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THE SAVANNAH
Established 1875
By J. H. DEVEAUX
SOL. C. JOHNSON' ........ Editor and Publisher
J. H. BUTLER .................... Asso. Editor
MISS WILLA M. AY ERS, Asst, to Pub. & Manager
Published Every Thursday
1009 WEST BROAD STREET
Telephone, Dial 5338
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ABRAHAM . LJ\( ,. Tf , AI1 JLN , T
Our fathers revered Lincoln. J hey had
reason to. He freed them from a system
of slavery, which in many respects, was
unlike anything the world had ever seen.
They remembered the long days—sunrise
to sunset—of unrequited toil, the separa¬
tion of children from mothers, of sisters and
brothers, who never met again; they
membered the scars on their souls and
bodies. Lincoln freed them from all t his.
Whether he freed them for military or po¬
litical reasons, did not enter their minds.
Younger Negroes far removed from the
pains and agonies of slavery may argue as
to Lincoln’s motives for issuing the Eman¬
cipation Proclamation. But history records
Lincoln as America’s great man, as a great
humanitarian, whom the whole world hon¬
ors, even the South. Last Monday was the
birthday of Lincoln. It is entirely appro-
priate that the month of his birth should
have been selected as Brotherhood Month.
He did so much in the interest of brother¬
hood. He was the country’s outstanding
democrat who reaffirmed the genius of de¬
mocracy in the following words: ‘‘Four score
and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth on this continent a new nation
ctived in liberty and dedicated to the prop¬
osition that all men are created equal . . . .
that this nation under God shall have a
new birth of freedom and that government
of the people, by the people, for the people
shall not perish from the earth.” It is a
significant coincidence that the Big
chose this day upon which to release
conference conclusions. It does honor
the memory of Abraham Lincoln, The Great
Emancipator.
LINCOLN’S SHORTEST BEST SPEECH
A lady, seeking the release of her husband
who was a prisoner of the war. continued to
urge that her husband was a religious man.
The President ordered his release, and then
said to the lady “You say your husband is
a religious man; tell him when you meet
him, that I say that I am not much of a
judge of religion, but that, in my opinion,
the religion that sets men to rebel and fight
against, their government because, as they
think, that government does not sufficient¬
ly Help some men to eat their bread in the
sweat of other men’s faces, is not the sort
of religion upon which people can get to
heaven.”
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY
There are several movements about to he
presented to our community which must
succeed. They must succeed primarily in
the interest of those who are to profit most
Ironi them. ’I his is not to say that those
who work to carry them to success will re¬
ceive no benefit from them. The fact that
they have recognized their social responsi¬
bility to the extent of getting behind these
the movements actively will merit and receive
respect, gratitude and confidence of the
public.
The movements we refer to are the
Ameiican Red ( ross Campaign, the drive
foi 22 new Boy Scout troops, and the cam-*
paign for funds for Greenbriar Children’s
( enter. Each of these organizations has
held meetings within the last ten days, and
, ?U?. three ministers. In two of the instances
«the tuition ministers the Mere the same three. We
* ro ministers because they are our
accepted leaders. If they pay no attention
to important matters that are outside of
m hai may be termed their church program,
what hope have we of mass supjiort for them ?
. t hfut? Mas another meeting called whose
purpose was to confer with an expert social
worker with a view of getting some heln
with the youth movement in our city. Only
^nt ni 1t r is 1 a no?mll. not our intention 1 f. vitation to criticize 1o be
,
social or religious responsibilities. ”1“ lh ™' We just
do not knows to whom to look for leadership
and support
NOW WHAT
The poli tax as a qualification for y otin
has been repealed hdt ^ iW ‘ g
do about 1“ if' b:„°. n,in' gr ° ln " to
ne w ?vcn for passinp
tlx- repeal . bill was that "Neproea will not
l* any trouble. There need be feat that
Amy will no
create a balance of power. The
I
TURNED COLUMN. j
1ST IS DEAD
t WASHINGTON, D. c. <NNPA>
1 **-Only a month ago, picture.-,
|Pcre tato Negro sent ail theatres over the by country the Ah j
American Newsreel, of Rebecca
FMrs. Rebecca West* the cook i
who became famous in Washing
ton as a columnist in the Times
ieraid, daily newspaper. Last
thing for us to remember is that we have I
been granted the right to vote, not because {
of any pressure we brought to bear, not be¬
cause of anything we did. We have talked
about it as a right on various and sundry co-
casions. We must remember it is a privilege
to vote and should let no opportunity pass
to exercise it.
Last July two parties were organized to
do the usual thing—to squabble over who
should be delegates to the county, district,
state and national conventions. This is
what the Republican party did, and they'
will do nothing else ’til 1947, when the same!
squabbles will be repeated. We suggest
that the time has come to get rid of the
‘lily whites.” If the Negroes in Savannah
who value voting as a privilege and who
know the value of the ballot, or are willing
to learn the value of the ballot, make up
their minds they car. have between 5,000
and 10)000 vote r.s on the books by the time
of the next election and will be in a position
to choose their leaders who will be glad to
be chosen.
NO ROOM FOR THEM IN CONYERS”
Race Relation Week is being observed.
j s so appropriate that the in Atlanta At I»i Fit u Con-j (
stitution clipped and commented as follows
from the Conyers (Ga.) News:
‘‘The Conyers News, in a front-page and'
torial, this week takes a courageous
commendable stand against an organization has!
which, calling Conyers its headquarters,
is r's r ‘;^ r d ™ tiNetr
. „ I
‘and the reputable citizens oi this city are )
.highly indignant over such an organization
Conyers its headquarters. There'
are many crack-pot organizations forming!
all over the country these times but sober;
men and women fight shy of them. We j
are fighting a war to insure tolerance in all j
ithings. This does not mean equality among
races but it does mean that each race shall
allowed to exist in its own way and be
protected by the laws of this democratic
nation. There is no room in the new world
which we are fighting to establish for crack¬
pot organizations and certainly the citizens
of this fine city do not desire unfavorable
ublicity due to any organization of such
character If this establishing headquarters here, j
organization people'of is trying to promote dis-
unity among the this nation they
should move their headquarters elsewhere. I
'I here is no room for them in Conyers.’
“This is a sentiment which will be echoed
throughout Georgia and the nation. The
News is to be congratulated for its vig-
ilance and fearlessness in the matter.”
IIOLD THE LINE!
The By Ruth Taylor
other night I heard a story which
impressed me so much 1 should like to
share it with you. A teacher friend of
mine had asked the members of her class 1
to give their individual wishes for post war. \
One Negro girl said: “That my people may
h°‘d and merit the gains they have won.” I
To me that was one of the finest and most
expressive lines 1 have heard on this im¬
portant subject for it went straight to the
heart of the problem.
Not in any way does it minimize the right
to those gains and yet it does emphasize
the responsibility that comes with increased
opportunity. The leader is more to be cen¬
sured than the follower when he leads a-
stray, the scholar when he misuses knowl-;
edge. It is by the acceptance of responsi- j
.‘ SMau pi ogress ^e\oi can be exceed made. rights j
ll1 ‘ your
‘ ey " • s00n become unlimited.” Or
as Milton ,».,. put it; “They who seek nothing
but their own just liberty have always the
right to win it.”
'Yes 1 , this is precisely what the Negro
editors have been preaching. They have
cione a splendid job in stressing the fact
that the way to hold your gains is to prove
yourself not only capable in the positions
'em now hold but ready for advancement.
S"i.I call for or greater .iie: r «* vision *Jm*»i and greater ability, *™„; i
greater duties as well as greater opportun- j
Hie words for crisis and opportunity are)
the same in Chinese. Let every crisis be j
an opportunity merit to forge ahead. Prove that' j
you your gains and you will keep them, |
Make a virtue of necessity and use this time
the to prove most of that Negroes can and will make'
that workers every they opportunity given them.
as cannot onto do tW
jobs, but are cheerful, cooperative and pleas-
ant to work with. In that wav can new
be opened and I ho old pains made
The time of reconversion will be difficult
every one. Now is the time to prepare
ourselves—first, by doing Jo the best of our
ability the jobs mo now hold; second, bv
learning all we possibly can to prepare us
tor a better job, and lastly, by cultivating
a sense of responsibility that will make us
dependable, wanted workers.
In this way, may the gains already won
be held and merited and new ones earned.
M'pek, she died after a
illness.
Reporting her death, the
said: "Beside her
ter and granddaughter,
are many friends to mourn
. . friends in the great
of Washington, where she
cherished as much for her ra-
chant smile and
; ham cooked with champagne.
spoon bread and fluffy Virginia
)hi j MU1 .. ’ Sl
'
■
She wrote a weekly column!
for the Herald in which she
gave recipes, spiced with her
warm and witty reminiscences
of the splendid days days of old
! Washington. Fur eight years
jshe has worked for Mrs. Eleanor
THE SAVANNAH TRIBUNE
100,000 BOOKS NEEDED FOR
THE AMERICAN MERCHANT m,
MARINE library.
i-rm
t k
r?
provide relief from
TOQPEDO TENSION AND CONVOY FATIGUE
_______________....... .......— ..-------------- — ----- - ---=—
Improve Negro Schools
In North Carolina
jvii j RFDUCE NUMBFR "
ONE-ROOM V NIT S
THROUGHOUT STATE
RALEIGh''n“Z
tention was recently called t°
Negro education in this state
when , T LL , ,, Gov _ L „ Y _ BallenUne „
' ' '
took ovcr the ^airmanship oi
the stale board of education '
“ e Gov ’
R. L. T Harris of Roxboro.
At a board meeting in the of¬
fice of the department of public
education here a report of the
committee on Negro education
wa,s one of the highlights.
Headed by Dr. L. M. Massey, the
committee prepared a long
time Negro educational pro-
ISLANDERS RACK
nAUIE UVVlLL 1 ! f DIT 1)1lit T
I
WASHINGTON, 1 ANP 1 — Ren.
Adam Clayton Powell was as¬
sured last week that the people
the Virgin Islands apprecia-
t£ , ! hls , . / ffo r ts to T, ! T
, f0r V,rgm , r Islanders , to
in Presidential elections.
Powell lias introduced a suf¬
frage bill for Virgin Islanders
the house of representatives
The people of the Virgin Is
appreciate your interest
shown by the introduction of
bill that grant them the priv-
to vote in Presidential
and solicit your con¬
support on this and
other Virgin Island matters.
LECTURE ON NEGRO HISTORY
Lt. Col. Roscoe
^ C. Giles w
Chief of the
Surgical Service,
Regional Station
Hospital No. 1,
Fort Huachuea,
Arizona, who re¬
cently lectured on
fhe Negro soldier
in American his-
toi'y in connec¬
tion with the
Army’s orienta¬
tion course
adapted from the
War Department
manual “Leader¬
ship and the
Negro Soldier.”
Colonel Giles was
the first Negro
graduate of Cor¬
nell University’*
College of Medi-
rin= (U. S. Army
Photo.)
gr f m ' The report recommend
‘ ct that $16,600,000 be used to
execute a plan to consolidate
school buildings for both
and provide additional trans-
tati ° n Tr'fs,
j Based on the findings that
large schools are superior to one
room un its, the plan calls for
the reduction of the 1,693 Ne¬
gro schools to 471, with only 188
having fewer than eight teach¬
ers because of geographical or
other physical conditions. An
improvement in all stages of
education was included in the
report on Negro education. Ad
ditional vocational training was
recommended as well as
strengthening a number of
weak points in institutions of
higher education.
read a telegram from Omar
Brown, chairman of the Virgin
Islands legislative assembly to
Powell.
4,000 TEACHERS IN
S. C, ASSOCIATION
COLUMBIA. S. C. (ANPt A
body 4000 strong is that of the
Palmetto Teachers Association
oi South Carolina, C. V. Bing
of Allendale reported Saturday
to the executive committee
which met at Allen university
Out of 46 counties in the state
37 reported 100 per cent of
teachers who send in member
ship fees, Bing said.
Announcement also was made
concerning plans to purchase
headquarters for the associa¬
te in Columbia.
WHAT’S THE
ANSWER
1. Two American Negroes
i have received the Liberian high
jest they ? honor medal; who were
j 2 Who the fiist Negio
’ was
I to graduate from the United
'States Merchant Marine Cadet.
Corps school?
3. Who was the first Negro
to be admitted to the bar in the
state of Georgia?
4. Who is the only Negro
woman doing research work at
the General Electric plant in
Schenectady, N. Y.?
5. Who was the first Negro
to fire a shell into Germany in
World War II?
6. Who was the first _^ggro
member of the Kentucky state
legislature?
7. Who was the first Negro
in the United States to receive
the War Production board’s
certificate of individual merit?
GLENW00D SOLDIER
DECORATED FOR
BRAVERY
WITH THE FIFTH ARMY IN
Italy—Private Fist Class Jeth¬
ro Spikes of Glenwood, Ga., re¬
cently was awarded the Bronze
Star for heroic achievement in
action on the Fifth Army front
in Italy.
Normally an assistant cook, in
the 92nd (Buffalo) infantry di¬
vision, Spikes and a comrade
were assigned the task of cov¬
ering his company on its return
Irom a raid on German terri¬
tory. Finding that the intense
enemy fire made mounting a
machine gun impossible at the
originally selected position.
Spikes crawled through an op¬
en and heavily mined field to a
point from which he could di¬
rect artillery fire on the hostile
positions.
His effective direction of fire
enabled the unit to cross the sec
tor with a minimum of casual-
WVVWVWXVWVXWXWW
Files of The Savannah
Tribune
FIFTY YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 16, 1895
The 19th anniversary of the
Mutual Benevolent Society was
celebrated Monday night. M
T, Jones, president; T. A. Mil-
ledge. secretary; Paul Clark,
treasurer.
Little Charlie, infant son of
Col.'and Mrs. John H. Deveaux.
died on the 9th, Inst.
The wife of Judge James M.
Simms died Friday. Burial
from F. B. B church Sunday
afternoon. She is survived by
several children and many rel-
| atives.
Col. Deveaux issued order for
I election of first lieutenant of
Co D. to be held Feb. 26.
About 11 o'clock Thuursday
night, it began to snow. - The
houses and tree tops were cov-
ered.
THURSDAY, FEB. 15, 1945
UNCOVERING
WASHINGTON
White House Correspondent Released
through the Atlanta Daily World
by the NNPA ^
By Harry S. McAlpin A
It is about time the
began proving that he
) grown up — politically. I bo-
j lieve he has. have politicians
Too long "the *
looked on Negro patroniz-
ir.gL in between elections, made
glowing promises to him just
before the ballot-casting
and retreated to their do noth
ing. patronizing practices
mediately after being elected to
office.
They have been able to get
away with that in the past. Our
memories have proved as short
as they played them to be. We
have failed adequately to ana-
lyze records beyond the two or
three months just prior to elec¬
tion and to take in the entire
period between one election and
the next. ’
the „ r ,
The potency of egio vore
was graphically illustrated by
the results in the last President
ial election in the eight pivotal
states.
The Republicans would like to
recapture this ‘balance of power
vote”. They once had it. They
know that in Maryland. Mich.,
Missouri. New Jersey, New York
Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentuc-
ky and West Virginia, there are
187 electoral votes. Roosevelt
carried them all. With 187
votes, Dewey could have won
the Presidency by 286 to 245.
But if the Republicans want a
chance at this vote in 1943—
even ti'ons in the 1*946 --they" Congressional shoufd elec-
of real-
ize and do something now about
the “monkey-wrench” Sen. Rob
ert A. Taft (whose initials aro
RAT i persists in throwing into
the machinery. He got away
with 'his political chacinery on
the Federal Aid to Education
Bill in 1943. when he threw all
his support behind an amend-
ment to force the Southern
States by federal edict to spend
proportionate amounts on
education of each white and
Negro pupil, knowing all the
while that the amendment
would alienate Southern sup¬
port for the bill and kill it. As
soon as the amendment passed
he threw his weight behind
recommitment of the bill to com
mittee instead of behind its pas
sage into law.
Now he has come up with a
similar gesture. He has intro¬
duced an anemic bill for a per¬
manent FEPC which turns oul
to be a mere investigative agen
cy. Nothing needs less investi ■
gation or more firm action than
this problem of discrimination
in America. But Taft’s bill, uti
less it is withdrawn, might eas¬
ily prove to be the death knell
to the prospects for obtaining
a permanent FEPC. It will
yide the supporters of the
and leave the Southerners in
the saddle.
Taft is pretty smart. He ha.;
properly guaged the Negro in
Ohio in the past. But now he
ties. Spikes then crawled i
back through the mine field
and set up his machine gun to !
bring additional counterfire on
the Nazis. 1
MASONIC-EASTERN STAR NOTES
Savannah chapter held a
meeting full of interest last
Thursday. This chapter has a
number of young members who
ane (anxious to increase their
knowledge of the order. It is
regretted that the worthy ma¬
tron was not present on ac¬
count of illness. Past Grand
Matron M. H. Jones was injured
several weeks ago, but is great¬
ly improved.
• « «
At the communication of Eu¬
reka lodge Wednesday night of
last week about sixteen Fellow-
crafts were raised. Most of
them were for Hilton lodge
whose worshipful master, Geo.
Hayes, is wide awake and al¬
ways improving.
* * •
A Past Master Research body
was organized Friday night,
Past Master Sol. Hooks was
elected to preside with the fol¬
lowing officers: Past Masters
Christopher Smith. Al. German,
S. Fuller and D. Thomas. It is
the purpose to improve
selves and advance Masonry,
a new-thinking Negro to
deal with in his home state,
j And, he is also, now, the Re-
publican symbol of leadership
! in the Senate. Negroes all over
j the country of the will Republican take his party, , move
;a s that
j despite his statement at the
time of introducing the bill that
| he did not want his bill inter-
preted as being the Republican
Party’s bill.
And Negroes are not unmind¬
ful of the fact that on import
, j an ^ j ssues Republican support
the Houss 0 j Representatives
J , nu iijfied by a Republi-
can southern Democrat coali
1
tion in the Senate. They appre
ciate the pledge of Rep. Joseph
Martin, Republican leader in
the House, given last week that
I j he will support an FEPC with
enforcement powers. They ap
predate the sincere and effect¬
ive support of Republicans like
Clason and Dirksen and Bald¬
win and Lafollette and Vorys
who are co-sponsors of an FEPC
bill with enforcement powers.
But they will remember too
that anti-poll tax and anti
* * i egis i at ion have passed
the „ House in ^ recent voare years, only
to run lukewarm support and
even opposition of Republicans
in the Senate. Taft, himself
said the Republicans in the
Senate were against the anti-*
poll tax bill last year “because
they did not think the federal
j with 8°?™^ the Southern fl sh0uld States. The
result was’”, he confessed, “in
that case a mere show of a fil*
buster just wiped the thing off
the carpet.”
It takes both Houses of Con-
’ 8 ress t0 make a ..... bld a lavv ‘ and
N e 8' roes ai ’ e i ust about starved
, desperation from getting
t0
only The --- half Ohio ----- a loaf. members of the,del 1
wdro conlened
Taft a iew days before
introduced the bill will not for
get that he said to them that
the Republican platform was
never intended to mean an FE
PC with enforcement powers.
They will not forget that he,
himself, admitted to voting in
commmittee for an FEPC with
enforcement powers prior to the
election, but with the under
standing it would not be acted
on by the Senate.
The Republican Party needs
to take stock. They need to de
cide now whether it is better to
follow Taft in his persistence
on a Republican-Southern Dem
cr-at coalition in order to ob¬
struct liberal legislation in the
Senate, or whether they should
live up to their pre-campaigtfi
promises and pledges so as to
build a firm footing in 1946 and
i 1948 and prevent ‘good Republi
jeans” from suffering for the
sins of their leders.
i You pays yo' nickel and takes
yo’ choice!
Before entering' the service,
Spikes was a sheet metal work-
er in a defense plant. His
wife, Mrs. Ozella Spikes lives
on Route 9. Glenwood.
The committee appointed to
plan for the Diamond Jubilee
of the Grand Lodge to be held
in Savannah in June will meet
Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, at 5
o’clock at the Temple. Notice
has been sent out. It is ex¬
pected that there will be a full
attendance.
* * «
The patrol of Omar Temple
had an interesting drill Tuesday
night. The attendance was
larger than that of last week.
It is expected that the lagging
nobles will be more attentive
at the drills. *
Savannah will entertain the
grand lodge in June. The five
lodges here should plan to greet
the other lodges by at least pne
i hundred more new members be¬
fore that time. It can be done
and the officers should see that
it will be done.
As wc have full faith in our
Maker should increase our
charity to all manKind,