Army Head Warns Against
MAILING
EDITION
40th
uttes
VOLUME 22 —NUMBER 33
DURHAM, NORTH CAROUNA, SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1941
Fort Bragg Shooting Probed by NAACP
'ic. ★ Sk’ - —
USHERS MEET IN TWIN CITY
White Soldier Protest To Daily
About Jim Crow Tactics Of
Army Commander
An unidentified private at (’amp
Upton sent the following letter to
• th«r New York daily PM which,
impressed with it« importance,
printed it as news, calling atten
tion to it wiHi a two column head
line reading: “Don’t Shake a
NiRjrer’s Hand.” ^ i
“When President Rooseelt is
sued bis reeent executive sUte-
ment condemning discrimination
in defense industries i^*inst Ne
groes and other racial and nation
al mioritiea in the United States
of America, I wondw il he sent a
w)py to his offlcepi in the Uj^ited
States ArmyT I takf it th«t they
cither do not read tk# newapap«r
or are deliberatey suBotiiging that
exeoutive.order. ’'
“I refer to nu incident at
Cnmp Upton lust Tursday. When
our company lined up for re
treat, the names of those draftee
who were he shipped to ( amp
Croft, South Carolina, were read.
This was accompanitV l>y several
admonitions to the group from
the commanding officer. He warn
ed them ‘not to dring with tigg-
crs because if you got into
trouble while with one of them,
it’s you men who’re going to be
locked up, not the nigger.” Then,
another thing—down there you
don’t shake a Negro’s hand when
,,he vsaya goodby. After this gentle
pica for national unity and racial
equality in the true spirit of the
Bill of Rights an dour democra
tic heritage, he wont on 'to say
something useful about prophy
lactic treatment to prevent vencr
eal disease.
I
“Of course tUe Negro draftees
here are segregated from the
minute they come to the camp,
sleep in separate barracks and
eat in separate mefishalls, but
most of the white boys show very
little Jim Crow sentiment. But
it is bound to increase inevitably
with these official incitements to
national disunity—especially bince
the United States Army throws
its whole weight behind such in
citement. The whole picture is a
very raw and ugly one. It looks,
smells and tastes like Fascism; it
leort.s,ano I
it is Fascism in practice. What
the hell can a jArase like anti-
Fascist war mean tn the thou
sands of Negro draftees wh.) eat
alone and thousands of other
white boys who see this ngl? se
gregation and realize that it’s an
obscene parody og democracy?
“Thisftruly subversive activity
of many army officers muut be
exposed by every free citizens
who foes that democracy is uorth
fighting for because it’s worth
living for. '
“I was one of the group ad
dressed that day. so obviously I
can’t sign my name to this let
ter.”
PM went on to comment that
it did not “condemn the- entire
Army or entire officers’ cori.»s on
the basis of this ore incident—
although it is far from the only
incident of similar nature re
ported. PM can’t tell you, 'right
now, exacctly and mathematically
how much discrimination again
(€V>ntinued on page eight)
Cab Calloway Quiz Program Aired From
Raleigh Sunday Night, Aug. 10th.;
Many Durhamites Win Cash Prizes
Raleigh — North Carolina’s
Capital city was the scene of the
third w^kly Mutual network
feature. Cab Calloway’s Quizzi-
cale, Sunday night at 10:30. The
program which featured local tal
ent, originated in Raleigh Mem
orial auditorium and the “stand
ing room only” signal was given
hours before the progi-am was
aired. Cab stopped here enroute
to Rocky Mount where he played
Monday night.
The Cab Calloway Quizzicale
is presented every Sunday night
by the management of ladio
statiop WOR over the entire
Mutual network. George Storr is.
in direct charge of preparations
and Cab Calloway serves as mas
ter Of ceremonies. Eight persons
were questioned on Sunday
night’s Quizzicle; most of them
won cash prizes. It is possible for
the contestants on this program
to win amount^ ranging from one
to live dollars.
roll dice and their qiiestion is
drawn from the basket which has
the number corresponding to the
numbers on the “ivory selectors”
The numbered baskets also con
tains questions of varying cash
valm's if answered correctly.
|The second group are known
experts and are given five
dollars for each questions answer
ed correctly. There is a third
group sitting on the stage in
numbered scats and the holder
of the lucky seat wins the I'ab
Calloway “ Coah-O-Cash.’ ’
Taking part in Sunday night’s
program were, in the first group:
Miss Louise Goodson, waitress in
the Savoy Cafe; William A. Tuck
teacher-neyspaperman from Dur
ham, Mrs. Majorie Sills, Instruc
tor at Washington Elementary
School; C. I. Sawyer, former
football player and Coordinator
of NYA Education. The Experts
wore: Mrs. Juanita Morrisey,
The fist four! fOontinued on page eight)
Richard Wright
Writes Epic On
The Negro In U.S.
Abandons Novel As A
Means of Awakening
Iwelve Million of Race
New York, (Calvin’s Service)
—Al>andoning the novel as a
medium of getting accross his pie
for better treatment of the Ne-
gio, Richard Wright, Avinner ot
the lt)40 Spingarn Medal and
author of the stirring story,
“Native Son,” has written with
fire and i>a8sion a narrative of
the Negro in America. aiJPropri-
atl?^ titles, “Twelve Mililen
Black Voices.” In 152 pages,
Wright tolls how “the Negi'o cried
fpr joy when he was made free,
and then learned Ijetter; of how
he fled the cotton fields for the
beckoning opportunity of the big
city, and then leai'ned better. It
says very simply that this kind
of education can not go on in
definitely, that this countrv can
not exist half slave and half
free. ’ ’
Edwin Rosskam. photograph
er of great ■ talent supplies the
latge selection of photographs
which are woven skillfully into
the text. The book, published by
the Viking Press is due in Octo
ber.
HEADS DRIVE
The Last Word
The chap was considering buy
ing a home of his own and the
real estate sales man was tak
ing him to look over a place
that was up for sale. Upon
arriving there the salesman re
marked:
Attorney C. J. Gates repiorts
that the fi^ht he has been wag
ing for highter pay for court
house workers shows every sign
of being a succcss. Nothing
definite can be stated, Itfc sai4.
until the next meeting ot the
County Commissioners.
1. C. C. Re-opens
Mitchell Case On
Jim Crow Laws
NAACP Asks Prompt Probe of Fort Bragg
Shooting Of Solders; Send Own LegJ
Staff To Scene Of Mitary Fracas
S. C.'Acts To Avert
Teachers’ Salary
Court Action
Attorney Curtiss Todd
Of Raleigrh Goes To
Scene, Gets Much In
formation
New York, N. Y. — Asking for
an invetigation of the double
shooting of a Negro soldier and
a white military ixilicemfln on a
bus (iivv.vin}; soldiers to Fort
Bragg, N. I'., last week, the Na
tional AfiHociution for the Ad-
vani-iuient of Colored I’eople
wrote Secretary of w4r, Henry
Ij, Stinisiin that “whitf military
lM)lice constitute the greatest
source of * frietioH aJotd trouble
between the race.s in unform, and
that sooner or later the Negro
soliliers, i)ecoming tired of the
arrogancc a«id brutality of the
white military police, would be
certiiin to take nmtter in their
own hands.” Curtiss Todd,.mem
ber of the NAACP legal staff of
Race Teachers To Get
A 3oost In Salary
This Year
lokimbiu. S. C. — The board
of education here adoi>ted a plan
designed “to reduce the inequa-
between comparably trained
jJegro and white teMchefji” on
August 5.
The plan Avas included in a
rei>ort of a special committee
named by the governor and pro-
(jones salary increase of trom
$4) a year for Negrro and white
teachers -with two years of eoU
ege training; .f80 a year for
Raleigh was sent to Fort Bragg teachers of both race with three
WINGS SOLOIST
[«UVE THOHTSON
Miss' Olive Thompson who is
featured daily as soloist «iith
the quarter-hour “Wings
Over Jordan. ”
W'ashington, (Calvin’s Service)
—The Interstate Commerce Com
mission announced today that it
is going to rebiew the complaint
by Representative by Arthur W.
Mitchell, Chicago Democrat igain
St the Chicago-Rock Island and
Pacific Railway Co. even though
the Snjjereme Court has decided
in Mitchell’s ease that Negroes
are entitled to Pullman accomoda
tions and other first class ser
vices on railroad trains.
In Novenvber, 1938, the com
mission decided against CongiT's
man Mitchell’s contention that
jim crow praetitiss were illegial.
Mitchell was removed by the rail
road from a Pullman to a second
class colored car as he neared
the Arkansas border, in April,
10;)7. The Negro, ear he complain
ed, was “filthy and foul smell
ing.” The ICC dismissed the case
on the grounds that “becatjse
there was comparatively little
travel,” the lack of eiual accom
odations wag not unjust or undue.
Mitchell then took the case to
the Suj reine Court. Even the 10
Southern states protested again
st any review of the constitution
ality of State Jim CVow laws as
api)lied against travelers in in
terstate commerce. Chief Justice
Hughes declared that the issue
was not a question of segregation
but one of equality of treatment
and that therefore it was unne'es
sarv of the 10 states.
The ICC is now ordering the
complaiii reinstated, “to the end
(Continued on page eifht)
to begin immediate investigation.
The NAACP declared that the
manner in which the shooting
took place makes it af>pear that
Sergeant Russell Owens “merely
shot the first Negro who happen
ed to etiierge from the bus.”
The NAACP letter called the
attention of the Secretary of War
to the Pittsburgh COUltlER
series on and other reports from
military camps in which the
writer of the series dt'scribed tlic
situation created by white milit
ary police ns “unbearalde” and
prredictcd that it would not be
long: bet'ore the i>oint would be
reached where Negro soldiers
would not submit to suc.ji treat-
meiil. . . .
Intervention of lity Polire in
the Fort Hragg and sinjilar in
cidents was also cited as a source
of friction, and the byutal treat
ment of Negro soldiers in Hous
ton, Texas, during the last World
War recalled.
The letter closed with the
statement that, “This Associa
tion submits that when the treat
ment of l^(>gro troops in south
ern communities by arrogant, ill-
trained and preujudiced white
military police reaches the j)oint
where Negro soldiers are willing
to fight and die on the spot in
stead of tniining themselves to
fight the declared erfemy of the
United vStates, then the situation
is one which requires the most
carcful attention of the War de
partment and prompt remedial
action. ’ ’
years of college training; to
colorotl t»>achers holdii»g coll*>ge
degrees.
The increase would amount to
for white teachers as
against $32ti,680 for colored. The
plan was admittedly aloptcd to
avert rourt action for e]ua] pay.
South Carolina is on th(. XAAt^P
li.st for the institution of an
equal pay suit.
“Yes”? questioned the pros
pect.
“Yes”, asserted the salesman,
"garage for three cars with
builtl-in living room.”
IN AKRON, O.
Dr. Joseph E. Walker, president of the Natiaa*] Negro
Business L.'ague, and Mrs. Walker, in an informal p««e in
front of their r>alatial resitlence. Memphin, where the
annual session of the league will convene Aug. 27. Mrs. Walk
er is chairman of Ladies Bridge committee which
cooperation of the Memphis Federation oi Coiored '
clubs has planned a series of lovely affairs for \'isitinc women
to the league convention. The Walkers are outatanding in
church, civic, and social life of the delta. The couple attend
ed an international convention of the Christian ^luches in
Leicester, Elngland, in 1935.
George W. Cox Addresses GreensixM
Business League; Stresses Use of
Mayor H. S. iGi^ Also Speaks on Prognn
Greensborohipeaking fo a
inasHi, meeting ^f tlie OreenMboro
t»| nearly :IW)
Monday evening at Trinity .\MK
Zion eijurch. (1. W. Cox, vice
president of the National Negro
Husine.'.s League anil Airi-ncy
Director of the North t'arolina
Mutual, traced the founding and
growth of the association 41 years
ago hj- toe late Dr. Booker T.
Washington.
^ir. Cox '* cx] laiend that the
Negro Life Insurance Association
th(> National Nejjro I'aiierwriters
Association, the Negro i’ress, the
Rational Medical and Dental
Associations, came into In'ing
years ago as_ the 'result oL iu-
through the cooiM'r.itioii of the
sjiiration and guidanci' gatliered
through the cooperation of the
National Negro Husiiie.ss lioaguo,
ami givin«» as an example or the
important role which Negro buxi-
ness is occuping in our eeon,omie
order, T.e .(X|ilained, that i>ni .‘tl
Negro Insurance Co. are em
ptying {tersuok. He atetj
red a sad situation fxees tlie
‘gro tutlay hwiiine (3ft per eraf i
I the students in oar scfibols
I l ollegi s an* Wing wrongly ednra-
ted for the lack of VcR*atioiuil
guidance.” *’
1 ilr. Cox said “more stwasf
:'onght to I)c plaeetl upon
.thirds with our Rands.
, fie e.xpretv'ed faith in tb*
jiuoeratic way of life, ami
^allegiance of all t^> the prp
of the ehurch. The sjxijker
fittinjily intro^Iueed by T¥..
Nelson, prominent churei
anl >|)eeial ageut of the
t'arolina Mutual Life Insursi
I Co.
ayor H. S. King aBd
I I'atter-iOn, secretary of the
|lK)ro ♦'•.imber of Comtueree
J brief remarks. Mr. King
j“that this is not time for
I Or religious pi-eju^Uct s .•vn«t „
. ns must join hands to defease
jci'to, eonimuiiism, and all
t’ontinued on pare
2,000 Ushers Expected At Conveoti
To jBe Held IoLinstooSalemAi^.21-’
Fayor Richard Repolds To GiveWekOi
Fishing would be enjoyable if
it wasn’t for the insects and one
could be sure that the fish
would bite.
Smart btksiness di^ not re
quire anybody to steal from his
neighbor, even if the' law per
mits it.
L. M. Berry left the city ear
ly this week and will reach Ak
ron, Ohio, in time to witness
the National Soap Cox Derby
akmg with several other Dur^
hamites. He is interested in the
cmistmctioa of the racers and
had been influmtial in heliiing
create interest in ^oap Bos rac-
inf anoBff Dnriian younfsters.
Winston Salem. (Special)
A ccording to announcement of
T. C. Cunningham, plans for the
Annua Convention of the Inter
denominational Ushers Associa
tion of North Carolina were about
completed here this week, and
Iwal committees of entertainment
were ready to welcome nearly
ushers and visitors that are
e.\i)ected to come here during
the session which will be held
from August 21 to the 24.
• L. E. Austin. President of the
North Carolina Ushers Associa
tion stated this week that the
1941 Convention is scheduleil to
outstrip the 1940 meeting which
was held in Raleigh when it. is
estimated that 1500 ushers and
visitors took th« capital city for
the four day session-'
This' year meetiog’ of the As
sociation is sehedoled to g«t un
der way Thiursday evening at 8
o’cloek when the vangaard of th»
of the Convention will -reaeh here
and a meeting of the crffieers will
be held. The following
at 10 o’clock the Conventio
per will get underway in,
Paul ME ehurch where
ions of the Convention i
held. On Friday evening i
a public meeting will be
the ebureh with an ad^
wekcHUe on behalf ct the
Winston Salem being
by the Honorabte
Reynolds* Mayor of ,
Salem. Response to
will be delivered by C.
of ChaPel Hill.
The X. C. Inter
Ushers Association.
eil 17 years ago, aad
ushers of all deaotnii
has been said by
no8t aaiqae «|UUia
ehnrebCNriB
one of lie tNtert-1
found' M^wbore.
that its ‘
ti«Mi*‘
firnsMtiSf