Monday, June 15, 2020

The Workers Star (Perth, WA : 1936 - 1951) Fri 18 Jun 1948 Page 4



"I, too, walked the earth
in Russia for the first time
with complete dignity."
WTITH magnificent courage Paul
" Robeson faced the US Senate
Judiciary Committee to oppose
the Mundt-Dixon fascist
Bill, designed to -smash Communism.
'.Robeson said that he. thought
members of the Communist Party
had done a magnificent job in America.
He refused to tell the Judiciary
Committee whether he was a
member of the Communist Party,
declared he was willing to be jailed
rather than suffer an infringement
of his right of secret ballot.
Robeson told the Committee
he would not obey the Mundt-
Dixon Act if it became law.
He told them that his son went
to school in the Soviet Union
where he found complete freedom
from racial prejudice.
THE Committee asked him was
there any country but America
where people could rise
fiom slavery to wealth and prominence
in one generation. Robeson
hit straight back with, "They
would have more opportunity in
Russia than I would have in Mississippi."

Slaves who built up the US
cotton industry got out of it only
complete poverty, he said.
The Committee is now considering
whether they will cite him
for contempt of Congress—current
fascist twist of the law used
to jail, or fine, progressives.
The Mundt-Dixon Bill which
has passed the House of Representatives
provides fascist legislation
to try and shackle the Communist
Party submitting of annual reports,
lists of 'membership, mail restrictions,
etc., and heavy  penalties for
non-compliance.

PAUL ROBESON'S stand
before the US fascists marks
the highlight of his long fight
against race prejudice and antilabor
legislation.

The famous singer, actor and last year
Robeson gave up his professional career
"to devote his time to the fight against,
the victimisation of his people.
He took his place in the picket
lines outside US theatres who
practised negro segregation, with
a placard round his neck, calling
for the banning of all such places
of entertainment.

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