The guardian. [volume], January 21, 1939, Image 1

About The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960

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THE GUARDIAN
VOL. 38, NO. 12
FIRE GUTS FAMED HARLEM CHURCH
Joseph White, Baritone Favorite, To Wed
Red Caps Drive On — Former Hub Man Wins Photo Honors
EXCELS AS AUTHOR
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MERCEDES GILBERT, New York author, whose recent book, "Aunt Sara's
Wooden God" won for her the coveted Blanche Edwards' Award of Sigma
Gamma Rho at its national boule held in Houston recently. This is a prize
qjvvn yearly to the soror making the outstanding contribution during the
year. ProT. Alain Locke rateUhefnovel among the best works by Coiorea
authors during the year 1938.
BAY STATE DEM.
CLUB ACTIVE
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" lM£gsgߧrt&v,
ROBERT L. MERRITT, JR.
President Bay State Democratic Club
vho has done noteworthy work for
the party and Colored Democrats.
1 he Bay State Colored Men’s Demo
cratic Club, Ine., Robert L. Merritt, Jr.,
president, will continue efforts for the
elevation of a colored lawyer to the
U. S. Supremo Court, the 'Massachu
setts Bench, for a full share of ap
pointive and elective Federal, State and
City offices and for other improvements
that will advance the race economically,
politically and socially, it was an
nounced this week in a statement from
the club’s headquarters.
The club, with headquarters at 1095
icmont Street, has been active ever
Slnc Sg organized, and its work,
ii.' pride, has been recog-
and appreciated by
leaders and State officials in per
afiMybtters to the club which are on
We at headquarters. The club is in
'corporated and its headquarters is ap
f>roved bv Police Commissioner Timilty
(Continued on Page 5)
DePriest Garage
255 NORTHAMPTON ST.
o'l • Gas - Repairing - Storage
Now Maintaining the
Ford Service
T< KENmor. g}?» H . Thompw., Prop.
FIRE GUTS OLD
HARLEM CHURCH
NEW YORK, Jan.—(CNA)—The
city’s most spectacular fire of the win
ter . gutted St. Martin’s Episcopal
Church in Harlem and spread terror
to hundreds of residents of nearby
fire-trap rooming houses and tene
ments, as the high-leaping flames
threatened adjoining buildings. Three
persons were injured, none seriously.
The church is at the southeast cor
ner of 122nd St. and Lenox Ave., one
of the largest and oldest churches in
Harlem, and was known as the Church
of the Holy Trinity before it was sold
to colored by whites.
The Rev. John H. Johnson, liberal
pastor of the church, held services
ending about 9 o’clock, Jan. 11, and
the church was then closed by Henry
Wells, and Fred Palmer, caretakers,
who then retired to their quarters in
the basement. At 2 a.m. they were
awakened by smoke and gave the
alarm.
Five alarms were turned in, bring
ing thirty pieces of apparatus to the
scene, before the blaze was brought
under control at 8 o’clock Thursday
morning.
Damage was placed at $500,000 or
more. It was understood that the
church was insured.
THE DELTA
SIGMA THETA SORORITY
presents
PHILIPPA SCHUYLER
Pianist — Composer
in a
PIANO RECITAL
Sunday, Jan. 22, ’39
TWELFTH BAPT. CHURCH
3:00 P.M.
Adults 50c Children 25c
INA BRAITHWAITE
Concert Pianist
She will be heard in a distinctive RECITAL, on MONDAY EVENING,
JAN. 23 at 8.15, in JORDAN HALL
The program will traverse J. S. Bach's Prelude and Fuge in B Flat Major, Handel's
Chaconne and Variations, Shuberts Fantasy (Opus 15) and shorter pieces by C. P. E.
Bach, Scarlatti, Palingren, Blumenfeld, Liadov, Poulene and Liszt.
GUARDIAN, BOSTON, MASS., JANUARY 21, 1939
PHOTOGRAPHER
WINS HONORS
—
SY RACUSE, X. Y'.- —The work of a
colored amateur, Walter J. Stevens of
this city, was on display among; the
offerings of the world’s best amateur
photographers in an exhibition at the
Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts during
December.
The display was under the auspices
of an International Salon Committee.
Of 891 prints sent to the jury from
every part of the United States, and
from England, France, Germany, Hun
gary, China, Italy, India, Belgium and
Hawaii, only 227 were accepted as rep
resenting the proper artistic value to
be placed on exhibition.
Mr. Stevens formerly was a resident
of Boston, Mass.
G
RACE WOMEN
HARD HIT
IN INDUSTRY
WASHINGTON, Jan. — (CNA) —
One of every six women workers in
this country is Colored and she is ex
ploited with “double harshness,” says
a report issued this week on the prob
. Jem of Colored women workers by th?
Women’s Bureau of the Labor Depart
ment. The report points out that the
American people pay heavily in the
end for the substandard conditions
forced upon these workers by employ
ers, for they must somehow be sup
plied with food, shelter and clothing.
The report reveals that twice as
many colored women as white women
are forced to leave their homes to earn
a livelihood, and that nine-tenths of
them are still in farm, domestic and
personal service because of barriers
to their “occupation progress” in other
fields. What progress they have made,
the report says, had been mainly
through their getting jobs in power
laundries, beauty shops, as elevator
operators, etc. It also notes increases
in the past twenty years in the number
of colored women in the professions
and clerical work.
G
J. A. Jackson Advises
N.Y. Fair Visitors
James A. Jackson, the special repre
sentative of the Esso Marketers of the
Standard Oil Companies, more widely
known as “Billboard” Jackson when
asked about exposition visiting said:
“Based upon my personal experience
and observation as acquired through
visits to the Chicago Century of Prog
ress, and the San Diego Exposition:
through employment with the govern
ment at Belgium Exposition, service
on the grounds at Buffalo and Charles
ton : plus a general knowledge of the
country and my people’s interest, I am
submitting the following:
“If you want to see the exhibits with
the greatest freedom from crowds, and
maximum attention from attendants
and lectures, visit a fair in its second
and its fifth month.
“If you like excitement, be at the
opening or during the first week. Fail
ing that, make it during the last week.
“Should you be interested in meeting
the greatest number of visitors from
everywhere, then come in June, July
and August and up to Sept. 15. Those
are the Convention months.
“If Harlem is your big interest, any
time will do and Floyd Snelson knows
the ‘spots,’ hot ones, conservative
places, domoeiles, and social contacts,
better than anyone else in town.”
TO JOIN BENEDICTS
I '
JOSEPH T. WHITE
Boston musician who is to be married
to a charming lady in the spring.
<HHtriait
®o Wt’b
There really and truly is going to be
a wedding soon in which a popular,
supposed-to-be-confirmed-bachelor mu
sician will have a leading role. When
the rumor, drifting up from the Cape
last ;; summer stated that the Hub bari-
perilously, it caused
a tipple of surprise among his large
circle of largely because it
was known that he had been able to
‘‘duck and run” at other times when
his membership in bachelorhood was
threatened. And therefore it can now
be told that Joseph T. White, teacher
of voice and piano, baritone soloist,
will join the ranks of benedicts in the
near future.
The bride-to-be is Mrs. Sophia Nich
ols beautiful and charming widow, of
Pittsfield and Boston. A native of Con
neetucut, she was educated in the publie
schools of Pittsfield and Boston and
has specialized in the work of a dieti
cian. The friendship between the
couple is of long standing.
The date of the wedding could not be
learned hut it is understood that the
event will take place within the next
few weeks and that the couple will
make Boston their home. Mr. White
has his music studio at 25 Braddock,
Park, a substantial dwelling which he
recently purchased.
NAACP HEAD
RECOVERING
NEW YORK, Jan. 16—Col. J. E.
Spingarn, president of the NAACP,
who has been seriously ill, is making
steady recovery and his condition is
improving each day. President Spin
garn is not at present able to acknowl
edge correspondence, but messages will
reach him at 110 E. 78 Street, New
York City.
He is able to sit up for brief periods,
and his physicians are pleased at the
rate of his recovery.
G
21 ©mitt iws
R. Edwin Scott of 12 Windsor St.,
well-known Boston citizen, died on
Jan. 15, after an illness that began
five years ago at the time he was serv
ing as a city constable, having been
appointed by Mayor Nichols and hold
ing the job through the terms of the
democratic mayors Mansfiel dand Cur
ley. Mr. Scott had previously been a
storekeeper in the vicinity of his late
home. He was active in Republican
politics and was a former Ward 9
committee chairman.
Funeral services were held Wednes
day, Jan. 18, at St. Mark Congrega
tional Church, Rev. S. L. Laviscount
dered several beautiful solos. Deceased
officiating. Miss Blanche Diggs ren
leaves to mourn their loss, a devoted
wife, Mrs. Anna Gale Scott, relatives
and a host of friends. Interment was
in Mt. Hope Cemetery, E. L. Morrison
was the undertaker.
“Uiartlja”
LOCAL GROUP SCORES SUCCESS
By ANNA LEE DALE
The Byars-Harris Operatic Group
presented Flotow’s “Martha” to a
capacity audience at the Y r .W.C.A.,
Boston, Thursday night, January 12,
with the following east:
Lady Harriet Vivian Byars
Nancy Angelyn DeVaughne
Lionel Irving Ridley
Plunkett Ernest O’Banyoun
Sheriff Fred Riggs
Tristan Gilbert Hutcherson
Conductor, James Byars; Stage
Director, Ralf Coleman
The two additions to the east, in the
persons of Miss DcY’anghn and Mr.
Ridley, added much to the brilliance of
the opera this year. The title role was
expertly played by Miss Byars, sop
rano, who, although suffering from a
cold, did well in the first act and did
some truly heroic singing in the last
two acts. At times her diction was not
clear hut her charm was enough to
carry her over the top. Miss De-
Vaughn, contralto, played t of
Nancy with ease and a full realization
of its color and emotional content. Her
voice is worm and shows great possi
bilities.
Mr. Ridley, tenor, as Lionel, made
his first appearance in a role of this
kind. He has a splendid voice, well
trained, and his role gave him an op
portunity for vocal display. Although
his voice is not unusual in power it is
even and mellow and he handled the
high notes with skill and assurance.
Mr. O’Banyoun, as Plunkett, is well
known for his fine dramatic work, and
\ L VI. 5/
OF OPERA CAST
MBH
(Miss) ANGELYN DeVAUGHN
Who did creditable work as a member
of the cast in the opera "Martha,"
presented by the Byars-Harris Co. in
Y.W.C.A. Hall.
C. L R. JAMES
GIVES GOOD TALK
“Persecution and oppression are not
racial hut are invariably economic” was
the opening statement of C. L. R.
Janies, English lecturer and writer who
on Sunday night, at Butler Hall ad
dressed an appreciotive audience on
“The Colored Man in the Present
World Crisis.” He had spoken on
Thursday night, also, at Hibernial Hall.
His first Boston appearances were
sponsored by the Boston Socialist
Workers’ Party.
In his talk the speaker linked the
imperialistic policies of Great Britain,
France and other ostensibly democratic
nations with the objectives of Germany,
Italy, Japan and other fascist powers.
He showed that the colored race stands
wedged between the capitalistic ob-
(Continued on Page 5)
RECEPTION AND BALL
By JAMES M. CURLEY CLUB
Tendered to Hon. and Mrs. James M. Curley
SOUTH ARMORY, Irvington St., Boston THURS. EVE., JAN. 26
SUBSCRIPTION JOc
Tickets may be had from Dr. Silas F. Taylor, 922 Tremont St.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
RED CAPS LAUNCH
10,000 DRIVE
CHICAGO —The International Bro
therhood of Red Caps announced this
week the oppening of a national drive
to raise SIO,OOO among its members,
friends, and friendly trade unions.
Officials of the Brotherhood said
the money is being raised to finance a
campaign for greater security and the
maintenance of rights of station em
ployees under existing social and labor
legislation.
Fresh from its victory in the em
ployee status ease before the Inter
state Commerce Commission, the union
is faced with a series of new fights. It
has a new ease before the Interstate
of Employee status of red caps in cities
of less than 100,000 population. These
were excluded in the first decision of a
ease before the Wage and Hour Ad
ministration on the question of tips
and their relation to wages under the
Fair Labor Standards Act. The rail
roads have circumvented the paying of
the 25 cents minimum by having the
Commerce Commission on the question
employees report their tips, which, in
turn, are used to make up the 25 cents
requirement. Other cases are pending
before the National Mediation Board.
These cases are for the purpose of
selecting the collective bargaining
agency for red caps of the various rail
way systems.
To conduct the financial drive, the
union has created a National Financial
Campaign Committee of thirty-five
members, headed by John L. Yancey,
’’■tpi »<itu.'icl <• T ,7“’"Tr and
Ernest Calloway, Editor of the official
news organ, Bags and Baggage.
A number of nationally known trade
union leaders and liberals have express
ed their support of the drive in letters
to the Union. Among these are: Pres.
Jerome Davis of the American Federa
tion of Teachers; Vice-Pres. Lillian
Kerstein, Chicago Federation of Labor;
Pres. Homer Martin, United Automo
bile Workers Union; Pres. A. F.
Whitney, Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen; Vice-President Charles
Zimmerman, Int’l Ladies Garment
Workers Union; Lest B. Granger, Na
tional Urban League; Dr. Paul H.
(Continued on Page 5)
G
BRITISH AID
ITALY IN
ETHIOPIA
GENEVA, Jan.—(CNA)—British
Prime Minister Chamberlain was re
liably reported this week to be pro
moting a scheme to aid Fascist Italy
in consolidating its conquests in Ethio
pia against the increasingly effective
ness of Ethiopian guerrila operations.
The scheme is said to have been
broached by Chamberlain during his
recent visit to Rome where he held
secret conferences with Mussolini and
the Italian Foreign Minister, Count
Faleazzo Ciano.
Informed diplomatic sources de
clared that the British plan aims to
facilitate Italian troop movements to
Ethiopia by giving Italy free port
privileges in Jibuti, French East Afri
can port and terminus of the only rail
road into Ethiopia; and free port
rights in Zeila, British Somaliland
port and terminus of motor roads from
Ethiopia. The roads would be im
proved with British capital to increase
their military value to Italy.
(Recent advices from Jibuti report
ed that the Italians had suffered se
vere reversals in Ethiopia during the
past month following wide scale guer
rila attacks.)
The Chamberlain government also
was reported to be considering finan
cial loans to bolster Italy’s toppling
financial structure, either directly or
by way of the Spanish rebels, thereby
financing Italy’s invasion of Spain as
well.