f 1 ^—— ■ T
*
Published every Saturday by Roseoe C.
Mitchell, at Sll N. 4th St., Richmond Ya.
_„ _ t
One Year...—.>2 00
Sin Months-- l-10
Three Months- -00
All communications intended for publi
cation should reach us by Wednesday.
Entered at the Post-office at Richmond
Virginia, as second class matter.
t
—
The Planet begins a series of arti
cles this week on the failure of The
Lawntown Shoe Company, written
by one of our young progressive
jeitizens. These articles are pub
lished under a nom de plume, but
the writer is well known to us. We
print them because of the apparent
sincerity of the writer' and his am
bitious efforts to arouse the Rich
mond Negro to the danger of neg
lecting his business and economic
status.
-i-0
The Elks met in Detroit and re
elected J. Finley Wilson Grand Ex
alted Ruler as ter usual. Thinking
men in the Order have reached the
conclusion that his continuation in
office means the catapulting of the
great Elk organization into the ob
livion of a second rate fraternity.
Virginia Elks have taken the initia
tive in trying to preserve the Order
and succeeded in winning the first
tilt in the United States Court here,
when Judge Groner ruled that the
Virginia Grand Lodge of Elks was
entitled to unrestricted use of the
name. Elks from all parts of Amer
ica are in sympathy with the Vir
ginia movement and it is hinted
strongly that great things are in the
offing.
Richmond is preparing to give the
Reindeer boys and girls a big hand
when they come here on the 14th.
The local committee is to be con
gratulated upon its untiring efforts.
Richmonders are urged to leave no
stone unturned tfl make the visitors
feel at home. The Planet is confi
dent that when the Reindeer lea»re
here they will have no need for un
pleasant recollections, but will al
ways be ready to hereafter come to
Richmond.
-o
The Planet wjill constantly urge
our people to patronize our men who
are in business. We only need to
be reminded often enough and the
results will be felt. Every cent
spent with colored merchants helps
to employ some Negro boy or girl
and incidentally feeds a few black
mouths. On the southwest corner
of Fourth and Leigh Streets is a
first-class drug store that is a pleas
ure to enter. Ferguson and Galvin
are conducting a real first-class drug
store with modern services. They
have installed a modern frigidaire
fountain service, and are prepared
to serve your every wish. Drop in
there and see how our boys can run
things.
THE WEEk’S EDITORIALS: COLORED PRESS
ARE WE MILITANT ENOUGH?
(From The Pittsburgh Courier, Au
gust 23, 1930.)
Not long ago an ultra-conservative
Negro of prominence expressed the
view that Northern Negroes were
aitogethtr too radical and might
thereby get the group into much
more trouble than it is in already.
Now comes the news that so-called
“radical Negroes in Gary Ind., and
in Mount Vernon, N. Y., have res
pectively defeated efforts to segre
gate them in parks and discriminate
against them in theatres. Had
tWe not been a handful of militant
“rud: Negroes in these two towss
anothtr burden would nave
ded to tboes already borne by us.
tv«“ **->*'• the matter is that
Northen Negroes are not holf as
militant as they should be. There
are numerous towns in the North
where it is almost impossible to get a
leading Negroe professional or busi
ness man to make a test cose against
widespread segregation and discrim
ination in places of refreshment and
amusement. They all declare they
“don’t wont to stir up any trouble”
as if being segregated and discrimi
nated against were not “troole.”
Th- tendency seems to be for Negro
es in each town to tacitly agree to
avoid those places where “we’re not
wanted”, then boost about the “free
dom” they enjoy to visitors who are
not on to the ropes and express deep
sympathy for the poor, downtrodden
Negro below the Mason-Dixon line.
This tendency is apparent even in
states where Negroes have the ad
vantage of a civil rights law.
As a group we are far too compla
cent and easy going. If we intend
to stay away from all places where
we are not wanted then verily we
shall have to look for an abode on
Mars, the Moon, Jupiter od the new
planet, Pluto. There could be no
more dangerous social tactics than
this constant retreating before the
forces of racial prescription. We
must learn to stand and fight hard
to retain every posiitiion. We must
take the offensive, for after all that
is the best defense. A whole lot
more respect nad consideration will
be accorded the Negro in this coun
try when he is willing to risk some
thing for his rights and stops criti
cizing those of his group who have a
backbone instead of a wishbone.
Ar==- . ■ 1
STUMPING KANSAS AGAINST
HENRY J. ALLEN
(From The St. Luke Herald, Augusc)
23, 1930.)
William Pickens, Field Secdetary of
the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, was
dispatched from the New York head
quarters for the puupose of convin
cing the voters of Kansas that Sena
tor Henry J. Allen should not suc
ceed himself for that high trust of
the people of the State. He scoffed
at the crest of public sentiment by
voting for the confirmation of Judge
Parker of “'North CaAdina. . The
campaigner, a political neophyte
put across his message of common
sen.. witH high-powered frankness
and deliDeiativn.
He did not, however, deteai
old political rascal of Kansas. He
was on to the game of political hy
pocracy, and out-maneuvered the N.
A. A. C P.’s political antagonist
The attack, alone, upon this hundred
per cent hypocrite, explains a lot
It is proof that Negroes from one
side of the country to the other, are
growing civic backbones with which
to think and stand upright among
the sons of men.
The struggle alone was worth the
time and efforts contributed to this
campaign. The very fact that Ne
groes are planning reprisals against
their official opponents in office, is
worth millions in the values of rem
edies for the conditions of our peo
ple. We cannot start these vigorous
protestations any earlier. But such
determined ends and means of pres
sing emergency in the upward strug
gles of our people must bear fruit in
the fullness of time.
It is no wonder that a first attack
on this brigadier-general of politics
would fail to force him to surrender
But one thing he knows, he has been
in a nasty combat with a new ele
ment of opposition. We should not
feel the least discouraged at his nos
ing by in the primaries. We shoull
not blame the Negro element in fight
ing him with all their means of de
fensive opposition.
Negroes must learn that mere op
position against patent wrongs al
though we fail to in temporary com
bat. that there can be no failure in
long run.
I Learn Aviation
WANTED—Colored students to learn to become pilots. Op
portunity greater than the Chauffeur of twenty years
ago.
Special Rates and Terms Arranged for First
Organized Class
Apply:
ROSCOE C. MITCHELL
Randolph 1481 900 St. James St.
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will also restore the strength, viatal
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If you are bothered with falling hair
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best known remedy for heavy andg
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50 cents ,10c extra for postage.
AGENT’S OUTFIT.
1 Hairgrower, 1 Temple Oil, 1 Sham
poo, 1 Pressing Oil, 1 Face Cream and
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extra for postagee
S. D. Lyons, 316 N. Central, Dept B.,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Dr. W. L. Ransome
On
POLITICS
I__
Five Reasons Why Negroes Do Not Vote
The Negro is often seriously and adversely criticized for not
exercising the right of franchise. This article is not an effort to
encourage the Negro in political laziness, nor to excuse his often
civic indifference. We often excuse or overlook or minimize in
the white man the things that we condemn and magnify in the
Negro. Every student of political science knows that great many
white people of America do not manifest any voting interest in
politics, yet many critics of the. Negro excuse these white men
on the ground that the white man can afford this neglect, since
his race is in power. Again, we often minimize the white man’s
vice and magnify the Negro’s defects.
What the Negro needs most is encouragement and not cen
sure. If the many Negroes who are making political fights could
receive a fair play at the hands of the powers that be, it would
not be long before a reasonable percent of the Negro race would
distinguish itself in the political realm. It is said that the Negro
must face facts about himself, even though they be ugly facts.
The Negro would like also for his critics to face the facts, the
ugly facts, about the circumstances under which he labors. Among
the many things which may justly be called political hindrances
to the Negroes the following may be classed:
T ' Jt,- .JI»T3k
First—There are a great number of Negroes who believe
that it does not make any difference what white man is in office
(assuming that the man in office will be white), a Negro will
still be a Negro “for a that an’ a that.” The writer thinks that
the Negroes who thnik thus cannot be laughed out of court. They
must at least be heard. The white men, as a rule, who have acted
favorably toward Negroes have been moved by a sense of good
will, character, and humanitarian spirit, rather than because of
political pressure. The Negroes’ greatest benefactors have been
and are still moralists, rather than politicians.
Second—Failure of the Republican Party, to which the Negro,
since ’65, has been so loyal. By failure is meant that the party
practically “ousted” the Negro in recent years. When this w&s
done many Negroes gave up interest in politics, since they could
not bring themselves to ally with the Democratic Party. The
Negroes regarded the term democrat as synonymous with slavery.
Some few Negroes joined other political parties. In some in
stances Negroes formed their own independent party, as was done
in Richmond, Va., in 1921, when Jno. Mitchell, Jr., was candidate
for Governor and Mrs. Maggie L. Walker for Lieutenant Governor,
etc. The Negroes had no idea of winning, but they found their
strength, exhibited their race pride, upheld their civic dignity
and resented the insult of the Republican Party.
Third—A ouraged .-vfnortv.- The Negro constitutes
about of tr>p uiatlOii. Nowhere does the minority
count for less than in voting. In the class room the teacher is
only one man, but he instructs and commands, if need be, the
whole class, the judge is one man; yet without him there is no
court, the army waits upon the General, the educated one leads
or deceives the ignorant many, but at the ballot box the minority,
whether wise or ignorant, must take the back seat at the com
mand of the majority. Because of this many Negroes feel that
it makes little difference whether they vote or not.
The writer is not unmindful of the fact that in some locali
ties the Negro population is in the majority, and that in a few
instances tne Negro vote may hold the balance of power, he
recalls a political tight in a certain town in which he once lived
in which the white vote was equally divided on an' issue. There
were only 65 Negro voters, in this case the Negroes held the
balance of power, but they all did not think alike. Some voted
on one side, some on another. The issue was settled by a majority
of nine.
Fourth—Late in the payment of poll tax. The Negro is often
late in paying his taxes in time to vote. No one particularly
urges him, often he needs every penny he earns for living neces^
sines ana frequently he cannot get off from his occupation in
ousmess nours to attend to this matter.
Fifth—Failure to register, even when poll tax is paid under
compulsion. There are many Negroes, especially Negro women,
who pay poll tax, but have never registered. The law of Vir
ginia requires school teachers to pay taxes before certificates to
teach are granted. The writer knows several Negro women
teachers who have paid, but never registered. Some of these
women still feel that politics should be left to men, others, both
men and women, fear the prejudice of registras, such as the one
in North Carolina who recently denied several high grade Negro
teachers who applied for registration. He advised that they all
“go back home and study some more,” until they could interpret
law to his satisfaction. No interpretation from any Negro can
satisfy a prejudiced registrar.
The writer would advise Negroes to vote. He advises all
citizens to vote, but he would have it known that voting is a right
the exercising of which is optional with the voter, whether he
be white or black and that no man deserves less censure for re
fusing to vote than does the Negro man.
MOORE ST. BAPTIST
CHURCH
West Leigh Street, between Kinney and Bowe Streets
Dr. Gordon B. Hancock
PASTOR
, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1930
11:30 A.M.—“Behind the Veil.” (A
message especially prepared for
these times of depression.)
8:30 P.M.—^“Religion as a Paying
Proposition.”
The Pastor Will Fill the Pulpit Morn
ing and Evening
COME EARLY FOR THE MORNIN
G PRAYERS
ALL ARE WELCOME"
u n - M r II n- II II II " -" ’
SAYS JOE
: SIMPSON
I ii
... ■■—«—- 11 ■■ 11 11
Radicals
This is a term that has been
applied to this, and other writ
ers the country over, times with
out number, and is usually con
sidered by those usingit as a
badge of disrespect and ten
sion. We are glad to note, how
ever, that this state of mind is
gradually disappearing. We see
the radical today in an entirely
different light from that in
which we saw him a few years
back, his position has been
moved from (the debit to the
credit side of the ledger, he is
considered as an asset rather
than a liability, as has hereto
fore been the case.
If we will but look back over
the Negro’s record of achieve
ment we will find that the credit
in each instance was due, if not
given, to some radical. Those
who 'were responsible for the
agitation which later brought
about American Independence
were radicals, those responsible
for what little freedom we now
enjoy -were radicals; in short,
anywhere we look in the musty
pages of history we find con
clusive proof that all the im
provements in the conditions of
the known world, as recorded
in the pages of history, were
brought about by those termed
in their day as radicals, extre
mists or ultra-liberals.
If there is anything, m our
opinion* that the Negro in the
South needs worse than it needs
radicals, it is more radicals. As
necessity is the mother of in
vention, so is radicalism the
mother of progress and achieve
ent. We concede the fact that
where radical thought reigns
and radical action is apparent,
someone must suffer as a con
sequence. The Parker incident
we believeto be a case in point,
the orgy of lynching that has
been going on practically ever
since the defeat of Judge Par
ker, for which the Negro,
through the N. A. A. C. P., has
been held responsible by ignor
ant whites, this class of whites
has been using this method to
show to the Negro their resent
ment, and to drive home in the
Negroes mind the fact that he
can not dictate to the white man
politically or otherwise, without
bringing down upon his head the
wrath and vengeance of the
mighty Nordics of America.
We rejoice in the fact that de
spite the barbarous crimes that
are being committed, despite the
manifold injustices that are
heaped upon us, despite the an
tagonistic attitude of the lower
class of whites, the contempt in
which we are held by them, and
despite the lethargic and Uncle
Tom attitudes of some of the
members of the race, the Negro
has refused to be cowed, and is
steadily pressing onward and
upward, hoping for the dawn of
the day when he will come into
a full realization of the unham
pered enjoyment of his rights
and privileges, the same as are
granted to other nations of the
world.
It is an undisputable fact tnat
all Negroes as well as all other
nations crave liberty. It is an
inherent' lust in mankind that
can not forever be denied.
Thousands have been offered up
on the altar of prejudice, the
blood of many innocents have
been spilled since we began our
fight for freedom and we may
make up .our minds that the
blood of many more will be
spilled before the contest is
won. Our fight is not one of
force or arms, for we are well
aware of the fact that we can
not win that way; arms will be
used, it Is true, but they will be
used by those opposed to us and
our cause.
Is it not better that a few
should perish, than that the
whole race should be destroyed?
Have we not learned in all these
years that liberty is bought
with a price? We must let the
blood that has been spilled spur
us on to greater efforts as other
races have done in all ages be
fore us. The price is fearfully
high, but when the battle is
over and the victory is won, we
will at last realize that freedom
is sweeter than life itself when
we are forced to Jive the life of a
slave.
The words of the poet come
to mind, “Before I'll be a slave,
II ho 1:tried in my grave, and
go •.’* me to my Lord and be
saved.”
* * *
“WE WONDER WHY?”
The Lawntown Shoe Store,
Richmond's only exclusive shoe
VIEWS OF
THE PUBLIC
, r - - »— ■■ - M
THE LAWN TOWN SHOE CO.
--—o
(Continued from Page 1)
its very existence.
Now I think all promoters of the
Lawn Town Shoe Co. deserve great
credit for blazing the trail and for
trying to prepare places for the
young Negro boys and girls as they
come out of school yearly with noth
ing to do, and placing before them
that elegant enterprise, The Lawn
Town Shoe Co. as an inspiration.
No race ever amounts to very much
who fails to consider and prepare
for the future, and what is the fu
ture but the young people?
The one great strife of nature it
self is for reproduction and it's a
sinful shame for man to suffer re
production with no preparation for
its future; even the butterfly which
thrives on the sweet nectar of the
fragrant blossoms, lays her eggs on
tender leaves of some select plant,
for she realizes that that which fur
nishes her sustenances will not do as
a nourishment for her offsprings.
Why do men build concrete bridges
and steel structures supporting sky
scrapers, and go through mountains
at a cost of many millions, instead
of continuing to go over or around
them? Why do they build subma
rines and go down to the salient
depths of the sea? Why excavate
tunnels and mines and descend into
the bowels of the earth? Why does
a bird build a nest? Why does a
spider spin its web? They all have
one common purpose—the future
generation.
The Negro seems to think that he
is an exception and the future will
take care of itsglf.
I can boast of this fact, all of my
purchases have been confined to The
Lawn Town Shoe Co. for goods 3old
-h’ them, since their opening, and
whenever I bought elsewhere it was
because I could not be supplied there.
I hav^ no complaint to make of their
merchandise, for each article pur
chased there gave satisfaction, and
in many instances saved me money.
This is the first of a series of
articles on The Lawn Town Shoe Co.,
this one dealing with the store; the
next one, A letter to the public.
Now, it’s up to you to decide
whether you will support Negro busi
ness or continue to send forth into
the world the boys and girls who fin
ish school and nothing for them to
do.
—ONE DESIRING A CHANGE.
---
NEGRO CRIMINALS DIFFER
FROM WHITE SAYS WRITER
—-o- ■
New York, August 29.— There are
differences between “the poor and
ignorant Negro in trouble and the
correspondingly poor and ignorant
white, asserts Eleanor Rowland Wen
bridg, Kefree of the Juvenile Court
of Cleveland, in the American Mer
cury lor Septembeer. “When Ne
sgroes of education and economic
standing cross my path. Mrs. Wen
bridge finds, “they act like anyone
else and their minds and feelings are
indistinguishable from those o'f other
races.
It is the poor, uneducated and
friendless Negro of whom Mrs. Wem
bridge writes and her observations of
some 2,000 Negroes brought before
her from the basis of her article. The
expediences have resulted in chang
ing many of the ideas about the Ne
gro which Mrs. Wembridge had.
One of these preconceived ideas
was of the servility of* Negroes.
Mrs. Wembridge writes. “I have nev
er seen people less so. I had fur
thed been told that their good man
ners, when they had them, were the
result of their training as waiters
pullman porters, housemaids and bell
hops but in all my court experience
I have met but one defendent who
was a waiter and but one who was
even related to a pullman porter.
They were field hands, deck hands,
ditch diggers, stokers and scrub-wo
men lately, migrated northward.
They have been trained by nobody.
And most of them are unacquainted
with the ways of elegance, even thr
ough the movies. Despite all this
fcwcjy tfliiy vco wuu a puioc
which even a court summons fails
to shake. They do not meech, or
grovel, or squirm, or whimper, or
giggle, or rant, or apoligize. If the
Prince of Whales were arrested in
cognito, and found himself in bonds,
he could hardly improve upon their
manners.
Mrs. Wembridge comments inter
estingly upon the close family ties
of the Negro, nothing especially the
influence of grandmothers and even
great-grandmothers upon the young
est generation and of the generations
in between. * She finds that Negroes
while addicted to fighting and var
ious other practices which bring them
into courts of law, always have a
courtesy towards each other and a
(personal dignity which to her are
most rtriking
Mrs. Wembridge, however, sharply
takes Negroes to task and especially
and footwear store, failed, with
over sixty thousand Negroes in
the city.
There are white people em
ployed at the Hippodrome The
ater to collect tickets and to do
practically all other jobs except
sell the tickets. The Hippo
drome is supported by Negroes.
There is a white drug store
in Second Street which is appar
ently doing a good business.
The Jew stores in Jackson
Ward, and in all other sections
where Negroes live, are allowed
to keep their places of business
open every day in the year,
while they are forced, in most
white sections, to close on Sun
days.
Negroes in Richmond can not
support a first-class theater
financed and manned by Ne
groes. The Rayo, for instance.
The Negro, when he prays
with his eyes shut, always sees
with his mind’s eye, the image
of a white man.
Mr. Dave E. Satterfield,
Commonwealth's Attorney;
Mr. R. B. Jordan,
Chief of Police,
Richmond, Virginia:—
In passing ./through one of the
streets in the colored section of Rich
mond accompanied by James R. II.
Jackson, about nine o'clock on Tues
day morning, on the twelfth, I heard
heated words on the part of a man
and on looking up I saw two white
men standing on a porch on the op
posite side of the street, talking to a
little colored woman. One of the
men was a large man of possibly 180
pounds and apparently 40. The other,
a younger man of about 125 pounds
and apparently 25. The larger man
was doing the talking. I noticed that
his manner was partic&larly nasty.
By this time I had gotten directly
opposite and heard him say to her,
“That’s not the first damn lie you've
told.” It seemed that he wanted
the neighobs to hear how and what
he talked to her.
I immediately stopped and called
to him not to curse at that colored
woman like that. He turned, pointed
his finger at me and in & manner
which he seemed /to think would
wither me, demanded that I go on
down the street and let him. attend
to his business. I insisted that I
was attending to my business by
stopping and contending that he
treat no colored woman in this man
ner. He blated back, “Yes, you
think we ought to let them dress up
in our clothes and not pay for them.”
I told him I was not concerned with
that, but I did insist that he should
not curse at that woman.
x was reacnmg in my pocaet xiu
a paper to take his automobile num
ber and get additional information
in that way when he again blated,
'‘What do you want?—my name?”—
and then, without waiting for an
answer, screamed—“You couldn’t
write it if I told you.”
By this time he had left the porch,
the woman slamming the door be
hind him as her only protest of his
behavior. He now came across the
street to me and tried all he could
to inveigle me into a fight. Among
his taunting remarks were, “What
do you mean anyhow? What do you
think you can do?” I told him that
I had gotten the information I
wanted, that I knew what to do and
how to do, and that he would hear
from it later. As I walked on down
the street he remarked, “You want
to get the hell knocked out of you,
that’s what you want.” I told him
I was not worried about that, be
cause I knew the proper way to take
care of a man like himself, and con
tinued my way.
It is fair to the younger man to
say that he took no part whatsoever
in the mistreatment of the woman or
myself. The impression which I got
was that the older man was trying
to show the-younger man how to col
lect from colored people, by bully
ing and cursing them, since all of us
know that such methods would not
even be thought of for any other
section.
The next morning, Jas. H. H.
Jackson with me, I called at this
same house, explained that we were
the men on the opposite side of the
street the previous morning and
wishd to see the woman who had
been cursed at. She came, and to
our extreme surprise, turned out to
be little more than a child. Both of
us are of the opinion that she can
not be over sixteen and she does «ot
look to be that On explaining to
her that we intended to take the
proper steps to see that the wrong
to her was righted, she told us that
the company in buestion was the
Farley Credit Clothing Store.
She appeared to be almost too
scared to talk, but cheerfully inti
mated that she would rather suffer
any wrong than risk going to court
against this man. This very fact
is what makes it so urgent upon you
gentlemen as officials to see that
this collection practice is broken up.
I now understand that others use this
same practice, feeling secure in their
belief that no colored person is go
ing to court against them, and that
if one does, he will have no success
and therefore will be sorry he went
there.
snowing lull well that the whole
police force would have been imme
diately hunting any colored man who
had so behaved to a white woman,
and that he would have been quickly
landed in the station house if he had
not been killed before the officers
arrived, I ask that you officials will
please ignore the color question, and
see that? the colored citizens of Rich
mond get the protection from this
unlawful collection practice which
your departments are supposed to
vouchsafe to them, by bringing this
man to justice.
I am enclosing self-addressed en
velope, and am ready to call at any
time and make oath to the truth of
the foregoing statements, if you de
sire me so to do.
Most respectfully yours,
S. P. B. STEWARD,
Box 150, R. F. D. No. 1, Dumbarton,
Va.
August 26, 1930.
As said above, I was with S. P. B.
Steward on both occasions, and if
desired,am ready to come in at any
time and make oath to the correct
ness of his abovewritten statements.
I can be reached through hipit
JAS^R. H. JACKSON.
Negro churches, lodges and clubs,
lawyers, ministers and business men
pratical interest in the class of Negro
;s who are most frequently hailed in
to court. Mrs. Wembrdge made the
same cntism in addressing the 1929
Cosference of the N. A A. C. P. in
Cleveland. ‘I stand second to none
in my admiration for the magnifi
cence of Negro art. But with the
suitable deference with the less en
dowed, I would suggest that there
are times when a more appropriate
refrain than the majestic Hallelujah
could be the less poetic but more
practisal, Get-together, and Get
Busy.”