Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-04-01
Negroes & Whites
Must Join To
Preserve Riqhfs

VbWsWtN~ N9Uss
Washington .-- (ANpD - Tn,
mania of fear which In engulf
Ing America today IL becoming q
threat 20 the civil rights Of al
citizens, declared Drew Pearson
last week, Speaking at tn,
seventh annual student council
banquet " the college OF medicine
at Howard university. Saturday
night. the famous columniSt and
radio commentator urged Negroes
and whites 10 work together "a
wipe out this mania Of fear and
stand up for the original bill Of
rights,
Speaking on Behind the Scenes
In Washington. Pearson brough,
out a number Of cases where In
noccnt persons have suffered be-
cause OF 'witchhunts." and cited
incidents where individuals were
fired or called In question by hiEi,
executives II they failed To agree
with the policies or practices oi
this administration.
Among the incidents cited
was that of Miss Ethel Payne
Of the Chicago Defender, who
WINS called ION On, carpet" by
Jim" iiaEgrrty, President
Eisenhower press secretary.
In regard 90 her work with -
labor union.
Pearson claimed that HagHcrty
questioned Miss Payne on whether
she had been receiving money
from tho CO at the same time
she was n white House reporter
I'VE can't have g." he quoted
HaEgerty as saying. ITS against
the rules"
Miss Payne admitted that nhe
had been paid for editing some
campaign literature for CIO hui
had nothing 10 do with making
the policy for the organization.
Pearson claimed that this In.
vcstigRtion Of Miss rayne'a nctivi'
ties was only mn effort to intimi'
date her 10 tho point where she
would refrain from asking the
President what waA termed "em.
barrnaAng" but legitimate
questions regarding civil rights,
While tho Chicago Defender re-
porter might have violated the
rules by accepting s2bO for worl,
done for the CO. said Pearson
that was nothing compared with
the $50, 900 which George Hnkol'
sky accepted from the National
Association ~ Manufacturer and
the Republic steel Corporation NJ
the same time hc was writing q
column supposedly fair and i'm
partial This waa not Registered,
said Pearson, and nothing was
said ~ II until n committee he.
gan the investigation.
Pearson also referred "a In
N"siiEntions being made ~
Claiming Tobias and Ralph
BunChe.
Objection was raised ~ the con
firmatlon az Tobias nomination
M n delegate tn the United Ma
iionH. on the grounds that he had
once belonged 10 eight orgnizn-
lions now on the attorney gsner
ais HubvcrElve list, said Pear.
son, although he had Joined them
30 or 20 years ago when nobody
thought about II.
Because ~ the terror ~ civil
rights In this country, be con
tlnurd. Negroes have had 10 or
RanIz" 10 protect Themselves To-
biaH was confirmed. however, be-
chus" ~ fear that a negative vote
would bring reprnnob from the
SAACp.
Pearson spoke 81 the seven
months investigation ~ DIR.
Buncbe. after Wblch he was
ciraTrJ and later invited to din.
ner nj the White House. why
do you suppose he received that
Invitation ?" asked Pearson. n
was obvious that tho President
was worried about the reaction
from this investigation.
He mentioned many others who
have been tho victims ~ smear
because ~ their mIllthncy, In
cludInR Aubrey Williams and
clifford DUR, liberal white
gpuihrrnrrs
u speaking ~ the great civil
rights battles which Negroes have
had In The past. Pearson urged
them ~ Inan with N" white per-.
SINS IN n general light ~ preserve
the rights guaranteed them under
tho Constitution and the Blll Of
Rights