The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-23
COVER
THE
TOWN
ny
JOHN WOOD
THE COMMITTEE REPORTS

THE COMMITTEE REPORTS
Mr.. CHAIRMAN. If I'm in order
and the gentleman in the third
chair will stop discussing the cleo
lion long enough I'd like 10 make
my report on the trial OF Leo Upton
and Charles Little Willie" Lyons,
and Mr. Chairman il seems 10 me
that in trying TO prove that Little
Willie started all the June 20 mess
Mr.. Elsarella OF the Prosecutors
Office actually proved that the rio;
started somewhere out there called
Eastwood Park. Mr.. Elsa-ella told
AS jury - that Little Willie said
he was going 10 chase white people
from Belle Isle because white peo-
PIE chased him from this park on,
ct Eastwood Now Mr.. Chairman i,
seems that IL somebody chased Little
Willie-or anyone else from this
Eastwood Park. that that is where
The riot started. that is II Mr. Dowl-
ing still insists Little Willie started
the riot. for Mr.. Elsarella kept re-
peating tina; white people wouldn't
let Little Willie enter Eastwood
Park.
AND ANOTHER THING Mr.
Chairman. Mr.. Elsarella also proved
that Detroit police don't protec;
anybody bu; mobs set out TO create
q disturbance. that is, IL il is a white
mob You see Mr.. Chairman, the
record shows that on the day OF the
Eastwood Park incident the police
threw their long arms OF protection
around a mob o, hoodlums who
were raising ruckus TO keep Ne
groes out o. this park. that is, the
police wouldn't let Negroes get of |
the car and enter the park which |
was denying Negroes their, consti-
tutional rights and giving aid and |
comfort 10 the enemy mobbsts Ito |
piifer a phrase from Mr.. Roosevelt, |
and he can spare few.
But THE INTERESTING thing |
about this trial. Mr.. Chairman and |
members, is that IL is serious in
dictment against the public school |
system in our city and also points
an accusing finger at the average
parent both Of whom are blamed
4Ar thu ~ SnVnn ilo 4
delinquency. Mr.. Chairman ! wish
you could have seen Ave OF the
kids called TO testify for the defense.
Why. could hardly believe IL when
three OF them said they had been
sent from their regular school to
the Moore school: was dumb
founded when another 16 years
old said he hadn't seen the in
side OF school house for two years;
when another one said he was alb
sent from school 40 days last year
before school authorities got around |
20 investigating his case.
X X X
WELL, MIR. CHAIRMAN, one OF
these youngsters - Is years old -
l. really what the boys call hepped
ca. He Is an alert kid with plenty
of energy and unusual leadership
qualities for kid his age. He Is
tops with both the boys and girls
IN his neighborhood - In fact
think he'll be elected mayor OF his
end of town since having been to
the big court - he plays a good
game Of cards land I mean the
games that amt played fer fund,
smokes cigarettes chain fashion and
has about as much respect for a
lady as he has for policeman. and
that amt anything 10 bank on.
Lives with his father who is home
about two days week on account
OF he runs on the road" 800. Mo-
ther Is dead and he is left to shift
for himself. Mr.. Chairman and
members and friends yeah, there's
friends now). is there any wonder
. boy like him becomes delinquent?
X X X
THEN THERE WAS another kid
who said he lived two places on
account Of broken family and he
I. friends with orpihe- - ;--laold I
kid who also must shift for himself
although he has both mother and
father who don't care how he gets
along but hopes and trusts he'll
turn out 10 be one Of the fine boys
Of the city. Well Mr.. Chairman.
these two boys had all the tine they
needed 10 go any place they pleased.
and alone, and they even admitted
tina. they hang around dance halls
until after midnight. ] asked them
where they worked since they |
aren't going 10 school - and they |
told me they didn't have 10 work
because their parents would rather |
give them few dollars than few
hours Well sir, Mr.. Chairman. there
were FIVE OF these youngsters and to |
talk with them you wouldn't think |
any Of them had good break either
IN the home or IN the school. and |
1t certainly seems that IL they HAD |
break they wouldn't turn out 10
Be the kind OF kids that think It's |
great &C ompl!shment 20 graduate
from Juvenile Court 20 Recorders
Court
X X X
NOW I'LL TELL you just what all
This has done for these boys. Well
sir, because their experiences with
schools and school teachers have
been very unpleasant they think