Arkansas State press., 1957-05-17

who rode with Henderson and
Worth Reading
xprroxs NOTE pu. !. the npers.n es.Ae.s
IN exposing practices Il leading department
stores and The courage d Little keeh u.@sa IN
ns accepting theory white aas nas Negroes are
,,s.ra,n.e ". ar, giving ths letter prsinse
the expressed before nAde ~ ap
pear.nce streets saishsen the Negro aAs The ~.
.up<xosty II IN matter mind and dnpay-
ed thru enc. setioaa AFTER letter been read win
be easy 70 discover where The tnfsstsriy hsa u
l. C. Bates, Editor STATE PRESS Little Rock Arkansas
. In September 1885, a wel-dressed. olivecomplexoned
young Negro entered Blass department store er
making several purchases she was lunch In the Blas
This young matron. wife Of United States AT
Force Officer who d making her home In The city, was
every Customer Must be Completely Satisfied She
the service Of the store whose policy was
of discrimination on account Of color. SHE
THOUGHT.
This nswly-made satisfied" customer began broad
casting splendid service Of the Bias. department. store
telling her nswlymads friends which included Myself
very pleased with the news!! Ahough nave
been Bass customer for many years land the members
of my family years before my time) was conditioned TO
ignoring any hunger pangs during shopping sprees
was hoping beyond reality that serving this lady In the tea
room the rule instead Of exception At her invita-
tion I arranged Of my shopping trips with her.
We made several purchases and decided to avail our
selves of the convenience for lunch upon
entering denied service and were ask
ed to leave peacefully Mrs Dorothy Butler my
companion the waitress that there must De some
mistake that had been served previously Immediately
and In apoegetc tone, the waitress made clear a'
the mistake was in serving her the first time Mrs. Butler
and succeeded comforting with Mr.. Hoeman, VINO Is
the manager of the Hoeman told that acconno-
datons available in the tea room for Negroes Let
ter later followed the conference with Holeman Mrs
Butler and myself thanking for discussing the incident
him and asking for continued patronage and good
will. .
Mrs Butler was not entirely satisfied with the letter
and made telephone call the Manager In the course OF
the conversation Mrs Butler invited to the store again.
She inquired II the invitation included the tea room Inc
Manager hesitantly agreed
Mrs. Butler accompanied by her small daughter visited
store and in spite of previous incidents made some
purchases entered and refused service by the
waitress She the Manager who instructed the
waitress her and her daughter He emphasized later
however, that the policy of the store was 10 refuse service
TO Negroes in the tea ROOM
Mrs Butler could not understand the vagueness Of
policy due the incidents first served then refused then
She sought conference with the stores president
Mr. Hugo Herman.
II was this conference which arranged, for too
interested knowing just where the limitations are placed
regarding customers of various races
Mr. Holman courteousy received After detailed
presentation of Mr. Holman readily agreed that
the accorded Negro customers unfair How
ever pointed emphatcay that he did not intend to
do anything it. He stated that he not militant
man and was going fight the battles of the Negro
Regarding the first occasion on which Mrs Butler was
readily served Holman stated that he familiar with
the he who the waitress the go ahead
signal for service He further stated that Mrs Butler
thought to be Cuban and that BIASS COULD NOT RISK
MAKING A MISTAKE Mr. Holman pointed out that when
ever doubt existed concerning persons it was the
policy of the store that person.
The purpose of this letter is to explain what term an
unfair situation policy of this store denies service to
loya customers who help maintain certain conveniences
which they cannot enjodenes services to people who have
sacrificed loved ones foreign soil make these things
possbe and yet people whose contribution to this
country negligible and whose contribution to the growth
of the store is naught.
The president the admitted that the situation
in which we are placed unfortunate but he would not
change the policy long he is president Moreover he
continued to say he could be persuaded fight against
us but HE WOULD NOT LIFT HAND TO HELP US!
(Afrs) Dorothy G. White