The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-03
COL CRED MEN LODGE PROTEST
Claim Discrimination in Places of Accommodation
 At Hartford Hearing.

passage of a bill which they said would assure them equal rights in places of public accommodation, col ored people from all over the state appeared before the legislative judi eiaTy committee, Wednesday after noon, asserting, If we're hungry and we have the money to pay the price, give us the privileges of American citizens and allow us to eat where we choose"
 More than fifty .colored people ap- peared, led by George W. Crawford, a lawyer, of New Haven. We would ask the committee, if you can't give US this measure, that will accomplish the object sought, not to give US any measure,'' he said
 1 J. L. Morgan. a coForer lad, wound l ed seven tines in action in France and bearing the decorations of the French croix de guerre, was among 1 those who appeared.
 The colored people of this state l have demonstrated by their honesty, 1 patriotism and frugaIity that they i have earned times without number. l the right to enjoy their privileges as American citizens J. P Pea4zer. of 1 New Haven, declared. ''F'or 200 years l here in America, the black race has not only fought for the nation, but has produced Why is it necessary 10 ask for our inalienable rights? Negro blood was the first spilled in Boston harbor in the Revolution. Our people have never been unpatriotic, even in slavery
 ! He presented a petition bearing 1000 ! names, urging the passage of the bill. which provides that negroes may sue / any person who restraints them from ! TlappE rtF If you don't report favora.bIy on | this biH,' Pealer continued, well 1 feel that the cause. even in this late l war when 4c0,O00 of our boys joined yours in France. has been in vain, 1 Not only is the consensus of the opin- ion of the dark-skinned people of this state in favor of this measure, but of 1 all of the right-thinkng people Of the l United States"
 The Rev. c. F. Luther. white of 1 New Haven, chairman of the New Haven branch of the National Asso- citation for the Advancement of Col pred People. told the committee he represented 50o people, coIored and white. There is no argument for right" he said.
 Dr- William Porter Norcomb. intro duced by Mir. Crawford as a. graduate Of Yale. the University of Atichigan and Medical school, said, We have relied on the faith born in us. that some time we would get what was just and right. Connecticut from time ilnmeEnorial was preached to us as the land of fair dealing. and We are look ling to Connecticut to recognize us now. We don't want to be pampered All we ask is that we are given the rights that are inaIienably ours"
 Among the others who appeared were William B. Reed. representing the CoIored Mems Civic league of Hartford, the Rev. George Goyne of !the Colored Congregational church of New Haven, the Rev. James A. Wright of Hartford. E. R. Ball of Hartford and the Rev. C. Van B1Iren of Bridgeport
 Hits at Loan Sharks. Where are there any loan sharks in Connecticut? Attorney General Frank E. Healey asked Clarence s. lHodson, halting him in an appeal in ilbehaR of bill introduced by Senator Klett at HodsOn's request, setting the interest rate on small loans at three and One-half per cent. a month. MT doaSon told the committee the bill iwa~s aimed at the dirty. desDfcajbTa loan shark He said he represented tthe legal reform bureau to eliminate
 
 T don't associate with loan sharks and they are not on my visiting Hst.'' he replied, answering the question of the attorney general, ''but people must borrow, and they can't do it legally with the interest rate under the present statute"
 Attorney General HeaIy opposed the measure, as did Roger W. Davis of Hartford, representing the Morris Plan companies of Connecticut. ans Walter s. Henborn of New York, representing the department of reme- dial loans of the Russell Sage founda- ton. Frank J. Milne of Newark and Robert A. Elwood appeared in favor of the bill.
 Strong protest against passage of the bill which provides for revocation of liquor and club licenses after June 80 and prohibiting the issuance of H- censes after January 16, 1920, was entered. Judge J. A. PeasIey of Wa terbury, Attorney A. L. Talks of New Haven. James T. Nance, represent ing the Personal Liberty league, the State Federation of Labor and the Federation clubs Of Bridgeport, Fred
 S Orr of New Haven, and T. W Crowley Of the Hartford Central La
 bor union, opposed the bill. F. L. G. Hohentfal and H. H. Spooner of the Connecticut Temperance union spoke in favor of the measure.
 Connecticut would be bone dry re-
 gardIess of what happened else where,'' Judge Peasley asserted Mir
 Talks said the prohibition element
 was trying to put through legisla-
 ton more stringent than the eigh-
 teenth amendm
 A bill limiting the percentage oi
 alcohol in all liquids to that provid-
 ed under the federal law, was SUD- ! ported by Ralph O. Wells, represent g ing the Southern New England 7 Wholesale Grocers' association, an6 by H. H. Spooner. MT. Wells sub
 nitted a substitute bill providine
 that liquids used for culinary, medf-
 cfna1 or toilet purposes should be I excluded.
 Judge Joseph P. Futile of the supe
 rior court appearing to represent the
 monument dealers of the state 1T
 support of a bill to permit the p1ac
 ing of liens on monun ents. was op | nosed bv Iudge William F Henney o