The eye at * Muter wiS GUIDE U * to make the world safe for democracy, to see America functioning in all its pristine lynching glory; comparable the year just ended. It seems as if the troublous years of the Republic bring added troubles to the colored citizens of the Re public. When nordic America feels desperate and dis-j tracted it apparently “takes it out” upon the colored peo-, pie. We repeat what we said to an editor of “The Na-j tion” a few days ago. This editor contended that the economic depression was responsible for the terrible mob law record of nineteen thirty-three. Surely this could not account for the reason that economic conditions have been on the upturn during nineteen thirty three. Un employment has been somewhat lessened, and the mass es have apparently more hope and courage, than they had in the years proceeding since nineteen-twenty nine. Nineteen twenty, nineteen thirty one, and nineteen thirty two especially, under “The Nation’s editor’s line of reasoning, 1932 should have seen the peak of the nation’s lynching fever. But eight lynchings are recorded for that year, the smallest number in a decade. The reason we repeat, that lynching increased so greatfy in 1933 was due to the emontional inflatcus from which the South suffers during every National Demo cratic Administration. Neither the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Urban Lague nor the National Inter-Racial Committee, headed by Dr. Will Alexander, nor the Tuskegee Move ment, nor all combined will affect or abate this rising tide of racial outrages, unless stopped by the strong arm of the law. Neither will the Federal Anti-Lynching Bill, necessary and vital as it now is, unless the nation forges the will to enforce that law. It will be more respected m the breach than in the observance unless the department of Justice has more care and concern for its enforcement _ than it has had in enforcing the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, in Dixie. The great correction of the Nation’s criminal pastime i against colored citizens rests in the hands of the colored eiticens themselves. Unless they turn around and fight and make costly to the mob murderers the taking of their •olives without warrant of law, lynching will continue to 1 increase in 1934. There is no need for the problem solv ing associations to cry: Peace! Peace! when there is no peace. The colored man must fight for every right with all his might. That is the cure for lynching and for all the other degradations of which he is now the pitiful victim. THE NRA SERVANTS CODE WE trust that the National Recovery Administra yt ir 2*2° ^ accePt the recommendations of the Neu \ork Department of Public Welfare and include the domestic servants of New York City within the code. Cruel advantages have been taken of the tens of thous ands of the household employees of New York. Not only have they not benefited during the regime of the NRA but they have been doubly hurt by its provisions. Collector of Internal Revenue, James J. Hoey, cour ageously declared during his WOR Radio Forum hour on last Sunday that the NRA has been a blight rather than a blessing to colored America. We trust that Dean Kelly Miller and all the other apologists, national and local, will cease now babbing falsely and blithely about its benefits to the group. Both by practice and provision, th NRA has excluded colored America. • The increased cost of living has inflicted itself upon servants more greviously than upon the rest. Their hours have been longer, their work has been harder, by reason of the fewer servants their employers cduld afford as a result of the depression, and their wages for the same reason have been less. Domestic and agricultural labor specifically exempted them from the benefits of the NRA at the time of its adoption. Stories of the plight of the domestic servant which have come from sources official and unofficial are too well known to repeat. As a matter of justice and humanity we urge General Johnson to forthwith include them within the scheme of the NRA. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AT the outset of nineteen thirty-four we turn all our readers to look in retrospect over the past year. They must be thankful not only that they are alive but that they are enjoying a more abundant spiritual life. They may feel assured that the world is working along hard roads toward the promised bloody but un bowed they may thank their stars that are the masters of their own fate and the captains of their souls. For every adversity during th twelve past months, there has been a corresponding spiritual blessing. De spite woes and wickedness in high places, despite hypoc risy and bigotry in official realms, they have come through t all smiling. Retribution is beginning to come swift and terrible hpon the people and' the leaders who prate Christianity, but know not God, individually or col lectively. we are on the road for better things. “I TNLESS taxation is reduced, it cannot he very long ^ before private property is destroyed entirely,” said Dr. Milbank Johnson of the California Taxpayers’ Association. That is a thought which has been engaging a great many minds of late. Excessive taxation has closed fac tories and caused the loss of jobs. It causes people to lose their homes. In some states a large percentage of the farm land has been taken over by government for unpaid taxes—in others taxes are years in arrears. Budget Director Lewis Johnson has pointed out that the United States Treasury will sustain another great de ficit at the end of the 1934 fiscal year, and that additional appropriations can be met only by increased taxes. State tax rates are far above any normal figure. Many county and municipal governments are on the verge of bank ruptcy, with tax rates established which local citizens are unable to pay. The American people face no greater issue than tay ation. Economical government means progress, jobs, good, wages. Wasteful or overly developed government means continued depression, more unemployment, more distress. SILVER AS MONEY The Administration’s recent remonitization of silver is a definite step toward solving problems that have been talked about for generations. It means immediate ben efits to workers, investors and the public. This is especial ly true of the West, where American silver mines are lo cated. The mining depression in many states has been more severe than the general depression. Thousands of jobs have been lost, a vast amount of purchasing power has disappeared, and one of the most important sources of governmental revenue has dried up. Revival of silver will help this condition. As for the economic side of the move and its influ ence on monetary matters, only experience can supply the answer. But it has long been the opinion of many able economists and industrial leaders that, in this complicated modern world, gold is not enough. Proof of this is in the fact that cheap silver has destroyed the purchasing power of half the world’s population, and has come close to de stroying foreign trade. The move, it is believed, will be followed by action in other countries. It is a great experiment, with almost limitless possibilities for achievement. EASY CREDIT FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES The President has signed an order creating a corpor ation to be known as Electric Home and Farm Authority, for the purpose of extending cheap credit to home owners in the Tennessee Valley (Muscle Shoals power develop ment) for the purchase of electrical appliances. If the plan proves successful, it is stated efforts will be made to encourage private capital to assist a similar nation-wide movement. To increase use of power, private electric companies had to pioneer the sale of electrical equipment. They have made easy terms to customers. But for several yearspast there has been an aggressive campaign in a number of states to prohibit private electric companies (private capital) from selling electrical appliances on the ground that such companies offered terms to buyers that small stores could not make. Will the merchants who objected to the electrical companies selling electrical appliances on easy terms, raise tre same objections to the present governmental program? Birmingham. Ala., Jan. The North Alabama Conference, at its recent annual session here, denounced mob violence in unmeasured terms, assured the colored people of Alabama of its sincere good-will and interest in their welfare, and appointed a commission to make a careful study of interracial conditions in Alabama and make recommendations for their improvement. The commission appointed by the Conference is head ed by Dr. Guy E. Snavely, president of Birmingham Southern College, and its seven members are known for liberal and fair-minded attitudes on interracial matters. Their report is expected to be a significant and helpful document. Following are the resolutions proposing the commis sion, which were presented by Reverends E. W. Corley, J. E. Morris, and M. E. Lazenby and unanimously adopted by the Conference. “We do not believe lynching is ever the right way to right a wrong. It is the abrogation of the processes of law and civilization so slowly built up through long cen turies. It is a reversion to the primitive and the savage which, to America’s shame, is characteristic of no other nation on the globe. Our missionaries testify that Ameri ican lynchings are one of the heaviest handicaps which they face in their efforts to Christianize the people of pag an lands. “We therefore call upon our preachers and people to renounce and resist every suggestion of recourse to this barbarous practice, to support the officers of the law in their efforts to maintain its majesty, and to build up a state of public opinion which will no longer condone this type of crime. “In view of the peculiarly troubled racial situation in Alabama at the present time, we recommend the appoint ment of the following committee, with instructions to make a careful study of the total interracial situation in the state and to report to this Conference and to the Church gt its convenience the result of its findings, to gether with recommendations as specific as possible as to what the religious forces of Alabama may do to amel iorate these conditions: Guy E. Snavely, A. M. Freeman, Harry Denman, Foster K. Gamble, Clair Purcell, R. E. Branscomb, M. E. Lazenby. “Meantime we wish to assure the Negroes of Ala bama of the genuine good-will of this Conference and of its desire in every wray possible to promote their welfare and assure their safety.” Contribution Aske d For The Defense Of The Scottsboro _* Boys Dear Friend: Mob lynching in Maryland, Missouri, California LYNCH LAW IN ALABAMA! For the third time Heywood Patterson, and for the second time Clarence Norris are sentenced to die in the electric chair. Both convicted contrary to the evidence. Ruby Bates’ testimony that they are innocent was disregarded. Judge Horton’s opinion, reversing the last jury’s verdict as contrary to the evidence Was disregarded. Judge Horton was “removed” and replaced by Judge Callahan. This judge “forgot” to instruct the jurors how to bring in a verdict if they found the boys “not guilty,” instructing them only how to word their verdict of “guilty.” The State’s Attorney admitted before the court that his plea to the jury was “an appeal to passion.” The court was turned into a forum from which to appeal to the basest passions of hatred and violence against black men because they are black. The Scottsboro boys stood between such “justice” and violent lynching. SEVEN OF THE BOYS HAVE A SHORT RESPITE. THEIR LIVES DEPEND UPON US. We must take appeals to the Supreme Court of Alabama—and should we fail there—to the Supreme Court of the United States. The printing alone for these briefs, in the State Supreme Court will cost $3,500, and they must be com plete and ready within 30 days of December 7th. In ad dition, $1,500 is immediately required for the court stenographers’ fees and other fees connected with the appeal. Again we ask all those who feel outraged by in justice, lynching, and class discrimination to help us in this struggle for elementary justice. WILL YOU SEND US A CONTRIBUTION QUICKLY? Do not fail these boys in this critical moment. Sincerely, Signed: William L. Patterson INTERNATIONAL LABOR DEFENSE National Office 80 East 11th Street. New York City. (Reprinted By Request) The wave of commodity buying, which followed the first flush of ex citement over the NRA, has 'weaken ed, and retail outlets find business slower, with strong consumer opposi tion to higher prices. The volume- of Christmas buying, on which reports will be available after the first of the year, will be an excellent indication of just how far recovery has advanc ed so far as the average citizen is concerned. | Economic Highlights. Happenings That Affect the Dinner Pails. Dividend Checks and Tax Bills of Every Individual. National and International Problems In separable From Local Welfare. What might be termed the "battle of the bottles" got into full swing at Washington during the week before prohibition repeal became an actuali ty. The distiller^ came forward with a code of their own making, saw it at once discarded. It was replaced with a code drawn up at the Presi dent’s suggestion, which gave a very different slant to the picture than manufacturers had hoped- Under it a government corporation would be formed to handle the entire whole sale liquor business. Provisions in clude: A Federal Alchol Control Admini stration, with czar-like power over the industry, which would rule with out liquor representation; complete control over production and distribu tion through a quota system; author ity to fix and regulate prices;, no additions to existing distilling capa city could be built without a certifi cate of necessity from the Admini stration; an agreement with the Sec retary of Agriculture to pay '‘parity” i prices, fixed by him, for raw materi als used in distilling The liquor industry had anticipat es! some sort of Federal control, but they had not thought it would be so relentless as this- Particularly dis tasteful to them was the provision concerning plant additions—practical ly every major distiller is in the midst of expansion. Plants are part ly finished, which may have to be scrapped if the code goes into effect. Their protests found small sympathy at Washington; it was intimated in some quarters that if they didn’t like it they were liable to be met with a plan for a gigantic Federal sales sys tem. *■ In the meantime, the states have been rushing plans to control sales within their borders. Influence of the Rockefeller report is seen in many bills; there is strong sentiment in favor of eliminating private profit so far as the 3ales end is concerned. Bulk of states which have definitely ' passed laws allow sales of beer and wine in restaurants and hotel dining , rooms; about half allow all drinks to be sold in this manner. Minors and known drunkards are forbidden to buy or to be sold to. Drug, grocery stores and hotels and restaurants will be allowed to sell in bulk for the most part. Montana will operate its own liquor stores, and Oregon probably will do likewise. Nevada will permit local control; Reno will have the old time saloon without closing hours Most of the states have yet to make definite regulations, but this indicat es the trend of thought on the matter. Cost of liquor is a burning subject. The hope is expressed that it will be possible to sell legal whiskey and gin, of fair quality, for $1.50 or $2-00 a quart within a short time. If prices are much higher than this, it is be lieved that the bootlegger and the speakeasy will have little trouble in keeping their trade. Direcborof the Budget Lewis, doesn’t often appear in the headlines. But no man knows so much about government income and outgo; none is so well qualified to speak oh the financial state of the nation. The other day he did speak, and ■ it wasn’t very cheery. In the fiscal year 1934, he forecast, the national debt will be substantially increased, because of the Public Works bill, the Agricultural Adjustment Administra tion, and similar new bodies. He didn’t say how much the deficit would ;be, observe that he couldn’t until certain governmental policies had be come better defined. The brighter side of taxation came out when he talked about 1935- He said that if industry is ten per cent recovered by then, 1935 income would be close to a billion in excess of ex penses, barring additional extraordi nary expenditures. General Johnson recently said that business was 25 per cent improved. Mr. Douglas wound up by saying that if additional obligations are con tracted, additional taxes must be im posed; he addrressed himself to the great American middle class which bears such burdens principally. The business indicators, which have been showing a gradual let down from the summer peak, are looking somewhat butler. ICore recent re ports show: OCAL production up. Heavy CONSTRUCTION contracts more than doubled in recent week. Lumber orders for a recent week were the heaviest since May, 1930. Steel production, after a long period of downward tendencies, showed an up flare, but is well below summer average. Commodty prices continu ing steady, advance- Business fail ures at a low point. ,