The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1918-03-29
CYANAMID PLANT
HAS THEATRE
HANDSOME PLACE OF AMUSE-
MENT FOR NEGROES-ROBT. E.
CLAY DELIVERS PRINCIPAL
ADDRESS AT OPENING.

opened yesterday at the Government
| Cyanamid Plant at Muscle Shoals, |
Alabama, as part of the plan of the /
management of the plant to furnish !
its employees with the proper facili- |
ties for wholesome amusement. Mo-
ton pictures will be shown at the
theatre exclusively-the opening bill |
presenting Douglas Fairbanks in in |
Again, Out Again" an Aircraft pic
ture, and appropriate shorter films
showing the current events of the
week, travel pictures and comedy
cartoon.
1 The Theatre is a one story struc
ture, and occupies space of ap-
proximately rs by 200 feet. 1t has
a seating capacity of over 1900, and
the newest Paramount and Aircraft
Pictures will be shown there. V. K.
Brown, Director OF Community Re-
lCtions at the Government Cyanamid
Plant, has general supervision of the
theatre.
Robert E. Clay, prominent Negro
Orator of Bristol, Tennessee, was the
speaker of the day, and delivered
stirring address to the crowd that
had assembled to witness the dedica
ton of the theatre. He praised the
efforts of the management of the
Government Cyanamid Plant to make
the conditions surrounding the work
men there as pleasant as possible, and
told his auditors that they were
rendering as important and patriotic
a service to the country in their work
TrpnnS Uhn hqun
died in the defense of their country
He pointed out the opportunity that
was offered the Negroes working at
the plant for self-improvement, the
high wages they receive, the fine
living quarters, and the opportunities
for healthful, normal recreation. He
l exhorted them TO remain there, and
save their money, and become useful,
] respectable members of their com
l munity. He said
I Ladies and Gentlemen | am glad
4 of the opportunity to talk to you to-
u night about the things that are next
l. to my heart | want to thank your
e superintendent, Mr.. r. B. Oliver, for
a inviting me here, Mr.. Oliver has
T. taken the pains and the time to take
l. me all over the plant, and from
IT house to house, to show me the con-
l. ditions as they really exist here,
s. want to say to you, as members of
Is the great Negro Race, that you have
e. a splendid opportunity here to rem
u der a real service to our country, and
, to demonstrate to the world that the
Negro has within him the very best
M fn
y highest type of manhood. / want to
thank Mr. Oliver and all of the Of
ficia1s of this government Cyanamid
Plant for providing this theatre, the
school house and yonder church, that
II our people, while here, may have
" the right kind of environment in
order that they may improve them
selves along the moral and spiritual
II and financial lines. The better class
il of Southern white people know when
g. you plumb the lowest depths of the
r average Negroes heart you find there
III not a mere desire for passing happi-
III ness, but a craving for normal recre-
5 alton and enjoyment as natural tC
them as desire for food. 1t is the
ol envirnment of the average Negro
Is that has caused his shortsightedness
III Nobody knows this better than the
lgl management of this plant This is
lie why they have provided a school and
n employed an excellent teacher with
TX whom to entrust your children, and
IL to go among you to do social work.
IL My friends, | want to impress you
Is with all the power of my soul that
m you have just as great an opportunity
lie here to render real loyal service t.
n our country as our brave boys have
N in the trenches in France, because il
III will be impossible for them to wiz
Us the war unless you, here on this i'm
+ portant government work, back then
lie up with all your heart and energy.
Ut l appeal to you tonight to ap
preciate your position here; settle
u down, stay here, work every minute
a in the day; save your money, put i
a into the bank and send it home ant
y buy up piece of land, and be some
re body.
s. Nobody knows better than tn,
as southern white people that the Ne
gro has always been loyal under al
es circumstances and conditions. A
+ the beginning of the Revolutionar,
en- War, when the British soldier
u, marched through the streets of Boston
e- as though it was conquered city,
n run away slave, Crispus Attacks, for
es getting the illtreatment he had re
wv ceived. led crowd of citizens in a.
IL attack on the British soldiers. In tn
u fight Attacks was the first to g
IL down. And it was on the memorabl
g occasion of Bunker HILL when Maio
81 Pitcairn, at the head of the BIRTHS
,le Army, made an attack upon tn
In American forces that brave Negr
hero rushed to the front and poure
er the contents of his gun into tn
'es Majors body, killing him Instant.
by In the War of 1912, Commodor
'e- Perry spoke in terms of the highes
To- praise of the bravery and good COZ
lr- duct Of the many Negroes in his ba
tc. ties on the Lakes. In the defense
IFS New Orleans, General Andrew Jacl
ne son called upon the colored peopI
ne there to help in the great struggle
re two thousand Negroes responded I
W. tn call and distinguished themselv,
es, in the great battle around New o.
en- leans. Much applause.)
ia Negro soldiers played more col
spicuous part in the Spanish-America
We War than in any previous struggl
Gus AtsLas Guasima, when Col. Theodoi
ap Roosevelt and the Rough Riders wei
'er being subjected to terrible fiji
I'D from the enemy, the heroic lot
'er Cavalry came on the scene in time [
ID save the day for the United State
is In the famous battle Of San Jua
% Hill, when the American whit
soldiers would reach a certain poir