Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / April 16, 1955, edition 1 / Page 2
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TWO tafc CAxmjna Tans Saturday, april h. ims DISCRIMINATION IN STATE MINED INSTmmONS When the state of North (Carolina sinks so low that it pomits a member of its leg islature who is known to be an alcoholic to set the policy for the operation of the state owned Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, we think it is time for all good people to look aroupd to determine what North Carolina is com ing to. Investigation of this newspaper discloses that John Kerr, Warren County mem ber of the State Senate, who was recentiy treated at the hospital as an alcoholic, be came so incensed when he discoveifed that the ward he was occupying as a psychiac- tric patient was also occupied by two Negroes that he could hardly contain himself. Kerr is reported to have put so much pressure on state offi cials that no more Negro pa tients will be accepted for psychiatric treatment until additional psychiatrists and help can be employed for a segregated unit. This news paper has been reliably in formed that at least 22 addi tional persons will be needed' for the new set-up if and when it is established. Here again the cost of seg regation stares the taxpayers of North Carolina straight in the face and they are going to have to dig down in their pockets to needlessly pay for duplication of a department at the Memorial Hospital simply because an alcholic member of the legislature d^nands it. From all reports things were going along nicely at the institution with little or no segregated policy being maintain^ among personnel and patients until the gentle man from Warren County sobered up long enough, or was sobered up, to discover that hospital officials were simply treating Negro pa tients as human beings with out regaring the color of their skin. The Honorable John Kerr just could not stand it, because in Warren County he is the boss and Negroes are kept in their place which is just a few degrees above that of a convict. We have been reliably in formed that the wife of a Ne gro soldier has been sent to the State Hospital at Golds boro because the new policy at Memorial Hospital would not allow her to return there when she had a recur rence of her condition which is purely psychiatric. Thus we have tefore us in North Carolina th^j^sorry spectacle of an American soldier’s sick wife being abused by the peo ple while her hilsband is away protecting the liberty of the abusers. Some of our white folks can stand anything so long as those against whom they stand are Negroes. We think here is a good op portunity for the National Association for the Advance ment of Colored People to en ter the picture and have the backing of the entire Negro population of North Carolina. This newspaper believes the question ought to be settled now, once and for all as to whether or not Negro citizens of the state are going to stand idly by and permit an institu tion that is owned and main tained by all the people to operate for a part of the peo ple. WELL QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION The unanimous election of Roy Wilkins to the position of Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peo ple as successor to the late Walter White will doubtless meet the approval of a major ity of members of the asso ciation as well as other Ne groes all over America. Mr. Wilkins we feel is well quali fied to take up the torch so ably carried by his pre decessor and will leadNAA- CP forces to equally as many victories as were achieved imder the leadership of Mr. White. Because of his training, experience and association with the late and lamented secretary of the Association little or no change in its vigorous policy is to be ex pected., In fact Mr. Wilkins, because he will not be handi capped with illness, ought to be even more vigrous and ef fective in his warfare against segregation and other forms of discrimination as practiced in this country. We commend the NAACP for having the foresight to have a person ready to fill the shoes of an able leader like Walter White. Here in North Carolina where more than a million Negroes are domiciled the NAACP is naturally depend ed upon for guidance in the strugle to obtain first-class citizenship. This newspaper is happy to congratulate Mr. Wilkins on his election to the position of high trust the NAACP Board of Directors has placed him and we pledge our continued support to the cause of liCerty and justice for all the people of America. CRUCIFIXION AT EASTER TIME When the Senate of the North Carolina General As sembly passed a House-sanc- tioned resolution last Friday at noon asserting that the mixing of white and Negro students “cannot be atfcom- plished and should not be at tempted,” a state policy came into being and received the full approval of Governor Luther Hodges. By this action, the world was treated to the spectacle of a great sovereign state call ing TtsSlf Christian and set ting its face like flint to null ify and destroy the grandest verdict in behalf of justice since the Emancipation de cree. Morally, this action is foul and putrid and smells to the high heavens. Religiouslly, it is an affront to God, a bla tant contradiction of a profes sed democracy, a denial of the religion of Jesus Christ whom the law-makers and people of this state claim to love and honor, and a sin against the Holy Ghost. These craven - hearted bigots, enslaved by the forces 6f race hatred and blinded by the dust of color pl^oHa, are both a detestable and ^tiable lot. Detestable they are be cause professing to be big they are small; to be good, they are mean; to be fair, they are unjust; to be loyal to the ideals of Christ and the objectives He came to real ize, they have repudiated the practical brotherhood without which the Kingdom of God can never come, thus making all other Christian objectives to become paper realities. And, these leaders are piti able because they are spirit ually blind and ignorant and know it not. Neither do they know that theirs is a pattern of conduct that, according- to history, destroys nations. These men, in their latest action, taken right in the mid st of the Easter Season, have crucified Christ afresh upon the cross of racial bigotry even while celebrating His resurrection in pageant, ser mon, song and otherwise. Their status is no different than that of those for ^hom Christ from the Cross at Cal vary prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Calvary, Golgotha — The Place of a SkuU — has only changed locale. Nineteen hun dred odd years ago, the locale was in Palestine. Last week, it was in our legislative chamber in Raleigh. The in stigators and executioners were not members of the Sandhedrin Court who open ly expressed disblief in C^ist and without shame deinand- ^ His death; but they con stituted a boasted Christian legislative assembly, exulting in Christ as their King. Yet, they not only gave Him the Judas kiss, but cruciliM Him afresh to climax their spirit ual treason. SUPPORTING A WORTHY CAUSE At this crucial transition period in the history of edu cation in the Unit^ States, the 1935 campaign of the United Negro College Fund is one tlut deserves the wholehearted support of all concern^ with achieving {liu equality of educational opportunity for dll American youth. ~ The movement toward a more democratic integrated pattern of education in the South will not come about without intelligent, planning and imited effort. ITie Fimd’s -program in suport of 31 pri- l^^te, fully-accredited colleges universities is an impor tant part of such a united, in telligent effort. Through the financial aid provided by the Fund, these instiljltions will be able to take their rightful place as an integral part of America’s network of private, independ ent colleges and universities. They will then serve as good colleges for all qualified youth seeking admission, without racial restriction. Sudents will begin to pick their colleges on the basis of economics, quality of pro gram, church and geography. Race will not be a consideration. White and Negro students will be at tending all good institutions together — formerly all white and formerly all Negro. While the Supreme Court decision outlawing segrega tion in public education will open new opportunities for broader service to the eoir- munity by these colleges, it does not in any way lessen their responsibility to the students now enrolled. The process of desegrega tion in ^ucation is a two-way development. With the con tinued financial support of the Fund, these colleges will continue to fimction as vital centers of influence in this trimsition period, providing the leaden^p and coopera tion necessary to the develop- As a imited, cooperative group, they will comprise an effective force achieving the goals of the Supreme Court’s decision. Your contribution to the Fund’s 1955 appeal will help its member colleges provide scholarship aid for thousands of promising youngsters who might otherwise not have the chance to go to college. It will help these colleges continue the special remedial programs made necessary by the long neglect in secondary educa tional provlaions for Negro youth of the South. Through these corrective services, the students of these colleges can overcome the shortcon^ngs of their high school training and by graduation, compete on an equal basis with others for admission to leading graduate schools or in their chosen fields of endeavor. Your gift will provide more good teach ers apd up-to-date teaching equipment. It will do all this and moroi for your dollars will insure^the continued op portunity for first-elan high er education for thousands of tomorrow’s leaders. Send your contributions to the UNITED NEGBO FUND’S national headquarters at 22 East 64th Street, New York 22, New York, or to the FUND’S campaign headquar ters in your own conununity. BUT SEND IT! Life Is Like That BY H. ALBERT SMITH It Could Have Been Otherwise SATURDAY APRIL 16, 1955 L. E. AUSTIN TnhlUlur CLATHAN M. BOSS, Editor H. ALBEBT SMITH, ManacfafEdttor IL E. JWNSON. BusfnaM Manacer JXSSE COITBLD, Cireokilieii Muufe^ jPuMMmU Bvary Saturday 07 tb* UMlTa> ,>UBUSHER8. Ineorpontad at tU Patttfiww St ■iiterad at alaat maWar at ttoa Poat Offlea al ountam. Mortli CaraUaa mOtr ttmAetot Mareb a ItT* Matiunai AOvartlaiaa Bafwaaaoteeia; tetarptat* Uiritad M*npaptrf HanMr. No t«araataa of puMlnatlan of unaoUelWd ma«a- liaL I«ttan to Vtt adttor for publication imut ba rtfsad aad aoaflnad to I BubacTliMaa lataa; lOo par oopy; Wx •3.00; Ona Ygu. $IM (romgn CoonMaa. MM We have already given con sideration to the fatal mistake ot Rehoboam in two previous articles, but 1 find in the story an inexhaustible source of ideas relative to the matter of human relationships, justice and human decency in dealing with people, espMially those over whom we may have au thority or jurisdiction. Nehru’s Word In speaking of human decen cy as regards justice, I tie up with a statement made by Prime Mnister Neiuru of India at a huge mass meeting in New Delhi just two weeks ago. Nehru, thoroughly aroused by the inhuman aid brutal nature of South Africa racial policies, especially the recent forced re moval of thousands of people of color from Jobaimesburg to outlying regions, said that the South African government should leam decency. I referred to the statement as an indirrct charge of indecency. Age-Long Indencency This indecency has characte rized the policies and proce dures of the strong as regards the weak from time immemo rial. Its end does not appear. -That ia why in the first of these articles dealing with the same incident, I used the caption “The Eternal Problem of Jus tice.” Our second article called for the caption “Injustice Roots in Character Deficiency.” To day, we call attention to the same story by using the head, “It Could Have Been Other- Contumt Use These words carry a thought that is eternally true and re- presenV conditions that^ ate always with us. In ' fact, the words themselves are in con stant use. If not the exact words, then the sentiment. And, by this, I mean to say that we all, both individually and col lectively, must acknowledge that what we might be we are not, and what we are represents soinething that falls far short of what we should be. The same thing applies to our external status very often, our position in society, in *some chosen field of endeavor, our material or economic status, the lack of effectiveness or our in effectiveness where we should be effective. Expression* Used Thus, if we do not hear per sons bemoaning their status by actually saying, “It Could Have Been Otherwise," they use equi valent language. And all ot them point to regret and lamen tation and a “hind sight” that might have been foresight. Survey some of these expres sions. “I could be independent today if...." “It wasn’t always like this with me.” I had the opportunity to be this or that but...” “If I had only done this or that, or had not done this or that, then I would be better off or would not be in the iQess of the present hoiur.” AU-4>f—these expreggions are variant forms of the words, “It cauld have been otherwise.” Important Lesson That is one of the important lessons of the Rehoboam story. Disaster struck him, but it did not have to be. It could have been otherwise, different, And, I don’t think it exceeds the bounds of restraint for me to say that that foolish king said more than once in the hectic days of strife, bloodshed, heart ache, political weakness, social unrest and economic dislocation that followed his decision against justice and decency, “This did not have to be. It eould have been otherwise." Had Opportunity I was in school with a man years ago who liad opportuni ties that made him the envy of many of his associates. This feUow was a big, husky, strap ping 200 pounder, the son of a successful New York 'minister and his assistant pastor. I had during those days, very often to was^ and iron My clothes, press my' suits and go to bed Suffering pangs of hun ger after an evening meal of two slices of bread and some molasses. (This supper diet sel dom if ever varied, But my young friend didn’t liave to wash anything but his hide and had money to eat out. Fine Dress Sometimes, his wife would come to visit him at the school which was located in Virginia. They were a nice looking and prosperous couple; she with her fur coat and stylish dress and he Sporting a fancy hat, a heavy overcoat with prominent fur collar, spats (they were in vogue then) and sometimes a cane. Very few there were among us who would not have swapped status with iiim, no question aiked. Visiting Preacher One Sunday during the vaca tion period, he was the visiting preacher in a big church in Cambridge, Mass. His wife ac companied him. I was a young ster newly married. We went to hear him. There came the fel lowship period, which used to obtain in our churches, when folks shook hands and greeted one another. Practically Ignored People “walked” all ’ over me and my companion to get to this preacher, my fellow stu dent. He was Dr. “Whosis” son, the pastor of the “Angel Ga briel” Baptist Church. To say the least, I was deeply hurt. I never visited that church again The “hurt’’ now,' however, has long since heeled. Object of Pity But what happened to this fellow with such great oppor tunity and promise? I accident ly, years yater, met him on the corner of Lennox Avenue and some other New York Street. The poor guy was pitiful in his bedraggled, dishevelled, pover ty stricken appearance. His gar ments if not tattered were bad ly worn. The bewildered, woe begone expression of his coun tenanee made- more an ob ject of pity. He represented something close to the last stage of dispair and hopelessness; a man whose present was a hide- Qus tragedy and for whom there was no future. Moment of Reminiscence We greeted each other, and talked a few minutes of other days (happier days for him), old schoolmates and acquaint ances, the escapades of school days; as, for instance the day when his half of the seat would not accommodate all of the pos terior part of his anatomy, and I with a common pin inserted in the toe of my shoe, brought it against that exposed -portion with more force than intended, and he leaped up with a yell that nearly disrupted the class. A Victim of Bod Choice Came the end of this brief, unplanned reunion. As we said goodbye, he asked me for a dime which I gave him. I never saw him again. A few years la dead. He died a pauper; but worst of all an outcaste and a moral derelicit. He had' fallen, the victim of an unfortunate de cision made years before and habit built thereupon that sealed his doom. It could have been otherwise. To Late for Some Some people who today say, “It could tiave been otherwise,” can’t do anything about it. It’s too late. Time has run out for. them. Both physical, social, and |pf|y)cb,qlo£lcal factors are against them. For,others, there are still time and factors that are favorable. They may not l>e able to change the total picture, but can improve their status. • Youth.’* Privilege I leave you with this thought: At the l>est, none of us at any time in life will ever see that we are all we could have be come either as regards our in ner or outer status. But it is the privilege of many, especially youth, to so meet the decisive moments of life that they will never have to look back in re gret and say, “It coiald have been otherwise.” . Creates A Vicious, Evil And Destructive Force RELIGIOUS RACIAL COLO HATR£ I Spiritual Insight “ENDUED WITH POWER” By R«90rend HmrM Roltmi Ptuiitr, Mount CUaad Bmptl§t Cktir^ ‘‘..Behold I send the promise, of my father upon you...tarry in city of Jerusalem..until ye be endued loith power from on high...” Luke:24:49 The siiaky, anxious disciples are commanded by Jesus to wait in the very city where the Savior had been crucified. The atmosphere had not been clear ed of its threats and violence. The command is to wait in blood thirsty Jerusalem. They are commanded to wait in the very presence of the enemies of Christ and his church. This power helps us to wait in the very presence of the enemy. Why? Because it is a power that changes enemies into friends. ’They are commanded to wait whNe evil men had crucified the sinless son of God. They are a little fearful and anxious but there they are waiting for the promise of heavenly, power. They obey the command of their Risen Savior...“Tarry until ye be endued with power from on high...” This command to wait has a very important message for the maddening and feverish times in which we are living. Life is a mad, futile round for many of us now. Many are jumping aim lessly like a chicken with his head cut off. There is a busy round of things which seem to lead no place. We need to learn to wait in this anxious, fearful, worrying parade into wliich so many of us have fallen. They are commanded to wait in the very city where he is crucified. They wait; Not in idleness but they wait on liending knees. They waited and things began to happen. They waited until the power of the Lord came down. Let’s take a little time to wait aad God will endow us with heavenly power. The Holy name of Heaven will light the candle of faith in our very souls....“TARRY....UNTIL YOU BE ENDUED WITH POWER.'.” They wait to be clothed with Heavenly power. They obey! They wait in the horror-filled city where the Savior was cru cified. The litUe band of Chris tians wait fer the- out-poMriag of the Holy Spirit. ’They wait for the promise of Divine Pow er! They have a job to do. They wait for power to do their God- given task. They wait and God sends them soul-power to face and endure perils and tribula tions...“I send the promise of my father upon you...” Jesus gives orders. And-he gives power to carry out tils or ders. He does not leave you empty and helpless. He will in vest and clothe you with power to do your job. He sends us. But he does not leave us alone. He clothes us with the power of Heaven. But we must wait to receive this power. But now so many are too busy to wait, Jesus calls us to righteous war fare and he gives us power for the battle. They wait and they are showered with heavenly power. They might have gotten impa tient but they waited until the power of the Lord came down. A mad, hurrying, anxious, worrying generation needs to know the wisdom of waiting for 'soul power. Tills power was not just given two thousand years ago. This power can be yours now! This- promise hold* good today...“I send the promise of my father...tarry...until you be endued with power from on high...“Wait! God will endue you with Htavenly powerl Caintal Close-Up BY CONSTANCE DANIEL New Double Play Combination Looks to us, from where we sit, like a new Tinker-to-Evers- to Chance double-play combi nation siiaping up on matters politic, in our Capital, such as: short-stop, Clarence Mitchell of NAACP’s Legislative Bureau, with a White House aide on second, and Preacher-Congress- man Adam Powell, New York Democrat Eisenhower enthusi ast, on first. Yes. Yes. That Wash on the Milipiry Line "Tattle-tale gray” doesn’t half describe the wash long- Both military and civilian per sonnel who have run a foul of fiftieth-echelon brass, are re liably reported to have been followed in and out of the ser vice by vindictive telephone and "invisible ink treatment” of discharge records—action of ten effectively blocking subse quent employment. Nothing appears on the face of these records, but innocuous- looking referrals give any offi cer with a grudge a chance to “take it out” on an unfortunate wlio has failed to jump at his bidding—even though the jump ing would have meant a viola tion of regulations, and fre quently involved demand for personal service. Any small time brass can initiate such per secution. Only the big brass can stop it or correct it. We are told that even matemity-leave cases have been victimized by “the treatment" Ugly business, with or with out racial aspects. This is Item One on the subject. More will follow. First Man Up in the Little Cabinet was not popular and competent -Assistant Secretary of Labor J. Ernest Wilkins, of Ctiicago, but William H. Lewis, Norfolk-born Boston corporation lawyer, a graduate of Virginia Normal, at Petersburg, and later of Am herst and of Harvard Law, a former Cambridge city couneil man, and member of the Massa chusetts House of Representa tives, and of the American Bar Association. Mr. Lewis was Assistant At torney General for the New England States. He receiv^ a recess appointment as Attorney General of tlie United States oa same yeari thirty-odd years before Mr. Wilkins came to town. On June 14, 1911. He was charged with the defense of Indian depreda tion claims, and served 4n this capacity until, he resigned on March 3, 1913 (official moving day until changed to January 3, by the Twentieth Amendment.) He moved out with tlie advent of the Democratic Wilson .^- ministration. Appointments at Agriculture Two middle-bracket appoint ments at Agriculture, both of them in Agrictilttural Marketing Service: Efaner J. Moore, who holds a master's in marketing from the University of Califor nia, an agricultitral economist, came from Interior Depart ment's Bureau of Reclamation, Bt Fresno, California. Wendell Clonent, of Lebanon, Ohio, marketing specialist, holds an MS in 'merchandising, from Ohio State University. Which is good, l^en better would be the establishment of credit facilities to keep cultural mores—racial squeeze-play, if plainer words are needed--from forcing small operators, whe ther owners or tenants, off the lanii, because of their race. The pattern is—land control, credit control, market control, off- farm employment control—and the picture-page exceptions don’t prove the rule. (We were not icnitting lace doilies, over at “Ag!”) Negro farmers, ‘down South' among the Dixiecrats, where nine-tenttis of these farm folk live, face these problems, daily. .They are not the prt^lems of Minnesota, “the land where I was lK)m,” nor yet of Utah, where Secretary Benson hails from. They are the .problems of the little black farmer, shared only in part by his little white brother. "Copitol Close-Up" and Hate- Mongers Tl^s serves notice ob all and no part of hatemongering or hate-mongert of any descrip tion. ’This column appears in a number of highly reputable pa pers. We have no control over quotes or references in disrtpu- table ones, which could also quote the Bible to suit their purpose. We have not watched the an tics, handsprings, hates, spite* and sneers, and listened to spe cious, distorted argument and “justification” far too many yearn, for nothing. We watched it on Capitol HiU, in Scottsboro Committees, in the Angelo Herndon Supreme Court case— and on down. We have "covm’- ed” Bose-thumblng delegations to the White- House. We have heard^ the brethern tRream about* the freedom they demise and abuse, and prey on issues of race to further exploit that freedom. We i>ity these sour, warped people, but we are fed up. That gives us no sympathy, however, for Tabble-rousing pa- trioteers, who further fan the flames of suspicion and hate, in this country and out of It It just makes us plain American. (Continued' on Page Seven)
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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April 16, 1955, edition 1
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