Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-07
HOTEL DENIES BAN
ON NEGRO BISHOPS
Manager Says He Was Not
Asked About Admission to
Prohibition Banquet.

Absence from the banquet closing
the season here of the Citizens
Committee of One Thousand for Law
Enforcement and Observance of
Bishops George G. Clement of Louis
vile, KY; ". J. Walls Of Charlotte
n. G., and +. ID. W. Jones of this
city. all cOlored dienitaries of the
Methodist Church. who had received
invitations to attend the banquet
gave rise to considerable comment to-
day which evoked statements from
the colored clergymen that they had
eSen told by Carlton NJ. Sherwood, ex
~cutive secretary of the National Com
W1tee of One Thousand that it would
skt be possible to admit them to the
DanQr-t. since the management of the
NfllaTU Hotel objected to their pres
ence there.
Frank F.. Hight. managing director
OF the Willard, stated his morning
that he knew nothing about the stu
a:ion az all and had not been APP
preached relative to the matter by
either Mr.. Sherwood or members of
the local committee.
Mr.. Sherwood substantiated this
statement by saying this morning that
had no information rs TO whether
ire management of the hotel had
refused admittance.
he stated further:
No COlored Man Barred.
No colored man was refused ad.
mlttance to the dinner and the invi,
tation extended to Bishop Clement to
attend the banquet was not withdrawn
by the National Committee.
AS far as the National Committee
Is concerned, we positively refuse to
make any discrimina ton on account
OF race, color or creed
Mr.. Sherwood did not deny. how
ever, that he bad conferred. with
Bishop Clement at the home of Bishop
Walls, at 1889 S street, prior to the
meetings, but stated that such con.
rerences were informal"
w. L. Gallih@r. chairman of the
local committee stated that his com
mittee had not withdrawn the invita-
tons extended the colored church
men. Bishop Clement today sent the
following letter TO Mr. Sherwood:
Sees Self-Respect Issue.
I'm regard TO the conversation over
the telephone yesterday and my prom
Use to write YOU before leaving the
city about the unfortunate occurrence
of the meeting at the Hotel New Will
lard, ! have this to say. 1t was i'm
possible. as / said to you, for me to
attend the business session. as sug-
gested by YOU. without feeling free to
attend all sessions, especially when
the evening session was the one most
emphasized in your letter and that of
the president. Mr. Fred B. Smith
"As / told you in our conversation
At the home of Bishop Jones, ! owe it
not only to my own seIf-respect, to say
nothing of the group which / repre-
sent, to refuse any discrimination
based on race. However dearly and
sincerely / espouse the cause of pro-
hibition. and however eager | am for
its success, / cannot lost sight of the
great question of citizenship rights for
the American negro. Any discrimina-
tion based upon race is both un-Chris-
tan and un-American.
If my presence and interest in the
meeting were desired, and If / am at
all worthy of the confidence hitherto
placed in me, to acquiesce in such dis
elimination would destroy any influ-
ence, whether small or great, that
might have. My interest in law en-
forcement and my support Of national
prohibition will not in the least abate
and / trust that never again will an
occasion arise such as the one to which
! have referred in this letter.
Il am deeply conscious of the need
for favorable consideration on the
part of the two millions and more of
my own people to exercise the fran
chise in our Nation. and l would not
prejudice them against this great
cause and to this end | beg to re-
main, yours very truly,
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