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Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 7, July 13th, 1949.

This is the third part of Paul Zilch's outline of the position of negroes in the — Land of the Free

page 4

This is the third part of Paul Zilch's outline of the position of negroes in the

Land of the Free

One may never experience the company of socially exalted circles such as these fraternities, without objecting too much, if that exclusion does not lower him in the eyes of ail society. The racially restrictive policies of fraternities, however, slash negroes to an inferior biological status. They perpetuate and intensify the prejudices and discriminatory practices that have made us second-rate citizens at and outside this University.

I say fraternities are vicious. Young Americans learn that brotherhood is confined to the brotherhood of a master race—the Aryans.

The 21 fraternities and 16 sororities on this campus with a membership of approximately 2000, embracing more than one-third of the total enrolment, cannot escape the fact that they identify brotherhood with a superman concept, and neighbourliness with a penthouse vision of the world. But on editorial in the April, 1947, issue of "Bank's Greek Exchange" attempts to do just that.

"Some say that the movement to abolish fraternities, which is being rather vigorously pressed at the moment on the eastern and western seaboards, was started by those who are seeking a change in our form of government.

"Articles antagonistic to college fraternities are appearing on a number of academic and scholarly publications. The authors names in some cases have a foreign sound, which is suspicious, at least . . .

"If our government is worth fighting for then the institutions which support it and thrive under it should light those elements trying to destroy it . . .

"If college students are not allowed to choose their close friends and associates, then it is not a step to the complete regimentation after college..."

Subversive?

Do you want fraternities abolished? Do you have a foreign sounding name? Do you refuse to support a government that rules according to colour of skin? Do you cling to the belief that free choice and segregation are not synonymous? If you do, then obviously you are seeking to change or destroy our form of democracy.

If it is Subversive to want to abollsh segregation and discrimination, I may be accused of such. If a government depends on the support of Institutions that thrive on caste principles disavowing the Bill of Rights, then I am against both those institutions and that government.

I am the one regimented before, during and after college. I am not permitted to choose friends and associates on a basis of equality from among all citizens of this country.

No-one can deny that the third of the student body pledged to fraternities and sororities are a powerful minority. They shape group mores, dominate social and political activities and, through wealthy parents in high places, inlluence administrative policies of the University. Fraternities spearhead the polished Jimcrow thoughts and deeds of America's elite.

I strike hard against these so-called fraternal organisations because, as corrupters of American youth, they perpetuate traditions and practices as no individual can. The fraternity system encourages and strengthens individual and institutional attitudes of "white" "Christian" supremacy. This system, according to my observations, is one of the accepted respectable ways to go about destroying democracy.

By now, you may be wondering where negroes fit in at American universities. Do we have any intimate relationships with white students

I have a dozen or so white acquaintances on this campus. With several others I am friendly, but not intimate. The University has in my opinion, a number of seasoned bigots, a larger number who "tolerate" a minority, and a few who strive to understand the other fellow.

Seminars with white students never develop beyond an academic relationship. The white students attend for the purpose of scholastic review only; upon completion of our joint study, they go their way and I go mine.

I have received no invitations to the homes of white students. But sometimes I go to Friendly House, a non-partisan organisation just off campus that extends a friendly welcome to all.

The inside of a fraternity or sorority house is as unknown to me as the inside of the nation's gold vaults at Fort Knox.

Opportunity?

Students have generally not been hesitant about sitting next to me in class, and, as far as I have observed, none of my instructors follow discriminatory seating practices.

I seem to be, however, a curiosity to many of my fellow students, and several of my instructors. A few ask bluntly why I'm going to college, and just what sort of job I expect to get—me, a negro.

One night, a white acquaintance and I were studying German together. Both of us received high grades in this course.

"What are your plans for the future?" my classmate inquired.

"I hope to teach, do research in psychology, or study medicine." I answered.

"If I were a coloured person I wouldn't make too many plans, or set my ambitions too high." he advised. "Even if you're as smart, you can't get the same kind of job as me."

"Well, what should I do?" I asked.

"You'd better go to another country."

"Where?"

"I don't know exactly, but anyplace there isn't any prejudice." he said.

Numerous whites will greet me with a cheery hello and a flashy smile when we pass on the campus. But if the student is a man, perhaps he will not see me when his girl friend is along.

Once, at a social get-together, a white student eagerly expounded to me at great length his political views and ambitions. He was violently opposed to alien, anti-capitalistic doctrines. Yet since then I have passed him shoulder to shoulder a dozen or more times without a dicker of recognition animating his face. He just stares straight ahead as if 1 were an open doorway.

I have much more respect for the person who never speaks at all than the one who speaks at length for one time and never again, or the one who speaks only when he thinks he won't be embarrassed. I'm always willing to go half-way, but 51 per cent, of the way is too far for me.

To be completely fair, nevertheless. I must remark that several of my male acquaintances speak no matter where or by whom accompanied.

Cold Shoulder

It is the exception rather than the rule when a white girl gives me a smile or a greeting. Such tremendous social pressure opposes relationships between negro men and white girls that scarcely a single co-ed dares stray from the non-recognition path in public.

Without dating, the American University would be as popular as a start prison. Negro men at Oregon date little this year, seldom at any time openly, because of the absence of negro women and the special circumstances that made dating with several white women easily possible the preceding few years.

What I now relate may seem tc contradict my account of friendships with whites, and unwillingness to go more than half-way. Yet so strong is the desire for the company of women that contradictions in behaviour inevitably arise.

My first year at Oregon was the final one for a negro family, a student and his wife and child, who occupied a small tan house adjacent to the campus.

Half-a-dozen men and an equal number of white girls congregated at this home at least several times a week, sometimes part of them every day. Occasionally a white married couple and one or two white men students would drop in to add to the company.

Here we celebrated birthdays, the finish of exams., danced, had a drink or two at times, joked and laughed. When the weather was fine, we often travelled into the country on picnics.

Inside the house, or alone by ourselves in the country, all of us were outwardly gay and relaxed, and on extremely friendly, if not intimate, terms. Yet just under the surface, tension stretched the relationships taut.

Once I tried to arrange a meeting in the city with one of the girls of whom I was rather fond.

"No." she said, "we've got to play the game carefully. I don't like the rules of society, but I've more to lose than you if were caught breaking them."

We never accompanied the girls on rampus. If you met one of them alone, she would greet you. If she walked with others, she would give a weak hello, or avoid speaking altogether.

In other, words, we were strangers until we entered that small tan house. Then all barriers broke.

When the school year ended, and the negro who rented the house graduated and left Eugene, our circle, not having a place to meet, scattered. 1 was not very sorry in most ways.

The whole relationship constantly reminded me of the one between Bilbo, late red-haired, red-nosed, ranting US senator, and his Mississippi negro constituents—the few who ever got near a political meeting or a polling booth.

"I've no grudge against you folks." he would tell a small roomful of negroes. "I don't appear to be a friend to you in public because the prejudices of the white people round here won't let me. But I want you to know that I'm really your friend no matter what I say to them."

The general attitude of white girls towards us is summed up in a little incident that happened in January.

Snow fluttered through the air as I crossed the campus between the education building and the library. Three girls plodded just ahead of me.

"A coon," one said after a backward glance.

"Uh, uh," the other two nodded in agreement.

The attitude of white men towards negro men mixing with white women reveals itself in an account passed on to me by a white acquaintance.

A friend of mine and his fiancee, who was on friendly terms with several negro families In Portland, attended a party at a negro home. The fiancee had always denied racial bias, in any form, and was devoted to a religious sect which boasted strict adherence to the ways of Christ. His bride-to-be danced with one the negro men.

"I could have killed them both," he admitted.

(This series of articles will be completed in the next issue of "Salient.")