1944-10-30

otto G. Rutherford 833 Ne. Shaver St. Portland, ore. 91212 Volume 2- No. 9 PORTLAND, OREGON, OCTOBER 30, 1944 10 Cents a Copy NAT'L URBAN LEAGUE SURVEY UNDER WAY· Specialist In Social Work to Conduct Study At the reqruest of a citizen's com- 0 mittee which has been working diligently to get a community-wide survey under way here, Mr. Regi– nald Johnson, field secretary of the National Urgan League is now in Portland to conduct a three– month survey on the living condi– tions of Negroes. Mr. Johnson stated that the league's major interests are to ac– cumulate health and crime sta– tistics, information on the employ– ment of Negroes, and data on housing. Demonstrating how the Urban League operates in order that in– terested citizens may understand 0--------------------~--~~-------------------------------------------------------- I NAACP Cou~el Local Citizens Regret AddressesMeettng L f w d .11 w·1k. Charles A Houston of Wash- OSS 0 en e 1 le ington, D. C., one of America's foremost Negro attorneys-- a member of the legal staff of N.A.A.C.P., vice-president of the American Council on Race Rela– tions, spoke on "The Negro's Civil Rights in War Time" Fri– day, October 20, at 7 :30 P.M., Library Hall, Southwest Tenth and Yamhill Stteets. The event was sponsored by the Portland branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Expressions of loss, regardless of 0 party lines, were being voiced this road: "Wendell Wilkie was the week at news of the death of Wen- only national figure left in the Re– dell Wilkie. That he had carved publican fold who shared a philos– for himself a place of honor and ophy favorable to the common respect in the hearts of Negro man." William Graves, president Americans, as w~ll as in the hearts of the Negro Republican Club: of men generally, is typified by the "The American people lost one of feelings and words of citizens of the • most liberal thinkers since Portland. Abraham Lincoln's time. He died Contrary to popular beliefs, Ne- with a broken heart because Amer– groes are not a hero-worshipping icans could not accept his views." people, but in Wendell Wilkie they recognized an expression of their frustrations, a voice lifted in Race Issue Stressed The forthrightness of Wilkie's stand on race issues received con- cl.Vl•l Rt.ghts behalf of their freedom, a spokes- siderable attention. man for the freedom of the world. Bl ·zz Now Ready I Rev. ]. ]. Cow, president of Broadness Illustrated · I the Portland branch N.A.A.C.P.: The Civil Rights Committee of In personal interviews con- "wilfle's p-assingHis a distinct loss the Portland branch N.A.A.C.P. ducted by the Observer, interest- to ~egroes because he was a true has prepared a civil rights bill for ing reactions characterizing Mr. liberal in race relations as well as Oregon which is expected to be Wilkie's appeal to Negroes was in other matters. He had the cour– presente? at the next. ~eeting of 1 brought out. His broadness of I ·;ge ot his convictions, and despite th~ leg1sLture.. Prelimmary re- view,. and hi~ inclusion of all peo-~ \he fact that he was outspoken on search was earned out by the com- pies m the tdea of freedom, and the delicate matters of the Negro's mittee, whi!e the legal work was their realization of these aims are 1 place in American life, h:;: remained REGINALD JOHNSON done by Ntcholas Granoff, attor- reflected in the words of Clifford popular with the American people. cated at the community chest head- ~ey and member of the organiza-l C. Walker, president of the Pro- If he had lived, his influence its program, Mr. Johnson plans to I continue his speaking en(~agements, I meeting with employers and other officials and gr~ups. Initial activi- MR. ties of the organization here will begin with the spreading of job opportunities. Mr. Johnson points out that the Urban League, which is the only Negro organization qualifying for community chest funds, is neither a pressure group nor a crusading organization, but is primarily in– terested in social work and com– munty engineering. The national office requires each office through– out the United States to qualify for community chest membership. Acording to niformation already gathered by the survey, one of the most pressing problems of the com– munity is the housing situation. If no housing program is provided soon, the present war housing will be torn down over the heads of women and little children. Mr. Johnson's offices are Io- OBSERVER IS ON SALE AT Broadwill Pharmacy Rich's News Stand Victory Book Store Mom's Chili Bowl Shasta Cafe Fraternal Hall Club Acme Billiard Room La Vivia.nne Beauty Salon Royal Palm Barber Shop VANPORT SWAN ISLAND GUILD'S LAKE VANCOUVER, VVASHINGTON COTTON CLUB HUDSON HOUSE McLAUGHLIN HEIGHTS BURTON HOMES BAGLEY DOWNS twn . D . Cl b "Th · · quarters in the Terminal Sales · . · . gresstve emocrattc u , e would have had much wetght m building. I T~~ bill, as. drawn up, provtdes loss of Wilkie, of a great Ameri- bringing equal opportunities for Newspaper Woman Visits Northwest Miss Erna Harris, columnist for the Los Angeles Tribune, was in Portland for a short time this week on a return trip to Los An- for equal nghts to places of can," and the statement of Mrs. Negroes. He was sincere. His public accommodation, resort, or Ruth Flowers, civic worker and utterances were not merely high– amusement, and in the employment clubwoman, "Wendell Wilkie sounding phrases. His sincerity of labor." Penalty for violation of I stood out as a symbol of honesty was proven by his recent donation th.ese provisions is stipulated as a and courage, helping to build up a f $5 000 t th NAACp H o , o e . . . . . e fme of not less than $100 nor more true democratic world." was the kind of man •vho would than $500, or imprisonment for Speaking in this vein, too, were not less than 30 days nor more John C Baker d"n"ng ca · p c geles after attending a conference · , 1 1 r ms e - than 90 days, or both fine and t"m- tor for th U ·o P "f" R ·1 rather be true to his convictions than to hold public office. We need (Continued on page 7) in Seattle for the Fellowship of . e m n act IC at - R . 1 . . pnsonment. ============================ econct tatwn. I On Monday, October 16, Miss Harris made a chapel talk at Pa- Folkes Case cific College at Newberg. Choos- J A led ing for her topic, "Recipe is Not, S ppea Enough," Miss Harris pointed out Appeal of the case of Roberl that America has a good recipe for E. Lee Folkes, dining car cook "'"– democracr, but Americans fail to cused of the murder of Mrs. Vir– live up to it. ginia James while aboard a South- FEPC Hearing Held A rehearing of charges of dis– criminatory practices against N e– gro workers in this area involving the boilermakers' union and the Kaiser company was held here on October 18, before Malcolm Ross, chairman of the President's fair employment practice committee. . The rehearing was held at the request of Edgar Kaiser, head of Kaiser shipyards in this area. Original hearing of this case was held in Portland in ~ovember, 1943. ern Pacific train enrout through southern Oregon, to the United States supreme court was revealed last week. The case has received wide publicity as the "Lower 13/' Murder Case." Folkes has been convicted in the lower court, and the convictiOn was twice upheld by the Oregon state supreme court. Nevertheless, many people believe that the evidence upon which the conviction was obtained was in- . . . Sergeant Stewart and other members of the Portland Army Air Base adequate. Appeal IS based upon Military Police. These men have carried out their duties in a commend– the acceptance of unsigned sten- I able manner ever since their appearance in this area. Local business ographrr's notes as a confession for I men and civilians in ~any quarters have expressed satisfaction at the me as evidence. service they are rendermg.