Page Two
Monday. June 15, 1953
PORTLAND CHALLENGER
Po i
ty
Officers Elected
By 0ACW Clubs
lend
An Independent Newspaper
TED BURGER
General Manager
WILLIAM A. HILLIARD
Editor and Publisher
3300 North Williams Avenue. Portland 12. Oregon
MUrdock 4092
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
10 Cents per copy
26
$2.50 per year
Published every other Friday in Portland, Oregon. The Chal­
lenger is not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts
or photographs.
Minister's Surprise
N e w s In B r ie f
Mrs. Thelma Unthank was
elected president of the Oregon
Association of Colored Women’s
Clubs at the annual convention
held recently at the Williams ave­
nue branch of the YWCA. Mrs.
Elise Reynolds was elected vice
president.
Other officers elected were:
Mrs. Libyan Smith, first recording
secretary; Mrs. Perlene White,
second recording secretary; Mrs.
Dorothy Vickers, corresponding
secretary.
Mrs. Emma Hepburn, treasurer;
Mrs. Pearl Clark Clow, auditor;
Mrs. Beatrice Reed, custodian;
Mrs. Ruth Leftridge, chaplain;
Mrs. Maggie Friday, organizer.
BY W ILLIAM WRIGHT
C h a llen g e r S t a f f W r it e r
Mrs. Viola Anderson returned recently from a trip to Ta­
coma and Seattle. In Tacoma she visited her sisters, Mrs.
Charolette Harris and Mrs. Lena Tate. In Seattle Mrs. Ander­
son visited with a niece, Miss Bernice Jones .. . Off to Wilber-
force, Ohio, is Rev. Jesse L. Boyd, pastor of Bethel AME
Ruling Sought
On Bill Wording
(Continued from Page 1)
! church. Rev. Mr. Boyd will be on
I the Wilberforce university cam-
I pus for a trustee board meeting.
Many guests were present at
| the Red and White dance given
by the Scrollers, pledge club of
l^aPPa Alpha Psi fraternity. The
dance was held at Tualatin coun­
I try club last Monday. Latest
pledge member of the group is
Frank Fair, former Jefferson high
school student. Fair attended
Portland State college this past
spring term.
Due soon on the social scene
are the Debutante’s Ball, slated
for Masonic Sunken Ballroom
June 16, and the Kappa Formal,
down for Saturday, June 27, at
the Teamsters’ Hall.
erendum and that an appeal may
have to be made to the supreme
court.
David Robinson, chairman of
the state fair employment prac­
tices advisory committee, also has
asked a ruling from Thornton in
connection with the referendum
movement.
Robinson points out that the
state law prohibits an employer
from detailing or allowing a
worker to collect signatures for
a ballot petition.
According to Robinson, viola­
Richard Parker is planning on
tions were noted in Portland two
residing in Seattle. Parker at­
years ago when petitions were
tended Portland State during the
circulated to defeat the city civil
spring term and plans to enroll
rights bill.
at Washington this fall.
The rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rev. Elbert
Kwanzan Club Wins
Riddick, says that he is surprised at the favorable reactions to
Chairmen of the monthly com­
the move now underway by the “ Civil Freedom Committee mittees are Mrs. Maud Banks,
to put the civil rights bill passed by the 1953 Oregon legisla­ Mrs. Layola Brown, Mrs. Llylla
tors up to a vote of the people. Riddick and his cohorts are cir­ Phillips, Mrs. Carrie Cannon, and
Mrs. Pauline Countee.
culating petitions hoping to get the necessary 23,275 signatures
Sweepstakes winner in the art
and express confidence that the petitions will be filled before craft prize division was the Kwan­
the bill goes into effect. The bill is slated to become effective zan club. First prize went to the
20 Matrons’ club. The Literary Re­
arouno July 21.
search club won the second prize.
The Rev. Mr. Shepherd states that he cannot say whether Third and fourth prizes went to
or not other groups are behind the referendum movement. the Co-op and Chariteers clubs
But it is interesting to note that most of the petitions are be­ respectively.
ing circulated in taverns, restaurants and hotels. Of the 36 Other club awards went to the
places listed to send completed petitions, only two fail to fall Literary Research club, fine arts
and table cloth making and the
in this category.
Kwanzan, charity.
It is a girl for Mr. and Mrs.
In Portland, notarized petitions are to be sent to Oregon
Individual awards went to Mrs.
Emery Barnes of Eugene, Oregon.
Pamela Ann Barnes was born
Dispenser’s association, Nortornia hotel. In Lane county, it is Gertrude Meyers, Individual Fine
Arts cup, and Mrs. Eunice Wat-1
May
12 and weighed 8 pounds, 8
the Eugene hotel in Eugene and in Salem, it is the Senator kins, best knitting.
ounces. Barnes is attending the
hotel. In Astoria, it is the John Astor hotel. At least nine of
Leonard W. Schroeter, director University of Oregon.
of
the regional office of the Anti-
the places listed are taverns. Two are billiard parlors.
Off to Los Angeles to visit the
Defamation league of B’nai B’rith
It is a most embarrassing shame to American democracy
for the state of Washington, will parents of her husband is Mrs.
that such a petition is being circulated and that money is
be guest speaker at the regular Pauline Countee. She is motoring
being solicited in a bigoted attempt to thwart democracy and
monthly public education meet­ south with Mr. and Mrs. Lawson
ing
of the Vancouver branch of Jones. Mrs. Countee will also visit
(Continued from Page 1)
make a mockery out of our representative form of government
the
National
Association for the her son, Sam Wilkinson Vaughn,
prised that more of the letters are
here in Oregon.
Advancement of Colored People in Camp Roberts . . . Milton
Oregon legislators passed the civil rights bill because they in favor of the referendum than June 28, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in the Emanuel has been promoted to
against,” says the minister.
felt it a moral right to do so. Our state lawmakers represent
Vista Room of Vancouver Housing Pfc. He is currently serving in
23.275 Signers Needed
Korea.
pverv county in the state and it was these representatives who
Rev. Mr. Riddick is minister of Authority.
“A Report of Civil Rights in
unanimously passed the ordinance. They are well-educated a small Episcopal parish at 44 N.
Miss Beverly Jeanne Brock left
the State of Washington” will be
Emerson
street.
It
has
55
com­
individuals and certainly capable of giving the state decent
this
week for a short stay in
municants and 85 baptized mem­ the topic for discussion.
Berkeley
with her sister, Ruby.
government. They are men that deserve respect and confi­ bers.
Schroeter was formerly on the
She plans to be back in time to
dence.
The civil rights ordinance legal staff of the NAACP with enter summer school at the Port­
The conduct of Rev. Mr. Riddick and other members of the makes it illegal for public eating, Thurgood Marshall. He partici­ land State Extension center.
pated in many legal cases that
“Civil Freedom Committee” is opprobrious and shocking to lodging and amusement places to won
advances in civil rights for
In Portland for a quick week
discriminate against any person
say the least. One certainly wouldn’t expect such actions from
minority groups.
end visit with her parents, Mr.
because of religion or race.
educated men and, most disgraceful of all, is the conduct of
A question and answer period and Mrs. Nick Banks, was Mrs.
The civil rights bill is slated to
their leader, a professed believer in God’s word and the rector go into effect July 21. Sponsors will follow the discussion. Coffee Audery Johnson, now living in
of the referendum hope to get hour will provide opportunities the Bay Area . . . Ed Webb is slat­
of a House of God.
23,275 signatures to their sheets for meeting Schroeter and for get­ ed to report to the army June 14,
It goes without saying that civil rights means the freedom
for induction.
calling for a state-wide vote on ting acquainted with others.
o f the individual. To construe the meaning of freedom to toy the measure.
with the minds o f individuals by deliberately twisting the;
meaning for one’s selfish prejudice has no moral justification J " i l l
T r i t e lV T n ^ p l
whatsoever.
.A j IU IC A UI m A iU U C l
Best it be for people to judge their own association. Race, j \ 1
1
AffirP
Rev Elbert D. Riddick, pro- ing the Rose Festival show after
creed or color plays no role in the selection of a true friend. • » lli f lb llV C A l l l l C
fessed president of the “ Civil he refused to move from an aisle
Attractive attire for every occa­
It is not up to a member of one race to decide the friendship
Freedom Committee,” a group or­ at the request of police.
sion was modeled at the fashion
ganized to recall the civil rights
fate of his racial counterparts.
That same month he was criti­
show recently which climaxed
The surprise registered by Rev. Mr. Riddick is proof enough the Oregon Association of Colored bill passed by the 1953 Oregon cized in a letter from Portland
that hi' himself is doing wrong. Evidently he expected to find Women’s Clubs convention at legislature, is not unknown to police post No. 2807, Veterans of
most Portland residents.
Foreign Wars, for making deroga­
lay school.
himself in the middle of a hornet’s nest. A surprise to every- Holladay
school,
The
Rev.
Mr.
Riddick
was
born
tory
remarks from his pulpit
one is the peculiar assembly of people Rev. Mr. Riddick is The stage was first adorned in 1896 in New York city and about the Portland police bureau.
with little tots modeling their
associating with. Very peculiar indeed for a church to be al­ fashions as if they were at a ran away from home when he was
'Nazified Police Force"
16. He worked as a seaman on
lied with taverns, billiard parlors and cocktail lounges.
birthday party. A beautiful cake
English tramps and traders and
Rev. Mr. Riddick had referred
We hope the citizens of Oregon will rely on their Christian centered the stage surrounded
American coastal steamers.
to the Portland police force as
teachings and the teachings of the American form of govern- bv the children. After each fash-
In 1915 he came to California. “nazified police force” and “vice
,
, .
, . .
, . .,
.. .
ion was modeled, the birthday
ment
when
making
a
decision
in
regards
to
the
anti-civil
rights
,
„
.
,
It
was here that he first became conditions they permit.” In his
mini » m ii
n.. s v.
f,
e,
Song was sung in unison.
NAACP Branch
Slates Speaker
Petitions Protest
Civil Rights Bill
Rector Riddick in News
Since Coming to Portland
petition.
NAACP Membership Drive
The Portland branch of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People is currently in the midst of
its 1953 membership drive. The NAACP program needs no in-
troduction. This organization has been one of the salient rea-
sons that progress has been made in the field of race rela­
tions.
It has successfully fought the white primary in the south
and brought some semblance of equal education to the south­
ern communities. It is a strong and well-directed ally of the
1 rban league and other racial progress booster organiaztions.
Membership is $2. One half of this amount goes to the na­
tional office to finance the NAACP’s legal program. It is this
legal hotly that has been responsible for the Supreme Court
decisions that have benefited the minority groups.
Fashions from sports to eve-
' ning wear were modeled by the
adults. Moderators for the affair
were Mesdames Addie Jean
Haynes and Lenora Gaskin.
Ed Singer W jn s
interested in the ministry. He was
ordained in the United Presby­
terian church at Everett, Wn., and
filled pastorates at Burlington,
Wn.. Spirit Lake, Ida., and Con­
way, Pa.
Attended Seminary
While in Pennsylvania he at­
tended Pittsburgh-Zenia seminary
I O /G V I S I O il J\V/CLT d and on January 25, 1938, was or-
Winner of the Hoffman Easy-j darned a deacon of the Protestant
Vision TV set in the Urban Episcopal church by Rt. Rev. S.
League of Portland’s subscrip- Arthur Huston, bishop of Olym-
tion campaign was Ed Singer, pia, at Seattle. He held the rec-
Portland State college sociology toiate at Bremerton, Wn., until
student. Singer recruited 83 mem­ called to Portland in 1939.
In June, 1940, Rev. Mr. Rid-
bers in less than three months’
dick
was ordered to donate to the
time.
He reached this number in a Red Cross by Municipal Judge
one-man membeiship campaign Julius Cohn on a charge of dis-
anu'iig his close friends, fellow orderly conduct. He was arrested
at Multnomah civic stadium dur-
students and business people.
sermon, the minister asked, “Do
Americans want a nazified police
force in this country?” “Nazism
and fascism are not something
happening in Germany and Italy.
They are states of mind, attitudes
which men have toward other
men.”
In a letter to The Oregonian,
August 19, 1943, Rev. Mr. Riddick
suggested “ that if Negroes are to
persist in infiltrating white resi­
dential districts, they be careful
to maintain the same standards
of cleanliness and orderliness of
their houses, grounds and side­
walks and the same quietness in
their conduct, which self-respect-
ing white people impose on them-
selves.” The minister said, “seg­
regation is looked at askance in
Portland.”