The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-05-08

and the whole campaign or the
Harlem smear. Tie N.A.A.C.P.
through It's head, Walter White. re.
quested that the mayor step IN and
take q hand to stay the closing
order until he had heard facts in
the case, which the Savoy man.
agement was never permitted TO
introduce into their hearing before
the police department. The mayor
replied to this request with a care
fully worded telegram to the effect
that he was powerless to act in the
situation. In effect he washed his
hands OF the whole thing, NAACP
replied with, an equally curt wire
that they felt HE WAS NOT POW
ERLESS TO ACT IF HE WISHED
TO TAKE SOME ACTION AS THE
CHIEF MAGISTRATE OF THE
CITY.
Outstanding race leaders and fair
minded people OF other groups re-
sent the unfair implication OF this
action by the authorities. which
says in effect that Harlem is an
| isolated part OF New York whose
mortality quotient is far below that
Of any other and II is therefore So
cially "off limits" for civilians as
well as members Of the armed
sorces-if their faces happen to be
white.
As one leader has pointed out IN
showing the incongruity Of the $50
cial disease charge" any Negro SOL
der might become infected and
when questioned about the source
say that he met a girl in the lobby
of the Waldorf or the Aston and
the officials would forthwith be
obliged to recommend the closing
Of these hostelries via the License
revoking technique.
The implied smear Of disrepute
against the Savoy is given the lie
by the action Of the representative
organizations Of the community in
giving their affairs there. Certain
" IL the place was a breeding
ground OF social ills as this action
implies then the citizens Of Harlem
would well know it and steer clear
thereof.
But such organizations as the
ultra conservative Comus and the
Twenty-Five clubs, to say nothing
Of clubs such as the Gay North
easterners. the Girl Friends and the
Greek letter college fraternities en-
terrain at the Savoy. Even the
churches give their affairs there.
Only last week tie st. Ambrose
Roman Catholic church gave q
benefit dance there. Other chari-
table organizations a. well as the
National Urban league, and the
National Association Tor the Ad-
vancsmant Of colorsd People an
nually give affairs there.
So nimsy II the case Of the Com
missioner and subsequently, upheld
BY the Appellate Division in which
q waskroom transaction resulted In
officers securing evidence that they
specifically sought and could have
likewise been found in any place
OF public amusement in New York
that Justice Untermyer felt it nee
essary to temper his concurrence
| In the decision Of his colleagues
with the following statement:
with considerable hesitation,
concur in the confirmation OF the
determination Of the police com.
missioner. As to the hrst charge,
even II Il were sustained by the
proof, II is sufficient to say that no
evidence was offered OF the police
regulation, which the petitioner Is
claimed to have violated nor In my
opinion may we take judicial notice
Of such regulations"
As to the second and more ssri-
Gus charge. no competent evidence
was offered that the single incident
complained Of occurred with the
permission, express or implied, OF
TIE licensee administrative Code,
Section 436-l0. subd. n or any per-
son connected with the manage
ment.
The evidence Of implied permits
sion Is said to consist OF testimony
Of representatives Of the srmy.
the navy and the Department Of
Health. none OF whom, however.
profeSsed 20 have any knowledge
Of the facts except that they had
received reports from subordina;es
OF complaints relating to TIE opera
ton OF the licensed premises. II
Is said also 70 consist of statements
made by Lee Edwards and Alfred
Johnson. indicating that Johnson
was commonly on the premises.
These statements. even II they may
be said to warrant such an infer
ence. were not made in the pres
enee Of any person connected with
the management and. therefore, are
not binding on the petitioner. The
allegations OF the answer denied by
the reply may not. for obvious rea-
sons, be regarded as evidence in
this proceeding.
For these reasons, I would dis
sen. and vote 10 snnul TIE de-
termination were II not that all the
Incompetent evidence was received
without objection and might, there
fore. be considered by the commits
sioner. For that reason only. I vote
20 CONFIRM the determination"
The determination 70 make the
Savoy the GOAT for the whims Of
some undisclosed people who were
DESTROYS OF having it closed Is fur
Their shown by the excessive police
detail assigned 10 this dance hall.
And 10 show that the Savoy and
its alleged problem was being iso-
lated for this special treatment
IL is q matter OF record that no
similar public amusement center
in New York has been under any
such concentrated surveillance nor
has the management Of any other