TIE
V<>1 5' N*- 19- Uncobl 3, WAmak. _Wfi.i.l aud Ugal M«»«p.p«r “ Thursday. March I. 1951
Marshall Verifies Unjust
Treatmen to GIs in Korea
SAN FRANCISCO. (ANP).
Thurgood Marshall, special coun
sel for the NAACP, verified on
arriving here Thursday that Ne
gro GIs in Korea have been rail
roaded through quick courts mar
tial with little or no chance to
prove themselves innocent.
He pointed out that 32 Negroes
and only two whites had been
convicted by courts martial of
violation of the 75th Article of
War-Misconduct before the en
emy. The white GIs received
sentences of 5 and 3 years. Of
the 32 Negroes convicted, one
(Lt. Leon Gilbert) was sentenced
to death, 15 to life imprisonment,
one to 50 years, and 15 to from
5 to 25 years.
The trials, Mr. Marshall re
ported, were hastily conducted,
many of the accused men being
rushed from foxholes to the court.
The trials of two men who were
sentenced to life lasted 50 minutes
each; two others so sentenced had
trials lasting 44 and 42, minutes
respectively.
“Although I am convinced after
talking to most of the defense
counsel that they were compe
tent,” the NAACP lawyer said in
his reports, “I am equally con
vinced that they did not have
sufficient time to prepare these
cases. We also have undisputed
evidence that in several instances
the men were questioned about
an alleged offense, dismissed with
an admonition to forget it, sent
back to the front line, and then,
after weeks of fighting the en
emy day and night, pulled out
of their foxholes, returned to the
rear and court-martialed.’
In Korea, Marshall talked with
about 70 enlisted men from every
company and battery in the 24th
Infantry regiment and the 159th
Field artillery, attached to the
24th. Their main complaint, he
related, “was that they had had
inefficient white officers and
white officers who resented work
ing with Negro troops. They all
believed that the courts martial
were excessively harsh.”
Despite the handicaps under
which they are working, Marshall
reported that the men of “the
24th are once again doing a great
job in the front line.”
Jackie Robinson Heads
* Cooperative Housing
BROOKLYN, N. Y.—(ANP)—
The Jackie Robinson Garden
apartments, low-cost cooperative
housing project, will be open for
occupancy in the Flatlands dis
trict by the spring of 1952 if plans
anounced last week are success
ful.
The Dodgers star said he had
long been interested in a hous
ing development to help slum
children and their families live
in decent houses.
A tentative committee has been
set up for the project with Rob
inson as chairman. Preparatory
to a request for a loan, the FHA
will be asked to analyze the plot
and building plans.
Plans call for-the first unit to
be erected on vacant land at East
102nd, East 108th and Flatlands
Tenth street to Avenue W. It will
have facilities for 500 families.
Ultimately, it is hoped that the
project will accommodate be
tween 2,000 and 3,0000 families,
making it one of the largest in the
country.
There will be three-and-a-half,
four-and-a-half and five-and-a
Negro Health Week
Conies to an End
WASHINGTON. — Federal
Security Administrator Oscar R.
Ewing announced this week the
termination of the National Ne
gro Health Week movement, an
educational program which has
been conducted specifically for
the Negro population in the
United States. Since 1932, the
program has been sponsored and
directed by the Public Health
Service. Cosponsors have been
Tuskegee Institute, Howard Uni
versity, the National Medical As
sociation, and the National Negro
Insurance Association .
Mr. Ewing said that the term
ination of a special program for
j Negro health is “in keeping with
the trend toward integration of
all programs for the advance
ment of the people in the funda
mentals of health, education, and
welfare.”
Dr. Roseoe C. Brown and other
personnel of the Division of Pub
lic Health Education, Public
1 Health Service, will continue to
give consultative services to Ne
gro groups in their communities,
Surgeon General Leonard A.
| Scheele of the Public Health
Service explained.
I The Special Programs branch,
formerly the Office of Negro
Health Work, will continue to
serve as a clearing-house of in
formation on State and commun
ity health programs, health ed
ucation materials, and programs
available for Negro groups, Dr.
Scheele said. Any agency or
group of citizens desiring such
services should write to the Di
| vision of Public Health Educa
tion. Special Programs Branch,
Public Health Service, Washing
ton 25, D. C. __
f The Office of Negro Health
j Work of the Public Health Serv
ice was an outgrowth of a pro
gram for the improvement of
Negro health initiated by Booker
T. Washington 35 years ago., Mr.
Ewing pointed out. At that time.
Dr. Washington inspired public
; and private agencies to join for
: ces in an effort to improve the
1 health of the Negro people
through education in principles
, of healthful living.
Health information was
brought to the people through
churches, schools, civic groups,
and health agencies. One week
in April, covering Dr. Washing
ton’s birthday, was set aside for
intensive effort by the Negro
people. National Negro Health
Week became a rallying point
for sponsoring and participating
groups and gancies, and for pro
gram evaluation.
In 1930, the Annual Health
Week Conference passed a re
solution establishing the program
on a year-around basis and
changing the name to the Na
tional Negro Health Movement,
Health Week, however, continued
to be observed.
An executive committee, com
posed of a representative from
each of the sponsoring agencies,
was formed to plan the program
and activities. From 1902 to
1950, the Public Health Service
supported the National Negro
Health Movement, supplying
staff, facilities, and materials
for Nation-wide activities recom
mended by the executive com
mittee.
-— J
— Prayer —
O God, who makest all things,
we would pray that thy love may
grow in our hearts until, moved
by a strong sense of the worth
of all thy children, we shall be
able to be truly merciful and for
giving.
We acknowledge tha£ we have
misjudged others and have fallen
short in our duty to them and to
thee. Strengthen in us a sense
of love and devotion for all man
kind, that we may more worthily
follow thee. Amen.
half room apartments of the type
now renting at approximately $10
a room.
College Presidents Plan Programs
To Aid Negro Youth and South
Negro Leaders
Have Talk With
Pres. Truman
WASHINGTON—(ANP)—Eight
of the nation’s most outstanding
Negro leaders have formed a
committee to discuss the Negro
in the American way of life to
day with President Truman on
Wednesday morning, Feb. 28.
Members of the group are Mrs.
I Mary McCleod Bethune, president
emeritus of Bethune-Cookman
college and the former director
of Negro affairs of the National
, Youth Administration; Dr. Chan
ning Tobias, secretary of the
Phelps-Stokes fund; Dr. Benjamin
Mays, president of Morehouse col
lege, Walter White, executive sec
retary of the NAACP; Lester
i Granger, executive secretary of
the National Urban league; Dr.
IF. D. Patterson, president of
Tuskegee institute; Willard Town
send, president of the United
Transport Service employees; and
A. Philip Randolph, head of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por
ters.
The committee's primary pur
pose is to urge the President to
declare overall integration and
participation of the Negro into
every phase of government indus
try and American life.
Mrs. Louise Ray
Guest Speaker fit
M.M.S. Meeting
The Maline Missonary Society
of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. church
enjoyed a special treat at their
meeting Friday night at the
home of Mrs. Ida Hightower,
1924 T Street. Mrs. Louise Ray,
wife of Rev. James L. Ray, as
sistant pastor of St. Paul Meth
odist church was guest speaker.
Mrs. Ray spoke on ‘‘Race Rela
tions In The South.”
Other visitors at the meeting
were Mrs. Kathryn Lytle, Mrs.
Harrison, Gary, Ind., and Miss
Dorothy Green.
Refreshments were served after
the meeting. Mrs. Ida Hightower
was hostess.
Mrs. Margaurite Williams is
president of the society.
ATLANTIC CITY. (ANP)— I
Members of the Conference of j
Presidents of Negro Land Grant
colleges met at the city audi
torium here Wednesday in a mid
year session at which a number
of matters important to Negro
education and life in the South
were considered'. The land grant
presidents were attending the
American Association of School
administrates in which 1,500 edu
cators and delegates met and ar
ranged their session concurrently.
More Negro Adults
Becoming Catholics
DENVER, Col. — More than
10.000 adult Negroes have been
converted to the Roman Catholic
faith, “The Register,” a church
publication declared here last
week.
In making the announcement,
the paper cited the annual re
port issued by the Rev. J. B.
Tennelly, secretary of the Com
i mission for Catholic Missions
j Among the Colored People and
the Indians.
400.000 IN U. S.
i This report, says The Register,
shows that there are currently
i an estimated 400,000 Catholic Ne
groes in the United States. This
figures represents a “net increase’
of 20,000 for the past twelve -
months period.
“T h e Negro missions, says
1 Father Tennelly, are being car
ried on in 70 diocese and 21
states. The churches provided es
pecially for service to Negroes
now number 445, an increase o
seventeen ^>ver the number re
ported last year,” asserted The
Register.
I Other areas of activity among
. Negroes included the completion
of two large hospitals for the
race, making a “total of twelve
hospitals and twice that number
of medical clinics being conduct
ed under Catholic auspices. There
are also twenty-five Catholic wel
fare centers.”
The report points out that there
are 450 Negro nuns numbered
among over 2,000 who hail from
100 different communities, staff
ing schools and other facilities
for Negroes.
In addition to the adult bap
tisms, The Register says that
there were 15,647 baptisms of in
fants during the year. Schools
for Negroes, numbering 321, con
tain 69,604 pupils or an increase
of nine schools and approximate
ly 2,000 pupils over the past j
year.
Representing most of the tribes
there are 99,200 Catholics among
Indians. The total number of In
dians on reservations is now
240,000, claims The Register.
3 Negroes Presented Awards;
Two Receive Them by Mail
VALLEY FORGE. (ANP).—
Three out of five Negroes who
were scheduled to get Freedom
Foundation awards at Valley
Forge Thursday received these
token honors as second place na
tional prizes from the hands of
Gen. Omar N. Bradley, general
of the army and chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Those present at the ceremonies
which included scores of top men
in all of America’s industrial and
civic fields - were Rev. M. J.
Whitaker, editor of the Weekly
Review in Augusta, Ga.; Rev.
Kenneth R. Williams of the Win
ston-Salem, N. C. board~of aider
men, and Golden P. Darbyf hettd
of the Southside Community cen
ter.
Those not present to accept
awards were C. C. Spaulding,
president of the North Carolina
Mutual Insurance company, and
Dr. Horace Mann Bond, presi
dent of Lincoln university in
Pennsylvania.
Rev. Whitaker was cited by the •
foundation for his editorial dated
August 9, 1950, titled “The
Negro’s Fundamental Belief in I,
the American Way of Life.” The |
editor is currently the pastor of ,
Mt. Carmel Baptist church of that ,
city and formerly pastored Union ,
Baptist of Augusta. His paper is ,
four years old and has a circula- <
tion of 3,600. I
Rev. Williams is a former army ,
chaplain and current pastor at .
East End Baptist church in Win- j
ston Salem. He fought with a
local union of Negro tobacco
workers in the city and is said j
to have driven the communist in
fluence from it. The union is now ;
norP§xi$tent.
Mr.~Darby, formerly with the <
See Presented Awards Page 3
The body set up a committee of
five members to consult with the
American Association of Land
Grant colleges regarding full and
active membership in that bodv.
Formerly and it is believed that
technically, membership is auto
matic. There are numerous areas
in which it is believed the Negro
schools should have the benefit
of membership and help shape
national policies.
The group heard a presentation
by Julius A. Thomas, director
of the department of Industrial
Relations of the National Urban
league, of a plan to expand em
ployment and occupational op
portunities for the thousands of
young men and women who are
presently in attendance at the
land grant colleges.
The report, which had been
worked on by a committee since
the last meeting, embrased a pro
gram which would be partici
pated in by a score of large in
dustralists and be financed by
outside sources. Recognizing its
importance..during the period of
defense expanding the nation is
entering, the program was given
priority and is to be put into op
eration immediately.
A joint project ana study to be
participated in by seven land
grant colleges in states surround
ing the Tennessee Valley dam
i received its final approval. The
E colleges have signed they- con
' tracts and Ernest E. Heal, di
rector of the Council on Rural
Life at Tuskegee Institute, was
named director. This program,
which will be financed by the TV
Dam authorities, is expected
among other things to show what
effect the displacement of Negro
families had on their lives and
the benefits or disadvantages de
rived by those who remained.
Dr. Nathanson associated with
the office of J. C. Evans, civilian
assistant to the Secretary of De
fense, reported on efforts to start
training for small industries
among students. It was voted to
start two or three pilot projects
in selected colleges. Others are to
adopt the plan after studying
their experience.
Mr. Evans, reporting on mat
ters affecting the colleges and
ROTC, declared that chances lor
additional units at 15 Negro col
leges did not look good. There
are elements in the army al
:hough Mr. Evans did not say so,
vho are not favorable toward the
ixpansion of facilities for training
Vegro officers any more than
hey favor complete integration.
It was decided to urge every eol
ege which was turned down to
ippeal to the Secretary of De
ense or the White House over
he heads of the army bureau in
volved.
Others who spoke briefly in
cluded R. J. Lasseter of Inter
aational Business Machines who
liscussed increased employment
apportunities, and Claude A. Bar
lett who pointed out openings for
lualified technicians under Pont
1. The latter particularly em
ahasized openings in Liberia
vhere 70 technicians are already
icheduled to be sent under the
arogram.
Present were Presidents John
ff. Davis, West Virginia State;
Sherman D. Scruggs, Lincoln U.,
[Mo.), E. B. Evans, Prairie View;
R. B. Atwood, Kentucky State;
Belton G. Clark, Southern U.;
3. L. Harrison, Langston; R. P.
(Continued on Page 4)
