Atlanta Daily World

ON THE REEL
By REV. TASCHEREAU ARNOLD

Traveling In Time Of War Taxing

This is being written in the great city of Dallas, Texas. The writer is here attending the annual session of the National Baptist Convention, Inc., the World's largest Negro organization. Dallas is a swell city. It is beautiful, clean and quite progressive. There are to be found more powerful Baptist Churches. to get the train. day morning. It had a car and a train pulled out from Atlanta's ac gates were left be

Let me hasten to warn you this is no time to travel. Take heed to what our government says: Travel only when it is absolutely essential. The trip from Atlanta was one of many ups and downs. It was a push and struggle all the way. We left Atlanta Monday, September 4th, and those who were able to board the train had to do some sharp turning to get the train. We left Atlanta around 8:30 o'clock Monday morning. Southern train to Birmingham, Alabama half for its Negro passengers. When the in the Terminal was no room for them on our train

The train was quite crowded all the way to Birmingham. We spent around an hour and a half in Birmingham. Two Frisco trains pulled out and both were carrying all the delegates space would allow. Suit cases were lined in the aisles of the train and many were hard pressed to find seats. One good sister, while boarding the train in Birmingham came into the car fussing. If I hadn't had this suit case, I would have knocked the devil out of that man for pushing my suit case. Some ain't got a bit of respect for women. she thundered. She was somewhat fat, and her face was sweaty and shining. There was a bit of truth in her statement for some men don't show much respect for women, especially when they are rushing to get on trains to secure seats. We left Birmingham around 2 p. m Monday with every seat taken, with many joining our train between Birmingham and Memphis, Tennessee. The Frisco Railway furnished us with a Dining Car, and we were able to eat two meals in the same. We arrived in Memphis around 9:30 p. m Monday. We had to change trains in Birmingham, and many of the women had a time carrying their luggage. It was hard on a man. In Memphis we had to transfer from one station to another. This was another hardship on the delegation for there were only three buses available and many of the delegates rather than take a chance on waiting for the bus to return fearing they might miss their train walked with their heavy suitcases to the other railway station. By this time, most everybody was wringing wet. It was a hot night in Memphis. And helping to add to the difficulties were many delegates who were arriving in Memphis to attend the annual session of the National Baptist Convention of America. We had a time in Memphis. A mighty host of people including many soldiers was waiting to board the Missouri Pacific. That's the railroad we were to use from Memphis to Dallas. Confusion reigned supreme. Everybody seemed excited. The gate master spoke loud and hard trying to figure how he was to let the pushing and over-anxious crowd of white and colored passengers out. The train master had the delegates move from gate to gate. Then he demanded the delegates to open the line and he let all the white people and both races riding the Pullman through the gate. By this time the train was loaded and pulled out. This left most of the delegates stranded in Memphis except those who slipped through another gate. Then excitement held sway. About that time the train master thundered All you delegates will have to go in the station and have your tickets exchanged, for you are going to ride the Cotton Belt Line to Dallas. Then a mad rush was made to the ticket office with delegates jamming both ends of the enclosed booth where the tickets were being exchanged. Some were mean and uncouth. They were so jammed at both ends, trying to get their ticket exchanged in time to board the Cotton Belt Line until one could hardly get out of the booth after his ticket had been exchanged. By this time almost everybody was disgusted, wet with perspiration showing through their clothes. Finally many of them were able to board the train but many were left behind in Memphis Tuesday morning at Texarkana a dining car was connected with our train which had one coach of white passengers and about ten coaches filled with delegates. The diner was placed between the white and colored passengers. This was done perhaps to give the white people the first servings. Though we were quite hungry, we had to wait until the white people got through eating. When the white had been served then the dining car porter went back to the two Pullman cars, the last cars, marched 70 of our colored people who were riding in the Pullman cars and served them. This made some of the Negroes riding in the coaches hot, for the meantime coffee was being served in some of the coaches, along with a few sandwiches. We arrived in Dallas around 3 p m Tuesday. Then the delegates, in many cases found it quite hard to get assigned for the assignment committee workers seemed confused when so many delegates swooped down on them. It was a tough trip, folk. Don't travel unless you have to - SELAH