The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-23
White WRITER
WAGES war ON
RACE HATERS
COlu m mist Discharged
Because Of Articles
Fav0ring Negroes

W. nANSG~E<S NnANky-ASA S~-
Berthon. who was recently fired as
columnist from the Los Angeles
Daily News because Of pro-Negro
sentiment, has taken up the cudgel
against his former employers.
At his own expense. he had a
small booklet printed as an open
letter to Manchester Boldly, the
publisher. and gave II city-wide
distribution. Both colored and
white had been reading II avidly.
and II has been the subject OF
much comment. The letter follows:
ION the ground that had failed
to heed repeated warnings against
over emphasizing my religious
views and the inter-racial philoso-
ply flowing from them. I was
fired last Monday.
Reasons Sought
Robert L. Smith. vice-president
and general manager. who did the
firing. made it clear that he did so
in fullest agreement with you and
Managing Editor Lee F. Payne;
that there was no appeal from your
decision as 1t had been arrived at
after mature elaboration. After
stating that various department
heads OF the paper had rather
doubted that was as popular as
two years ago. he added that the
members Of the board Of directors
had all agreed with you. Lee and
himself that the column had not
conformed to what II started out to
be. ! looked him in the eye-as
they say in melodramas-anda asked
him II any circulation check or sur
vey had been made that would in
dictate that l was less popular than
two years ago. and he answered,
I'll be frank with you. Ted. We have
not made any such survey. and l
might as we'll tell you that MIR.
Boldly, Mr.. Payne and I are quite
willing to take the responsibility
for the discontinuance Of your
services.
Il insisted on knowing Just why
I was being fired Without hesita-
ton when he did finally speak. Bob
said there were three reasons: first.
my over-emphasis on religion: Sec
ond. my too frequent discussion
in your eyes-of the race problem;
third, my occasional columns OF
swing music and dancing with fur
Their emphasis on Negroes.
Warned 2 Wears Age
"In my final goodbye chat with
Lee Payne, he told me that he had
warned me for two years and half
about too much religion and that
had only myself to blame for losing
my Job. He did not say this In any
sharp or vindictive way. but in a
decent friendly way. However. Lee
has warned me throughout most OF
the seven years in which I wrote q
Daily News or Evening News coll
umn about too much religion.
"You must reasonably agree, Mr..
Boldly, that many a Catholic and
many a Negro and many another
person will not relish the exclusion
Of the name Of Christ in these shud-
dering days. and will not want your
paper any more.
II am not asking you to recon.
slider my dismissal. I'm exceeding
ly happy as 1t is, with happiness
not dependent on you or on any
other human being, but on Christ
and His grace and His love. More
over. had seven years Of journal
istic paradise. breaking a new trail
in American journalism, thanks TO
God. I only thank God. not you.
The circulation building nature OF
the column kept II in the paper. II
il hadn't been so il would have
been chucked out, and you know 1t.
All I ask you to do is to ask you
have you hurt soursSA zoos" ~; ;'..
$50, you see, I tried TO keep my
thinking straight in order to write
with love and goodwill for all But
even so. the inevitable has hap
pencd. for 30 pieces Of silver still
have their meaning. too"