The Phoenix index., 1941-01-11

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During 1910, the American
Negro proved to be the sur
est standard for testing, in
terms Of concrete action, our
Governments oft repeated
assertion that American de-
mocracy gives full justice to
all the citizens Of the United
States, according to a report
made by Walter White at the
annual meeting of the Nation
al Association for the Ad.
vancement of Colored People
held here Monday, january 6
On the credit side the NAACP
secretary pointed to four decisions
won before the United States Su.
preme court, affecting the rights
Of Negro citizens. The first of
these decisions, read by Justice
Hugo l.. Black, last February u,
denied the right Of Florida courts
10 obtain confessions from four
Negro youths, through torture, and
termed conviction after such ac-
ton, unconstitutional.
The cases of Dave Canty, in
Alabama, and Bob White in Tex
as, were also reversed ON similar
grounds. The fourth decision de-
MED the right of persons to bar
Negroes from buying OF living on
property in areas of city restrict
ed by agreement among property
owners.
The association also won a nota-
BILE case in it's six-year fight to
equaliZe the salaries of Negro
and white teachers in southern and
border states, when the U. S. Su-
rreme Court refused to review a
Circuit Court of Appeals decision
denying the right of the Norfolk
Va. school board to pay lower sal
aries to Negro teachers solely on
the basis of color. This victory
added $129,000 to the salaries OF
Negro teachers in Norfolk.
CRUCIAL PERIOD
Pointing out that 1910 marked
the most crucial period in our
country's history, the NAACP ex-
ecutive secretary said it was new
erthelesS true that the Administra-
ton INJURED great opportunity to
prove how democracy can work IN
times of stress to preserve civil
liberties for l4,000,0O0 American
Negroes who have suffered more
than any other group in our coun-
try from the denial of even basic
citizenship rights.
Chief among the happenings
Mr.. White listed was the failure
CT Congress to pass federal anti
lynching law at a time when the
majority of American citizens I'D
the South as well as the North be-
lieve such a law should be passed.
He declared this demonstrated that
there are men in our Congress who
are willing for Hitler, to show us
all that he has learned from this
American crime, before taking ac-
ton to curb it.
lone of the most shameful pages
in our Congressional history was
enacted" he said, when Congress
sional leaders, with the tacit ap"
proval of the White House, lodged
the issue of bringing the bill up
time after time, despite the many
First they gave the old Standby
protests made by the association.
reason, that Congress had to ad-
journ. When it became obvious
that Congress was not going to ad-
journ because of the crucial state
of world affairs, then they said
National Defense legislation had to
be got out of the way first. The
final blow which broke down their
whole argument was the extension
of the 18th session of Congress, the
| longest in our countrys history,
367 days, up until the very opel-
ing of the 77th session on jan
uary g."
During this period the Assocla-
ton was the first to report the
adoption of a new technique adopt
ed by vigilante mobs for covering
UP lynchings. The NAACP made
public a report by one OF it's IN