Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-12-28
SATURDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1918.
DRAWING THE COLOR LINE IN
DENVER, COLORADO.
Attempts Arc BONG Mado to Draw
Color Limo Mt Union Station and
Rcd Cross Hospital.

-
prominent colorcd men, an inspector
Of the city and active Mason was re-
fused admission On account of his
color by Mr.. f. J. Chamberlain
chairman of the Denver Chapter
American Red Cross conducting the
Emergency Hospital at FL Jebel
Temple, a recluso Of tho High Branch
of tho Masons.
The first announcement Of diScrim.
nation by this great humanitarian
organization of mercy was unbeliev-
able. 1t was not until q committee
Of Dcnver's leading clergymen and
ono Of our most prominent physicians
were told by Mr.. Chamberlain that
the colored man could not enter the
institution that we believed the re-
port.
To tho committee, Mr.. Chamber
lain assumed the responsibility for
the discrimination and expressed sur
prise that the colored people should
come to him, knowing that white
people did not want to be in such
places with them.
The committee called Mr.. Cham
berlains attention to the fact that
there were several colorod auXiliaries
TO the Denver Red Cross Chapter
besides hundreds Of our cOlOrcd citi-
Zens contributing their money, time,
etc. to 1t.
All Of this was OF no avail Not
until Rev. ID. T.. Over, who was tho
spokesman for the committee, threat
ened to go to the public press with
tho matter and the ministers threat
cned to preach it from their pulpits,
did Mr.. Chamberlain agree to recon-
slider his decision.
While the committee was present
he called up the Womcn's Emergency
Hospital and found that there was
no objection to color there. Then
later he held Il conference with tho
doctors and nurses and found that
there was no objection at lei Jcbcl.
rhc representative of the Denver
Star, sat in the audience, ut tho
Union Thanksgiving service, and
heard the appeal made for colorcd
men to act as orderlies in the Elmer
gcncy Hospital. It was explained
that their duties would be to carry
the victims Of the "Flu" into the
hospital. But Friday n colored man
was tho victim and he was refused
admission.
Think of having to hold Il confer
cnce to decide whether or not n
humane act should be extended to a
suffering influenza victim because of
his color! Think of this merciful
chairman Of this great organization
having to call n conference OF the
doctors and nurses to decide whether
or not, Negroes should be permitted
to participate in the coming NOM
borship drive to raise thousands OF
dolars
Again think with me OF the thous-
anus of Negro homes in Denver IN
whose windows are placed the bright
red cross sign, the emblem OF the
Mother OF the world! Now conceive
of this beautiful emblem OF Mercy,
proudly hanging in thousands Of our
homes changed through petty, per-
sonal bias and prejudice to a black
cross of race and color discrimina-
ton.
If Mr.. T.. j. Chamberlain persists
in dragging his personal prejudice
into that lofty Office Of chairman of
the Denver Chapter, Of the great
American Red Cross, the Star thinks,
in fact, knows, that he is not the
proper person for such a big position
and should resign because of his
smallness 1t is only a case Of a
big job and little man.
Secretary Dunleavy was over anx-
ious to let the committee and all
Denver know he, too, was color pre-
judiced and the Star will publish his
nasty private prejudice.
DRAWING COLOR LINE IN THE
TELEPHONE BOOTHS.
For sometime past, tho telephone
girls at the Union Station have had
the practice Of putting all Negro
patrons Of the Telephone Exchange
in booth "number four" and when
the color discrimination became so
irritating and noticeable, inquiry
was made by the colored people why
this nasty and narrow prejudice was
being shown and tho girls replied,
'"that tho orders came from head
quarters and that they were simply
obcying the rules
The Star took the matter up with
Mr.. Hospe, operating manager Of the
company, who said he knew of the
practice but did not know "who"
gave the order, but for me to see
Mr.. Holmes, chief clerk or Mr.. Brae-
don, district manager, who possibly
could inform me Of the source of tho
order. We called Mr.. Braedon sew
eral times and left our phone number
while he was in the telephone build
ing, yet The Star could not get in
touch with him.
However his chief clerk, Mr.
Holmes volunteered this information
that while he did not know who
gave the order, he did not believe
that the telephone company gave
the order, as he understood that such
an order was given verbally by q
Mr.. Heating, the general manager Of
the Union Terminals at the station
and that the telephone company was
not the person for us to see, as the
booths were put into the depot and
were subject to the instructions and
rules OF Mr.. Heating.
We then called Mr.. Heating and
told him Of the color line caste and
what Mr.. Holmes said and believed,
and Mr.. Heating became very much
angered and said he "knew nothing
of the matter; never heard Of it