C.M.E. Bishops Hold Council In Indianapolis Plan General Conference Meet Bishops and General Officers, Leaders and Candidates Present
Won't Stop Film Fight
Walter White Answers Actors Says Opposition Will Not Deter Fight On Stereotypes In Films
Randolph Says The Defeat of FEPC Bill Just Start of Struggle
Negroes who want their "rights" but don't want to work and fight for them do not deserve them.
PREPARES MESSAGE Bishop C. L. Russell Bishop Russell of Washington, D. C. prepared the quadrennial message of the bishops of the C. M. E. Church, and he will deliver it at the General Conference in May. He presides over the Middle Atlantic, New England, Washington, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Arkansas Conferences. He was pastoring at the Chestnut Street C. M. E. Church, Louisville, when he was elected bishop at Hot Springs, Arkansas, eight years ago. Known as a Hebrew scholar, he is the first Negro to author a Hebrew book.
Concerned Over England's Babies
ANDERSON HONORED BY URBAN LEAGUE Charles W. Anderson, well known attorney and member of the Kentucky State Legislature, was elected to membership on the Executive Board of Directors of the National Urban League at its annual meeting in New York City last week, for a term to expire in 1949.
Still without a collector we thank those readers who are kind enough to remit their renewal subscriptions by mail or bring them to the office.
A NEGRO NEWSPAPER'S CHANGING POLICY (Editorial reprinted from last week) Editor's Note: In last week's issue of The Leader, we carried a letter from Dr. P. O. Sweeney, prominent dentist, and a former candidate for membership on the Board of Education, in which he commended a recent editorial. Dr. Sweeney said that the editorial was worth repeating, but we were reluctant to do so, and we did not. However, we are repeating the editorial of last week which carried the caption, "A Negro Newspaper's Changing Policy". Never during the life of The Leader have we had as many compliments of anything we have published, and from all classes of citizens. Among them was one reader who said that the editorial should be reprinted right in the center of the front page, and we are doing that. It is our absolute intention to carry out everything we have said in announcing our change of policy. But we wish it understood that it is not The Leader's purpose to enter into the private affairs of any individual. It is only when matters become public or are of such subjects as belong to the public, that we intend to publish or to express an editorial opinion, letting the chips fall where they may. Those who may differ with us will be at liberty to state their side through the columns of The Leader. Our editorial of last week is herewith reprinted: I It should not be a bad idea for a newspaper now and then to attempt to acquaint its readers with information which deals with its operation. This has been done time and again by The Leader. The policy of a newspaper [is something?] which many laymen know about and which attracts them to the editorial columns as determined by the newspaper's owner or owners, or as delegated to the publishers and editors. There is a standard by which all newspapers are measured, ethics which all should respect and fundamentals upon which all are founded. But each newspaper may have its own individual policy. Over the years, Negro newspapers have been recognized as purely newspapers by and for Negroes. Certain of these papers might today be classed as bona-fide newspapers, published for the benefit or advantage of any race or group, notwithstanding the fact that the news which appears in them is as of the past, about Negroes. II The Leader has been a race paper. Its policy has been to print as much good news it could about Negroes, as little bad news as possible about a certain class of Negroes; and to print practically all the bad news it could about white people, on subjects relative to their proper attitude toward Negroes. We have boasted of one fact at least, and that is, that we have championed the cause of Negoes unreservedly, that we have been militant and independent, in that we have been courageous and fearless and have not allowed ourselves to be intimidated by any interests of the major group when right and justice for Negroes has been the stake. Glancing over the twenty-five years of the life of The Le  ader we are proud of your record with one or two exceptions. We are not proud of the fact that we have tried to look over all of the bad and print only the good about Negroes, and the fact we have printed all the bad we could about white people, is nothing to bast of. That may be the way of a race paper, but it should not be the way of a newspaper, whether the publishers or white or colored. III The Leader's policy with regard to the type of news which should be carried was not altogether conceived in the mind of its publisher and editor. We confess that we have not thought that we were a representative newspaper when we have been influenced by friendly Negro leaders, who have made the argument that we could not afford to print news which involved the integrity, honesty and character of Negroes in high places, notwithstanding the gravity of their involvement. We have listened to friends who have told us that we could not afford to let white people know about the conduct of s  ome leaders of the race whose case had become public and belonged to the newspaper. We have been influenced by that argument, while at the same time we knew that the white people who counted knew more about the record of the Negro leader involved than we did. IV During its twenty-five years The Leader has in nine times out of ten cases winked at news about the libertines in high positions who have despoiled innocent girls entrusted to their care and defenseless under their influence. We have waste-basketed information, and ignored facts about the Negro crooks who have headed some of our business institutions in which poor people have poured their life's savings as stockholders, stirred under the spell of clever salesmen, to a race consciousness, which sold them to the idea that they were making a contribution to the holding of Negro business for the benefit of all Negroes. And under the management and supervision of men who were unselfish, and whose interest in race advancem  ent was greater than their own. The Leader has now arrived at the conclusion that its policy with regard to Negroes and the news about them has been a wrong policy. It has not been a fair policy. It has not been the policy of a good and honest sentiment might be mouled. We have experienced enough in the last forty-eight months to make us know that the Leader's policy of covering up for misfits who head or control certain institutions does not pay. It does not help the institution. The men become worse. They become less useful to their race. They begin to see white instead of black. What we have said in this editorial and the others to come will make our readers know, that The Leader, a Negro newspaper is changing its policy. newspaper, whose mission should be to print all the news, that a
Goes To Japan Charles S. Johnson
Named Motor Company Head
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1.
When a man acquires riches, God gets a partner or the man loses his soul.
DRIVE STARTED ON BAD CONDUCT - PLACARDS ISSUED BY LOCAL NAACP - BRANCH HOLDS FIRST MONTHLY MEETING; INTEREST MANIFESTED By William Warley Publicity Chairman Ailthough only a small per cent of the 2,000 odd members of the Louisville Branch N.A.A.C.P. was present at the first meeting of the year at Plymouth Congregational Church, Sunday evening, a very interesting meeting was held. The president, Alfred M. Carrol, outlined a program for action by the Branch. He listed a number of evils practiced on the race here in Louisville which he declared 60,000 colored people do not have to accept if they will unite and fight them. "Good Conduct Cards" were passed out to those present to place in places where people congregate. The placards read: "Let Us Watch Our Conduct! Loud, boisterous, vulgar and profane language on street cars and in public places make enemies for the race. Let us be courteous and considerate toward all people. We, as a race, need friends--that will make friends for us. We must have the respect of others, therefore we must respect ourselves. Let's cut out rowdyism and be friendly to all people. To have friends we must first be friendly. Good conduct on our part will help better race conditions in this city." Hundreds of these placards have been put out by the Louisville N.A.A.C.P. in an effort to forestall race friction on street cars and other public places where the colored and white people come in contact. The (Continue on Page 4)
Dad Against Son In Wife Killing
First Railroad in Liberia