IS JUDGE LYNCH DEAD OR SLEEPING?
By Dr. Kelly Miller
Lynching and kidnapping are
twin iniquities which seem to
thrive only on American soil.
Both of these horrible practices
seem to flare up, flourish, and
fade away without cause or no
tice.
The nation was shocked at
the kidnapping of the infant
son of Charles Lindbergh, its
most honored and beloved citP
zen. Drastic Federal Law was
immediately enacted intended
to prevent all such horrible rep
'* " etition in the future; and yet,
in spite of Federal Law, we
stand appalled and horrified at
the recurrences of kidnapping.
At the time America's lynch
ing record amounted to three
hundred a year; lately it has
died down to less than one
thirteenth of that number. Fu
rious agitation has raged about
lynching and kidnapping, and
sundry attempts have been
made to Dut an end to both of
them by national legislation.
The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill
was pushed through the House
of Representatives in 1921
mainly by the activity of the
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored Peo
ple. Lynching continued to
thrive with fluctuating frequen
cy until there was renewed at
tempt by the same organiza
tion to pass the Wagner-Van
Nuys Anti-Lynching Bill dur
ing the present session of Con
gress. While this Bill was un
der consideration several lynch
ings occurred in the South.
Bankhead wrote the Governor
of Alabama advising that if
these outrages did not cease
Congress would surely pass
the pending Federal Anti-Lynch
ing Bill. This admonition clear
ly indicates that the South
through its influential and re
sponsible leaders can control
the outbreak of lynching if it
has the disposition to do so.
The Wagner-Van Nuys An
ti-Lynching Bill, after having
passed the House of Representa
tives, was brought to the floor
of the Senate and practically
every Senator ouside of the
eleven far Southern States had
committed himself to its sup
port; a small group of South
ern Senators bound themselves
together to defeat its passage
through the Senate at all haz
ards. Filibustering tactics, the
last resort of a desperate cause,
were relied upon to encompass
its defeat.
It was noticeable during the
discussion that the South did
not employ its usual tactics of
condoning lynching or denounc
ing the Negro race for its bru
tal instinct, which had hither
to been urged in condonation,
if not in justification of lynch
ing. On the other hand, it was
contended that the evil was
passing away of its own ac
cord without the interference of
national legislation. The num
ber had decreased from a peak
of three hundred a year down
to an annual average of less
than ten.
It is a pleasing fact that dur
ing the first six months since
the Senate made the Wagner
Van Nuys Bill the order of the
day and seriously threatened
its passage there has not been
a single recorded case of lynch
ing. Whether this cessation of
this gruesome national pastime
was due to the threat of na
tional legislation, or that the
crime was dying of a natural
death, is but a matter of specu
lation. But one thing we do
know: the number of these
horrid happenings has been re
duced all but to the vanishing
point. The decline was steady
and unmistakable before as aft
er the recent legislative threat.
If the nation can forego the
commitment of this horrible
crime for six months, why not
for a year; and if for a year,
why not permanently?
The South, it is claimed, has
been put on its good behavior
and constrained to desist from
this violent outbreak of racial
passion. If so, why cannot
this desistence be made perma
nent. If the more enlightened
element of the South can hold
the impulse of the baser ele
ment under restraint pending
dreaded national legislation,
why not indefinitely?
The query still recurs, is
Judge Lynch, dead or is he
merely sleeping? Have we seen
the- end of Lynching or merely
its temporary cessation? All
right-minded Americans with
out regard to race, section or
political affiliation must join in
the hope that Judge Lynch will
never again hold his evil court
on American soil.
The National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People naturally enough claims
credit for this lull in' lynching.
For more than a quarter of a
century this militant organi
zation in and out of season has
striven to make this nation
conscious of the national crime
which belies its lofty preten
sions, stultifies the national
conscience and strains its repu
tation in the eyes of the world.
It has impressed this evil not
only upon the ^consciousness
but upon the conscience of the
nation, and aroused a keen sen
sibility to the enormity of this
sin. The nation owes Walter
White, the valiant hero of the
Anti-Lynching crusade, a vote
of thanks for what he has ac
complished to uphold the good
name and honor of the Ameri
can people in their own eyes and
in the eyes of the world. Walter
White deserves to go down in
history as one of the moral he
roes of America.
PROTEST MADE ON NAM
ING LINDSAY WARREN
New York, June 10.—A pro
test has been, sent by the
N. A. A. C. P. to President
Roosevelt upon the reported ap
pointment of Congressman
Lindsay Warren of North Car
olina to be comptroller general
of the United States.
The association based its pro
test upon the record of Con
gressman Warren as chairman
of the House committee on ac
counts which has charge of the
House restaurant. In 1934,
Congressman Warren was
quoted as stating “the House
restaurant has been operated
by the committee since 1921.
It has never served colored em
ployes or visitors nor will it so
long as I have anything to do
with the restaurant.”
Although the House restau
rant has catered to the public
for years, under Congressman
Warren’s administration white
outsiders were served but not
Negro outsiders. The protest
against the policy became so
persistent that Congressman
Warren instructed the restau
rant managers to pretend to
observe the rule that only mem
bers of the House would be
served. The restaurant segre
gation provoked one of the
famous speeches by Congress
man DePriest on the floor of
the House in which he engaged
in sharp exchange with Con
gressman Tom Blanton of Tex
a,o. xi, wos mi tins sptsecii mao
DePriest made his long remem
bered remark about some white
people being so particular about
the people they ate with and
not so particular about the peo
ple they slept with.
It is the contention of the
N. A. A. C. P. in its protest
that a man holding the views
of Congressman Warren on the
race problem should not be giv
en the high office of comptrol
ler general where he can pass
upon expenditures of funds for
all the citizens of the United
States.
If we stand in the openings
of the present moment, with
all the length and breadth of
our faculties unselfishly ad
justed to what it reveals, we
are in the best condition to re
ceive what God is always ready
to communicate.—T. C. Upham.
WANT DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS IN EDUCATION
To all Teachers, Educational
Organizations and the General
Public:
The 76th Annual Convention
of the National Education As
sociation, meeting in the City
of New York, June 24-30, is
dedicated to the role of the
school as an important agency
in building world citizenship.
This all-embracing educational
platform is in keeping with the
objective^ of this organization,
as well as in. accord with the
principles of general democracy
and fup opportunity for everjp;
American Child.
But these objectives and
principles, noble though they
be, are, at present, far short of
attainment both for teacher
and child. Opportunities for
full democratic participation in
the “American Way” are still
being denied to certain groups
of teachers in this country. The
spirit of tolerance and equality
has not kept pace with the rap
id social and economic changes
in our national life. This lack
of understanding has caused a
growth of, apparently, insur
mountable barriers in the paths
of conscientious and sympathet
ic teachers. A negative reac
uuii wwaius une ciuei goals ui
the Association must of neces
sity have its' baneful effect
upon the type of teaching to
which the youth of our nation
are exposed.
To be frank, this Committee
feels that we have not been
squaring principles with prac
tice in the National Education
Association. We wonder what
will be the real effect upon the
millions of young minds who
are told to believe in democracy
but see, each day, the most hy
pocritical practices of it.
How can we go forward with
Horace Mann when, at Nation
al Con ventiona. of the OrgaJoizaT
tion, especially in certain sec
tions of the country, some
teachers are banned from the
very hotel or public place that
houses the gathering? Can we
prate of democratic ideals when
some teachers are refused the
right to sit at the banquet ta
ble with other teachers on the
basis of human fellowship?
Such rank injustices are in
compatible with the ideals of
our profession and inharmon
ious with the sonorous tunes
chanted by living and dead ex
ponents of a square deal for
every American.
We believe with Supt. Stod
dard of Denver, Colorado, “that
education which does not dis
turb complacency is no educa
tion at all.” Too long have we
accepted the) “status quo” of
educational principles and prac
tices without raising a dissent
ing voice. Today, hundreds of
Negro teachers in Southern
states are petitioning tne courts
of the Nation for a right to live
—for a salary scale that is com
parable to that of other groups.
A challenge to complacency
should not permit our great
democratic body to allow their
cry to go unheeded.
The City of New York af
fords a fine example of genuine
democracy in its public schools.
In the words of Hon. James
Marshall, President of the
Board of Education, “New York
is an educational laboratory
that can teach genuine democ
racy to the rest of the States and
to the ,;Nation.” A splendid op
portunity awaits the coming
convention to see democracy in
education in practice.
Towards a furtherance of
this end, the Teachers’ Com
mittee for Democratic Rights
is issuing this manifesto with
the hope that every genuinely
democratic organization and
person interested in the cause
of education will engage active
ly in a program for justice to
all racial groups comprising
our polyglot and heterogeneous
nation.
Following this appeal will
come a set of resolutions for
which we ask your support and
co-operation. This is a call to
action. Old prejudices can
pass away and a new era dawn
upon the horizon of our civili
n
nation only with the guardians
of the minds of tomorrow. In
the words of at great educator,
“Human history is one history
and human welfare is one
whole.” If we permit that ex
pression to become “not merely
a conviction of the understand
ing but a sentiment of the
heart,” a new day beckons to
the forces of education carry
ing a program of integrated de
mocracy that shall add lustre
to the crowning achievement of
our great Nation. Will you give
^ulptance to our hope?
t TEACHERS COMMITTEE
| FOR DEMOCRATIC
RIGHTS,
James Egert Allen, Chair
# man;
Harcourt A. Tynes, Vice
Chairman,
Lionel C. Barrow, Treas
urer.
THE SEVENTY-FIRST COM
MENCEMENT AT BARBER
SCOTIA COLLEGE
Doctor J. A. Cotton and Presi
dent Gallagher Speak
The seventy-first commence
ment of Barber-Scotia College
came to a close June 7. Diplo
mas were awarded to thirty-six
graduates, twelve of whom had
scholastic records entitling
them to be graduated with hon
or. It was evident that the
college, long recognized for the
quality of its work, had done a
good job in selecting and train
ing young women who give evi
dence of combining scholarship
with character, thus preparing
•hem for the type of leader
ship in home and elsewhere
which will forever remain com
I|ensating elements in the race
ajid nation.
ft. Students graduating with
.’alg'lwt-’hervsrs were Thomaae*
na: Marshall of; Chicago; 111.,
Evelyn Davidson and Mary
Willie Davidson of Charlotte,
N. C.
Doctor Cotton in presenting
the baccalaureate sermon chal
lenged the students from the
subject, “How To Make Your
Life Count.” By striking illus
trations and clear analysis he
emphasized his theme, “What
You Are To Be You Are Now
Becoming.”
Equally dynamic was the
Commeitcement Address deliv
ered by Doctor Buell G. Galla
gher, President of Talladega
College. His masterful ad
dress was an elaboration of the
idea that “Maturity Consists
of the Effort To Recapture
Childhood Without Becoming
Childish;” that is, the certain
ty and faith of childhood, lost
in youth, must be regained in
adulthood if we would make
maturity count in terms of its
richest nossihilitips
Scholarship prizes) were
awarded Thomasena Marshall,
Evelyn Davidson and Mary Wil
lie Davidson. Two scholarships
were also awarded to members
of the Freshman class for ex
cellence in scholarship during
the Freshman year: Jeanette
Lake of Jacksonville,' Fla., and
Mildred Mitchell of Charlotte,
N. C., were the winners of
these awards.
The Alumnae returned in
larger numbers than in recent
years and pledged again their
moral and financial support.
The Association turned over to
Dean Cozart $152.28 to enlarge
the $1,500 Alumnae Scholar
ship Fund and the Funiture
Fund used to refurnish dormi
tory rooms.
R. P. BRADD1CKS OUT OF
DUNBAR BANK
New York.—(C)—The Dun
bar National Bank of New York
really closed down on May 31,
and Robert P. Braddicks, As
sistant Vice-President and man
ager of the 150th Street branch,
found himself out of a job or
the morning of June 1. Th«
bank’s doors are still open foi
liquidation purposes, but no de
posits are accepted and nc
checks cashed.
WHAT EDUCATION IS FOR
*
By Rev. Herbert Sptugh In Hie Charlotte News
“The purpose of an education
is to enable a man to think
clearly and to act wisely,” de
clared President Walter Lingle
to Davidson graduates in one of
the shortest and most pointed
commencement addresses on
record. Some speakers could
have talked for an hour and
not said as much. Certainly
the graduating cla^fthould ne*
member that. And remember
ing that they will realize that
they haye a life-time job before
them.
vviui cunimencemeiiv auuress
es and baccalaureate sermons
still in our ears, it is well that
all of us take some stock of our
education. With all of the in
crease in learning which has
come about in recent years, we
wonder that there are so few
evidences of world affairs being
in the hands of educated men
and womeh.
Long ago a famous educator
wrote, “An education is prepar
ing to get along with your fel
lowman and with your God/’
We seem to be having consid
erable difficulty with both. '
The educated man is he who
knows how to live on friendly
terms with his neighbor, to en
joy communion with his God, to
get with it all a wholesome joy
out of life here and to look to
ward the life beyond with hap
py expectancy.
Many think that when one
finishes school, his education is
completed. But the idea is
growing that leaving high
school or college with a diplo
ma is by no means the end of
education, but its real begin
ning.
In truth, everything we do
should teach us something, en
able us to learn something we
did:
tion is not confined to the school
room or the church service; it
is as broad as life itself. Every
thing we do on the job, on the
farm, or wherever we may be,
which makes us understand
more about life than we did be
fore is education.
He who is willing to learn
from every experience in life is
constantly becoming educated.
Dr. Roy L. Smith, writing of
growing education with the
growing years, observes: “As a
man grows older and wiser, he
values the voice of experience
more and the voice of prophe
cy less; he finds more of life’s
wealth in the common pleas
ures—home, health, children;
he thinks more about the worth
of men and less about their
wealth; he begins to appreciate
his own father and mother a
little more; he boasts less and
boosts more; he hurries less
and makes more progress; he
esteems the friendship of God
higher.”
Psychologist Albert E. Wig
gam gives the following “Ten
Marks of an Educated Man.”
1. He keeps his'mind on ev
ery question until all the evi
dence is in.
2. He always listens to the
man who knows.
3. He never laughs at new
ideas.
4. He cross-examines his day
dreams.
5. He knows his strong point
and plays it.
6. He knows the value of
good habits and how to form
them.
7. He knows when not to
think and when to call in an
expert to think for him.
45. You can’t sell him magic,
9. He lives the forward-look
ing, outward-looking life.
10. He cultivates a love foi
the beautiful.
Jesus Christ was the mos1
highly educated man to set fool
on'the earth, yet he held no di
ploma from an earthly univer
sity. It is recorded of Him thal
“all bare Him witness, ant
wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his
mouth ... He taught them as
one having authority, and noi
as the scribes."
The Apostle Paul, whose ed
ucation was a marvel to those
of his day, was ever in the pro
cess of learning, “Not as
though I had already attained,
either were already perfect. I
count not myself to have appre
hended: but this one thing I
do, forgetting those things
which are behind, and reach
ing forth unto those things
which are before, I press toward
the mark of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s associate in pioneer
ing a new world civilization,
the Apostle Peter, delivered his
commencement address in these
words: “Grow in grace, and in
the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.”
PRESBYTERIAN YOUNG
PEOPLE’S CONFERENCES
“A different kind of confi
dence” is the way in which the
three regional conferences, te
be held this summer for Pres
byterian young people, have
been described. The confer
ences will constitute a nation
al gathering of Presbyterian
young people, divided into three
regional meetings, in order that
a larger number of young peo
ple may participate at less in-!
dividual expense. Held under
the auspices of the Board of
Christian Education, cooperat
ing with the Boards of Foreign
and National Missions, they are
scheduled as follows: Eastern
Region, Grove City, Pennsyl
vania, from June 20 to June
25; Central Region, Park Col
lege, Parkville, Missouri, July 11
to 16; Western Region, Zephyr
Point Conference. Grounds,
Lake Tahoe, California, July 4
to 9.
Only regularly chosen dele
^^J^^Presbyteri^ncol
leges, Presbyterian student
groups in universities, theolog
ical seminaries, young people’s
organizations in Presbyteries,
and Presbyteries without youth
organizations may attend.
To develop a better under
standing of the Christian reli
gion, and to discover how the
Christian religion can be made
effective in personal and social
living today by means of a de
nominational program are the
major aims of these conferenc
es. Attention will also be giv
en to the special problem of or
ganization and activities in the
student field and to the rela
tionships of youth organiza
tions in Presbyteries and Syn
ods.
“Presbyterian Young Peo
ple in the World Christian Com
munity” will be the theme at
each conference.
For general information re
garding the conference, corre
spondence should be addressed
to Dr. Frank D. Getty, 1125
Witherspoon Building, Philadel
phia, Pr. Address inquiries re
garding student groups to Rev.
John Maxwell Adams, 814
Witherspoon Building.
TEXTBOOK TREATMENT
OF NEGRO TO BE AIRED
Columbus, 0., June 10.—The
manner in which the achieve
ments of colored Americans
have been omitted or distorted
in the textbooks used in the
public schools will be the sub
ject of one of the .principal ad
dresses at the 29th annual con
ference of the N. A. A. C. P.
here Thursday night, June 30.
Dr. Charles Edward Russell,
famous writer, lecturer and
member of the board of direc
tors of the N. A. A. C. P., will
deliver the adress. For many s
years Dr. /Russell has been
fighting to correct the misstate
ments and omissions in school
textbooks concerning the Negro
and the Civil War and Recon*
struction periods. He is at
present a member of a commit
tee of the board of directors of
the N. A. A. C. P. which is con
ducting a survey of text-books
used in the public schools.
Dr. Russell reports that some
textbooks do not mention the
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