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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1950)
Tii© W®ne@ PUBLISHED WEEKLY Dedicated to the promotion of the cultural, social and spiritual life of a great people." Melvin L Shakespeare Publisher and Editor Business Address 2225 S 8treet Phone 2-4085 it No Answer Call 5-7508 Kuoie W Shakespeare...Adveitislng and Business Manager Dorothy Greene .Office Secretary Mrs Joe Greene ....Circulation Manager Member ot the Associated Negro Press and Nebraska Press Association . .Entered as Second Class Matter, June 9, 1947 at the Post Office at Lincoln, llebrasKa under the Act of March 3. 1879. 1 year subscription.. $2 00 Single copy..6c EDITORIALS The views expressed in these columns »re those of the writer and not necessarily a reflection of the policy of The Voice.— Pub, NEEDED: State Department FEPC The hardest person to tind in the foreign service of the United States is a colored American. True, there are colored citizens employed in our foreign service but excluding watchmen, doormen and an occasional clerk, you can count the rest on the fingers of the hands. Indeed, there are less colored Americans in the foreign service than there were 50 years ago when qualified Negroes were few and far between. In June, 1949, there were 21,203 employes in the state department at home and abroad, but it is highly improbable that all of the Negro employes together would total more than 50. Fifty years ago Negro college graduates were few in number, certainly not as many as one thousand, while the total grad uated from college since 1912 is 80,000, and the number which has attended college is 650,000. Today there is a larger number of American Negroes in college proportionately than there are col lege students in the United King dom: respectively 70,000 to 82,500. Certainly the state department should experience no difficulty in finding numerous Negroes just as qualified as most of the whites who are in foreign service. It is like looking for a needle in a hay stack to find any Negroes in the state department’s informa tion service on any continent. There may be some but we have not heard of them and this news paper has correspondents almost everywhere. So far as we have been able to learn, the “Voice of America” is a white voice, and if there are any Negroes preparing broadcasts, pamphlets and other propaganda, their identities are unknown to us. For its various services the state department is forever seeking re emits and likely prospects in the colleges and universities of the land, but for some strange reason it cannot seem to find the Negro institutions of learning or the nu merous Negro students in "white” schools. Obviously what the state de partment needs is its own fair employment practices commission to integrate some colored Amer icans into its lily-white setup. Moreover, one can think of no better way of putting over the democratic idea abroad than let ting foreigners come in contact with some colored American con suls, secretaries, labor attaches and information specialists. A few of these dark faces in the consulates, embassies and in formation offices from Helsinki to Casablanca and from Hong Kong to Rio de Janeiro would do more to prove where America stands on color, democracy and freedom than the biggest battery of radio transmitters obtainable. —Courj«r First Negro Gridders At Philadelphia, Penn. PHILADELPHIA. (ANP.)— When the University of Pennsyl vania takes the football field this year, two Negro tackles will be on the squad, the first Negroes to play on a Penn team. They will be given every opportunity to cinch varsity berths, Coach George Munger says. Bob Evans, six feet two, weigh ing 225 and Eddie Bell, six feet one, both 18 years old, are the two Negroes. Penn has played teams with Negro players opposing them, but this event of Negroes being on the Penn team is something new and will smash the barbs directed at the Quaker outfit. Army Bias in Japan Hit Again NEW YORK. (ANP). Roy Wil-' kins, NAACP administrator, this week renewed his request that the Department of the Army take steps to correct reported discrimination against Negro troops in Japan. Responding to Mr. Wilkins’ ear lier complaint about racial dis crimination, Frank Pace, jr., sec retary of the army, cited the President’s Executive Order 9981 and the Department of the Army’s regulation on equality of treat ment and opportunity. He also expressed the opinion that Mr. Wilkins’ letter mentioned only “generalities, which should not be regarded as indicative of flagrant racial discrimination throughout the Tokyo area.” “PROMPT ACTION” Secretary Pace gave assurance that “prompt corrective action has been taken whenever specific vio lations of our policy have been brought to the attention of the Department.” The Army Secre tary added that the Department had not previously “received re ports of racial discrimination in the Far East Command.” In his letter, Mr. Wilkins re peated the specific report that Gen. Walter Leo Weible “had is sued an order restricting Negro Army personnel to one of the four swimming pools in Tokyo used by occupation forces.” If this or der was issued, Mr. Wilkins con tinued, “it violates clearly not only the most recently revised policy of the Department of the Army, but also the practice which had been adopted by the Army itself in the latter years of World War II with respect to the treat ment of all personnel on Army in stallations.” “We are sure you will agree,” Mr. Wilkins further stated, “that aside from its unfairness to the Negro personnel, this demonstra tion of differentiation flfesed upon color to the Japanese people is harmful to the entire American policy in the Far East.” h VANES C. OLSON, Suf>«rinttnd«nt •TATI MISTOlICAt IOC1ITT Nebraska's Governors John H. Mickey, who served as governor from 1903 to 1907, was born on a farm near Burlington, Iowa, September 30, 1845. Thus, when first elected in 1902, he was considerably over the average age of Nebraska’s chief executives. As a matter of fact, the only man to be older when first elected was Governor Thayer. Governor Mickey’s early life follows the pattern of many of our influential pioneers. He grew up on a farm, attended the rural schools, and did farm work dur ing the summers. He served in the Union army during the Civil War (as a private in Company D, ,3th Iowa Cavalry). After the war he attended Iowra Wesleyan Col lege for two years, then taught school. Young Mickey emigrated to Ne braska in 1868, taking a home stead in Polk County. He imme diately threw himself into public affairs, and two years after his arrival was elected treasurer of i Polk County, a position he held for 10 years. Following that, he served two terms in the state legislature. Mickey’s nomination for the governorship by the Republican party in 1902 came on the 13th ballot after a heated convention battle with John B. Dinsmore of Sutton. The campaign, too, was hot, and he defeated W. H. Thompson of Grand Island, fusion candidate, by a narrow margin. In 1904, Governor Mickey, seek ing re-election, had to meet George A. Berge of Lincoln, who made a whirlwind campaign on the fusion ticket under the slogan, “abolish the free pass.” Again the margin was close, but again Mickey was victorious. Governor Mickey’s messages show a deep interest in all phases of government. He urged the di rect primary, adopted during his successor’s term of office. He was much concerned with the estab lishment of an adequate auditing system. An unusual feature of his administration was the record number of instances in which he granted executive clemency to prisoners—12 pardons and 65 commutations. Following his retirement from the governorship, Mr. Mickey re turned to Osceola to engage in banking and farming. He had been the first president of the State Bank of Osceola, organized in 1879. Mr. Mickey was in all respects a public-spirited citizen, and was particularly active in the affairs of the Methodist church. He helped to organize the Methodist Episcopal Church at Osceola, and served as president of the board of trustees of Nebraska Wesleyan University. He died at his home in Osceola, June 2, 1910, after a prolonged illness, leaving his wife and nine children. N policy of sharing highway user funds on rural and state roads and city and village streets, be cause all three road systems, state highways, rural roads and city and village streets, must be planned and improved through co-operative effort. Everyone knows that road costs are much higher than ten years ago. The legislation passed in 1947 and 1949 is essential to these increased costs. Now all roads in Nebraska have had legislative consideration and fi nancial assistance. These in creases should remain the law and policy of Nebraska until prices, road conditions or other facts require in justice and equity that further study and consideration be had. BETTER NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION By: Ben H. Hughes, Chairman, Executive Committee. Better Nebraska Association The 1949 Road Program, in creasing gasoline tax and motor vehicle registration fees, was recommended and supported by this Association after study dem onstrated that with the increased revenue the overall road needs in Nebraska would be improved. Of great importance to Ne braska roads is the “farm to market” program which has made much progress in getting farmers “out of the mud.” This progress has been made under the provisions of the mail route graveling legislation passed in 1947, generally known as the Schroeder Road Bill, by which lc of the gas tax goes to the counties for this purpose. The Better Nebraska Association recognizes the importance to farmers of access to main high ways, markets, schools and churches, and believed that this legislation and this principle of rural road improvement should be retained. Of equal importance to Ne braska roads is the 1949 Road Program which will permit the repair, rebuilding and construc tion of our uncompleted and badly worn state highway sys tem. This is being made possible by reason of a lc increase in gas oline tax and increased registra tion fees passed by the 1949 Legislature. Due to our use of the truck to transport livestock, produce, grain, implements and agricultural supplies from the farm to the terminal markets and return, state roads have be come an integral part of the “farm to market” program. In 1949, for the first time, a part of the registration fees paid on vehicles owned within city and village limits are provided to repair and rebuild city and village streets. This Association approves the Television Girl Debut in London LONDON, England. (ANP). Rose Murphy the “Chee-Chee” girl made her London debut in tele vision just a few days after she arrived here recently. She is not unknown in England for her rec ords have built up a great popu larity among the fans. She is be ing referred to as the “Chee-Chee” girl and her personality and charm have struck a fascinating theme with every one she meets. In her luxurious home, Ade laide Hall honored her with a tea party. Including among the guests were her manager husband, Eddie Matthews, and Bruce How ard now playing in “Streetcar Named Desire.” Umberger’s 2-2424 1110 Q Funeral and Ambulance Serv ice. Verna Burke. Boy Sheaf*. Oarolc Rohrbaugh. Flora Umberger FamlMc* 2-505# Smith Pharmacy 2146 Vine Prescriptions — Drops Fountain — Sundries Phone 2-1956 THE EVANS CLEANERS — LAUNDERERS Save Money Use our Cash and Carry Plan 333 No. 12th St Dial 2-6961 CALL 2-7331 Lowest Prices On Men's and Ladies FINE WATCHES ONLY $1 DOWN $1 A WEEK IDEAL 6rocery and Market Lots of Parking 27th and F Streets Be Ready for School Opening ... Get your school supplies Now! NOTEBOOKS—PAPER PENS AND PENCILS RULERS — ERASERS BRIEF CASES 1124-26 O Street For Everything in HARDWARE Baker Hardware 101 No. 9th 2-3710 DEPENDABLE USED CARS Saville Auto Co. i m 1520 P St Ph. 2-1185 TYPEWRITERS ANT MAKE SOLD RENTED REPAIRED Nebraska Typewriter Co. L90 No. Itth St. Phooe *-*!»* Lincoln Neb