St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-01-10
Dear Joe
A PEEP AT THE RECORD
By JAMES L. HICKS

A PEEP AT THE RECORD
The fact that 1916 hae "ass"'
without one single colored organi-
cation being officially recognized by
the Veterans Administration is of
no credit to colored organizations.
But il is even less credit to
Joseph F. Albright, special ad-
wiser to General Omar n. Brad
ley on affairs pertaining to col
Ored people. A veteran himself,
and associated daily with nation
al representatives of white vet
eran organizations, no one knows
better than Mr.. Albright the
value it is to an organization to
be officially recognized by the
Veterans Administration.
Mr.. Albright knows that upon
being recognized by the Veterans
Administration an organization is
then entitled to have a national
service officer to represent its vet
eran members before official Vet
Grams Administration boards.
AS such representatives, they
have full access to official Veterans
Administration records and are
authorized to pry into and gather
such information from these rec
ords as may be of value to them in
presenting the insurance disability,
or pension claims of any member
of their organization.
To further emphasize the i'm
portance that the VA puts on a
national service officer Of a recog-
nized organization one has but to
note that the VA itself provides him
with office space and paid steno-
graphic help to assist him in fight
ing the cases of members of his
organization against the VA. In
short, a national service officer of
an organization that is recognized
by the Veterans Administration is
one of the most effective Lawyers"
that veteran can have.
NON-RECOGNITION
Why is it then that no colored
organization has ever been official
ly recognized so that it might have
a national service officer?
It's not because cOlOred or
CARNATIONS have not sought rec
OgnitiOn. X. l.. Williams, nation
al service officer of the nOn-VA-
recognized National Council of
Negro Veterans, Inc, writes this
column that his organization has
sought recognition from the VA
since shortly after World War l.
It's not that colored organiza-
tons are not qualified because of
a lack of numbers. The United
Negro and Allied Veterans of
America with chapters in most of
the 4S states and several foreign
countries represents not only the
greater mass of colored veterans
who have joined veteran organiza-
tons but has also officially been
asked to represent the veterans
Of the Independent Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks of the
World, the Fraternal Council of
Negro Churches, the National Bap-
fist Convention, the National Bap-
fist Convention of America, the
National Lawyers Guild and the
National Conference of Community
Churches Of America. This organi-
cation is currently seeking recog-
milton.
What is mOre-with Heavy
weight Champion Joe Louis as
honorary national commander,
and Representatives Adam Clay
ton Powell and William Dawson
enthusiastically backing the or
ganizatiOn, UNAVA not only has
the necessary numbers but also
the necessary prestige to merit
recognition by the VA.
ALL UP TO ALBRIGHT
Much of the good work done by
Albright for colored veterans has
been behind the scenes. Mr.. AL
bright would have difficulty emu
merating the concrete advance
ments he has made in the VA in
the interests of the people he rep
resents. Only close observers of
Mr.. Albright know that some prog
ress has been made. However, the
people whom Mr.. Albright repre-
sents are entitled occasionally to
know specifically what Mr.. Albright
is doing or has done. Here is an
opportunity for him to openly do
something concrete.
A request that the VA recOg-
nize UNAVA and its allied or
CARNATIONS has been laid on Mr..
Albright's desk. All that is need
ed to gain this recognition is the
signature of E. E. 0dOm, VA
solicitor. and General Omar n.
Bradley, VA administrator.
If Mr.. Albright cannot get the
signatures Of these two officials
on a matter of such Importance,
he should let the people he repre-
sents know it.
RnAWHB Join the