Newspaper Page Text
PA»E FOUR
f tw $mmmk ®H1
Established 1875
By J. H. DEVEAUX
1©L C. JOHNSON________Editor and Publisher
t. H BUTLER ...................Asso. Editor
MISS WILLA M AYERS, Asst, to Pub & Manager
Published Every Thursday
1009 WEST BROAD STREET
Telephone, Dial 5338
Subscription Rate in Advance
One Year _________________ $3.00
Six Months __________________________$2.00
Three Months ------------------------$1.50
Remittance must be made by Express, Post
Office Money Order or Registered Mail.
THE SECRET IS OUT
The question as to whether Negroes
can succeed as athletes, or anything else
for that matter, has been answered. A
long line of them has given the answer:
Peter Jackson, Jack Johnson, Tiger Flow¬
ers, Eddie Tolan, Major Taylor, Sam
Langford, Joe Wolcott, I, Jesse Owens,
Joe Louis, George Dixon, Jackie Robin¬
son, Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, Har¬
rison Dillard, Ike Williams, and more
than a score others. Rut why they,
have been superior athletes has been
answered by O. R. Keeler, according to
an Associate Press writer. Mr. Keeler
says, “The colored boys are more lately
removed than the blonder races from the
primitive life which depended so desper¬
ately on instinctive reactions coupled
with mental reactions and responding to
them with speed and perfect timing-or
else!”
“Besides excellent timing Keeler thinks
the Lark Heel has a lot to do with the
rise of the Negro in such sports as base¬
ball, football and track—those sports re¬
quiring quick: getaways, stops and a
1st of running . . the lark heel which pro¬
trudes from the rear of the foot much
further than an ordinary heel gives add¬
ed leverage, bounce and strength to the
tendon Achilles.”
kt is interesting to recall that hundreds
of others than Negro athletes became
famous: Sullivan, Oorbet, Fitzsimmons,
Tunney, Glenn Cunningham , Nurmi,
Glenn Davis, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagaer,
and the rest. Somewhere along the
line the ancestors of these athletes must
have had to depend “desperately on in-
slinctive reactions: physical reactions
coupled with mental reactions and re¬
sponding fect timing,” to them with speed and per¬
or be eaten. The success¬
es of these athletes disproves the claim
itbat Negroes have the distinction of
holding a monopoly on the physical
structure and mental reactions which
will enable them “to dominate any sport.”
At least we know wihy one authority
thinks they are superior athletes. The
secret is out.
THE ECHO OF THE SOUNDING BOARD
The appearance of Negroes before the
Un-American Activities Committee was
obviously prepared to furnish a sound¬
ing board to accomplish at least two
purposes which we outlined in a previous
comment: to offset whatever effect
ever fo a „ some American, m., have as
w/dlhtTw ! Ve 1 hat T Russian y - propagandists country.
. FT , ItXhX
man' ST will They u u
ation too
The country knows now what took
attended'?!? attuuU I the interview. hT ° f the n One con,mittee source re- as
mittee considered it S*SJf”SJK important enough to
ti <?r m The'v''iv ‘ may 'h■ ha\t i\ he 1g an T idea tS that
then- guests would say precisely what
hex did say It is reported that Lester
Granger read them a state paper in his
inimitable style. But it was Jackie
1 ™^" which reach'd the
iim h P °bably trae
if because t i i„. h f th it '1, 111 the news
as a leading baseball , athlete. .
Lift m its August 1st issue, under the
ed its editorial devot -
to Jackie Robinson.
Mr. Robinson said: ‘You can put
me down as an expert on being col¬
ored American, with 30 years of ex¬
perience at it. And just like any
other colored person with sense
enough to look around him and un¬
derstand what he sees, 1 know that
life in these t nited States can be
mighty tough for people who are a
little different from the majority-in
their skin, color or (he way they wor¬
ship their God, or spell their names.
"T am not fooled because I’ve had
a ehance open to very few Negro
Americans. It’s true that I’ve been
the laboratory specimen in a great
change in organized baseball Rut
I’m . .
very well aware that even this
limited job isn’t finished yet. ’
“‘The white .
public should start
toward real understanding by appre¬
ciating that every tingle Negro who
is worth his salt is going to resent
any kind of slurs and discrimina¬
tion because of his race, and he is
going to use every bit of intelligence,
such as he has. to stop it. This
has got absolutely nothing to do with
what Communists may or may not
be trying to do.”’
According to Time, he did not stop
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 Ave.
New York 19, New York
here. He continued to blast Commun¬
ism and to resassure his hearers that
however much Negroes dislike it, they
will not be diverted from the task of
helping to destroy everything that is
undemocratic in their country in which
they have so much invested and for
which they will fight to defend when¬
ever they are called. And Time con¬
cludes, “When he had finished some
one in the audience called out, ‘Amen.’
So say we.” This was the echo of the
sounding ' board,
_
THE SAVANNAH JUNIOR COLLEGE
We have read with more than usual
interest the announcement that there is
a movement afoot to establish a junior
college in Savannah for Negroes. The
proposal is challenging. We certain¬
ly stand for equal opportunity for Ne¬
groes in all services which a municipal¬
ity or state provides, or should provide
for its citizens.
The promoters of the plan must have
gone into the matter more or less
thoroughly and have evidently satisfied
themselves on several questions which
would naturally arise: Is a junior college
a first and an immediate educational
need? Should we divert our attention
from trying to develop a first class
high school? Does the proximity of
the proposed junior college to the Geor¬
gia State College have any bearing on
the reasons for it? Is the founding of
a junior college the only way by which
the city could discharge its obligation to
its Negro citizens in the matter of shar¬
ing tax money for education? We won¬
der if the time is propitious for such an
undertaking.
The city has spent a considerable sum
oyer the years, and, we believe, has
given one building, to develop Armstrong
Junior College. Would it provide a sim¬
ilar sum to develop a junior college for
its Negro citizens?
If the Klan is undemocratic and un-
American, it should be not excused and
temporized with. If there ever was a
reason for it, even during Reconstruc¬
tion. there is no reason for it now. It
flared up after the first World War and
the recent war, not because of carpet¬
baggers or scalawags, but because Ne¬
groes, and their friends, in the North
and in the South, believed that our coun¬
try should 'put into practice at home
Tj&f £&*„££ *° d “ ^
Kvcry attempt the Federal govern-
ment has ever made to secure for Ne¬
p ( ^enSw^U hem bin' callTCrce
legislation, or an attempt to “cram"
° ? e * ‘"A d ° W " the thl J a ? s
0 f t e c civil’ .
advocated the granting of rights
to Negroes kU have been called radicals
klansmen,’ .•"» and hoodlums better
want no encouragement
1han for P rominent newspapers newspapers to declare
Sslo* that as long gran? as ch?! the rights^ Federal government
the klan will ride, there will be violence
against Negroes.
it is also true that everv time prom-
inent newspapers seek In excuse the
klan. violence flares up: an inn-keeper is
threatened because he “must NegrSs keep these
n-rs down;” and several are
beaten and whipped- everv lick was ac-
™m„anied by.
civil rights.’ Violence has been visited
on whites as well, which proves that as
long as the liberty of any of us is inse¬
cure, the liberty of all is endangered.
TM FROM ALABAMA"
By John llrnrik Clarke for ANP)
I'm from Alabama—red clay still
On m' feet,
I gitta gal ‘n’ Alabama, who lives
On de Chlnaberry rout;
Yeh, I'm from Alabama
An’ dat’s nothing t’ brag about.
Don’ sent fer m' gal ‘n’ Alabama,
So she kin marry me;
Gonna brang dat gal t’ Harlem
An' how happee we gonna be.
Gonna build her a house on "Sugar Hill,
Where day’s never fellin’ low;
Yeh, I'm from Alabama,
But I ain't goin' back no more.
“HOPE IN THE CRISIS"
By John Henrik Clarke for ANP
This is not the er.d ot all good things.
There will be more smiles and joyful songs,
This is just the dark hour
That comes before the dawn.
THT. SAVANNAH miBUIfl
EDITORIAL: PASSING OF THE HOUSING BILL SHOULD HELP REMOVE
THESE VICIOUS PRACTICES
jagk'i Ml
#«u
■ -- AyAlbw
; .. .:-m
< -V
: C ''
■ . . v V •\ *•., -4 ■ v >• ■ r ■*% 1‘- -A r *; ■ ■ 'Y'Af.I ■ mm/d 4 I
.
jthifL-jlJil.
BETWEEN THE LINES
By Dear Gordon B lancock for ANP
JACKIE ROBINSON INTERRACIALIST
It was the conclusion of this column many
months ago that one of the most hopeful
signs in the realm of better race relations
was the forthrightness with which non¬
southern Negroes seemed to glory in “rid¬
ing” southern Negroes for their seeming
submission to the prescriptions and insinu¬
ations of segregation.
It had come about th$t southern Negroes
were afraid to speak the honest truth as
they saw it. fearing to incur the wrath
of non-southern Negroes. Things have
changed considerably within the last L0
years and the non-southern Negroes are
speaking in such forthright manner that
the atmosphere is being considerably clear¬
ed for a more constructive approach to in¬
ter-race relations. The day of branding
all southern Negroes as cowards and ap¬
peasers and gradualists has past, and more
and more the southern Negroes position is
appraised after such manner that he too is
looked upon as struggling within limits to
the uttermost for his full-fledged rights.
Today the greatest differences between
the non-southern and southern Negroes’
voice of contention for full manhood rights
is one of tone and the tone is more and more
becoming the same. There can be no
doubt that the deck is being cleared for
constructive action intra-racially and intra-
racialiy. EVen today some southern Ne¬
groes are trying to blow hot and cold at the
same time, in the fear that they may avert
non-southern Negroes’ wrath which is more
and more becoming non-existent. In other
words Negroes are coming together in think¬
ing and speaking and in this there is brought
into view unparalleled vistas of possibilities
which hitherto were obscured by intra-racial
misunderstanding.
Non-southern Negroes arc quick to see
what opportunities the segregated south
is offering non-southern Negroes in spite of
tie handicaps and heniousness of segrega¬
tion itself. In spite of segregation and itd
evil concomitants, the south is today afford¬
ing ample opportunities for Negroes to
demonstrate their claims to equal opportun¬
ity and this is the highest opportunity that
can come to any people.
It is far better to have the ability and oe
Southerners Carry Their
Abroad
By William O Shields
PARIS, France <ANPi—There
was a time, and it hasn't been
long ago, when an American
Negro could board a trans-At- I
lantic steamer bound for Eu-
rope, and know without a
doubt, he was leaving that hid¬
eous American prejudice be¬
hind him.
It isn’t that way any more
One not only finds “James
Crow.” the prejudice-spreader,
residing on the ships he is
boarding, but he soon learns,
before he is many knots at
sea, that there are many pre¬
judice-mongers sailing with!
him as fellow passengers. i
The second steward, on the;
ship which I was a passenger, j
changed my dining room seat-
ing three times my first day 1
out of New York. At first. 11
thought my shitting was co- 1
incidental, but on the proposed I
fourth move, I became suspi- l i
cious and refused to take an-
denied than to have tre opportunity and
fall short on ability. Within their strait¬
ened circumstances Negroes are exhibiting
daily their equality in every noble endeavor
in the nation- In fact, it is generally con¬
ceded that such handicaps as are imposed
upon Negroes are imposed for reasons of
prejudice and not for reason of the Ne¬
gro’s incapacity- When this point is prov¬
ed—as it is—beyond any reasonable doubt,
the Negro has won his fight and the acqui¬
sition of the opportunities commensurate
with these proven abilities are mere inci¬
dents in the final analysis.
This article is inspired by the recent de¬
liverance of Jackie Robinson before the com¬
mittee on Un-American Activities. Un¬
fortunately Jackie had to appear against
Paul Robeson erstwhile idol of the musical
world. It is exceedingly unfortunate that
Paul Robeson has been maneuvered into a
position where his loyalty to his nation is
being questioned. I have little doubt trat)
Paul Robeson at heart is a hundred percent
American- Negroes at heart can be noth¬
ing else and what they say to the contrary
is publicity bologna. But Jackie’s deliver-
alnce is a classic of common sense and in¬
telligence. Jackie speaks for about eleven-
tenths of the Negro race Paul Robeson in¬
cluded. When Jackie sets forth the subtle
horrors of being a Negro and in spite of
this shows the undying loyalty of the Ne¬
gro race he speaks as a man inspired. He
speaks the heart of every intelligent Negro
in this country-
Jackie did not attempt to minimize the
plight of a stricken race. He merely indi¬
cates how the Negro could rise above his
traducers and love a nation that time and
again has cold-watered the Negro’s aspira¬
tions to full-citizenship. It was the irony of
fate that Jackie Robinson could ascend to
such magnanimous heights of moral gran¬
deur while the 81st Congress reveled in the
wallow of sordid politics that smeared the
standing of the nation in the eyes of the
world. While grouchy Republicans and
Dixiecrats writhed In a sordid political
coalition. Jackie Robinson rose to giddy
heights of moral grandeur as a master in.
tcrracialist
other seat without a satisfac-
torv explanation. As you al-
ready surmise, he did not have
a plausible reason.
After Sherlocking around a
bit, I learned from the English
lady, who was seated next to
me in the dining room, that
the steward had braggingly
said he was going to “change
the atmosphere” at that table
before the next meal started.
The British lady let me know
in no uncertain terms, she
would not have any part in
his scheme.
To make a long story short,
I did not change my seating
the fourth time, and I was as-
sured by the union chairman of
that crew and others, that the
incident would be satisfactori-
ly settled when they returned
to home port. I might say,
even those assurances did not
help my appetite for the re¬
maining part of the journey,
To pour oil on the fire, I went
to the recreation room to par¬
ticipate in a general boot-sing.
The program was thrown open
to audience selection. one
loud Southerner yell:d, “let’s
! Dixie. He had no sooner
made h ‘ s choice before the
piano started to play “Dixie.”
Some of the 25 or 30 people, in
true dixie style, stood and sang
their “rebel anthem.” The
next choice was “Old Black
Joe," the next, “My Qld Ken¬
tucky Home,’’ and as I went up
the stairs to the upper deck, I
could faintly hear them sing¬
ing the words of the song,
"Snowball.”
The "southern block” aboard
the ship seemed to have had as
one of their missions, the
spreading of Dixiecratism, and
the justification of their Amer¬
ican jim crow philosophy
throughout the world.
Maybe I shouldn’t have men¬
tioned these incidents, because
they might prejudice people
against sailing on boats to Eu-
that there are boats sailing the
lope. I might also add here,
oceans you can ride
one ounce of fear of similar em-
HOME EDUCATION
“SUCH PRETTY WAYS”
Helen Gregg Green
“The Ch Id’s First School is the
Family”—Froebel
Issued by the National Kinder¬
garten Association, 8 W. 40 tu
street, New York city. These
articles are appearing weekly in
our columns.
Essie, our laundress, speaks
of the children of my neigh-
borhod as hav.ng “such pretty
ways!’’
I agree. Jackie and Mary
Ann Aldrich have pretty ways.
I asked trieir mother as she
and I sat knitting in her gar¬
den, what she had done to help
her children acquire theii
charm of manner.
‘•Children should learn early
to be resourceful, sociable, and
happy,’’ she replied. "When i
caught my children’s first
s’milos, I began talking to
them—to help them to under¬
stand it’s pleasant to communi¬
cate with people. Their feeling
of nearness to me—of belonging
—was encouraged by chatting
with them while I worked,
singing snatches of songs when
I passed them, substituting one
toy for another or suggesting
a different use for the one
that, for the time, had lost its
attraction. I made it a prac¬
tice to exchange smiles with
them frequently, so that they
would acquire a .disposition o!
sunniness.”
“When you are away for re¬
laxation or shopp ng, how do
you continue these practical
lessons in social relationship?”
I asked.
“I always leave a congenial
subst tu'te. When I cannot se¬
cure one, I stay at home,” Myra
Aldrich replied. “However,
from time to time I make an
earnest effort to secure a prop¬
er person, for I don’t want my
children to become too depend¬
ent upon me. Having substi¬
tutes for Mummy and Father,
widens a ch’ld’s circle of ac¬
quaintances. This is a way, too,
of teaching hospitality.”
After I had inqu red in what
way, Myra continued, “One
night my husband’s secretary
offered to stay with the child¬
ren. Before bedtime, the child¬
ren appeared with a traj^nn
wh ch was a glass of milk, some J
barrassments. I have oeen
U„e ls m
Personally, I am not so con¬
cerned about finding a better
steamship line, but I am dis¬
turbed about thj improper ori¬
entation of these traveling
Americans who will represent
the 1,40 million Yanks in the
various countries this summer.
They are neutralizing the Mar¬
shall plan.
These Europeans know our
American problems as well as
we do. In some of these Euro¬
pean countries, they know it
better than‘the average Ameri¬
can. The compet'ng “isms"
have seen to that. So, my
advice to those who will visit
Europe in the future, is, save
your rational zing answers for
someone who might be more
gull ble than these people, and
practice true democracy all the
time. Because, sooner or later,
every traveling American will
be asked to justify his position
on the race question in the
United States.
CONDUCTING WORKSHOP—
Dr. Jane E. McAllister, visiting
professor at Jackson college in
Jackson. Miss., is conducting a
workshop for in-service teach¬
ers on Individual Growth and
Development. Dr. McAllister,
who was the first Negro to re¬
ceive the Ph. D. degree from
Columbia university, is on leave
ants in the current trial ot
irom Miner Teachers college in
Washington, D. C.—(ANP)
THURSDAY. AUGUST 4, 1919
eookies, and a napkin. 'For you,
.vhen we are asleep,’ Jackie
mid Miss Jo, anu Mary Ann
idded, ‘Mommie does this wnen
she has gues'is.”
“These are indeed, as Ess e
mys, ‘pretty ways,’ I an's'waea.
Then, remembering tne tunes
ehe children had sent cams
and greetings when they w re
on trips with their parents, i
mentioned our appreciation of
riiem.
“Children become naturally
thoughtful and kind ii they
are encouraged in such haoils
on their own age level,” said
Mrs. Aldnch. "When a ir.end
is ill I have Jackie and Mary
deliver whatever delicacy or
flowers I may have for the in¬
valid. The children enjoy do¬
ng this, and each such' errand
helps to strengthen the ten¬
dency to be considerate of oth¬
ers. I find it is important for
a child, when learning to
share, to have an abundance oi
satisfactory fun experiences m
doing it. This manner of
teaching, aided by nagTBk; eA^ple, is
far superior to or
pleading methods—siflBF lackie,’ as
saying, ‘Be a good host,
or ‘Be gracious to others, Mary
Ann.”
“Jackie and Mary Ann cer¬
tainly are learning to be good
little mixers,” I said, thinking
of the occasions on which I
had noticed how easily they
fitted into the picture when
among strangers.
“You’re quick to observe, and
t is kind of you to mention
this,” my friend answered ap¬
preciatively. “I have worked
hard to bring it about. Boys
and girls need to be gradually
weaned from over-dependency
on their famil es. They need
their social horizons broadened.
Self assurance, socially, also
increases as children learn
skills—both of language ani
body control. Wj should help
to develop those capab li-
for which they have an in¬
and aptitude.” The mo¬
ther had been deeply serious,
she smiled broadly as she
“Well, I have gone on the
platform! And all I in¬
to do was to thank you
telling me of Essie’s remark
that our children have such
ways.’ ”
M nrP R ni ,cp P ro f
Gets$5;;)OOGran!
ATLANTA (ANP)—Dr. Henry
C. McBay, professor 'of chemis¬
try at Morehouse college, has
been awarded a grant of $£,001)
to continue h s laboratory in¬
vestigations into certain chem¬
ical compounds.
The grant, a renewal of a
similar amount given last year,
came from the Research Cor-
porat'on of New York. The
corporation is a non-profit or¬
ganization which distributes its
ent're net income to colleges
and other research institu¬
tions.
Twice in 1944 and 1C45, Dr.
McBay won the Elizabeth Nor¬
ton prize at the University oi
Chicago for outstanding re¬
search in chemistry. PrcAqusly,
Me had worked under (nf» cirver, late
Dr. George Washington
the noted plant physiologist, at
the Carver Research founda¬
tion at Tuskegee Institute.
IT’S YOUR
VOTE!
WANT IT?
Unless you re-register the
elections of next year will find
voteless.
The re-registration office is
at the ' -northwest corner of
Avenue and Bar¬
nard streets.
Re-registration doesn’t take
time now. but when the
minute rush comes it may
more time than many
will be willing to give.
people will become vote-
and have no voice in se¬
governmental ofiicials.
The thing to do’ is to
REGISTER
and
DO IT NOW!