The Daily Alaska Empire

RACE PREJUDICE DECRIED: TRUMAN, WIFE STATE IT

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12—President and Mrs. Truman joined today in decrying race discrimination in the artistic field after the DAR refused use of its Constitution Hall here to a Negro pianist.

The artist involved was Hazel Scott, wife of Negro Rep. Adam C. Powell (D-N.Y.) who addressed protests to both the President and the First Lady. He asked that Mrs. Truman boycott a tea being given here this afternoon by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The President wrote Powell in sympathetic vein, but said he was powerless to interfere with DAR policy.

Subsequently, Mrs. Truman telegraphed that her acceptance of an invitation to the tea was without relation to the "merits" of the controversy surrounding uses of Constitution Hall.

"Artistic talent is not the exclusive property of any one race or group," the President wrote Powell.

"One of the marks of a democracy is its willingness to respect and reward talent without regard to race or origin.

"We have just brought to a successful conclusion a war against totalitarian countries which made racial discrimination their state policy.

"One of the first steps taken by the Nazis when they came to power was to forbid the public appearance of artists and musicians whose religion or origin was unsatisfactory to 'the Master Race'."