The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-12-25

The Town
By John WOOD

again SlnCc yOutc ndQc 1pcSidk
land successfully efforts TO dis
appoint me for nigh onto-years.
Couldn't fill the number In. You
know. the draft board) I'm q born
repeater. Santa, and to repeat what
Al Smith said. 'let us look at the
record" BY looking at the record,
my full-blossomed friend. you will
| find that have been consistent in
my writing habits. I've been writing
to you ever since I learned you had
something to give away free gratis.
and II grieves me no little to add
that none of my letters have ever
caused you 10 meander down my
cleanswept chimney.
THIS YEAR I'M asking for a lot
OF things for lot Of people. Now
don't say I'm greedy and that | don't
realize there is a reindeer shortage.
Fact Is that you'd probably be an
other reindeer short IL I could lay
| eyes on your team. Guess you think
I've got a nerve to be talking about
you like bad boy and then ask
ing for presents. But. st. Nick. my
two readers tell me I've got more
nerve than an aching tooth. and
just like il says in the story book
| that you never let little children
down. I cannot let my public down.
| Anyway, you're so far back on my
presents ! thought maybe you
wouldn't mind playing catch-up. q
hate to remind you. Santa. but you
never did bring me the sled asked
for 30 years ago And only last
year asked you to bring me GER
tain doll and you sent word back
that IL you could get that doll you'd
divorce Mrs. Claus. How did
know Lena Horne had a contractD
So come on. Nickie boy, give with
the presents.
FIRST ON MY Christmas list are
Senators Bailey. Byrd. Cotton Ed
Smith. and Representative Rankin
from the deep South, sub. You
know about the South. Nick. That's
the part OF the country where they
lynch any dark rooster they catch
looking at light hen. These gentle
men have a home in Heaven tor
its opposite). Santa, and ! want you
10 bring each Of them a nice bright
one-way ticket-ani I'll give you a
tip; have il on good authority that
they wont be going to Heaven be-
cause there may be some colored
people up there. So you'd better
bring tickets for the other place.
which I'm sure would earn you the
eternal gratitude OF the decent
people OF the United States. II you'll
do this. Santa. won't even tell my
niece judy there is no such thing
as Santa Claus
HEAR THESE gentlemen won't
be going home for Christmas, so
while you're over the Capitol you
might leave FBR a big bag Of
courage. for I'm sure that's all he
needs to make him speak out on
certain ills that affect our country.
You might also leave for the legis-
Iators there a carload OF marked
copies Of the Constitution and tho
Bill OF Rights, along with q good
dictionary. I'm sure many Of them
never heard OF eQIsstft& kional -riGlRto'
and the Bill Of HshNS and II they
did hear OF them they didn't undsr>
stand what they are all about
I'D LIKE FOR you to whisper O.
these gentlemen's ears the aged-old
but none-the-less straight informs.
ton that no chain Is stronger than
its weakeft link. You might add
that the Negro people constitute a
dangerously weak link In our chain
OF democracy and that we will
never know the potential strength
OF this chain until that weak link
can hold its own with the rest.
WHEN YOU COME to Detroit I
want you 10 have all your bags
/ loaded. I'd like for you to bring
the people OF Detroit a new police
commissioner. but realize II would
be. impossible for you to drop any
thing like that in as a surprise.
what with Mayor Jeffries keeping
watch on the chimney at the police
building. But there IS something
you can bring JEFF. Santa. Bring
him good housing program-a pro-
gram that calls for building homes
for the 35 900 homeless war work.
ers. Bring him program that calls
for homes NOW that will be opened
TO those in need OF shelter. no mat
ter the color OF the people or the
locality Of the project Jeff's q good
boy, Santa. He's just been mis-
informed by Charlie Edgecomb.
and. at times, by his "cullud" adj
visors.
TO OUR MINISTERS and others
engaged in the work OF Christian
education, bring the moral courage
to sink or swim by their convictions
II YOU think this courage is-in-
sufficient leave them a note telling
them that it's all right to LIVE
CHRISTIANITY. Try to persuade
them that God IS greater than
Bilbo. Rankin. Joe Starnes. Charlie
Edgecomb or Joe Buffa. Try 10 con-
vince them that although Hitler's
agents are working day and night
to bring fascism TO this country.
this is still theoretically a democ-
racy and they dare stand I'D for
the things they believe.
WISH YOU would bring 10 nv
people God bless 'em everyone) a
realization that this war IS going
to end and that IL may not be a bad
idea 10 salt away a few iron men
while the sailing Is good. don't
know how you can accomplish this
Santa. for some OF my people land
/ repeat-God bless 'em etc) lust
don't believe that the Jobs and
money they have are here TO-DAY
and gone tomorrow land some
times tonight).
TO OUR BOYS in the armed
forces. bring courage 10 stand up
and fight for chance 70 make OF
this a free world. To the people in
those war torn countries. bring
peace-peace borne OF mans love
for his brother-peace that not only
Will bring our boys safely home
soon-but everlasting peace that
will mean THEIR BOYS will never
be writing Christmas letters from
a battlefield.
FOR ALL THE fine people who
have helped me 10 write this col.
umn these past two years. bring
all they ask for within reason
Bring balm 10 heal the feelings I
Internationally hurt. and a sneciaI