Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-01
Davidson Seems to Enjoy
His Fight With the Police
BY JOHN McKELWAY

by JOhN McMELWAx
Almost any day a smallish man
in rumpled suit sits in a drab
real estate Office a few steps below
u street near Thirteenth street
NV. His face is a caramel color
and his hair. copibed straight
back. is thin and grazing. He was
once wrestler and because Of the
still thick chest. clothes don't seem
to hang right on him. Outwardly,
at least, he is not an impressive
figure.
This man. Eugene Davidson, is
president of the local branch Of
the National Association for the
Advancement Of Colored People,
and has been since 1852. He is
intense. laxative and candid. He
says he does not have much
money and the dav-to-day bust
ness Of real estate seems to irk
him-at least when 1t crowds his
discussions on the plight Of the
colored man.
At 81, Mr.. Davidson has tackled
quite an objective. He would like
to see Police Chief Robert v. MUIR
ray removed. He says that racial
discrimination and brutality go
on in the Police Department and
that he wants them wiped out.
Mr.. Davidson. on paper at least.
represents some 10000 local people
who have Joined the NAACP by
contributing anything from So to
$500. The latter brings with
it a "life membership" in the
organization and Mr.. Davidson
says there are 20 such member
ships locallyD
The ways of this organization
are directed largely by Mr.. David
son and an executive commit
tee" Of II members-a committee
which fully supports Mr.. David
sons latest fight and one which,
according to the president. in
cludes three white people.
Low Budget Operation
Mr.. Davidson hints his organi-
zation is almost broke. He says
none of the officers are paid: the
Office is handled by a secretary
and a clerk. and SO per cent OF
the funds collected are funneled
TO the national office in New York.
Yet he and his organization
have succeeded in talking the Dis
trict Commissioners into q public
hearing Of their charges against
Chief Murray and his department
on october 81. It shapes up as
a hearing in which the city's po-
lice chief. will. in effect, be on
trial-or at least on the defen-
Sive.
In talking with Mr.. Davidson.
one gathers he doesn't really ex-
pect Chief Murray to be booted
out of Office. The fact that his
charges Of police brutality will be
heavy on the mind Of the public
may satisfy him on the theory
that it would diminish chances
Of any future incidents. And
he says that If the racial discrimi-
nation he charges is eased some
what. he'll have picked up the
"half-a-loat I'm used TO-"
Mr. Davidson seems not one bit
concerned over the position Of
some that he's gone too far"
IN his attack on the police. He
seems con dent there is no
chance the October hearing might
backfire on him and his charges.
Eugene Davidson is no muddled
Amos n Andy character. He has
chosen the path Of most resist
ance. He frankly states: I'm a
troublemaker." He obviously en-
joys taking on the Police Depart
ment--he likens it to a "chess
game" There are unpleasant as
poets, however.
Since he embarked on the
project he's been getting telephone
calls at midnight-with only a
click on the other end Of the line.
There also have been a series Of
false fire alarms at his house and
repeated visits from a carry-out
shop which delivers fried chicken
Mr.. Davidson did not order.
Then the other night:
II heard a noise in my back
yard I got up and looked out the
window. I saw bunch Of white