Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-09-27
SAYS JOE
SIMPSON
Annual Conventions

During the annual gab-fests'
held annually by most fraternal
organizations there is enough
mental and physical energy eX-
pended, and enough money spent
to build a ten-story office build
in some important city each
year. At least $5OO,OOO.oO IS
spent each year by Negroes in
cash money, and by placing a
modest value on the time last,
the mental and physical ener-
gy expended by those in attend
ance on these meetings, the sum
total of our outlay in this con-
nection would amount to more
than a million dollars.
If we would only stop and con-
slider, and look at ourselves IN
the mirror of common-sense we
would see ourselves as pack
OF blind fools all fitted out IN
gaudy uniforms marching forth
to economic destruction.
Fraternal orders and clubs in
our humble opinion are great
things when they are used as a
base or foundation upon which
~ construct things of greater
value. To bury the dead and sue
cor the sick and needy are noble
undertakings, but we should not
let our efforts and aspirations
stop here, to do so would be to
make the same fatal blunder
that we have been making in the
past, and to prove to the world
that we who are endowed with
educational qualifications that
ere out of reach of our fore
fathers and who are living in an
age of enlightenment the likes
OF which they never even dream
ed, are unable to make the grade
by catching the spirit of the
times, broadening the scope of
our vision, double-tracking our
minds and keeping a steady pace
upon the highway of progress
simply because we are unaccus-
toned to it.
There are all too many leaders
in our race who are amply en-
lowed with backbone, experts
III the employment Of strategy
political wizards, born diplomats
and the shining examples of for
titude when dealing with the OPP
posite race all of these virtues
fade away int othin air, and too
we have the financial wizards
and business geniuses who head
our organizations and clubs and
who do a thriving business for
themselves or for those by
w h O m they are employed
throug the sound investment of
the limited capita their COM
mand, in project and securities
that their business sagacity
teaches them to be sound, yet
not one of them has led his club
out of the wilderness of inactivl-
ty.
We have two clubs in this city
that are able to finance the
building of modern apartments
with the money that they have
in their treasury coupled with a
small sum that could be advanced
by each member without strain
ing his pocketbook. If two clubs
in Richmond are financially able
to do this, of what is our Nat
ional fraternal organizations ca
pable?
The prime object of our
organizations seem to be to out
class each other in the gaudlness
of uniforms, drawing out the
largest crowds, fractional fights
and the large expenditures of
money. The thought of doing
something concrete, construc-
tive and inspiring does not seem
to enter our heads. The organic
ing of clubs and the founding OF
fraternal orders are good work
but they should be used for
the teaching of unity of thought
and action, the scope of which
should be broadened with the
years of their existence as a nor
NAL child progresses in it's years
Of study. No normal child will
remain in the Primer grade all