The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-17
U. N. |. A. MEET
OPENS With Big
DEMONSTRATION
1000 Attend the First
Session in Detroit
CONTINUED from page II

aSkluB LudL NldTCuS GdIN6y UC ASAcdoOu
from prison so that he
could attend the present convention
Of the association.
Amy G.. Garvey, wife of Marcus
Garvey, brought the personal greet
lngs of her husband to the conven-
ton. The official opening Of the con-
vention came with the reading Of the
order issued by Marcus Carney call
ing the extraordinary convention into
session. Appended to this order were
orders relating to the general work
Of the association.
The mass meeting closed with a
sermon by Bishop George Alexander
Mcclure.
1t was announced that the business
sessions of the convention will be
held at the U. N. l. A. Hall and that
the night sessions will be held at the
Temple and the Turner Hall.
Faction Convention.
This convention is a convention Of
one faction of an organization, which
is divided into two factions bitterly
fighting each other. 1t is called an
extraordinary convention. 1t is called
by the heads of four local divisions.
Joseph A. Graigen, secretary Of the
Detroit division, Fred A. Toote, presi-
dent of the Philadelphia division, Will
liam Ware, president of the Cincinnati
division, and Samuel A. Haynes, presi-
dent of the Pittsburgh division have
called the convention. These heads
claim the approval of Marcus Garvey
for the calling of this convention to
throw William L. Sheriff. out of power
as acting president-general of the or
ganization. Since Sheriff. has refused
to recognize this convention, it is prob
able that the end Of the convention
will find the organization divided be-
tween two acting presidents"
Largest Negro Organization.
In short, the organization, which is
the largest organization
of Negroes in the world, may be split
into two factions by the present con-
troversy. This would be calamity.
The Universal Negro Improvement
Association represents the biggest ex-
perience of the Negro people in the
field of organization. For it to go on
the rocks would be a disaster. The
most serious friends of the organiza-
ton realize. that a quarrel between
two sets of leaders for power is poor
excuse on which to break the organ
ization
There are many questions of prin-
ciple now demanding the attention of
the Universal Negro Improvement
Garvey has for the past
four or five years been steadily lead
ing the organization away from all
Of struggle on behalf of the
Negro people, until the organization
today has been robbed and Quilted of
any program other than an illusory
idea of African colonization.
The convention, in August 1924, I'M
der Garvey's guidance, completely
deserted every semblance of principle
and made what seemed to be a CON-
plete surrender to the ku klux khan.
Everything was thrown aside except
the single idea Of opening up the re-
sources Of the Negro republic of Lii
IBERIA on the West Coast of Africa, with
the assistance of American and other
Negroes thruout the world. Then the
United States government acted swift
ly and surely putting Carney into the
and grabbing the Liber-
ian republic which is turned over prac-
Lically to be governed by the Firestone
Tire and Rubber company as a colony
Of the United States.
Undoubtedly Garvey's imprison-
ment, which following a ridiculousIy
unfair trial in which Garvey was given
no chance at all, was a blow aimed at
the destruction of the Negro organi-
cation.
The stealing OF the republic of
Liberia by the Firestone Tire and
Rubber company knocked the last leg
from under Garvey's utopia of African
The result is that the or
having under Garvey's
pressure disclaimed every possible
principle of struggle for the rights of
The Negro in America, and concen-
Lrating on Liberian concessions, now
has no program whatever upon which
10 hold the organization together.
There is a restlessness in the or
sanitation with many members begin
ming to demand that the organization
lake up the fight Of the American
Negro for his political and economic
rights in the United States. The sup
porters Of Garvey appear not TO desire
10 let the slightest breath OF principle
enter into the discussion. They ex-
pect to hold this convention for two
weeks Of personal laudation Of Garvey
and for the formal act OF deposing
Sheriff. without permitting one word
Of discussion about what the organiza-