St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-10-12

We knew our suspicious wer,
correct when the winner OF tn,
Elk Of the Year" award was an
nounced, a nice looking young MAJ
with the happy faculty OF hailinl
from the bloodiest battlefield o.
civil liberties in the u. s. today
Mississippi
We suspect this is largely why
Mr. Clay Clayborne got his award
The grand" somebody or another
who introduced him was pleasant,
~ vague about the thing he did 10
earn this distinction, which incl
dentally was awarded by the
schenley liquor people o.. some
thing about lending the Elks halls
Of the state to register Negroes.
Hobson Reynolds, the Grand
Director OF Civil Liberties in
that capacity Mr.. Barnum, himself
Of the Elks order, doomed out loud
and clear on one point Of qualifi-
cation Of Mr.. Clayborne for the
award. When Reynolds was max
ing his grand tour" through the
South, seeing about Mister
Charlie" no doubt, who had about
gotten out of hand in his treat
ment Of our poor colored people
down there. he didn't know what
all to make Of Jackson, Miss Ga
which all honest Negroes
In Jackson. Miss until
he ran onto Mr. Clayborne, who
was the only Negro in jackson, he
'aid, who was on speaking terms
With the Sheriff.
IL In typical Of the leadership
Of the Elks and the other blOat-
ed flotsam and jetsam enthroned
there ON the platform that IL
didn't seem 20 occur 30 any OF
Of them that, that was all the
more reason for not giving the
Civil Liberties Elk of the Year
award 10 MIR. Clayborne!
There was one more reason CIV
n for passing out this citation TO
Mr.. Clayborne, and we suspect |
hat with the Grand Brothers
yrand collective eye always riveted |
m the main chance, this counted |
most Of ALLIE had done the |
most 10 raise the membership and |
financial status OF the Mississippi |
edges than any OF Mississipp's |
exalted Ones in the history Of the |
rider
Ladies Even More Vague
more Pleasantly SO"
The award to DR.. Alice Nichols, !
n Cleveland, as the Daughter Elk |
II the Year, was even more vague,
md, tribute TO the ladies grace |
md charm, more pleasantly so.
As matter OF fact, absolutely |
10 reason was given on stage for
this presentation, another
'chenley trophy (which we hope |
urns into a bottle OF the you
lnow what before many days |
AVE passed. TO DR.. Nichols: and |
We had TO go In search OF the |
irand Exalted Dispenser OF Pub
lefty to find out anything at all.
We have 10 report that he was
lot only vague, but disgruntled. |
We managed 10 pry loose from
lin, however the intelligence that
)r, Nichols went around organic
ny civil liberties departments in
Daughter Elk temples about the
ountry organizing II In all, We |
csisted the temptation TO ask
so she gets 'em organized. what
10 you do with them then and |
'ocketed our information and |
vent away.
There was a little slSit put on
mound the presentation to DR.. |
Nichols which we wish we had on
eCord,
Somebody introduced Louise
Beavers 20 present the award,
They neglected to give Louise
my notion OF what the award was
or, but she's a trouper SO she
ave EN- the business with the
yes - flap, Flap, Zap, the eye
ashes and the voice -- now
oft and connding like a little
.irrs now booming and as fam
liar as cornhread and mustard
.rcens,
I'm show business" she SAYS.
n her best 2o-guu salute tones.
'omplete with TOBA break, And
I'M going 70 really Give this a
ward awayr
Don't set the idea we are dis
'riEing this performance. II was
cal show business, the only pro-