St. Paul recorder., 1963-10-24


and prostitution arrests.
They were interested in know
ing whether or not this would in
some way effect the progress of
civil rights in this area. agreed to
express my opinion. During the in
terWew in my home, I was asked
my opinion concerning the two
mayors, and whether I felt they
had furnished adequate leadership
in civil rights.
II was asked this because Mayor
Naftalin was being honored by the
Twin City Council of Clubs. My
reply was that Mayor Naftalin
had definitely committed himself
to civil rights, both before and
after his election, that he had put
his neck on the chopping block"
that I believe he has some honest
conviction which he Is defending,
but on the other side of the Miss
issippd, Mayor George Vavouhs had
not openly committed himself, that
he didn't show the interest and
concern, that he had only spoken
out when his daughter was in
volved in a fracas at Central High
Schools football game, and that
even then he made demands rather
than offer suggestions for solu-
tons to the problem.
II compared him, because he is
of the opinion that his tokenism
in civil rights is enough, that the
Negro ought to be eternally CRATE
fun TO him, the Great White
Father, in City Hall for giving
them the crust of the bread. I
compared him, because he had re-
fused to take part in the March
in st. Paul preceding the Wash
ington March, and that he had
stated that he was opposed to "the
March on Washington" and did
not in any way support it, while
Mayor Naftalin participated in
both marches.
"St. Paul and Minneapolis are
both a long ways from being a
paradise for Negroes, but when we
compare the two cities we cannot
dispute that the ghetto of St. Paul
is far more we'll defined than the |
ghetto in Minneapolis, yet this
man insisted that he had gone to
Washington and championed the
cause of the Negro in housing. We
know for a fact that job opportun-
tiles are just as critical in st. Paul
as they are in Minneapolis, that de
facto segregation is an indisput-
able fact in St. Paul as it Is in
Minneapolis. Prejudices exists in
all these areas, yet this man who
is the representative for all of the
people of st. Paul has failed to
address himself to these evils. He
said to me in a telephone CONVEX
sation Sunday afternoon, II don't
believe 1t is necessary TO say any
thing when you are doing some
thing" informed him that pub
hc official must both say and do,
for there are those who wait for
his official endorsement. And If he
is doing such whale of a job like
he boasted of doing why doesn't
he make it known, unless he is
afraid to let the white populace
know that he is in favor of equal
rights for all citizens.
Sunday as I have previously
stated, Mayor Vavoulis called me
on the telephone, he stated I had
unjustly criticized him, he attempt
ed to convince me of his noble ac-
comphShments, and when he saw
that he was failing to convince me
he became quite angry he asked
me where had secured my inform
alton about him, I told him I read
the papers, and often confer with |
the Negro civil rights leaders of
st. Paul, and that I have yet to
hear him boldly address himself
against the evils Of segregation
and discrimination. He then asked
me to give him the names, Of Ne
gro leaders who had criticized him,
told him I would not give him
anyone's name because I didn't |
have to, he then told me that even
as a minister was Damn Liar"
Il informed him that I didn't |
have to take that from him re-
gardless Of who he was and
promptly hung up. I am convinced
beyond the shadow Of doubt that
this man Vavoulis thinks that be-
cause he is white that no Negro
has the right to criticize him. 7
cannot see a public official think
ing that he Is immune to crftcizim.
I am certain this man has been
criticized many times by members
Of the white community, but he
hasn't made an issue Of 1t, yet
when a Negro crihcizes him he
gets on television, writes an article
in the paper, tries 10 sweet talk
other Negroes into refudng my
statement, and curses a Minister
out on the telephone like a five
year old spoiled child.
For anybody's information who
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