Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1956-07-28
Legion Official -.


by my remarks. take this
opportunity of stating that / was
in no sense expressing the policy
of The American Legion"
Pages apology was demanded by
Diggs following an Associated
Press report quoting the National
Vice Commander as saying he de-
plored the NAACP- coerced action
of his native Texas in sending Ne
gro delegates to the Democratic
National Convention and that he
refused the post of Texas delegate
because he dosen't wish to sit with
Negro delegates.
Diggs, who is member of the
House Veterans Affairs Commit
tee, wired National Commander
Wagner at his Washington and
Idaho Department Offices calling
statements ga despicable demon
stration of bigotry wholly incon-
sistent with the 'Americanism'
theme of your organization" He
told the Commander whether the
remarks were spoken as an indi-
vidual or not, they will be taken
to reflect the position of The Am
erican Legion unless there is an
immediate and official retraction
and a full apology by Commander
Page and the American Legion to
the NAACP and to all people af-
fected and concerned by such ex-
preSsions."
In Commander Wagner's re-
spouse, he told Diggs Il sincerely
regret that the incident occurred"
and said, II reiterate that Mr.. Page
did not express American Legion
policy in the statements attributed
to him"
The text of the Diggs' telegram
and letter from Commander Wag-
ner follow:
July II, 1855
Mr.. J. Arlington Wagner
National commander OF
The American Legion
The anti-Negro statements made
by National Vice Commander Ev-
erett Page in speaking before the
Annual Mississippi Convention of
the American Legion represented
a despicable demonstration of big
otry wholly inconsistent with the
"Americanism" theme of your or
ganization. AS reported by the AS
ISOLATED Press on July 10, Mr.. Page
said that he deplores the NAACP-
coerced action of the Texas Demo-
cratic Party in sending Negro dele
gates to the Democratic national
Convention and that he refused the
post of Texas delegate because he
doesn't want to sit with any Negro
delegates. l wonder whether his
attitude would apply in testifying
, before the House Veterans Affairs
Committee. Perhaps he would not
want to sit in the same room with
me either as a Member of that
Committee or in my capacity as
delegate to the National Demo-
cratic Convention.
The American Legion cannot dis
claim responsibility for Mr.. Pages
statements as they were made in
his capacity as high officer of the
organization speaking before an Of
fetal convention. Whether the re-
marks were spoken as an individu-
al or not, however, they will be
taken to reflect the position of the
American Legion unless there is an
immediate and official retraction
and a full apology by Commander
Page and the American Legion to
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
and to all people who are affected
and concerned about such revolving
expressions.
CHARLES c. DIGGS, JR.
Member of Congress
July Is, 1856
Dear Congressman Diggs:
In reply to your kilograms of
July II, addressed to me at Poca-
tello, Idaho and Washington, D.
c., | wish to advise that | was not
present at the Mississippi Conven-
ton when the incident to which you
referred took place. Accordingly, |
have delayed answer until | could
obtain information concerning it
from National Vice Commander L.
Everett Page himself.
l have just now received the
following telegram from National
Vice Commander Page, which /
quote:
1856 July 18
National Commander J. Adding
ton Wagner
700 North Pennsylvania Street,
Indpls
"As you know last week / ad-
dressed the American Legion De-
partment Convention in Biloxi,
Miss. l regret very much that in
the course of my opening remarks
and before going into body of my
talk | made certain comments bear
ing upon an issue upon which /
certainly had no right to speak as
representative of The American
Legion. / apologize to you and to
all who were offended by my re-
marks. While press reports of that
portion of my remarks were not
entirely accurate, | take this OPP
porturlty of stating that / was in