Precedent

For the first time, a Negro newsman was admitted last week to the President's regular press conference, granted credentials. He was light-skinned Harry McAlpin of the Atlanta Daily World (circ. 23,000) and the Negro Newspaper Publishers' Association. Previously, President Roosevelt had received 13 Negro newspaper publishers, heard their plea for an end to "second-class citizenship" and their 21-point statement of war and postwar aspirations.

Reporter McAlpin went into the conference without having been accepted by the Congressional Galleries' standing committee or by the White House Correspondents' Association, which ordinarily pass upon an applicant before credentials are issued. No Negro has ever received their approval.

Virginia-born Presidential Secretary Stephen T. Early took responsibility for McAlpin's admission, said his status as correspondent had satisfied White House requirements. At week's end the bypassed Galleries' committee and the Correspondents' Association had said nothing, done nothing.

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