The broad ax., 1917-08-11

Special to The Broad AK by w. P.
Bayless.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Friday morning, Au,
gust 10.-The monster massmeeting
held Sunday, the 5th, at the Lyceum
Theatre, marked the entry of Pitts
burg into the countrywide movement
to send delegates to Washington, D. C.
to petition Congress for legislation
against the present outrages that are
being committed against the Negro
throughout the United States.
A committee of seventeen men with
DR.. Clarence Webster as chairman,
Richard Jones as vice chairman, j. B.
Scott as secretary and William Shorter
as treasurer, led over one thousand
people to the Lyceum Theatre where
for two hours plain talk was INDUCED
in by the leading speakers of Pitts
burg, who urged that there be no reso-
lutions of any kind, but that delegates
be named from the floor and elected
| by the house and sent to Washington,
D. c. along with the other delegates
from other cities all over the country.
The idea took hold of the meeting and
the people responded with 1890 to
dsfray the expenses of the theatre,
band, printing bill, and the expenses
of six delegates to Washington.
The meeting was presided over by
DR.. Clarence Webster who acted as
chairman, and introduced the speakers
with a neat speech explaining the pur-
pose of the meeting. He said in part:
"There will be nothing said at this
meeting this afternoon that will place
us in bad light before the well-think-
ing public. We know our loyalty to
our flag, we know our duty as citizens,
but We must condemn murder, and es-
pecially murder of members of our un-
fortunate race, which has as much
right to life, liberty and pursuit of
happiness as any other race of peo-
pie. We must condemn the officials
who were responsible for the gigantic
crime in East st. Louis. He then in
troduced the following speakers: At
torney R. L. Vann, Mr.. Brown, Rev. G.
B. Howard, Attorney F. R. Steward,
and DR.. C. Y. Trigg. At the conclu-
sion of the remarks by these gentlemen
the meeting was turned over to Rev.
C. Y. Trigg who conducted the election
of delegates to 60 to Congress. The
following named persons were named |
and elected: DR.. C.. Y. Trigg, Attorney
R. l.. Vann, Rev. G. B. Howard, Attor-
ney F. R. Steward, S. R. Nrosell of the
Y. M. c. A. and Mr.. C. Webster repre-
sentative of Ebenezer Baptist church.
The following financial committee was
named to complete financial arrange
nents for expenses of delegates above
named: John T. Writ, A. W. Fitz-
gerald, DR.. W. H. Christian, A. NJ. Pat
,erson, and r. W. Williams. The dele
gates expressed themselves as being
willing to go to Washington at the low
est possible expense. and they will ar
,ange for their own lodging place |
while in the Capitol.
A telegram was sent to DR.. W. B. Du-
Bots of the Crisis asking him to wire |
date the New York delegation will |
leave for Washington, so that the dele
gates from all over the country will |
meet in Washington at the same time
The meeting was one of the most |
race meetings ever held in
The city of Pittsburgh, and evidenced |
more unity of purpose on the part of |
the Negro than has ever been seen here
in any one particular movement. The
meeting was hurriedly called, but the
inquiries from all over the city indi-
late that every body is ready to do
his share in this particular crisis. Mr..
John T. Writ of 1925 susquehanna
st. is the official treasurer. Any one
desiring to contribute toward the ex-
pense Of the delegates will notify Mr..
WRIT.