St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-11-11

interested when a reporter friend
on the Chicago Daily News wrote
a series on "block-busting" techni-
ques used by both INSCRIPTIONS
white and Negro real estate oper-
ators just outside Chicago.
The situation arises again and
again." he said. Half of the letters
received since the condensed YER
sion of "Peaceable Lane" appeared
in the Journal have been from
people who have heard of such
incidents or have experienced the
problem themselves, Wheeler told
me.
These things grow on you grad
ually. am not a sociologist nor a
do-gooder. I am a reporter. 1t
seemed to me to be a story, a valid
situation for a reporter to work in.
1t is a complicated situation that
is growing more powerful. AS far
as our position in the world is con-
cerned, it must be solved not only
for reasons of cold-blooded expedi-
ency but to make our society fit
to live in" Mr.. Wheeler stated
unequivocally.
He came closest to allowing the
man behind the writer to appear
for a moment when he said:
II feel sort of basically that a
man ought to live where he can
afford to live. 1t is not an unlim-
tied right. 1t implies responsibility
to the community as a whole. The
white population does carry, and
now admits a sort Of fundamental
blame for the situation but the
total responsibility does not rest on
whites. There is heavy responsib-
ility on both sides"
He described wildly the reaction
that comes when whites learn Ne
groes may be trying to buy prop
erty in the neighborhood.
when the white community be-
comes aware, it is a hell of a
shock but they don't know what
is shocking them. 1t is an idea.
Then somebody discovers what the
bogeyman is, WHO it is. 1t is no
longer an impersonal monster but
a PERSON. 1t imposes a choice.
No matter how the choice is made,
somebody gets hurt"
Mr.. Wheeler said that in Peace
able Lane, both the white resi-
dents of the Lane as well as the
Negro, Lamar Winter, were faced
with the same kind of dilemma
Each had to make a choice, a
choice that to degree involved
betrayal, a betrayal of lifelong
prejudices, each against the other.
Keith Wheeler started the &C
tual writing of the novel at the
end Of 1858. He wrote on weekends
and on vacation. The manuscript
was delivered to the publisher in
the spring of this year. It will be
published in England next year.
The film rights to "Peaceable
Lane" have been sold to an indie
pendent producer. Sidney Potter
will star in the role of Lamar
Winter, have the final decisions on
the production.
BY the time my interview with
Mr.. Wheeler was over, he was al
lowing himself to cut loose with
a few damns-and-hells, vocabulary
accessories without which few self
respecting reporters can operate
I was favoring him with one OF
two myself. He escorted me to the
elevator, a courtesy as well as ar
assurance 1 wouldn't become lost
in the maze of corridors.
AS the elevator doors closed,
was convinced I had talked witt
a man whose name will become
very well known after the De
cember Book f-The- Month come.
out. Keith Wheeler may not be thu
most popular Teller in the country
after the effects of "Peaceabl,
Lane" are felt but he will be talkeC
about, accused, abused, lauded
lambasted.
''Peaceable Lane" Is not a bool
one can accept without disturbing
reaction one way or the other.