The Omaha guide., 1935-08-31
Actors Talk About
Will Rogers
Those Who Knew Him Well Pay
Tribute

Los Angeles, Cal, Aug. e by
Jacob Anderson for ANP)-The
sudden death in an airplane acct
dent In Alaska of Will Rogers,
famed humorist and screen cele-
brity and of Wiley Post, the dar-
ing aviator, brought orrow to
many here. Expressions Of sad
ness were universal among those
Of sOloc who actually knew the
men.
For Wiley Post, the feeling OF
regret was that which humanity
always reels when a glamourOus
viva figure is snuffed out. For
Rogers 1t was different. 1t IS
amazing to witness the UNIVERSAL
ty Of compassionate grief from
folk 10 all walks OF Lire. Follow
ers OF his column amsng people
OIL color must have been legion. In
all proDaDillty he interpreted and
expressed those feelings which
we hold when we think of our
selves as Americans, just as he
represented the thinking Of the
average white man or woman.
Probably the closest contact
which Negroes had with Will Ro-
gers was in the movie field. Sew.
eral OF the colored stars had
worked with him an in every in
stance their memory Of him
brought forth appreciative testi-
mOny.
Clarence Muse was enthusiast
tic as he spoke. Muse said:
Viii Rogers IAN interpreter OF
life in all its phases-misunder-
stood by some Americans, below
ed by all. Because Of his death the
world is sorry and | believe my
group is hurt more than the rest.
They misunderstood him. That is
why he is still a living spirit Of
Christ to me. Muse who had just
retarned from a memorial service
for the cowboy actor which had
been broadcast. from coast. to
coast over a nation wide Column
bia hook-up and Oh which he had
sung Swing Low Sweet Chair
Of told several, intimate stories
about Rogers.
First he recalled the friendship
Of the dead actor for DR.. r. r.
Motion and for Tuskegee insti-
tute. Several years ago while sub
shutting for his friend Fred
Stone Of "Three Cheers" who
had been hurt, Will Rogers visit
ed Tuskegee. In the afternoon he
attended the annual Tuskegee-
Montgomery State football game
and the following day he devoted
his daily column to a tribHte tc
the ability and craftsmanship OF
colored college football players
an dto Tuskegee Institute. When
he performed in Tuskegee chapel
hat night he began a friendship
with DR.. Motion which lasted
through the years and made a
substantial donation to the school.
A few weeks ago Muse said
that he served as master Of cere-
monies at the Second Baptist
church in Los Angeles. Will Ro-
gers had accepted an invitation to
be the principal speaker Of the
occasion. The affair was to raise
money for the church. White
Baptists were interested and 300
whites attended from a church in
Glendale. Only 40 or so members
of the colored Second Baptist
were on hand, whether from lack
of interest or resentment he did
not know.
Rogers who had brought his
wife with him seemed delighted
to be present. There still fingered
on his mind, however, the unhap-
Ply radio incident which had in
censed cOlored people the world
over. Rogers voluntarily brought
the subject up expressing his
deep regret and explaining what
had happened.
He was discussing music and
deploring the habit Of writers
who distorted spiritulas concert