The Michigan chronicle. [volume], July 22, 1939, CITY EDITION, Image 10

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

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Published Every Thursday By
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PUBLISHING COMPANY
LOUIS EMANUEL MARTIN. Editor
MAIN OFFICE: 612 Vernor Highway. Detroit. Mich.. Clifford 3103
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THL MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PLATFORM
I. Coloreo representative* in all department* ot city fovernment
a. Colored workers in all orianlution* U .tateed ucati onal control board*
J SS l ‘^*? # ”»“ut!on V ”l°co C oreo e< in" tba Detroit police department
• A°eo:ored‘ reg.ment in me state m:..' a
THE 1910 EXPOSITION
It was announced last week that Eddie Tolan, of
the National Youth Administration, will assume the
executive directorship of the Seventy-Five Years of
Progress Exposition. Although there is much under
current controversy about the new job for the
Olympic champion, we are earnestly solicitous about
the success of the 1940 exposition. The citizens of
Detroit can, and are eager to, contribute much of
their time and resources toward the staging of a
mammoth fair here next year. Many people are
merely waiting the signal for action in order to,
boom the exposition of racial progress, which was
announced many months ago.
Inasmuch as there is but little time left in which
preparations can be adequately made for a worth
while exposition, we are urging all organizations
and every individual who believes that he can con
tribute something to the success of the exposition :
to notify Mr. Tolan immediately. The new offices
of the exposition were opened Monday at the Eben-:
ezer A.M.E. church and according to reports, there
have been many encouraging developments within
the last few weeks.
The creation of a great exposition is a large and
-challenging undertaking and there are, those who do
not believe in the intrinsic value of such an enter
prise. The few skeptics, however, are only waiting j
for a demonstration of purpose and they will join
the bandwagon. Mr. Tolan is eminently capable of
making thp _p_rogram a brilliant success and he de- 1
serves our wholehearted support.
•WHITEWASHING”
Last week Judge Skillman declared that the;
police officials were trying to “whitewash” the bru- j
tality charges in the case of Frank Roberson. Al
though Roberson is known to hyve a criminal record,
the judge and all reasonable men certainly realize j
that Roberson's record does not give the police license j
to beat him up. It must be made unequivocally clear
that the police department is not a court and that
patrolmen are not judges, nor is it their duty to pun
ish criminals. The wilful and malicious beating which !
the police take it upon themselves to administer to:
prisoners is in itself a crime and should be prosecuted.
Judge McKay Skillman knows very well that the
police officials were lying in their teeth, and that
if the facts were ever really known, most of the
police would be sentenced to prison. It tea discour
aging fact to see the officials utter sweet lies to the |
daily press denying the brutality of their under.
lings in the police department. The daily press also
has taken a stupid attitude in the whole contro
versy. We read now that, after all, some of the crim
inals are so bad that the cops just have to hit them
over the head sometimes. This same stupidity on the
part of the daily press was exhibited when the
American Civil Liberties Union rated Detroit as very J
poor in the matter of civil liberties. The daily press
did not believe it, although the American Civil Lib
erties Union cited cases to prove their point.
It seems that the policy of the police department
is tied up so closely with the vested interests of De
troit and the administration that it is futile to pro
test the actions of the department. The one oppor
tunity we have left lies in the ousting of those pub
lic officials who refuse to recognize the fact that the
police cannot and must not beat up civilians in order
to satisfy their bloody lust. It should be clear by now
that none of the so-called friendly powers in Detroit
really care what happens in the police department
F0 lon £ as on >y Negroes and poor whites are the
victims.
BOOK REVIEW
I "f w envir °nment he finds that all i
Negroes are lumped by whites into I
an inferior group regardless of color.
claiS or. profusion. Although the'
immigrant finds usually that his eco-1
n " mic status is measufiibly im- :
proved he finds it hard to accept 1
•ne discrimination which he meets,
on every side even in the North. |
Besides, he is often faced with the'
necessity of accepting labor of a
kind which he would'have con-!
: side-red far below him in his coun
try and larger wane, do not always
compensate him for what he looks I
j upon as loss of statu*.
justment looms high when he is 1
' first introduced to the Negro com- j
mumty. There is mutual jealousy
and mistrust The native Negro re-1
sent* the immigrant's air of superior
i'y and his pride in his British or
French citizenship a* well as the,
j foreign-born offer him Thu is true,'
Ihg Negro Immigrant, bv Ira Df A
Reid The Columbia I nlver-.lt. y!
Pre*« New York City 1939
$.1.50.
Mr. Reid is concerned here with l
the adjujtments. attitudf « and back
ground of the 100 000 foreign-born
Negroes who have immigrated to
the United States At the same t me
he discusses the problems of the
second generation.- children qf mixed
or foreign-born parentage who al
though native American-* are faced
with a variety of adjustments in
thc.r contacts with their parents and
The Negro immigrant to the
United States is fated with the |
necessity of accommodating himself:
to anew country as well as to a
new outlook of race For the most
part he is accustomed to a classifi- ’
cation of Negroe* as mulattocs and
backs in his native country and
between tne.ve two extremes In the
Editorial Page of TH E MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
of course, only in those sections
where the foreign-born Negroes
.have settled in large numbers, in;
' New York. Massachusetts end in
i Florida. The majority of Canadian
j -mmigrant* have *ettled in Detroit 1
: but heir number is relatively
I The difficulties between the!
native-born and the foreign-born are 1
[brought out well in the author's!
discussion of the political situation!
in Harlem where West Indians have
gamed much of the political leader
ship. The resultant jealousy and sus-;
picions have caused the Negroes to
split on several occasion* when a
united front was necessary to keep
Negroes in office. This is only one |
of a large number of 4 example* of!
different kinds which Mr. Reid
By MARIAN
j Just the ideal picn.c weather . . . i
and for social recreation the Party
line has taken to the great outdoors |
Out to Cass Benton Park on Sun- i
day for the Kappa Alpha Psi fri
gay pleasures . . swimming, base
, ball biking and the good old picnic
basket* held their spell of the lovely
Among the many were Mr. and
Mrs Eugene Jackson, Mr. and Mrs.
Armstead Pierro. Mr. and Mrs. Caa
sius Pendleton Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Bowen. Atty and Mrs. Julian Perry.
Mr. and Mrs. N. Hackett and daugh- ■
ter. Shirley. Dr and Mrs. Sidney !
Barthwell Mr and Mrs. Henry-
Walker. Atty. Joe Craigen. Fred- 1
erick and Jame* Cain. Edward Car- ,
son, Hubert Scott, Harold Glenn. '
Allen Lee. Robert Love, Dr Howard.
M.ss Julia Boster
mentions in the course of his book.
| The author believes that the com
ing of the Negro immigrant has re
sulted in a broaJening of the native
born Negro's approach to his own
problems and a better understanding
on his part of the international j
situat'on. The immigrant often gams;
a more practical outlook on life;
as a whole and loses some of his j
idea* on caste when he sees similar
opportunities open to the sons of
all classes- The book also show*
time of the differences in cultural
patterns between the different im
migrant groups here and reveala to
what extent many of them keep
| their customs and observances in
1 the new land. Considerable space is
given to personal accounts by immi-
I grants which clarify many of the
! puints which Mr. Reid make*. The
} book is one which will be extremely
helpful to anyone interested in the
• Negro outside of the United States,
particularly in the West Indies, the
1 Cape V'erde Hands and Canada.
• which places lead as sources of
Mr. Keens of Indianapolis. Dr
Bodie, Dr. and MrsTConnolly. John
Priestly. M:s Myrtle’Seabrooks and
son. Franklin. Mr and Mrs. William
Loving. Dr and Mrs. Connley, Mrs
Joseph Butler. Mis* Regina Solomon
Mrs. Lewi* and daughter. Patricia,
of Cleveland. Theodore Owen, Mr.
and Mrs. Lyman Gillespie, Dr. Ed
gar Keemer, Dr. Beatrice Keemer,
Mrs. Leonard Troutman;
Miss Strong. Mr. Carmichael.
Atty. and Mrs Judson Powell, and
family, Atty. and Mrs. Benjamin '
Smith. Messrs. Horace Sheffield.
Wentz Perkins 111. Finley Gu'herie.
Stanford Hicks. Kenneth Stone- j
street. John Johnson Emmett Lloyd, j
Joseph Neal, P. Rosemond Davis. ;
Charlotte Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Al
vin Lov.ng.--Mr. and Mrs. Floyd.
Penick, Miss Fisher of Atlanta, and j
others.
.Negro immigration today The earl
ier chapters are sometimes repeti
-1 tious and laden with sociological
pierms which might easily have been
expressed ffi - rrtptlr language which
1 would have made the book more
accessible to the uninitiated layman.
The facts which Mr. Reid presents
are sufficiently important to all Ne
groes. however, to make it well,
worth the reader's while to find hi* !
, way through the heavier sections of-
Negro History
DID YOU KNOW—
-1 That a Negro. Pietro Alonzo,
was pilot of the Nina, one of :
Columbus' ships?
2 That Criipui Attacks, a Negro,
was the first American to die in de
fense of the United States?
3 That Peter Salem, a Negro. ,
fired the first shot at Bunker Hill? I
4. That Benjamin Banneker. a
Negro scientist and mathematician, |
planned and laid out the city of
Washington?
5 That John M Langston was the 1
first Negro permitted to practice |
law before the U. S Supreme Court 1
in 1807-»
6. That there were 775 Negro
soldiers in the army under Wash
' ington. 1778’
7. That, during the World War, a
1 Negro farmer. David H. Haynes, of
I Thibodaux, La., made the largest
! subscription for liberty bond* of any
person, white or Negro, in that
state, and the largest of any Negro
in America’’ (sloo.oooi.
—Hondon Bud Hargrove
NORTHWEST
DETROIT
Miss Mamie Lee Cotton of Little |
Rock, Ark., is the house guest of j
Mr. and Mrs. John White of Garden- I
Bob Bums of Warrington. Ga.. is
visiting is wife, Sarah, of Parkside
avenue. Ferndak
Mrs. of North- j
lawn avenue, is vacationing in New
Orleans. La.
Mrs E. Ballard of Greenlawn ave- j
nue, has returned home from Pitts- j
burgh. Pa., where she was visiting j
friends and relatives.
Robert Wells of Nashville, Tenn.,
j Georgia O'Neal of Parkside ave
| nue. Ferndale, and Mrs. Leona
j Lampton of Detroit.
Mrs. Gertrude Green of Griggs I
avenue is in Receiving hospital. I
| Roland Powe and his son. Char
ley. and Mr*. Olltr Hays, will spend ;
-tw-weeks' vacation In their home
town. Winchester. Miss.
The Gospel Singers entertained a I
capacity audience at Mt. Vernon
Baptist church, July 13 and 14
Mrs. F. Clayton and Mrs. Dear
born of Glenlodge street, are plan
ning to visit friends and relatives
in the South.
Mr*. Mary Hones of Eight Mile
Road is in the Ford hospital where
it is reported that she will undergo
The Sophis-To-Kats Social club
The Chrysler Employment Picnic j
was given Saturday at River Rouge.
This was their fifth annual affair.
; and always boasts a capacity crowd, j
, and plenty for all of their guests. !
! L. J. Young chairmaned the affair, j
’ —ft-fgw of their special guests were j
Dr. McCord and staff of Chrysler j
! Hygiene Laboratories; Lance Haskcl, .
! assistant working manager of Dodge j
! plant; K. T. Keller, president of j
Chrysler Motors, gave away S2O in |
prize in drawings. Other officials
who gave cash prizes were Charles
C. T. Winegar, and D. A.
Sampson. There was a ball game, j
j many races and music by the Am
bassadors of Rhythm
i The Appomattox club—l4th con- |
! gressional district, gave a breakfast 1
early Sunday morning out to Belle ;
, Isle. Each member invited a few
j guests, and there was plenty of food
’ and fun for all present. *
Mrs. Mary E. Merrick, wife of
1 Fred S. Merrick, wishes to thank
her many friends for their kind
sympathy during the illness and
death of her husband
Mrs. Edith Marshall of Toronto.
Ontario, is visiting her niece and
nephew, Mr. and Mrs. Herschel
Richey of Vancourt avenue.
Getting ready for two weeks of
holiday fun are Mrs. Albert Beason,
Mrs. Ardell Tate. Mrs. Walter
Brewer, Mrs. Lucille Easton . . .
; the jolly foursome will leave for
i Woodland Park this week,
j When Agnes Moore of Knoxville
! and Phygenau Bailey, our Detroit
! dancer, arrived from their vacation
in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, they
were gaily greeted by a jolly group.
! who continued the merry making
j far into the night. The group in
cluded Levi Gardner, Leroy Harris.
| Lee Morris. William Gary. Louis
Jefferson. Geraldine Mitchell. Lela
' field, Ohio; Helen Taylor. Ida
Crockett, Dorothy and Elizabeth
j McCray. Julius Watkins. Bruce
j Bailey Jr., and Charles Burrell.
Mr. and Mrs. James Dodds and
1 Mr. and Mrs. Herman Moseley, also
Mr and Mfs. Frank Ball are home
I after their gay trip to Buffalo,
wherein they were entertained
royally.
The IWV club went . oyer to
Pontiac, and to the Mellow Lane
club Saturday to celebrate its birth
day. Music and fun and plenty of
delicious food were in store for
! their guests. Marguerite Foye. Clem
) McKesson Jr., Elizabeth Logan.
| Joseph Smith. Marie Royston, Wil
liam Brown. Mr and Mrs. Jessie
: Jones, Mr and Mrs. Levy Tmdale,
George Dillon, Phillip Hill. Mrs.
| Viola Stevens is president of the
dub; Maritime Whitlock, I.ucile
Wilburn. Bertha Frazier. Espinola
Jones, Ann Jones, Etta Grange, who
chairmaned the affair. Their hubbs
also, Orla Stevens, Pero Thompson,
Fleming Whitlock. Charles Wilburn.
Leroy Frazier, Charles Jones, Nor
man Granger were ther*.
The Quien Sabes were over to
Gertrude Moss' Thursday. Bridge
and bingo were the fun. and greet
ings to the many guests.
There was Verna Swan, who is
home from Gary, Ind., and her
ncwly-w-edded sistcr-in-law, Betty
Swann, formerly of Cleveland, Hor
tense Pickens of Pensacola, Fla.,
and Maiian Rawlings, completed the
guest role. The evening was jolly.
Gertrude's mother was in town over
the week end. She is from Cleve
land.
! Miss Dorothy Knight, secretary of
I the I.aNong Sha Long club is con-
I Grace hospital.
| Master El wood Carrington is the
! house guest of his aunt and uncle. !
| Mr. and Mrs. Earl Robinson of
Beechwood avenue. He hails from
I Fort Worth Tex
1 Mr and Mrs. George Thompson
1 motored to Buffalo and Niagara
I Fall*, over the week end uk
ing with them their house guests.
I Mrs Martha Ashton and Mrs. Marian
McClain Mrs. Ashton lives in Bus-
I falo . . . and Mrs. Thompson is
1 also a former New Yorker ... so
: the week end was one of festive
merriment, with gay get-togethers
| . many sights to see .. . and
Ia round of pleasures.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Kates were
I given an elaborate wedding iccep
j tion by the bride's parents. Mr and
| Mrs. Charles Bernan of 30th street
will sponsor a raggedy party Sat
urday. July 29. at 8144 Clovcrdale
avenue. Ferndale. Prizes will be |
awarded for the best-dressed cos
tume.
Mrs. R. H. Avery and Mrs. A.
Hill entertained the ladies’ auxil
iary to the Brotherhood of Sleep-
Ting Car Porters, July 11. Fourteen
j ladies were present and a delicious
menu was served.
j Mrs. Emma Grier of Northlawn j
! avenue departed this life July 14
! Mis Grier was 52 year* old and was
born in Georgia. She was a faithful
! member of First Baptist church,
and resided in the community for j
18 years. She leaves a widower, j
| Dock Grier, a sister and brother and !
a host of friends to mourn her pass- !
the First Baptist church. Wednes
day
I Rev. and Mrs. E. Ward of Chicago [
I are visiting their daughter. Mrs Lil- |
j lia B. Hubert of Wisconsin avenue
Mr. and Mrs .) H Hubert held ’
j their reception ST the Blrdhurst j
Center last Monday night. Many
| lovely gifts were received by the j
honoreer
j The 12-40 Social club met at the
i usual hour at the home of the presi- j
; dent Berth* LeGrande, on Beth- j
.I lawn avenue last Thursday night. |
The Party Line
By MARIAN
I last week Many guests were re
' ceived throughout the reception
I hours. v
In the receiving line were the
! parents of the bride, then the Jesse
Kates (Willie Ruth Barham and
her sister and brother, Theresa and
Charles Jr. For the occasion the
bride was lovely in lilac blue net
with a beautiful corsage of gar
denias. Her coiffure the astoria
style Her mother wore poudre
blue frock of lace and net with a
gardenia corsage.
While Theresa was sweet in
garden pink net with fresh gar-
I Beautiful gifts were jhowered on
| the happy couple, by their many
guests, among whom were Miss Ella
Dee Harris. Samuel Wellington,
: M « Bette Davis. Mus Grace Ogle
' tree Curtis Carter, Mrs McMahan.
and her two nieces, Rachel and Lor
i raine. Mr. and Mrs. George Brooks.
Mr. and Mrs J. Dennis, Mr. and
i Mrs R. English. Miss L. Lewis. Mis*
! D Jones Miss Alice Slaughter, T.
! Burnett. Mr .and Mrs. Thompson.
! Mr. and Mrs. Hollander, Mr and
Mr William Green. Mr. and Mrs.
' P Robinson, Rev. and Mrs. T. Smith.
! Mrs. A Givens, Mr. and Mrs. W
Dexter. Mrs. A. Givens. Mrs. Burke,
; Mr. and Mrs. B. G. Rowe, Misses
Margaret, Lois and Rosa Rowe, Miss
i Viola Taylor, Emmett Tralor, Wil
j liam Merriweather. Mr. and Mrs.
i Russell Mann, Miss Thelma Blame.
[ Mrs Burke. Alexander H. Roberts,
i Mr. and Mrs. Hardin. Mrs. H.
Cheeks E Goss. Miss L. McDuffy,
Mrs. Alice McDaniel Smith. Mis*
Alma Brown. Miss Elsie Brown.
I Clarence Braden. Garfield Taylor,
: Mr and Mrs W. Powell, Mr and
: Mi--. Clarkstown. Mrs. Dorothy Gor
don. Mr. and Mrs. Hendrieth, Mr.
I and Mrs. Robert Rowe, Miss Lillian
I Perry. Lorenza Perry, Miss W
! Henry. Mrs. John Jefferson, Mr. and
Mrc. Durant, Miss Mabel VanZandt |
j Miss Ruth VanZandt who motored j
down from Flint; Mrs, Frank Vn-J
derwood, Mrs. Megerson. Mr. and
Mrs. John Johnson, Miss Thelma
Franks and others.
The Debonair girls held their
monthly meeting at the home of
I their secretary, Erma Wells, on
I Hartford Wednesday.
| Plans were made for their sum
mer picnic which will be_enjoyed
by the members and their guests at
| Belle Isle on the 26th.
! Swimming, bicycling and games
; are planned Members of the club
! are Hattie Henry, president; Erma
Wells, Louise Poyntz, Mytrice Stew
! art, Clara Braxton. Helen Slater,
Modell Poyntz and Lessie Bea
Thomas.
The Swankies Charity club met
with Mr*. Lillian Wilson on Colfax
for their regular meeting.
Luncheon and bridge were en
joyed. The hostess also entertained
as guests Mrs. Lucille Walker. Mrs
Jerry Brooks, Mrs. Etta Bryant, and
Mrs. Celestine McKinney.
The Party Line finds itself amid
the exotic wonderland of vacation
Summer trippers are gathering
their belongings together and pre
paring to flit off to delightful
places. The most enviable trip
we've heard about is when the boat
sails from Hoboken on Thursday
for Holland with Father Malcolm
G. Dade and Mr*. Ernestyne Postles
aboard ... as delegates to the
National Episcopal Youth confer
ence in Holland. They will return
the early part of September.
~ The Fred Otis Jameses are home
after a grand western trip. They
have been to Salt Lake City, Cali
fornia, Kansas, Topeka, Chicago
and Denver.
Mr*. Gable Smith and her daugh
ter, Mrs. Ruth Toles Brantley arc
in Chicago enjoying a whirl of
pleasures with old friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Peoples
spent the week-end in Detroit with
Mrs. Clara Graham on Medbury.
Before returning to their home in
Toledo they were entertained at
Club Nacirema by Mr. and Mrs. S.
H Russell.
Mrs. Lillian Harris and son. War
ren, are visiting in Cleveland and
Cincinnati for their vacation.
Amos Carter ix having hts fun in
Chicago. He will be back to Para
dise Valley soon though, he writes.
The mail' also brings news of
the Thomas (Rooster) Hammonds.
They are still away. After the fight
in New York they went to Atlantic
City, frolicking on the beach . .
and now are up in Boston . . . my.
what a life!
Louise Phillips, the little Ann
Arbor deb is going places, to both
fair* . . First to the exhibition in
San Francisco and then to New
York and the World's Fair.
The bridal news of the week cen-
ter* around the lovely Clarabelle
Elston who will be Mrs. Bertram
Hudson by the end of this month.
Her club members, the Les Diaman
te*. finished their club business
early enough to give her a grand
kitchen shower and spinster party
last week They met at the home
of tneir president. Mildred Sim
mons. and with Muriel Hunter and
Mildred Roberts, the hostess, guests
in for the (tin the party was on
All the Utensil* are trimmed in
! bright red. and it looks Tike Ihe'
Hudson home will be very color
i ful. Bridge was played, with prizes !
going to Clarabelle, Florence Jones
and Gene Stone.
| Others present were; Elo.se Rev- ]
I el* Marjorie Knight. Edythe Ste-
I phens and Marian Rawlings.
I Mrs. Isabel Bass gave the newly
! wedded Mr arvdMrs. George Whyte
'Marie Logan) an elegant break
| fast party last week. After the
breakfast and a round of sports they
motored up to Mr Bass' mother's
; home in Rondeau Bay. for dinner
j and more fun Present were: Mr
I and Mrs Bob Johnson Miss Maude
Sewell. Bob Love. Mr. and Mr*.
Stanley, Mr and Mrs. Charles
! Booker
! Mrs. Mildred Bohan of Minnea
polis. Ind. is vacationing with Mr
, and Mrs. Chavi* of Holbrook avenue.
Friday night at St. Stephens
! church. 27 »tudenta graduated from 1
the Poro School of Cosmetology
I To add to the occasion, Mr*. Annie
• M. Malone of St. Louis and Chi- ;
cago, was here to award the di
ploma*. Mrs. Malone i* the presi--,
dent and founder of Poro college.
! During her stay many other gath
er ngs were given to compliment
j her. For the occasion. Virginia
| Harrison was mistress of ceremon-
I es. Others on the program were:
1 Rev. J D Howell, Mlss Tommie
Benton, Mrs Mamie Spann. Walter
West. Mrs. Smith. C. R. Sharpe.
Myrtle Cook.
The class roll comprises: Inez
Boggess. Thelma Croom. Elizabeth
Davis, Essie Dudley. Mildred Ellis.
Ida Govan, Leanna Hale. Wildridge
Hampton. Vivian Hester, Leola
Hick*. Mary Jenkins, Jeanette
Jones, Viola Jones Eugenia Ken
drick, Mamie King, Beatrice Mc-
Coy Madeline Mott, Eleanor Rog
ers. Dorothy Sharpe, Stella Stew
art. Catherine Thomas, Mary Thom
as. lola Tole*. Henrietta Toney.
Robert Turner, Arline West and
Lillian Wilson.
POLITICS and POLITICIANS
By WM. L SHERRILL, Associafe Editor
All agree that President Roose
velt will be the Democratic candi
date in "40" if he choo*e* to run.
If he does decide to try for another
term... Republican* would be wise
to seek a candidate that can to some
extent match Mr. Roosevelt whet
it comes to lending ..color to a
campaign Mr. Vandenburg can't
do it
Those close to the President who
have been keeping their ears to the
ground in effort to learn what th®
President's ambitions are for 1940
appear to have some little idea now.
according to Washington correspond
ents . . for they arc beginning to
gather in delegates Just who those
delegates will belong to if the Presi
dent decides to run. ..that is the
question harassing the politicians.
Mr. Woodrum... .you know him.
He is the co-sponsor of the New
Relief Bill which cut out WPA
Theatre projects for economy
sake. Well we learn from a Wash
.ngton paper that Mr. Woodrum
put one over on his colleagues last
week, when he quietly slipped
hrough a grant of $340,000 for
Admiral Byrd to make another trip
to the South Pole.
Twice before, it is reported, the I
House refused to pass this grant .. I
but by tacking this item on V>
another bill, Mr. Woodrum quietly
pushed it through He saw no good
reason why the government should
r.ot stop WPA projects . .for econ
of government spending $340,000 to
establish some dubious claim to a
block of ice in the Antarctic.
If you think the President does all
the government spending take a
look at this:
Last week Congress gave the
President 330 million dollars more
for the Agriculture Bill than he
asked for; it gave him 50 million
dollars more for the Department
Civil Functions Bill than the ad
ministration asked for; it gave the
President 324 million dollars more
for the Rivers and Harbors Authori
zation Bill than he asked for.
Congress seems ready, willing and
able to appropriate money for any
purpose but that of relief and work
for millions of unemployed. When
ever the President asks for money
for these... .they never raise th :
amount. all they raise is a how!
Some of the Republican “big
wigs" on our side of the fence don't
feel so kindly toward a certain
Republican group which is attempt
ing to ride into political power on
♦he back of Mr. Ford. They feel
that the propaganda bejng circu
lated by them to gather in members
may prove a boomerang to Re
publican organizational activities.
Whether Van Wagoner will be a
gubernatorial candidate in "40" will
not be known until Van Wagoner
After a week lined with outdoor
activities, it was refreshing al
though warm to run into the Sophis
ticates' invitational party at the
Twelve Horsemen club on Friday.
The gang was indeed having loads
of fun as Cruset's orchestra did the
swinging and with balloons afloat
and pleniy oi noisemakers. it was
a grand affair.
The Young Peoples society of
St. John's church took to the out
doors. on the spacious lawn of Mr.
and Mrs. Johnson of Thirtieth street
when they gave a gala party. At
tending were: Walter Parks. Charles
Hill. Lorenzo Chenault. Roseabell
Evan*. Wandell Chenault. Eirzell
Evans, Frances Finley, Kenneth
W.nfrey. Charles Johnson, Louisa
Lucas, Bernice Patterson. Hazel
Quarker, Gertrude Browning. Helen
Childs. Bernice Williams, Reese
Dobbs and Horace Kendricks.
Miss Mercle Harris and Ralph
Mason, Miss Mamie Hicks, Robert
Ehiyr comprise a jolly foursome
representing our group at the Oak
land Hills Country club when the
Ford trade school gave their prom,
j Lorrayne Porter is home after va
) Rationing in Richmond. Pittsburgh
and Washington. She reports a
wonderful trip.
The cast that played in the ex
citing drama. "Chloe," which was
presented at Hartford Baptist
church were banqueted by Mrs,
Lula Gregory, the director; Mss.
Carrie Davis and Mrs. Eu.-fenia
Kendricks at the Kendricks resi
dence on Hartford avenue last Mon
day. A delicious full course dinner
was served, afterwards the guests
enjoyed Chinese checkers, and oth
er intriguing games.
The cart included: Mrs. Frank
Small (Chloe, the leading lady),
Miss Frankie Howard. Miss Ger
tine Gregory. Mr. and Mrs. Chris
topher Tellis, Sim Flood, Wiley
Reid, John Burton (leading man),
were present.
James Chisolm was also guest.
Willie McQueen who sang the theme
song was another guest. Vivacious
Mis* Edna Gregory (Sue, the ca
pricious flirt of the cast), has just
received her public health certifi
cate from Wayne. A lively time
was had by all the guests.
roe, th€ neGRO
By WM.L SHERRILL
President. Afro-American Institute and Federated
Fireside Croups
QUESTIONS
Are the communities in which
Negroe* live in reality Negro
ximply squatting in these sections?
we will be dangerously insecure and
receive less of the respect of our
fellows than we ought. We can rant
anjd spout as much a? we like the
fact remains, that as long as we are
content to remain subjected to the
whim* and caprices of the landlords
and business men of the other race. :
and allow them to control the des- !
tiny of our communities ... we wili '
not be respected.
We, the Negro, must by our efforts
earn respect., then we can com
mand respect
TEAM WORK
One of the several things that has
contributed to our failure to make
our communities really our own
is the absence of "team work" in
our efforts to advance. We have
too much "rugged individualism"
among our people.
Too many of us are trying to
build....to organize .. to achieve
single handed, individually.
Somehow we seem slow in learn
ing that the success and safety of
any people depends largely upon
their ability to do "team work"
to cooperate together.
Most of our economic and indus
trial failures in our communities Is
the direct result nf our failure to
pull together.
We need organized community
planning There is far too little co
operative planning and acti n on the
part of our business men. Our busi
ness enterprises are largely inimical
One Negro business believes that
•ts success depends upon the failure
of a similar business.
Too few of us realize that the
success of our business is largely
dependent upon the success of the
other fellow’* business.
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION
Cooperation between businesses
*' the life of trade It is thi* copera
tion that results .n Ihe combination
of little businesses into big business.
The large trusts and corporations ir.
thi* country are the direct result
of team work" and cooperation,
j All Negro grocers, barber shops.
re**aurants, insurance companies
and other business and industrial
enterprises should each have its
individual associations for the pur
ose of developing a common under
standing and intelligently planning
for their mutual protection .. . and
‘he further purpose of rendering the
public better service at minimum
cost. Such organizing would put us
in a more powerful position to con
trol our community.
We must develop thi* spirit of
"team work and cooperation" ...
this commurity understanding if we
*o receive all of the advantages
I our community offer*.
Can a com
munity in which
Negroes live,
that is con
.rolled by per
sons alien to the
tommunity be a
Vegro communi
y in the truett
iense of the
word?
How much of
ill that goes to
nake up the
South side of
Chicago, the
Harlem of New
1
U'm L. Sherrill
York, the East side of Detroit and
the Negro section of a hundred
other large urban centers or this
country ..do our people actually
What percentage of the drug
•tores, grocery stores, meat shops,
dry goods stores, shoe shops, cab
arets, beer gardens, community
social institutions, etc., belong to or
is controlled by us?
Is the property held by the mem
bers of our race group, representa
tive of the large population of Ne-
Since it is true that we consti
tute the larger percentage of the
population living in sections desig
nated as 'Negro communities'
should we not for our own pro
tection and security own a larger
share of the real estate and other
property in our districts... .and also
a correspondingly larger share of
business enterprise operated?
OWNERSHIP COMMANDS
RESPECT
We who are forced to live in cer
tain district' and sections must thi. '<
; more of building r.al communities
| control the things that are vital to
I our progress and well being.
The progress, security and pros
i perity of our people depends upon !
>jr community belongs to u*.
upon how much of the real estate
and business is controlled by- us.
Negro communities must be made
Negro communities indeed and in
truth. The sooner we do this the
'ooner will our work and standing
in the larger community be raised
For what we are in the eyes of the
dominate race is largely dependent
upon what we do What we own
and control in our own oommuni-
I mainly rent-payer*. lease- voldrr*,
.consumers, a happy-go-lucxy lo\,
SATURDAY, JULY 22. 198*
returns from Washington where be
will go July 18 to confer with Attoe>
ney General Frank Murphy A* this
column told you a week or *o ago,
, Murphy is yet a factor in Michigan
i politics. Van Wagor er indicated
himself, that he could say nothing
| definite until he found out what
, Mr Murphy intended doing.
Our governor who had no
political ambition* for a second term
when fate handed him the governor
ship. seems to be-climbing into
the drivers seat. His recent blast
ugainst the wets has some suspicious
that he is laying the foundation for
? good old fashioned prohibition
fight in "40." His statement last
vxeek that he has "endeavored to
make appointments on merit, with
the thought that Republicans would
be favored" is significant.
If it is true that the governor i*
beginning to build his political
fences. he will make a serious
mistake to forget to include blacx
Republicans. Many positions held
by Negroes under the Democrats
zre yet unfilled.
Last week Mr. Roosevelt asked
j for $844 498.633 for the farmers . .
I but congress tacked $350,000,000 to
I the bill, making the total for the
agriculture bill $1,194,498,633 For
the Department Civil Functions
Bill the administration asked for
$255,188,514 but congress added
550.000.000 to this bill and appro
priated $305.188 514; SB3 848 100 was
asked for the Rivers and Harbor*
Authorization Bill but the senate
insisted on raising the amount to
$407,835,600.
i Mr. Roosevelt is not responsible
for all the "government-sending."
It seems that congress does some
spending on.its own account. And .
it must also be remembered that
congress must O.K. all expenditures
before the President spends. Con
gress appears always ready, willing,
and able to appropriate money for
any purpose but that of relief and
work for millions of unemployed.
When the President r»ks for these
the "ante" is never raised . . . all
that is raised Is a howl.
Howls . . are now going up
around Washington about the Presi
dent's three billion eight hundred
sixty million dollar revolving fund,
which proposes to lend money for
building of water works, sewage
plants, bridges, hospitals and the
purchase of railroad equipment to
be leased to the government for the
con*truction of toll bridges, by
passes. rural electrification and a
farm tenant program. Word his
come however, that the administra
tion will not insist on this amount
i? big business will furnish the
money to start this work so that
people can get work. Mr. Roose
velt's prime reason for asking for
thus amount is to start work, »o
that you can have a job.
Mr. Woodrum who insisted on
j cutting the WPA theatre projects
! "for economy's sake" . . . put over
j one on his colleagues last week
1 when he quietly pushed through 'a
grant of $340,000 for Admiral Rich
ard E. Byrd, to make another trip
to the Anarctic.
Mr. Woodrum saw no reason why
the WPA should not be cut and
thousands of Americans thrown out
of employment but he.-does think
that the government should spend
money to establish some dubious
claim to a block of ice at the South
Pole.
Our governor . . . who had no
; ambitions when he ascended the
state's throne appears to now be
climbing into the driver's seat. We
hope he takes over the reins com
pletely. He can do more than any
one person in the state ... to re
turn state government to democratic
control in "40."
Charles S. Porritt sends out word
that the Traverse City Confab,
which calls together the Central a
Committee, county chairmen. legi*-’J
lators and democratic clubs to make
organizations plans for 1940 . , .
will meet in Lansing July 22, in
stead of Traverse City.
We understand that the state
highway commissioner will go to
Washington about July 18 to try
and find out what Mr Murphy's in
tentions are for 1940. This column
told you some weeks ago, that
Frank Murphy i* yet a power to be
reckoned with in Michigan politics.
Those who are waiting on the high
ay commissioner's decision to enter
the "40" campaign will have to wait
until the commissioner has had a
talk with the U. S attorney general a
Disorganization and internal strife
seems to reign in the state Republi
can ranks.
Certain Republican “Big-Wigs" on
our side of the fence are all "het-up”
over the methods being used by cer
tain individuals to build a Republi
can machine on the back of Henry
Furd. The opinion seems to prevail
that the Republican party has
enough merit, ail of its own. to sell,
wi hout having to throw Mr. Ford
,n to make good measure.
Sad Governor Dickinson last
week: We have endeavored lo
make appointments on merit, with %
the thought that Republican* would
be favored" Tell the governor to
favor the Negro's share of Republi
can applicants Many positions Ne
groes held formerly under Demb
rrats are yet . , . unfilled by Ne
groe*.
There is a bill now before con
gress known as the "Hatch Bill'
which proposes to prevent WPA
workers, U. S. marshalls, internal
revenue collector*, and district dt
tornev* from engaging in any po
-4- al activity. Already civil service
employees are orohibited. Pray tell
me Who ;* supposed to run the
, government?