davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1939-11-17

Lieut.. OOl. JOnn Mellon. AS
given when Bernard E. Squil
Seattle Urban League and T. John
Wood of the Northwest Enterprise
called on army officials for the
second time within a month to in
vestigate charges of discrimination
at the Fort.
The investigation revealed that
the charges of discrimination were
based on the actions of a subor-
dinate officer who, without rea-
son, refused to permit Clarence
Cabbel to return to the Fort Lewis
workshops to receive training in
auto mechanics.
Young Cabbel was chosen with
nine other youths from the NYA
rolls in Tacoma to report for work
at the Fort Oct. 2. After spend
ing a full day in the shops, Cabbel
was told by an NYA truck driver
that orders had been given that
he or any other Negro was not
wanted at the Fort Lewis work
shops. A letter with instructions
not to send any more Negroes
to the Fort for training, was sent
to Harold A. Kern, District Super
visor of NYA in Tacoma.
The incident was reported to
the Northwest Enterprise and the
Seattle Urban League, and the in
vestigation followed. During a con-
ference with Mr.. Kern Monday, it
was learned that the orders were
issued by Sergeant Sullivan, tenn
porarily in charge of the shops.
The committee then called on Sui
Ivan at the Fort and learned that
he (Sullivan) had issued the or
ders to prevent the occurance of
an unpleasant situation for Me-
groes." Sullivan admitted that no
one in the shops had objected to
working with Cabbel because of
his color, or for any other reason.
He also admitted that General
Sweeny had issued warnings to all
Army Officials at the Fort that
discrimination would not be toler-
ated.
When cross-examined as to his
authority to dismiss Negroes be-
caue he presumed an unpleasant
situation might arise, Sullivan
hedged, and escorted the committee
to Lieut.. Col. Mellom's office, where
a two hour conference was held.
Uncompromisingly, Mr.. Squires ex-
planned the situation to the Colonel
who agreed that an adjustment of
the matter should be made and
that he would personally take the
matter up from the workshops.
COLONEL LAUDS MIR. SQUIRES
Lieut.. Col. Mellon explained that
the army is not prejudiced and
that careful notice is being made
of any discriminatory acts. Laud-
ing Mr.. Squires for his keen inter-
est in Negroes stationed at the
Fort, he invited the Urban League
man to make frequent trips to the
Fort to speak to the colored SOL
diers there, and pledged coopera-
ton with any committee to fore
stall trouble that might arise out
of charges of discrimination.
Colonel Mellon and Captain
Hamilton were placed in complete
charge of the 47th Quartermasters
regiment this week. The regiment
is made up of fresh recruits of the
Negro race who enlisted from Chi
cago.
The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1939-11-17
T. John Wood
Digesting
The News

Because it has been the Gus
tom for some 300 years, AM
orleans will observe Thanks
giving Day sometime t h s
month. Because of a new deal
in holidays we have the choice
of two dates on which to Of
fer thanks and present the
turkey in the honored position
of the annual culinary clas-
sic. Thanksgiving, which since
time immemorial has been observ-
ed the last Thursday of the elev-
enth month will, in some localities,
also be observed on the third
Thursday. Your political leanings
will undoubtedly be determined by
the day you observe as a day of
thanks. The third Thursday
Thanksgiving confusion was Gre
ated by our President and if you
carve your fowl on that day, you
are a good Democrat. But, if you
stick to your muskets and spare
the life of the feathered friend It'll
the last Thursday, don't try to tell
even your closest friends you are
not a Republican and that Dewey
is not your choice for President.
This Thanksgiving split will def
initely forecast the outcome of the
1910 political extravaganza. Foot
ball and Thanksgiving are no long
er synonymous.
Way back when Thanksgiving
was first invented, our fore faith
ers land foremothers) really had
something for which to be thank
full. If they survived the toma-
hawk of the redskin from one Nov
ember to the next, their thankful
ness could hardly be over-rated.
Back in those good OF days" the
observance got underway on the
eve of the day of thanks. While
one half of the community watched
from behind trees for the elusive
Indian, the other half offered up
prayers of thankfulness for the
blessings of the year, beseeched
the Creator to plague the path of
the red brother and repeated in
unison "Thou Shalt Not KILL"
Twenty minutes later every ak in
the community fell across the neck
of some unfortunate turkey. Most
turkeys were captured in those
days after having been chased so
long they would slow down so both
the turkey and the hunter could
get some rest).
The next day the community
would turn out enmass to the
house of worship; the men in a
combination of swallow-tail and
knee breaches and the fairer sex
in milady's latest edition of dress
es of excess yardage, pantaloons
and bonet creations.
We still (from force of habit)
go to church on Thanksgiving, al
though the method of observance
has somewhat changed. Our hearts
are no cleaner than that dark
brown taste that keeps coming up
as we try lin vain) to look alert
after spending the night before
and most of the morning dancing
and consuming too many mickey
firms.
Nowadays we attend Thanks
giving services to check up on the
latest in wearing apparel worn by
our friends. After carefully not
ing the general attire of the con-
gregation (and also getting pref
ty good idea of what it has been
drinking) we manage to sleep
through the collection period but
are wide awake in time to receive
the benediction. We smile blandly
and remark hypocritically that the
parson did himself proud with the
Evening star., 1939-11-15
Natures Children
Common Chickadee
(Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus)

The young father is never far
away when his mate is brooding the
eggs. His duty is to try to warn his
wife of poachers, and in case kitty
Is strolling around, notify both his
mate and the cat that he is well
aware of the presence of an enemy.
When Mrs. Chickadee is alone,
she holds her ground in the face of
peering visitors and enemies. She
has been known, under dangerous
conditions, to use the old chickadee
strategy: Holding the breath until
it can be held no longer, then letting
1t out SO quickly and with such force
that it amounts to an explosion
having tiny bit of water With it. In
other words, though Nine. Chick
adee does not know it, she spits in
the eye of her tormentor!
Sixty -eight per cent of the food
consists of animal matter and 81
per cent vegetable. The most
eagerly sought food Is caterpillars
and moths and the eggs of moths
No matter what type Of caterpillar
comes the chickadee's way, it is
eaten with gusto. Thus the trees
are carefully searched for eggs, un-
der the bark as well as under the
fallen leaves, and for caterpillars
which may be found there.
One thing we are indebted to the
chickadees for is their destruction
of the tent caterpillar, both orchard
Evening star., 1939-11-15

put out some suet for them and see
also that water Is available when
the zero weather has settled upon
us.
Chickadees love to play and are
known as the playboys of the bird
world. They enjoy life to such an
extent that humans, after watching
them, are encouraged to take up
their own burdens once more.
You can learn to initiate the call
notes of this bird, and by SO doing
call the little winter visitor to you.
Later, through your own attitude of
friendliness, the chickadees will be
willing to accept food from your
fingers and even sit upon your hand.
In natural cavities to be found in
trees, about 6 feet from the ground,
one may look for the well-made
nest. The cradle itself Is a snug
little affair, made very cozy by hav-
ing the down from ferns and cotton
woods for the mattress. There are
five to seven eggs, very small and
pure white.
Evening star., 1939-11-15
BY LILLIAN cox ATHEY.

Soon we will be seeing the little
chickadee and his chum, the junco.
The northern skies are heavy and
the winds are a little too much for
them, though they do not mind the
winter so long as 1t is possible to
get enough food and water.
When these little birds arrive they
have a splendid reserve Of fat hid
den under their compact coat Of
feathers. We must remember to
Evening star., 1939-11-15

bids have been invited are an ad.
ministration and recreation build
ing, . water distribution system,
well, 150,000-gallon elevated water
tank, pumps, piping and reservoir,
and = largz seaplane hangar.
Bids will be opened November 20
at Jacksonville, Fla, for clearing
eco acres at the Naval Air Station,
Banana River, Fla. On December
IL at the Navy Yard, Charleston,
Evening star., 1939-11-15

and forest. These insects, as you
know, ruin hundreds of thousands Of
dollars of valuable trees each year.
There are too many Of our insect
and bug foes to mention here. It is
enough for bird lovers to be told
that the little chickadees are all
industrious friends of mankind.
Evening star., 1939-11-15
Pensacola Air Stotion
Bids to Be Opened

Bids for several major construc-
ton projects at the Naval Air Sta
ton, Pensacola, Fla, the Navy's
aviation training base, will be
opened by the Navy Department at
Pensacola December 13.
Among the projects for which
Evening star., 1939-11-15
Bond Contest Friduy

The Civic National Forum win
conduct a band and orchestra con-
test at 8:15 pm. Friday in the Gar
net-Patterson auditorium, v street
and Vermont avenue NV.
Evening star., 1939-11-15

8. c, bids will be opened for COM
struction Of field offices for the
shipways at the yard there.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
Spanish Refugees

Many rumors have been going the
rounds about vast numbers of Spanish
refugees in Mexico. The Mexican press
has been quite agitated about it, on
grounds that these refugees would form
a political, perhaps even military unit
in Mexico to influence Mexican politics.
Now comes an actual estimate. Vincent
Sheean, correspondent extremely SYM
pathetic to the refugees, estimates their
number in some detail at 5618, and after
investigation finds that for even this
small number it has been difficult to find
places in the normal economic life of the
southern republic.
Whether Sheean's estimate is accurate,
we do not know, but there is no reason,
other than Sheean's known sympathies,
to question it. So small number of peo-
pie can not exercise any great political
Influence. And the extreme difficulty in
absorbing them shows once again the
desperation of the problem that EuropeS
present war is daily augmenting.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
FLYING Dutchman?

A few months ago you would have said
1t would be impossible for $2O,OOO,OOO
ocean liner, one of the four largest ships
in the world, to disappear as utterly and
completely as though it had flown off to
the moon.
Yet that is just what has happened to
the German liner Bremen. She sailed
from New York just before war broke, and
there is no authoritative report OF her
since Reports from both sides on her
whereabouts have cance4ed each other
out, and today the world knows nothing
of her fate. 1t is inconceivable that neither
the British nor German admiralty should
know One or the other, or both, are
holding out the truth, for reason that
will probably become clear only when the
mystery is solved.
The Bremen affair shows how COM
pletely the peoples of the world have
been placed at the mercy of handful
of wartime censors for news of what goes
on Until better one comes along, mys-
tery-story addicts can well apply them
aelves to the problem of what becomes OF
a $20,000,0 900 ship and 700 mel. when they
simply disappear into thin air - or deep
water
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
Full Circle

The first steam locomotive to run any
U. s. railroad chugged and puffed its way
along track between Honesdale and Car
bondale, Pa, ITO years ago. Now the
Honesdale branch Of the Erie railroad Is
being abandoned for lack of traffic. The
Honesdale- Carbondale branch was aban-
doned in 1881. This is not necessarily
a sign of decay, but merely of change. 1t
has become evident all across the United
States that the railroad-building era Is
ended. Other means of transport have
halted the long advance of the steel rails.
1t is theNinevitable law of change.
1t is strange coincidence indeed that
exactly the first area in the country to be
served by the Iron Horse should be prac-
tically the first to be abandoned by him.
In this small coal area the cycle OF prog
ress and change seems to have come to
full circle in ITO years. What will another
ITO years have brought? All we can guess
is that it will create another full circle,
and that present facilities will be then
in process of being abandoned, just as
Yesterdays are TODAY
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
Quit Your Kidding

With an apparent air of injured right
eousness The Waterbury Republican on
Saturday morning last returns to the
question of economies in the MAYORS
office. This frank and open discussion
was started earlier last week by pro-
nouncement from LeavenWorth Street
that the resignation of Joseph T. st. Louis
as personal secretary to Mayor Patrick
M. Perriello had made it possible Tor
saving in the office budget The mayor
named Charles C. Foster to the vacancy
(O.
All of which to this writer means
simply that a Democrat appointee was
forced out to make room for Republl-
can, a good one, too, as we have admitted
and still are willing to admit. The fact
that the mayor is not going to fill the
position left vacant by the resignation OF
Thomas P. Kelly hardly enters into the
present situation Everyone was aware
of the fact that this position was to
remain vacant because it was publicly
announced to that effect just about the
time Mr.. st. Louis was told he would be
retained. So how does the naming OF
Mr.. Foster to "Joe" st. Louis job constl-
tute a saving any more than the latter's
retention would.
Had Mr. ST. Louis continued in office
we presume there would have been no
economy, for he would have been a DEM
ocrat If The Republican would come
down out of the clouds and regard this
switch as merely one of patronage, which
it actually was and nothing else, we might
b. able to discuss this situation reasonably.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02

Over the weekend we have stepped in
to another month. This has been accom-
plished to the accompaniment of storms
at the end of September which varied in
form from thunder and lightning to
tempestuous rains, ending in soft rains
Friday. The gathering of grains and
fruits which typify the harvest time is
nearing an end. However, you will still
see some late summer flowers since frosts
have been few and far between. This is
the month of snappy clear weather with
usually good supply of rain. This is
October from the Latin, octo, meaning
eight, and originally the eighth month in
the Roman calendar, but retaining the
name, however, with the adoption of the
Julian calendar, although it is the tenth
month This is October when there is
much enjoyment in football and the bril-
liant foliage coloring; what the Slavs
termed the "yellow-month". This is
October the month of the falling leaf.
This is the month of football
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
England and Cricket

Shortly after the war came to England,
the Test Matches Cricket equivalent OF
the World Series), were held. During the
first match the England captain made an
appeal to the great crowd at Lords, one
of the finest London cricket grounds, for
national service. England and cricket"
he said "are in danger"
Does that seem fricolous in the face OF
world disaster? 1t isn't at all, if you stop
to think of it. Cricket personifies, roughly
but effectively, the difference between
civilization in the democratic and in the
totalitarian sense. There is no place for
cricket in the sort of governmental
scheme that absorbs the whole human be-
ing, mental and physical. Englishmen feel
instinctively that between people which
plays cricket Tor equivalent games) and
other peoples, there is a great gulf fixed.
And perhaps the England captain at
Lords told the whole story in sentence
more effectively than all the white
papers" and diplomatic circumlocutions
can tell it,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
What Don't We Know?

The things we don't know about the
war in Europe are more interesting than
the tag-endS of information which the
censors have chosen to release For in
stance, how many are dead in Poland?
French source says the Germans lost
100000 casualties. German official fig
ures are not yet released, but they are
Gel tain to be far below half that figure.
How many Poles died? How many SOL
diers? Civilians? Women? Children?
We do not know.
What kind OF negotiations are going on
behind the scenes. Again, we do not
know. Have the British promised Italy
all OF Germany UP to Munich, all of
Yugo-Slavia, and huge hunk of Africa
IN an effort to enlist them on their side?
We do not know, but we do know that
that was how they drew Italy to the Allied
side in 1915 These secret deals, by which
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
Current Comment

I don't think people are interest
ed in politics at this moment.-Post-
master General James A. Farley.
We can get along without the U.
S. as a source of war supplies
Filed Marsh1ll Hermann Goering.
We don't want to get profit
eering cycle Enthusiastically OF
Agriculture Henry A. Wallace.
The only way to save civilization
is to defeat those who would destroy
1t and let Britain and France tri-
umph.-Arthur Meighen, conserva-
tive leader In Canadian Senate.
expect that from here on the
administration will be contending
that every voice raised in opposition
to administration wishes is at once
a pro-Hitler voice.--Senator Gerald
p. Nye CRer. N. d..
In applying the Constitution the
courts can delay but cannot per-
manently prevent the adoption Of q
policy persistently demanded by a
majority of the people and by their
representatives.
Senator James r. Byrnes,
South Carolina.
The real danger Is not propagan-
da alone; 1t Is propaganda with
censorship.
Oscar w. Riegel. journalism
professor at Washington and
Lee.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
In Today's Mail

peace" He was one Of the finest
men ever to serve a community.
Waterbury was grateful to have his
services. Our present form OF gov
eminent is the only way we can get
men such as the late Sherwood L.
Rowland to help the American Citi-
zens of Irish, Italian, Polish, Ger
man, French decent save money in
taxes, which is the chief burden at
present.
am asking the laboring class OF
people to beat back another "ism"
party that is threatening the city
Of Waterbury. We fought hard to
get to stage where our vote means
something to the leaders of the
community. Let us not throw away
our chance to beat the Yankees
and all their money, the @. G. G. A.
We are not only helping ourselves
but also the United States govern
ment by doing away with "Isms''
such as are now ruling Europe.
Isms started very small but later
grew into one of the largest and
most feared groups In the world.
AS a perfect normal citizen Of
these United States earning $3.50
per week I ask the voters of Water
bury to stand for our right and vote
mo" Oct. 8, 1899.
Thanking you,
JEAN THOMAS
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02

to talk to New York Congressman,
one husky young delegate called
out:
Don't smash the furniture,
boys, we're going to take over
this place soon."
The Paul Revere Society raised
such a ruckus in the Office of Rep
resentatve Thomas A. Flaherty of
Massachusetts,, who voted to lift
the embargo last summer. that
employees in adjoining Offices sum-
moned the police. Led by a husky
bus driver who shook his finger
under Flaherty's nose, the Cough
lnites demanded:
1--WE want q yes-or-no answer,
and no pussy-f00ting. How are
you going to vote ON the EN-
barge? We know how you stood
last session and the people of
your district don't likt it. You
represent us, not yourself. Now
how are you going to v0te?"
Listen here" demonstrated
Flaherty, 'I'm not going to be
br0wbeaten by you or anybody
else. I'm representing the peo-
pie . -"
But the bus driver began
pounding the Ccngressman's
desk. "You can't get away with
that" he yelled. "Tell us what
you are going to dol"
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
JEAN THOMAS CALLS
UPON LABORING CLASS
TO DEFEAT NEW ism"

Dear Editor: I would further like
to express my feeling to the city
voters of Waterbury.
May I have this printed In your
paper Monday, Oct 2, 1889?
MR.. WHITE,
G. G.. q. A.
Dear Sir:
r have been anticipating a re-
spose from you all week in regards
to my public letter to you and your
association, which was published in
the Waterbury Democrat Monday,
Sept. Is, 1889, Page 2, Column 6.
I have asked you If you and your
association would disband If the city
manager bill is past, and give UP
your good samaritan work, or would
you and your colleagues be gloating
over the "fast one" and begin pick
ing out the different jobs you would
like to have at the taxpayers ex-
pense? When I say expense mean
plenty. The city manager will re-
ceive between $4,000 to $4,000 an
nually, where the present mayor
gets $500, quite a saving In our
present form is it not? have also
asked you why the laboring class of
people be punished by your Yankee
club for the mistake that we made
by voting for the wrong man? There
is positively no reason whatsoever
in changing our local form Of gov
eminent to the Yankee form. If
there were any good reason at all,
our neighboring town Of New Lon
don would not have $50 of the
voters trying to do away with such
system. Yes they tried the man
aging form, or rather Yankee form
of government, now they need 75%
of the voters to do away with 1t
and cannot succeed as yet to date.
They must wait for 20 long years
before the bill terminates. That GER
tainly is a long time to have one
party In power.
There is absolutely nothing wrong
with our present form Of govern
ment, in fact 1t Is the only right
way to run a city. One party keeps
check ON the other. We know from
day to day what the party Is doing.
Now If the Manager Form Of Gov
eminent Is run like q corporation,
how will the taxpayers know what
the board of directors are doing?
We never know what the board of
directors are doing In the local
banks or Ecovill'S, Chase,S, and any
other business organization. How
then will we know what the board
Of directors are doing In our city?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-02
EVERETT STANLEY VOICES
BELIEF IN WHITES
SINCERITY
43 Wyman Street,
Waterbury, Conn.
September 80, 1899

VdtCl Ou1yy OO1lAls
September 30, 1899
Editor of the Waterbury Democrat
AS q teacher and In response to
an article in Thursdays paper may
I state that In my meetings and
conversations with Mr.. White, I am
very sure he Is sincere and honest
and working only for the city's we'll
being. That he is right In his judg-
ment, may be questioned, but there
is no question in my mind Of his sin
certify.
Whether we are poorly governed
or well governed does not depend so
much upon the form Of government,
as 1t does upon the alertness and
civic friendliness of the people
themselves. Abuses will creep In, be
it home, shop, store, factory, city,
state or natior., If the people who
should be intelligently interested
are Indifferent.
Whether the city employees, and
I am so classified, will fare as well
under a manager charter as under
q mayor charter, keeps us teachers
more or less on the fence. Have salary
cuts been restored under the char
ter manager cities? Or have salaries
been consistently lowered? do not
know the record, and that record we
ought to have.
Politics and favoritism should not