The guardian., 1951-02-10

tremendous mission Will De,
can say that l will 60 back to
Detroit and tell the workers Of
that city what has happened
down here. I am confident that
they will really rise to the sup
port of this critical fight, which
so deeply affects our democracy"
Aubrey Grossman followed
with proposals recommended by
the Steering Committee which
had met during the afternoon.
He said: eve have done an his
toric thing gathering here today
but our work is not done and
will not be done until we have
assured the lives of these men
and seen that they receive a COM
plete pardon.
Judge HutcheSon turned
down the writ this afternoon. In
fact, he refused to take iurisdic-
tion over the case. But an ap-
peal can be made to a higher
court I am certain that this is
being done by Mr.. Martin, attor-
ney for the men.
"But we have a job to do NOW.
I would like to make the pro-
posals and impress upon you that
this will call for further sacrifice
from many determined and
weary people"
The following proposals were
made and unanimously agreed
upon by the delegates:
l, Establishment Of a national
joint committee to Save the
Martinsville Seven, with
headquarters at the Civil
Rights Congress in New York
and in Richmond, Virginia.
2. The selection OF a national
treasurer Of Importance and
integrity to whom all con-
propose Mr.. B. Logan, a dele
tributions can be made. We
gate here today, originally
from Richmond, Va, and
now the Religious Editor of
the Pittsburgh Courier.
Most important" continued
Mr.. Grossman, "are our proposals
for the next three days. Word
has just come that an all night
picket line has been established
around the White House asking
that President Truman intervene
in the case. This line has beer
started under the auspices of TIL,
Arts Sciences and Profession
Council. We propose that al
many delegates as can, join thaf
picket line tonight. And finally
we propose that all those who
will agree to stay should remain
in Richmond, regardless of their
financial difficulties. to keep a
vigil here. I would like to see
a show of hands Of those who
will stay in Virginia"
The hands of fifty tired and
determined men andwomen went
up to the tremendous applause
of the packed church. Delega-
ton Captains then started the
job Of re-routing buses, changing
tickets with those who could
stay for the Virginia vigil and
planning all the details to guar
antee the all-night picket line be-
fore the White House.
The credentials report was
made by Executive Secretary of
the Illinois CRC, Lester Davis
OF a total Of SIT delegates and
observers from Is states, half OF
the delegates came representing
trade unions; 35 delegates were
official representatives of churches
and minister's associations: 30
came from special defense com
mittees set up to save the Mar
tinsville Seven; an additional %
came from the Committee in Viz
ginia. Other delegates came from
YIN and YMCA's, the NAACP
veterans organizations, and many
others. Forty delegates came
North Carolina, 81 from Massa-
chusetts, 26 from Philadelphia,
$50 from New York.
Mr. Arthur McPhaul, executive
secretary of the Cichigan Civil
Rights Congress then made 4
stirring appeal for funds to save
the lives Of these seven men
From hard pressed workers
housewives, farmers and youth
from all the is states came the
dollars, niekels and dimes. From
delegate after delegate came
pledges to return home and raise
additional sums from churches
unions, community organizations
and individuals. The collection
mounted to S54714.
Resolutions of thanks to the
YMCA, the Martinsville Commit
tee and the Leight St. Method.
ist Church were unanimously
passed. As buses left for Wash
ington plans got under way for
the Richmond vigil.
Issued by.
Joint Committee 10 Save the
Martinsville Seven, Box on.
Richmond, Virginia.
Labor donated)