The Michigan chronicle. [volume], April 29, 1944, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
CIO Cracks Down On 1,400 Hate Strikif
PRESENT LANGSTON HUGHES
ii 1
‘ RMf w*? ' .■- \
%a rr % rr oi the Winter Lecture Series committee who ere spon
soring Langston Hughes and the Du Pxe Victorian chorus in a
roeiial of readings and songs at the Detroit Institute of Arts on
Friday evening. May Sat 1:30 pan. Standings left lo right: Vera
Griffith. Theodosia Leethermen. Gladys Rodgers, Laura Kate
Pickens, Sally Darden, Dolly Meson end La Vida Brown. Seated,
left to right, are: Bertha Madison-Smith, Gertrude Gipson. Beulah
T, Whitby (chairman). Charlotte Perry, Edlee Webeter. Tickets
are on sale at Grinoll's and the YWCA.
Michigan Republicans
Elect Negro Delegates
UAW LEADERS
ASSAIL 1,400
HATE STRIKERS
'
Tdff tbder* of the International
UAw-ClOhavs ordered 1,400 strik
ing workers at the Chevrolet plant
of the General Motor* Corp, in
Toledo to return to their Jobe which
they quit last Saturday following
• dispute which arose over the em
ployment of four Negro women.
R. J. Thomas and Walter Reuth
er vice president and director of
the General Motors division of the
CIO. stated that the workers on
•trike were .violating the No-Strike
Pledge and the unions constitu
tional provision against race dis
«r£e ifternowthin. Two men
were sent home by the Company for
refusing lo Instruct the women in
the work. Seven women were lat
er disciplined for refusing to work
with the Negroes and ehis ■ft* ol '
resulted In a temporary strike of
106 employees. . #
On Friday all shifts reported for
work but trouble started again on
the Friday midnight shift and 1.400
workers failed to report for work
on Saturday. A strong picket line
was thrown around the plant Sat
urday and the strikers demanded
that those employees who had been
disciplined for refusing to trork
with the Negro women be re-ln
stated The workers are expected
back this week.
The plant is engaged in vital war
work, providing transmission parts
for the new amphibious vehicle
which has been called the Army
Duck
Half-Castes Want
Equal Treatment
In Imperial Army
Half-carte members of the Aus
tralian Imperial Forces have filed
Crotests against discrimination in
ydney hotels according to dis
patches from Canberra last week.
They charge they are penalized for
mixed parentage by being denied
the right to drink with their com
rades in arms in hotels and main
tain that if thev are good enough
to fight they should be permitted
liquor service,
ii SPOT NEWS >
BULLETINS!
A TEXAS TRICK
In an effort to circumvent the
recent Supreme Coui: ruling out
lawing the white primary. Dallas
County Democrats have adopted a
resolution barring Negroes from
the county convention. The reso
lution is just one of many little
tricks that are being planned by
Southern patriots who cannot take
their defeat with good grace. Aa
far as their tricks are exposed, the
Negroes sot to work to nullify
them. It should be noted, how
ever. that the Negroes operate leg
ally in all instances.
WAR REPORTING
Readers of the Negro Press who
often compare the work of Negro
writers with that of the boys across
the color line may be surprised to
know that two New York dallies
are Interested In securing war re
leases from Fletcher Martin, the
pool correspondent for the Negro
Press. Martin's releases ate now
appearing la PM and the New York
Post Is expected to complete ar
rangements to carry them shortly.
Negro reporters can dish np a Ist
•f news and some papers want
nows regardless of who dishes It
•at
THE BIG MOCTH
Edgar • Whiskers' Brown who Is
back in the folds of the Republican
09*Sea fcPOT NEWS, Pag* 4
Three Negro delegates to the
National Republican convention
were elected last Thursday at the
state GOP convention which was
held In Case Technical high school.
Atty. Cecil Rowlette was elected
from the First Congressional Dis
trict. Atty. Charles Roxborough
from the 13th and Dr. Aaron Toodle
was elected delegate-at-large.
Over thirty Republican leaders
ir> the colored community partici
pated in the convention proceedings
last week. Dr. Toodle was a mem
ber of the powerful resolutions
committee at the confab and he
proposed :. strong anti-discrimina
tion resolution which was unani
mously adopted.
The resolution read in part as
follows: “The Republican State
Convention acknowledging the
great contribution of Negroes in
war and peace hereby pledge them
selves to fairness and justice in the
war, in the peace and at home.”
The election of a Negro delegate
at-large to the National Republican
convention which meets in CfeteaCO
Janitor binds
Dead Baby Boy
In Paper Sack
Cause of death of a male baby,
reported as between four and six
months old found by the janitor at
369 Elizabeth street last week is
still pending, according to Lieut
Leslie Giddings of homicide squad.
Police disclosed that the body
was found in a receptacle in the
building by the janitor, Charles
Harroll. 44. of 3517 Townsend ave
naie The dead baby mss found in
side a paper bag and was taken
to the morgue by coroner’s investi
gator Walter Watt*.
Police, as yet have no clues to
the identity of the baby pending
a complete investigation by the
homicide squad.
Labor Group Plans
Housing Confab
The pathetic plight of war housing
for Negro workers has caused the
UAW-CIO to increase its efforts to
secure adequate and decent housing
to meet the back-log of approxi
mately 11.000 Negro families. The
committee announces a conference
at the Civic Center, 114 Erskine. on
April 30. from 1 to 5 p m., in which
a number of prominent local and
national housing officials will take
part.
Shelton Tappes. chairman of the
Program committee, states that
William Nicholas, housing director
of the UAW will be the keynote
speaker and Sam educa
tional director of Local 742. will be
the chairman of the panel discus
sion. The Conference committee is
composed of the following persons:
Samuel Lewis, chairman; Miriam
Lee. secretary; Shelton Tkppcs,
Gwendolyn Taylor. Walter Hardin.
Oscar Noble. Horace Sheffield. Wil
liam Bowman. William Kennedy,
James Carter. William Nichols,
James Oden and Limary Jordan.
Joseph Evans Gets
Regional FEPCJob
WASHINGTON. D. C.-(NNPA)
—The naming of Joseph H. B.
Evans as acting regional director of
region 4 of the FEPC this week
followed close on the heels of the
exposure of a reluctance on the
part of the Director of Field Op
erations of the agency. Will Mas
low, to name a Negro to the posi
tion vacated by Frank Hook who
resigned to run again tor congress
in Michigan.
Wins Boots And Wings
At Paratroop School
FORT BENNINO, Ga. Second
Lieutenant Clifton Jackson Jr., of
Chicago, has completed four weeks
of extensive jump training td be
eligible for his wings and boots is
• U. S. Army paratrooper.
All The News Of
All The People
Price 10c
VOLUME 9
FIND SELFRIDGE PILOT GUILTY,
DISMISSED FROM ARMY SERVICE
Bilbo Ready For Poll Tax Battle
EXTRA
Race Angle In
.Disturbance Is
Denied By Piper
A disturbance which occurred on
Tuesday in the psychopathic ward
at Receiving hospital and which
allegedly involved Negro patients
and a nurse, was quelled only after
the arrival of police reinforcements.
Dr. Ralph Piper, hospital superin
tendent. denied to the Michigan
Chronicle that the disturbance was
caused by racial trouble."
The trouble reportedly occurred
following /an alleged argument be
tween a nurse and one of the pa
tients. It was disclosed that Pa-
Charles Heine went to the
der lies.
Dr. Austin Howard, night superin
tendent. stated (hat 20 patients over
the normal capacity were in the
ward and almost a dozen were in
the hallway at the time of the al
leged altercation.
Clark Raps Rep.
Rankin’s Stand
On Senate Bill
According to Sen. Bennett Clark
of Missouri, congressional delay on
the three billion. 500 million dollar
veteran’s bill was being delayed
because of the hatred of certain
congressmen for the colored sol
dier."
Sen. Clark blasted John Rankins
of Mississippi and said: ’’Resistance
to the senate bill is in my judgment
based entirely on the hatred of cer
tain congressmen for the colored
portion of our armed services.”
Clark also stated: ‘They are so
unw”ing to allow colored troops
to have the unemployment insur
ance to which they are entitled that
they would be desirous of with
holding absolutely deserved bene
fits from all our troops’*
Man Jailed For
Fatal Beating
Of Walter Watts
The body of Walter Watts. 30. of
2295 Chestnut street, who died last
week from injuries sustained fol
lowing a street altercation will be
shipped to Birmingham, Ala., lor
burial.
Funeral services will be held on
Thursday at Tabernacle Baptist
church, Beeehwood snd Milford
avenues at 7 pm , with Reverend
Robert Pittman conducting the fu
neral rites.
Watts was rushed to Receiving
hospital for treatment, while suf
fering from a possible skull frac
ture and abrasions about the face
and head. Police say that John
Conley. 30. of 2310 St. Aubin ad
mitted assaulting Watts, whom Con
ley stated had threatened him with
a knife.
Drinks Caused Fight
The alleged altercation, according
to police, arose after the two men
had some misunderstanding over
drinks at a nearby bar. Watts re
portedly followed Conley down the
street, at which time the fatal af
fray took place near Maple and
Dubois.
One witness, questioned by police,
stated she saw Conley assault Watts
with a club. However police were
unable to find the alleged death
weapon.
Walter Walts was the brother of
Milton Watts, Wayne County med
ical attendant at the morgue. The
deceased is survived by a wife,
Emma Watts, his brother, a father.
Reverend George Watts of 3539
Chestnut street snd two sisters,
Mesdames Marietta Blevins and Lil
lie Ballard, both of 325 Holbrook
avenue.
Watts was employed by Ford
Motor company and has lesided in
Detroit for 'seven years.
JlirhinaiiiSuStlirimicld
WAR OF NERVES
NEW FEATURE
OF 016 ISSUE
Senator Mead Expected
To Champion
Bill
By HARRY MeALPIN
Washington Baraev HNPA
WASHINGTON, D. G A n e w
feature creeped into the poll tax
fight this meek—the military strate
gy of a "war of nerves’*
Rumors have been flying over
Washington that Senator Bilbo is
iIL He is the arch-opponent of the
measure and the most outspoken
member of jh« qppoaitKnkJj^Bft
has hewn weakened is specuUUvsP
Both points of view have been ex
pressed. Calling up the bill was
once before postponed because Sen
ator Bilbo was haviog new teeth
installed.
But Bilbo is not ill
"You just tell the world that any
suggestion that anything is wrong
with me is a damned lie.” he told
this correspondent over the tele
phone from his office. “I am physi
cally fit and raring to go,” he de
clared.
In the meantime. Senator Mead
(D. of N.Y.), whp is expected to lead
the fight for the bill, has predicted
that the measure will be called up
during the week of April 24-29. j
There is strong indication, however, i
of sentiment in the Senate for post
poning such action until after the
May 2 primaries in Florida and Ala-!
bama. In both states, staunch ad
ministration supporters are involved
in heated Senatorial primary cam
paigns, w’here they are being op-!
posed as being "too friendly to !
Roosevelt and to Negroes”
It is conceded that each additional,
delay of the bill lessons its chances
of passage during this session of
Congress. Keen disappointment and
criticism of the delay was expressed i
by Jennings Perry, chairman of the
National Committee to Abolish the
Poll Tax, who had come to Wash
ington expecting the bill to be
called up on April 17. He is editor
of the Nashville Tennessean.
-
War Dept Praises
Scholastic Record
SCOTT FIELD. 11l —Some of the
highest scholastic records being
established in the Army Air Forces
Training Commands radio school
at Scott Field belong to Negro stu
dents, the War Department an
nounced today.
24th Inf. Smashes Japs,
Enemy Dead Line Beach
By FLETCHER P. MARTIN
(a*prM«ntin( If afro N*»*p»p«r ?••!)
BOUGAINVILLE (Special)
by Cable—The 24th Infantry
regiment, medium tanka and
naval craft lying offshore at
Bougainville, smashed the
enemy Monday at Mavavia River
mouth, southeast. Stubborn enemy
resistance despite a heavy concen
tration of Are, turned the skirmish
into a bloody fray with dead scat
tered alorig the beach. Installations
were destroyed beyond recognition
as dusk ripped past flying tracers
and pink smoke grenades.
Negro troops and an unestimated
number of the enemy faced each
other at Mavavia mouth, bitterly
contesting a narrow stream. Once
this natural obstacle is surmounted,
the enemy can be pushed eastward,
thus enlarging and strengthening
our buildings and in addition jock
eying the enemy In • death saddle
MAIN OFFICE: 241 ELIOT BT. TELEPHONE TEMPLE 14177
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1944
■r ’w/* ‘ .4-.' * , ' 4 "' ~
Pidsrri sbots an m—bis at lbs dis csn
®iI§SPWHr-
'SEEK NUBBY IN
WIFE SLAtm
QUIZ CHILDREN
A 32-year-old steel company
laborer was sought by police this
week for questioning concerning
the reported murder of Mrs. Ella
Mae Knight, 29. of 9122 Peterson
street, the mother of two small
children.
Mrs. Knight was dead on admis
sion to Receiving hospital where
she had been rushed for treatment
Police disclosed that her throat had
been slashed by a razor.
Detective Lieuts. Edward Wurm
and Leslie Giddings of homicide
squad disclosed that the husband.
William Knight, had been estranged
from his young wife and had gone
to her home, seeking a reconcilia
tion.
Had Argument
An argument arose between the
couple and Knight reportedly used
a razor to cut h:s wife's throat. A
razor, claw* hammer and bread
knife were held as evidence in the
rdbrder.
Mrs. Knight’s two children. Oscar,
nine years' old. and Willie Mae.
eleven years old. were questioned
and statements taken by assistant
prosecutor Eld ward Welch.
Both Mr and Mrs. Knight came
to Detroit approximately a year ago
from Columbus. South Carolina,
w here, according to police there had
been some family misunderstanding.
Knight is employed by Great
Lakes Steel corporation as a labor
er and :s sought for questioning in
the murder of his wife.
as elements of the 93rd division
pushed them backward.
The enemy, aware, is entrenching
himself for a suicide stand. Two
waves of 24th Infantry under Lt
Donald Newman of Ithaca. N. Y..
a rad Johnson of Albany.
Ga., crossed the river, meeting five
machine gun nests and heavy ar
tillery.
Japs Concealed In Jangles
. The enemy waited until the.
groups crossed stream onto beach
before firing. Our troops hit the
ground, returning fire, but the en
emy had the advantage, concealed
in jungles and three snipers were
killed before Newman himself was
pinned down.
Sgt. Johnson organized a group
protecting them while recrossing
the river, then Johnson was hit
four times, but succeeded in stumb
ling down to the beach. He kept his
rifle in his left hand as Jap auto
matic fire opened up. Swimming
under water, the enemy firing each
See lN r A NTH Y, Tags 4
DETROIT CHILD CARE WEEK MAY 1
"^JlEjSitwET^^ ‘ft . V^rr 1 '
Thos. Hammond
Obtains Divorce
In Circuit Court
Thomas (Rooster) Hammond 649
Alger avenue, was granted a djj^rez
from Lillian Field Hammond,
Thursday, April 20th at the Wayee
County circut court. The bearing
was held before Judge Vincent M.
Brennan, circuit court judge.
Hammond charged his wife with
repeated cruelty and a vile and vio
lent temper. He charged further
that Mrs. Hammond frequently
cursed and swore at him without
apparent provocation.
The Hammonds have been mar
ried for seven years and there are
no children.
Mrs. Hammond received a gener
ous property and money settlement i
■■■ 1 - ■
Randolph Refuses
Bid For Congress
NEW YORK Stating that he
thought he could render a better
service to Negro people outside of |
Congress rather than in Congress.
A. Philip Randolph, president of
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por- j
ters. last week declined to run
against Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, i
Powell is the prospective Demo- j
cratic and American Labor nr ninee '
for Congress in the new Harlem I
Congressional district.
Randolph stated that the "pay- i
off" necessary to get ahead in public i
office "may involve compromises of
various types which may strike at
the basic convictions, ideals and
principles that one has held dear
all of his life.**
He also stated that he could not
accept the nomination from the
"Communist dominated ALP" and
that neither the domestic nor for
eign policies of the Republican or
Democratic parties could win his
support "because they are not cal
culated to extend, preserve or con
solidate the force* of democracy at
home or abroad.**
Cites Abuse Of Cops
To Negro Soldiers
NEW YORfc. N. Y.-A detailed
list of ten instances in which Negro
soldiers have been beaten severely,
either by military or civilian police,
in Greenville and Leland. Miss,
during the past 21 months has been
submitted to Brig. Gep. Robert H.
Dunlop, in the Adjutant General’s
office of the War Department by
the NAACP.
In submitting the list which con
tained names, serial numbers and
dates, the NAACP said these were
only a "few instances’* of the mis
treatment of Negro soldiers in Mis
sissippi. The letter, signed by Roy
Wilkins, assistant secretary, de
clared:
“Thst these incidents and the re
lated fear felt by other Negro sol
diers is definitely affecting their
morale and their effectiveness as
soldiers is by now a foregone con
clusion. The situation is critical
and during the past two and one
half years has passed beyond the
investigating stage.
FACTS ABOUT
AIR OFFICER
"NOW ON TRIAL
• ■* $. S. m ■ II I
Bom August 27. 1919, Philadel
phia, Pa„ son of Mr. and Mrs. Wal
ter L. Henry, Sr. t now residing at
2119 Reed street, Philadelphia, his
own permanent home address.
In civilian life he was employed
by the Bell Telephone company of
Pennsylvania. Education Philadel
phia public schools; Lincoln univer
sity, Pa.; Temple university, Phila
delphia, Pa.
Service: Entered army as enlisted
man In April. 1941; served at Cha
nute Field, 111., from April to Octo
ber, 1941; Maxwell Field. Ala., Octo
ber, 1941, to January, 1942; Tuske
gee Army Air field, Ala., January
to June, 1942; Signal Corps Officer
Candidate school. Fort Monmouth.
N. J, June to September 12, 1942,
when he was commissioned a sec
ond lieutenant; Tuskegee Army Air
field, Ala.. September 1942 to July
30. 1943; Selfridge Field. Mich. Most
of August. September and October,
1943. he spent at the Percy Jones
hospital. Battle Creek, Mich.
Poppa Dee Claims
Frameup In Case,
Faces Trial Soon
Examination of Harry "Poppa
Dee" Johnson, 83. of 505 E. Adams
avenue, was adjourned last week
until April 29 by Recorder's Judge
Arthur E. Gordon.
Johnson, charged with robbery
armed after he had reportedly gone
to Touraine hotel to recover $37.50
lost by his young daughter in an
alleged dice game with a hotel
guest, charges a "frame-up” in the
case.
The warrant was signed by Al
bert Fenton, 37, of 900 Michigan
building.
Information discloses that John
son reportedly threatened \he hotel
manager, Mrs. Katherine Slate, with
a revolver in an attempt to collect
money lost by his 17-year-oid
daughter.
Poppa Dee was released on a S3OO
bond wh.le awaiting an examination
this week.
Detectives James Dunleavy and
James Bogan were assigned to in
vestigate the case.
West Gets Divorce
From His Wife, Aims
Walter West of 88 E. Philadelphia,
was granted a divorce from hjg
wife. Alma, this week by a decree
signed by Circuit Judge Vincent ML
Brennan. Charges of extreme cruel*
ty was listed in the divorce P**
ceedings.
The Wests were married in De
troit on October 30. 1925. and up
rated on February i, 1940.
Liberty, Equality
For All Mankind
TRIAL LASTED
2 DAYS, APPEAL
MAY BE ASKED
Many Charges Held
Against Pilots
Last Week
By CHARLES WARTMAM
Alter deliberating lor two hours
and twenty minute*, the general
court martial at Selfridge field on
Tuesday found Lt. Milton Robin
son Henry guilty of all charges
specified in the indictment and sen
tenced him to be dismissed from
the army.
Lt Henry was found guilty of
nine counts of absence without
leave, failure to report to the prop*
er authorities after a tour of doty
as alert officer and of using dis
respectful language to superior of
ficers.
The verdict was announced after
sTfind as testimony in the
trial 1 j hours and
army reguli#fe end article* g£
war with whidTfbeliMlillHiiSrafla
charged.
found omit
The findings of the court MMHgti#
wili oe reviewed by
lies and Lt Henry wRI bmmfwim
opportunity to appeal the decfcHr
if he wishes. Prior to thanbwT -'i
was alleged that Judgp..'. *Vu9ln
Has tie, NAAC.P. counsel. wZjS*
enter an appeal if the TlTjllV pffc
unsatisfactory to the dMUBfIMh .
Lt. Col. Charles M.
chief of medicine at
hospital, testified Jfenry
had been admitted to that hospital
twice in the last six ~
PILOT WAR ILL
“On both of these occasions,'* flue
colonel said, '‘Lt. Henry ofeowm
that he was suffering front a diaeedK
known as saco dosia.” The coUmwC
produced X-ray slides and rwortf
to explain the disease to the courc
which is relatively unknown tig
medical men. * 1
When asked by A tty. Devenpedfij
defense counsel, whether as a m*i3
oer of a draft board he woudUrMH
.ndacted Lt. Henry in bdaffc'iflßjj§
condition. Col. Cavara
However, the colonel started thK
he did not feel that tho present c 5»!
dition of the defendant woul4 hNMM*
p his performance of ordfauA
duties,
Capt. William, J. Cosgrove IddfeMj
Regional hospital X-ray experwlg
Selfridge Field, teeUAed that ttulto
opinion the pictures of lx
chest did not show any improve*
ment from Oct. 1943 to April IMC
Lt CoL Paul Petrie, of Percy
Jones hospital testified that as «
psychiatrist he had recommended
that Lt Henry be retinal from the
service because he wee not adjust
ing well.
DOCTORS TESnrUD
Dr. Maurine Weaver of Ho word
university and Lt CoL Marry CL
Kroon testified as to the symptom*
of the disease which the defendant
was alleged to be suffering from
but added nothing new to the testi
mony already given.
Lt*. Maurice Johnson, SheraM
Anderson, and Rice Corruther* all
testified that they hod been talced
by the defendant to awaken hia*
on several occasions ilimpligj jte
found it difficult to woke Ug
Charging Lt Mtftoa It Henry,
l Army Air corps, with ehsonoo with*
! out leave from hia peel el duly cm
nine counts, failure to report after
a tour of duty as alert officer, add
! insubordination and disrespect to
superior officer* the prosecution
began its testimony before the court
martial Mbnday, April 14, at Set
fridge field.
The court martial consisted el 14
Col Jotm a Petti son. Jr„ whit*
executive asaleteikt to the command
■l£H£&Sa§»
gpmat
'4. r 4MD dmc ims fempm j
the dofoaee and upWdby difS*3y
NUMBER 5