The Savannah tribune. (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, November 25, 1948, Page PAGE FOUR, Image 4

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TAGE FOUR ilie f mimumli Srftomt Established 1875 By J. H. DEVEAUX S«L. C. JOHNSON _______ Editor and Publisher J. H. BUTLER Asso »IISS WILLA M. AYERS. Asst, to Pub. & Published Every Thursday 1009 WEST BROAD STREET Telephone. Dial 5338 Subscription Rate in Advance One Year _ Six Months Three Months.....________ $1.50 Remittance must be made by Express, Post Office Money Order or Registered Mail. “American practice must more closely approach the American creed, and if we f are to have true democracy, artificial done distinctions and prejudices must be Embree away with.’’_ —Edwin R. A TIMELY REQUEST t It is gratifying to note that the Negro teachers of Chatham county have tak¬ en the initiative in requesting the Board of Education to pay them the same sal¬ aries it pays the white teachers. This is as it should be. It is a sign of grow¬ ing up. of citizens Several years ago a group approached the board on the matter of equalizing teachers’ salaries, but the teachers did not warm up to this effort. Some of them became panicky, and some even repudiated the movement- There were a few who protested that they were satisfied with the salaries as they were. These attitudes on the part of the teachers dampened the interest of the citizens who gave up their effort in more or less disgust. We can understand the fear and hesi¬ tation the teachers showed. They knew that in some communities teachers who led in similar movements wfcre discharg¬ ed. School administrators considered them disloyal. In Atlanta just recently, two teachers w ho took a leading part in the suit for equal salaries, were suspend¬ ed indefinitely, ostensibly for being ab¬ sent from work without proper permis¬ sion. While this has occurred fre¬ quently, we believe school authorities generally have come around to admit that the claim of Negro teachers for equal salaries is just and no longer re¬ gard a request for equal salaries as a disloyal or an impudent act. In some instances salaries have been equalized without the necessity of going to court which has meant a useless expenditure of funds on the part of school authorities, and an unfair sacrifice imposed upon teachers. In view of the court decisions that are almost always favorable to the teachers, it seems that there is really no good reason why court cases should be resorted to. We commend our teachers for their desire to have satis¬ factory adjustment accomplished out of court. The teachers stated their case well, and we believe it will receive proper consideration from the Board of Educa¬ tion. WHAT DO THEY MEAN? Mr. Schuyler and those who agree with him need to define Jheir terms. This is indicated by the prominence given their statement by reactionary white newspapers which seem to get so much comfort out of them. Such statements do something to the hopes of thousands Gf Negroes who toil and struggle with¬ out thought of ever ceasing, while col¬ umnists write and sycophants bandy about their euphemisms. It is not fair, to say the least, to say that “Negroes are their own biggest handicap.” It is untrue, as the reports of scholars reveal, who have no axes to grind, no pet the¬ ories to advance, no desire to play the role of a Moses, and who have no compen¬ sations to make. We refer to such scholars as Arthur Raper, Ira Reid, W. E B. Du- Bois, and Vance, all of whom assisted Dr. Mvrdal in his voluminous study of race relations in America. We go along with them- A man, of wide experience and broad knowledge of farm conditions in this country, tells this significant story: “I visited a thirteen mule farm some time ago, and returned recently to find Masonic-Eastern Star Notes Savannah was proud to hav? our Grand Master in its midst for a few hours during the week It is an inspiration to always have him. This week is one of corner¬ stone laying among the Savan¬ nah Masons. Prince Hall Lodge No 28 was invited to lay the cornerstone of St. Matthew’s Episcopal church. This is being done to¬ day at West Broad and Ander¬ son streets. Worshipful Mas¬ ter C. H Bias and his officers were authorized by the Grac'd Master to do so. A dispensation was given Py¬ thagoras Lodge No. 11 to lay the stone of the First Pilgrim Baptist church. This church is located on Huntingdon street, Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Savannah, Ga. under the Act of March 3, 1879 National Advertising Representative: Associated Publishers 562 Fifth Avenue New York 19. New York only two workers and one tractor. I ask¬ ed what had become of the other eleven workers. They had left the farm, driv¬ en away by the machine.” The impli¬ cation here is that there are many things that enter into living on or out of the soil. It is not as simple as the col¬ umnist would have us believe, who wails loudly for a different education for ru¬ ral children and their teachers. We wonder for what purpose have the gov¬ ernment and certain agencies been spend¬ ing huge sums of money? What has been the purpose of providing home and farm demonstration agents, 4-H club leaders, Jeanes supervisors, teacher trainers in trades and agriculture, and collojes? Have not all these agents and agencies been provided to meet the needs of farm and non-farm rural people? For at least 21 years under the leadership of an agriculturalist, the Georgia State College has been preparing and train¬ ing the youth from the country for “down-to-earth,” service through a pro¬ gram of “realistic common sense educa¬ tion.” Besides the fact that all other Negro colleges have been on the wrong track, what has been the trouble? Where has been the failure? How much do these things have to do with the problem of living efficiently in the coun¬ try: the desire to live in the country first of all, the ability to buy desirable or us¬ able farm lands, the skill and knowledge ot ilve off of th soil, the good-will of white people, good schools and well informed teachers, habitable houses, health ser¬ vices, etc.? Do not these things consti¬ tute the realism in the scene? THE YMCA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE On first thought it would seem that Negro people in Savannah are not very much concerned with having a YMCA- This may appear to be so because scarce¬ ly five-hundred of our citizens have taken out membership in the “Y”. It is perhaps highly optimistic to believe that apparent lack of interest is attribut¬ able to lack of information about the work and purpose of a YMCA. The “Y” purposes to develop the spiritual* social, and physical abilities of the youth and men in a community, with the help of the whole community. The West Broad St. YM( A has already proved its usefulness to this community as is at¬ tested by the fact that more than 400,- 000 people visited thb building during the last 17 months, and more than 76,- 000 used the facilities and services dur¬ ing the same period. But the fact that only 266 persons held membership paid in full, and that 40 persons paid 61 percent of the total received from the last mem¬ bership campaign, is a reflection upon the sense of social responsibility of 40,- 000 Negro citizens. The “Y” belongs to the people ,both building and institution, and they must support it. It takes money to do this. Two or three thousand members can con¬ tribute a small amount each and support the program of the “Y” in good shape. It should not be left to 404 persons to do. To complain of delinquency among our youth, to bemoan the fact that they frequent undesirable places, that they are lacking in social poise, in physical and spiritual stamina, is idle and insin¬ cere in the face of our failure to give the YMCA the support it deserves. The record of the YMCA movement is un¬ impeachable. The basic membership fees are: adults $5.00, young men 16-18 years $3.00, boys 13-15 $2.00, and boys 8-12 $1.50. These are annual fees. Won’t you join, and won’t you secure as many memberships as possible from others? near West Broad street. Wor¬ shipful Master A Shepherd planned to have a large attend¬ ance at the ceremony. Last Sunday was observed as (Chapter of Sorrow occasion Many of the chapters urged large attendance. This occas¬ ion should be near to the hearts of each of us Monday night of last week Prince Hall Lodge entered two (candidates with the obl’gation by one of the young brothers. Tuberculosis can be secured, land patients who have receiv- jcd the’r medical discharge from | the hospital can be employed ' | in tions. useful, satisfactory occupa- FlfTY AG0 Files of The Savannah Tribune NOVEMBER 24. 1898 Thanksgiving Day observed in several of the churches. Rev. L. B, Maxwell will lec¬ ture at Beach Nov. 30- Dr s. Palmer Lloyd seriously ill. Many of the churches and schools remembered Charity Hospital Thanksgiving Day. Armour Lodge No. 1884 fair will begin Monday night at Harris street hall- In chest X-ray surveys of large groups of people, about. 70 per cent of the tuberculosis found is still in that early stage it is easiest to cure. THE SAVANNAH TRIBUTE C JA?atche’is and ^A^orkets By George Matthew Adams OF ALL the strange things in this world nothing is stranger than human nature- No one has ever been able to solve all its mysteries or its moods. We don’t even understand ourselves. How, then, can we hope to understand others beyond a limited point? What is it in our make-up, for ex¬ ample, that makes us so curious and speculative about other people. Why does a crowd gather to watch workers at a job that is perfectly familiar to all? Perhaps we can divide humans into two classes — lifters and leaners, or watch¬ ers and workers. Hundreds of people will stand for hours and watch the ex¬ cavating of an ordinary building in a big city, and on the park benches you w ill note as many watching others on their way to work. Every once in a while one of these watchers will do a deal of thinking as he watches — and the result is often an improved way for doing a thing, or of creating a newly invented machine. I recall the story of one of our greatest industrialists, w ho was an ordinary la¬ borer, but one who used his eyes and his brains. He believed that the wheel¬ barrow's, with the heavy loads, would save s trength and time for work¬ ers if they were rubber-tired. This w r as done. Then he kept making other sug¬ gestions, so that today he is at the head BETWEEN THE LINES By Dean Gordon B. Hancock for ANP OUR GREAT VINDICATION VOTE The returns of the recent election show¬ ed not only an upset in the prevailing opin¬ ion, but they in many ways showed a vin¬ dication vote of the people. One of the majestic strengths of democracy is this selfsame capacity of the American people to register in an unmistakable way their opiiy ons on public matters. it is true that there are some Repub¬ lican die-hards who are trying to dispar¬ age the Intelligence of the American voter, but to these we say, the same American voters have formerly registered themselves in favor of that which is Republican, just as they have recently declared themselves n favor of that which is Democratic. In M4G, the American voter turned Re¬ publican and gave Republicanism a “break” but the old line Republicans muffed their chance by engineering an obstructionist policy through the 80th Congress. The American voter became disgusted with such flagrant display of midget politics and re¬ nounced such tactics in the recent elec-" tion. The recent Democratic vote and vic¬ tory was a vindication of the lamented Franklin Delano Roosevelt who sleeps at quiet Hyde Park It was the genius of Roosevelt that saved this nation from the throes cf a bitter revoiut on. The Repub¬ licans had set the stage for this tragic eventuality, but Roosevelt was too resource¬ ful and too imaginative in the premise. It is true that he bought off the revolution with American billions but ours was the better of the bargain. Our ship of state that was listing bad¬ ly resumed an even keel under the magic touch and genius of Roosevelt. Truman’s promises to continue the New Deal inaug¬ urated under Roosevelt appealed to the people and their vote vindicated Roosevelt- It is true that since his passing there are those to disparage him and even malign him; but this is merely a case of rats com¬ ing out to play when the tom-cat is away. The vote was a super-vindication of Truman, the abused, the maligned, the d sparaged, the ridiculed, the despised and rejected of the Dixiecrats. And why? Sim- * ply because he advocated the most un¬ TO LAY CORNERSTONE TODAY Today (Thursday) the cor¬ nerstone of the new St. Matt¬ hew’s Episcopal church. West Broad and Anderson streets, will be laid by Prince Hall Lodge of Masons. The princi¬ pal address will be delivered by the Rev. Tollie Caution of the j|ational office of the Episcopal church- The ceremony will be¬ gin at 10 a m. Rev. Gustave of several of the biggest manufacturing plants in the world. He watched — and worked! Most open-air watchers, however, are mere idlers. People with things to do cannot afford to stop and look at others at work. I often wonder w’hat goes through the minds of those hard at work as they view* those w'ho merely stand and watch. I am not a believer in the truth of that famous line that they also serve who only stand and wait. If you are waiting or watching for some¬ thing to turn up, it’s the best pjan to work as you wait- It would be well for all of us to take notice of those who clean our streets, who go into deep holes in our cities to repair electric cables, w'ater, and sewer pipes, without which a city could not adequately function. By watching these workers, their importance is em¬ phasized, and our appreciation for their services should be increased. There is another kind of watcher. Some call him “the Boss.” He w'alks around watching those at work, to see that he gets every ounce of work for Which he pays- People work better— and happier—however, when not watch¬ ed. Just trusted. Most workers take pride in what they do, and don’t need watching. That’s something that should stand out as a living fact. popular doctrine of civil rights for Negroes. It must be observed, however, that the cause of civil rights for Negroes is not nearly as unpopular with the people as with the press. Herein lies the brighter hopes for the cause of race relations- The recent vote was a supervindication for a man with moral courage to stand up and be counted as unequivocally committed to civil rights for all the people, Negroes included. It was this stand that enraged the Dixiecrats and their northern sympathizers of whom there are not a few. The election was a vindication for the better South. With Tuck of Virginia and Thurmond c-f South Carolina trying to stampede the south against Truman and his civil rights program, we witnessed one of the superbest flattire campaigns ever waged in the South. Of the 13 southern states the flat-tired Dixiecrats carried only three states, the writer here is giving Ala¬ bama the benefit of the doubt and assum¬ ing that had Truman’s name been entered he would have carried Alabama. The name was left off by the “leaders” anfl not the people, who speke in the other nine south¬ ern states. i This writer repeats what he has often asserted that the South is growing in moral stature in ways too often obscured by the Thurmonds and Bilbos and Rankins and Tucks. T.ie fact rema ns the liberal South swallowed Truman, civil rights and all and this to its credit must be said. The election was a vindication of the Negro in his stubborn fight for full citizen¬ ship in this country. As we predicted in a pre-election release, the election would in' marv ways be a race relational poll indi¬ cating just how fast and how far the Ne¬ gro had gone in his fight for his rights. The election was a vindication of the people in particular who defied a reactionary leader¬ ship and registered their own convictions at the poll with astounding results. The American, people are doing their own thinking, thanks be. They are not to be herded any more like dumb driven cat¬ tle. The great American, people take over Our great vindication vote! H. Caution is rector of the church. Florence PTA The regular monthly meeting of the PTA of Florance street school was well attended. The children from Mrs. Pope, Mrs Greene and Mrs. Hannar’s classes rendered a lovely Thanksgiving program. The PTA and Jhnior America are calling upon you for your support in their drive to raise HOME EDUCATION THE CHILD WHO GIVES Helen Gregg Green “The Child’s Ilrst School is Ifio Family-”—Froebel- (L.sued by the Natonal Kin¬ dergarten Association, 8 West 40 th street, New York city. These articles are appear mu weekly Li our columns). “Does Aunt Loretha smoke, Mommie?” five-year old Bobby asked, as he cut out and past¬ ed pictures in the scrapbook he was making for a Christmas gift. Then, answering mis own -question, he said, “I know she does, Mommie; I saw her smoking one day. So I’ll paste a pipe in her book.” WhsJ relating this amusing incident, Bobby’s mother told us that she had encouraged Bobby to make, or to buy at ihe ten-cent store, gifts for m s near relatives and many of his friends- Little children should not only receive remembrances at Christmas time; they should also be helped to enter into he spirit of giving yoem- An intimate talk about the different members of the fam¬ ily and close friends—ime ac¬ uities in which they like to engage and the knd of things hey like to have near them or .o use—is a good introduction to the child’s consideration of what to give. It is wise to be as helpfully suggestive alorj' ohese lines as the parent can, but when it comes time for the child to choose a gift, only such assistance should be of- iered as is quite certain the •hild desires—no more. A friend of nine was worri¬ ed because her small daughter seemed to be growing selfish. •I’m going to start preparing inexpensive presents for Vicki .o give to her father and me and to her playmates,” she said. “I shall help her to wrap up all of them, except the one for me; her father will help her with that one. So far she The Labor View By George F. McCray for ANP What Labor Expects from the New Congress The trade union leaders and and their millions cf support¬ ers all over the country will be in an exceptionally strong position to demand what they want from the new Congress in January. The surprising support which labor aroused for Harry S. Truman and the efficier:„ way they purged anti-labcr congressmen, leave no doubt as to labor’s ability to get what it wants. The only question is what will labor de¬ mand and be sat sfied with- The taft-Hartley law is cer¬ tain to be changed if not op¬ enly repelaed. However, the tens of thousands cf Negro workers who voted for Truman and the defeat of Taft-Hartley congressmen should considei carefully what it is they were actually trying to achieve. The millions of workers in this country, Negro and white who were aroused by the Taft- Hartley law, want' a' trade ' un¬ ion movement which is funda¬ mentally democratic amd un¬ hampered by malicious govern¬ mental restrictions or employer opposition. Jn the fight over the repeal cf the Taft-Hartley law which promses to be particularly bitter, Negroes and other ra¬ cial minorities along with re¬ ligious and nationality groups will want to make certain that if the closed shop is again le¬ galized it will conform to the principle of non-discrimina¬ tion and fa r employment prac¬ tices. If labor is permitted to exer¬ cise the sort of job monopoly cr control as is represented by the closed shop, there should be equal opportunity for al workers to enter a given field of employment. Certainly this is not too much to expect. It cannot be said that this equality of opportunity exists for millions of Negroes, Span- ish-Americans, and other Amer¬ ican citizens when such groups are excluded from unions which have virtually complete control j over Americans a field of employment. familial Most are with the long and bitter strug¬ gle which Negro firemen and enginemen have Had with un¬ ions which, in the railroad in¬ dustry, operate with the effec- tiveness of the closed shop. In a similar manner, Negroes have been kept out of the printing industry, most of the machine to purchase a movie pro¬ jector. The PTA has assigned various parents to conduct a house to house campaign in or¬ der to reach each parents and former student of Florance St school. Mrs. Pope’s class won the banner for the largest attend¬ ance. Don’t forget to meet with us on the third Wednes¬ day in December at 7 p- m. Your children need your sup¬ port all the way. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25 has bean the recipient of most cf the fcjaily-tiea bo$ &■ She i needs to learn the joy of pre¬ paring them for others- When !_ue is older I shall teach mer 1 to make simple gifts.” I When boys and girls do make | the gilts that mey give should away, be the whole procedure i treated with the seriousness ai.*l intere stimat all children’s | plans deceive. I have never forgotten a g ft | that I made for my father when I was seven. It was a be- ribboned whisk-broom holder —for his dignified law otfice! ; "Now, Mother,” 1 remember ! saying, • “this is to be a real 1 surprise! Don’t tell Daddy about it.” i One day, however, a slight susp cion having been aroused, I asked, “Moaner, you didn’t tell Daddy about his surprise, did you?” | Being over-truthful, Mother admitted that she had told him. I was overwhelmed with | disappoh Lnent- All the joy in the gift vanished. | It Is often difficult for paf\ i ents to understand and appri^ ciate the growing child’s emo- tional reactions. For this rea- ! son adults frequently cause hurts and deep disappoint- ments over , things which to them seem trivial, but which to the child are cf tremendous import. So, Mother, or Dad. when a present is made or has been bought, and you are taken into the secret and told it is to be a great and important surprise, do remember it is important, fer your child may be testing the satisfacton that comes Irom carefully considered giv- i’/J. Even if poor judgment has been shown, be sure that the child awakens to this only gradually and naturally and that in the meantime he ex¬ periences the full joy his un¬ selfish effort deserves. shops of the country, and va¬ rious occupations in the con¬ struction industry. The Taft-Hartley law did no¬ th ing to prevent union, or em¬ ployer discrimination against. Negro workers. The cifaition of a democratic closed shop should be h'gh on the civil rights list. It seems that the Urban League, the NAAUP, the CIO, the National Council of Negro women and other groups interested in a democratic la- movement, should make ev- ery effort to prevent the closed °hcp from being re-established as a menace to the rights of \' tiroes and other minorities. FLORANCE SCHOOL NEWS Junior America of Florance street school has begun to work n earnest on various activities in the year’s program. Much interest and enthusiasm are centered in the efforts to pur¬ chase a movie projector. The Gray is sponsoring a campaign to aid the -^itienif* of Charity hospital. The The art art department is busilv engaged in making plans to enter a float in the Merchant Council’s parade Nov, 26- The cafeteria department worked with the health department to launch the immunization program. The first issue of the school paper was enthusiastically re¬ ceived. SEAL SALE GETS GOING The Christmas Seal Sale, of¬ ficial campaign of the Chat- h a m-Gavannah Tuberculosis ind Health Association to raise funds with which to help erad¬ icate tuberculosis, got going this Week, according to an an- nouncemeAt made by William Gibson, chairman of the sale j among Negroes in Savannah and Chatham county. According to Mr. Gibson, seals have been mailed to the homes of many Savanniahians- In addition, as the campaign progresses, workers will call on individuals, and, later on, the street sale will be held- Persons desiring seals and not being able to secure them through any of the media lj nied above, are asked to contact Mr. Gibson or any , member of the Seal Sale com- 1 mittee, the names of whom | ed. have previously been publish- __ .J