Richmond planet. [volume], June 30, 1923, Image 1

About Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
VQL XL. NO. 32_ _ RICHMOND. VIRGINIA. SATURDAY. JUNE 30. 1923 • PRICE, FIVE CENTS
THE GRAND LODGE AND GRAND COURT
SUPREME CHANCELLOR 6REEN AND COUNSEL ,
MEET STORMY PROTEST-OFFICERS IRE
SELECTED-LAWYERS ARE PREDOMININT
_ ___
Petersburg, Va., June 21.—The re
cent session of the Grand Lodge.
Knights of Pythias of Virginia and
the Grand Court, . Order of Calaathe
was one of the most remarkable gath
erings ever held in Ibis city. The in
fluence of John Mitchell Jr.f was.
everywhere in evidence. An arrange
nient hud been made whereby the
Tidewater slate with Attorney Wil
liam M Reid as Grand Chancellor was
to be elected. This section of the State
had chosen for every office members
from the Tidewater section. The cen
tral figure in the whole affair was
Col. G'.les B. Jackson, who in the
whole history of the Grand Lodge of
Virginia had never been seen in ore
of its sessions., and who had never re
ceived so far as the present member;’,
know the G.and Lodge ltfink.
RECENTLY REINSTATED.
lie had only recently been reinstat
ed in a lodge. Attorney W. H. C
Biown was similarly situated and had
been recently reinstated in a lodge in
Newport New’s. They were the cen
tral figures however and Col. Jackson
bad previously announced that he was
attorney for the Supreme Lodge. In
connection with Attorney William M.
Rekl. it seems that they had agreed to
turn the Grand Lodge of Virginia over
to the Supreme Lodge officials and had
gotten Col. Joseph Button to invite
the Supreme Lodge officials here for
this purpose. "The best laid plans of
mice and men gang aft agley.” The
scene which took place Tuesday after
noon will long be remembered.
ATTORNEY HEfWIN PRESIDED.
Some one hart designated Attorney
J. Thomas Hewin to preside over the
meeting and he came forward
with all the dignity in connect
ion with the office. He got along
f*lrly well until John T. Tav
lo.* made a motion to hear the Su
preme Chaucelloi the next morning
after the election of officers. Then
pandemonium hroke loose. Col. Giles
B. Jackson, Supreme Chancellor S. W„
Green, Grand Chancellor Lee W. Craw
ford of New York and Supreme V .e
Chancellor E. C. Tidrington of Evans
ville, Indiana occupied seats on the
rostrum., while the parliamentary
battle raged.
TOOK TWO HOURS.
Chairman Hewin was helpless. It
took two hours for the motion to bii
voted upon and then it was superced i
ed by a motion to hear Supreme Chanj
ce'.lor now. Scores of people got up
and walked out of the Ebenezer Rapt
is! Church, where the services were
be ng held. Some of those, who went
out came back, as a matter of curios
itv. During these proceedings, the ex
pression upon Cel. Giles B.. Jackson’s
face was a study. Col. Button had
stated that the agreement as under
stood between him and Supreme Chan
cellor Green was that the Supreme
Chancellor was to place $21,000.00 In
Virginia and Virginia was to contri
bute $2.000 00 towards the legal ex
penses of the Supreme Lodge.
NO SUCH POWER.
1 or Qunromo b o ri r>nll f Ironn
Admitted he had no such power or an
thirity. As a result; the Grand Lodge
would not have anything to do with
the affair and it was never submitted
to a. vote of the Grand Lodge of Vlr
gnia. Supreme Chancellor Green
rsf-'ted that he was ready to consider
propositions. Sir Green was followed
by Supreme Vice-Chancellor Tldrlng
to and then by Grand Chancellor
Crawford. After the closing of the
meeting. It was evident that the at
tempt of the Supreme Lodge officers
to stampede Virginia had failed.
Grand Chancellor Mitchell was not a
candidate In ihls meeting, holding
ftibt the Grand Txalge could not legal
ly function, while in the hands of a
r<; elver.
THE QUESTION OF LEGALITY.
The fact was emphasized that no
k
legal meeting of the Grand Lodge
could be held except under the offi
cers elected at the Bristol session
labt year and under the ritual and in
accordance with the pase-word. Re
ceiver Joseph Button, one of the most
pcpulnr statesmen in Virginia found
himself under embarrassing conditions
in view of the fraternal complications
and also In view of previous an
nouncements that his Department
would have nothing to do with the se
cret work of the Order. Offlcere could
b. elected In no other awy, but
under the secret work. Col. Jackson
and olliers had him come into the
Grand Lodge, with the Book of Law
closed and read a list of officers slat
ed
NO NOMINATIONS PERMITTED.
Piesiding officer Reid announced that
I ht would not permit nny nominations
[ against them and they must be ac
costed . Even these consisted of prac
tically all of the old officers, but one
ar.d this was Sir William M. Reid,
and he had b? n transferred from the
chair of Grand Master of Work. This
disposed of Col. Button’s previous an
nouncement that the old officers
should not serve nnd there should be
a new deal. In the Grand Ccrurt the
situation was even worse for the fe
males were solidly in favor of the
Mitchell contention. Mrs. Rowena
White Grand Worthy Inspector wan !
named to fill the Grand Worthy Coun
sellor’a chair.
OTHER OFFICERS.
i Mrs. Margaret H. Burrell, Grand
Worthy Inspectrix; Mrs .M. C. Adams
Grand Worthy Oraitor; Mrs Lucie E.
C. Scott. Grand Worthy Register of
Deeds; Mrs. Lizzie Green, Grand Wor
thy Escort; Mrs. Adelaide G. Thomp
son. Grand Worthy Receiver of Depos
it^ ; Mrs. Lucy Cross, Grand Worthy
Conductress; Mrs. Emma Clements.
Grand Worthy Assistant Conductress;
Mrs. Nannie C. Johnson Grand
Worthy Herald; Mrs. Mary
Wcolridge, Grand Worthy Protector;
Mrs. Florence Wilson. Grand Worthy
Lecturer. Mrs. P. M. B. Hodge had
been chosen as Grand Worthy Receiv
er of Deposits but orders came down
from Ool. Button that the one desig
nated must bo from Richmond, hence
i the change Mrs. Anna Taylor, Grand
Worthy Senior Directress; Mrs. Mil
i lie Paxton. Gr ,nd Worthy Junior Di
rectress.
—B.
MISS LEWIS’ BIRTHDAY.
The many friends of Miss Frances
B. Lewis gathered at her home Friday
night, the 22nd and celebrated her
' irthday in giand style. The anutse
meats were plentiful and refresn
ments were served abundantly to ap
pease the appetite of the inner-man.
Mirs Lewis Is the younger daughter
ot Mr. and 'Mrs. Win. E Lewis of 2513
Barnbridge street, Southside.
CAPTAIN EDWARDS HERE.
Capt. and Mrs. W. T. Edwards of
New York City, N. Yy nriived in tho
city Friday, June 22nd and will spend
ten days visiting relatives and friends
in Richmond, Va. Captain and his
madam were residents of "Old Man
chaster" tweitty-odd years ago, and
their many acquaintances were glad
to meet them.
Mr. Edwards was the youngest Ca?>
t<dn. white or colored, in the State of
Virginia during the reign of the
tinion Guards and was familiarly call
ed the "Boy Captain” of that crack
c mpany. His reminiscences of the
soldier hoys who sthouldered the mus
kt t under him are very interesting.
They will leave next week for their
home in the north witlr the hest wish-1
o.. of their many tr ends. By-the-wav
Capt. Edwards is the brother of Mrs
Amanda Baker. Mrs. M. V. Nelson and
Mrr. Rachael Hall.
Rians are under way tor the reop
ening of the Mechanics Savings Bank
of Richmond, Va., and a meeting of
the depositors of that institution will
be held next week at Johnson*s Hall,
lO IV. Leigh St., July 5, at 8:30 R. M.
Eminent attorneys have charge of
this matter and with the witting co-op
eration of the depositors, success is
assured.
MBS IN INDIA LIVE
SEMI-SLAVE LIFE I
Crusader Service.)
Lahore, India.—Twelve cents a day
in wages and revolting conditions are
the lot of the 300.000 coal miners in
India under brutish British rule.
The All-India Trade Union Congresj
makes this statement in an appeal 1'
has issued for help in organizing the
workers of India. The appeal says, in
p.*rt:
“The Indian miner gets six annas
12 cents) a,day wages. His wage Is
only one-tenth the value of his out-put
The enormous profits made out of his
blood and sweat go to swell the divi
dends of many foreign (British) own
ed companies.
“The lives led by the miners are th^
lives of semi-slaved- Prostitution io
rampant in the coal fields because tho
men and women of the coal-fields are
poverty-stricken', hungry and decal -
tute.
“As a result of the exploitation of
our workers,, thousands die every
year of starvation and millions of d!.«
ease since their half-starved bodies
can offer no resistance. The infant
dfath rate mounted up not long ago
in Bombay to 680 deaths per 1000
children under one year of age.
HOLLAND—GILES.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Giles announce
the marriage of their daughter,
Hannah Beatrice, to Fergus D.
Holland, which took place in Atlantic
City, N. J., June 24, 1923.
Mr. and Mrs. Holland will spend
their honeymoon in the West.
SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH.
SUNDAY, JULY 1. Location: Cornei
of L*)igh and First Streets.
10:00 A. M. Sunday School
The pjistor will preach at each ser
vice.
11:30 A. M. Subject: "The Great. De
sign of Human Affliction."
3:30 P.. M. Communion—Sermonette
8:15 P. M. Anniversary Exercise^
of t.lie Garfield Beneficial Club. Pray
er Services Wednesday at 8:00 P. M
OUR TASK.
The major points of our Special Or
gan Drive:
Each team’s quota is $116.00:
individual membership contribution
averages $650. Shall we go over the
top? In the name of the Lord we can.
Aside from the financial progress, tbo
intense rivalry and good spirit that
exist among the twenty-six teams is a
feature that will strengthen our mor
ale for the greater tasks of the future
—the spiritual battles that await the
entry of the valiant-hearted.’ Launch
out into the deep and let down your
nets for a draught" was the Master’s
command to Peter. It is a challenge
■Vo the Church of our day In its at
tempt to save the lives of men—social
ly economically, morally and spirit
ually. All are welcome to our servic
es..
Rev. R H. Johnson. M.. A. B. D..
Pi stor; W. L. Johnson, Clerk.
•—Mrs. Roberta L. Edwards and her
daughter. Mtss R. O. Edwards are vis
iting relatives In Norfolk.
—M1p« AHee C. Chiles is spending
the we<k with her parents Col a".!
Mis. John ft. Chiles. 316 W. Leigh St
WHY DODGE THE ISSUE?
(Industrial News Bureau,)
The new income tax figures tell .»
plain story with a plain lesson. In one
year, the number of Americans pay
ing taxes on incomes above $100,000
decreased from 3.600 to 2,300. That Is
a ioss of 1 300.
The governments of the United
Stales are prcct'cal'v inviting people
to evaiiQ their taxes to seeking relter
through investment in tax-free securl
ties.
The governments, local and nation
al, lay before the man of large in
come a great mass of their securities,
every few days, and say to him:
If you will hand over' some of your
money in exchange for these securi
ties. w$ will gee that you pay no taxes
on the income that you draw from
the loan.
Many taxpayers accept this invita
tion and thus evade, or dodge, taxes,
thereby unloading a fierce tax burden
on the rest of ms.
S long ae the governments impose
enormous taxes and at the same time
offer a ready way outt the present
abuse will go «*u.
Politicians who rage against ricn
tax dodgers, and then vote for tax
free securities are merely beating the
air and they know it.
ATTY. ROBBRim IMPROITKC -
Attorney J. C. Robertson has not as
yet fully reoovere dfrom an automo
bile accident, in which he figured
June 1st. It seems that he left Wash
ington to attend to some legal busi
ness at Fairfax C. H., Dr.. Llewellyn
Harris was at the wheel. Upon tho re
turn trip that night about 10 o’clock
the car went head-on in a collision
with another car. Dr. Harris was not
injured, but Attorney Robertson was
bruised although he was not thrown
out of tho car. As for the two ma
chines they were unable to get. away
under their own power.
Attorney Robertson came on to
Richmond, whero he has been under
treatment of Dr. E. R. Jefferson ever
since although he has been able to
get to his office.
MT. NEBO MISSION.
Services were well attended all day
Sunday. Sunday School at 9:30A. M
10:45 A. M. Subject: “What Will
Tl ru Have Me Do?”
Sunday July 1st, subject: A General
service of the Universe.
.'5:30 P. M. Mission meeting Come
ore and all.
7.45 P. M. preaching, subject: “The
Better Way,” Text. St. John 17:15.
WAR PROCLAIMED ON PRISON
SYSTEM IN TENNESSEE.
Memphis, Tenn. June 28.—Warfare
against, the Tennessee prison system,
which permits contractors to take
over prison labor will be waged by
tlw Tennessee State Federation of \m
bor following resolutions adopted by
the annual convention held at Knox
vibe. Financial support in the fignt
made by Editor Jacob Cohen. Mem
plug Labor World against a $1,000
fire and six months in jail was also
piedged.
f
COURT OF U. S. H
(Industrial News Bureau,)
There is much being said these days
in critcism of the power exercised by
the United States Supreme Court.
Here is what Chief Justice Marsh
all gave as his view of it and it is
the commonly accredited view:
*‘It is n proposition too plain to be
contested that the Constitution con
trols any legislative act repungnant to
it;.or that the logislature may alter
the Constitution by an ordinary act.
Between these alternatives there is
n<» m'ddle ground. The Constitution
is either a superior, paramount law,
unchangeable by ordinary means, o.
1*. is on a level with ordinary legisla
tive acts, and, like other acts, is alter
able when the legislature shall please
t> alter It. If the former part of the
aiierative be true,, then a legislative
act contrary to the Constitution is
tret Taw; IT the latter part be true
then written constitutions nre absurd
attempts, on the part o*' the people, 10
limit a power in its own nature illim
liable. ”
This doubtless will be the American
constitutional view, in contrast with
the British supreme parliamentary
idea, so long as the governmental
system left us by the builders of the
republic is able to withstand the at
tacks of those who would have the
political wisdom and intelligence or
tne average man reflected In our or
genic law rather than to set up a
standard of wisdom and intelligence
to operate as a check on popular clnm
HAN WORLD WAR VETS..
(Crusader News Service.)
Minneapolis, June 28.—Permission
to use a public park for an amnesty
meeting has been denied the Minneap
o! s Post of the World War Veterars
by the board of park commissioners.
Leslie R. Hurt, representative of
the post making the request, says ho
was told by the commissioners that
the radical element was using the
World War Veterans as catspaws to
free political prisoners.
There are several colored vets t;i
the Post of the World War Veteran-?
here, as Indeed throughout the coun
tr/ many colored veterans declining
to enter the ranks of the reactionary
anq prejudiced American Legion.
ELKOPKAN SITUATION WORSE,
SAY FRIENDS.
(Crusader News Service.)
Washington. D. C., The American
Fi lends’ Service committee has called
upon President Harding to call "a
new and real peace conference.” Its
letter follows in part:
"Sad as was the condition of the
peoples of Europe when we started
our relief work, it is appalling to reai
ize that their condition in many In
stances is worse today. Wc feel that tn
great sections of Europe, hope has
been lost and despair has seized great
parts of the population like a disease.
"The occupation of the Ruhr has
solidified the spirit of nationalism in
Germany and given tremendous im
pulse to the forces of reaction. The
boundary between Poland and Russia
has bfen dosed and no one can fore
t*” what another day's news will
bring forth. Turkey and the problems
of the near east threaten. India is In
a state of unrert, and unomnloyment
:s sapping the energi's ef r:ron» Bri
tan.”
TWICE SENTENCED TD DIE; FREED!
f r .
——-' ■ &Y-*r «*' <
FREEDOM FOB SIX MEN COHUICTEO IN THE
ELAINE HIOT CISES-N. H. I. C. P. WILL WAGE
FIGHT FOR RELEASE OF OTHER INNOCENT MEN
_ »- - --
June 25, 1923.
New York, N. Y.
The Richmond Planert,,
311 North Fourth St.,
Richmond. Virginia.
Arkansas State Supreme Court to
day reversed Circuit Court and order
ed six Elaine defendants discharged
These are the six cases In which Stato
Supreme Court twice reverse Ph-ii
Ups Co., convictions,. Men have been
awaiting retrial for more than two
years. We applied for writ of dismis
sill under Arkansas Statute of Limlta
tions. Circuit Court denied out appli
cation whereupon we appealed to
j State Supreme court gaining decision
today after nearly four years of fight
ing and cost of more than $14.00w.
This marks the beginning of the end
of the greatest case of its kind in his
toiy of America.
WALTER F. WHITE.
N. A A. C. P.
little Rook, Ark.. June 25.—The
Arkansas Supreme Court toduy grant
ed the petition of the defense seeking
dismissal of the cases against El
Ware and five other Negroes,waiting
retrial on charges of murder in con
nection with the uprising at Elaine.
Ark. in 1919 in which several white
pci sons and a number of Negroes
were killed.
Little Rock, Ark., June 26.—Six Ne
groes, twice sentenced by Arkansas
courts to be electrocuted after - twlvf
being convicted of murder in connect
tk-n with the Eluine insurrection iu
Oc.ober 1919 were at liberty today, a
misunderstanding or coAtradition of
orders having brought them release.
ea»-ly this morning, suddenly and un
eApeotedly as they stood knocking at
the outside gates of the state peniten
ti.ny near here.
Sheriff A. L#. Calloway of Lee couu
ty, hud brought them from the Jail at
Marianna on orders from Judge E. 1).
Robertson of the Lee county circuit
court, he said. Warden Hamp Martin
had no orders to receive them, he
s-iid and refused to admit them. They
were set free.
Recovering from their bewilder
ment, the six with attendant relatives
and attomeysi. climbed into automo
bi'ts and returned to Little Rock to
spend the night as they pleased for
the first time since three and a half
years ago they were arrested and
charged with complicity in the upris
ing which resulted In the death of sev
oral white persons and an undetermln
ed number of Negroes and the calling
out of the United States troops.
An opinion of the Arkansas sh
preme court yesterday directed the dis
m-ssal of the case against the Negro
es on petition of defense counsel
w.i'ih asserted that two terms of
court in Lee county where their third
trral had been set. had passed without
th- ir having been brought to trial.
WAIT FURTHER ACTION.
The Negroee. Ed. Ware Joe Fox,
John Martin, Alf Banks. Albert Giles
and Will Wordlow agreed before leav
ing the penitentiary grounds that they
would meet in the office of an attor
ney in Little Rock at 11 o’clock this
mo.ning. Further action on their
status is expected at that time.
Six other Negro defendants in the
Elaine affair nre in th epenitentiary
h-ie awaiting action of Fedetal Judg
Tr.eher on their attorney’s habeas
corpus which was based on the alleged
ground that they did not receive a
f.» r trial at Helena in Phillips coun
ty. the locality of the insurrection
The first reversal of a verdidt ot
guMty and a sentence of death in ihc
cat.o of the Negroes at liberty todat
was caused by the failure of the Jure
to name the ofTense for which they
found the defendants guilty. Their
verdict was "guilty as charged.’’
Reversal in the second conviction
and death sentence was based on the
f' rf that no Negroes were on the Jury
which found the six guilty, the su
P7eme court declaring that they had
not therefore been guaranteed a fn’r
trial.
Off ANOE OF VENFE GRANTED
A change of venue was then grant-1
ed to Lee county, where at the last
term of court the slate’s attorney re
quested the postponement of the trial.
He explained that witnesses by whom
he had procured conviction in former
trials were not now available.
^ he Elaine trouble started when a
petty in an automobile, including an
officer was fired upon early in Octo
ber 1919 by persons concealed near a
meeting house at Hoop Spur in Pbi.
fits Co. Investigation later disclos
ed that armed Negroes were patroll
ing the vicinity of the hbuse in which
a great number of Negroes were con
grrgated, armed.
In operations by federal troops au 1
pcsseg, hundreds of Negroes were can
| turn! and disarmed. Quiet was rest* t
| ed after severeal white men including
1 a deputy and two members of the H< V
tna American legion post had be*
killed. Machine guns used by the.
troop* from Camr> Pike were effective
:n firing the canebrake in which the
gr. ups of resisting Negroes had en
trenched themselves.
(By Associated Press.)
SUBWAY PANIC WHEN MAN
FLASHES RAZOR.
i m ii i
Crusader 3ervioe.)
sew York. June 29,.—Passengers
on a crowded east side subway ex
proea were thrown into a panic Iasi
U'.cht at 86th street station when one
or two men who had wrangled all the
w»y from 42nd street slashed his ad
versary in the face with a razor.
Women and children screamed, azu*
m*n fought away, from the fighting
pa.r. trampling over children and wo
men Ln their attempt.to get out of tn*>
y.one of the razor.
Yhe victim, Moyer Richman. white
was taken to the hospital. TTie wielder
of the razor, Adolph Adams, colored
was taken to the East 104th Street
station and charged with felonious as
sault.
PROTECTING CONSUMER ANI>
INVESTOR.
(Industrial News Bureau,)
The United States Supreme court
has recently rendered a decision of
great importance as effecting the fu
ture development of public ultilitv
properties* The opinion establishes
I the principle that “cost of reproduc
1 tlon at prevailing prices must be con
I sulered in fixing rates.” This decision
I mere than anything else does away
i which politicians parade before the
people in a vote-getting campaign.
When rates are based on the cost of
the property so called watered stock
Is automatically eliminated. To main
iain it*-, own financial standings ami
credit a utility cannot afford to ho
loaded with watered stock, for wittr
rates apportioned to the re
production cost of its plant it cannot
Pfcy dividends on money not actually
invested. Hence its return to stock
holders womd be unsatisfactory and
it would imme liately find itself In dir
flculties. Tbs supreme court express
es the opinion that it Is Impossible to
determine a fair return on the invest
m^nt without considering the reprodrr
tlon cost at the time, on the ground
that if present reproduction oost is
disregarded, an intelligent forecast of
probable future values becomes im
p sstble, for estimates for tomorrow
cannot overlook the prices of today
NVR8E DfF,S St’DDENLr,.
Petersburg. Va.. June 27.—Whip
nursing an Infant this morning, Car.
ri - Price, colored, well known ns .1
nurse and called by her friends "Aunt
W'lUe" dropped dead with the baby
In her arms at a home on McKenzh
Street. The baby was no! injured.
The woman, according to report*.
had Just picked up the baby whicii
was but a few days old. when she Mid
dcnly collapsed She lived at 1124 Com.
n ercc street and was widely known
over the « lty as a nurse and bad many
fp'cnd* among the white people.
t