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* LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGltO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CH1CAQO AND NORTH OP KANSAS CITY -=^==L==-y
“ ~ Omaha, Nebr., Saturday, Feb. 11,1938 “ .* agSgA
_ ... - . -__*_ - ___la_a-_^_ _____a.____ JL.
"STOP CROWDING THEM
INTO SLUMS”- Al Smith
AL SMITH. FORMER DEMO-'
ORATIC CANDIDATE^ PLEADS
FOR CHANCE E'OR NEGRO
NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (ANP) —
Alfred E. Smith, he of "Brown
Derby” fame and Democratic can
didate for president in 1928, made
a strong plea for better education
al facilities for Negroes and called
upon the nation at large to help
solvo the rac'al problem at a Lin
coln university luncheon given
Wednesday at the Empire State
cluib by J. Frederick Talcett, a
member of the university board of
trustees.
Mr. Smith, also a former gov
ernor of New York, pointed out
that “the number of Negroes has
'trebled since freedom came to the
race” and added “there has been
talk about the Negro problem ev
er since then.”
"But in the first place,” he said,
“part of what we call the Negro
problem is a white problem. The
■white part of the population has
not always done what it could to
help the Negro on bis long upward
climb. Today we are trying to
make our institutions serve them
better and give them more oppor
tunities. Opportunity is all they
ask. They can and are solving
their own problems and working
out their own destiny. But they
need some help.”
After pointing out that the col
ored race is one tenth of the pop
ulation "only three quarters of a
century out of slavery, and only a
few hundred years out of savag
ery,” he declared:
“It strikes me that the remark
able thing is not that we have a
Negro problem, but that the Ne
gro is so little of a problem and
has come ao far in so short a
time. We can help them work out
their economic and educational fu
ture if we provide more adequate
educational opportunities for them.
"We should stop crowding them
into slums, both country slums and
dity slums. The Negro problem
Would be much more quickly solv
ed, too. if better health and medi
cal service were available to the
«ace, and that is one of the things
we must give attention to along
with education, housing, jobs and
tetter working conditions In the
f&tore.
"There isn’t any bigger job a
fceud of us in this country than to
help give the opportunity to this
race that they are entitled to as
olthtens of the nation. To give
ftem their opportunity will not
duly help them, but H will help the
entire nation. It will make this a
tetter and more harmonious coun
try. This problem of race reta
tfems will take care of itself large
ly when the colored race is given
educational advantages, health and
medical care, better bvihg condi
tions and more of the good jobs
end not all of the poor ones."
Another of the speakers was the
Rev. Dr. Walter H. Brooks, pastor
«f the 19th Street Baptist church,
•f Washington for 66 years, a for
mer slave who is a member of the
class of 1872. Dr. George John
son, dean of Lincoln, spoke in the
absence of the president, Dr. Wai
te* Livingston Wright, who was
81. He referred to the increase in
KWollment during the past 20
y*»rs and listed as needed facilit
ies a library, dining hall, addition
al apace for science study and new
**o*Tnitorves.
Dr. Johnson introduced several
prominent alumni including both
Dr. Brooks and Dr. Solomon Por
te* Hood of Atlantic Highlands,
N .J., former minister to Liberia
aflS a graduate of the class of
im.
L. K. Williams,
Guest Speaker
L. K. WILLIAMS GUEST *
SPEAKER AT FELLOWSHIP
MEET IN NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans, Feb. Feb. 9 (By
Leon Lewis for ANP)—Address
ing several Baptist Fellowship
meetings in New Orleans, Dr. L. K.
Wiliams, Chicago clergyman and
president of the National Baptist
Convention, Inc. emphasized the
“rejuvenation of the general church
pregram to develop wee leader
ship endowed with a broader sc pe
of initiative.” He stated that “the
church must contend for the solu
tion of race problems” and that “its
activity must not be narrowed in
to only getting people ready for
heaven,” but must include ‘ a sti
mulative program to better living
conditions here on earth.
The astute church heralded the
church as the “only organization
through political, economic and ci
vil rights may be gotten.” He ex
plained that strict political and
civic organizations had been stum
ped in their attempts to absolute
ly relegate the Negro from the
throes of injustice and discrimin
ation.
“The church,” he said, “has the
leadership in which the public has
spiritual confidence and which
holds the respect of the capitalist,
the professional and the laborer.
Why can’t it utilize this power to
bring about the economic rein
carnation a social readjustment, ab
solute politauai participation for
the Negroes In all America as it
has used to in&till the principles
of Christianity ?
"To be right with God,” he con
tinued "and unable to sake a liv
ing is a travesty upon sound de
velopment; to accept the teachings
of Christianity and be denied the
freedom of democracy and social
development is against the grain of
the church program; and to develop
leadership for soul stimulation
without applying it to material up
lift is a job less than half done.”
Dr. Williams, who has graced
pulpits and rostrums fredk coast to
coast and from gulf to Great Lakes
told in brief detail what the Baptist
had done to make a place for them
selves in the history and progress
of America He appeared under
join auspices of committees from
the First district, Ideal and West
side Baptist associations.
JONES A^ND McGRAY
TO HEAD CHICAGO
— CONGRESS
Chicago, Feb., 9 (ANP)—?The
Chicago division of the National
Negro congress announced last
week that Dewey R. Jones, residenr
worker at Hull House, has been
elected president that George F.
McCray, director of a local labor
research study, had been elected
secretary for 1939. Those newly
elected officers succeed Dr. Charles
W. Burton, who headed the local
d'vision since 1936, and Henry
Johnson, whose heavy duties as as
sistant national director of one of
the largest affiliates of the CIO
made it impossible for him to con
tinue as executive secretary.
_
I LUNCH NOW AT NOON
WITH LUCILE
Lucila Hamilton just returned
from Chicago. She :s serving meals
with her mother, Mrs. Collin3 at
2622% Erskine St.
Th9 date is Thursday noon and
Saturday noon Phone Web. 0360,
>---I
MURPHY DINNER PALACE
CLOSES
Mrs Dana Murphy who has
been operating the Murphy Dinner
Palace on West Center street for
the past 15 years, has finnaly giv
up the business and is moving
North in the near future.
Mrs, Murphy wi:h the assistance
of her mother, Mrs. Dotson has
made a heroic effort to maintain
and run a first class place, which
was not only a credit to herself,
but also to the whole group, which
she represents.
Too much credit cannot be given
Mrs. Murphy fo rthe gallant fight
she has made against great odds.
HIGH COURT
TO GET OKLA;
CASE
Washington, D. C. Feb. 6—Whe
ther or not the registrar in Wago
ner County, Oklahoma has the
right to bar Negro citizens from
registering to vote, under a state
statute now in force, will bo de-|
termined by the U S. Supreme
Court here the week of Febrary 6.
The case of I. W. Lane, a citizen
of Wagoner County, who was re
fused permission to register in
Oklahoma in 1934 has been fought
by the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple through the federal courts and
Is now ready for disposition by the
high court, attorneys for the as
sociation said this week.
The case marks the second time
that the Association has carried
the question of denial of voting pri
vileges from Oklahoma bo the high
court. The court declared Oklaho
ma’s grandfather clause, adopted
by the state in 1910, unconstitu
tional in a deetaoia handed down
in 1»1*.
Attorneys representing lane for
the NAACP include; Charles A.
Chandler, of Muskogee, Okla.; and
James C. Nabrltt, professor of law
at the Howard university law
school In Washington D. C.
' \'r>
Urban League Hears Race
Discussed by Jew, Gentile
and Negro —
Columbus, Feb. 9 (ANP)—Over
200 persons heard a gentile, a Jew
and a Negro attack the subject,
“Race and the Present World Cri
sis,” Thursday evening in tihe
Griswold YWCA, at the 21st annual
observance of the Columbus Urban
leaguo and its federated agencies,
over which Dr. W. D. Inglis, presi
dent, presided
Nimrod B. Allen, executive sec
retary, introduced the meeting and
said “inter-racial and social jus
tices, the mainstay of democracy,
is the responsibility of all of us, j
and the league offers a practical j
experiment where those who are
interested in human justice may
find expression.”
D?. Robert L. Tucker, pastor of
Indianola ME Church, discussed the
subject from the point of view of
the Gentile. He said, “Subversive
agitation feels up^n hum’n needs.”
Commencing the Columbus Ur
ban League unon its service to de
mocracy n the community. Dr.
Tucker pointed out that * the Ur
USA; NO DEM
OCRACY FOR
NEGRO SAYS
WRITER
New York, Feb 6—America falls j
short of being a democracy so far i
as Negro rights are concerned, as
serts Lewis Gannett, well known
book critic of the New York Her
ald-Tribune in an article in the
Survey Graphic for February.
The February issue of the Sur
vey Graphis is devoted entirely to
“The Challenge to Democracy” un
der the title of “Calling America.”
The special guest editor for the
issue is Raymond Gram Swing.
In his article showing up the
short comings of American demo
cracy toward the Negro, Mr Gan
nett points out the discrimination
in schools, jobs, sports, hous ng, le
gal rights and basic citizenship
rights. He ealh for equal oppor
tunity for individual Americans
everywhere and expresses the hope
that America’s new awakening the
denial of democracy abroad will re
sult in fulfilling the promises of
our own dlemocracy at home. He
concludes:
“Wo still have a habit of for
getting about Negroes when talk
ing about democracy, in America.
And while we are resenting the
plight of the Jews in Germany, wt
may well think hardcd about Ne
groes in America.”
ban league attempts to reduce the
needs of a minority group that it
might develop to a assume its
responsibilities in the community.”
Dr. Lee J. Levinger, research di
rector for the B’nai B’rith develop
ed his comment on the subject by
reviewing current fallacies as illus
trated in a recent publication “Lu
nacy Becomes Us," which deals
with Nazi racial theories. He con
trasted tho constructive practices
of a democracy with those used
by “ism” groups who used racial
difference as a basis for fomenting
hatred against minority groups.
Dr. Charles H. Wesley, dean of
tho graduate school of Howard uni
versity, prefaced his statement:
'America has almost set the exam
ple of treating groups according to
race and European countries have
further developed the patent"
Ho pointed to three groups of
thought as most conductive to mis
understanding of colored peoples
as being: populu^ belief that Afri
ca te a country of savagery, igno
rance of the contribution of colored
men to the world, az>d acceptance
of inefriomy theories regarding
dark racee. ,
——■■
MUST HAVE $1,000 TO
— ENTER
u. s. nbgroesVblcomb to
LIBERIA UXDjRB 8EJLBCTIVB
IMMIGRATION fOUCY
Monrovia, Libori*, Feb. 9 (ANP)
—inquiry as to the government’s
attitude towar dtemmfcgr&tion of
Negroes to Liberia from America
this week revealed that colored
Americans haring $1,000 and more
in cash (over anct above their pas
sage money) and physically and
psychologically fit for rigorous,
pioneering life, will be welcomed
to the republic Liberia.
It was learned that $1,000 would
be the smallest amount an emi
grant should possess in order to es
tablish himself and beccme Inte
grated into Liberian life. Govern
ment officials are insisting on the
selective immigration policy be
cause all types of persons—wheth
er from America or any other na
tion—cannot be absorbed. Liberia
is largely an undeveloped country. I
it was explained and m°n most
desired as immigrent are farmers, j
those tra'ned in ngricu'ture, or
,n„*'‘c»|furo nr'fj pfp pro
ficient in fore-try wo'k.
There is only a I'm t«d Homan I
at present for tAc'e>
Conference Held
On Anti-Lynch Bill
Washington, Feb 6—Although
America’s foreign relations held
tho spotlight here this week, three
conferences with key senators and
representat'ves were held on pro
posed federal anti-lynching legi.da
tion by Walter White, oeeietary
of the National Association for
; the Advancement of Colored Peo
i plo .
__:___
The Wagner,-Van Nuys-Capper
bill in the Senate and the Gava
gan bill in the House, along with
several similar measures, were the
subject of the conferences. Both the
House and Senate bills are in the
hands of judiciary committees ami
it is expected that hearings will
bo ordered by the committees short
ly.
i sands and tradesuren, but a fairly
lucrative field is offered for immi
grants qualified to assist in devel
; oping the Vast forests of the conn
try. It was explained that the go
; vernment would grant to qualified
j immigrants, assist them in getting
settled and becoming adjusted to
j their new surroundings. The sett
; lev, however, must “finance” him
! self until such times as his Labors
become profitable.
I
i New Record Set In Speedy
Trial of Negro Slayer;
Given Life Term
Memphis. Feb. 9 (By James C.
Dickerson for ANP)—A new re
cord was set Wednesday in Judge
Harsh’s criminal court when Char
j lio Atkins, 27 ,was tried, convicted
and sentenced for the murder of
I Sept. 8 of L. A. (Jack) Gereaid,
white all in one day.
Atkins was sentenced by the all -
. white jury to life imprisonment.
This is a summary of Wednesday’s
: hasty schedule in which selecting
| of the jury took 20 minutes: the
| first 12 men who sat in the box
were chosen; presenting of the
state’s case, three hours: pre.;ent
ing the defendant’s case, two hour0;
arguments of attorneys and charge
to the jury, two hours; delibera
tion of the jury, one hour and 30
minutes
The verdict was delivered to
Judge T. W. Harsh at 8:30 Wednes
day nigfot. Immediately after it was
read, Grover McCormick, pulbltc
defender, representing Atkins en
tered a motion for a new trial
which will be heard next Thursday.
Atkins was charged with killing
Gerard in his driveway of ths lat
ter’s home after an argument. Tes
tifying in his own behalf, Atkins
repudiated his pblice c&nfaseion
and denied he had been in the vici
nity of the Girard home on the
night of the murder.
CIO Seeks Restraining
Order Against AFL Men
New Orleans, Feb 9 (AHP)—
Charging that officers and mem
bere of the AFL onion were inter
fering with their stevedoring dvtiae
by pocketing wharves at which
Btoamshlps of the Swayne and Hoyt
Ltd., company docks the CIO fil
ed a petition in the civil district
court seeking to enjoin AFL from
molesting or interfering with mem
bers of the International Long
shoremen and Warehousemen
union.
The petition alleged that Paul
Hortman, president of the colored
ILA, Leon Trujague, president of
the white ILA, Manny Moore, San
tos Garcia and William Donnell
has been molesting and threaten
ing CIO longshoremen seeking to
unload boats. It charged that the
AFL union men so intimidated sea
men on the steamship Point Brava
docked at the Congress St. wharf,
that the seamen refused to turn
on steam which would enable oper
ation of machinery ;n the unloading
of th"t vessel.
Judge Hugh C. C°ge of the civil
distri-t court, signed an oHer re
qups'ipgp H-e perused ppoenns to
pTiri ^ow »••■*'>'on
tfhou! * poh n°f'Tl't0
"cMws pwp t*p hirin'? on thn
;rpetition,
TEXAS GOV. GRANTS
| CONDEMNED MAN 30
DAY REPRIEVE
Wants Him To Suffer
More
Austin, Tex., Feb. 9 (ANP1—
Gov. W Lee O’Daniel, recently in
augurated as chief executive of the
state on "the golden rule" platform
last Thursday, as one of his first
official ats, reversed his philosophy
and postponed execution of a con
j detnned colored murderer so he
would "suffer the more.”
According to the governor’s con
ception of justice, the convicted
man—Winzell Williams—committ
ed an unpardonable error in killing
a white man, his employer. Al
though opposed to capital punish
ment, Gov. O’Daniel reportedly said
that in Williams’ case he did no*
believe that "any punishment could
be too s'evert*.”
“It seems to me,” explained he,
"that fews forms of punishment
could bo more harsh than to see
certain death staring you in the
face day and night for 30 days. The
1 death penalty will be inflicted
Marcth 5, unless the board (Board
l of Pardons and Paroles) extends
clemency. I therefore grant a 30
day reprieve in order that Win
zell Williams may suffer this
dreadful punishment 30 days before
ho is relieved by death in the elect
ric chair.
"Also, I am frank to admit that
I believe in the Bible literally and
do not intend to be a party direct
ly or indirectly to killing a person.
But the matter, according to law.
is out of my hands and beyond my
power at the end of his 30-day re
prieve.’' Under Texas law, a gov
ernor may grant one 30 day reprive
has no power to pardon or to com
mote a sentence that authority
▼eating in the Board of Pardons.
Gov. O'Daniel, a former flour
salesman and later bead of the Bill
Billy Floor Co. of Texas, won wide
attention by his “Pass the Biscuits
Pappy," slogan. Entering the Tex
as Primary (equivalent to election)
a scant month before election day,
ODandel campaigned throughout
the state with his hill billy band—
which included (hie musical daugh
ter and two sons—popularised a
song, "Beautiful Texas," whose
words and music he wrote. Against
a field of 11 candidates, Flower
M a nufacturer-Crooner ODaniel
skirmished successfully, won the
Primary by a majority of 30,000
more votes than the total votes of
all his opponents.
Afro-Insurance Company
Home Office Valued At
— $100,000
LEWIS IS HIGHEST PAID
NEGRO EXECUTIVE IN THE
COUNTRY
Jacksonville, Fla. Feb. 9 (ANP)
—W th the addition last week of
the new annex valued at $60,000,
the entire home office structures
of the Afro-American Life Insur
ance company are now worth $100
000. They are located in the center
of Jackconvil!e. A. L. Lewis, board j
chairman, is also the hiffhe3t paid j
NcTro executive in Amer'ca.
Directors of th:s m’l'inn dnlla*-;
rm"»nv after paying fer the new
annex, declared a 10 per cent di j
vidend to all stockholders. For 11 |
BISHOP GRANT
AME; PRELATE
HURT IN AUTO
CRASH; DIES -
Jacksonville, Fla. Feb. 9 (ANlf
—The Rt. Rev. R. A. Grant, cat mm*
ally known churchman,
bishop of the AME Church' in Flo
rida and chancellor of EdWard Wa
ters college, passed away 'fi rnafgy
In Brewster hospital* this's ty, a»
the result of injuries sustained last
Saturday in an auto accident.
The mishap occured while Bishop
Grant was enroute to JacksoavOM
from lakeland, Fla., scene of th#
Orlando conference of his chunk
over wh ch 'he presided. While t»
veling at a high speed his super
charged car left the road and.
struck a telegraph pole. Rushed t»<
Brewster hospital ,at first exami
nation his injuries were not regarct
| ed as serious, but pneumonia de
' veloped and his strength graduaRp
waned.
The Orlando conference at Lake
! land was the last of the amraaT
I conferences of his district. The efis
1 tinguished prelate was fatally funk
while returning to Jacksonvilia te
attend tho annual meeting of the •
Afro-American Life Insurance com
pany, of which he was a director
! Bishop Giant was a native Floritr
I dian.
Tho AME church throughout tfee
state v.as plunged in gloom at mn
of his tragic deatih for he had N-y
rendering a remarkable service be
revitalizing the churches of fti*
Episcopal district and in fixtemffnjg
its educational program. The M»
hop's widow, Mrs Maude E. GraM»
survives.
--- .... -W.
straight years they have paid m~
milar dividends, which is a recaff#
surpassing that of any other coljm
ed insurance company. The snecmm
of the Afro, says the directed
lies in the cultivation of the terri
tory in wihieh it it located iitljmr
than spreading to other areas.
The weekly premium income fr#
the company from Atlanta ahmrn
averages $19,498 and it has tjm
largest income of any colored com
pany for an individual state ik
L. Lewie guiding genius of tfts
organization, owns more than JB
per cent of the stock and dnfom
an annual salary of $10,000 plfen
diTidende. Hia dividend check
year amounted to $8,900, givagp
him an Income from the oompmQf
of $18,600.
WHITES DISTURB
TALLADEGA PEACE:
Talladega, Ala. Feb. 0 (ANPJW
RaVo relation in thla peaceful
tie Alabama area were TnlTufrJ*
college is located have been • 1**
utrained In recent weeks, but achatt
and city officials are hoping ttt'
an early return to normalcy.
The current unrest began
months ago when a white man en
deavored to rob the comptroller*
office. The school's night wafrfc
man caught him after shooting Me
intruder in the leg. White
about the town, a small milage near
the school, were a bit indignant m*
bout the shooting, even though tka
police department hacked 4*
watch wan. There was some talking
about blowing up one of the build
ings. A little later the barn be
longing to the college d d bur*
down rather mysteriously, caasfetg
some thousands of dollars worth at
damage. There was no evid“n**
pointing to the origin of the fire.
Then two weeks ago, there w»
a bit of distrubance at the lootf
theatre, which has a section for it*
colored patrons. Because of tlM
tension, girls were not allowed •»
attend this particular show becKU^t
it was a midnight performance.
a few college boys went. A hot*
fracas arose between the cofo/uf
(continued on p. 5)