"Two Faithful Aides j
of Uncle Sammy
Bj Dr. Jilia* Klein. Secretary
•I I .'oat merer of the I'nited States
Wa h.r.gton. July 27—(ANP)—
Pres.Jeat H cover, several weeks ago,
■■*rc& m tea-‘...Til memorial wreath to
b* i -;4 Upon the grave of a Negro
»t» !_jui it r<g been a member of his
pe. .... -a-: ah,.* he was Secre
te y '1 c .isnefvi, and who had
in ,x*. altogether, twenty-seven
years to the government. The man
av honor'd by the chief executive
wa Charles Nelson Johnson,
■and M May 17th.
", j nt’s offering represented
. at expression of regret
bu : warm ptnoesl acknowtedge
i.Mr. Johnson's efficient and
cr 1 a,: *«/vice a« “secretary's mes
v.-Rs ." duiing the eight years that
Mr. .. . was head of this organ
iaauea.
Oai/ a few weeks after Mr. John
son '-ad passed away< there occurred
the *th of another of our long,
time, nignly valued Negro employes
-Mr Steph--n Fuller, of the Bureau
of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.
I consider it a privilege to take this
*pp r unity of paying tribute to the
w >r k and the personal worth of these
two Negro veterans of the United
States Civil Service.
T._k._J!_I £_a -J .11
it l’m3r t iiioi nvu. os v»
tha* Mr. Johnson probably knew by
a.^bt as many outstanding national
and international figures as any man
in Washington—because, during all
the king period when he officiated
in the outer office of Herbert Hoo
ver and of R. P. Lament in the De
partment of Commerce, there pass
ed thr ough the portals an almost un
ceasing stream of men who have at-,
uuned distinction in every walk of
life, in America and in foreign lands.
Mr. Johnson had a keen memory
for .their names and faces. And
many it them remembered him on
the occasion of repeated visits, de
spite his natural modesty and un
otrtnss: reness. His demeanor was al
ways characterized by perfect cour.
tesy, and he had rare gift* of tact.
And too, Mr. Johnson was depend
able in the highest degree, and was
entrusted with numerous missions
of importance—in the full assurance
that the duty would be disebargod
both faithfully and competently. The
secretaries of commerce whom he
served so long had good reason to
appreciate such zealous and unre
mitting application to the task in
hand.
Stephen Fuller was in charge of
the Loan File of publications of the
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Oummeire. His knowledge of the
publications within his charge was
really astonishing, especially when
one considers the variety of their
subject-matter, covering practically
every phase of domestic an dinterna.
tional commerce, industry, and fi
nance.
Mr. Fuller had an inquiring mind,
and he familiarized himself, to a
remarkable extent, with the contents
of each new booklet, as it came a
cross his desk. Thus when any in
quirer was vague or possible mis
taken with respect to the precise
number of title of a pamphlet—but
was able ;o indicate its contents with
some degree of accuracy—Me. Fuller
could nearly always put his hand on
the desired publication very' quickly.
He wa* alert, energetic, exceptional
ly methodical. He was glad to go
out of his way to do things for his
fellow-workers, in the course of of
fice business.
v orwiieniiousneas was one of Mr.
Fuller’s major traits—as it was of
Mr. Johnson also. Even after Mr.
Fuller had been stricken with his last
fatal illness, and was struggling
against the gravest physical in
capacity. je insisted upon coming to
the office at times when he should
not have done so. He was constant
ly solicitous, to the last, that his
work should be carried on with the
most complete efficiency. He had
been with the Department of Com
merce for more than 27 years.
C. M. A. PROGRAM FEATURES
ANNUAL MEETING OF NA
TIONAL NEGRO BUSINESS
LEAGUE.
The 33rd annual convention of the
National Negro Business League,
held in New York City, June 19 to
22 was another evidence of the fact
that Tuskegce Institute reaches far
beyond the class rooms and shops on
its campus in the fostering of con
stractive activities that will lead Ne
gro peopie to reach a higher ground
of economic independence, and citi
zens hip Founded by Booker T. Wash
ingt >n in 1900. the National Negro
Business League under his guidance
and that of its present president,
Rafaert R Aloton. has grown stead
ily for thirty-three years.
A report of the convention pre. 1
pared by Ferol Vincent Smoot for
the Associated Negro Press states
that this wag net only the most
spectacular, but the most successful
convention in the history of the lea
gue. The report states further that
denng the three days more than
75.00*) people visited tht sessions of '
the convention and the trade exhibit.,
The ojening session was held a:;
the Abyssinian church on Sunday
(-.ening, June 19, at which time Dr.
Robert R. Moton, principal of Tus
kegee Institute and president of the
league, delivered his annual address.
Dr. Moton with his characteristic
breadth of vision that looks beyond
his own race to include ail races, in
terpreted the depression and the
present business situation in terms
of its effect upon the relationship be
tween black people and white. In this
connection he said:
“There is less suspicion and jeal
ousy within the race. There is less
suspicion and greater appreciation
by the black race for the white race.
There is a stronger and saner de
sire on the part of the white race
to be fair in its dealings with the
black race. Thsi is true in business
as in all other phases of life. There
is increasing throughout the nation
greater patriotism and more even
handed justice toward all groups,
weak as well as strong, poor as well
as rich, black even as white. There
is truly greater tolerance interracial,
ly and intra-racially with a whole
some and increasing disregard of
color and creed.
The C. M. A. movement accepts
nothing but the highest standards,
including quality of products, service
and absolutely sanitary surround
ings. These are the things with which
our group, as yet, is not very famil
iar. The Negro business man must
learn to give quality and service. We
are not dealing or recommending
black stores, but we are recommend
ing up-to-date stores run by black
men and women. The National Busi
ness League through tre C. M. A.1
movement, offers a sane, safe, con
structive way out. The trail has been
blazied. W5e can follow, we should
follow, and if we hope to succeed in
business, we must follow.’”
The general theme of the conven
tion was “Negro Business Points the
Way.” The subject discussed includ
ed all angles of Negro business from
without as well as from within. Ad
dresses on Negro business from the
viewpoints of the newspaper, the pro
fessions, the church and the social
workers were given by able speak
ers. The future of Negro business
of various types, insurance, dry
goods, drug stores, grocery stores
and banking, was discussed by suc
cessful representatives of these
groups. Technical advice on “Re
search as a Factor in Meeting the
New Tests of Negro Business” was
given by James A. Jackson, business
specailist of the United States De
partment of Commerce.
Trade Exhibit
The magnificent trade exhibit
sponsored by the Harlem Business
Men’s club opened on Monday after
noon, June 20, with special ceremon
ies. The Harlem Business Men’s club,
a branch of the National Negro
Business League, with a membership
of more than 200, was host to the
convention.
The exhibit featured forty-two
beautifully decorated booths display
ing merchandise of finest quality,
which is handled by Negro owned
stores in New York City. Several
booths were held by social and fra
ternal organizations at which fine
needle work was shown and descrip
tive literature on the work of the
organization was distributed. An ex
hibit of the work of Negro artists
was sponsored by Arthur A. Schom
burg, curator of Negro literature of
the New York public library. A
model cooking school which gave two
demonstrations each day was con
ducted by the New York Amsterdam
News. One of the most striking ex
hibits was a model grocery store
displayed by the National Colored
Merchants association.
lhe Harlem Housewives* League
v. as hostess to the convention. Dele
gates from eleven cities attnded
the convention to participate in the
shaping of future plans for further
development of the National House
wives’ League program which is de
voted to the promotion of Negro
business by affiliation and coopera.
‘i m with the league in executive ses
sion endorsed the program of the
Housewives’ League and voted its
full cooperation in the further ex.
tension of the work during the com
ing year.
I hree new members were addedto
the executive committee, of th Na
tional Negro Business League. They
ure: Allie N. Jones, vice president of
the Harlem Business Men’s club and
chairman of the Trade Exhibit; C.
Benjamin Curley, president of the
New York Peoples Credit Union and
a vice president of the National C.
* A. Stores, Inc.; Mrs. Margaret
( ■ Hartsfield of the Domestic Credit
Bureau, New York CCity.
Much Credit Due Holsey
No small part of the success of
the major project of the Business
League—the C. M. A. Stores—is dur j
to the vision and efforts of Albon L
Holsey, for many years secretary to
‘he principal at Tuskegee Institute.
I ntil two years ago Mr. Holsey had
divided his time between the interests
o£ the institute and the league. With
the expansion of the C. M. A. project
and Mr. Holsey’s election to the
secretaryship of the league and the
presidency of the C. M. A., it be
< ■■■■'■■ ' ■ ■ . .— ■
TEN THOUSAND CHEER FORD IN BROOKLYN j
Over ten thousand people (fathered to hear James W. Ford, Commun
ist vice presidential candidate, at the Coney Island Stadium, in Brooklyn,
New York. (Center) the candidate carried around the huge stadium on the
shoulders of ex-servicemen as the ten thousand cheer. (Top and bottom)
James W. Ford addresses the crowd.
Here (reading right to left) are J. Louis Engdahl. secretary of the
International Labor Defense, and Mrs. Ada Wright, mother of two Scotts
boro boys, Roy and Andy Wright, as they appeared recently at a Scotts
boro protest meeting in Paris. With them are two French revolutionary
leaders, Jean Richetta, secretary of the Federation of Textile Workers,
and Marcel Cachin, editor of the revolutionary journal, L’Humanite.
came necessary for him to make his
headcfiiarters in New York.
Mr. Holsey’s report was one of the
high spots in the convention. Ex.
cerpts from the report follows:
“Since the last convention Sy
' public meetings were held in the in
! terest of Negro business. Thirty-two
of these meetings were held outsiue
of greater New York. We have, there
tore, through these meetings, reach
ed more than 15,000 people in which
a direct appeal was made to them
for cooperation and higher standards
of business procedure.
“Direct contacts have been made
with local groups of business men
and women in 38 cities. In addition
to the combined Trade W’eek and
Trade Exhibit which was sponsoied
by the Harlem Business Men’s club
trade campaigns and trade exhibits
have been held in Baltimore, Phila
delphia, Pittsburgh, Dallas. Texas.
Atlantic City, N. J„ Winston-Salem,
N. C., Cincinnati, Ohio, Detroit, and
Richmond, Va.
Mr. Holsey pointed out that while
all of the local groups whi<5h sponsor
ed these movements are not formal
ly affiliated with the National Ne
gro Business League, that organiza
tion did cooperate with several of
them by sending suggestions, mater
ial, and speakers.
bince the last convention fourteen
of the twenty-seven stores operating
under the C. M. A. franchise in
greater New York have been re
modeled according to the C. M. A.
specifications and more than one-half
of these grocery’ stores are now stores
which have been started by men who
have caught the spirit of the C. M.
A. and are now conducting buisness
enterprises of their own, but affili.
ated with the C. M. A. in order to
get the benefits of scientific buying,
advertisng. supervson, and merehan
dising.
Many Given Employment
In the new model stores establisn
ed to operate under the C. M. A.
franchise, forty-one of our people
are employed. In addition to these,
fourteen Negroes are directly em
ployed in the combined offices of the
National Negro Business League and
the National C. M. A. Stores, mak
ing a total of fifty-five persons for j
whom employment has been created,
since the opening of the New York
office in the fall of 1929. There are!
also four salesmen directing the sales
of C. M. A. tobacco products and
there were sixty salespeople for the
securities of the National C. M. A
during the campaign which has now
been closed. In all 121 persons have
been directly employed through the
aetivties of the C. M. A. and the Na
tional Negro Business League. Forty
Negroes are employed in the factor
which has the contract for manufae- |
turing C. M. A. cigars.
C. M. A. stores are assisting other
Negro business by using the service
of two photographers, one Negrc
sign maker, one Negro tire and bat
tery service, two Negro printers, ont
Negro paper supply company, a Ne
gro advertising agency, and a Negrc
artist. 4
The Harlem C. M. A. stores use
two Negro bakers, purchase meat.
and sliced bacon from a Negro coil
cern, feature a sausage made by a
Negroj and use a Negro laundry foi
their linen supplies. Negro manufac
turers are encouraged to ship their
products to the national office of the
C. M. A. and an arrangement has
been made with the People’s Model
Store to display this merchandise or
what is called a “Shelf of Negro
Manufactured Products.” The C. M.
A. is thus laying the foundation for
the development of a large field a
mong Negroes.”
Housewives’ League
One of the most important and in
teresting sessions of the convention
of the National Negro Business Lea
gue was tse session held by the
Housewives’ League. Delegates from
eleven cities attended and presented
detailed reports concerning the acti
vities of the Leagues in their com
munities. Miss Eva D. Bowles, chair
man of the Women’s Auxiliary of
the Harlem Housewives’ League, de
livered the address of welcome. An
excellent paper on “What the Woman
Who Buys Expects of the Man Who
Sells,” was read by Mrs. T. Arnold
Hill of New York City. The body
voted unanimously to continue the
work of the organization in affilia
tion with the National Negro Busi
ness League.
0-— -0
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. ... ( " V " —I II. ■ ...... "" ....
Is the Negro in Busines a Failure?
(By Carter G. Woodson)
I have just returned from the
maret which is not far away from
my office. I often go over there at
noon to buy a bit of fruit and to talk i
with a young woman who so success- j
fully conducts a fruit stand there in
cooperation with her mother. Some
years ago I tried to teach her in high
school; but her memory was poor,;
and she could not understand what
I was trying to do. She stayed a few
weeks, smiling at the others who
toiled; and she finally left, feeling
that going to high school was merely
throwing away time. She learned
from her mother, however, how to
make a living and be happy.
I was reminded of her, too, just a
moment ago when there came to my
office a friend who succeeded in mas
tering everything we taught in high
school and then distinguished him
self in college. He brought me a
song of woe. Having extreme diffi
culty in finding what he is trained
to do( he has thought several times
of committing suicide. I encouraged
him to go ahead and do it. The soon
er the better. The food, water, and
air which he is now consuming may
then go to keep alive some one who
| is in touch with life and able to
grapple with its problems. He has
been educated away from the fruit
stand.
I had been trying to convince th»s ;
man of the unusual opportunities I
for Negroes in business, but he re.
i primanded me for urging him to take
up such a task when most Negroes
thus engaged have been failures.
“If we invest our money in en
terprises of our own," said he, “those 1
in charge will misuse or misapprop-1
priate it. We had just as well keep
on throwing it away or deposit it ir.
financial institutions controlled by
those of another race.”
Upon investigation, however, I find
that this complainant and most oth
»rs like him have never invested any
thing in any sort of Negro enter,
prise. But they feel a bit guilty
of this account, and when they have
some apparent ground from fault
finding they try to satisfy their con
science which all but condemns them
for their suicidal course of getting
all they can out of the race while !
giving nothing back to it.
Gossipers and scandal-mongers a
mong Negroes, of course, come to
the assistance of these fault-finders.
Miseducated by the oppressors of the
racet such michief-makers expect the
Negro to fail anyway. They seize,
then, upon the unverified reports,
exaggerate the situation and circu
late falsehoods throughout the world
to their own undoing. You read great
headlines as GREATEST NEGRO
BUSINESS FAILS, NEGRO BANK
ROBBED BY ITS OFFICERS, and
THE TWILIGHT OF NEGRO BUS!
NESS.
When the concerns of other races
fail, however, you read in the press
only a brief mention of it with an
expression of regret, and it passes
from public notice..
The other day a large insurance
company out west failed with a bil
lion dollars of liabilities, but the
dailies devoted only a few inches to
it. I nthe case of the trouble of the
National Benefit life Insurance com
pany, however, reports, rumors, and
falsehoods spread like a fire alarm
at midnight.
Recently, too, when one of the
main concerns of a multimillionoire
in Chicago went into the hands of
the receivers the press said practical
ly nothing about it except to give the
facts then known. When a quarrel
developed in the Victory Life man
agement, however, almost every Ne
gro organ of consequence industri
ously carried the alarm to the utter
mst parts of the earth, proclaiming
the failure of the Negro in the busi
ness world.
As a matter of fact, however, m
neither case have the policyholders
lost their investments, and the alarm
is a reflection on people who are so
ignorant as to be so easily disturbed.
Itelligent people know that the
government in this country protects
the interests of policyholders «o that,
come what mayi they do not lose. If
the officers and stockholders 8o con
duct their businesses as to wipe out
their investments, that is their affair.
Since they are jn control they should
so manage the business as to take
care of such interests. If they fad
to do so, they must accept the loss
as their reward.
An investigation shown, however,
that even when you consider the
matter from the point of view of the
proportions a larger number of
white than Negro enterprises have
failed, and during this depression
Negroes have lost much more money
in the failure of white businesses
than in the cases of those of Ne
groes. Yet those complaining Ne
groes seldom mention what they lose
that way. A bank controlled by
whites may fail with their funds in
it, but a Negro bank must not do so.
.Investigation further shows that
in proportion to the amount of capi
tal invested Negro enterprises mani
fest about as much strength as busi
neses of others similarly situated.
The main trouble with the business
es of Negroes is that they are not
adequately supported, and consequent
1 ly they do not always grow strong
enough to pass through such an
ordeal as this depression.
In the case of the businesses of
i other they not only find that neces
sary support to develop this power,
but they become able to help one
another. In the time of the depress
j ion, one poorly supported Negro en
terprise is about as weak as another.
Neither one can help the other, and
the enterprise's of other races arc*
not interested in seeing ours succeed.
Negro business men have made
mistakes, and they are still making
] them; but the weak link in the t h iin
is that they are not properly sup
! ported. The Negro business man,
j then, has not failed so much as he
has failed to get support. The Am.
erican Negroes as a group have fail
ed in business.
1 have never seen any sense in
denouncing those Negro business men
who with the limited experience and
opportunity have done the best they
could in a sphere entirely new to
them.
I am sure that I can figure out
some of the mistakes made by Her
man Perry, Samuel W. Rutherford,
and Anthony 0. Overton, but 1 see
standing out in bold relief so many
of their beneficial achievements that
; I am praying for the day when we
shall build monuments to these men.
Following the lead of W. W. Brow n
of the True Reformers, these fort,
runners blazed the way in all but
forbidden field and directed us toward
economic independence. If the next
generation, avoiding their pitfalls,
will build upon the foundation.which
they have laid, the Negroes of to
morrow will have no reason for look
ing to others. They will be able to
think and do for themselves.
in view of these facts, anyone go
ing around decrying the Ngero in
business is either ignorant of mali
cious. If we listen to such nonsense
and govern ourselves accordingly to
the do-nothing policy thereby sug
gested we had just as well commit
suicide. The day of the handout has
passed. The ho^e for the Negro, like
the hope for ai.y other poor people,
lies in the proper solution of the
promleb of making a living by en
terprise and cooperation. On this
foundation and on this only can we
build a culture which will attract the
attention of the world.
BrasnBB9HB3anR9f:
See the
CONTEST EDITOR
2418 Grant Street
