The Phoenix index., 1940-12-28
Drugstore
P0Iiced
Six Weeks
Claim Police
Search Followed
Willkie Meeting

mans home and business safe in
the United States under the Civil
Rights act?" is the question that
has been going Trom mouth to
mouth here since the November
election.
The question is based on the
charge OF many Mempbians of
both races and of both major
political parties, that Ed Crump,
white political boss of Shelby
county, is trying 10 "police"
Negro drugstore owner out Of busi-
ness because he supported Willkie
In the recent election.
The police chief of Memphissfor
six weeks kept police in front of
DR.. j. B. Martins drug store, re-
plted to be the largest Negro
owned drug business in the United
States. They were taken away just
a day or two ago, but still call
there every hour or As minutes.
When Martin refused to call off
a Willkie meeting after warning,
the police swooped down and be-
gan their practice of searching
every customer, white and black.
Many white people trade at the
store also.
LOOKING FOR DOPE
For two weeks they only patted
the outside Of the pockets of peo-
pie going to the store. Patronage
increased. The first two Sundays
were the largest in volume of busi-
ness that the store had ever en-
joyed. Colored people came volun-
tarily in order to show their sup
port and to give vent to their in
soualiziaton, if we have any.
There are elaborate and eXpen-
sice fraternal conventions held
each year during the Christmas
season. The sponsors of the an
nual good time extravaganzas"
are Negro college men and women
educated for the most part by
phila1thropic and missionary
agencies. This year they may be
engaging in the Dance of Death"
and will be able 10 remember
Nashville, Kansas City and osher
entertaining cities only for this
dubious distintion.
The money dissipated during
these gatherings would go a long
ways this year toward building
human forts of defense against
the assaults OF totalitatianism--
Christianity at work is another
way of saying the same thing.
A DISAPPOINTMENT
One of the disappointments dis
covered during my days as a stu
dent of Sunday Schools was how
they celebrated Christmas-the
Day of Christie me it was
tragic misconception of the spirit
of the Day. There were Christmas
programs which is customary and
Christmas trees, which is Tacusto-
mary. 1t was the ChristmaSttrees
that disguised me.
On them were useless, inSignifi-
cant gifts-gifts of no particular
worth to any one. In several oil
these Sunday Schools the majori'
ty of the students have no need for
nor appreciation of the gifts, they
receive. The writer was told that
these. presents were rewards for
Sunday School attendance-fifty-
two Sundays for a bag OF dried
raiSins, candp and maybe a hand
kerchief or toy. Both economical
ly and socially the reward is il
logical For Christ came on earth
to teach charity and the respon-
sibility of human brotherhood.
The Sunday Schools should use
Christmas as the season to
dramatize the concept of human
Brotherhood. What of the thou
sands of youth who could not
attend Sunday School if they
would FOR want of insufficient
clothing?
WILLING TO SERVE
In every city of any size there
are family welfare agencies willing
and anxious to serve as agents for
any persons who want to express
their Christianity a. Christmas