Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1955-04-02
Drew Pearson,
Continued from Page One)

1IOIIl age OIIc)
stand up for the original bill of
rights.
Speaking on Behind the Scenes
in Washington" Pearson brought
out number of cases where in
nocent persons have suffered be-
cause of "witchhunts," and cited
fired or called in question by high
executives if they failed to agree
with the policies or practices of
this administration.
Among the incidents cited that
of Miss Ethel Payne of the Chi
cago Defender who was called ION
the carpet" by Jim" Haggerty,
Presidents press secretary, in re-
gard to her work with a labor un-
ion
Pearson claimed that Haggerty
questioned Miss Payne on wheth-
er she had been receiving money
from the CLIO at the same time she
was a White House reporter.
1--WE can't have it," he quoted
Haggerty as saying, "It's 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 inves-
tigation of Miss Payne's activities
was only an effort to intimidate
her to the point where she would
refrain from asking the President
what was termed embarrassing"
but Legitimate" questions regard
ing civil rights.
While the Chicago Defender re-
porter might have violated the
rules by accepting $3.50 for work
done for the Clio, said Pearson,
that was nothing compared with
the $4,000 which George Sokoisky
accepted from the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers and the
Republic Steel Corporation at the
same time he was writing a column
supposedly fair and impartial. This
was not registered, said Pearson,
and nothing was said of it until a
committee began the investigation.
Pearson also referred to investi-
cations being made of Charming
Tobias and Ralph Bunche.
Objection was raised to the con-
firmation of Tobias nomination
as a delegate to the United Ma
tons, on the grounds that he had
once belonged to right organiza-
tions now on the attorney gen.
erals subversive list, said Pear
son, although he had joined them
10 or 20 years ago when nobody
thought about it. Because of the
terror of civil rights in this coun-
try, he continued, Negroes have
had to organize to protect them
selves. Tobias was confirmed, how
ever, because of fear that mega
tive vote would bring reproach
from the NAACP.
Pearson spoke of the seven
months investigation of DR.. Bunche
after which he was cleared and
later invited to dinner at the White
House "Why do you suppose ne
received that invitation" asked
Pearson. 1t was obvious that the
president was worried about the
reaction from this investigation.
He mentioned many others who
have been the victims of smear be-
cause of their militancy, including
Aubrey Williams and Clifford
Durr, liberal white Southerners.
In speaking of the great civil
battles which Negroes have had
in the past, Pearson urged them
to Join with the white persons in
general fight to preserve the rights
guaranteed them under the Constl-
tuition and the Bill of Rights.
"No matter what happens" he
said, 1--WE must fight to preserve
the right to speak as we please, to
think as we please, to write as we
please, and to worship as we
please"
Two medical school faculty men,
hers were honored for outstanding
roru;ea Thew are DR. Matter l..