The Michigan chronicle. [volume], March 21, 1942, CITY EDITION, Image 4

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

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Published Every Thursday By
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PUBLISHING COMPANY
MAIN OFFICE 268 Eliot. Detroit Mwh TEmple
LOUIS EMANUEI MARTIN. Editor __
Batmd .. second cU.« matter May 1. 1940. at the Pc. Olltce a.
Detroit, Mich., under the act of March 3. 18<9.
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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PLATFORM
1 Colored irp.esenu' sea " , ■ «en...net» ... - » soverpmMl
FACE THE ISSUE
In a public statement published in the daily
press, Mayor Edward .1. Jeffries has attempted te
clarify his position as regards the Sojourner truth
controversy which now has assumed international
significance. He has placed the responsibility for
protecting Negro tenants on the federal government
because he believes now that the Detroit police are
inadequate for the job. and secondly because he be
lieves that the whole problem should he solved by
those who created it, again the federal government.
Further the Mayor declared that "it is quite obvious
that the professional agitator and all the subversive
agencies are working on both sides attempting to
create community-wide chaos and confusion by arous
ing every latent prejudice that may exist."
a situation that as the responsib'e head of the local
government he must face is cowardly and unrealistic.
In the first place the so-called problem was created
by a greedy group of Nazi-minded jackasses who
would scrap the constitutional rights of the Negro
people and who are willing to resort to mob violence
ih defiance of thh local and federal governments
which must safeguard these rights. In the second
place no group or "agencies” which seek to defend
the legal rights of the Negro people can be called
subversive. For the Mayor to so smear the demo
cratic campaign of an oppressed peuple for the lull
exercise of their citizenship is to add insult to injury
and to strike a fouL blow at democracy.
The issue presents on one side a group of Ameri
can citizens who have been denied access to their
legal homes by a mob that acted in defiance of our
government, and on the other, a gang of outlaws
who have brazenly usurped the constituted authority
of the city government. On one side are the lovers
■ ni democracy.*and on the other are those who would
sacrifice democracy for a Hitlerite principle. The
city of Detroit has yielded to the treasonous threats
of the mnh leaders and the Sojourner Truth project
has become an empty monument to open tyranny and
mob rule.
More important still is the horrible fact that
this fascist usurpation of civil authority in Detroit
has taken place at a time when the entire nation
girds for battle against fascism throughout the
world. The federal government has declared that
“We are at war. This is a war housing project.”
It is clear that the Sojourner Truth controversy can
not be isolated from the .world struggle in which we.
Negroes are being asked, rightfully too, to bear
arms and, if need be, die. Mayor Jeffries has as
sumed the role of an appeaser while, the nation has
declared total war. By vacillation and delay the
forces of tyranny in Detroit, as in the world, grow
bolder, and the final clash which must come if democ
racy at home or abroad is to survive grow s greater
and more violent.
The Sojourner Truth issue is unquestionably
clear and the Mayor and every citizen of Detroit
must face it squarely. Through blood and bitter
ness, the democratic world has learned at last that
we cannot appease the forces of evil in world society.
The enemy must be struck and defeated wherever
he rears his head, whether in Detroit or in the jungles
of Asia. This is not the sole concern of the Negro
people, it is the responsibility of every love, i
dom and democracy.
THE POLL TAX
Herbert Agar of the Louisville Courier Journal,
Walter White of the N.A.A.C.P. and a number of
important liberals appeared before the Senate Jyiji
ciarv committee last week in Washington to iif'se
the passage of anti-poll tax legislation,. Along with
a federal aHtr-lynchTngTaw. a federal law to smash
the poll tax strongholds of the South is an important’
step toward true democracy in America. Because
of the cost of \nting in the South less than one
third of the eligible voters go to the polls all( | parti
cipate in the democratic process. Poor whiles as
well as Negroes are literally excluded from political
activity and reactionary minorit es are able to exert
what amounts to a tyrannical rule over the southern
bloc in Congress.
From the point of view of the Negro alone,
the end of the poll tax would immediately pave the
Way for greater political expression and open up
opportunities for democratic participation in the
control of their ow n affairs. The poll-tax congress
men in Washington have been able to hold up anti
lynching legislation and,to thwart every administra
tive movement to enhance the welfare and well
Editorial Page of TH E MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
Good Luck, Soldiers!
By LARRY CHISM
' What could I do but don a root
sut and hip boot for her and Unk
. Sam So here I is.”
Ruddie* Take Time to Read
Letter* From Home
"Damn but this feels a. moat like
home, sweet home,' Jerry Downs
-poke pulling off hi* muddy boots
wriggling his toe* and getting clo#e
to ihe feeble ray of light inside the
tent barrack*, a few m.lea behind
the front line trench.
If I only had Da.*y I>ee to tip
. ehtlv and poutelv here on my
l.p for a deuce of eomeons.” Jitter
bug Harold White mused, out loud
taKing a letter from his main queen j
r n the hatch from his muddied
po.ket.
Richard Nwarda sad nothing
bit made h.mse'f comfortable on
the too small army cot. wh.le he
•o 1 took out a leter from the folk3
It was a dreary and misty day
kind of day it :s as long as there#
he car." ed out against the Fascist
or Xaz: foe
A Lull at Fighting Front
, There was a lull in the front line
; trench Ar.d three of the boy* w ere
a!! too eager to take advantage of
•he t me out from fierce fighting
to have a few. ar.d only a few
minute* c >uld be spared, to read
some Ir-ters from home.
Tr. rig.rg back to the temporary
tr:o of’weary. footsore and hungry
• :h h.s otr.rr buddies.
"Fi-hting Demons" Take Time Out
, Jerry Downs, former newspaper
■ weekly wondered about the folks
f'ght ng on the home front back in
Drafted .r.to the army only sev
front 1 i»e battle front on foreign
‘o:| Downs had had ..’.tie t me in
which to adjust himself to the new
roi.t.nc of life. It was hard for h.s
been an .•.q.:.-1::ve, ambifio.i* and
~~:?T'r~:rTir~r.: a?papiTrr.an ror 10:
of-his 30 years.
•mile of antic.pat.on crossed his
Lp-«
Suddenly. the room became
dea’hly quiet As one person the
t:i of “fight.ng demons’ opened
•he r letters from home and began
•o read tnem Each was entirely
ai ne with h-s thoughts and the
news from home back in the States
Jerry was the first to become
deeply absorbed in his letter. Neatly
folded inside the three page letter
from a dear friend were severs' 1
newspaper clipping* taken from th** i
, newspaper he had edited several
Down* Cnsse* White Hitler Stooge*
t It was these clipped stories which :
auaed h.m to mutter. Well, I'll be
damned.'' slightly under his breath
Fascism ga-ned another foothold
in Detroit last week when a m.i
Kl.x Klan mob. under police pfc- 1
trction, defied the United StHRV
government and refused to let fuYy
niture vans through to the So
journer Truth housing project,
which had been bu.lt and certified ,
by the Federal Housing Authority
for occupancy by 25 Negro families
Learn* About "Riot" at Home
“Armed with brickbats and clubs
an est.mated 500 whiles ga'hered
and 150 policemen established a
. rtuaf, no man's land and''brutally
if fregl iei who ai- ’
tempted t.> carry out the orders of
he government and pass through
1 the white mob.
"Asa result of the riot, 25 Ne
groes and five pol.vemen were sent
to the hosp.tals for treatment as,
105 Negroe* and five white* were
arc-led by the police Friday
1 gh: a group of Klansmen burned
a cro.-.s and Negro in effigy a few ,
hour.? before the 25 Negro famihe*
• scheduled do-nw* into the j
project, which resulted in approxi
ma’ely 200 Negroes being left with
: out homes and shelter.”
Whle He Is Fighting For Democracy
At Front
"Why the duly so and so," Jerry "
exploded “And just to think that's
shat I'm thousands of mile* away 1
from home f.ghting against. That's
! the kind of democracy I'm supposed !
to risk my life protecting.. I'll be
damned.
"It's tough enough to f.ght here j
at the front, without some dirty
white skunk* stirring up trouble
at home If they want to fight that
bad, why don't they come over here t
and get a beiiyfull of tnese Japs "
Downs asked the world in general
and the white folks at home, in par
"Go#h dang tha - ?nud hole." Rich
«ard Edwrfid* spoke. then jumped
"ver ihe next mud puddle. But
neither ».f h.- two companions had
Why Negro Soldiers Fight
Edward? a 25-year-old southern
migrated to the won*
" drrfti* \ 'h ! Cxc led about '
the i g- he had been allowed to
enjoy p North and wh.cn had been
[d<med • k.r.d i.m the dear old
sornland Richard Edward.* was an 1
earth ' creature and anvth.ng whic.i
-a;.?Led his sen-ec. was all right
w.-n him He wa* a slow- th.nker
and a .-lower speaker. Yet. when
e\ei he -i> ko his wosfls made good
T o tnu'd of ihe trio of -old er
■ W
he who could always be depended
the ..t ain of war in its hellish
I As Told hv Three Soldiers
Jerry Doers. Richard Edwards
and Harold White were known as
the ’ f.ghtir g demons ' of trie Ninety*
■ ?n*rr*h company. Field ArflTerV. 1
If a-lied why he
cau.ro ! m a Negro, and we’ve always
brrwi-r a- a Negro we have to fight
• two fron’s. As long as the black
foiix- a- home are fighting for the
"V;*” I lfkFe "fishting here o n the"
»!'?>■-« he assured of the right to
R chard Edwards won Vi probably'
have .said: ‘‘l've been thinking 'bout
. 'hj? war for a In: g t.me And I ,
always remember w hat my dad told :
me. years ago He said that after j
And I'm here now because I w ant!
•o make things still better for the I
'oiks down below the Mason-Dixon !
• •tie. That's why I fight so hard'’ !
; mg 1 n. te then add: "You know :
:her own They w .11 be accepted
•v- 2 oh Americans rcaardlc-- of the
color of their skin ar.d I'm wTiTingjoj
do sopte fighting to help that great'
da' along”
Why, old man ” Jit'erhug Harold
White m.ght have answered I'm
and she's got some rooks for my
oed Her names Daisy Lee
"Well, we were out jumpin' bout,
from spot to sin joint one ayem and
she sees a soldier boy all draped
out in ol.ve drab That killed her 1
rightly She turns to me and spiels
‘See here Cat when you gonna take
on some of them Japs and put up
a few scraps to protect poor 1 ttls
Then tucking the cl.ppings away
Downs began to read the mors
cheerful new* sent by a dear friend
Second Soldier See* Bright Future
For Race
R.chard Edwards was all smiles
as he read a letter from his younger
brother, left home in the dear old
southland A part of the letter read:
“And Dick, everything 1* turning
out just like you said. The white!
folks here are sure changing their I
minds toward* some of us. at leas’. ,
The other day I went downtown!
and imagine m.v surprise wh-n a j
while man spoke to some Negri
soldiera luce tney were really some-
The soldiers went into a drug
store and I followed them just to
see xha: would happen. The white
E : clerk wa* really decent to them
and the soldier* acted like they
were used to that kind of treatment
The gill c\cn smiled when one of
them asked for some oil for his
ha>r Boy it* funny the way the
! \ e even n-v oed the change on the
bu.<- here. You don't have to ride
way n the back anymore. Os course
it isn 1 like it was up North last
mmc r. but you can see there*
some changes being made
I* Cheered by Brother's Letter
“So get n there and f.gnt the
Ita .ans, Germans and the Jap.* and
-*"0 - loom to- be gnnd
being of our oppressed minority, particularly in the
South. The machination* of poll-tax congressmen]
in collusion with Rep. Tenerowicz from Detroit were’
responsible for the vacillation of federal housing
officials on the issue of Negro occupancy of the So
journer Truth Homes.
It is incumbent upon us in Detroit to assume
a responsibility in this matter and to mobilize public
opinion here in behalf of this anti-poll tax legisla
tion. Michigan congressmen should he shown the
dire need for a forthright stand on this issue and
urged to take up the fight to broaden the base of
this democracy hv passage of the anti-poll tax bill,
l et us throw out the reactionary die-hards from
Dixie who have consistently fought against the rights
of our people amHiave blocked repeatedlv the war
effort * j
Then added “Just for that I'll get
me !0 extra Japs"
"If the last war made things better
for us and if we black folks he p
J win this war they ought to treat ui
■like angel*,” Richard E& wards
thought, in that split second before
a Jap bullet closed hi* eyes, for-
I “Why that no good two-timing
f | Daisy Lee.. wished to hell she was
1 here. I'd show her how mean I
really can be," Harold White spoke
thrust.ng his bayonet at an imagi
, nary Da sv Lee “Yes I'll forgive
her Id like to put a bullet in her
stinking belly ”
But Wh.te waa never to see Daisv
I Lee again A sniper saw to that with
a well directed bullet into the
1 jitterbug's brain.
j American* together. Good luck,
; soldier Your brother. Jack.”
Third Soldier* L *e* HU Best Girl
I Jitterbug Harold Whit* was half
' undre**ed by now To aay he wa*
hot under the collar would be
speaking but mildly. He read, among
other thing*:
"Harold ...
“I do hope that you'll forgve me
I don't hardly know how to explain
what * happened But I tried hard
to be true to yuo. And I know that
you'll be angry when I tell you
what * happened, but I just couldn't
[ “John, you remember him. came
over the next day after you left
and kept begging me to go out with
him I really didn't want to go but
he kept on pestering me till I went
out for some fun.
"Tw® Gone. One to Go”
"Two gone and one to go." the
N’inety-focrth company chaplain
spoke after he'd seen both R chard
Edward* and Harold White slain in
: action "Good luck, joldier*! And
may God ha\e mercy on your souls,'
he added, solemnly.
|- Jerry successfully completed the
dangerous mission, that is what was
left of him reported that the mis
sion had been completed What was
left of the three "fighting d«rron.«
, crawled and dragged itself back ’n
the trench and reported to the
superior officer.
Dying Soldier Sends Message
Before he died Down* said: “Tel!
the folks back h”me that if they
f.2ht a* hard on the home front as
the bl ;ck be; s over here are dome
they'll win the.r fight just as our
country is going to win their fight." ,
Then gasping for a last and fleei
ng breath Downs added. "Just te'.l
the folks at home that one of the.r
dying soldier brothers said. Good 1
luck, soldiers'." I
“You know how I get when I
start drink.ng Well. I guess I had j
too much. Honest. Harold. I was
lonesome for you and thought that
if I kept dunking Id forget how
much I m:.-sed your loving
“Then before I knew what hap
pened I pa.-.-ed out. I don't remem
ber anything until I woke up the
next mornng with John I felt so
cheap I d.dn t go home until mother
] found out w here I was and came
1 after me.
! “Honest. I didn't do anvth.ng
wrong with John, but he made me
have other dates with him or he'd
*1 do” ~ ~
"Please forgive me Try pot to be
, too hard on poor me 'Will you for*
! give me. honey? I still love you.
Daisy Lee"
Trio Ordered on Dangerous Mission
« Just at thus minute, the top ser
{eeant of the company poked his
head into the tent and snapped"
All right sold.ers. The C O h.vs de
tailed you three to a dangerous mis
, sion.. Report back to your post at
Like all good soldier* do. the
j three "fighting demons" sprang to
their feet readjusted uniforms
laced heavy, muddy boots, shoul
dered rifles and started the long
trek back to th* front line trench.
Once again they were silent.
GOOD LUCK—
I It didn't take long for the trio to
get their dangerous mission orders
from their auperior officers and
word. “Well, boys, guess this is it. ’
Jerry spoke to his two cronies in
a husky but controlled voice which
hid his innermost feelings
"Good Luck, Soldiers,'' Chaplain
Sa' *
! At that moment the post chap’,a,n
came forward clasped tf'e hand of
each soldier and spoke. Good luck,
"Ready”'' Downs asked His bud
; die* nodded
| “O K Let *go ”
Bombs burst all around them
overhead and seemingly under their
very feei. vet the "fighting demons'
trio forged ahead, ready to do or
die for the sake of Old Glory and
. their country
Having reached a knoll of mo
mentary safety a few yards from
their immediate objective, Down.:
! motioned to his partners to half
"Bovs, this is where we part" Hi*
voice broke with emotion a* he half
! crunched and extended his riehi
hand in a farewell gesture to his
; tw o buddies
} "Good luck. *olcfier7 r ea.-h r«-*
pea ted to the other, then went their
1 separate way*, never once looking
back.
Thought While on the Firing Line
1 "Damn those Hitler stooges back !
home, raising ail that hell with thf
black folks." Downs told himself i
THE LIFE STORY OF
BEN PELHAM
First Neifro State Convention Is Held
Under Pelham'sr Leadership
By JOHN WOOD
THIRD INSTALLMENT
I When the Colored Men's State
Convention was planned In 1884
i under the leadership of Ben and
Robert Pelham to elect a Race r
resentative to the national convent]
tion at Chicago a precedent war
set in Negro political circles, both
locally and nationally.
\ Although Negroes had been recog
i n zed as a strong political factor in
the few years since the close of the
1 Civil War. this strength was fell [
mostly in local poltical fignts
throughout the country, for there,
were few* men who were recognued
a* national pol t,ial figures.
Prior to the state convention Pel- ,
• ham had gamed si»le-w ide recogn.-
' tion as a politician. His frequent
tiffs with the old Detroit Custom
House political machine, in which
he often emerged victorious, caused
white men to that Pelham's
approach was different from that
of the ordinary, or, "ward-heeler"
type of politician.
Where the small-time Negro
politician demanded only mediocr*
recognition for the race. Pelham
was adamant in his demands that
Negroes be recognized as a political
factor and that worthwhile patron
age should follow such recognition
_ - Although the Pelham brother* .
had been given elaborate promises
of patronage in return for the Plain
dealer* support, both had acquired
a “political education ' and had es
tablished a policy of ignoring such
promises until they had been ful
filled.
The history-making convention
NEGRO PILOTS ARE GRADUATED
K
fiffignaniK-- , ■-a
■ , ;,r / M -pill
fee; ' ,
*"* : V*'V.; * ‘ '/**.*; 1 *,*./ - ■
by Major General George E. Strat
emeyor. commanding the South
east Air Corpa Training Center.
Among the members of the class
shown here listening to one of
their instructors; Lieut. R. M.
Hie flrst clas* of Negro pilots In
the history of the U.B. Army Air
Carp* was graduated at the Ad
vanned Flying School. Tuskegee.
Ala.. March 7. when “wing*"' and
rommi'sion* •* «ero»* •* lieutenant*
In the Air Corpa were presented
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1942
Letters To The Editor
| Editor. Michigan Chronicle
268 Eliot Street
l Detro.: Michigan
Dear Sr:
Wake up. colored America la :t
n
Klan put v i m -ia.ery. .vh.’e a
The Atner can Negro fought f< r
1 a the
democracy back into your
h story and remember there was
the Slav.
fl wer We have a right to tb»
‘ha pomes.* of f.eedom .n the.-e
L'n ted States a* mu h ar.d more
Editor. M.chigan Chronicle
“68 El ot Street
Detroit Michigan
Dear Sir:
As a subscriber of your paper
a former patient fn both whi’e ar.d
Race hospitals, may I say a word -n
regards to this go**ip about our
Race hospitals in Detro t Our hos
pital* are still giving Negroes far
better service in clranne«* rnur '
than white hosoital* in Detroit. In.
1830 I sent one of my brother* to
Herman Kiefer and because of h^
! color he told me he received very
poor service. Receiving hospital
patient* in Receiving wait more
! than two hours for service.
11* against our Race hospital* Our
hospitals «o far have had
'os than ’he "hue h v-pitaT* '
n Detroit; if there are those vvh >
doubt this please ca'l f>r the Medi
cal H’story of Detroit in the publ; •
library.
Our group is still dying faster
than all civilized people\One reason
for this is because while America
has not given us 1
equal to that of their own Nx
If ever our hospital doors'are
dosed n Detroit well regr-t it. As
a citizen of Detroit for 19 year*
; I was a paper boy for five years,
also a vendor for 12 years, hetter
! known as the "Candy-Ice Cream
1 man ” I am sure more people give
| cur hospitals bftter c-edit than the
poor service of Receiving hospital
Respectfully yours.
Monroe Ru. tin
J •
country while mar jr of the ?o-ra!!rd
were still in .their fa erl Is trying
to make up the r minds to come
, that we >hnuld «’a' in our place
j wby can't ve remind them ihat we
ship | : = WE
ARE AMERICA
i iS being clearly .show n today in
m.anv :n?t;,nces just where we
tard Or I should say where thev
want u< to *t?nd Our blond wasn’t
good enough for the Red Cu >;.* But
we are good enouch to prepare,
meals and rune white infant*.
, In time n? wa - %
goverened by martial Then.
—rrH-er* we:-
F." . • en.thj ut -
f'-rms of the United S" ties army
W’hy docs_ not the government
protect the Sojourner Truth homes?
After ai' they me government
homes, and were built f-r worker*
the defe n/e of
• America Why - Mr D *g.« rie
an.-wer that I think M- D: 3 g« was
. couldn't keep h s mouth ,*h t He
wa* bringing the white man's castle
] tumbling down fa-t and furious
1 What, no colored hospitals’ Have
vou ever hern :n Receiving hospital
and watched the expressions on the
; 'ace* of the white nurses and doc
tors” They seem :■> .-- ,• . w onder if
this co'o-ed pat ent w I b:e or
scratch We h*d berter be careful.”
, Then they leave the patient for an
other two or three hour*. wh !e
th*v make up "he:r mind to take
] was held in the old Opera House at
Battle Creek where the Pelham?
engaged in a battle of wit* with the
, opposition following a spirited
i>tate-W!de campaign
r The Plaindeaier barked and man
aged the carrpa.gn of Dr S. C Wat
son whose defrat would have been
certain had Pelham not discovered
n time that the Custom House
machine had planned to split the
voting by running another Negro
; candidate against Dr. Watson. Hqa- .
over Dr Watson easily defeated the
, Custom House man and was elected
i tiona! convention on a second ballot
The Colored Man's Convention
we* 'he first mevsmsnt of its k-nd .
n the North and marked ’he gradu
ation of Pelham from local politic;'
i and his recognition as a Negro poii
. lician of national prominence. From
[then untiL today he has been re
garded as a s ccessful politician
and credited with laying the founda
tion for the poiitical advancement
of the Negro not only in Michigan
but throughout the middle west.
Shortly after the 1884 convertinr
Pelham was appointed as a clerk j
in the office of Interna! Revenue,
and from that position went to the
Wayne county treasurer's office as
x register 1
NEXT WEEK: In the concluding ;
installment will be told the story]
of Ben Pelham's long career n the j
county auditor's office, how he es- !
tablished the government system
which has been rated a* one of the
most efficient systems in the
country.
When I think of cr.me penn’e "•
remind* tre of he ,-nake tha‘
i was rur e ed to health again by a
man Later, when well h* bit the
\an. A«ked whv he and and it. he re
..oSed. "You knew 1 wa* a soak
! Colored Amer'ca don't leave it
entirely up to the NAA r P the
. Negro press ar.d others ±at are
doing their part Don't put ’he hur
.Do vciur part. Lift up your voice*
and rebel aga:nst these injustice*
Band yourselves together and pro
accent nothing less than what we
I have fought for. Let .us unify nur
selve.s- to the extent that we w:ll
' he heard Go to the various mass
[ mocracy. Freedom for all*
Jrarr.e LaMarr Gilliard
505 I Leicester Ct.
Detroit. Michigan
an average of 5.000 000 gaUor.s a d»v
Long, left, are: G. S Roberts, of
London. W. Va.; ('apt. B. O
Davis of Washington: C. H. De-
Bow of Indianapolis. Ind : Mar
Ross of Dayton. Ohio, and I. R
Curtis of New Rochelle, N. Y. It
Is expected that they will be as
signed to the 99th Pursuit Squad
ron. Other Negro aviation radets
now in training are expected to
he commissioned in the near fa-