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About Portland inquirer. (Portland, Or.) 1944-194? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1945)
■ Friday. December 7, 1945 PORTLAND INQUIRER Bar Association President Calls for FEPC Law to Protect Negro Worker CLEVELAND _ (AN P) — The necessity of immediate enactment of a federal FEPC law to protect the rights o f Negro workers was pointed out here Thursday by Attorney Charles W. Anderson, president of the National Bar as sociation, during the opening ses sion o f the lawyers’ three-day convention. Picturing the plight of Negro civilian workers along with that of returning Negro veterans, A t torney Anderson, a member o f K entucky’s state legislature and the south’s only Negro state law maker, urged lawyers to fight for the enactment of a federal fair employment practice com mission law. “ It w ill be hard enough on Ne gro workers during the recon version crisis to hold their own against the general job threats which affect all workers,” he said, “yet they face the added burden of race preudice that de prives them of equal opportunity for jobs and advancement on the basis of ability, w hich is their democratic right. To protect that right, we need now more than ever a permanent FPEC, and this association should vigorously join in the fight to bring about such permanent legislation.” His review of problems that face Negroes in the postwar period began V-J day, which was LABOR VIEW Editor Celebrates 80th Birthday ■ the signal for national rejoicing as well as the occasion for real istic “ stock-taking of plans for re conversion, postwar planning and for coping with interracial ten sions." He said that “ failure to act on effective reconversion of governmental agencies, lack of legislation aimed at providing se curity, an orderly plan for recon version and the resulting last- minute scuffle for action at the natinonal level found Am erica as unprepared for peace as it was for war.” Negro veterans face racial dis crimination handicaps in apply ing for government aid under the GI bill of rights, he said. He pointed to the evil of state rights and asked “W ill the county agent and the local community in the south be more interested in a square deal for the returning veteran than they have been in the past for Negro citiens?” Returning veterans w ill not be satisfied “with the old American theory of white man’s jobs and black man’s jobs,” he declared, “but they w ill be concerned about an equal day’s pay for an equal amount of work, irrespective of color.” He urged the lawyers to back the 60,000,000 job program. “ Our primary goal must be full protection and full em ploym ent,” he said. By Georg« F. McCray for ANP RACE RELATIONS ENDANGERED BY FAILURE OF LABOR MANAGEMENT PEACE CONFERENCE In the wake o the failure of the Washington Labor-Management Peace conference, a sharp increase in anti-Negro feeling and widespread labor strife can be expected. Í Management representatives seem to be so deeply embittered over the failur of labor to accept their proposals that they are joining in a congressional demand that unions, whose members strike in violation of union con tracts, be deprived of their bargaining rights and that management be given the right to petition for elections to determine bargaining agents each time a contract expires. If the coalition o f Republicans and Southern Democrats force those two union-busting pro posals into law the Negro worker is certain to become the victim of a bitter labor man agement struggle. Long experience has taught employers that the best way to destroy the effect.'veness of a union is to undermine the Posl-Office Gels New Foreman ■ » ¿ i JOIN THE INQUIRER POPULARITY CONTEST Vii WENDELL PHILLIPS DABNEY w ^ A Ü N T ÍT C L L A ^5 « I IF man can be convinced that some objects are fixed and stuck fast only because he hasn’t the strength to move them, why can t he realize that it's only his lack of understanding that makes truth ob scure? The answer—or a reasonable facsimilie thereof—involves the slippery fact that no thing exists to any individual who is unaware of, or incapable of imagining, its being. That’s why television is as meaningless to an African pigmy as dandruff remover is to a billiard ball. And, too, that’s why many well-intentioned bluenoses don’t know yet that Prohibition was a failure. But Aunt Stella is not thus to be classed as Ostrich-blind average. In spite of the fact that she always has known What’s What and Who’s Who, she doesn’t realize her own strength and still is as receptive to the truth as a politician is to persuasion. Moreover, she isn’t stingy with her knowledge. Anybody— who wants to know how come or ’cause why and can be convinced without a slap in the puss— can ask her anything. Her answers, when printable, appear here as a regular feature. Editor. Dear Aunt Stella: His Pop’s a big shot on the Military Affairs Committe, but I can talk to the rookie till I’m blue in the face and still he doesn’t know from nothing! What would you say about that? Sargeant X. Sarg.: I’d say that, to a pamp ered jack-ass, one crack means as much as a detailed statement. Aunt (Confucius) Stella. » * * Dear Aunt Stella: I get along all right in the day time but, at night, I’m very lonesome. Should I hunt me up a wife? Holeproof Sox. Holeproof Sox: Yes— and why procede with caution ? In matri mony, if you hit the jack-pot, you will become as happy as a striking Fifth Columnist in an industrial riot; if you draw the kiss of death, you will become a philosopher— and that’s always good medicine for any sap. Aunt (Socrates) Stel la. • * * Dear Aunt Stella: If diplomas are passed out only after they know their stuff, why is it that doctors are spoken of as “ prac ticing” ? Beat Up. Beat Up: Because, in some in stances, their knowledge is of a no more use than a slow leak in a worn-out tire. Aunt (Fingers Crossed) Stella. • • • Dear Aunt Stella: If our civili zation is based on culture and its appreciation, why is it that so many of our celebrated artists, musicians and authors have lived and died in poverty? Unappre ciated Genius. Unappreciated Genius: Because the true genius believes that the negro tramp knew his onions when he said “ Money, mebbe, ’s all right, Boss, but yo’ sho’ c’n waste a powerful lot o’ time in glttin’ it!” Aunt (Treasure In Heaven) Stella. * • • Dear Aunt Stella: I’ve worked out a system for beating the ponies. Where can I borrow the money to back it? Sure Thing Gambler. Sure Thing Gambler: You’ll have to use mind-money: bankers believe that no horse can go as fast as the stuff bet on him. Aunt (Pitch Fork) Stella. • • • Dear Aunt Stella: The guys in my company are awfully supersti tious. Is it true that a black cat is bad luck ? Private Simp. Private Simp: It all depends up on whether you’re a man or a mouse. Aunt (Angora Stella. * * * Dear Aunt Stella: He’s nothing to write home about but really is in the dough. How can I make myself more charming? Nite-spot Hostess. Nite-spot Hostess: Any woman can make herself more charming by convincing the guy that he can fall into her arms without falling into her hands. Aunt (Ulterior Motive) Stella. * * * Dear Aunt Stella: A guy wants to sell me his car, next month, when I get a first class private’s pay. Do you think I ought to buy it? Speed Demon. Speed Demon: Why not? Next to picking up safety-razor blades with boxing gloves on, the easiest thing a soldier can do is to make easy payments. Aunt (Kin Hub bard) Stella. * » • Pear Aunt Stella: I understand that dancing is good exercise. Is it true that every muscle is brought into play? Slightly Plump. Slightly Plump: If it is, watch out for the bouncer. Aunt (Nix) Stella. • * * Dear Aunt Stella: Father says that it’s ‘dog eat dog’ and the trouble with me is that I’m soft and dream too much. Can't a guy get ahead in this world without being a hard-boiled egg? Too Lit tle Mustard. Too Little Mustard: Hitler didn’t think so— but thousands have done it. Whatever else you do, don't part with your illusions, because— when they’re gone— the jig is up. After that, you might be either a nuisance or a menace, but other wise you will have ceased to live. Aunt (Can’t Take It With You) Stella. * * * Dear Aunt Stella: Her Old Man told me that he’d give his consent when I have proved myself worthy. What constitutes a good test of a go-getter’s character? Junior En deavor. Junior Endeavor: His steady progress in getting ahead without acquiring one in the doing. Aunt (Neat But Not Gaudy) Stella. No, Wimpy, a monologue is not a conversation between husband and wife. TRAVERS and BLAGG CLIPPER SERVICE STATION General Overhauling by Expert Mechanic W e Specialize in . . . BRAKE SERVICE . .. WASHING . . . POLISHING LUBRICATION . . . WAXING WE In his newspaper office where he edits and publishes the famed Cincinnati Union, Wendell Phillips Dabney relaxes with his quitar on his 80th birthday, which he recently celebrated. He also has his choice of piano or banjo, shown in the picture, plus his typewriter when he feels like turning out the verses or droll stories for which he is famous. On the wall are pictures of hundreds of distinguished friends. — ANP Photo Negro GI Wins DSC For Heroism SN€ KNOWS IVERYTHlklû/ I ALL RIOHTS RE SERVEO R.E P1TZ-C1IBBON NEVER CLOSE — 24 HOUR SERVICE — For Service Calls Phone TRinity 1446 Now Open Under New Management 2707 N. VANCOUVER AVE. The conference is not officially dead yet, but even Mr. Truman, despite his earlier high hopes, seems to wish it would quietly depart from the Washington scene. To date the conference has done far more harm to labor management relations than it has done good. In short it has backfired and instead of peaceful cooperation and adjustment of d if ferences the country is treated with the spec tacle of organized management and organized labor making sweeping public condemnations of each other. NIGHTLIFE IN NEW YORK By Alvin Moses DAWN PATROL HIGHWAY BURNS BRIGHTLY NEW YORK, (ANP)—Th eproposed 2 a. m. curfew closing by Commissioner Wallander had most of the 52nd street and Broadway nitelife operators in a jittery state for a brief spell. Their thoughts carried back to the blue law days of the late war when Byrnes clamped down on nitelife activities causing many to lose sizeable fortunes. Harlem, that city within a city housing ¿more than a half million persons was relieved no end whtn the cur few edict was hurriedly rescinded by the city fathers and the newly elected police commissioner. Despite the fact that squads of flying wedge patrolmen question folk leisurely strolling the streets after 2 a. m.— funmakers have nothing to worry about and the lights continue to glow brightly in bars, tavern-grills and straight cabarets. At JOE WELLS we are quickly surrounded by five boys and two lovely chicks members of the popular Strivers Row club, an organization composed of released soldiers, Wacs and nurses. They heard about that chicken and waf fles deal host Wells sets on the table and were out to put it to the acid test. Gloria Spencer, Roberta Williams, Ches ter Young, Virgil Floyd, Artie Quarrels, Thomas Quintana and Lester Sparks were the gay blades doing the town last Thursday night. As usual, the kids had a thousand questions to pop at us. They wanted to know the real lowdown on the political mixup involving . . . charming WILHELMINA ADAMS, Tammany co-leader of the 14th district, and JOE PINCK NEY, Jr., son of the Tammany leader of the 11th, in con nection with the fraudulent obtaining of more than 1,000 signatures on nominating petitions for the American Vet eran party in the late city elections . . . One asked me, “ Is it true that boxer RAY ROBINSON purchased the building on West 125th street which houses Herber’s so- called home of white diamonds? “ Who was the popular minister (turned racketeer) who shortly planned opening two, (not one) package liquor stores, and when would his stupid congregation tell him to be one thing or the other . . . Didn’t JOE LOUIS, own the deed to the lot situated in 125th St., between Lennox and Fifth avenues, and was that the spot where he would open his proposed restaurant with MICHAEL STRAUSS JACOBS, boxing promoter and manager, pouring his cash into the deal? It so happened that I know the answers to the questions, for the lads and lassies seemed entirely satisfied with my deductions. It’s getting so that a journalist has to be a walking encyclopedia of correct answers 10 minutes after a news story breaks. One of the nicest affairs of the swiftly passing 1945 social season was the initial dance of MARION’S CLUB at Small’s Paradise recently. The souvenir program was not only decorative (club president’s photo thereon) but well set up from an advertising angle . . Wishing Marion ; and her associates best wishes were many popular estab lishments. MURRAIN S where Art Parrish is head man, plans to install a center bar fountain the like of which this neigh- I borhood has never dreamed about. The stream of water will be similar to the color tones of the rainbow, playing up and down in endless flow. In the dead center of this water spray will be the figure of a beautiful woman smiling right at you thru a brilliantly colored Niagra Falls. Yes, you can leave it to Arthur Parrish and company to think up swell ideas . . . again we say that red-haired JOHNNY BURNS will be in the driver’s seat when JOHNNY BAR- RONE opens up and not George Turner, 116th street play- | boy. PHILADELPHIA— (AN P)— The Philadelphia post-office got its fifth Negro foreman last week when Douglas H. Ragin, a veteran postal employe, was appointed foreman over the city secondary mail section. Ragin, a native of Fort Valley, Ga., and a graduate of Atlanta university, has been in the postal service for 23 years. For 18 years prior to his promotion into the general post-office he was a w indow clerk at Station “ D ” , the only post-office in Philadelphia with a Negro supervisor. Ragin is married and has two daughters and a sen. The son is at present stationed in Manila with the army. Ragin’s appointment as a fore man makes the fourth Negro to be made a foreman in the Phila delphia General Post office in the last tw o years. The fifth fore man in the city is a carrier fore man working out of Station “D” . As a means of frightening w hite workers and undermining their confidence in a union, employers and their foremen have frequently exploited the race issue. The dorm an anti- Negro fears and smoldering prejudices of white workers are aroused even when Negroes are not of the em ployer’s payroll. Unions, particularly CIO unions, are accused in w his pering campaigns, of cheming to giye “ white men’s” jobs to “niggers” or to bring “niggers” into the plant. Repusive as this sort o f prop aganda is, it has been very effective with white men and particularly effective with white women. Faced with this sort of attack a few unions have fought it successfully, but others sim ply try to dodge the issue or have the word passed around that “ the niggers aren’t going anywhere." Whatever the outcome o f these struggles between management and labor, this exploitation of the race issue always leaves the Negro behind the eight ball. Fears aroused in white workers remain to plague Negroes for years, long after management and unions have settled their differences. As for the other proposal, only an idiot would beileve that unions facing the possi bility of annual bargaining elections, w ould become more peaceful. They would carry on. unceasing campaigns, exaggerate every griev ance to win such elections. ARE THERE SERVICE SUCH ANIMALS EDITOR'S NOTE: This newspaper, through special arrangement with the Washington Rureuu of Western News * paper Union at ¡616 Eye Street, N. W Washington, D. C., is able to bring readers this weekly column on prob lems of the veteran and serviceman and his family. Questions may be ad dressed to the above Bureau and they will be answered in a subsequent col umn. No replies can be made direct by mail, but only in the column which will appear in this newspaper regularly. New Veteran*' Hospitals Enlargement of the facilities of the Veterans’ administration for more adequate care of returning KUNZELSAU, Germany — A disabled war veterans is getting un fighting infantryman from A l der way with the announcement re bany, Georgia, one of 2,600 Negro cently that locations had been ap GIs who volunteered last spring proved for 19 new veterans' adminis tration hospitals and additions to 15 to fight alongside their w h i t e existing hospitals to provide a total comrades in seven infantry di of 15,276 new beds for Veterans’ ad visions on the Western Front, has ministration patients. been awarded the Distinguished These beds are a part of the 29,100 Service Cross, the War Depart bed program approved by President ment reported today. Truman on August 4, and funds for Awarded for “ extraordinary he on and launched tw o rockets at the construction program are to be roism ' in connection with military the enemy, preventing them from requested for the current (1946) fis operations against the enem y dttr manning the tank. cal year. The new hospitals are to ing action near Harvegrode, G er “This gallant soldier then pick be located at or near: New Haven, Conn., Albany, N. Y., many,” the decoration was pin' ed up one o f the rocket-launching Buffalo, N Newark, N. J., Balti ned on the chest o f Private First team w ho was seriously wounded more, Md., Washington, D. C., Class Jack Thomas during cere and with utter disregard for the Gainesville, Fla.. Clarksburg, W. monies held on October 19 at Kun- intense small arm and automatic Va., Louisville, Ky., Decatur, 111., zelsau, Germany. weapon fire, carried his comrade Duluth, Minn., Southern Minnesota, The Georgia doughboy was a to safety. Private Fir^t Class Iowa City, Iowa, Omaha, Neb., New fighter in Company E of the fam Thomas' heroic leadership and i Orleans, La.. El Paso, Texas, Okla ous 60th (“G o-D evil” ) Infantry j unflinching devotion to duty are homa City, Okla., Phoenix, Ariz., and Cincinnati, Ohio. Regiment which fought with the in keeping with the finest tra In the meantime, Gen. Omar N. Ninth Infantry Division of Gen dition of the military service." Bradley, Veterans’ administrator, eral Hodges’ famed U. S. First The young hero, who joined the has announced appointment of Dr. Army. Arm y whne he was 18, is an or Paul B. Magnuson, associate pro Following is the official cita phan w ho lives w ith his grand fessor of sc.gery at Northwestern tion from Headquarters, U. S. mother, Mrs. Betty Quiggs in East university, to be head of the re search and post-graduate training Third Army, to which the Ninth Albany. program in the veterans’ hospitals Division was subsequently as Tw o other living Negro vet throughout the country. Dr. Mag signed: erans wear the Distinguished nuson is considered one of the coun “Private First Class Jack Thom Service Cross: Captain Charles L. try’s outstanding surgeons and or as courageously lead his squad on Thomas, Detroit, Michigan, who thopedic specialists. a mission to knock out an enemy won the award for leading his Q u estion s and A n sw ers tank, providing heavy calibre sup platoon of Tank Destroyers in a Q. 1 was inducted In the army port for a hostile road back. breakthrough of the Siegfried and served seven months when “Skillfully directing the deploy Line last December, and First I was discharged on account of ment in firing o f his squad, he Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker, rifle age. Four of us asked officers advanced upon the enemy posi platoon leader in the 92nd In if they wished we would get oet tion and hurled tw o hand gre fantry ( “Buffalo” ) Division. and they answered, yes. So we went to an employment office In nades wounding several hostile Private George Watson, Birm Tacoma and received a slip say soldiers. When tw o o f his men ingham, Alabama, first Negro to ing we were more vital to the manning a rocket launcher were win the award in W orld War II, war industry than in the army wounded, he picked up the weap- received it posthumously in 1943. and on those grounds they gave us a discharge. Now they tell us we arr not entitled to mus- terlng-out pay. At that time we knew nothing about mustcring- out pay. Also am I entitled to a serviceman’s loan.—C. H., ilammond ave., Superior, Wls. A Probably you are not entitled to mustering-out pay. It may be that you were discharged before mustering-out pay was adopted, and f tf not, you were discharged for your own convenience to take a Job in war industry, and without overseas service, are not entitled to mus- tering-out pay. You are entitled to benefits of the O.I. bill, however. Q. My husband Joined the ma Here are the farts. Over rine corps In June, 1942. He 300,000 wounded need our spent 18 months overseas, re ceived 2 bronze stars and the help. Fighting men over presidential unit citation, hut seas must be brought home. because his record book was late In arriving at the Islands, Families of men lost must he has not been credited with the bronze stars. How ran this he cared for. We owe it to error be corrected? He has Just them all to go all out in been sent back to thr Pacific with 57 points. I have been told A m erica’ s Great V ictory all marines with 40 points would Loan. For their good, buy not be sent over again. He should be credited with 12 or 77 extra Victory Bonds now. points. How can this be cor Let’s be sure that American rected?—Mrs. L. L., Carpenter st„ Northville, Mich. iVe Üb« boys and girls get the very m»’ . too A. Any superior officer who knows r r your *'”’- „ pp»rt«"'l\-„a best care in the world. „I th»V°L’ Boo ^ ’ o0 your husband's record could cor \iC tor? e s t r i rect his record insofar as the bronze stars are concerned, the marine corps says. It Is true that It is the ban At i«««:* ocie«- policy of the marine corps not to re- the? »e em<erf* ship men with 40 points overseas. rat'» in It is also true that your husband has more than enough points to make him eligible for discharge. The i la- rlne corps, however, says there are many reasons why he may have been shipped back for duty Here’s why EVERYONE . must back A m er ica s G reat V ictory L oan ! j confidence which workers have in the organi zation. This can be done by refusing to settle grievances and to bargain collectively and by instilling the fear in workers that the unions policies w ill harm their interests. FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY V COLUMBIA, S. C.__ (A N P )___ John H. McCray, editor o f the Lighthouse and Informer, is try ing to figure out an answer to a question dumped nito his lap this week. Tuesday the mailman delivered a letter from Mrs. A n drew W. Simkins, prominent social a n d civil leader here, w hich said: 'In one of our local daily pa pers Monday, I saw, as I often have seen before, that ‘a respect ed Negro had died. It occurred to me again as it has scores o f times during the last q u a r t e r century when I have read the daily papers regularly, that I have never seen where a ‘respected white person died.’ "A re there any such animals? If so, do they live forever? As an outstanding f i g u r e in the American press, you should know, or you should be able to find out. I await this long sought for in formation.” M cCray said he didn’t have the information sought and didn’t know where to find it. Virginia Gets First Cops NORFOLK, Va.— (A N P)— T h e first Negro police o f regular rank in Virginia were sworn in here last week by City Manager Chas. B. Borland, director o f p u b l i c safety. The tw o men, Horace C. Case, 30, and Thomas D. Weaver, 27, are both honorably discharg ed servicem en from the United States army. The tw o men are not only the first Negro men o f this city to receive regular assignment on the police force of the city, but they are the first Negro police in the r.tate o f Virginia in regular rank. Two other applicants have been certified for examination, but one, Lewis Williams, has not been re leased from military service. The other, John E. Burrell, has not taken the physical examination for the appointment. Agitation and campaigning have been going on for some time in Richmond, Petersburg and other Virginia cities for Negro police, but little progress has been made. N egro leaders, how ever, are expecting favorable ac tion sooner or later in other ci ties, especially in Richmond, where Negroes are more civic conscious. Rabbi Hits at Quota System CH ICAG O — (AN P) — Colleges and other institutions o f higher learning w ere criticized here last week for setting up quota systems for minority ¿roups by Dr. Louis Binstock, rabbi of Temple Shel- em. There should be a fair educa tion practice committee, similar to the fair em ploym ent practices committee, he suggested to his congregation as a remedy to “the undemocratic attitude of many of our so-called ‘n 'ce people’.” “ Some of our local colleges fre quently deny that they have quotas“ ” he continued, "but the evidence is still present despite their excuse.” He named the University of Chicago and Northwestern uni versity as schools that have min ority-group quotas but hailed the new Roosevelt college for it’s open educational policy. Dr. Bin- stock did not advocate the estab lishment o f separate colleges for Jewish students. H