Richmond planet. [volume], March 29, 1930, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
VOLUME VLVII, NO. 20
(Two Sections—16 Pages)
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, SATURDAY, MA ; 29, 1930
PRICE, FIVE CENTS
(Special to The Richmond Planet)
Hampton, Va., March 25.—When
Lawyer A. W. E. Bassett, Jr., who
has been waging a ceaseless fight
against the registration officers of
Elizabeth City county appeared be
fore the Supreme Court of Appeals
at Richmond about two weeks ago
with Attorney J. Thomas Newsome,
of Newport News, associated with
him, to present a petition for a
writ of error on behalf- of W. E.
Davis, of Hampton, who had been
denied registration, there was pre
sented to the Court for final judg
ment a matter of the most vital
concern for the Negro people of this
State, and in fact of every Southern
Commonwealth. The court granted
a writ of error.
1 he Case
W. E .Davis complied with the
law in his application to register. It
was made in his own handwriting to
Thomas C. Allen, registrar of his
precinct, setting forth without aid,
suggestion or memorandum his name,
age, residence and occupation at the
time and for more than one year
next preceding, and all other things
required to be specifically set forth
in the application. He also exhib
ited receipts showing the payment
of poll taxes as required by low.
and was prepared to answer on oath
any and all questions affecting his
qualifications as an elector, as re
quired by the Constitution of Vir
ginia, section 20, which is as fol
lows in the third paragraph thereof:
‘‘That he answer on oath any
and all questions affecting his
qualifications as an elector, sub
mitted to him by the registra
tion officer, which questions and
answers thereto, shall be re
duced to writing, certified by
the said officer, and preserved
as a part of his official rec
ords.”
The registrar evidently not wish
ing to know whether he possessed
the necessary qualifications required
of him by section 18 of the Con
stitution, proceeded to ask him ques
tions that would bring into use that
section of the Constitution that was
obsolete after 1904, namely, section
19, which is now obsolete insofar
as regards persons registering after
1904, and of such general nature
as to elicit from him how far he
was generally informed, the ques
tions being as follows:
1. What is meant by legal
residence in Virginia? •
2. When is the payment of
poll taxes not required?
3. What are the requisites to
enable one to register in Vir
gima:
The Petition
The petition for the writ of error
attacks the right of the registrars
after 1904 to ask the applicant for
registration any questions except
those touching his qualification as
an elector. These questions, the pe
tition sets forth, cannot extend to
the understanding of the applicant
of any law whether organic or
statutory, the provision of the Con
stitution under which such questions
could be asked prior to 1904 having
become obsolete by the very words
of the Constitution itself. When the
application has been made out as
already set forth in the manner
which the Constitution prescribes,
then the registrar can only question
the applicant in accordance with
the section of the Constitution above
referred to.
So, from this, it seems that it is
the duty of the registrar to write
the questions and the answers of
the applicant, and not the duty of
the applicant; in other words, af
ter he has written his application,
he is only required to answer on
oath such questions, and not to
write them. So, having paid his
poll taxes and written his applica
tion in proper form, and answered
questions showing his citizenship,
age, residence, in state, county or
city, and his precinct, he still is
subject to the following disqualifica
tions: if he comes within that class
which includes idiots, or insane per
sons, or paupers, or if he, prior
to adoption of the Constitution was
disqualified from voting by convic
tion of crime either within or with
out the State and his disability shall
have not been removed, or whether
he has been convicted after the
adoption of this Constitution within
or without this State of treason,
felony, bribery, petit larceny, ob
taining money or property under
false pretenses, embezzlement, forg
ery, or perjury; or if he, while a
citizen of this State and after the
adoption of the Constitution has
fought a duel with a deadly wea
pon, or sent or accepted a chal
lenge to light such a duel, within
or without this State, or knowingly
conveyed a challenge, or aided or
assisted in any way in the fighting
of such a duel, unless the disability
incurred thereby has been removed.
This petitioner was not at the time
of making his applcation disqualified
for any cause, nor is he disquali
fied at this time.
What the Court Must Decide
The Supreme Court of Appeals,
therefore, must decide whether the
registrar must act under the Con
stitution or whether he may arbi
trarily go outside of the Constitu
tion and ask questions whose plain
intent and purpose are to defeat
the applicant on account of his
color.
it is impossible in the space which
can be given to this article to do
more than give a brief outline of
what is before the court, but from
the best legal authorities it is said
that the case now before the Su
preme Court of Appeals of Virginia
admits of no possibility of side
stepping the issue, but that the Su
preme Court must construe the Con
stitution and hereafter the ruling
will be ?. guide - weii a& a limit
to the authority of registrars.
For a long time in the city of
Hampton Lawyer Bassette has been
compelled to appeal cases to Judge
Spratley in order to have colored
men and women placed upon the
books as registered voters. In fact,
much of the time of the Circuit
Court ahs been taken in hearing
cases of that character because the
registrars were determined to evade
the law and to embarrass colored
applicants who came before them
for registration.
Lawyer Bassette has fought these
cases with patience and persistence,
has succeeded in placing a number
of men and women on the books
through the medium of the Circuit
Court, but he finally decided that,
with the adverse ruling of Judge
Spratley in the Davis case, he would
take the matter to the Supreme
Court of this State so as to have
it settled once and for all.
Much more than the reversal in
the Davis case is sought, for rt is
believed that upon the decision of
the Supreme Court of the State of
Virginia will hang the fate of thou
sands and thousands of citizens in
Virginia and will serve as a guide
to other states with constitutions
similar to ours.
Mr. cassette has associated with
himself Lawyer J. Thomas Newsome
of Newport News, and it goes with
out saying that the case will be
contested until the final duling is
had by the Supreme Court.
The interest manifested in this
case was shown last Sunday at the
Queen Street Baptist Church in
Hampton by the large number of
men' and women who came out to
hear the situation explained and
discussed by the lawyers who will
present the case to the Supreme
Court of Appeals.
It goes without saying that this
matter will be watched throughout
Virginia with intense interest.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
NOMINATED THIRD TIME
FOR HALL OF FAME
New York, March 21.—The Na
tional Association for the Advance
ment 6f Colored People is informed
by Cleveland G. Allen that for the
third time he has nominated Fred
erick Douglass for the Hall of
Fame at New York University. The
N. A. A. C. P. was among the
first organizations to endorse this
nomination, which has the backing
of influential newspapers, white and
colored.
SAVANNAH MAYOR PLEADS
FOR NEGRO
Savannah, Ga. (CNS)—Mayor
Gordon Saussy, of Savannah, in a
letter to Governor L. G. Hardman,
today sought executive clemency for
Renty Screven, colored, sentenced
to die in the electric chair on Fri
day for slaying the daughter of
another woman.
* /
National Negro Health
Week Observance
Will Go Over Big
By WILLIAM RANDOLPH
JOHNSON
■ii'EXi\su t ive Seort ta ry^Ncgro
Organization Society, Inc.
On the observance of National
Negro Health Wtek Richmond looks
forward to a great program. The
Richmond Urban Ltague, Phyllis
Wheatley Branch, Y. W. C. A., and
have been fortunate in getting the
Medical Society to take charge of
clinics.
Monday, March 3-Clinics will be
htld at Moore St. Church, Baby Clinic
l to 3 P. M. and \dult .'litres 7 tc 9
P. M., Drs. White, Tennant and
LVivis Incharge.
Tuesday, April 1-Clinics will be
held at Sixth Mt. Zion Church Baby
clinics 1 to 3 P. M. and adult clinics
7 to 9 P. M.. Drs. Newman and Roane
The same hours at Osgood Memorial
Church with Drs. Martin and Jackson
in charge
Wednesday, April 2’,Clinics will bt
held at Second Baptist Church, So
uthside, 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 as above,
Drs. Dlackwell, and Hughes in
charge.
Thursday, Clinics wil be held at
Fourth Baptist Church, same hours
with Drs. Dillard and Harris in
charge and at Mt. Calvary in Fulton
with Drs. Blaney, Dillard, F. D. and
W. W. Brown in sharge.
Friday, Clinics will be at 17th St.
Mission. Baby clinics 1 to 3 and adult
clinics 7 to 9 Drs. Gilpin, Bowser,
F. D. and W. W. Brown in charge.
The bigheartedness on the part of
our physicians in this matter war
rants our effort to see to it that as
many persons in our churches and
neihborhoods avail themselves of this
opportunity. Examinations .are free
and all the cost to us is the time in
getting there.
The matter of health among our
people is a serious one. Our mor
tality rate is too high for us tto be
he least concerned obout our bodies.
Ex. Sec’y-Negro Organization Society
Inc
For the first time a Virginia City
lias decided to enter the contest for
silver loving cup given for the most
outstanding program during Nation
al Negro Health Week obstrvance.
We art appealing to all the people to
help make this a great one. Clinics
are being htld in all parts of the city.
Marathon is to be held and a public
Mass Meeting at the Hippodrom The
tre Sunday* iVlarc’ .'>0, at, 3:30 P. M.
e. T
otventeen years ago this- idea was
being in tht Negro Organization So
ciety under the leadership of Major
R. R. Morton, in form of Clean-Up
Week oniongf Negroes. Dr. Booker
T. Washington was so pleastd that
the following ytar he enlarged upon
the idea and started National Negro
Health Week Movement which touch
es today tvery state in the Union.
Sunday March 30 will mark the
chairmanship of Dr. Roscoe C. Brown,
U. S. Public Health Service, the pro
gram has gone forward. This year
Dr. Brown spent six wetks in co-ope
ration with the Negro Organization
Society in interest of Bttter Health
ampng Negroes. He is expected to
rturn in a few days on a thret weeks
program. Several cities and towns
have been covered in detail and we
hope to reach more.
Tht co-optration of the State De
partment of Health throughout the
program each year is 100%.
of Virginia, Inc., stands solidly be
hind helping Richmond to win htis
year as Louisville and Dallas, Texas
have done in tht past.
Ltt us line up behind the Richmond,
Program 100% and by so doing when
the National Negro Business League
meets it will award to Richmnnd the
beautiful silvtr cup for the city with
population above 100,000
PLANET EDITOR TO
TALK ON THE LIFE
OF JOHN MITCH ELL, JR
The Junior Choir of Fifth Street
Baptist Church will present Ros
coe C. Mitchell in a lecture; sub
ject, “The Man Who Would Be
King,” a story of the life of John
Mitchell, Jr. A special program,
featuring the Old South Quartet in
a rendition of its newest hit, “I’ll
Tell the World,” will also be ren
dered. The story of such an ad
venturous life, covering a period of
half a century, chronicling the his
mond and Virginia, will prove in
tory of the colored people of Rich
teresting, and many are expressing
their intentions of being present.
Details of many incidents hitherto
unknown will be given. Mr. James
H. Walls, director of the choir, is
promoter, and Attorney L. C. White
will present the speaker. This
story of the life of the former
editor of The Planet by its present
editor should prove interesting and
a large crowd will be out.
Y. W. C A. NOTES
A special service of worship en
titled “The Story of the Cross,” will
be presented by a group of Seniors
and Juniors from Church Hill at
the Phyllis Wheatley Branch, Y.
W\ C. A., Sunday, March 30, at
5 P. M.
This service will portray in a
new way through music and prose
the wonderful story of the Cross,
that story that never grows old.
Mrs. Ella P. Carter, well known
for her work in dramatics, will di
rect the service. The cast includes
the following persons: Seniors —
Misses Gladys Lucas, Mamie Evans,
Hazel Evans, Mary Lucas and Mrs.
Susie Brown; Juniors—Misses Na
omi Wilder, Marion Evons, Antoin
ette Dabney, Phyllis Wheatley John
son, Doris Wilder, Thelma Evans,
Irma Christian, Edna Lightfoot,
Gladys Roberts and Bettie Gilliam.
The committee of management
held its first meeting with the
newly elected chairman, Mrs. Clar
issa Kyles Dillard, on Thursday
evening, March 20th. There was
an interesting discussion on com
mittee responsibility and work as
outlined in the new constitution
and by-laws. Miss Elsie Z. Graves
was elected to fill the vacancy made
by the resignation of Mrs. S. D.
Calloway.
HEALTH DAY WILL BE
OBSERVED .
Great interest is being sown in
plans being made for the observ
ance of “Health Day” at Foui’th
Baptist Church (corner 28th and
P Streets) next Sunday, at 11:30
A. M. Dr. F. W. Williams, pastor,
will preach a short sermon. Sub
ject, ‘‘Taking the Yoke of Christ.”
The sermon will be followed by an
address from Dr. Vernon J. Harris,
well known young physician in the
community.
At 8 P. M. Dr. Williams’ subject
will n'p “The Pentccosta1 Blessing.”,'
Ur. Walter A. Brown, vvho has
long practiced in this section of
the city, will then give an address
on “Health.” The new popular
Junior Choir, directed by _Prof. J.
Mitchel Beverly, will render special
music at both services. At 3:30
. P. M., the Rosebud Club, consisting
i of fifteen young men, will give a
I special musical program to benefit
the Junior Choir.
The public is cordially invited
to all of these services.
LIBERIA HAS RADIO
COMMUNICATION
Akron, 0. (CNS)—Africa’s jun
gle is now within a split seconds
time of the United States and other
parts of the world, Harvey S. Fire
stone, Jr., president of the United
States-Liberia corporation, announc
ed today.
This company is licensed to op
erate the utility by authority of the
Federal Radio Commission and the
Republic of Liberia.
Short wave service to Liberia
with Akron as the’ terminus is
now in operation and radio experts j
consider the system one of the
most efficient in the world. Several
years of intensive experimenting
were necessary before the service
was put in operation.
Messages may be given to any
Western Union office in the United
States for transmission to Liberia
by the United States-Liberia Radio
Corporation system. In addition to
the United States, messages may
be sent to Liberia from practically
all parts of the world and the same
service is available in Liberia.
Liberia, with the exception of
Haiti, is the only Negro republic
in the world. It lies on the west
coast of Africa between French
Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone and
is within 4,400 miles direct sailing
distance from New York. Approxi
mately 42,000 square miles in area,
the country is roughly the size of
Ohio.
The Firestone Company is devel
oping a 1,000,000 acre rubber plan
tation in Liberia. Started five years
ago, the first rubber from the
newly planted areas will be har
vested this fall, according to offi
cials.
Liberia is a vastly changed coun
try since Harvey S. Firestone de
cided that the African republic was
one of the best places in the world
to grow rubber.
A new interest has been taken
by Liberians, in their progress;
churches, schools and hospitals have
been built, work has been provided
for thousands of natives, and pub
lic road mileage has tripled.
Liberia was setled in 1821 amid
difficulies greaer perhaps, according
to Liberian students, than the Pil
grim Fathers experienced landing
in America. The first settlers who
sought to colonize on the west
coast of Africa, under the auspices
of the American Colonization Soci
ety called their first settlement
“Monrovia," in honor of President
Monroe. Monrovia is still the cap
itol of Liberia.
Toledo Lad Is
Youngest Vet
Of World War
Experienced Anxiety Through
War Trying to Keep His
Real Age Secret
DECORATIONS; BRAVERY
(Capital News Service)
Washington, D. C.— Arthur
Johnson, now twenty-seven years
old, of Toledo, Ohio, is believed to
be the youngest veteran of the
World War.
Enlisting in the United States
Army at the age of fifteen years
and two months, he saw ten months
of active service in France with
the American Expeditionary Forces
was awarded the French Croix de
Guerre and was discharged before
he reached his seventeenth birth
day.
Although the War Department |
was unable to establish this fact i
definitely when queried by Repre- 1
sentative Oscar D->77 nest, to whose
attention the youtn’s record had 1
been called, he is known to be sev- :
eral months younger than an At
lanta white youth who claims to be
listed in the annals of tfie War De- j
partment as the youngest soldier
to serve in France during the
World War.
He was just a school lad when, ■
prompted by a thirst for adventure,
he enlisted in Toledo ,an January i
5, 1918, two months after he had I
passed his fifteenth birthday.
He gave his date and place of j
birth as November 5, 1899, at
Cadillac, Mich. The enlisting officer
at the recruiting station doubting
his twenty-one birthdays, ques
tioned him closely for a time but
later passed him. He was sent im
mediately to Fort Thomas, Ky.
But even after he was in camp
and assigned to Company B of the
370th Infantry (the old Eighth
Cavalry) led by Captain Stewart
HARRIET PICKENS FIRST OF
RACE TO GET “S” PIN.AT
SMITH COLLEGE
New York, March 21.—Harriet
Pickens, daughter of William Pick
ens, field secretary of the National
Association for the advancement of
Colored People, is the first of her
race to receive the coveted award
of the “S” pin, one of the six
awarded at Smith College, North
ampton, Mass., one of the fore
most women’s colleges of the coun
try.
A special despatch to the New
York World states that the pin is
the highest honor that can be be
stowed by the college for excel
lence in athletics, and that the
presentation before the student body
at chapel services, on Thursday,
March 13, elicited cheers and ap
plause fro mthe students.
COLORED SALES FORCE TO
MAN D. D. DEPARTM’T STORE
Washington D. C. (CNS)—The
opening of the Fair Department
Store, located at Seventh and I
streets, northwest, on April 15, with
m all colored salesforce numbering
approximately 100, will mark the
oeginning of a new economic era
n the history of the colored people
if Washington.
The Fair, which occupies about
10,000 square feet of floor space,
ivith three floors stocked with first
fiass merchandise, catering to all
;astes and pocketbooks, has been
acquired by the Mercantile Trading
Company, of which Thomas H. R.
Clarke is president.
According to Mr. Clarke the
company plans to press forward
their program of establishing stores
in other cities in order to create a
purchasing power that will give it
prestige in the best markets of the
country.
The opening of this store will
relieve the unemployment situation
here to a great extent and will add
a new progressive business to the
list of colored enterprises here.
MARCUS GARVEY
WINS APPEAL
1 Verdict of the Lower Court Re*
verted
(E. N. S.)
New York, N. Y., March 25.—
There is a great deal of jubilation
among the followers of Marcus
Garvey, founder and president-gen
eral of the University Negro Im
provement Association (August,
1929) of the World.
: This rejoicing is caused by the
receipt of information from Kings
ton, Jamaica, British West Indies,
announcing that the Appeal Court
had reversed the verdict of the
lower court, which on February
2nd had imposed a sentence of six
months, without hard labor, on
their leader, Marcus Garvey, for
seditious libel, for the publication
of certain articles in his daily
newspaper, “The Blackman," re
garding the action taken by some
otFicials of the government during
the recent election campaign in
that island. His editor, a Mr. Aik
man, was also sentenced along
with his chief, to three months'
imprisonment in the St. Catherine
Distinct prison, without hard labor.
The case against the foreman, a
Mr. Beecher, was dismissed.
A representative of this agency
secured a copy of the cable, which
follows:
(Cable)
Kingston, Jamaica, B. W. I.,
March 17.
Garvey Club, New York, N. Y.,
355 Lenox Avenue.
“Won case today on appeal.”
“Best wishes.”
GARVEY.
Garvey leaders here assert that
the founder of the “back to Afri
ca” movement is now more than
ever to be reckoned with as one
of the greatest, if not the great
est, of modern organizers. Con
gratulatory cables have been sent
from many of the branches and
divisions of the U. N. I. A. in
and near New York; and their lib
erty halls are busy with members
and well-wishers exchanging pleas
antries.
CENTRALIA
The 12 o’clock services were
conducted by Rev. W. E. Brown,
of Fulton; subject, “Walking With
God.”
The Knights of Pythias and
Courts of Calanthe of Centralia
held their thanksgiving exercises at
2 o’clock P. M. They had a splen
did program. Rev. C. A. Cobbs
preached the sermon from the sub
ject, “Go Forward.” There were
a number of visitors present.
Among them were Mrs. C. A. Cobbs
and Miss Rowena Johnson, of Rich
mond. ’
A very pretty play was had on
Monday night, March 24th, by Miss
Elaine Friend and Miss Luvinia
Cogbill, teachers of Chesterfield
County High School; subject, “The
Fatal Wedding.” Miss Lucinda
Rose was the bride; Master Paul
Copeland, groom; Miss Adele Da
vis, the forsaken mother.
The Sunday School Union meets
at Union Grove on fifth Sunday
at 12 o’clock noon. Be present
and on time.
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA,
GILBERT HARDEN BETTER
AFTER SERIOUS OPERATION
Gilbert Harden, formerly of this
section, brother of Alonzo and
Burton Harden, local building con
tractors of this city, is convales
cent after a major operation at
Dixie Hospital, Hampton, Va., last
week.
Mr. Harden and his family, Mrs.
Beulah Jarvis Harden and little
Miss Juanita Harden, were visitors
in Staunton last summer. Mr.
Harden is the pioprietor of a tail
oring establishment in Newport
News. He is a graduate of the
tailoring department at Hampton
Institute. His opei*ation, which he
is fast recovering from, was a se
rious one.