Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 July 1960 — Page 10

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(lie Indianapolis Recorder, July 2,1960

The Indianapolis Recorder, July 2,1960

Don’t Be Misled By the Red Label Constant charges of communism against Negro ard white integrationists, including sit-in demonstrators, resulted in a strong reply in The Louisville Defender, leading Negro weekly. The White Citizens Council has flooded the state with charges that sit-ins are part of a seditious plot to destroy the white race and overthrow the givernment. Officers and employaes of the Southern Conference Educational Fund have been special tarnetu of this abuse. In on editorial headed ',Communis>ic Labeling, A Sinister Device/ 4 The Defender said: "Communiitic labeling is being applied all too frequently these days to any and everything designed to remove segregation and discrimination. "Pro segregationists are using this malicious device to thwart current crusades against intolerance. The technique is to divert full attention from the main objective — complete freedom — and to consume energies in combating communistic branding. They refuse to admit that current sit-ins represent the utter dissatisfaction of the Negro with his low conditions . . . "The fact is that opponents of first-clas's citizenship feast on caustic utterances against 'sit-in movements' anl, therefore, purposely assert without any particle of proof that such demonstrations are communist-inspired. "This is pure progressive mental disinclination to see America's major problem in its proper perspective — a problem which has as much importance and produces as much tension as any other world problem. "Here in Kentucky the junior mongers have not only charged that Lexington, Frankfort and Louisville 'sit-ins' were prompted by Communists; they are now claiming that they created the student strike at Kentucky State College. Some go so far as to say Communists burned down the school gym. "All this compound's the problem, as does the constant flow of vicious letters and fly sheets coming through the mails. In an atmosphere of aggravated Communist hysteria, it is imperative that struggling minorities keep the issue of human decency clear and pursue its achievement relentlessly."

Making Our City Safe While Negroes are by no means solely to blame for the wave of "muggings," robberies and aggravated assaults which in recent weeks have made Indianapolis streets unsafe for pedestrian and motorist alike, they, by virtue of their citizenship and their stake in the welfare of the whole community, are clearly obligated to do all in their power to see the end to this shameful menace. It is not enough that we sit back and demand more and better police protection. Too many of us know or have a good idea as to the identity of some of the perpertrators of these dastarly deeds. It 1s the falsest kind of race pride that makes us want/o protect these known or suspected criminals, a kind of foolish reasoning that helps bring nearer the day when we ourselves may be victims of similar attacks. Of course it's not easy to "turn stoolie" and "put the finger on" the boy down the street, even when we feel reasonably sure he is involved in some of tJie offenses. We ought to realize, however, that we are not doing the criminals any favors when we orotect them and encourage them in their life of crime; that we are not doing the community any favors when we aid those forces which seek to destroy *t; that we are net doing ourselves any favors when we leave ourselves end our friends open to loss of property, health and life. Our failure to give the authorities any information which might prove helpful in alleviating the city's crime problem makes us partners in crime with the actual criminals. If we, through our silence, protect the offender in his first crime> we share his nuilt in his second. We have every right to expect our Police Department to apprehend the vultures who prey on our helplessness. But the police also have the right to expect and get our fullest cooperation in making the arrests. It's time we all joined hands to get the job done.

An Aged Wisdom To teach is to understand the student and his own ideas and not just to be the guardian of learned truths. So says Dr. L. O. Andrews of Ohio State University. This rings the bell for an aged wisdom that many of us let slip by when instructing our children in the homes and uchools. Speaking to a student-faculty group at Jackson State College, the educator reminded his listeners that a student and his problems must be understood first. Then you lift him to greater heights. You can't teach a child to ride a two-wheeler if all he could manage is a tricycle. You don't start with algebra before basic mathematics. You get things across better when you speak the child's language and know his world. We all know these things. But don't we have the tendency to push our youngsters too fast? Don't we expect them to understand as we understand? Don't we fail to reach them on their level? It is the wise teacher, the wise parent, however, who knows how much the youngster can grasp, knows how he will grasp and knows when he will grasp. The not-so-wise teacher is busy about how much he himself knows. - Teaching is not just understanding knowledge. It is understanding the student. Teaching is not knowing something and singing its praises. It is helping tfie student in his own world. It is helping him to see himself first, then to see a little more of the world around him. Philadelphia Beats New York City Does any Negro in New York City believe that Negroes in Philadelphia are better organized politically or are more race conscious than New York City Negloes? If figures have any sociological meaning, Philadelphia Negroes are. Elsewhere in the paper is a story about the total Negroes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives being 10. Of the 10, 9 are from Philade'phia and 1 is from Pittsburgh. ‘ > In New York City, there are 5 Negroes in the State Assemly, 3 Assemblymen and 2 State Senators. Behind these figules lie the story of exchanging one office for another. As fast as a New York City Negro is elected to the State Assemly or State Senpte, he turns the previously held job over to a white person and the Negro has actually made no substantial advancement. NEW YORK CITIZEN CALL

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EDITORIALS AND COMMENTS

VOICE FROM THE GALLERY

The Political Conventions Are Hot And Cold Running Issues By Andrew W. Ramsey

BETTER WAKE UP—WHITE CITIZENS COUNCILS ARE CLOSING THEIR ECONOMIC GRIP

BETWEEN THE LINES

Imposing on the Public By DEAN GORDON B. HANCOCK

GORDON HANCOCK

The old saying that the crying baby always gets the soothing syrup is full of thruth; and a corollary might read thus: The too quiet baby is often

neglected.

The public too often plays

the roJe of the quiet babe ni the world of today, with its various tricks of the tradq. Te fellow who does not know te tricks is lost to begin wit. Let us take the case of our dear Uncle Sam. Once upon a time

one could go to te postoftice and purchase a postil money order and hand over to the money order man and a stated sum, while he made out the order. Today times have chang-

ed.

THE APPLICANT for an order pays the stated sum and makes out his own order while the postman takes it easy puffing on his cigarette. The advantage of the change of procedure goes to the postman whom we are hiring to make out orders. As if this were not enough, we proceed to the letter slot, and where once we had one slot for all mall, today we have two or three slots and the customer is asked to assort and classify his mail, a duty once placed upon the postal employees. So we find the public writing its own money orders and distributing -the mail for employees, who take it easy. Or let us turn to’ our banks, and we find the same tactics of leaving more of the banking chores to the customers. ONCE UPON A TIME—and not too long ago—we simply stepped to the teller’s window and handed over the currency, and looked on while the teller counted out the shekels and made out our deposit slip. Today we are called upon to o’d two deposit slips, one for the teller and one for ourselves. If there is any considerable amount involved, we are requested to wrap currencies in

denominational packages. Only recently we heard a teller asking one of the customers to have bills assorted and with face on the bi>l facing teller. Thus the banking business is being transferred to the customers. More and more the work of the bank and postoffice is being shifted from those paid to do it, to the public which is paying them to do it. A FEW YF.ARS ago when the phonograph was in vogue, the discs were inscribed only on one side, and we bought only what we wanted. Very soon the disc makers hit upon the scheme of putting a selection on both sides, so that the customer had to take the selection which he liked with one he probably did not like, thus letting the disc makers select one-half of his records, with the customer paying i’or all. Today the stereophonic records have ten and twelve selections. So in order to get a favorite selection one must buy a dozen others, and pay for same accordingly. The plan is always to take advantage of the public which is like that quiet baby, saving nothing nnd ■getting nothing—but the bill Once upon a time a man could buy a shirt with detachable collars; and since the collar must bear the wear and tear of wearing in ways the shirt does not, these wear out faster than the shirts several shirt could woa rout several collars. Soon the manufacturers hit upon the scheme of attaching co lars to the shirt, and it so happens that every time we need a new collar we must buy a new shiit. This attached collar means millions for the shirt manufacturers and the unsuspecting public is the loser A FEW YF.ARS ago before we hear of hospitalization, a

person was exhor ted to stay in the hospital, while recovering from a major operation Today the oatient is hustled out in the greatest hurry, and in order to hustle him out we have patients undergoing serious operations being walked around on the way after “for exercise.” . This walknis-i n e-next-day-for-exercise came a'one with hospitalization. There may not be any connection; and then there may be. We cannot help being suspicious. The ways of imposing on the public are legion. Today it seems that the world will go up in cigarette smoke with the radios and televisions crying aloud ■ for, this and the other favorite brands. Scientists have connected smoking with lung cancer; but other scintists are disputing them. It takes no prophef, nor the son of a prophet, to tell which scientists * will prevail. Of course, those with the most money behind them to “prove” their case. Somebody is imposing on the public in this dispute

This is the year when summar television may be of some worth to the thinking American. It is the year of the great American game of national politics. We average citizens and voters will be permitted to view with our own eyes and hear with our ears the actors who have been and who are to be starred in our national drama. Whether this future theatrical presentation is worth watching depends upon the script RAMSEY writers who will be present at Chicago and Los Angeles The plots spawned at the Republican and the Democratic National Conventions wi’.l be equally as important as the suggested cast of characters. r ,, IN SFITE OF the fact that we are a nation of *,spectators, we must realize that spectators have not only rights but that they also have power, If we as spectators dislike pither the setipts or the sa$t of characters we can colleetjvely toss them out come November. The present danger is not that we will not go to the polls in November to make a choice between two platforms and two presidential candidates. It is rather that we may be brainwashed by the two big political pow-wows so that we may not get a clear statement of the issues nor of the positions of the candidates in relation to them. There will be attempts at both conventions to substitute smoke screens for the real is-

sues or to provide us with greatly simplified pseudo-is-sues. For that reason it is well for us to remind ourselves of just what the issues are not as well as what they are. KHRUSHCHEV, Eisenhoder, Nixon, the New Deal, Harry Truman, Mother Love—these will all come in for a great deal of hot air on the part of the platform makers but none of them is an issue. The real issues are world peace, civil rights, foreign policy, employment, public education, aid to the aged and health and medical care. The issues ofNvorld peace and foreign policy are necessa'iiy interlocked and foreign policy has a very definite relationship to the domestic handling of civil rights and our ability to maintain full employment in a peacetime economy. FOR EITHER PARTY to endorse the continuation of the Eisenhower foreign policy would be just as foolhardy as our adopting King Arthur’s military weapons Our foreign policy needs to do more than to counter Soviet foreign policy. We ought to be committed to certain principles without regard to the attitude of the Soviet Union or its satellites on these principles The ludicrous habit of gearing our action to counteract the Soviet might find us someday advocating perpetual fasting because the Russians have come out for three meals a day. We must be on guard against the proposal by either party that civil rights must wait until world peace has been assured, for the simple reason that as a nation we are in no l>osition to assume or to aspire to leadership until the inequities based on race and

cc^or have been eradicated. Neg oes should be especially distrustful of proposals to provide assistance to the aged and aid to schools which leave the controls up to the several states, y THE LABOR PLANKS bear a considerable amount of watching. It is almost axiomatic in this country that those forces which oppose or ganized labor also oppose civil and human rights legislation. While it is important for us televiewers to know the platforms of the two major par ties nationally and to know the views of the aspirants for the leading roles in the drama, it is equally important for us to know what the local and state platforms are and the views of the candidates for the supporting roles. Here in Indiana the state eonventioas have already been held and the gubernatorial candidates have already started expressing their stands on the issues.©We have but to read and listen and act in accordance with our political beliefs. AS WE GET READY to enjoy the quadrennial spectacles of the conventions we must keep in mind that no matter how amusing the antics of the delegates may be and how entertaining the whole show, the conventions are by no means to be treated as farces: they are serious dramatic productions which not only marror our national life’s today but shape its tomorrow. Let's enjoy the shows but let’s not be ied too far astray by the chrome on the faucets from which either pour or trickle hot and cold running issues. —

Letters to the Editor... Country's Use of Propaganda Negro Has Role Is 'Worse Than Open Warfare Fighting

Anti-Jew Bios

To The <;<}itor:

We ‘are living in a civilization that is highly developed. Organized methods used to control the world are the thing known and called propaganda. Propaganda has done more to defeat the good intentions of races and nations than open warfare. Propaganda is a method to change a man against his will. We are living in a terrible age. Above our heads are aircrafts traveling faster than sound. On the dark continent of Africa the black man is pounding at the door of freedom. He is shedding his blood so his children may walk as men. What are we doing in this land we call “the land of the free and the home of the brave?” Sorr.? years ago a short, broad-should-ered man landed in this country and sat in the home of Booker T. Washington. This man laid some plans before Booker T. concerning Africa. Shortly after the^ wheel began to turn Booker T. went to rest. MARCUS GARVEY stepped into the saddle alone. H.> was like John the 'Bagmltt in the wilderness, hurling his voice

ans and Africa for the Africans, at home and abroad. The Negroes laughed at him. He said the time is not far off when the flag of the black man will one day fly on the hill top of Africa. The big men, the D.D.’s, P.hD.’s, and D.M.A’s said Garvey was crazy. While they were laughing at Garvey the white men were packing up to sail for Africa. They carried a loaded gun, a bank book, a Bible and a pen with

them.

During thrt time the Negroes were shout ng: You may have all the world but give me Jesus. The minister who should be merciful will not stop preaching until everybody’s belly is full of shouting. Rev. George Tate.

around

)e for

worldJEufopt

the Europeans, Ajsl^fdk. the Asi-

the

ipea:

VERSES

Tke Bonds ~ Of the Bucket By WALLACE H. TERRY II i use the bucket in it black crabs ebony black crabs the vulture overhead it glistens waiting waiting steady Atlean calm cold. in the mire that is the bucket a Reign of Terror rings loud mercilessly, confusedly clawing to escape the bends that are the bucket the bonds of ignorance the bonds of fear the bucket no black crab reaches the top others drag down the leaders until the struggle weakens each body each black body makes weak for the vulture white.

Things Ton Should Knot

The Prayer an old black negro went in church and sat down to pray to God that all he wants was to be made white and when the negro went outside 4he sun just made him blacker.

To The Editor: It is a disgrace to look on television and see a professional hatemonger like Nazi Commander George Lincoln Rockwell in New York asking permission to spread race hate. Why does this country still hold up for these racial murderers? Like taking sides against the Jewish nation for capturing Herr Eichmann, murderer of 600,000 Jews. Maybe because the young people of the world are running these Racists and warmongers home o us. And we can expect Japan’s Kishi anytime now. This could be the reason why Herr Rockwell is planning this welcome parade. However, this is no more a fight just for the Jews than the KKK and White Citizens Council are all a Negro fight. This is a minority peoples’ fight, and sometimes force must be used against force, and this is one of those times. For the good of the country and the world, We, the Negio, must face up to this responsibility. —Oscar E. Banks

more to be feared than a thousand bayonets. — Nepoleon.

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TornMBOYA

... Son of a sisal plantai TION WORKER/ LAROELYSELFY # * EDUCATED; HE BECAME GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE KENYA FEDERATION OF LABOR IN 1953/NOW ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE C0UNCIL / REPRE8ENTIN0 MILLIONS/

far a Safe and Sane Fourth

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