Jackson advocate. [volume], April 06, 1946, Image 1

About Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current

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Bishop Curry Suspended In Ecclesiastical Trial
I A NEWSPAPER I PRICE
WITH A 6C
| CONSTRUCTIVE^ pgR COPY
POLICY __
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 25 _JACKSON, MISS., SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1916____
First In AME j
Church's 159
Year History
Tulsa Hearing
Resembles Court
District Trial
BY MALCOLM S. WHITBY
TULSA—< AN P)—“The jury rec
ommends ‘mercy'. the law re
quires suspension, in consideration
thereof r suspend von from all du
ties of bishop of the 2nd Episcopal
district until June 19, 1946," sol
emnly ruled presiding judge. Bish
op R C. Ransom, Friday culmi
nating a historical ecclesiastical
court of the Oklahoma-Arkansas A
M. E. Church diocese leader. Bish
op George E Curry of Little Rock.
This was the first such trial in
the lo9 years history of the AME
church and had all the physical
semblance of a district court hear
ing, but legal procedures varied
greatly from governmental rules.
The hearings were held in Vernon
AME church
FOUR CHARGES
Bishop Curry, was charged by a
half dozen 12th Episcopal district j
elders and ministers on four c^arg j
es, three of which he was found ;
not guilty and the jury recom- '
mended mercy on the first count
aleging illegual hand’ ig of con
nect Iona 1 funds.
Defended by Tmsaa lamed resi
dent attorney, Amos T. Hall, sup
porters of the prelate regarded the
decision as a victory for the bishop
whose near half century of Meth
odist leadership was much at
stake.
Defense Atty. Hall seized every
opportunity in cross - examination
to reveal an alleged "well-planned
conspiracy to disrobe" Bishop Cur- >
ry and uncovered damaging evi
dence against two of the plaintiffs
Presiding Elder Wm. David Miller
and the Rev. R. A. Devers, former
McAlester, Oklahoma, pastor, now
serving at Perry, Okla.
ROAR AT REVELATION
Rev. Miller had joined with Rev
Devers in singing the accusation
charging Bishop Curry with illegal
ly transferring pastor Devers from
McAlester. Defense Attorney Hall
counter- attacked alleging Presid
ing Elder Miller had negotiated
sale of lumber and building ma
terials from Flipper - Key-Curry
school in Wagoner County, Okla
homa 4 years ago, collected near
ly $300 and Miller admlted under
heated cross-examination that he
still had the money in his per
(Continued on Back Page)
No Change In State Primary
Election Laws Seen As Session
Of Legislature Nears End
STATE VOTERS LEAGUE
PLAN COURT ACTION
JACKSON, Miss.—No change in
the State Primary Election Laws
appeared possible during the pres
ent session of the date for ad- j
journment already set for April 5, j
and no bill to affect. the change j
in the law on the calendar of
either the House of the Senate.
The State Primary Election Laws j
before the recent decision of the ;
United States Supreme Court in
the Texas case and this week in
the Georgia case, upholding the
right of Negroes to vote in the
so-called White Democratic Pi%
maries of those states, also form
ed the basis of the Mississippi
White Democratic Primary and
the denial to Negro citizens of the
right to vote in the state
In order to the defeat the ob
vious decision of the United States
Supreme Court several of the
states where NegToes are denied
the right to vote have set out to
abolish completely the Election
Laws of the state. At the begin
ning of the session of the legisla
ture the issue appeared to loom
large when Rep. Walter Sillers, of
Bolivar County, the speaker of the
House of Representatives, intro
duced two bills to repeal all state
Primary Election Laws and put
the Primaries in the hands of the
political parties.
As the Legislature neared the fi
nal adojumment date of Friday,
April 5th, although termed by
Speak erSlilrse
Speaker Sillers ‘Must’ on the Leg
islature program, “If we are to
guarantee white supremacy in
which primaries” the bills were
conspicuous by their absence from
the calendar of either the House
or the Senate.
In the meantime the State Pro
gressive Voters League, state-wide
organization of Negro citizens grow
ing daily more and more restless
because of the denial of the right
to vote, while expressing the hope
that the State Legislature and the
; State Democratic Executive Com
i mittee, in the light of the con
I tinued favorable action of the U.
j S. Supreme Court might take steps j
| to permit qualified Negro citizens
to vote in the Democratic Pri
mary were planning a state-wide
meeting to set in motion efforts
to raise some $50,000 for the pur
pose of immediate court action on
the voting issues in Mississippi.
T. B. Wilson, President of the
Voters League, stated this week
that while no definite dates had
been set the meeting of the League
will be held sometime during the
month of May in Jackson.
LITTLE ROCK, ARK.— (SNS) —
VACATIONS — Lovely
Helen Hogan Joyner, of Chicago,
is visiting here with mother, Mrs.
Clara Hogan, 1812 Marshall. Mrs.
Joyner is a former resident of this
city and a graduate of Dunbar
Junior College.
Leaving here about four years
ago, . he spent two years in Flor
ida, where her husband was sta
tioned with the armed forces be
fore establishing their home in
Chicago. _
U. S. Supreme Court
Declines Review Of
Primus King Case
Action Climaxes Long, Expensive
Court Battle Originating In 1944;
District, Appeals Decisions Stand
ATLANTA, GA—(SNS)—
Without comment or delay, the U. S. Supreme Court
Monday tossed back into the laps of Georgians the Primus
E. King primary case, in which a Georgia federej District
judge and judges on the Circuit Court of Appeals at New
Orleans agreed that the Democratic Party in Georgia was
an instrumentality of the State, and that as such, Negroes
had ?, constitutional right entitling them to participate in
all elections.
The action of the supreme court
climaxes a long and expensive court
battle orginating back in July 4,
1944 when the Rev. Primus E. King
Columbus, Georgia Negro along
with other qualified Negroes were
r denied ballots by election officials
of the Muscogee County Demo
cratic Committee.
DAVIS RULING
At the hearings last October at
Macon, Georgia federal District
Judge T. Hoyt Davis, held that for
40 years the Democratic Party had
sucessfully excluded Negroes from
participation in me primary elec
tions; that the custom and prac
tice was violative of a federally se
cured right under the 13th, 14th
and 17th constitutional amendments
and that henceforth, Negroes must
be permitted to vote in primary
elections. In addition to the vote
ruling. Judge Davis also awarded
Rev. King cash damages of $lfJ0
plus interest from date of the de
cision. The New Orleans Appellate
Court sustained Judge Davis’ ruling
and enlarged it to include all elec
tions, federal, state and municipal.
Harry S. strozier, Macon, Georgia
attorney was the principal lawyer
for Rev. King. At the original hear
ings he introduced documentary
evidence to show that the White
(Continued on Back P&ge)
A. L. Johnson, Of Prentiss, Elected
President Of Teachers Association
SEE NO CHANGE IN |
POLICY OF ORGANIZATION
Prof. A. L. Johnson, of Prentiss
Normal and Industrial Institute,
was elected President of the Miss
sippi 'Association of Teachers in
colored schools at the first state
wide meeting of the group since
the wartime restrictions, which
was held at Lanier High School
here Thursday and Friday of last
week.,
The election of Prof. Johnson
followed almost to the letter the
pre-convention election prediction.
With virtually the entire upper
cabinet * of the organization, in
cluding “the retiring President E.
S. Bishop, giving their active sup
port, the effort of Prof. I. S. Sand
ers, principal of Lanier High
School of Jackson and his support
ers, fail to even annoy the John
son forces; the young Prentiss
professor winning with some 500
votes to spare.
For the first time in many years
a member of a college faculty was
elected to a high office in the asso
ciation when Dean L. B. Frazier,
now acting president of Tougaloo
College was elected vice president
of the association.
In a belatedly organized cam
paign Prof. Chas. Wilson, principal
(Continued on Back Page)
LAWLAH RESIGNS AT HOWARD
Finds Health Of
South Rests On
Varied Pursuits
,
Noted Pamphleteer
Says Nation Has
Stake In South
ATLANTA—“The South if a stra
: tegic urea" in me Nation s approach
of the high-level production and em
ployment “necessary to keep the eco
nomic mechanism functioning,”
writes Rupert B. Vance in a new
study of the South published here
| today by the Southern Regional
Council, Inc.
The entire Nation nas a stake in
the South’s development, says Dr.
Vance, adding that “we need a reali
zation on the part of the Nation and
the South that high standards of
living, increased income and higher
wages are necessary to balance our
production-consumption budget at a
(Continued on Page 2)
Mayme Richardson
In Recital At
Jackson College
The Jackson Lyceum Association
is presenting as its third and last
feature of the year Mayme Richard
l son, dramatic soprano, in concert
j Palm Sunday afternoon, April 14,
! at 4:15 o’clock in the College Au
ditorium.
Mayme Richardson comes to
Jackson highly recommended by
critics of the New York Press, be
• ing described as “Undeniably One
i of the Best Sopranos Before the
i Public.”
She was born in Saginaw, Mich.
' of musical parents and began hfer
musical career at the age of six
years, singing in the church con
certs. Upon completion of her edu
cation she was sent to the Detroit
Conservatory of Music. After grad
uation she appeared in many cities
in the North and Middle-West in
recitals.
Thru encouragement of friends
she came to New York City where
she contiued her studies, with pri
vate tutors and at Juillard School
of Music. Her New York debut was
given at Steinway Hall with much
success.
Accompanying her at the piano
for this concert will be Mr. Fred
erick Bell of Juillard School.
Tickets for the recital are priced
at fifty cents for all except hold
ers of Season tickets.
Federation Women
In The News
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETS
APRIL 20
Ruby E. Stutts Lyells, president
of the Mississippi State Federation
of Colored Women’s Clubs, Inc.,
was elected Secretary-Treasurer of
the Mississisppi Division of the
Southern Regional Council last
week. The previous week Mrs.
Lyells was one of eight delegates
from the Mississippi District Y. W
C. A. to the National Convention
in Atlantic City, N. J.
Concerning the Atlantic City
meeting Mrs. Lyells states that the
most significant feautre was the
adoption by 300 delegatse of a 35
point program to abolish discrimi
nation and to integrate Negro wo
men into the stream of the YWCA
Also elected by the Southern
! Regional Council were: Mrs. M. M
Hubert, Mrs. L. W. Price and Miss
F. O Alexander who are members
| of the State Executive Committee
Mrs L. T. Miller, Chairman of
the Executive Board of the State
Federation of Colored Women’s
Clubs, has announced a meeting df
the Board at Jackson College, at
100:00 a. m. April 20th Included In
4he agenda is a report on the Clin
ion Recreation Center and plans
PUBLISHERS HOLD SOUTHERN- !
WESTERN REGIONAL MEETING ,
Memphis served as host to the sec
ond consecutive Joint Session of
the Southern and Western Regions
of the Negro Newspaper Publishers’
Association March 29-30. The two
day business session was held at
LeMoyne College. Delegates are
shown in the accompanying picture
with some of their panel leaders
and visitors. Left to right, front
row: Miss Carrie Watson, 1st prize
winner in the Memphis World high
school essay contest on the Negro
Press: Rev. H. G. Purnell, Mound
Bayou, Miss.; A. G. Shields, Little
Rock. Ark., vice-president of tne
Western Region: C. A. Scott, At
lanta, Ga., vice-president, South
ern Region: C. W. Cubia, of Hous
ton, Texas: Fred Miller, Mound
Bayou, and Mrs. I. J. Beasley, of
Jackson, Term.: Second row from
left: Henry B. White, and Robert
F. Jones, labor leaders: Dean
Glenn J. Johnson and President
Lawrence Davis, both of Arkansas
State College: Prof J. D. Springer
principal of Melrose high school:
Emory O. Jackson of Birmingham
Ala; third row, from left:—Percy
Greene, of Jackson, Miss.; C. C.
Dejoie of New Orleans La.; H. L.
Mitcheii president of the National
Farm Labor Union and Rowland
Watts assistant secretary of the
Workers Defense League and Amos
Reese of Mound Bayou; fourth
row, from left; J. Don Davis, of
Houston Texas; Lucius Jones of
New Orleans, La.; and Lewis O.
Swingler, editor of the Memphis
World, official host paper < Photo
by Hooks.)
Publishers Urged To Seek White
As Well As Colored Subscribers
I
Ernest Rudd,
World War I Vet,
Death Victim
Ernest Rudd, a veteran of the 1st
World War, died suddenly at his
home on West Lynch St., here
shortly after midnight Saturday.
Funeral services were held in the
chapel of Peoples Funeral Home
on Monday afternoon.
The deceased is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Daisy Rudd, two daugh
ters Mrs. Anna Rudd Oliver of
Jackson an Mrs. Ernestine Rudd
Patton of st- Louis, Mo., and a
number of grand children and oth
er relatives.
for the National Federation of Col
ored Women which meets in Wash
ington next summer.
White Newsmen And Leaders Back
Total Fight For Nfegro Freedom
MEMPHIS, Tennessee—A constant effort to win the
cooperation and support of the metropolitan press in
chronicling the constructive activities of colored people in
all Southern states was advocated here the past week-end
in the two-day joint sessions of the Southern and Western
Regions of the Negro Newspaper Publisher’s Association
in LeMoyne College.
The conference, called by C. A. Scott of Atlanta, Geor
j gia, president of the Southern NNPA, took on an inter
racial aspect with J. Z. Howard, managing editor of the
Memphis Press-Scimitar, afternoon daily, Mrs. Marie Wal
then, news editor of Radio Station WMPS here; H. L.
Mitchell o“f Memphis, president of the National Farm
Labor Union, and Rowland Watts of New York City, as
sistant national secretary of the Workers’ Defense League,
all narticipating in discussions on newspaper or labor
problems.
Alcorn Alumni Discuss Situation
At College In Meeting Here
JACKSON t-A group of promi
nent members of the Alcorn Col
lege Alumni Association attend
ing the state teachers meeting
here last week held a special meet
"ing for the purpose or discussing
the situation at the College, which
according to persistent rumors cur
ren throughout, the state is not in
keeping with the best traditions
of the college and the needs of
higher education for Negro citi
zens of the state.
According to reports of the meet
ing it was brought out that a
been puaced at the college and
white financial officer has already
been placed at the college and
plans have been made to place a
white man in the Agricultural
Department.
After discussing these matters
the group voted unanimously to
have the Executive Committee
draw up resolutions and send to
the Board of Trustees protesting
against the current trends at the
college
BENNETTSVILLE, S. C—The
recently organized Negro Busi
nssnien League grows rapidly
Officers are, J. W. Nesbitt, pres.
H. E. Covington, vice president,
Harold T. Blackman, sect, and
Coleman, Harmon, treas.
TIME FOR CHANGE
Mr. Howard urged colored news
papers to seek white subscribers
with the same zeal that metropoli
tan dailies bid for colored circula
tion. Mrs. Walthen said that the
radio and newspaper executive news
desks strive to get the facts in
chronicling any news event and that
there is no alteration /\r coloration
of these facts on the basis of racial
considerations, she pointed out
how objectively the recent Colmubia
Tenn., racial disturbance was pre
sented. She said interracial press co
operation is easy to effect because it
is just as much what the daily news
papers want as it is the desire of
the colored newspapers, which in
the main, are weekly publications
and are not direct competitors.
The editors were in agreement
that the time is past when colored
newspapers can take a partisan
stand for racial gains on behalf of
(Continual! on Pago 2)
Quitting Seen
As Result Of
Long-Time Feud
Follows Lead Of
Dr, Numa Adams In
Leaving Position
WASHINGTON— <ANP>— The
dramatic resignation Last week of
Dr. John W. Lawlfh, dean of
Howard University’s medical
school, will become effective af
ter April 9th„ unless the trustee
board rules he must remain at his
post until the end of the current
school term, or around July 1
Dr. Lawlah’s resignation is re
ported to have climaxed a long
| smouldering feud Within the
school’s administration over the
question of putting into effect sal
ary adjustments made last fall by
university trustees. His clash with
Dr. Mordecal Johnson, Howard’s
president, on the salary issue at
that time is said to have lead to
a split between them
| INCREASE IGNORED
Hie former Provident hospital
(Chicago; chief is reported to
have told Dr. Johnson to find a
new head for the medical school
when the university’s president
repeatedly ignored his recommen
! dations for increased teacher sal
aries in his dep^tment. Non -
| teaching, staff members climaxed
! a bitter struggle last fall by forc
ing university officials to recog
nize the CIO United Federal work
ers of America as bargaining
agent for them
Dr. Lawlah is said to consider
the deanship of Howard medical
school largely administrative,
which takes too much of his time
from the medical field. His resig
nation stated he would like to de
vote more time to teaching, re
search and to take care of his
practice. He is reported to have
begun planning to open an ex
tensive office where he can prac
tive X-ray following his bitter
clash with Dr. Johnson.
NEW OFFICERS SLATED
His new offices are slated to
occupy an entire floor in a building
now under construction, which
will be occupied mainly by physi
cians. Dr. Lawlah may teach re
entonology (X-ray) at Freedmen's
hospital, now reported to be the
hospital's most understaffed de
partment.
Dr. Lawlah, the second Negro
to be named dean of a medical
college, follows closely in the foot
steps of Dr. Numa P. G. Adams,
the first Negro doctor to serve
as dean of a medical school. Both
served at Howard and both re
signed.
A. M. E. Treasurer
Speaks At Tougaloo
Dr. William F. Frazier, treasurer
of the Home Boards of the Congre
gtfitional and Christian Churches
was the guest speaker at the 11
o’clock Sunday services at Touga
loo College Sunday, March 24. Dr
Frazier spoke from the 8th Psalm
in which he set forth a background
of God, nature and man.
The speaker went on to point
that the glory of God is expressed
in energy and power, yes, atomic
energy; but more than that, it is
expressed in love and understand
ing and in this connection in par
ticular, man must be like Him to
effectively handle his newly dis
covered power.
Among the prominent visitors at
the service were: Mrs. Lucius R.
Eastman, Mr. Fred L. Brownlee
and Mr. Nelson Willis, trustees of
the college; Mrs. Nelson Willis, Mr
Leroy Jackson, Mrs. Catheryn
Jackson Watts and Miss Carolyn
Hunter. Mr. Leroy Jackson, Mrs.
Watts and Miss Hunter are all
graduates of Tougaloo College.
• V