Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933, 1933-09-09
Dramatic Life Story
Of Robert j. Willis
BY BENJAMIN Z. Butler

posted on the drift OF sentiment Of
the cOlored people of Michigan.
due 10 the answer OF Mr.. Harrison
To the committee that waited upoa
him concerning the outrages in the
south. They DO not understand
how IL Is that the President can
not Interfere with the affairs Of
state TO stop certain outraees
Many believe that the Repub-
lican party use MS as IA catspaw 10
pun their chestnnts out of the fire.
This being the condition OF ihngs.
the color,.l voters OF Michigan
cannot be depended upon 10 slick
as tenaciously bon The coming State
and National contest al. hereto
fore unless something Is done 20
counteract that feeling toward The
party. have consulted many ~
the thinking colorcd men. and they
believe the hest plan is 20 orga-
ganize colorcd Harrison and
Reid Cub. distribute 10 each one
campaign literature and create in-
tcrest and Show ihaf The party Is
slill their friend and Will redeem
all It's promises.
1T wonhl be- good idea TO ON
ploy several cncrpeti, colurcd men
TO organic clubs and hold them
Tor the party Colored men aud
colorcd men only. can organize
these clubs heoausc ;he oolorcd
,..,,,l. ma. t,..ftlfr .T...t.
believing the PROMISES 81 white
campaipi orators. The democrats
are not directlN asking Tho colorrd
men 10 vote their ticket hut iu-
directly infhrnciue Thorn TO be
neutral
III has also boon pointed ON
that Won haze appointed an your
committees. talking great pains in
omit colorcd men ihfreirom have
made ARRANGEMENTS 90 run the
campaign. I'm AM tl,e Office, be- on
all The committees do an tho
stump speaking aud invite 'hc
colored man 20 parii, ipat, iu your
activities only on The day Of cleo
ton and after D." has cast his vote
you have no lurtlog use for h,r
until another political crisis arises.
"'rho colorcl voters Of tie cty
have come 90 the cmcmsiun th,g
ii colorcd mon canno assist iV
llho campaign and eounScl- of ne
party. they cannot assist at iec
polls. II YOU think me club plan
. feasible. / would suggest trat im-,
/ mediate steps be taken 90 notify
@ The cnlored votes Tor both state
IS ana National tickets.
Of Would be pleased TO have your
ne views on the subject.
N yours.
ed ". J. Wilhs.
wo AGO Wilkins ST..
ere\ Detroit. Mich"
Re A copy ~ MS lettcr wn~ sent y
Gem every Committeeman or oacb Coun4
'de Ify. city and Ward. with the result
al that the attention OF the political
powers were centered upon the
81 activities OF the Negroes.
a The Republican party realized
= that mere promises 10 our group
would not suffice; hat il was fac
+ ing a new era. and that under the
convention system. where each
minority group received recoeni-
ton OF some sort or other. tac
colorcd people hai to be- recognize
ed
senator Mcmillan was equal TO
The oc,asion. and 10 c.enc about
that The rwo men. Slrukcr ara
Ferguson. were The irst Negroes
To receive brnrGf from This letter
IN the STATE OF Michigan.
Ferguson served four Years. Was
replaced by Joseph Dickcrsma.
another race man. who was in mrr
replaced. after serving tho same
number OF Years. by Dr. James w
Ames Who served only two wears.
These three men were the polf-
cal pawn in great national game.
II was not long before the big
captains OF industry came to the
conclusion that:
There is destiny that makes
us brothers.
Nse goes his way alone;
All that We send into the lives
OF others,
Comes back into our own"
The people ot Mich have never
been backward when il comes to
dealing with facts and looking the
truth squarcly i'm the face. They
may start out wrongly. but il is
only a matter of time before JUS
tice always prevails An illustra-
ton of this statement Gan be found
in the episode that occurred in the
life OF General Wilcox OF the
Union Army II Was in tho year
1861 al Cadillac square. ia Detroit
that a great reception was given
in honor of General Wilcox and his
Michigan volunteers. The ladies OF
The city of Detroit presented
General Wilcox with sword. and
i'm his sppDrh of acropfaucp no