The St. Paul echo., 1926-12-18
LYCEUM THEATER VICTORY

LYCEUM THEATER VICTORY i
The decision the Lyceum theater represents notable
victory for the Negroes of the community for the community
ITSELF and for the fairness of the legal system of the county and
state. 4..-
natural regard first from the racial angle The open
discrimination which being practced at the theater was the
boes of similar treatment which Negro patrons had been
other theaters eating places the city In the
of the Lyceu had odous that there no
longer subey about it. Negroes simply not allowed to
sit in certain parts of the theater.
The decision that difficulty, and will
check similar attempts in other enterprises The community
represented by the jury scored highly because showed plain
y although at the pains of very lengthy deberaton that
fundamental law of the state should be upheld
regardless of the Of color which surrounded the
Judge Lewis McGll upheld the side of the law in
commend them to the favorable attention not
only of all Negroes in the community law-abdng c
Mr. Mc from the beginning of the action worked jealous
y sincerely that the law should take its down
the path justice He executed brilliant and earnest work
cause of the COMPLIMENTS but of justice Judge Lewis
exhibited spirit of justice done regardless
of the racial circumstances of the His statement after the
decision that he had done only his duty the remark of truly
earnest executor of the law.
Viewed from all angles the milestone upon the
march of Twin Cities Negroes the path to unquestioned civil
rights there another side of the which deserves
ment and comment of less rosy hue.
This discrimination the theater the sort of thing which
that militant organization The National Association for the Ad
of Cord People, supposed to combat with all the
available But branch OF
it's hind legs and with because of the oppo
tunty follow program by joining hands with the cobaan
to fight discrimination? 1t most assuredy did not.
We hold brief for but it matter of know
edge that the only interest the N A. c. P took the
coordnatng unit but only through the chairman of its
board of directors Atty George W. Hamilton Jr And may be
add Hamilton although acting nomnay the mouth
piece of the N A. A. p accomplished all that done
individual not representative.
hard to find The N A. A. c. P as body,
did nothing at all about the matter held Inauguration meet
ngs protest meetings. it out information about the
And when the trial held the members of this
gessve organization hand the courtroom to evidence
interest the case They conspicuous by their absence
With the exception of Mr. Hamilton who had personally made
effort to have the perfected there member of
the National Association board in the courtroom
In the face of such strenuous activity the of this group
which supposed have its raison detr in the fact that
fighting for the civil rights of the Negro is wonder that
open discrimination the brand that found Mississippi
it's head St. Pau Heretofore the policy of the
local branch of the A. c. P has been acknowledged to be
conservative In the face of this victory under militant
leadership it easily that that conservative policy has been
bghtng and soaring the aims for which the organization
supposed to stand Conservatism had developed into ssezare
policy and that turn by inevitable movement into reogre
sion until when response needed the branch appears
observers, thing dead lifeless inanimate
1t high time that the people of St. Paul realize that
the n A. p contrary the impression it has given the
past machine of action People should be elected to office
for what they will do not because their will look well
the official The election Sunday very timely
then for the opportunity will give either to revvfy dead tim
Der, or replace it altogether.
The attitude of the judge the jury and the county attorney
in this recently decided and pocha shows that what
not sympathy but greater of the militant spirit if
would have justice The verdict of the jury indicates that
will be given rights but have the manhood ask
them.
Let then the spotlight of public inquiry upon the ap
parent ehargy of this fighting organization which does not fight
this defender of rights which does not Defend this aggressive
y passive mtanty doce somnoent local branch of national
organization which performing excellent and necessary
We want the A. c. either to to fe to give better
proof than did during the Lyceum trial that is dead
On December II the National Political Study Club of Wash
ngton D. Co. presents Mrs Alice DunbarNeson address
entitled he Need of Political Organization One dollar pleased