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Established 1875 SOL C. JOHNSON
By J. H. DEVEAUX 1889—1954
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Entered as Second Ole Matter at the Post
tfffice at Savannah. U.i. under the Act of
March 3, 1919.
_
“Business! Mankind was my business.
The common welfare was my business:
charity, mercy, forbearance and benevol¬
ence were. all. my business. The dealings
of my trade were but a drop in the com¬
prehensive ocean of my business.”
—Marleybs Ghost in Dickens.
MORE POLICEMEN
No observant citizen can fail to agree
that there is great nd immediate need
for a larger police force in our city. We
recall, from the words of the Mayor soon
after the inauguration of (he present ad¬
ministration, that le and the aldermen
were aware of this need, but there was
also need for the money with which to
secure additional men of the kind desired.
When one considers the number of rob¬
beries and burglaries (list keep the pres¬
ent. force on the jump, there is no doubt
left that one of the first things our city
ought to attend to i that of securing a
larger polite force.
We can understand (he difficulty ex¬
perienced in trying to yet suitable men
tlie |pr the oast. money We that has that been only offered the host in
agree
Qualified men are wanted for our force.
We think the standard set by J. Edgar
Hoover is not too high. He says, among
other things, “A modern law enforcement
officer is a well-bred gentleman of clean
habits, high morals, clear mind, and a
sound body. Well trained in his profes¬
sion. he treats all with resne.ct without
deference to anyone . , ." Such qualifi¬
cations place (lie police officer alongside
of other professions, whe h ought to make
it as desirable as a career of teaching,
farming, or carpentering, or what have
you.
We are concerned with public order no
matter who is involved. Of course, we
are. naturally; partietd mly concerned with
respect to Negro involvement in it. One
of the strongest arguments for employ¬
ing Negro policemen in the South was
that they could got closer to the likely
or prospective Negro violator, and so not
only reduce disorder among them, but
also create in them greater respect for
law and order. A huge pari of a police¬
man's duty and usefulness is determined
by his ability to prevent disorder, to point
out. to possible offenders l be cost and fil¬
thify of violating and creating disorder,
and to establish good public relations.
“Policemen are symbols. Titov represent
the official conscience of society."
Whenever the cits finds it within its
moans to employ additional policemen, we
hope it will include more Negro officers.
It has been a disappointment to us that
only 10 or 11 Negro officers have been
employed and that their activity lias been
so restricted that then* is doubt that the
city is getting value received for the mon¬
ey invested in them. We have been curi¬
ous to know why they do not figure more
frequently in the anprebensiou of Negro
violators even in definitely Negro sections.
Of course, we d<> not know the schedules
nor the beats of the policemen, nor how
the offi< cr - must be. spread to cover areas
where trouble i most likely to occur. We
believe additional policemen are needed,
pome of whom ought to be Negroes un¬
der less restriction o that they may ren
der larger service fm-th 1 ' Police Depart¬
ment and to the communifv. It may not
be amiss to Rti'ureMjthat our young men
in school and collect ho counseled in the
direction of choo imj,a policeman's career
as a profession. As a result of such coun¬
selling we mieht "ef onir qualified young
men* who will be able to pass the exam¬
ination to become police officers.
THE H/m SITUATION
The action of ihe Negro citizens in re¬
fusing to ride s of the City of Mont¬
gomery. Alabama, emphasizes the impor¬
tance of group protest to secure* redress
of grievances.
The use of 1 he* word protest suggests
that it is fashionable these days to en¬
cage in that pastime for such it is in
pome respects, e oecially when umtests
are futile. Interne iti m, nullification,
strike and boycott, all imply pndcst.
Boycott has tic distinction of having
been derived from the name of a man.
Captain Charh - Boycott, who, because of
his tough eviction policies, gained the
enmity of Irish tenant Their protest
kgainst him was given his name. While
the activity so named spread around the
world, we doubt that it ever attained its
end in a more dramatic fashion than the
boycott of Montgomery buses hv aggriev¬
ed Negro citizens. We are amazed that
po large a group of Negroes have been
united to achieve a common pur nose. It
i- a tribute to their leadership. We sus¬
pect there are others whom this thing
caught with their estimate of the determ¬
National Advertising Representatives
Associated Publishers
31 West 48 Street
New York 36, New Yolk
166 W- Washington 111. St.
Chicago 2,
Whale) -Simpson Co
6313 Hollywood Boulevard
San Francisco 5, California
Whaley-Simpson Co.
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Los Angeles, California
ination of Montgomery Negroes down.
There is no doubt as to the effective¬
ness of the boycott. It has hit the bus
company, the city treasury and riding
public right in (Ik* pocket, right where
it hurts worst; it has sent the city’s legal
minds into musty archives to dig up a
law that is 35 years old, which forbids
boycotts and the Grand Jury has indicted
100 people, including 24 preachers. An
interesting aspect of the case is Dial the
protestants are determined to refrain
from any thought of violence which
means that if “hatred, bitterness, tension
and animosity” are to result from boy¬
cott, others than Negroes must promote
it. Their action is against the bus com¬
pany and not against the city, the people
of Montgomery, the police force, nor the
Mayor, and makes nuisance arrests un¬
justified.
The Mayor has said:
“We want to live and work togeth¬
er without strife 1 , free from tensions
and animosity. Wo want all races to
share abundantly in (he good things
of life, hut for the mutual welfare
of both races, segregation must be
preserved.”
After those who have been indicted by
the Grand Jury have been tried and fined
or acquitted, are Negroes supposed to
give up their protest? Will it make them
ride in buses whether they want to or
not? if they still refuse to ride the 1 buses,
will that be a reason for increased ten¬
sion? II seems to us that it. is definitely
up to the Mayor and the white people
of Montgomery to prove the sincerity of
his statement quoted above; that flic 1 Ne¬
groes’ intention to refrain from anything
that has the appearance of violence should
challenge Montgomery’s white citizens to
recognize the justice of the complaints
of their Negro citizens.
“NEW SOUTH’’
We have referred to the Southern Re¬
gional Council’s magazine. New South,
many times in this column. We have done
so and will continue <o do so because il
(an he relied on to give information that
is true. The current issue is especially
to be commended to the attention of any
persons who wish to get factual informa¬
tion about issues that are of paramount
importance in our day and in our coun¬
try. The fact is, they are of serious im¬
portance in our world particularly with
respect to the part our country is play¬
ing or is expecting to play in world af-
fairs. Of very great concern to Western
statesmen, is the effort of Communism
to make friends of the peonies of the
East Middle East and Ear East where,
two-thirds of the world’s population live.
Well, the current issue of New South gives
a side of the discussion on interposition
that Southern politicians and Southern
newspapers have bv-passed. Much has
been said about the research of a Vir¬
ginia editor which reveals what Jeffer¬
son ami Madison bad to say on interpo¬
sition. New Rouih shows that another edi¬
tor has discovered that we have not been
petting the whole truth about Madison’s
position on interposition, tie can quote
only two statements that show bis posi¬
tion We urge our readers to see the cur¬
rent issue of New South.
Madison said, writing to Nicholas Trist.
secretary to President Andrew Jackson:
“A supremacy of the Constitution
and laws of the Union, without su¬
premacy in the exposition and execu¬
tion of them, would bo as much a
mockery as a scabbard put into the
hand of a soldier without a sword in
if.”
And in dealing with the doctrine set
forth by South Carolina in the 1830s, he
wrote to Trist:
“For this preposterous and anar-
chial pretension there is not a shad¬
ow of countenance in the Constitution
and well that there is not: for it is
certain that with such a deadly poi¬
son in it. no Constitution could bo
sure of lasting a year.” this
And. furthermore, he made re¬
mark :
“It is remarkable how closely the
nulbfiers who made the name of Mr.
Jefferson the pedestal for their co¬
lossal heresy, shut their eyes and lips
whenever his authority is ever so
eleavlv and emphatically against
1 hem.”
The article in New South on Madison
and Interposition of the Washington is written Post by and Trying Times
Bryant comforting read
Herald. It will he to an¬
other view of the standing of interposi¬
tion in the thinking of persons who con¬
sider the Supreme I .aw of the Land to be
what the U. S. Supreme Court says it is.
TIIE SAVANNAH TRIBUNE
‘MOST VICIOUS OBSTACLE TO HEAL INTEGRATION’
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“NO TIME TOR TIIE NAACP
TO GO FISHING”
Editor's note: The fol¬
lowing let ter was sent to the
editor of the Washington
Post and was published in
the February 23, 195(1 issue
of that newspaper:
“THE SOUTH AND NAACP
“The usually well-informed
Benjamin Muse, in his column
of February 19, writes, “The
NAACP is hated with a venom-
ous hatred by thousands of
white Virginians.” This is gen-
erally true throughout the
South. Mr. Muse’s advice
subside this hatred is for the
NAACP to go fishing.
It, is perhaps better to ex-
amine why the NAACP. ahead
of the Communist Party, is
hated by many Southerners,
Certatnly, this organization has
broken no laws.
The NAACP represents the
antithesis of what the anteb.nl-
him South wants of the Negro.
This organization explodes the
myth that the Negro is a happy-
go-lucky, craven, watermellon-
eating creature who is only
satisfied with the crumbs from
his master's table.
‘‘Every advancement that the
Negro has made in education,
Resolution
Being mindful that God has
endowed all men with a life
and some people live their
lives to the glory of God,
while others throw their lives
to the wind; and,
Being mindful that some
people remember their fel-
iowman, while others are sel¬
fish; and
Being mindful that some
lay their lives on the alttir for
what is right, while others
place a shield about them¬
selves and compromise with
evil;
The citizens of East Savan¬
nah and the Savannah, Geor¬
gia Branch of the National
Association for the Advance¬
ment of Colored People were
shocked and saddened upon
receiving word of the passing
of our most useful member,
Adam Morrell, on February
9th, 1956.
The passing of this dis¬
tinguished personality- is a
great loss to the community.
He was an excellent example
of unselfishness, deep human
compassion, translated into
consecrated action for the
good and welfare of those in
his immediate community tyid
extending far beoynd these
boundaries.
In religious, civic, and po¬
litical endeavors, he proved
himself to be one in whom the
people could trust and follow.
No distance was ever too far.
No night too dark. Never did
inconvenience stand as a
barrier to prevent the per¬
formance of duty and service
to his fellowman.
On many occasions, as a
member of the executive
committee of the local NAACP
branch, lie was a delegate to
various state and regional
| equal pay for teachers, the
right to vote, the abolishing of
restrictive covenants, the right
j I to in interstate cat in public and places, other rights, travel j 1
i have been made over Southern
j opposition. |
“It is a sad fact that the
South has never volunteered- to
j give the Negro any of these
rights. They have come about
j by court orders. Much is writ-
j ten about not being able to
j change mores and habits over- I
night. The other side of the I
1
coin is that people who are
oppressed everyday do not want j
to wait until they die to receive
the rights that are theirs as I
j j Americans,
When members of the Com-
j munist Party commit a crime j
against our country, they are j
tried in court and given due
process of law. When members |
1 of the NAACP seek to exercise !
I their constitutional rights, they !
j are murdered in Georgia and i
Mississippi. There is so much I
work for the NAACP to do that I
it cannot afford the luxury of J
going “fishing.”
ROSCOE R. NIX
Washington." :
meetings. NAACP member¬ j
ships from East Savannah
were sucured largely because
of his interest. During the
many months,- when the local
branch labored in the defense j
of Ozzie Jones, he was untir¬
ing in his efforts to raise
funds to finance this case.
We. the officers and mem¬
bers of the Savannah Branch,
NAACP. are proud and happy
that we had the opportunity
to know and associate with
one who felt so keenly the ob¬
ligation of service to his fel¬
lowman.
We pray that the bereaved
family of the late Mr. Morrell
will pet some relief out of the
knowledge that God was
pleased with his work and
felt that the time had come
for him to come home and
rest from the struggles of this
troubled world.
We pause and bow our
heads in solemn reverence
for this our departed one.
believing with all our hearts
that Deacon Morrell now
rests with the saints of the
! ages; and, in his memory we
present a copy of this resolu¬
tion to the bereaved family,
j that a copy be published in
the local press and a copy
placed in the minutes of the
local NAACP branch.
Respectfully submitted.
Savannah (Ga.i Branch,
NAACP
W w Law. President
Mrs. C. Esther Freeman,
Secretary
J. S. Delaware.
1st Vice President
February 13. 1956
On March 1. 1803, the first
Ohio legislature met at Chilli-
cothe; on Mar. 2. 1853. the terri¬
tory of Washington was au¬
thorized: Mar. 4. 1886 . the Uni¬
versity of Wyoming chartered.
EISENHOWER’S
COWARDICE
Although President Eisenhower
is ;i soldier hy profession and pre-
sumably a brave man on the hat-
tlefieid, lie is rapidly establishing
a reputation for cowardice in the
political field. Those who observe
his activities on the political
scene in this “Land of the Free
Home of the Brave" know
(hut he always fails when con¬
fronted with the acid test of cour¬
age involved in properly handling
the political problems of segrega-
lion of and discrimination against
Negro citizens. In every impor-
taut test iso far Eisenhower has
been shown to he lacking in frank-
ness and courage necessary for
proper executive actions.
In the matter of desegregation
of the armed forces, Eisenhower
only had courage enough to issue
an order that it, should he done
but he is conspicuously lacking in
the courage to follow up and see
that it is actually accomplished.
He was afraid to hack Represeti-
talive Adam Clayton Powell in
his effort to write into the law
a provision to prevent the states
of the “Deep South” from
laiuing segregated national guard
unils. In this and other eases
where the courage to “follow
through" is called for the Presi¬
dent conies up with some coward¬
ly compromise.
In the matter of a national law
to prevent discrimination against
Negroes in employment, especially
where federal funds are spent, the
President lias been lukewarm, fear¬
ful. Although he foolishly supports
Secretary Dulles in walking care¬
lessly on the “brink of war” to
prevent aggression upon peoples
far removed from our shores, he
is utterly lacking in the courage
necessary to act against persons
murdering citizens of the United
States in Mississippi. Courage is
needed to move against Missis¬
sippi. lack¬
Finally, he is again utterly
ing in courage to back Clayton
Powell in his present effort to
put teeth in the desegregation or¬
der of tiie U. S. Supreme Court
by withholding federal educational
funds from those states, or parts
of states, which are in open re¬
bellion, or treason, against the
government of the United States.
In the light of the above indis¬
putable facts how can any honest,
reasonable person escape the con¬
viction that we have in General
Eisenhower a President who lias
a weak heart in more ways than
one'. He should be politically tiq-
idated!
Dr. A. II. Gordon,
Salisbury, N. C.
MRS. LINDSEY IS GUEST
OF HONOR
(Continued from Page One)
in the public school system for
26 years, 15 years of which she
has been at Harris Street School.
Mrs. Lindsey obtained her bach¬
elor's degree from Savannah State
College, and her master’s degree
from Columbia University.
She is a member of the National
Education Association, the Chat¬
ham County Teachers’ Association
and the Georgia Teachers’ Asso¬
ciation. She is also a member of
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and
Saint Benedict's Catholic Church.
Here And There
By W i I 1 a
“PREDOMINANT OPINIONS
are generally the opinions cii
the generation that is vanish¬
ing."—Disraeli
* * * *
“THE MEN OF THE PAST
had convictions, while we mod¬
erns have only opinions.”—H
Heine
♦ * * *
“IT IS ALWAYS the minori¬
ties that hold the key of pro¬
gress; it is always througl
those who are unafraid to be
different that advance comes t<
human society.”—F. B. Fosdick
* * * *
MISS MADELINE It. SHIVERY
is home again after a pleasan'
stay of ten days in Atlantf
with her friend, Mrs. Hattie 1
Green, who is a retired sclioo’
principal. ,
* * * *
MRS. ANNA 15. KOBF,KTSO>
of Washington, D C., will cclo
brated her birthday on March
3rd Congratulations!
* * * *
MR. \ MRS. GEORGE V
SMITH of Brunswick were it
the city last week on busines
# * * *
MISS I CURA GENEVA SOI*
OMON recently received secom
prize in the annual Fashioi
Review and Charm Clinic spon
sored by the Foster Hall Dorm
itory Council at Talladeg-
College. Miss Solomon, a senior
received an electric traveling
clock.
MRS .'MERCEDES SCAT#BOP
of West 37 Street is home from
Washington, D. c.. after visitin'
her niece. Miss Mercedes Mit¬
chell, who was ill.
* ;(! 3,t
j MRS ALBEftJUA GRAY!
| former Savannahian, enter
I tained at her home in Philadel
| phia with a dinner party oi.
[ Sunday, February 19th, in hon¬
or of Mrs. Louise S. Drayton oi
Connecticut and Mrs. Margaret
j Sneed of Philadelphia, whose
J birthday was February 14 th
j Other guests were Miss Freddie
1 Hunter, A. Carter, Albert Doo¬
j ley, Mr. and Mrs. Pernell Sim¬
i mons, and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Graye.
j | Race Labels Ordered Out
| On Farm Label Forms
ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 23 —The
New York State labor depart¬
ment’s registration forms for farm
labor contractors no longer will
require racial identification. Her¬
bert Bill, NAACP labor secretary, j
has been informed.
j
In a meeting with Alonzo F.
Waters, chairman of the state joint
legislative committee on migrant
labor conditions, Mr. Hill had re¬
Attorney In Bus lloycott
MONTGOMERY. Ala. (ANP).—
Negro leaders of the 11-week-old
boycott of Montgomery buses said
t he indictment of A tty. Fred D.
Gray, their top legal advisor, will
make them more determined than
ever to continue their fight against
segregated seating facilities.
A tty. Gray, 25, who filed a fed¬
eral court suit seeking to end
Jim Crow on city buses recently,
was arrested Saturday under a
grand jury indictment charging he
filed the suit unlawfully and with¬
out being employed by one of the
plaintiffs.
lie was released on $.'100 bond.
Five plaintiffs were listed in the
suit. One of them. Mrs. Jeanetta
Ross, an elderly housemaid, later
said she did not know what she
was doing when she signed and
asked that her name be withdrawn.
Gray denied the charge and said
several persons were present in his
office when the woman signed the
suit. He said be explained the im-
plieation of the action at the time.
The grand jury, which has been
investigating the legality of the
bus boycott, returned 114 indict¬
ments Saturday as it made a
partial report.
SWORN IN IN NEW JERSEY
NEWARK. N. J. — (ANP) —j
Roger M. Yancey became the first
Negro trial judge in New Jersey's
history Friday when he was sworn
in as an Essex County District
judge. I
Tbe former deputy state a Urn--
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 19S6
MRS. ANNA E. GRANT, head
nurse of Sea View Hospital,
Staten Island, New York, is
spending a month's vacation
at home with her sister, Miss
Jessie L. Grant, 902 West 38
Street.
* * * *
MRS. MARY JANE CADE,
former Savannahian, died Sun-
lay, February 26, in New York
City. She is survived by three
ams, Hamilton, Mike and Wil¬
iam Cade.
si; * * *
MKN NAOMI HAYES Oi West
13 Street is ill at Charity Hos¬
pital.
* * * *
1GT FIRST CLASS AND MRS.
HUFFS J. ADKINS and their
on. Karl, have returned home
from Germany where Sgt. Ad¬
kins has been stationed for the
last three years. After a visit
with relatives in the city Sgt.
Adkins will report for duty at
• or t Polk, I,a. Mrs. Adkins who
the niece of Mrs. Mildred
Hutchins and Karl will re-
nain in Savannah. Karl is at-
mdir.g the Frank W. Spencer
School. Sgt. Adkins is the son
,f Mrs Sarah Adkins of Culver
Street.
* * * *
MR. ,V MRS WESLEY YOUNG
rave moved into their new
tome al 1106 West 54th Street.
Mr Young is pressman at the
Tribune.
* * * *
MRS. ELIZABETH ATKIN¬
SON, assistant librarian at the
Tt metric Library, has an in-
eresting column in this week’s
ssue of the Tribune which
•onrorns the growing interest
if citizens in the facilities at
he library. Next week the Trib¬
une will publish Mrs. Atkinson’s
list of new books to be found at
he library.
“THAT IS A GOOD BOOK
which is opened with expecta-
iion, and closed with delight
and profit.”—A. B. Alcott.
,* * * *
NEVER REASON from what
you do not know. If you do, you
will soon believe what is utterly
against reason.”—Ramsay.
quested removal of the color desig¬
nation. At tiie same time the
NAACP representative urged a re¬
view of the enforcement of newly
migrant labor legislation
in New York State.
Previously, the NAACP succeed¬
'd in having removed the racial
f r o m application
forms used hy the New York State
Motor Vehicle Bureau,
However, Gray’s indictment was
believed to be tbe only one direct¬
ly connected with the boycott. The
grand jury will make a final report
later this week, in which further
boycott indictments are expected
to be presented.
If convicted. Gray would be re¬
quired to pay a $500 fine and would
be prohibited from practice in any
state court.
The law reportedly has brought
only one previous indictment in
Alabama history. That one result¬
ed in the conviction in 1940 of a
Montgomery Negro attorney who
was active in opening voter regis¬
tration lists to Negroes.
Gray has been a leader in the
boycott, which lias resulted in an
estimated 80 to 00 per cent of the
regular Negro bus passengers re¬
fusing to ride the segregated buses.
A native of Montgomery. Gary
has been practicing law for 18
months. He is a graduate of West¬
ern Reserve University, Cleveland,
Ohio.
He was recently reclassified t-A
hy a locat draft board. He bad
been exempt as a minister with
4-D classification.
ney general took the oath of nf-
fiee in Newark before Judge G.
Dixon Speak man of Superior
Court.
Hi.s mother. Mrs. Harriet Yan-
coy, 81, was among the overflow
crowd watching the ceremony.