Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1953-07-24
Mrs. Robson And
Mecorfhy Siege
War Of Words


vestigations last week, Mrs. Es-
landa Goode Robson referred to
the 9Th and 18th amendments
a. protection Of her rights as an
American citizen.
Mrs. Robson was questioned
by the senate subcommittee on
two Of her books. African Jour
ney" and The Life Of Paul Robe
SON., which have been placed on
library shelves In foreign coun-
tries by the U. s. Department OF
State.
The prominent writer-lecturer
told the copmittee that she Is a
very, very loyal American who be-
lieves in the Constitution and the
Bill OF Rights. All OF her life. she
said, she has fought to implement
these documents.
Mrs. Robson made a very cool,
deliberate, intelligent witness who
refused 10 answer only a few of
the questions tossed at her under
the presumption that such an
swers might be used to incrimin-
ate her. She has this protection as
an American citizen under the 5th
amendment, she said, and as a
Negro she sought refuge under the
18th amendment which guaran-
tees her equal protection under
the law.
Sen. Mccarthy argued that the
18th amendment only gave her
equal rights TO vote and could
not be used here as q shield to
protect her from answering the
question OF the committee.
She assured the committee that
she was very proud" to be the
wife OF Paul Robson. the famous
concert artist who has often been
charged with having Communistic
leanings. When questioned about
her husbands alleged connections
with the Soviet Union, she quietly
replied. Why don't you ask
him?"
Upon her refusal to answer a
question. Sen. Mccarthy would
always ask. Are you afraid an
honest, truthful answer would in
eliminate you?"
III you would leave out the
words, honest, truthful I would
be glad to answer" shot back
Mrs. Robson. She reminded the
senator that she was testifying
under oath and she would never
give anything but a truthful an
swer.
But whether under oath or not
she continued. she always tried
to give truthful answers on any
matter. because she found 1t too
much of a nuisance TO remember
lies"
Mrs. Robson testified that she
could not say whether she had
ever attended a Communist Cell
because she does not know what a
Communist Cell Is and the COM
mittee failed to define II.
She does not know" whether
the Communists advocate the
overthrow Of the government by
force and violence. she said, and
II she was asked to offer an
opinion. she doesn't think 80.
She claimed that she had never
heard anyone anywhere plotting
TO overthrow this government by
force and violence
When asked II she really felt
that Russia Is the "one hopeful
hight on the horizon for her people
as expressed In her book, the
author replied that she could not
recall the exact statement but II
II Is in her book, she must have
thought II because she never
wrote anything that she didn't
think.
In reply to the question a. 10
whether she had ever written
anything for the Communist
press. Mrs Robson said she had
written hundreds Of articles for
many publications. She could not
say whether she had written any
thing for the Communist press be-
cause she does not know what
press Is considered communists.
When questioned regarding her
affiliations with the American
Peace Crusade" she stated that
sf" did not recall whether she was
connected with that specific or
gantEAtion but II II said peace"
she probably was because she was
for anything which stood for
peace"
On the question OF the Civil
Rights Congress, she declared
that she had recently made q
speech on McCarthyism in De-
trott under the auspices Of the
Gro.
One member OF the committee
observed that she did not state
whether her speech was for or
against MeCarthyism. 'In give
you two Guesses," she qupPed.
Challenging her reference 10
the committee a. being aIl-white
Sen Mccarthy reminded her
that there are no Negroes in the
senate. and II there were Il Is