Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-04-07

~ q PNblIS ulooo IilScIlIlR mere
say. Yet, an were positive that
neither Johnson nor Young could
have afforded to have spent that
much money in the interest of keep
ing Randolph "of a Memphis plat
form"
Brown Nuts" Absent
Notably absent from the mass
meeting were well known figures in
Memphis Negro life. The Crump
Brown Nuts 1.-THE Democratic boss
black stooges) didn't dare to attend
for fear Of arousing the ire of Mis-
sissippi born Crump who says he
loves Negroes and has done much
for them" Consequently, the day
after Randolph's speech the wives
Of the Brown Nuts" were on the
telephone trying to find out what
Randolph said" and 'fwhat did the
folk think about it."
One woman, whose husband is
the principal of a school, was on
the bus the morning after the ad-
dress. Asked why she wasn't there.
she answered: "Now you know right
well, honey, that we (meaning she
and her husband) couldn't dare to
go. 1t would jeopardize my hus-
bands job"
Since there is but one lawyer in
the town, an Attorney A. A. Lat
ting, it wasn't at all surprising that
the black bar was not represented.
Physicians and business men were
either "too busy" that night or were
home with cold"
Regardless of all this fear on the
part of the local leaders, Randolph
was thanked on the platform by Is
white and Negro labor leaders. Pre-
ced1ng him as speakers, were Cor
nelius Maiden, Negro A. F. of l. or
ganlzer out of Birmingham; Milton
r. Webster, Chicago, international
vice president of the Sleeping Car
Porters and member of President
Koosevelts Fair Employment Prac-
tce Committee, George Googe and
Others. The Rev. G. A. Long, pas
tor of the church, opened the meet
ing with a prayer.
Randolph was originally sched-
uled to speak here in Memphis on
Nov. z of last year. Lorine and
Randolph differed on the floor of
the A. F. of L. national convention
In Boston and Loring saw a chance
to get even. He had saved a CODY
OF an eastern Negro newspaper
which named Memphis as one of
several cities in which a race riot
might occur. Although the story
was printed shortly after the De-
troit and Harlem riots, neverthe-
less, Loring produced it.
Lor1ng got Crump's ear. Ran
dolph was pictured as a trouble
maker and racial friction would be
sure to follow in the wake of his
appearance in Memphis, Lorine de-
clared. Underground methods were
used. Henchmen got busy on the
telephones. They called the mayor,
the fire and police commissioner,
the attorney general of Shelby
county-and they called and kept
calling Crump.
Employers of women were
phoned that Negroes were buying
guns and as a result the closing
hours of factories and stores had
been moved up two hours in order
that these women could get home in
daylight. Crump kept getting calls
but the source was not the Negroes.
They knew less about the rumors
than anyone.
But Randolph was NOT to speak
in Memphis if Lev Loring could
prevent it, the Defender learned.
Result was that the sheriff notified
a cross section of leading Negroes
to present themselves at the Jail
house. 1t is reliably reported that
these Negroes were taken down.
stairs for the interview" and not
to the sheriff's office.
The Negro delegation included
DR.. L. G. Patterson, Ashton Hayes,
Manassas high school principal;
Blair 7. Hunt, principal of the
Booker T. Washington high and
said to be one of Crump's Brown
Nuts; H. L. Patton, president of
the Memphis local of the Sleeping
Car Porters; Lieut.. George W. Lee,
district manager of the Atlanta
Life Insurance company and author
of three books; Headwaiter Alonzo
Locke, Peabody hotel; o. T. West
brook, Union Protective Insurance
company district manager; the Rev.
w. A. Johnson, pastor of the Mt.
Olivet A. M. E. church; the Rev. E.
T. B. Amos, pastor of the Pisgah
A. M. z. church; S. W. Qualls,
undertaken; DR.. w. S. Martin, DR..
J. E. Walker, Universal Life In
surance company president; the
Rev. J. L. Campbell, pastor of the
st. Stephens Baptist church and
Matthew Thornton, mayor Of
"Beale street."
Boss Crump Absent
Crump was not at the meeting.
Continued on Page g.