davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
WALTER CHIVERS SAYS:
Intercollegiate Football
Is Now An Inconsistency

program. Secondly, is the almost
automatic diversion of philanthro-
pic interests to all-out support Of
the national defense program. A
third consideration is that the
sizeable reduction in students will
cut down income. Then a fourth
cause for concern is the almost
wholly unpredictable yield on invest
mentS, which is most aSSuredly not
bright as seen from this office. AS
fifth point I present the Shaky
future of state treasures. They are
faced with drastically reduced in
comes because of increased federal
taxation, fewer businesses due to
the application of rationing priori-
ties, decreased income from gaSo-
line taxes and automobile licenses
Affiliated with this list of state
disabilities is the unpredictable eX-
pense demanded by national de-
fense.
Most important to me is the
fact that this total war requires
every bit of the time all of us pos
sess for the sole purpose of prepar-
ing to and actually winning this
war. The spirit of real sacrifice and
that is what is going to win this
war, requires complete stripping
off of all nom essentials. None Of
us have the right to take time out
for glamour shows and in the day
time, at that, while men are dying
in agony as we yell and cheer the
gridiron hero. Some will even be SO
forgetful as to yell out to his fa-
vorite kill 'em' as though murder
is lightly speaking the order Of the
day,
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

, NAACp fought the appointment and
wanted to name Judge Hastie, who
was not particularly happy In his
army post, to the spot in the trea-
sury.
Edgar Brown Of the CCC and
UGE also fought the appointment
But when the Pickens appoint
ment was confirmed, Brown was one
of the first to call on the dean and
congratulate him.
There are many unexplained an
giles involved which observers be-
lieve should be thoroughly aired,
| giving the public the benefit of in
formation which it hasn't received
yet, To many, it seems an attempt
to oust and at the same to smear.
Some have gone on record as ad-
visiting Mr.. Pickens to not return
to the NAACP when his present
is work concluded because of the
unappreciative attitude for his work
of group of officials.
However, Mr. Pickens himself pre-
fers to remain Silent until the April
meetings and help advise ways and
be given the public and the motives
behind these mysterious moves re-
Vealed
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

taking time out for racial discrim-
nations.
The fight before this nation is
so stupendous that it cannot be
won if we are divided-and we are.
While millions are working for the
overthrow of Japan and Germany
other millions are working to hold
the Negro back. What does it
profit the nation to make sure of
the Negroes defeat if the nation
itself is defeated by Germans and
Japan? It is hard to convince the
world that we are in dead earnest
about winning a war, when loyal,
true-and-tried Negroes are trying
to force their way into a war
oftimes without success, while
Italians and German aliens are
wired and dined and promoted to
positions where they can sabotage
our war efforts successfully.
PERIL is GREAT
1t is one of the most distressing
symptoms Of the present crisis, to
read of the tremendous amount OF
sabotage that is going on in this
country. If one-half of what the
Merry -Go-Round tells about sabo-
tage is true, then the peril of our
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Ft. Jackson Labor
Dispute Settled

COLUMBIA, S. C.-(SNS)-
A dispute, involving the hiring
of skilled Negro workers on new
barracks nearing completion at
Fort jackson, was reported solved
every satisfactorily Tuesday by
Mr.. j. G. Artemus, business agent
for local 2260.
The FEP, fulfilling promise Of
a week ago, sent a special investi-
gator to Columbia to settle the dis
pute. A conference with Captain
S A. Marshall, area engineer at
Fort Jackson, the Kahn Contract
ing company and one or two 9TH
ers. was held with officials of local
1850 at the Fort. Following a re-
view of grievances, Mr.. ArtemuS
stated, it was agreed tl:at in the
future the Negro workers will be
considered on every project at the
Fort 2
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Barnett Tells
Continued from Page -
director.

director.
The chief duty of the Negro
press, Mr.. Barnett explained ha
been to keep the record straight.
The speaker cited how white news
papers and historians have failed
to record the exploits OF black
fighting men.
The position of Negro editors In
demanding full and equal integra-
ton of all Americans in the war
effort was also explained by the
speaker, who contendedL that the
editors of Negro newspapers have
led ali others in ''voicing a strong
plea for tolerance and understand
ing, knowing full we'll that vicious
race prejudice is hampering ou1
war effort"
Mr.. Barnett was introduced by
William I. Gibson of Baltimore,
who asserted that Negro news
papers are dedicated to keeping alive
the flame of democracy in the world.
He revealed that there are at
present 21O Negro newspapers pub
lished throughout the nation
yielding a tremendous Influence
on the trend of world events"
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
PickenS Wont
Continued from Page u


pear at the April meeting, Is COM
prised of 48 members from all parts
of the country. Because OF the dlf-
ficulties in assembling this entire
group. the rules set quorum at six
and this gives the board an oppor-
tunity to pass resolutions and
adopt measures with only ma
jority voting--four votes being the
majority in the siX-member meet
ing.
By virtue of this, many things are
accomplished. However, at the last
meeting, one of the largest held,
ID members of the board were pres
ent, evidently to hear the Plckens
case.
However, it has been learned that
each member of the board has re-
ceived a letter from Dean Plckens
in which he insists that the men,
bers "have been imposed upon-by
whom 1 do not know"
ERROR CLAIMED
"But not until today did receive
called Pursuit Squadron, by VIII
liam Pickens' and compare it with
what I wrote under Fort Huachu-
ca and 99th Persuit Squadron" his
letter said .
"The matter mimeographed," the
! letter continues, land sent to yol
I is not my article. Somebody i'm
posed upon the mimeographers
Compare it with my article; 1t L
lifted out of the first two thirds
of nv article-when the last one
third is the most important. Ant
, some little phrases are left out o
the two thirds from which tn
mimeograph of the NAACP wa
| made.
at know this indebtedness is no
of our NAACP, for the association
does not do that.
'And I am not trying to chang
your mind about anything, but on
ly aiming to get the truth befor
you. If the truth makes any change
that is as it should be-"
When Dean PickenS was frs
mentioned as a possibility for hi
present post with the Treasury De
partment, there was some question
in the minds of people why the as
sociation was willing to let such
valuable man leave at such q criti
cal time.
There are rumors rife i'll certai
} circles that some officials IN
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Difficulties To Be
CONTINUED from page ~

a section of about mile square.
All traffic-pedestrian as we'll as
vehicular-is being detoured. A few
minor skirnisheS involving two or
three persons were reported and
the police made only four arrests.
All persons injured, including
three policemen and several women,
have been released from the hos
pitals. Police records show II hos
pitalized cases, but may other per-
sons were known to have received
medical attention. According to
Inspector George B. McLelland, OF
special investigation squad, all riot
prisoners will be brought to court
soon. He also stated there were six
arrests for felonious assault. % Tor
carrying concealed weapons and rs
for melting to riot.
TRUCE DECLARED
The riotous flare-up came when
three Negro families attempted TO
move into the $1,0O0,000 structure,
designated for them by federal
housing authorities who twice
changed their stand last Saturday
morning. Klu Klux Klansman led
the riot, in which police joined to
keep Negroes out. While no fire
arms were brought into play, some
were in evidence in cars belonging
to Negroes.
A truce was finally declared when
Mayor Jeffries sent word to with
hold everything until things could
be peacefully settled. The loaded
furniture vans were turned away
despite the fact that proposed oc-
cupants had paid the rents and
had certified orders to. move in.
1t was the consensus Of opinion
that if police had performed their
duty, an officer would have been
placed on each van, and a way
cleared through the mob, but the
excuse given by the mayor and
police commissioner was that they
feared for the safety of Negroes
once they were in the project.
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
By WALTER r. CHiVERS

life processes.
The racial lefders and white DO
liticians have been emphasizing to
them the bright side of q life quite
unreal and telling them to avoid
those who bear hard news. A bear
er of hard news can be no more
than a pessimist. However, Negroes
must be optim lists. Regardless of
how badly their well-being is
threatened they must laugh and act
happy. It irkS me no little when
I hear white speakers express re-
gret before audiences of Negroes
that they can not laugh in the
face of adversity like Negroes. Both
of these groups have different mo-
tives behind their advice to Negro
youth. But the total result is the
same in that it tends to maintain
them in q world of dreams and
keeps Them from building proper
resistance to the hard facts OF
life.
IN PRECARIOUS SITUATION
Negro racial group in America is
in most precarious economic and
political situation. Some white peo-
pie, at least, theoretically want them
to be employed without discrinina-
ton, some others are willing to
let them have equal position but
not the same wages, others are
determined that they shall be con-
fined to menial work, still others
do not care whether they work or
not.
The older Negroes are too tho
roughly conditioned to certain set
patterns of accommodation to ever
really cause any basic changes in
these patterns. They can, however
become wise to the needed newer
StrategieS and assist the youth in
effecting them. This world is
going to be set Alright by youth or
destroyed by them.
Politically Negro youth must be
encouraged to forsake all political
ways that fail them. They must be
shown the necessity of being poll
tically flexible. Political power is
a most potent weapon of a minority
people. So they must be able to
manipulate it to the advantage of
themselves and their group. Poll
-tfcal skill is going to be a funda-
mental tool in preserving the iden-
tity of minority peoples.
(TO Be COntinued)
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

real educational work.
Prior to the present international
and national crisis I have been will
ing to admit that the subject was
debatable and that my opponents
had some solid ground upon which
to stand. However, knowing how
strongly some of them felt about
my line of argument I was forced
to find some satisfaction in their
not answering me in the press. It
is probable that these opponents
feared to expose the strength Of
their hands.
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

"In addition to things with
which to fight, we've got to
have something to fight for"
Mr.. Cramer said in referring
to the British failure to use
Malayans and Chinese in Singa-
pore.
Discussing the methods his COM
mittee uses in obtaining employ
ment for Negroes and other minority
groups, Mr.. Cramer said the
chief argument is that the full par
ticipation of minority groups will
save our civilization and present
form of government and we have
to use everybody in the production
efforts.
GOVT AN OFFENDER
The criticism that followed when
it was pointed out the government
itself was the chief offender in the
matter of discriminatory practices
brought about the investigation in
to this phase of work conditions.
Explaining that the FEPC is
limited in the scope of its work
BY virtue of his small staff of
eight, Mr.. Cramer said the
group is working on plan
whereby they. hope to include
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Peonage Story
fcontinued from Page y

CONTINUED from Page u
forced to cut cane from four a. m.
to dusk and are intinlidated by
armed white guards. They said
workers never draw wages, hut enc
up lowing the boss" for expenses" ;"
HITCH-HIKED TO ATLANTA
The men said they hitch-hlked
TO Atlanta. On arriving, their case
was taken to the Department OF
Labor Inspectors and the F. B. /. by
members of the Atlanta Travellers
Aid Society. First mention OF the
alleged conditions on the Florida
plantation was made by the cane
cutters when they visited the
Travellers Aid Society agency at
the Terminal Station here and
sought aid in returning to their
homes in Blythville, Arkansas and
Portersville. Missouri.
The three men had in their pos
session a circular, similar to the
circulars that are distributed
among Negro farm hands through
out Arkansas and Missouri. The
ciruclar promised good, steady jobs
for 300 Negro men, free transporta-
ton to Florida and SO a day COM
pensation with meals and lodging
furnished"
The circular carried pictures OF
carnivals, barbecues and weekly
entertainments for the workers ano
gave the impression that a cane
cutters life was one of comfort anc
luxury.
Bates, who is single, said he was
approached by white man in 9
Blytheville, Arkansas street ant
promised "good work" in Florida
He asserted that he and eight
others we're carried by truck u
Bennett, Arkansas, registered anc
finger printed at the state employ
ment office.
Butler and Bell, both illiterate
are married and had been working
as share-croppers on a PorterS
vile, Missouri farm.
The men said three bus loads o
workers were transported II
Clewiston, Florida. They said the,
slept in barracks on the plantation
and ate meals in a "meSshall." TIL
meals, they said, are served by WON
en-, who are mistreated the same a
Tie men workers. No provision
made for separation Of men ant
women IN housing facilities th
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Cramer Reveals Fine Work
Accomplished By The FEPC

WASHINGTON, D. C.--(ANP)-Lawrence Cramer, ex-
ecutive secretary of the Presidents Committee on Fair
Employment Practices spoke to small group OF Howard
university outlining work of his committee for the bene
fit of his audience part of the of the graduate
school of the university Dr. Abram L. Harris was char
man of the meeting and DR. Ralph Bunche introduced Mr.
Craner.
Tracing the growth of his work. Mr. Cramer briefly out
lined the evils which brought about the formation OF the
FEPC With discriminatory practices eveled at l5OOOooO
Negroes 100000 Jews 100000 Mexcans and persons OF
Latin extraction it evident he sad that the
use of the full manpower of the country was hampered In
similar the secretary related the posslotes ars
inc from the exclusion of other groups religious and other
sects This, he indicated, would leave only minority to
run the war effort.
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Gen'IDavis' Son
Continued from Page J.

Early in the summer Capt. Davis
returned to Tuskegee Institute to
begin pilot training in the Air
Corps Detachment Primary Flying
School. Tuskegee Institute. Cadet
Roberts received advanced flying
training in the Civilian Pilot Train
ing course at Tuskegee Institute
before entering Air Corps Primary
Training.
MAY BE AT TUSKEGEE
Colonel Frederick v. Fl. Kimble,
Commanding Officer Of the ACAFS
could not be reached for confirrna-
ton of the rumor that the newly
commissioned officers would be as
signed to duty at the Tuskegee
Field.
The inaugural ceremony initia-
ting the training of Negroes as Mill
tary ayiators for the United States
Army Air Corps was held July 19,
1941 at the Booker II. washington
Monument, Tuskegee Institute. The
principal address on that occasion
was made by Major General Walter
r. Weaver, Commanding Officer,
Southeast Air Corps Training Gen.
ter.
Here follows an excerpt Of the
challenge General Weaver gave to
the cadets that day:
"The success OF this venture de-
pends upon you. You have the re-
sponsibility of laying the founda-
ton. Therefore, I can not impress
upon you too much how important
it is for you to make a wonderful
record. l believe you will. I under
stand you have been hand picked.
You have an excellent educational
background. You have splendid Of
| ficers. You will have fine mechanics.
These are the tools necessary to do
your work. You have the best. In
addition, you have an even greater
responsibility. The responsibility OF
training for defense of the United
States. I can not impress too en-
phatically how important is this
| DIldSE VI INdOlOIIdl oCAClAoO -VAAAo
phase of military aviation-this that
you have elected to do. This task is
work. It is q difficult task. It will
call for everything you have got in
you. It is no bed of roses. It will
mean morning work and night
study. 1t will mean keeping your
selves fit at all times. If you Sue
ceed you will have the satisfaction
and the pride that comes to the
men who on the completion ol
their course pass down the line and
sreceive their wings.
your officers will be ever ready
to help you, but it depends upor
you as individuals whether this
success shall be yours.
LET no task be too small to re-
ceive your utmost careful atten
ton. If you do that, you should b.
successful, and I believe you will.
What Booker T. Washington
stood for-the principle of work at
tention to duty, loyalty to cause
these especially, with these in from
OF you, you cadets can but be in
heSpired, ...
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

1HAvE COMMENDED on several
occasions through the medium of
this column that intercollegiate
football in Negro colleges has grown
to such enormous size as to Sc
riously and in many instances des-
tructively challenge the educational
effectiveness of Negro colleges, par
ticularly the smaller private col
leges. It is generally known that
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
three cane-cutters declared.
CHARGED FOR EVERYTHING

They said the were charged SIG
for transportation to Florida, 81 q
week for meals, $3.50 for a light
blanket and even had to pay 81 for
cane-cutting knife. All OF the
charges were deducted from their
earnings"
The men told Atlantans they
fled after getting tired OF being
cursed and beaten. They said so
many Negroes are fleeing the
camp that guards are now beating
up" all who are caught attempting
to flee. ...--
Bell and Butler said they had re-
ceived notices to report for eXaml-
nations before their draft boards
on March T. They asked Travellers
Aid officials to explain to the
board the cause of their absence.
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
White Editor
Continued from Page -

Negro problem in this country
give them equal footing in the
services and in defense industries
Il agree with Pearl Buck as to
what will happen. She believes
very profoundly that we will lose
the Chinese. '--.a -.->e,a@
"We made fancy promises to the
Negro to make him a complete
American citizen. We would have
started in Immediately making him
free. But he still has to pay q poll
tax in the south, and in the north
ern cities he still lives in ghettoes
and pays twice the rent a white
person would pay for the same
property. 1t is another case OF
promising everything, and giving
nothing"
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
HOPE OF THE FUTURE

The colleges should and I believe
do contain the youthful hope OF
our raci Il future. They are for the
most part children of the depression
entering their adulthood during the
process of war more drastic than
the worst days of the depression.
Most of these youngsters have
known only human-lfe as portray
ed Cd by economic disaster co and
World War II. Thus they have no
experimental knowledge of good
tines by which to compare their
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14

some of these COL
1eges are thought
Of by the public
as football COL
leges". I do not
believe that any
of them actually
deserve such a
clear cut designa-
ton but it is true
that their empha-
sis upon tn e
glamorous sport
has dirnmed their
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Divided We Fall

FASCISM AT home no less fas-
cism abroad is threatening to de-
stroy our country. The sooner we
wake up to the fact that it is 60
ing to take our all to stem the
tide that threatens to overwheln
us. the sooner we are going to get
somewhere with our war efforts.
Before Pearl Harbor we were
throttled by the disunity that
comes of racial prejudice.
It is difficult at times to tell
whether we are concentrating on
the japanese in the Pacific or the
Negroes here in America. The
American faSciStS seem more de-
ter1nined to defeat the aspirations
of the Negro than the ambitions
of the Japanese. During World
War 1 these fascistS were deter
mined to throw the Negro for a
loss" at the conclusion of the war:
during this second World War they
seem even more determined that
Negroes shall not profit econom-
ically or socially from the war and
its uncertain outcome. Whereas
riots and lynchings followed victory
in the First World War, they are
preceding Victory in the second.
TOO CONSPICUOUS
Outbreaks against Negroes are
by far too conspicuous for the
good of our threatened nation.
Here and there in our training
camps riots are breaking out. Mis-
souri, has staged its Streamlined
lynching Detroit is offering its
housing riots as evidence of it's de-
termination to keep the Negro
down. In thousands Of subtler sit
uations American fascisln is divid-
ing our nation and destroying that
unity without which we can never
defeat Japan. What is going on in
the Pacific should shock us out of
a cCcnplacency that threatens to
deliver our nation to the Germans
and Japanese.
The very fact that So much of
this nations attention is centered
on holding the Negro back shows
that too, little attention is being
given to the greater problem of de-
feating the Japanese and Germans.
This nation cannot watch Germans
and Japanese and Negroes all at
the same time The attention ce'n-
tered on the Negro is attention
that is needed to defeat Hitlerisln.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS
When we consider the population
al strength of Japan and the Unit
ed States we find that there is
rot much difference. When we
consider the valor of the japanese,
we have no reason to posit our
own superiority in this sphere
When we consider the success ia
pan has achieved in conquering the
territories that afford the natural
resources in which she was de-
ficient, we are not too convinced
Of our own superiority. When WE
consider the distance we must
travel to carry the fight to Japan
we are face to face with some
problems that should take prece-
dence of TIE "Hold-The-Negro-
Down" spirit of cur American Fas'
cistS.
Just like Russia fooled Lindbergf
on the matter of her military
strength SO Japan fooled us abou
her own. We scoffed and scornet
Japan's strength and we are paylns
dearly for our foolish pride. JUS
as we are paying for under-esti
| mating Japan we must pay 10
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
SUPPORT KNOCKED OUT

However, I believe that the cur
rent crisis has knocked all support
from under the Staunch proponents
of intercollegiate football in Negro
colleges, whether public or private
In the first place the state OF
the Negro racial group in our nation
at war is too serious to allow for
concentration on the grand specta-
cles which include a football game
as a major attraction on their
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
Fuller Arranging

NEW YORK, - (ANP) - Since
Van Alexander, well-kpown white
arranger, became busy with his own
orchestra again and had to give up
his arranging duties with Les HlteS
orchestra, the job of writing materi-
al for Les has been handled chiefly
by Walter Fuller, talented youngster
from East Orange, N. j.
The Phoenix index., 1942-03-14
OR e--.se--.-.ss,''7,,s.,,.
4 WN.:TS E0KE

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