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8,1943 ’, January 31ub. All should be an now to activities lericanism D. A. R., lupervisor. donday at Nutrition >. m. This University il specific- wartime be an aid ing them rogram. are urged r enrolling Club with ictor. The Saturday le first 10 : will re time. 4 9.80 .. 9.45 4 8.40 .. 8.85 - 1 4 7.85 .. 8.75 .. 8.10 .. 8.30 .. 9.90 .. 10.50 le 9173 7 4 —l_ x. . . .... . _ ■ .jXu—^mmi^^mrwnirTieuUmuuieiwnn—iwirimiirunwsii \ I DEMOCRACY NOW a Why should Americana quibble over Mge / "/\ 'X WOMEN HOLD CARDS giving the Negro immediate democ- t / I The women of our race have a racy, when that act would spur him '• "f C superlative opportunity to win a place to atill greater efforts in winning the ( M ia the sun for us and wo will be dere- war? In fact, that act would be the flrat atep toward winning the war. **'" X if we do not guide and inapire them But if Americana persist in “preju- ( riO < m x A. ■ ■X’lßafcrP/al v . M to aid ua, the men, in uplifting our- dice as usual,” then they probably will «* ■ fl ■■ ■■ I selve * oat o{ lhe etonomic > • ocial PROMISING full democracy NOW? U Vf ▼▼ help to win the game.—Joseph —Curtis Lucas. X "* z I Bibb. VOL. 9, NO. 23 BRidgeport 3595 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1943 PRICE A YEAH-7 CENTS A COPY McNutt Charged With Squelching FEPC Report On Railroads Unfair Policies WASHINGTON, Jan. IL—Manpower Commissioner Paul V. McNutt has intervened to suppress the Fair Employment Practice Committee’s dynamite-packed exposure of anti-Negro discrimination in the railroad industry, it was learned today. Under pressure from McNutt, the FEPC, a unit of the Manpower Commission, has been forced to “postpone”—indefinitely—public hear ings at which it was prepared to shoot the works against railroad management and unions for defy ing President Roosevelt’s anti discrimination order. McNutt’s move appeared certain to create a major blow-up on the discrimination issue and may lead to sudden collapse of the FEPC, spearhead of the drive for equal rights in war work. With Negro groups expected to interpret Mc- Nutt’s action as a “death sen tence” for the FEPC, key members of the Committee already were re ported on the verge of resignation. Who’ll Take Rap 7 Official announcement of the “postponement” of the hearings scheduled to begin here next Mon day, may come at McNutt’s weekly press conference today. Members of the FEPC are understood to have flatly rejected McNutt’s re quest that the Committee issue the announcement on its own. They told him bluntly that, if he insisted on abandonment of the hearings, he would have to “take the rap” him self. It is understood that McNutt’s final decision to block the hearings was communicated to Lawrence W. Cramer, executive secretary of the FEPC, on Saturday. Cramer con ferred with other members of the committee, then informed the man power chief that he would have to make an announcement under his own name. The gravity of the case is under lined by the fact that the projected railroad hearings have been her (Continued on Page 4) Poison Fatal To Mill City Woman, Mother Woodard Funeral Home Chapel, Minneapolis, was packed Wednes day afternoon with people attending the funeral of Rachel Robinson, 39-year-old mother of seven children who ended her life last Satur day, January 9, by drinking Lysol, a poison, at her home, 140 Hyland avenue. Mrs. Robinson, allegedly despondent over the death of her husband several months ago, was rushed to Minneapolis General hospital short ly after 8 p. m. when it was dis covered that she had drunk the poison. She could not be revived and died about 11:30 that night. Some members of the family said the Lysol was drunk by accident but the coroner’s report listed the death as suicide. Besides her seven children, Mrs. Robinson is survived by her mother, three brothers and two sisters, one her twin. One son is serving in the United States Navy. Rev. Robert Kelly conducted the funeral service. Interment, Crystal Lake cemetery. Interviews For War Plant Jobs To Continue... St Paul citizens seeking employ ment in local war industry will be interviewed Monday and Tuesday 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. by a plant repre sentative at the St. Paul Urban League, 138 E. 6th Street, St. Paul. On Wednesday and Thursday in terviews may be had in Minneapo lis at the offices of the Minneapolis Urban League, 240 S. 4th St., Min neapolis, at the same hours. O.E.S. Patrons and Matrons Council to Meet Sunday The Past Matrons and Past Patrons* Council, 0. E. S., will hold a very important meeting on Sun day, January 17, at 2:30 p. m. at Welcome' Hall, on the corner of St Anthony and Farrington, St Paul. Every member is urged to at tend, for there is business of grave importance. J. Wesley Jones Music Group Meets The J. Wesley Jones Music Club met Sunday afternoon in Fel lowship Hall of Pilgrim Baptist Church. After a brief business ses sion, the club rehearsed numbers for the Missionary Program to ba held at the Pilgrim Church on Sun day, January 17, at 5:00 p. m. The next meeting will be held in Minneapolis at the St Peter A. M. E. Church. Very Nice, Eh? Mrs. Mae Williams Mrs, Mae Williams of New York City is the sister of Mrs. Dorothy Boyd, manager of the Nifty Cafe, 556 Rondo Ave. During the Christmas holidays Mrs. Williams went from New York to Chicago to visit her moth er and after a trip back to New York, came from that city directly to St. Paul to assume her new du ties as assistant manager of the Nifty Cafe. These two sisters will carry on while Artie Boyd, pro prietor, and husband of Mrs. Doro thy Boyd, is doing his part in the armed services. Of Seven Children John MarshaU P. T. A. Meeting January 19 The John Marshall High School P. T. A. will hold its regular meet ing on January 19 at 8 p. m. in the school auditorium. Guests of honor will be Mrs. Herbert Parker, vice president of the State P. T. A.; Mrs. R. D. Brubaker, president, St Paul Council, and Mrs. Glenn Finger, movie and radio chairman of the council. Mr. Ed Merrit “king of commu nity singing,” will lead in commu nity singing. The highlight of the evening will be a panel discussion on “Child Delinquency.” Mrs. Her bert Parker will be the moderator; Mrs. Glenn Finger will discuss the home; Robert R. Mitchell will dis cuss the responsibility of the church; Barbara Cross, the school and Norris Kunkleman, the com munity. Everyone is urged to attend and hear this important discussion. Re freshments will be served. Johnny Baker Post Men Given First Aid Kits At a meeting of the Minneapolis Civilian Defense Council Rescue Squad January 6 at Nicollet hotel First Aid Kits were distributed to members who had finished the First Aid course. Members of Johnny Baker Post, American Legion, receiving the kits were Percy Hughes, Webster Stovall, Jack Posten, Joe Napue, E. M. Fassett, Spencer Shivers and Henderson. These men are now equipped to answer any emergency due to bombings or other war casualties. REV. NELSON’S STORY ON EASTERN TRIP Arrived too late for this issue. His Timely portion of his story and sidelights on his New York trip will appear in next week’s paper. U.S. Indicts 5 Miss. Lynchers Jackson, Miss. The South land, at least that part of it which likes its lynchings, was astounded today when U. S. Marshals prepared to arrest five white men charged with lynch ing a Negro. It is indicated that an attempt will be made by defense lawyers and the daily press of the State to show that the indictments are “another” invasion of States rights by the Federal govern ment , The lynched man, Howard Wash, was a farm hand. He was taken from the jail at Laurel, October 16, and hanged by a mob. “Brother” Payne In Hospital E. H. (Brother) Payne, 3733 Fourth Ave. S., is in fair condition at Minneapolis General hospital. Mr. Payne has been in poor health since last May when he suf fered a severe heart attack and was forced to give up his employ ment. Last Sunday morning his condi tion became worse and he was tak en to the hospital. Rev. Robbins Forum Speaker Rev. Wallace W. Robbins, pas tor of Unity Church and president of the Executive Board of the St. Paul Urban League, has been se cured by Eta Chapter, Alpha Kap pa Alpha Sorority, as speaker at the Sunday Forum, January 24, at the Hallie Q. Brown Community House, sponsored by the Sorority. An interesting musical program is being arranged. The program is under the direction of the Civic Committee of Eta Chapter. Mrs. Allie Balenger is chairman of the committee and is being assisted by Mrs. Bella Lee Shelton, Mrs. Wan da Owens and Miss Laura Jeffrey. Rev. Robbins’ subject will be an nounced later. Council Renames Brown President Others Reelected The Council of Negro Organi zations held its annual meeting and election of officers Sunday, Jan. 10, at Phyllis Wheatley House. Dr. W. D. Brown, president, re viewed work of the Council during 1942 and among other achieve ments pointed out that of the re lationship established with local daily newspapers in regard to the manner of handling news involving Negroes. Mrs. Ethel Lynch, chairman of the committee on placement of Ne gro teachers in public schools, re ported her findings and called at tention to the fact that no Negro had applied for such a position during the past 15 or 20 years, thus no serious question of how it might be handled had arisen. A Mr. Sands, an assistant to N. B. Schoonmaker, public school super intendent whom she interviewed, stated that if such an application is made by a qualified person he be lieved that it would be handled fairly. The following officers were elect ed by unanimous vote: Dr. W. D. Brown, president; Henry R. Thom as, first vice president; George Hall, second vice president; Wen dell Jones, treasurer; C. W. Wash ington, secretary; Miss Essie Ma son, recording secretary; Mrs. Mae Marshall, Leo Bohanon, Cecil E. Newman, members of the executive committee. Discussion on “Do Negroes Want Total Integration” was pre sented by John M. Patton, presi dent of the St Paul Community Council, and Miss Irma Clardy, secretary of the Minneapolis Branch of the NAACP. Leo M. Bohannon presided. Glad to Pay His Paper Bill Mr. A. R. North, 485 Rondo Ave., St Paul, writes on the bottom of his circulation statement “This is one bill I am glad to pay. En closed find money order for the above amount.” "Twas fun to receive that bit of encouragement instead of the usual, “I want to get that paper, but you’ll have to come by here and get the money.” And we suf fer, too, from the lack of gaa and tires just as other civilians, so col lectin’ ain’t so easy for us as it used ta be. To those who have cooperated, we graciously thank you.—E. B. WOLD - CHAMBERLAIN NAVY COMMANDER DENIES SERVICE MEN’S CENTER “OUT OF BOUNDS” The Service Men’s Centers in Minneapolis and St Paul have not been declared “out of bounds” for Negro service' men stationed at Wold Chamberlain Field, according to Commander D. M. Campbell. This statement was made to a committee headed by Major Sam uel Ransom during a conference with Commander Campbell Thurs day, January 7. During the past two months it has been generally understood by the Negro citizens of both cities that officials at Wold Chamberlain Field had issued an order to the Negro men stationed there that they could not frequent the down town recreational centers estab lished in Minneapolis and St. Paul for the benefit of service men. Both Commander Campbell and Lieutenant C. J. Ruddy, Morale Officer, at the base stated that they had not heard of any such ac tion, that it was only a rumor which was coming to their atten tion for the first time. It was Finley Wilson Says F.D.R. Speech Was Disappointing Washington, D. C., Jan. 7.—J. Finley Wilson, Grand Exalted Rul er of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, the largest dues paying or ganization of Negroes in the Unit ed States, in commenting on the President’s speech at the opening of Congress, promised the full sup port of his organization for Mr. Roosevelt’s foreign policy of per manently defeating dictatorship and aggression, but declared that the speech was weak in failing to support any effective measures to strengthen democracy at home, ex cept for the proposal to extend the Social Security Program. Mr. Wilson declared, “Mr. Roose velt is a great leader for the nation at war, and the Elks, of which I have the honor to be the Grand Exalted Ruler, whole-heartedly support the policy of fighting the war against dictatorship and ag gression on behalf of democracy and peace, even though peace-time democracy as it is actually prac ticed in the United States treats Negroes as merely second-ciass citizens in many parts of the coun try. We are also whole-heartedly behind his statesmanlike proposal to assure lasting peace and perma nent employment to all men and women who need and want to work. For Negroes, who constitute ten per cent of the population and who are constantly discriminated against in industry because of race, stand to make special gains from guarantees of employment. But otherwise the President’s speech was a disappointment. Race Bias Weakest Link “Racial discrimination consti tutes the weakest link in our de mocracy, yet on this subject the President’s speech was very weak. He conspicuously failed to endorse the Federal Anti-Lynching Bill, for example, even though the past year saw three lynchings in one week. Lynching is not merely a blot on civilization. It is detrimental to admitted that several undesirable spots had been declared “out of bounds," but under V»o circum stances would such an order apply to the Service Men’s Center. Men at the Base are not suffer ing from a lack of recreation in the opinion of Lieut. Ruddy. He stated that many of the men were married and live in the city. Oth ers have become well acquainted with local citizens and have no dif ficulty in finding wholesome recre ation. He stated that he would check to see whether or not the rumor regarding the Service Men’s Center had originated at the base. The Commander expressed his de sire to have the men spend their time at such places as the Service Men’s Center. Other members of the investigat ing committee, headed by Major Ransom, were Rev. B. N. Moore, St. Paul, Harvey Moss and Chas. W. Washington of Minneapolis. The committee represented the Twin Cities Service Men’s Council. our war effort Immediately after the lynching of Cleo Wright in Sikeston, Missouri, last year, the Japanese used the incident to pour contempt on American democracy by propaganda broadcasts to the teeming colored population of Asia. The Nazis, too, have used the ex istence of lynching to buttress their argument that our democracy is mere hypocrisy. “The President said nothing on behalf of the movement to abolish the Poll Tax as a necessary quali fication for voting in the eight Southern states where it still ex ists. The Poll Tax is often cumu lative, so that it effectively dis franchises the economically un privileged, both white and Negro. This is grossly undemocratic and results in the election to Congress of reactionaries from the poll tax states. Strengthening our democ racy by abolishing the poll tax would strengthen our morale in a war for democracy. Yet Mr. Roosevelt remained silent on this issue on which a bi-partisan group of Senators, both reactionary Southern Democrats and reaction ary Northern Republicans, defeat ed the will of the great majority of the people. "In the poorer states, education is sometimes sadly neglected. Ne gro children suffer especially. Col ored school children have funds spent on their education in some states less than one-fifteenth per child of what is spent on an aver age per child throughout the na tion. Yet no genuine democracy can exist or long survive without proper education. A bill to pro vide federal aid to education, with no strings attached to the federal subsidy except that there should be no racial or religious discrimi nation in the expenditure of the funds, was introduced in the last Congress but died there. Mr. Roosevelt as a true democratic leader should have supported the bill, but did not. “Finally, as Commander-In-Chief of the Army and Navy, our Presi dent should have spoken out against the frequent indignities and occasional brutalities to which Dr. Scruggs, School President, Hallie Q. Meeting Speaker The 14th annual meeting of Hal lie Q. Brown Community House to be held Thursday night, January 21, will have as its speaker this year Dr. Sherman Scruggs, president of Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo. The program will begin at 8 p. m. This year the high cost of food caused the House to abandon its usual dinner and there will be no admission or dinner fee. A group of “Hallie’s” young people will present an impromptu skit entitled “The Citizen Family Visits Hallie Q.” The announcement from the com mittee in charge of the meeting said Tuesday: “This year particularly the neigh borhood has a lot to crow about, payments have been completed on the old building and it is now the exclusive property of the Hallie Q. Brown. It was purchased on a five-year plan from the Union Hall Association. A newly decorated auditorium with a new knotty pine stage and new fluorescent lights all go to make a far more attrac tive building. The Nursery School which at one time cared for children of low in come families or children whose families were on direct relief has now changed its entire objective to meet a new and growing need, working mother’s children will go to make up the clientele of the Nursery School plus those children who are referred by social workers for particular reasons to benefit the child primarily. While a large number of older boys and young men have gone into the armed forces there are no less than 584 separate individuals en rolled in clubs and classes accord ing to recreation study recently made by the Community Chest of which Hallie Q. Brown House is a participating member. Dr. Scruggs, who is a Ph.D. in education from the University of Kansas, will talk on the sub ject, "The Preparation Young Peo ple Should Make in the Midst of War for Peace Time Occupations." A social hour will be held fol lowing the formal meeting. Negro soldiers are subjected, espe cially in the training eamps in the South. Yet here again he waa dis appointingly silent." NAACP National Office To Ask Congress Inquiry In Samuel Reed Case New York.—An investigation by the House Military Affairs Com mittee of the circumstances surrounding the demotion of Samuel Reed from the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major to private, and his subse quent transfer to a station for immediate overseas duty, will be asked by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, it was announced here this week. Private Reed, a native of St. Paul, Minn., graduate of the Uni versity of Minnesota, brother of Dwight Reed, Minnesota All-Amer ican end, and former president of the St. Paul Branch of the NAACP, was accused of “destroying” a paper containing an application of a privatq for the Officer Candidate School. Just prior to this alleged “crime” the then Sergeant Reed had been the chairman of a committee which presented, through regular military channels, a petition to the commanding officer citing certain grievances and asking redress. The petition charged color discrimina tion and mistreatment of Negro soldiers at Camp Lee. In reply to an inquiry from the NAACP, Ma jor General James E. Edmonds wrote that the fact that Sergeant Reed had been chairman of this committe was “only coincidental” with his demotion and had no rela tion to it. The matter is being pressed by the St Paul and Minneapolis branches of the NAACP where Reed and his family are held in highest respect. His father, Dwight Reed, Sr M is a graduate of Dart mouth college and has been a civil engineer in St Paul for more than Joe Young, Minneapolis Character, Kills Self In California, Funeral Here LOS ANGELES, Calif., Jan. B.—Joe Young, former Minneapolis resident, well-known character there since 1911, committed suicide here Thursday by shooting himself. No details of his deed were obtainable. Young’s body is being shipped to Minneapolis for burial. Friends of Young said Wednesday that the funeral will be held Friday at 2 p. m. r.t the Woodard Funeral Home Chapel, 1103 Lyndale Ave. N, Minneapolis. Rev. M. R. Hogarth will officiate. Joe Young, reputedly well to do in a financial way, was in the real estate business in Minneapolis for many years. At one time he had offices with William R. Morris, at torney who also committed suicide. Reports say Young owns several pieces of Minneapolis real estate and property in Los Angeles where he went to live in 1939. The hus band of the late Lena Smith, an other Minneapolis figure, he mar ried a Loe Angeles woman after moving to the West Coast. The most recent Mrs. Young also died in 1942. Young visited Minneapolis sev eral months ago. His only known relative who sur vives is a niece, Miss Geraldine Broaddus, a teacher in the Leaven worth, Kans., public schools who arrived in Minneapolis Wednesday for the funeral on Friday. Interment will be at Lakewood cemetery. Jewish Church to Honor Dr. George Carver Fri. Nite The memory of DR. GEORGE W. CARVER, noted scientist and humanitarian, will be honored at the service of Temple Israel Fri day, January 15th—8:00 p. m. Rabbi Albert G. Minda will speak on “LET MY PEOPLE GO FREE.” The Temple Israel choir, under the direction of Mr. C. A. Jensen, will render a special program of mu sic. Cerilda Craig Resident 22 Years Buried In lowa Funeral services for Mrs. Cerilda Craig, a resident of St. Paul for 22 years, were held January 10, at Keokuk, lowa, where she resided before coming to St. Paul. The remains were accompanied to lowa by, Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Un derwood of Minneapolis. Mrs. Craig was born in Shelbina, Mo., September 6, 1870. She was a member of St James A. M. E. Church and St Paul Chap ter No. 1, 0. E. S. No known relatives survive her according to the Underwoods who were close friends of the deceased. SUFFERS CUT HAND T. J. Gray, 44, 493 W. Central Ave., suffered a cut hand when he Robert streets Thursday, January 7, at 11:08 p. m. 25 years. The Rev. C. T. R. Nelson, presi dent of the St. Paul branch, and Irving Blumberg, a member of the board of the Minneapolis branch, conferred personally with Walter White here January 8 and with Congressman Maas of Minnesota, Judge William H. Hastie and oth ers in Washington on January 11. Congressman Maas has written the St. Paul branch of the NAACP that he is “not satisfied” with the explanation of the War department in the Reed case, and will be glad to place the matter before the House Military Affairs committee for investigation. It is reported that Irving Blum berg of Minneapolis will make a report of his and Rev. C. T. Nel son’s trip to the East at a meeting of the Minneapolis branch Sunday, January 24, at Phyllis Wheatley House at 4 p. m. Rev. Nelson will report to the St Paul branch Tuesday, January 19, at Hallie Q. Brown House at 8 p. m. “Strike a Blow at Old Jim Crow —Equal Rights for Negroes in the Armed Forces” has been selected for the slogan of the Twin City Sam Reed co-ordinating committee. Annual Credit Union Meeting Hears Reports The Associated Negro Credit Union held its sixth annual meet ing at Hallie Q. Brown Settlement House, St Paul, on Monday, Jan uary 11. AnnQal reports given by the president, W. B. Walker, Talmadge Carey, secretary-treasurer, C. W. Washington, chairman of the credit committee, and George G. Mundell, chairman of the supervisory com mittee. R. E. Archer, treasurer of the League Credit Union, spoke and highly lauded the officers for hav ing done such an excellent job un der such terrific handicaps. Mr. Archer also urged members to pitch in and work and give more sup port to their officers who worked tirelessly for no compensation. He reminded them that they were all partners in this organization and that those who availed themselves of the credit union’s loan service which has amounted to $20,394.35 since 1937 had saved a total of sev eral hundreds of dollars in loan fees. Rev. B. N. Moore briefly gave a history of the co-operative move ment and the advantages in them for the people. Miss L Myrtle Car den conducted the panel on which Rev. Moore spoke and William Moden kept the discussion lively by asking pertinent questions, the answers to which were educational. W. B. Walker, Talmadge B. Carey and Dr. Earl S. Weber were re-elected to the board of directors. Mrs. Nettie Shepherd, Minneapolis, was elected to serve during the un expired term of Percy C. Hughes, also a director, who resigned re cently. Geo. G. Mundell and John M. Patton, St. Paul, and Jos. B. Levy, Minneapolis, were re-elected to the supervisory committee. C. W. Washington and Tom Carroll, Min neapolis, were re-elected to the credit committee. Mrs. Mildred Daniels of Minneapolis was also elected to the credit committee. KIDDIES FORM JACK ARMSTRONG CLUB Marcbeta and Myrrene Allen, 996 Iglehart Ave., have organized a Jack Armstrong Club with the staunch purpose “To Help Win the War.” Other members are Julia, Roberta and Marion Jones, Norma Jean and Joan Howell and Patsy Moore. The Jack Armstrong club members have badges and call themselves the WAFC’s. - -