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VOLUME 1
C Oregon’s
M ^ egro Weekly ruzuirer
g)
PORTLAND. ORE.. JUNE 21. 1945
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Progressive Negro
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Number 38
Lipman W olfe Endorses 'Jim Crow';
Refuses Service to Local Colored Girl
EDITORIAL
? ;♦ » « * « » » »
»IV m :
TBK
LET'S TOLL THE BELL
By Chesley E. Corbett
Store Manager Refuses To
'Interfere With Policy'
In days of yore, before the
advent of the telegraph, tele
INCIDENT OCCURS W HEN COLORED GIRL
phone, wirless and radio, when
APPEARS W ITH THREE W HITE GIRLS
special occasions arose that nec
essitated calling the populace
Lipman W olfe and Co., one of the largest stores in
from far and near together some downtown Portland refused to serve a colored girl in their
one would mount the belfry and
Tea Room on Friday of last week. This, notwithstanding
"Toll The Bell"—those in the
town and the outlying districts the fact that Harold Wendell, general manager of Lipman
would get their old bone horn W olfe Company is the president of the Commuity Chest
from out of its socket and sound an organization which controls the funds of the Urban
the alarm; this would be repeat League and other social agencies. To the public the people
ed from house to house, farm to connected with social agencies are supposed to be far above
farm, village to village until the
any kind of racial discrimination. In fact these are the
news had spread far and near
to come to town — because of people who are supposed to be fighting segregation in
some urgent matters needed at any form. Yet when Mr. Wendell was contacted by a
tention—they were summoned representative of the PORTLAND INQUIRER and asked
by the "Tolling Of The BelL" what he had to say on the matter his answer was that
In another column of this he refused to make a statement other than that they had
paper appears an article that one
CIVIC CENTER AREA— Designating the site for Portland's of the most fashionable and up never discussed policy in reference to serving Negroes in
proposed Civic Center on a map of downtown Portland is to date Department stores had their tea room. Asked what his personal feelings were in
Ellen Wood. The seleceted area is in a rundown section of refused fo permit a decent and regards to the matter, he refused to make a statement.
| The incident occurred last Fri-
the business district. Passage of the bill will provide a respectful colored girl, a college
day when four Federal Govern
on the tax rolls and create jobs in the postwar reconvers graduate, and three of her col
ment employees, three of them
lege associates and sorority white
ion period.
white girls and the fourth a col
sisters, to dine in the Tea Room
ored girl decided to have lunch
of their establishment, soley be
eon together to celebrate having
cause the colored girl was pres
worked together for a period
ent; that the management put
of time. One of the girls ma.de
its stamp of approval upon same.
Answers
to
campaign
inaccur-
the arrangements for the lunch-
It is now time for us to "Toll
a
ab.OUL.
the
#
pronooed
PeiL-—Now
WITH THE 104TH TIMBER- ogne,” he added—and the Negro
Center amendment, to be vdted room of the Lipman Wolfe store.
an Ace coZ Ace»T and
WOLF DIVISION IN GERMANY troops remembered the tough,
upon at the special election Fri Upon arrival at the Tea Room,
"Spade a Spade".
/
—In a ceremony deep within realistic training they had re
I am reminded of the utter day, are being made by the the girls were informed that
conquered Germany, ten Negro ceived at the Timberwolf Rein
ance in the Bible—viz "It's the Portland Area Postwar Develop they were too late for service.
doughboys of the 104th Timber- forcement Training Center, the
voice of Jacob, but the hands ment committee, a group of civic- The intended lunchers informed
wolf division this month receiv famed 104th camp where soldiers
minded Portlanders who have the Lipman Wolfe employee that
of Esau".
ed the praises of five generals new to the front received combat
Just to think — the General been working on long-range de they were early for their appoint
and awards they had won in tips from battle-wise veterans.
velopments for Portland’s future ed time and asked what is the
The troops were proud them Mgr. of the Lipman Wolfe Co. since 1943.
combat while fighting alongside
real reason for refusing service.
their white comrades against the selves when Brigadier General is Mr. Harold Wendell! Who is
The
statements
from
the
Post
They were informed that the
enemy. They were former rear- Charles Trueman Lanham, the Mr. Wendell? He is Président war Development committee are three white girls could eat but
commander of the Community Chest! Also issued in answer to exgagger- that the colored girl could not.
echelon
Quartermaster
Corps assistant division
President of Council of Social
soldiers who had asked for a and a general who spent much
ated charges brought against the Of course all four left together.
chance at front-line infantry of his time up front, told them: Agencies. Yet he condones seg Center plan by a recently-form They were finally served in the
fighting. Now they were receiv “I have never seen any soldiers regation—he refuses to make a ed political group calling itself Meier and Frank Restaurant.
ing the Silver Star and Bronze who have performed better in statement through the columns the “Portland Civic Efficiency
The young lady in question is
of our paper.
He refuses to
Star medals they had won in combat than you.”
committee,”
composed
mainly
of
a
member of the newly formed
condemn the policy of discrim
Record Spoke for Self
that fighting.
property owners in the area chapter of the Sigma Delta Theta
Their record spoke for itself. ination.
“You have been given a
Sorority, a graduate of an ac
As we passed the Lipman Wolf where the Center is to go.
chance, and you have won the They had taken many a town
The
Postwar
development
com
credited
University and holds a
respect and friendship of your during the Timberwolf Division’s & Co. establishment and witnes mittee feels the public should very good federal position. She
comrades,”
Brigadier
General lightening thrust past the Rhine. sed the patriotic exhibition in have the correct information be is every inch a lady and was
Benjamin O. Davis told the men, One of their men had been rec the windows we were filled with fore going to the polls on Friday of course the mental and social
as giant transport planes circled ommended for the Distinguished admiration of their love for God, to vote on the only city measure superior of the waitress by whom
Service Cross, a decoration rank Country and Humanity.
overhead.
For the past two years and on the ballot. Formerly, it con she was insulted.
Their own commanding gener ing only behind the Medal of
Lipman Wolfe Co. enjoys a
more the large number of our ducted a purely educational cam-
al, Major General Terry Allen of Honor.
large
Negro trade in all depart
who have made Portland! PaiSn in its support of the Cen-
the fighting Timberwolfs, pinned
They smiled when the General 9rOUP
! tor
ments
of its large store.
No
told of the first Negro soldier their home, have been generous, : As an example of this “Civic Negro should ever be seen again
the medals on their uniforms.
“We’re all proud of you,” Gen he had seen in combat—a youth yes liberal, in their patronage of Efficiency committee’s” propa- spending one cent in this Jim
eral Allen told them. “You’re a who had insisted on wiping out this establishment and they have
been the recipient of thousands ^ n d a, the permanent Postwar Crow establishment. From now
better bunch of soldiers than an enemy sniper’s post although
Development committee points to until their purpose is accomp-
the men I saw when you first they remembered how nervous of thousands of dollars from us; a charge that the latter arranged lished, the colored people of the
joined the division back at Col- they had been when the first Black men and women—during “delays to keep ballots from be state of Oregon should demand
machine gun bullets went over the peak of the shipyard boom ing mailed to our service men.” the removal of Harry Wendell
their heads, and how their hat —nothing was too good for us—
The Postwar Develooment com from any association with the
red or the Nazis had overcome every courtesy was extended and mittee points out that ballots Council of Social Agencies. The
Like Esau of Biblical
that ‘stage fright” which inevit shown.
Q Q* ► O
fame"
they
desired "A Mess of were printed and would have PORTLAND INQUIRER will be
ably tornes to all fighting men.
«*■ — « t ?
Pottage" and would use any been mailed had not a property in the vanguard of any move to
They
applauded
enthusiastically
owner in the proposed Center help move these people who
M
•
o» p *t
when General Lanham thunder subtifuge to obtain it; now hav area brought suit to prevent the are attempting to endorse the
•• P
ed: “I want you with us when ing "waxed Fat", like the "W olf" city from placing the amendment practices of the deep south, dis
in the Story of "Little Red Rid
we go after those Japanese.”
ing Hood", they show their fangs on the ballot. By the time the crimination and segrgation here
H* ir*
Also
present
at
the
ceremony
decision was handed down on in Portland. Incidentally, MR.
■ H*
were Brigadier General Richard —when their true colors are dis May 26, when the city won its Harold WENDELL IS NOT A
o m vt
C. Partridge, chief of staff of covered.
tr mm
Yes, we see the display in case, it was too late to send NEWCOMER.
the Seventh Corps, and Briga
• **
the service ballots.
dier General William Woodward, the window" Mr. Wendell! "It's
This grqpp of property owners Paid Hospital Workers Needed
104th Division artillery com the voice of Jacob, but the hands are saying the plan would be a
o
Red Cross needs three thou
OH
mander.
Colonel Bartholomew of Esau". You received "Your “White Elephant,” that the pub
sand
additional paid workers,
P H
R. DeGraff, chief of staff of Mess of Pottage"—our business lic market building is an examp
04 H*
trained
and untrained, for Army
• «
the Timberwolves, read the ci- —our money—our praise; Why? le of what will happen if the
and Navy hospitals. Call your
4 •
Because we thought you were
Red Cross chapter.
(Continued
on
page
4)
(Continued on page 2)
(Continued on page 4)
Ten Negro Doughboys Decorated
With 104th Division
Opposition To
Civic Center Is
Not Constructive