St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-04-01
Negroes & WHITES
Must Join TO
Preserve RIGHTS

MAMA OF rear wniCn Is enEult-
ing America today Is becoming a
threat TO the civil rights OF all
citizens, declared Drew Pearson.
last week. Speaking at the
seventh annual student council
banquet OF the college OF medicine
at Howard university. Saturday
night, the famous columnist and
radio commentator urged Negroes
and whites to work together TO
wipe out this mania OF fear and
stand up for the original bill OF
rights,
Speaking on Behind the Scenes
In Washington. Pearson brought
out a number of cases where In
nocent persons have suffered be-
cause OF "witchhunts," and cited
incidents where individuals were
fired or called In question by high
executives II they failed to agree
with the policies or practices OF
this administration.
Among the incidents cited
was that of Miss Ethel Payne
OF the Chicago Defender, who
was called ION the carpet" by
"Jim" Haggerty. President
Eisenhower's press secretary,
In regard TO her work with n
labor union.
Pearson claimed that Haggerty
questioned Miss Payne on whether
she had been receiving money
from the C1O at the same time
she was a White House reporter.
1--WE can't have IT," he quoted
Haggerty as saying, TITS against
the rules"
Miss Payne admitted that she
had been paid for editing some
campaign literature for Clio but
had nothing TO do with making
the policy for the organization.
Pearson claimed that this in
vestigation of Miss Payne's activi-
ties was only an effort to intIml-
date her to the point where she
would refrain from asking the
President what was termed "em-
barrassing' but Legitimate"
questions regarding civil rights.
While the Chicago Defender re-
porter might have violated the
rules by accepting $3.50 for work
done for the CO, said Pearson
that was nothing compared with
the $4,000 which George sokol-
sky accepted from the National
Association of Manufacturers and
the Republic Steel Corporation at
the same time he was writing n
column supposedly fair and Inn
partial. This was not registered,
said Pearson, and nothing was
said of IL until committee be-
gan the investigation.
Pearson also referred 10 In
designations being made OF
Charming Tobias and Ralph
Bunche.
Objection was raised 10 the con-
firmation of Tobias nomination
ms a delegate TO the United Ma
tions, on the grounds that he had
once belonged TO eight orgniza-
tons now on the attorney gener-
ais subversivc list, said Pear
son, although he had joined them
10 or 20 years ago when nobody
thought about II.
Because Of the terror Of civil
rights In this country. he con-
! tinued, Negroes have had to or
ganlze 20 protect themselves To-
bias was confirmed. however, be-
cause Of fear that n negative vote
would bring reproach from the
! NAACP.
Pearson spoke Of the seven
months investigation Of DIR.
Bunche, after which he was
cleared and later invited 10 din
ner at the White House. "Why
do you suppose he received that
invitation" asked Pearson. II
was obvious that the President
was worried about the reaction
from this investigation.
He mentioned many others who
have been the victims Of smear
because OF their milltancy, in
GLIDING Aubrey Williams and
clifford DUR, liberal white
southerners.
In speaking Of the great civil
rights battles which Negroes have
had in the past, Pearson urged
them 20 Join with the white per-
sons in a general fight TO preserve
the rights guaranteed them under
the Constitution and the Bin OF
pfphfa