Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-30
GARVEY'SDULCET VOICE AGAIN
IDRIPS GENTLY IN DUSKY EARS
AS 1000, 900 AWAIT BIG HEGIRA
'President of Africa" Prom
iSes Land of Milk, Honey
and Other Things Even
Has a Ship Right on Exhibit
BY ROBERT T. SMALL

right, 1924
NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-The Uni
versal Negro Improvement associa'
ton is holding its annual meeting
in Harlem and listening once more
to tbs stories of the promised land
that lies over the seas. The back
to Aft lea" movement is in full swing
again and Marcus Aurelius Garvey,
VaTiousIy known as "President OF
Africa" and Commander of the
Sublime Order of the Nile" has an
nOunced that no Jess than 1000, 900
negroeS have expressed their inten-
ton of going back 'home." Four
million of these negroes are sup
posed to be In the United States. The
other 3,000,000 are scattered through
the West Indies, where Garvey him
self halls from.
AS Exhibit A of the new mCVe-
ment, Garvey has the steamer Gen
eral G.. w. Goethals tied up at a
dock III The Hudson river. The steam
err is to be re-christened the Booker
4. Washington and it is pointed out
as the flagship of the new Black
Cross Navigation and Trading COM
pany. Some 5000 members of the
Improvement association and their
friends Lave been inspecting the ship
the last few days, a ticket booth hav-
ing been erected on the dock and
fees of so cents each charged to the
non members,
Uniforms for All
Travel on the Booker II. Washing
ton, when it becomes that, will be
no cheap affair. The rates for the
cabin have been fived at $3.50 for
each passenger. This does not daunt
the leaders in the movement. The
inspection Of the vessel has been
attended with great pomp and cere-
mony. 1.-The Royal African Guards
have been on duty as well as the
Universal African Legion and the
African Legion band. There is one
nice thing about belonging to one
Of Mr.. GarVey's organization. Each
and every person is entitled to wear
uniform. But no member must at
temp to initiate or in any way APP
proach the uniform of the command
erin chief. Garvey's outfit is be-
You'd description. King Solomon in
l;l his glory was never arrayed like
that. The Garvey uniform has every
thing but electric lights and is de.
signed for both land and sea duty,
for ashore he is a generalissimo and
atIoat he is an admiralissimo.
Garvey still retains the affection
and loyalty of his followers despite
the fact that his personally conduct
ed exodus to Africa has been long
postponed, and despite that the
United States government has had
him convicted of using the mails to
defraud. A little thing like a five
year sentence has not daunted the
spirit of the self-constituted Moses.
He is out on $4,000 bail, and not
a moment of his time is idle. His
first project was called the ''Blacl
Star Line" That was the one that
got him in trouble. His new Black
Cross line is his answer to his critics
and prosecutors.
The flagship of the Black Star line
was differed and manned by col
ored men when Garvey took it on
q West Indian trip as a preliminary
to the first crossing to Africa. 1t
is related that on this trip the Of
ficers could not find Jamaica. The
island was not big enough. 1t also
is related that the galloping worries
and the pursuit of lady luck occu-
pied so much Of the time of the crew
and the passengers there was little
real thought or attention paid to
the higher projects of the promoters.
1t May Take Time, But
the officers of the Booker T. Wash
ington will be white and the crew
cOlOred. He expects the first sailing
to be in November, and the steamer
is designed to carry seventyfive
first-class and 100 second class pas
sengers. OF course, at this rate it
would take some time to transport
the entire 100000 negroes enlisted
in the cause but Garvey's facile
Inauguration pictures a great fleet
shortly engaged in the maneuVers.
If passengers are lacking at first,
GarVey says the boats will be used
for cargo purposes.
Garvey says he is not going to
Africa himself He has so much
work to do on this side of the water.
The president of Liberia also is said
to have announced that General
Garvey" is not coming over. 1t
seems the real president of Liberia
thinks there might be some clash
of authority and any way Liberia is
not big enough for two presidents.
Meanwhile the pilgrim ship Hes
at the dock. She is a little rusty
in spots, but all that will disappear
St IN under n new coat of white
paint. The ship is open to one and
all for the small sum of fifty cents
Some of the MEMBERS who have in
spected the ship rerH9ined on board
all day. dreaming new dreams Of
the land of milk and honey.