SOUTHERN REACTIONARIES THREATEN BOLT
WOULD BLUFF THE PRESIDENT
TRUMAN'S CIVIL RIGHTS MESSAGE TENDS TO MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK
WEEK'S MOVEMENTS BRING FLARE-UPS; MISSISSIPPIANS CALLED DEMAGOGUES
Incensed over presidential demand for federal laws against lynching and racial discrimination, plus a series of Supreme Court rulings favorably affecting civil rights of Negroes, Southern die-hards in Washington this week, denounced the Truman Administration and threatened to launch a political secession from the Democratic Party in retaliation. Sparked by Representative Williams (D., Miss.) Truman was accused of "stabbing his best friends in the back." Similar views were expressed by Representatives Cox (D., Ga.), Rankins (D., Miss), Abernathy (D., Miss.). Cox retorted: "When I read this message I wonder if after all Henry Wallace is such a bad man. The President attacks people from the section of the country whose support he must have it he is to be re-elected. The whole thing saddens and sickens me." The Southern flare-up in Congress came after President Truman asked for an end to "invidious discrimination" in a 10-point 4,000 word message on February 2. Representative Abernathy asked that Southern Governors march on Washington and demand a "showdown" with Democratic Party leaders on the race issue. He made the proposal in a telegram to Governor Fielding Wright of Mississippi: "The time has arrived for concerted action and for all true (Continued on page 4)
GETS DEATH IN INDIANA CASE Shelbyville, Ind., Feb. 5 - Robet Austin Watts was sentenced last Wednesday to die in the electric chair, before sunrise May 10, for the shotgun slaying of Mrs. Mary Lois Burney of Indianapolis. Sentence was pronounced by Judge Harold G. Barger in the crowded Shelby Circuit Court immediately upon return of the jury with its hasty finding of guilty within four hours of deliberation. Defense counsel were not sure that legal moves would be made to enable the doomed man to escape the horrible fate of death in the chair. Although his five attorneys expressed belief that the verdict of the jury could be overturned if the case was taken to the state supreme court, it is extremely doubtful that further moves will be made in Watts' behalf for the sole and compelling reason that no one seemed willing to supply the attorney's fees and court costs. The 25-year-old former Indianapolis city truck driver stood calmly before Judge Barger, his hands folded behind hi  m, and heard without visible signs of emotion the penalty of death which, when carried out at Michigan City prison, will end a life of more than average complexity. Watts said he preferred the death sentence to a life imprisonment sentence. "If they just got to burn me, let's get it over with," he said. "I am sorry about the whole thing," Watts said to newsmen, as he was being led away, preparatory to beginning the trip to the state prison. Shortly before the jury foreman announced the verdict, the condemned man hastily scribbled a note to Herschel Burney, widower of the slain woman, saying: (Continued on page 4)
MOHANDAS GANDHI MOURNED; CALLED GREATEST MAN SINCE JESUS CHRIST The assasination of Mohandas K. Gandhi, India leader in New Delhi last Friday night, by one of the Hindus he had led to independence, as the Mahatma still weak from the recent fast of peace, walked feebly to the prayer grounds where a crowd awaited his words brought sadness and expressions of regret to all parts of the nation. Here in Louisville persons of small import termed the great spiritual force the greatest person since Jesus Christ. But it was Dr. John Haynes Holmes, high churchman and great American, who on last Sunday said that Gandhi was the greatest man since Jesus. Dr. Holmes, pastor of the Community Church of New York, and Chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union returned a month ago from India, where he twice talked with the slain leader. He said that Gandhi's program of non-violent resistance is and will be something new in the history of mankind, and Dr. Holmes said at a nonsectarian memorial service to the Indian leader at New York City's Town Hall, that Gandhi "was the greatest Indian since Gautama Buddha and the greatest man the world has seen since Jesus Christ." About 1,600 persons attended the services. Gandhi "will be remembered long after the captains and the statesmen who occupy the center of the world's stage today are forgotten," Dr. Holmes said. Some 50 Indian nationals, students at New York universities and institutes, attended the services. Later Dr. Holmes participated in a radio program the "University of Chicago Round Table," which was devoted to a discussion of "Gandhi's life and death - its meaning to mankind." On this program the pastor (Continued on page 4)
Minister Wins Fight Against Hotel Bar
DRAFTS BILLS Charles W. Anderson Louisville attorney and former member of the State Legislature who announces in this issue the drafting of two bills to be presented by his successor Attorney Dennis Henderson.
HOLD ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT The 78th annual commencement of Central High School was held at Halleck Hall, Thursday, January 29. The theme of the commencement was, "Improving School-Community Relationship." Orations were delivered by Carlyle Maupin, salutatory "Basic Social Forces of Community Life;" John Turner, "The Community Examines Its Schools," Hughlyne Perkins. Valedictory, "The School, A Mirror of Community Life." Diplomas were awarded to 128 graduates by W. F. Coslow, ass't. supt., of schools, and the following were among the medal awards presented by A. S. Wilson, principal: Alumni Scholarship, Hughlyne Perkins; Louisville Defender Scholarship, Carlyle Maupin; Principal's Citizenship, Robert Baker; Louisville Leader Effort, Ethel Ealy; Mammoth Insurance Commercial. Lizzie Rivers; Kiwanis Efficiency, Raymond Ponder and Charles Coats; Athletics, James Savage John Sharp, Robert Pillow; Miss Central, Daisy Ellis. The Upper Quartile or honor graduates in addition to those already named are, Christopher  Childress, Agnita Alexander, Alfred Southern, Alice Martin. James Wilson, Rose Swinney. Leon Clark, Frances Smiley, Cleo Omenia Martin, Geraldine Doleman, Vivian Bond, Jeanne Brooks, James Hansford, Louis Robinson, Robert DeSha, Mary Bradley, Harold Harris, Audrey Willet, Elizabeth Stringer, Kenneth Dudley, Eugenia Ross, Walter Ealy.
Guests and Friends at Surprise Affair [photo] In the above picture is a portion of the guests and friends covered by the camera at the surprise birthday party recently given in honor of The Leader publisher, and president of the Laymen's Council, Louisville District of the C.M.E. Church, by members of the Council in the Louisville area. Standing in the rear, from left to right: William Foster, E.W. Smith, Mrs. Gracie Moore, Mrs. Katherine Cole Lawery, Rev. R.D. Merriweather, W.H. Childress, Rev. A.J. Norris, Rev. Daniel J. Hughlett, Mrs. Hazel Johnson, L.M. Frazier. Sitting in forefront, left to right: J.A. Graham, Claude Smith, Mrs. Elvia Massie, Mrs. Lucille Rider, Mrs. Lacey Smith, Mrs. Mary Boone. Among other things, the publisher was presented with a gold-trimmed fountain pen. The birthday cake on the table was prepared and presented by Mrs. Rider, who is dressed in white. -Photo by Godbey.
3 FOR WEEK; 8 FOR NEW YEAR Triple murder wrote the final chapter to a week-end story of Louisville crime which ran the scale from plain drunk and disorderly to homicide. Two men and one woman, all Negroes, raised the city's homicidal rate since the first of the year, to eight. This is 100% of the murder ratio for 1948. An argument between a woman and two alleged boyfriends resulted in the fatal shooting of Henry Bernard Johnson late Friday night, January 30. The body of Johnson was found shot through the heart in a Preston Street barbershop. Police have arrested Bernice Levelle Redd, 22, Jeffersonville Indiana on a charge of murder. According to information received from un-official sources the young woman who gave her local address as 1225 West Walnut, shot Johnson after he allegedly caught her with another boy-friend. John Henry Davis, 39, Buechel, Ky., has been arrested and charged with being an accessory after the fact in connection with the crime. Bound over to the February 21 grand jury, bond for the alleged slayer has been set at $4,000. Harlon Calhoun, 26, 825 South Jackson died early Saturday morning, January 31 as a result of a gunshot wound of the head He was shot through the right (Continued on page 4)
Rickey and Robinson Voted Urban League's "Two Friends" Award for 1947
$18,000 THEFT FROM ORCHESTRA LEADER Gary, Ind., Feb. 5. - Property valued at $17,660, stored in a traveling trunk belonging to Lionel Hampton, famous orchestra leader and musician, was stolen by thieves here last Saturday while the versatile maestro played the Miromar Ballroom. Gary police instigated a search immediately and recovered an estimated $8,000 of more than $14,000 in clothing taken. A mink fur coat, valued at $5,000 and belonging to the musician's wife, Gladys, is still the object of a city-wide search. An additional $1,000 in miscellaneous clothing and articles is also still missing. A beaver coat, valued at $2,000, was recovered later by police. One hundred and sixty dollars in cash was taken from the trunk.
Watts Given Death
Anderson Drafts Legislation
To be presented by Henderson
For Admittance to "U" of Kentucky; Against treatment in stores Charles W. Anderson, Jr., local attorney, and Chairman of the Legislative Advisory Committee selected by Representative Dennis Henderson, according to Mr. Anderson, who is also chairman of the N.A.A.C.P. Legislative Committee, this week, prepared three bills for introduction in the present session of the Kentucky General Assembly.
The bills prepared by Anderson, former legislator, included two measures directly concerning the admission of Negro students to the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville. 
"In order to admit Negro students, the present Kentucky Day Law would have to be repealed, and the measures prepared this week would repeal the Day Law for admission on a gradtiate level only. Anderson in explaining the bills said that he omitted the several state Teachers Colleges in order to eliminate opposition from rural legislators, or in ot [illegible] the bills [illegible] open the doors of the teachers' colleges but only the universities," says Mr Anderson in a release to The Leader. 
A second bill prepared by Anderson would renew the attack of the former State Representative against mercantile stares which refuse to serve Negro women or permit them to try (Continued on Page 4)
White Students Protest Bias
INSURANCE MAN SUCCUMBS Harry L. Anderson, Sr., manager of the Ordinary Department, Atlanta Life Insurance Company, succumbed at [illegible] residence, 2521 West [Walnut?] Street, last Friday after an illness of several months. Prominent in civic and church affairs, funeral rites were held for Mr. Anderson Monday, Rev. William H. Ballew, officiating, with the assistance of other ministers. Mr. Anderson is survived by his wife, a son, Harry Jr., a daughter, Mrs. Voncille Sckells; four grandchildren, one sister and other relatives. Internment in the Louisville Cemetery.
Methodists Hold Interracial Vesper