The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1931-08-13

Mayor James L. Key of Atlanta
Ga, teacher of Sunday school class,
talked AGAINST prohibition in the
Church of God.
The reason for the failure of pro-
hibition, contends Mayor Key is the
fact it does not have the moral senti-
ment of the people behind it. Pro-
hibition, he said "has failed to pre-
vent the sale, use or spread in the
use of intoxicants, one of the prime
motives for its enactment. 1t has
failed miserably in keeping liquor
from the hands of the innocent
youth of America" This is inter
esting talk coming from a southern
white man. A few years ago you
heard the reason why the South was
strong for prohibition was ito keep
intoxicants from Negroes" You can
again laugh as you laughed when
you first heard the announcement.
The South did not vote for prohibi-
ton to help or save Negroes. Too
much whiskey will make fool of a
white man the same as it will black
man. Often whiskey seems to make
bigger fools of white men.
Here's the interesting phase we
wish to tell you. The pastor of the
mayors church, one of Americas
great white preachers, said that he
did not agree with Mayor Key and
furthermore announced he would
preach sermon on the subject. But
listen to DR.. Christie, pastor of the
church: "Mavor Key had a perfect
right to have his own opinion and an
equal right to make that opinion pub
lie" Suppose Mayor Key had been
prominent colored brother and had
spoken about prohibition in a col
ored church, what would the pastor
have said about il? Probably he
would not have been as thoughtful
and manly as DIR. Christie. Maybe he
he would have been. Here's one
thing this writer knows. 1t takes
plenty of courage to speak your hon
est opinion among colored folks on
any subject.
Negroes in America ask not char
ity but equal opportunity with all
others for education and careers"
was the statement made to a group
of influential white people last week
by Mrs. Charlotte Hawkins Brown,
head of Palmer Memorial Institute
in Sedalia, Mo. Wise woman is Mrs.
Brown who is one of the outstanding
women OF the race. Keep shouting
this message and after awhile some
body will hear you. While shouting
though, think if you are making the
best of the opportunities you already
have.
DR.. W. E. B. Dubois, one of the
leaders of colored people in this
country said in one of his press re.
leases last week, Negroes can help
in their own advancement by organ
izing their buying power" A great
sermon in a few words, But few
Negroes understand such sermons.
They still shout about Daniel in the
lions den" and "The three Hebrew
children in the fiery furnace" Just
why, no one knows. as most Negroes
are only three jumps from lions of
oppression and are in danger of be-
ing consumed by fires of economic
depression.
DR.. Dubois statement is partic-
ularly applicable to Negroes in Sc
attic. Take a look over jackson
street and East Madison street. You
will see the unusual spectacle of
black folks crowding Japanese stores,
with Japanese clerks. You won't
find single Negro clerk. Glimpse
the tragedy of the situation. Black
folks eagerly spending their money
without the slightest thought of Gre
ating Jobs for their own black boys
and girls. 1t is pathetic and dis
graceful, but quite true. God needs
to pity the black man: he uses so lit
tie judgment and no sense at all.
Bad news for the laity of the A..
M. L. Church. One hundred min
listers of the connection have an
nounced their candidacy for the Of
flee of bishop. There are three va
cancies to be filled at the General
Conference meeting in 1882. Bad
news, we said, for the laity.
1t means the continuance of high
church taxation for the church mem
bership. Mark these words. In spite
of the hard times and the scarcity Of
money these three bishops are going
to be elected The A. NJ. +. Church
should cut down expenses, merge
some of the districts and give the
PRESENT bishops FULL time work.
More than $4,000 in salaries alone
could be saved if the church de-
clines to elect three new bishops.
Having lost nearly one-fomth in
membership and nearly $4,000 in
receipts in one year PERHAPS some
of the leaders will see the great dan
ger now confronting the A NJ. E.
Church. If not this once greatest
Of all Negro religious organizations,
will continue to lose in membership.
Negroes now know it is RIGHT
LIVING and not BISHOPS that will
get them to the PROMISED LAND