Here Are the Facts; The Facts Without Any Apologies.
Type of event: Legal Proceedings
Location: Minneapolis; Hennepin County; Minnesota
Document date:
Document type: Newspaper(s)
Documents: Here Are the Facts; The Facts Without Any Apologies.
Citation:
Minneapolis Messenger, November 5, 1921, page 4.
“Here Are the Facts; The Facts—Without Any Apologies”
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HERE ARE THE FACTS.
The following letter was received from the National Office of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and is published by
request:
October 28th, 1921.
Mr. Charles Sumner
Smith
Editor, The Minneapolis Messenger,
1317 Sixth Ave. No., Minneapolis, Minn.
My dear Mr. Smith:
My
attention has been called to an editorial appearing in the Minneapolis Messenger
of October 22nd, under the heading, “May Lose Duluth Rape
Case,” in which you state that:
“It is reported that the
national office of the N. A. A. C. P. will not advance funds for the brief,
which amounts to $200. This is deplorable and it is about time that those who
collect moneys for such purposes would see that enough a appropriated for the
entire procedure in reaching the last courts and that due notice be given for
the solicitation of more funds before it is too late. It is the duty of the N.
A. A.. C. P. to support this appeal, or give good reasons why.”
It is
for the purpose of giving you, and to the readers of the Minneapolis Messenger
through you, the facts in this and other cases which the N. A. A. C. P. is
handling, that this letter is written. In view of the interest you have taken in
the work of the Association and the co-operation which you have rendered, I feel
sure that you would not have made the statement quoted above if you had been in
possession of the facts. I am therefore, requesting that you give to this
statement the same prominence in your next issue that you gave to the editorial
in your issue of the 22nd.
First, may I detail the steps which
have been taken in defending the 13 colored men who were arrested and indicted
following the Duluth Lynchings in June, 1920. The Duluth branch of the N. A. A.
C. P. was organized immediately following the lynchings and in a letter from Mr.
George H. Adams, president of the Duluth Branch, to this office, dated May
14th, he stated that the branch had received and expended $1,152.00
for attorneys’ fees; that it has paid $350.00 for the briefs in the Max
Mason case and had a small balance in the treasury. Prior to this time an appeal
had been made to the national office for assistance and two steps were taken.
First, $100.00 was given by the national office, and second, an appeal was made
to eighteen branches in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and
Kansas. These branches responded as liberally as they could.
The national
office has rendered every assistance to the Duluth Branch in these cases that
funds at its disposal would allow. I am sure that you and the readers of the
Messenger must realize that the Duluth cases are but one of a number which we
are handling. For example, we have defended since October, 1919, twelve men
sentenced to death and sixty-seven to long prison terms in connection with the
Arkansas riots. We have expended to date in these cases $10,749.39, and are at
present definitely obligated to spend $3,000.00 more. This has been a fight
against the most vicious race prejudice imaginable and we have had to go up
single-handed against the entire state of Arkansas in our efforts not only to
save the lives of these men but in a fight to end the vicious exploitation of
colored people under the peonage system of the South.
Further, these
seventy-nine men in Arkansas are in an almost helpless condition, confronted as
they are with bitter race prejudice and with the opposition of the entire
economic system of the state, which is based largely on the share-cropping
system. But the people of Minnesota have neither of these handicaps to any great
extent, and are in a position where they can fight for themselves.
Finally,
with regard to your statement referring to organizations that collect money for
such purpose, I wish to state that every cent that was contributed for this
purpose has been used for the purpose raised, and that the books of the
Association are always open for inspection, in addition to the financial
statements we publish regularly of all money collected and
disbursed.
Very truly yours,
WFW:LGP. WALTER F. WHITE,
Assistant Secretary
THE FACTS–WITHOUT ANY APOLOGIES.
The editorial, “May Lose the Duluth Case,” appeared in The
Messenger, after a personal call from Atty. McCullough and the receipt of a
special letter from him stating the necessity of having funds to release the
copy for the briefs, which were in the hands of a printer who required the
payment of $200.00 in advance. Atty. Francis, of St. Paul, received a copy of
same letter. They were turned over to the executive committees of the Twin City
branches. About six days remained to secure the money, and it appeared certain
that another extension of time would not be given to file the brief.
We are
glad to get “the facts,” even though they show some financial
irregularities in the Duluth case. Our statement was made on possession of
records on file in this office, which we will publish, if necessary. There are
many unpleasant things said and done, in these cases, which the public need not
know, but it is very important that an accurate account be given by “those
who collect moneys for such purposes,” especially when an appeal is made
at the eleventh hour.
The Messenger makes no apologies or excuses for the
quoted paragraph. It is our desire to assist the N. A. A. C. P. and to give the
best information on all public questions. It appears that the National Office
believe that the briefs had been paid for long ago. The Duluth Branch was of the
same opinion. They should have known. Many were surprised to
hear this, as the Minneapolis branch sent $114.50 to New York on the request of
Atty. F. L. Barnett, who solicited funds for the specific purpose, and the St.
Paul Branch raised almost as much. These are facts.
The fact that the
National Office accounts for every cent collected and disbursed, does not prove
that all of the local branches do likewise. Many of them do not use business
methods to give information to the National Office, or protection to their
branch. Generally, too much is taken for granted on “suppositions”
and moneys are paid out without receipts or records. One of the best way
to obtain and secure public confidence, is to be ready at times, to give a
public report on finance. The Minneapolis Branch is doing nicely now,
and it has profited by past experiences.
While president of the Minneapolis
Branch, it was my privilege to organize the Duluth Branch, during the excitement
of the lynching. Since that time I had no direct knowledge of its
activities–knowing that the people of Duluth were in touch with the
National Office and were responding very liberally to every call for finance, as
shown by the records; also that the attorneys were doing their best to protect
the men accused of the crime. I was informed by President Adams that the branch
released itself from all further responsibilities on July 11th last.
They had been burdened by many unpleasant responsibilities caused by the men
acquitted and felt that they had done their duty.
Now that the time has been
extended again in file briefs and the case will be heard by the supreme count,
it is hoped that The Messenger will not have the unpleasant duty of giving its
readers such “deplorable” facts in subsequent cases, but shall have
reason to encourage them to support such worthy agencies for race welfare as the
N. A. A. C. P. and all other organizations for the advancement of human justice
for all people. We wish to continue to take interest in the work of the N. A. A.
C. P., but we shall stick to our policy of constructive criticism, not as a
privilege, but as a duty–Chase. Sumner Smith.