. he said
le had learned that a problem
vas brewing about quartering the
Negro correspondents in hotels in
New Orleans-the only overnight
top in the South.
He thought about it then and
decided what he would do about it.
Two days ago in st. Louis, he said,
le learned that the Negro re-
)orterS would not be allowed to
Use the press room at the Roose-
'elt Hotel in New Orleans. On ar
'ival they would be taken to near
~ billiard University, quartered
here and escorted" back and
orth to cover the Governors
peech in Beauregard Square.
Mr.. Hicks tried to ask to some
me in authority about the matter.
lie started with Miss Mary Watt,
to Gov. Stevenson's press
,fdcer, William Flanagan. He was
eferred to an assistant press Off
:er. Finally, on Thursday, he got
o see Mr.. Flanagan himself. The
eporter told Mr.. Flanagan that, if
lie could not remain with the party
nd cover the New Orleans story
With the rest of the group, he
yould not cover it at all. He would
ejoin the party later on where
he segregation problem did not
xist. Mr.. Flanagan said he would
ee about it.
Denied Press Credentials.
At the airport here yesterday
he Negro reporters were denied
he press credentials handed out
0 the rest of the party. Mr.. Hicks
'as told they could not ride into
own on the same bus with the
ther men. He got on anyway.
1r. Hicks, who represents a IT.
dition Negro chain with more
han 2 million circulation, and
Tho has been with the Stevenson
roup since the beginning of Oc-
ober. said this of his position:
I'm no hot-head, and I'm not
'ying to embarrass anybody. I'm
reporter along with everyone else.
nd now I'm being weeded out"
Mr.. Flanagan, it happened, was
lding on the same bus. He an
wered a few questions from the
est of the reporters. An effort
ad been made to get the Negro
correspondents into the hotel. The
equest had been turned down
atty" by the manager. Seymour
Weiss, former Huey Long lieu
enant.
Mr.. Flanagan pointed out "the
Governor neither owns nor man.
ges the Roosevelt Hotel" He had
OF consulted the candidate per-
onally on the matter. he said, but
OF because he considered it unim-
Then. as the bus stopped at al
'affic light, Mr.. Flanagan got out
nd walked the rest Of the way
, the hotel.
Local Statute Cited.
Mr.. Hicks entered the jammed
,bby at the Roosevelt with the
EST OF the correspondents and
ent up to the second floor press
bonn. Several telephone calls
ere made. The answer was not
ing in coming: The three Negro
,porters definitely" would not be
to stay. 1t was pointed
ut there was a local statute |
gainst permitting Negroes staying
hotels for whites.
The other two Negro corre-
'ondents showed up to say they
ere not joining Mr.. Hicks in his
alkout. Wesley w. South of
bony Magazine and Charles
1artmen of the Chicago Defender
9TH guessed they'd be spending
,e night at the university. They |
ere just working for a lfing.