Richmond Banner, Friday, December 1, 1933

Richmond Banner Masthead, 1933 -

Note that these are excerpts of interest from this neighborhood newspaper, not the entire contents.

Riviello's Barber Shop, 810 Clement Street, 1933. - Richmond Banner, December 1, 1933

Looking At It From Here

by S.G.T.

(Note from the year 2007: "S.G.T." was Sinclair G. Trimble, the Banner's publisher. "Looking At It From Here" was his regular front page column.)

It has been a busy week since this column last appeared. Saturday brought the Big Game at Palo Alto, with all the Berkeley Bessies and Stanford Susies cheering on their favorite gladiators of the modern arena. Next came the news that the Stanfordites could go to Pasadena singing:

"Ride on the old S.P.
Ride on to victory,"

as remembrance of their U.S.C. game trainride. But their will be no S.P. game. The "P," Princeton, won't play. Too bad for the sake of the spectacle and a natural rivalry, but academically Princeton is dead right about post-season games. The schedules are too grueling now.

(The Big Game referred to was won by Stanford over California 7-0. This was the first year the famous "Stanford Axe" was awarded to the winner of this annual football game between the two schools. Stanford lost the Rose Bowl to Columbia on January 1, 1934, 7-0.)

As if one of the most thrilling games in coast history were not enough, the next day brought a lynching in San Jose. While no one regrets the lives lost, many insist on regretting the way in which they were lost. Lynchings are bad precedents and people are very apt, in their enthusiasm for getting one particular job done, to lost sight of the damage it can do as precedent. We meet that problem in practical statesmanship every day. The maddened rush of humanity that produces lynchings is like a Niagra going over the brink. It is just too bad that that energy can not be properly harnessed to give swift and exact justice in courts of law. Lynchings must stop in America but there is no better way to stop them than to end the delays of law, its flimsy excuses and obvious insincerities. The lawyer who enters a false plea "to beat the law" should morally share guilt with the culprit. What we mean to say is just this: to have hauled into court a long list of pseudo-experts to argue the San Jose kidnappers were insane should be regarded as a conspiracy to defeat justice. There are too many handwriting "experts" and the like of that for hire in any court a la taxicab.

San Jose, in particular, should have confidence in the severity of courts. A jury of twelve of its citizens convicted to the gallows a man of influence on circumstantial evidence. But what may irk San Jose is the fancy food it receives during the long delays of the law.

(The lynchings of alleged murders Thomas Thurmond and John M. Holmes took place on November 26, 1933 in St. James Park in San Jose. Governor James Rolph supposedly praised the action and promised to pardon anyone involved. The lynching was viewed by a crowd of thousands and broadcasted live on the radio. No charges were ever filed.)

Richmond Roofing Company at 276 6th Avenue ad, 1933. - Richmond Banner, December 1, 1933

Back to work the first of the week and the Roosevelt Terrace debates rock with charges of dishonesty. Secretary Ickes may be a Democrat but he is no democrat. Attorney Scott told the Park-Presidio Club Tuesday night that the need for Roosevelt Terrace was investigated by Washington's secret service. That sounds more like a czaristic Russian melodrama than a healthy democracy. Public projects are best investigated publicly and not by bloodhound sleuths. It may have been honestly done but it was stupidly done. This same Secretary Ickes, the press reports, is working hard to convince President Roosevelt that Hawaii should not have one of its own citizens as governor. This is perhaps the worst insult offered American citizens in American history. Apparently we have reached the day when there are Americans who do not believe in democracy, using high office under it to destroy it. Again, they may be honest, but they are not democrats.

(Roosevelt Terrace was a proposal to build public housing apartments on the land of the removed Odd Fellows Cemetery. The plan deeply divided the Richmond District and was eventually scrapped in favor of typical housing development.)

Christmas Ride

The plans of Cabrillo School's P.T.A. for the ride to be given the elderly ladies of the Laguna Honda Home are well on the way. Between Christmas and New Year the ladies will be taken for a tour of the city to see the Christmas lighting. This is the fourth year that Cabrillo P.-T. A. has had this pleasure.

McAvoy, O'Hara & Co. Funeral Directors ad. Geary Street at 9th Avenue, 1933. - Richmond Banner, December 1, 1933

Clement Ass'n Fails to Agree on Xmas Plan

Newly-appointed Federal Physician Adolphus A. Berger, M.D., had the misfortune to preside over one of the dreariest sessions in the history of the Clement Street Merchants Association on Monday night. A two and one-half hour meeting failed to secure the adoption of any one of numerous suggestions for Christmas lighting or decoration and the meeting was forced to close with President Berger appointing a committee of Wayne Simpson, I. Ignoffo and Harold Turner to try to work out something.

Various Activities of Local Y.M.C.A.

Park-Presidio "Y" girls held their first competitive basketball game at the "Y" building recently, when the Lincoln Park Pioneer Girls played the Kiwanis Girl Reserves. The score was purely incidental, the main thing being that all had a great time, and are ready to go again.

The first Thanksgiving was a feature of the Friendly Indian and Pioneer hike held last Monday by the "Y" boys, when the Pioneers played the part of the early Pioneers, and invited the red men to join them in their feast of Thanksgiving. Paper was laid out on the ground, making a great banquet table. A runner was sent inviting the Indians to join in the feast which was ready on the quickly made table. An expression of thanks was given, making it an impressive ceremony, as well as a great time.

Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places.

Page launched 3 December 2007