PAGE FOUR
FLORIDA’S FAVORITE ggfcOf&P WEEKLY
Published Every Magic Prlntery
Office at 1112 N.W. Third Aven,aa*|i»fhlr Florida—Telephone 3-2236
Plant at 6740 N.W. Telephone 84-6128
Entered as Second Class Matter, August 9, 1927, at the Post Office at
' Miami, Florida under the act of March 3, 1876
H. E. SIGISMUND REEVES, Editor
‘ GARTH C. REEVES, Business Manager
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
OM£ YEAR $4.00 SIX MONTHS $2.50 THREE MONTHS $1.50
X NEGRO COMMISSIONER
The resignation of Commissioner Robt. Floyd who
has been elected as State Representative creates a vacancy
which must be filled by the four remaining City Commis
sioners.
The commissioners have iriade several attempts to fill
the vacancy but to no avail. A number of Miami’s most
prominent citizens, including one ex-mayor and several
ex-commissioners have been voted upon unfavorably. The
vote has always been a deadlock. Mayor William Wolfarth
and Commisioner Louis Bandel against Commissioners
William Charles Perrin© Palmer.
The vacancy ought to be filled without delay.
We have what we think is a solution to this problem
and in all seriousness we are making this suggestion.
Gentlemen, suppose you appoint a Negro to fill the
vacancy on the commission. We see no good reason why
such an appointment should not be made.
The Negro population in Miami is about 60,000. Are
they not entitled to consideration?
Appointment of a Negro at this time would be one of
the biggest things Miami has ever done. It would be his
tory making for the South.
In support of our suggestion we mention the names of
some of those we believe qualified to serve on the city
commission:
Dr. K. L. Pharr, Dr. I. P. Davis, Atty. G. E. Graves,
Atty. John Johnson, Mr. Luther CarjT, Mr. Sumner Hut
cherson, Mr. Melvin Jackson, Mr. Cmarles North. These
are well known business and professional men, all of them
interested in the welfare and growth of Miami.
Whether any of these names are considered or not,
gentlemen we want you to know how we are thinking.
-
TO THE RESCUE
The Dunbar Nursery, located on the Dunbar school
grounds at 505 NW 20th street, is nearing completion, but
work had to be discontinued because all available funds
were spent and there were several unpaid bills. The com
mittee was somewhat disheartened and was wondering
from whom SISOO could be borrowed until later on in
the season when subsciptions are asked and some form of
entertainment given to raise the money.
Mr. L. L. Brooks was approached and without any
hesitancy loaned the committee the SISOO.
The committee was overjoyed. Now the debts can be
paid and work can be resumed.
We want to commend Mr. Brooks for his big heart
edness. He is the manager of the Bonded Collection Agen
cy, one of the biggest of its kind in Miami.
Mr. Brooks has always been interested in community
matters and makes his contribution financially and other
wise.
In the not distant future a membership drive will be
put on for the nursery. It is hoped a large enrollment will
be reported.
KNOW THE FACTS
If a recent survey made of a group of high school
seniors produced typical views, American education is
giving the student a highly erroneous idea of how Ameri
can industry operates and the size of the profits it earns.
These seniors were asked to estimate how much prof
it the average company makes. Their answers averaged
50 percent. The true figure, covering a long period of
years, is about six per cent.
They were asked to estimate the average investment
\ per worker in American industry. Their figure was $81 —
while the proper answer would have been $8,000!
They estimated that the annual return to industry’s
stockholders averages 24 per cent. Actually, it was three
per cent on net assets in 1949 which was a good year
for practically all lines of enterprise.
The same seniors, by a margin of 61 per cent, then
said they favored closer government regulations of bus
iness as against free competition whereas it is really free
competition that keeps profits and prices down.
The point of all this is that ignorance and misunder
standings do more than anything else to create distrust of
> fret enterprise. A man who honestly believes that busi
ness makes extortionate profits and operates solely for the
benefit of a group of bloated plutocrats, is a man ripe for
the phony blandishments of the socialists and the commun
ists. Those who would destroy free enterprise and free
government have small concern with the truth. They make
the most of every misconception that exists in the public
mind.
? Only those who know the facts can make intelligent
decisions. And the place to start teaching those facts is in
our schools and colleges.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1950
The Moving Finger
BY L. A. THOMPSON
In spite of inclement weather
last Sunday and brother, it
was cold outside members of
the local Pall Bearers’ lodges
trned out “like nobody’s business’’
The occasion was their annual
service celebrating the founding
of the order. Men, women and
children accompanied by cornet
bands tramped their way to
Ebenezer Methodist and the St.
John Baptist churches, respec
tively, where appropriate services
were held.
It was thrilling to see some of
the “older heads” defying the
cold as they marched from 6th
avenue and 21st st. down to 13th
1 and third. On the return to the
1 hall some of them were limping
but they made it in any how!
Congratulations.
1 The various branches of Pall
j Bearers have taken Florida by
storm. The order came upon the
| scene at the opportune time, when
| most of our secret fraternities
| were dying from graft, and cor
ruption in high places; then the
; Hooverian depression gave others
! a body blow that sent them reel
! ing. A few of the big orders were
milched so dry they died from
| malnutrition. The Pall Bearers
saved the day. They have no high
sounding promises, but they do aid
the sick and bury the dead, and
they give the “little man” a
chance to grow!
According to recent informa
tion coming from the U. S. De
partment of Agriculture Office of
Information, Negro ownership of
farms in the South increased
from 173,263 in 1940 to 189,232
five years later. Not so bad. It
shows that some folk are not
ready to be “bottled up” in big
cities, seeking what they cannot
find. Land is still real wealth.
Dr. William Pickens, educator,
author, orator, and publicist, has
retired from the position of di
rector of the interracial section
of the Treasury Department’s U.
S. Savings Bonds Division. Be
fore his appointment to that post
in 1941 he was field secretary of
the NAACP and vice president
of Morgan College. Dr. Pickens is
succeeded by Lemuel L. Foster of
New York City.
On Thanksgiving the local B.
T. Washington and Dorsey high
groups looked “pretty” on parade
as they marched to Dorsey Park
for the annual football tryout.
Both bands played well and
showed signs of good training.
But the game was the thing. By
long shot, Dorsey took the cake
from Washington, to the disap
pointment of all Washingtonians!
Losing upsets almost everybody
so it was with some of the young
folk.. Well, you can’t win all the
time - and it is in losing in your
little battles that you learn to
“take it” in the bigger battles of
life. Losing is a sign that you are
not quite as good as you thought,
or that you underestimated your
opponent. At any rate, don’t run
hot and lose your head. Just keep
cool and pull up for the next
game. If you don’t win ’em all
you can be a good sport.
Just a week ago General Mac-
Arthur announced that the “boys”
would be home for Christmas.
Now the Korean war is going
against us as never before. Red
China is reported to be sendiijg
men by the tens of thousands to
fight the UN forces, and the en
tire picture has changed. Seems
as if the Korean affair is one of a
chain of incidents leading the
! world to tragic disaster.
1 ft*****' .#
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Stanley Sweeting
MM
THE WHITE “QUEENS” of many festivals have all ways given
us a “show” before the bleachers, and they go so far as to throw us
kisses, hand waves and pretty smiles. That is the way it should be.
So, if this gesture of courtesy can come from other festival Queens,
what in the hell is the matter with us? Suppose we give our Orange
Blossom “Queen”, “Miss Famcee”, “Miss Booker T. Washington High,”
“Miss Dorsey High,” “Miss Carver High,” and other brownskinned
beauties on parade, a chance to “strut their stuff” before an apprec
iative crowd of Colored and White fans who paid a heluva price to
see the Orange Bowl Classic show.
THE JOSEPH S. ROYALS (she’s Leona Nimmo) are expecting
their Bundle sometime in late January or early February . . . Show
man Bob White and M|S Leon Witherspoon were made Elks in Great
er Miami Lodge Monday night . . . Barbara Weir, the thrush, is back
from Harlem via her boyfriend, James Davenport’s expense account
. . . The Gunn Sisters of West Palm Beach were Ivory Joe Hunter
fans at the Rockland Palace Sunday night . . . U. G. Nixon, public re
lations counsellor at Famcee, a Miami visitor . . . Ditto John Hicks,
on a Refresher’s Course at Famcee, back home for the Classic. Hicks
is Meharry Medical bound. Incidentaly, Hicks has a brother who was
president of Meharry’s graduating class of 1949. Another brother is
principal of Brooksville (Fla.) High.
AL GOLDMAN’S newest link in his fast-growing chain of niter -
les opens December 23rd in the Magnolia Park section of Opa Locka.
Prognosticators focus the new nitery as being an ultra-modern swank
with the possibility of a Billy Eckstine opening . . . Paul Williams and
his Hucklebuck ork are a Harlem Club date for December 17
Pianist-blues vocalist Viola Edwards of the Richard Johnson band
birthdayed last Sunday (Nov. 26) with a celebration at The Pool
(the band’s home stand) Saturday night . . . The “At Dawn” aggre
gation of clubwomen, meeting in its weekly session on Saturday
mght, made two presentations of gifts to members whose birthdays
arrived on the same day Monday, Nov. 27 Mrs. Henrietta
Sweeting and Mrs. Geneva Blachshear. Mrs. Dolly Sweeting was hos
tess to the At Dawners.
RAY BARKLEY, youngest of the Barkley clan, arrived home last
Sunday from Harlem for the Classic. Ray takes off for Havana, Cuba
Sunday ayem before returning to his subway engineer’s throttle in
New York’s underground ... The Mail Bag: Jackie Crowder, Perris,
Cal; Norman Fishel, New York City; Emory Evans, New York City
. . . Ray Foster erstwhile WTTT newscaster, tells me that his Blatz
Beer assignment has come through . . . Jim Hanna, desperate illness
at Jackson s, brought down a son, Hasten, from Harlem. A daughter,
Viola Small, attended him until her departure for Detroit last Thurs
day. Four other children, Arthur, Frank, Mary and Irma continue to
be Miami residents . . . The Clarence Seniors (he’s the mortician; she’s
Mane Martin) will be three in April.
KIAH BROWN has a musical combo that operates out of Delray
Beach. New instruments have recently been added to the outfit
Did I tell you that Joe Green, with added avoirdupois, is here from
the East ? ? ? Robbie Walker, long-time no see, (about 15 years in
Manhattan) is down from the Big City as valet for Claude Thornhill’s
ork, now in engagement at the University of Miami . . . Gladys
Sampson Young, now a vivacious grandmother, parties her daughter
Margie’s little young ‘un Monday on the tot’s 1 month birthday
H. D. Williams, Afro Insurance agent, bedded at home with illness
. . Atty Maxwell Thompson, here from Nassau . .. Dorothy Bur
eile or rs * Arletha Williams’ (mother of maestro Sammy
Williams) funeral last Monday, returned to the Big Apple Saturday.
%
MARY CARNEGIE feted her visiting mommy, Mrs. Mary Floyd
return departure to her home town in McCrae, Ga., Tuesday night
. . . Mrs. David Jenkins, widow of the slain photographer, David
sitting, sad-eyed in Bunche Park Cocktail Lounge last Thursday night
in company with the brother of her deceased hubby, who was buried
from Ebenezer the day before . . . Songs via the Barbara Weir styl
ings rate hearty applause . . . Entertainer Billy Daniels, New York
case and night club star, is headed for Miami Beach’s fablulous Copa
City come the approaching season . . . Enoch Powell of Broward
County’s P.D., here mixing business and pleasure.
ALEX MCDOWELL, the bluecoat, suffered 13 days of hospital
confinement recently at Jackson’s. Admitted on the Bth the patrolman
was dismissed on the 22nd . . . Orchid of the Week goes to the Uni
versity of Miami football team, which, spearheaded by Jim Dooley,
shook mits of congratulations with the ebony stars on the defeated
lowa football team last Friday night. The game, an Orange Bowl
thriller-diller, was won by Miami 14-6 . . . Bob White, former Case
Society emcee-entertainer (now doing his chores at the Rockland
Palace) goes back into character for Case Society patrons this week
end Friday, Saturday, Sunday .. . Phil Harris, star of Club Para
dise up at Liberia, ails at home.
ST. MATTHEWS CHURCH plays host to what is labelled a two
fold song-fest Monday night (Dec. 4). Featured on the bill are Direc
tress Ruby Jane Hardie and her broadcasting artists. The Southland
Singers versus Prof. James Moss’ Versatile Chorus, purveyors of clas
sics and semis. It’s a scheduled must for 8:00 p.m. . . . Rev. Julius
Brown gets the assignment to deliver the spiritual message to the Elks
during their annual Memorial Service at Mt. Olivet Baptist Sunday
afternoon, December 10 . . . Help the Kiwanis Club to help you by
attending its Charity game and Christmas pageant next Friday night,
December 8 at the Orange Bowl stadium. Money raised from this event
helps to buy glasses and support the specially-equipped class at Dun
bar Elementary School for children with defected sights. Tickets are
on sale at Sweeting and North, 1188 NW Third Ave..
A TIMELY MEMO is one to remind you to attend the official
Classic football dance (after the gume) on Saturday night at the
Rockland Palace, when alumni and friends of both Florida and Wil
berforce with their friends will dance (in victory) from the midnight
hours until the wee sma hours of Sunday dawning. ... I’ll be seeing
you at the the game . . . That’s it, folks!
I’VE OFTEN WONDERED why those respon
sible don’t permit “Miss Famcee’ and her attend
ants to ride their float completely around the
Orange Bowl arena as other “Queens” are allowed
to do. The half-time spectacle, a dazzling show-off
for Classic fans, is robbed of its brilliancy in de
priving the Queen of this honor. What I am trying
to convey was clearly brought out during the Un
iversity of Miami-lowa game Friday night, wheh
the parade of floats circled the huge Bowl for all
to see.. There apear to be a bit of selfishness wrap
ped around the limitations “Miss Famcee” and her
attendants have to contend with. Or maybe some
body is just plain afraid of offending somebody.