THE MIAMITIMES. MIAMI,FLORIDA»- ,

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FLORIDA'S FAVORITE COLORED WEEKLYEntered as Second Class Matter, August #, 1327, at the Post Office at

Miami, Florida, under the act of March 3, IMS

Published every Saturday by the Mafic Printery, office at1112 N.W. Third Avenue, Miami, Florida Telephone 3-3236

H. E. S. REEVES, fiditer~GARTH 0. REEVES, Business Manager

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1948One anecdote of a man is worth more than a volume of biography—

Planning

THE AMERICAN LEGIONThe American Legion Convention is over. It has been

pronounced a screaming success. Two most distinguishedcitizens addressed the convention —Mr. Truman, presi-dent of the United States and Mr. Harold Stassen, candi-date for vice president of the United States. It is estimat-ed that 50,000 people came to Miami for the convention.

The city was beautifully decorated for the occasion.The highlight of the convention was undoubtedly the

mammoth parade witnessed by a crowd estimated at be-tween 250,000 to 300,000, which after four and a halfhours, was interrupted by heavy rain.

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recalled a former Legion convention• (1934) in Miami when colored Legionnaires were called

World War Veterans and were barred from participa-tion in the Legion activities.

On this occasion there was marked improvement andNegroes in attendance had a part in practically all of theconvention’s activities. Colored members of posts lived athotels in Miami and Miami Beach with their posts.

We have heard nothing but praise for the conventionas a whole.

Some declared it was the most enjoyable conventionthey have ever attended.

The American Legion and Miami deserve commenda-'tioiL

PURCHASING THE TRANSIT CO.The City Commissioners on Wednesday cast a unan-

imous vote to begin negotiations on William D. Pawley’soffer to sell Miami Transit Company to the city with nodown payment and five per cent of the gross income,payable monthly.

City Manager O. B. Hart was asked to open negotia-tions with Mr. Pawley and report further to the commis-sioners.

The present franchise expires in 1950, and the citvnow has an option to purchase the Transit company at itsexpiration.The idea of a city owned transit company seems tous a good one. We hope it will materialize.

Your Congressman, (Continued from page 1)

ed the bombing inflicted on Frank-furt. But Berlin is less than ashamble 8 ‘the buildings are hol-lows walls, completely gutted. Thiswas apparent as we flew Into thecity, and the next day when we rodethrough the ruins, I was appalled.

Berlin was, as you know, the sec-ond largest city in Europe and thefourth largest in the world, havinghad 5 and a half million inhabi-tants before the war. We rodethrough seven miles of what hadbeen a densely built-uparea, and there wasn’t one singlebuilding that was not completelydestroyed and in ruins. Under denLinden, Considered to have /beenone of the most beautiful avenues Inthe world, is pockmarked withbomb craters, and the famous Tler-garten is now divided up Into littlevegetable gardens.

In the three days that I walkedin and around Berlin, I don’t recol-lect having seen a smile on theface of anyone. The people appear-ed to be ashen grey. They all hada sort of strained, resigned look bntheir faces, as if they were existingtoday as best they could and await-ing tomorrow’s developments. Itwas indeed an eerie sight, after theRussians had turned out all lightspromptly at 10:15 every night. f>see people, elwnvs in shadowvgroups, moving quietly in and outamong the ruins, stumbling andfeeling‘their wav along.

By reason of the continual changeIn currency in Berlin, from first theGerman mark, then themark, and finally, in the westernsector, the Western Zone mark witha “B” stamped on it, the people aresomewhat confused as to just whatis the medium of exchange. As aresult, cigarettes, candy bars, andsoap constitute the most prized pos-session, and trading is mostly by

barter. At about every third streetcorner, there is a large signboard,long but not very high. These sign-boards are divided into little one-inch spaces • where Individual Ger-mans advertises what they have andthe articles for which they willtrade it. For example, one manwanted to trade for a hat; anotherhad a reasonably well-worn pair of9% shoe s that he wanted to tradefor a pair of gloves. Every dayabout 2:30 a large crowd gathersaround these signboards, and allmanner of trading and swappinggoes on.

It does not take long to realizethat the inhabitants of the Westernsectors of Berlin are virtually pris-oners of the Russians who controlthe area all around the city. Theyseem to consider themselves aspawns in the great struggle goingon between the communists and theanti-communists, the east and thewest, and it was clear that a ma-jority of them are opposed to com-munism.

In fairness you can’t help but ad-mire the courage of the anti-com-munist leaders in Berlin, for if the

decided to do so, they couldtake Berlin in a matter of hours.Should that happen, or should theWestern powers move out of Ber-lin, these anti-communist leaderswould be the first to face “liquida-tion." They realize that fact, too.And yet one of them, just a day ortwo before I arrived in Berlin,speaking to a crowd of over 200,000assembled in front of the Soviet WarMemorial, said: “Here in Berlinfreedom will be either reburied orreborn for all of Europe." I believethat man knew whereof he spoke.

ADVERTISEIN THE ‘TIMES”

The Moving FingerBy L. A. Thompson

“The most delicate and the most

sensible of all pleasures consists in

promoting the pleasures of others.”

The American Legion invaded Mi-ami this week and held its 30th an-

nual convention. President H. Tru-

man -and family, and other nation-

al topnotchers came to town. Boththe president and the secretary of

the Navy gave the convention a fine

send-off and told the gathering thatUncle Sam’s peaceful preparations

are not for war, but if “somebody"

starts anything it will be just toobad!

The greatest parade in Miami’shistory was brought to an abruptend Tuesday evening when the skieswept copiously over the legion-naires and others! They say that300,000 spectators lined the side-walks to see the “boys’’ march.

Grandeur combined with martialmusic presented a pageantry thatthis section has never seen.

But Dame Nature is no respecterof persons and you can’t tell withcertainty just how she might' be-have. And so the fun got “wet.’’

Some discussion on racial segre-gation witihin the Legion almostreached to where it could be heard.You don’t need a half of an eye tosee that in most national organiza-tions where all races are concerned,the big folk usually wax warm on“unAmerican” practices and let“American” practices severely

alone. Had segregation been out-moded in this “Land of the Free’why the Legionnaires would havehad much more to tell the world intheir convention.

Miami did a fine job in entertain-ing the Legion. Amidst the pomp

and splendor, the high sounding dec- jlarations of the might and power ofthis great country, “lil ole" JimCrow was present, wagging hishead.

The current number of the “Dor-sey Journal,” mouthpiece of the lo-

cal Dorsey High School, carries onfirst page a cartoon, by J. L. Skip-per, that deserves more than pass-ing notice. The drawing depicts a

poet with the signs, “Clean Diving,”

“Clean Sportsmanship,” “CleanScholarship,” "Clean Speech." Be-fore the post stands a teacher withhand to mouth.

The whole thing is good, and thiscolumn believes that “Living,sportsmanship and scholarship

should all be “clean.” When you lis-ten to so many of our high schoolstudents whose speech in public isunfit’ to print, you wonder why didthey waste the time of their Eng-lish teachers! It may not be a badidea for some club to have artistslike Mr. Skipper to paint large

signs with “Clean speech’’ in redletters and place them over thistown. Who will second the motion?

JUST BROWSIN’

Lionel Hampton is on a Southerntour seeking talent. He wants youngmusicians, singers, actors and othermaterial. Hampton is also offeringtwo scholarships of SSOO each inconnection with his tour which be-gan in San Antonio, Texas on Oc-tober 1. His Florida schedule willbe: October 25, Pensacola: November11. Tampa; November 12. WestPalm Beach, November 13, DaytonaBeach; November 14, Miami; Novem-ber 15, Jacksonville.

The Negro Press was fully repre-sented at the press conference ofour President, Harry Truman. Inthe press bus, they met him at theairport and went in the parade tothe Roney Plaza at Miami Beachand also attended the luncheon.This is the Miami of 1949. GovernorThurmond and his Dixlecrats couldlearn a lot, if they care to.

I’m told that on Sunday afternoonwhen the hail helpers organized atthe community center, old timerslike Mr. S. J. Boyd, Dr. S. M. Fraz-ier and Dr. W. B. Sawyer werepresent and encouraged the move-ment. That deserves a hand.

Thl mail carriers were here lastweek just about 60 of them. Theyseem to have enjoyed themselves.Most of them did not come, becauseof “Southern traditions."

Mr. Sam B. Solomon now repre-sents the Afro-American, one of ourleading weeklies.

T.<eglonnairca returning home fromthe convention in Miami will havethe opportunity of hearing Anton

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1948

Brees, world famed carrilloneur,

who will present a special program

on October 24 at 4 p.m. in the BokSinging Tower at Lake Wales.

Rev. J. W. Drake, who recently

underwent a major operation in

South Carolina is doing nicely.

The faculty of Phyllis Wheatley

School were present on Sunday

morning at the Farrington-Mackeywedding at St. Agnes church.

1 ¦ 1 """ m

All of “s enjoyed the Legion parade

until the rains came. Here is an in-

cident that impressed me. Standing

in that great mixed mass of people

was a colored woman with twochildren, one three year old boy. Os.course, he could see nothing. Nearby

was a white couple from MiamiBeach. Sensing the plight of thechild, that gentleman took him in.

his arms and held him for morethan 30 minutes so that he couldsee the parade. Wasn’t that a verynice thing to do. It happened in Mi-ami.

Mrs. Lenora Davis of the DavisEmployment Service and prominent'matron of Jacksonville, was thehouse guest of Mr. and Mrs. WillieR. “Bill Rivers” Davie, of 343 NW7th street, during the past week.

Dr. W. C. PATTERSON

Announces The Opening of His Office

For The Practice of Medicine and Surgery

At 528 N.W. 14th Street

During The Week of

October 24, 19486

Now At

Modern Credit Store

KEROGAS Wickless

Oil Ranges• Roomy Cooking Top

• Full 18-inch Deep Oven• Oven Temperature Indicator

• Large Storage Cabinet

Modern Credit StoreWher ' vcur Credit It Good

1128 N. W. 3rd Ave. - Phone 3-1957(In The Modern Theatre Building)

Rosary Service AndRequiem Mass

Rosary service for the late Mr.Wallace Albert was held at thechapel of Pharr Funeral Home Sun-day evening, October 3 at 8:00 p.m.

The funeral services were heldMonday morning, October 4 at 10:00a.m. at St. Francis Xavier RomanCatholic Church, where a requiemmass was sung by Fr. Bernard Ton-nar, priest in charge. Interment wasin Lincoln Memorial Cemetery.

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Birthday Party ForGeorge Deveaux

Mr. George Deveaux, 324 NW 9thst., was honored with a birthdayparty given by his wife, Mrs. InaDeveaux, on October 16. The fol-lowing friends were present:

ftfr. and Mrs. Joseph Johnson,Lillie B. Lamb, Samuel Wilson, Cas-ta Mills, Mary E. Ellis, Beulah Rob-erts, Mr. Clark, Nera Knowles, Ro-wena Adderly, Junior Wilson. Mr.Clarke, Elsie Ellis, Muriel Williams,Harris McGruder, Camille Bethel,Jane Deveaux, Albertha, May, DorisManager, Merdeen, Edward Roberts,Buddy, Viola, Calvin, Isabel Darson.

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