2
* E DI T O R 1 A 1 5 *
A test of civil rights
We wish that we could welcome without reservations
the establishment by Corporation Counsel Barnet Hodes
of a Civil Rights Unit of the city.
Unfortunately, however, the events of the last week
tend to mar the picture.
The same Mr. Hodes is known to be responsible for
the fact that Claude Lightfoot, an independent candidate
for State Senator in the sth District, a Negro and a Com
munist, may be barred from the ballot.
Now this raises the question of whether Mr. Hodes
sees the full picture of the violation of civil rights in tfiis
city or whether his vision is distorted by the fact that
the Democratic Party expects him to deliver his sth
Ward which is part of the sth District.
It’s a case where liberalism and genuine champion
ship of civil rights come in conflict with the dictates of
the higher-ups of the party machine.
Certainly the 10,600 Negro and white citizens of the
sth District who signed his petitions are not going to ac
cept any decision that rules Claude Lightfoot off the
ballot.
It is all very well to talk about “civil rights,” but this
is the test!
The STAR considers that the rights of minorities,
of* the Negro people and the democratic principle of free
franchise are at stake here.
Unless vigorous protests are raised from all parts
of the state, there is the danger that a pattern of repres
sion will be set which be used to strike down minority
parties and candidates in other places and in the future
struggles of people to express themselves democratically
at the ballot box.
• • •
The first STAR victory!
The first STAR campaign has been won just 10
weeks after our first publication.
Coyne electrical school has agreed to drop its tradi
tional Jim Crow rule following the STAR’S determined
drive to end racism under the GI Bill of Rights.
The STAR’S victory over a policy of racism that
existed in the Chicago school for 42 years demonstrates
what a militant people’s paper can do to bring real prog
ress to the city.
But this is only the beginning.
The STAR’S fight for equal rights for all citizens, for
better housing and better working conditions, is only
beginning.
Your two-month old STAR has just begun to fight!
• • •
Deed men tell tales
James M. Ragen, the man who talked, was given
enough poison to kill three.
But Ragen had nine lives.
And Ragen’s disclosures, public and private, will
come back again and again to haunt a lot of bigwigs who
do business with the underworld.
Have a sleeping pill, Mr. Governor, Mr. Mayor!
The fact that Bilbo had to undergo an operation for
a diseased mouth is an editorial in itself.
THE CHICAGO STAR, SEPTEMBER 7, 1946
An Editorial
The facts begin to leak out
on the 'Yugoslav crisis’
NOW the story of the Yu
goslav v crisis” is beginning
to leak out.
Piece by piece, the suppres
sed and censored detail is be
ginning to make a pattern.
And there are enough facts
to disprove the official ver
sion that the small count
ry of Yugoslavia is bullying
the United States and shoot
ing down its fliers without
provocation.
Add to the list of exhibits
this clipping from the Chica
go Herald-American of Aug
gust 27.
READ and re-read that
opening paragraph written by
a U. S. flier to his family be
fore his death:
Attention, veterans!
Veterans don’t lose your
vote!
Because many servicemen
who met wartime election re
quirements were able to vote
without registering with a spe
cial ballot, they may mistaken
ly assume they are now set
to vote in November.
Here’s the dope:
1. If you are still in service
on election day, or are dis
charged later than September
6th, you can vote in your reg
ular precinct by bringing evi
dence of age, residence, and
discharge with you.
2. However, if you are al
ready discharged, YOU
MUST BE REGISTERED!
The place is Room 308 In
City. Hall, and the last day
is October 7th. The same
deadline applies to record
ing changes of name or ad
dress.
f Slain Fliers Kin 3
I Rips lifo Reds |
I lir L. W. MEREDITH.
T« flylnr tomorrow . over J
ML the tint area where othera of JM
Ba oar planet have been forced
B down.’*
H Capt. Richard H. Ciaeys wrote OB
that at Naples. Italy, Aug;, 17
to his sister. Miss Mary Ciaeys,
H two days before he and lour mem- Rjg
H bers of his U. S. Army Air Forces
|H crew were shot down and killed |P
jM in Yugoslavia. ■«
■■ Miss Ciaeys received the letter (MB’
at their home. 317 S. Second it., BHjj
St. Charles, m„ today.
“I’m flying tomorrow on
over the same area where
3. If you were registered be
fore you went in service, voted
since 1942, and have the same
name and address, you’re OK.
But call City Hall and make
sure (Dea 3050) mistakes hap
pen.
4. If you came of age while
in service, you must register
now, whether you voted in
service or not.
5. No matter what your
status, call up to make sure
how you stand. The number
is DEARBORN 305(1.
6. No matter who you are,
you have to meet the qualifi
cations for registration and
voting. They are:
(a) Citizenship.
(b) 21 years of age by
November sth.
(c) A year’s residence in
the state, and 90 days
in Cook County, as of
November 6th.
others of our planes have
been forced down.
Does it make a lie of the
State Department’s official
story that the slain fliers
were over Yugoslavia “by
mistake” that they had
wandered off their course?
* * #
DOES it indicate that the
U. S. perhaps planned this
Whole episode as a provoca
tion, knowing in advance that
the proud Yugoslavs would
resent this violation of their
sovereignty?
Does it pin the blame for
the death of the U. S. fliers
on those who ordered them
into Yugoslav territory as
“clay pigeons?”
The evidence answers -
these questions with a thun
dering “Yes!”
THE CHICAGO
★
is owned and published WEEKLY by
the Chicago Star Publishing Co.,
Inc., 166 West Washington Street,
Chicaga 2, 111. Phone RANdolpb 0580.
Cable address: Chistar.
Frank M Davis Executive Editor
Carl Hirsch Managing Editor
William Sennett General Manager
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