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NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
^ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
$2.00 a -5 Cents a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, August 31, 1928 Vol. XIV—No. 9 Whole Number 682
Hoover Speech Lauded as Masterpiece
RACE PRESS WARMLY
COMMENDS HOOVER’S
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Favoring His Stand in General They
Are Especially Pleased With
His Statements Concerning
Equal Opportunity
CATCHES RACE IMAGINATION
Washington, D. C., August 30—
Wholesale approval was accorded the
acceptance speech of Herbert Hoover,
republican nominee for the presi
dency of the United States, by col
ored editors throughout the country.
While they favored his stand in gen
eral they especially commend him for
his position with respect to equal op
portunity for all Americans, irre
spective of race, color or creed.
The editor of the Philadelphia
Tribune found favor with the pro
gram for the promotion of business
and prosperity but concerning the
declaration about equal opportunity
pointed out:
“Mr. Hoover, in his acceptance
speech, touched the thing nearest to
our heart. The biggest thing, and the
most important thing which confronts
the American Negro today, is his lack
of opportunity to develop into a well
rounded American citizen. If Her
bert Hoover will use his high office,
when elected, to the end that the
American Negro would have even a
semblance of equal opportunity, he
would stand equal with Abraham Lin
coln, the greatest of all Americans.”
Mr. Hoover made his position very
clear in his acceptance speech con
cerning equal opportunity and point
ed out in a forceful manner that he
favored equal opportunity for all and
declared it a right of every American
citizen.
Down in Virginia, the editor of the
Norfolk Journal and Guide expressed
1 his view as follows:
“Candidate Hoover’s acceptance
speech, delivered last Saturday, con
tained a note that should be reassur
ing to the under privileged and dis
advantaged classes of American citi
zens. In spite of Mr. Hoover’s as
sertion that this country is the most
prosperous on the face of the earth,
it is clear from his vigorous declara
tion in favor of equal opportunity for
all Americans that he recognizes that
there are in our social, economic and
legal system certain drawbacks to full
enjoyment of the fruits of labor and
pursuit of happiness.”
While the foregoing comments are
typical of many, there were editors
who were concerned with the entire
address. The editor of the Louisville
Leader pointed this out:
“The address reveals statesmanship
of the highest order, a statesmanship
which causes not only the importance
of the economic phases of the condi
tion of America, but can look beyond
these and discern the relation of
sound economic conditions to happy
homes and spiritual well being. Here
Mr. Hoover touches the heart of the
great mass of voters.” t
The Detroit Independent editor
took still another turn and in addi
tion to commending Herbert Hoover
as the logical man for the presidency
of the United States, issued the fol
lowing warning to the colored voters
of the republic:
“A1 Smith is all right in New York
as governor, but will be all wrong in
Washington as president, under the
influence of Blease, of South Car
olina, Harrison of Mississippi, Heflin
of Alabama, and associated with Rob
inson of Arkansas as vice president.”
According to the editor of the
Houston Informer, Herbert Hoover
"demonstrated beyond the shadow of
doubt or peradventure that he is a
statesman of the first rank and well
qualified to direct the ship of state
for the next four or eight years.”
From Denver came the declaration
that “the Colorado Statesman is in
absolute accord with Mr. Hoover’s
pronouncement concerning EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY. No American citi
zen should aspire for more than an
equal opportunity in the race of life
and none should be denied less. Such
sentiments publicly expressed and
broadcast will be studied and appre
ciated by citizens of all sections, vo
cations and political affiliation.”
APPOINTED DISTRICT
MANAGER BY BEE-NEWS
Hearst Newspaper Adopts Policy
Found Successful in Several
Other Metropolitan
Cities
In keeping with the policy of the
Hearst publications in other cities to
employ whenever and wherever prac
tical members of the race in respon
sible positions, the Omaha Bee-News
has appointed Mr. M. C. “Toby”
James as one of its district managers
of circulation. Mr. James’ district
embraces the territory bounded by
the river on the east, 33rd street on
the west, Cuming on the south, and
Binney on the north. It is, as will
be seen, quite a large and important
district and will require a number of
wide-awake, dependable and alert
carriers. This offers an excellent
opportunity for many of our boys.
The Bee-News has hitherto em
ployed a limited number of colored
boys as carriers. This number will
now be increased as qualified boys
are found. It will be Mr. James’
policy to endeavor to make his dis
trict one of the best in the city.
A large number of our people are
residents of the district, constituting
probably about 40 per cent of the
population, and it is confidently be
lieved that they wilk show their ap
preciation of this recognition of our
group by their liberal patronage of
the Bee-News.
Mr. Smith, general director of cir
culation for the Hearst newspapers,
is authority for the statement, that
in several large cities where Negroes
are employed as District or Station
managers, they have proven very
successful. For example, Baltimore
has five such employees, the young
est of whom has served for seven
years, and another, who has been in
the employ of the company for forty
years, has served for twenty-one
years as district manager.
TALENTED DRAMATIC
READER WILL GIVE
RECITAL FRIDAY NIGHT
J. Ernestine Wyatt, a talented dra
matic reader, poetess and enactor of
plays, will be heard in recital at St.
John’s A. M. E. Church next Friday
night, under the local management of
Mrs. Rafferty. Miss Wyatt has high
testimonials from outstanding critics
of both races for her ability as an
entertainer. Dorothy Dix, in com
plimenting her, says: “Your reper
toire is second to none that I have
ever heard.” Kelly Miller speaks of
her as “a reader of rare charm and
beauty.” The Evening Courier of
Waterloo, la., says: “Miss Wyatt
possesses unusual ability in her field
and through discriminating selection
and distincuve talent, gives to her
work quality that is unusual.”
Those who attend St. John’s next
Friday night have a rare treat in
store for them.
HEAD OF COLORED PYTHIAN
FRATERNITY FOR HOOVER
S. W. Greene, of New Orleans, La.,
supreme chancellor of the Knights of
Pythias of the World, representing
a membership of more than 300,000
colored Pyihians, is for Herbert
Hoover, he stated in a telegram re
ceived by A. L. Holsey, secretary of
the colored voters’ division of the re
publican national campaign commit
tee organization.
BOSTON PHYSICIAN
TO SUPPORT SMITH
Boston, Mass.—Dr. William Wor
thy, a well known an dinfluential col
ored physician of this city has re
signed from the republican city com
mittee and announced his intention
of supporting Governor Smith for
president.
In giving his reasons for leaving
the G. O. P., Dr. Worthy said: “I
believe Governor Smith to be an hon
est and efficient public servant, and
his record speaks for itself. There is
no doubt in my mind that the repub
lican party has broken faith with our
group, and that our only means of
redress is to use our ballot against
the party.”
EDITORIAL
Several of our young women, trained in our splendid public
schools and colleges and holding certificates certifying that
they are qualified to teach in Nebraska, are leaving the city
to resume positions in southern schools or to take positions
for the first time as teachers in southern schools, because those
in authority in the city of their nativity and training have re
fused to give them like opportunities here. Since there can
be produced no valid argument against the appointment of
some of our young women, who measure up to every intel
lectual and moral standard demanded for the position sought,
to the teaching corps of our city, numbering approximately
1,500, we can ascribe the refusal only to prejudice or coward
ice. For more than seven years we have been among those
who have striven to have our city return to the position which
she once occupied among the broad-visioned and progressive
cities of our land in giving our people, who are taxpayers and
support our public schools, representation on the teaching force
and among other school employes. This request has been met
with evasion, particularly upon the part of one influential
individual which, to put it mildly, was disappointing. There
seemed to be what is commonly called a “passing the buck.”
Some members of the Board of Education admitted, severally
and individually, to us and others that the request was just,
and that, individually, they were favorable; but that is as far
as matters would seem to go.
It must certainly be realized upon the part of any fair
minded person, of whom there are doubtless many in this city,
that a policy of this kind lends little encouragement either to
pupils or their parents to make the sacrifices which they, in
many cases are compelled to make, to prepare themselves for
such work, if they must always be compelled to leave home to
secure employment. This is too obvious to require further
argument. Nor does this policy enrich the cultural life of our
city or group, but to the contrary it impoverishes it. No pro
gressive, forward-looking and fair-minded community could
wish this disadvantageous condition to continue.
Inasmuch as it is within the power of our local educational
authorities to prevent this pathetic and unjust condition we
again make an earnest appeal to them in the name of justice
and equity to see to it that appointments are made at the
earliest opportunity of some of our well-qualified young women
who have fulfilled all the conditions required by the State to
teach in the public schools of Nebraska.
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
FOR COLORED LEAGUE
New York City—Ralph E. Mizelle
of this city has been named for re
gional director of the Smith-for-Pres
ident Colored league for the eastern
division. This area includes the states
of New York, New Jersey, Connecti
cut, Massachusetts, and Rhole Island.
Mr. Mizelle is well known in Harlem,
where he has been active politically.
He is a lawyer with offices at 200
Broadway.
KLAN AGAINST SMITH
Louisville, Ky.—The National Fra
ternal Weekly, organ of the Ku Klux
Klan, which includes the Negro in its
bigoted attacks, is advertising United
States Senator Heflin to speak on
Labor Day in this city.
The publication recalls in the arti
cle the trouble which arose August a
year ago under the democratic re
gime when the Klan held a parade.
“That affair resulted in a sweeping
victory at the polls at the following
election and Charles J. Cronan, poli
tical boss of the Knights of Colum
bus, was made to walk the line. The
G. O. P. victory followed in city,
county, and state,” recites the Na
tional Fraternal Weekly.
The general impression here is that
the Klan is lined up against Smith
and the Negro and supporting the re
publicans.
PHILLY HOSPITAL
DRIVE PASSES GOAL
Philadelphia, Pa. — The campaign
of Mercy hospital, which campaign
had been extended ten days, for a
fund of $200,000 for a new nurses’
home, ended with a total pledged of
over $355,000. More than one hun
dred colored people enlisted in an
effort to raise the amount of money.
Two hundred fifty white workers
were also engaged in the work. Many
persons gave large sums of money,
Mr. and Mrs. George W. Deane, well
known in social work, donating two
thousand dollars.
ENDORSES PORTERS’ UNION
New York, N. Y.—According to A.
Philip Randolph, general organizer of
the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por
ters, the Travelers Protective Asso
ciation of America, New York di
vision, has indicated through Wil
liam F. Dimelow, railroad chairman,
that it is sympathetic with the fight
of the Pullman porters for a living
wage, and offers support.
YOUNG ATTORNEY
STATE ORGANIZER
Philadelphia, Pa. — Mercer L.
Lewis, a popular attorney of this city,
has been named state organizer of
the Smith - for - President Colored
league. He plans conducting an ac
tive campaign throughout Pennsyl
vania.
Mr. Lewis recently ran independ
ently for city magistrate, and polled
a good-sized vote.
PREDICT NEW POLITICAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR NEGRO
Washington, D. C.—Heralding a
new day in political opportunity and
leadership for the Negro, editors of
various weeklies have commented
widely and favorably upon the per
sonnel selected to direct the repub
lican campaign among colored voters.
Pointing out that business, profes
si'onal, educational and religious in
terests as well as those purely poli
tical, comprise the colored voters’ di
vision of the Republican National
Campaign committee this year, the
belief is advanced by numerous pa
pers that the campaign will be con
ducted upon a high plane and give
an opportunity for self expression to
every phase of life within the group.
JULIAN IN NONSTOP
FLIGHT TO ROME
Detroit, Mich.—Backed by a group
of the most influential colored people
in this country, Herbert Julian, avi
ator, is shortly to attempt a flight
across the Atlantic ocean to Rome, a
nonstop flight, in an endeavor to
show that the colored aviator is the
equal of the white, in ingenuity, dar
ing and courage and resourcefulness.
MEMPHIS COLLEGES MERGE
Memphis, Tenn.—Decision to oper
ate Roger Williams college of Nash
ville and the Howe Junior College of
Memphis, under one management, be
ginning with the fall term, October 1,
was approved at a meeting of the
missionary board and educational
board of the Tennessee Baptist con
vention in session here.
The two colleges will use the build
ings of Howe college as temporay
headquarters until plans for erecting
new buildings have matured.
Mr. T. T. McWilliams and Mr.
Buddy Walker are attending the
Elks conclave at Chicago this week.
ASBURY PARK N. A. A. C. P.
WINS IN SUIT AGAINST
BEACH SEGREGATION
New York, Aug. 24—Long contin
ued segregation of colored bathers
and visitors on the ocean beach at
Asbury Park, New Jersey, has been
decisively defeated by the branch
there of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People,
under the leadership of the entire ex
ecutive committee headed by the
branch president, Dr. William J.
Parks.
For some years colored bathers had
been confined to a small section of
the beach. Then reports began to
come to the N. A. A. C. P. that col
ored people on benches along the As
bury Park beach front had been re
quested by city police officers to
“move down where the colored peo
ple belong.”
The branch promptly drew up a let
ter to the mayor protesting against
this segregation of colored people
along the beach. Two letters were
taken to the mayor of Asbury Park
by the N. A. A. C. P. committee, Dr.
Parks reports:
I here were no discussions follow
ing the reading of this letter. The |
mayor simply asked what actions we
wanted them to take.
The mayor, speaking for the board,
gave us the assurance that colored
people have the same rights and priv
ileges on the beach as any other
group of citiens, and that no orders
have been given to the lessees or to
any of the emissaries of the board to
treat colored people differently from
any other group and that no orders
will be given to that effect.”
In the first letter to the mayor, the
Asbury Park N. A. A. C. P. said:
“Our association is organized and
maintained for one purpose only—
citizenship rights. As we view the
matter the beach front is a public
playground owned by the City of
Asbury Park and is for the use of
everybody, just as are the streets or
the library square. Surely, you wil?
not contend that you have the author
ity to say which side of a street col
ored or white people shall use. Then
why which part of the beach?
“We call your attention to the fact
that no other seashore city in New
Jersey has such an arrangement.
Why should we? We can further
state that we probably pay more
taxes than the colored people of any
other resort—Atlantic City not ex
cepted. We do not feel that we
should be made the laughing stock
of the entire state by continuing to
be jim-crowed on our own beach.
May we have a reply from you?
Yours for a friendly adjustment.”
The branch committee, besides Dr.
Parks, included John A. Stewart,
Thomas H. Murray, Anna E. Jackson,
Bessie A. Wallace, Dr. John H. Hayes,
Betty A. Carter, Louise L. Upperman
and Mabel Hendrickson.
Dr. Parks states that the lessee of
bathing concessions has been in
structed not to discriminate against
colored bathers and that he gave as
surances to that effect.
SMITH-FOR-PRESIDENT
CLUBS BECOMING NUMEROUS
New York City — Independent
Smith-for-President clubs are spring
ing up in various sections of the east.
Some of these organizations are made
up for colored voters who heretofore
voted the republican ticket. The New
Jersey Independent Republican club,1
Smith-for-President, is making an ac
tive canvass for the democratic ticket
in New Jersey. J. B. Taylor of Engle
wood is president, and D. H. Taylor
is secretary.
The People’s Progressive Political
league has its headquarters in Phila
delphia. The officers are the Rev.
Thomas D. Atkins, president; Lionel
A. Francis, secretary-treasurer, ana*
John W. Parks, chairman of the cam
paign committee. This organization
is said to have a large membership
composed of colored voters through
out Pennsylvania.
The Afro-American Republican
league, through Harry Davenger,
chairman, has offered to work in Del
aware for Governor Smith and Sen
ator Bayard.
WINNING SUCCESS IN
JOURNALISTIC FIELD
ON THE PACIFIC COAST
Former Omaha Woman Now Busi
ness Manager of the Pacific
Defender of Los Angeles
On Eastern Trip
One of the outstanding editors of
the country is Fred C. Williams of
the Pacific Defender of Los Angeles,
Cal., who some years ago was circu
lation manager of The Monitor. Al
though he has lost his sight, he had
the will to support himself and found
a way.
Some years ago he went to Los
Angeles, Cal., and began the pub
lication of the Pacific Defender,
which is one of the ablest and best
edited of our race journals, and is
recognized as an influential publi
cation.
Fred C. Williams credits much of
his success in the newspaper field to
his wife, who has proven herself to
be one of the keenest and most wide
awake business women of the west.
She is quiet, modest and unassum
ing, and up to the time of her hus
bands’ venture in California, was a
simple housewife. Due to the loss of
his sight she found it necessary to
take her place by his side in business
and has proven a worthy helper.
■ -- -1
Mrs^Wiliams is visiting in the east,
having passed through Omaha last
week, enroute to Chicago and points
further east, and then returning by
way of Indianapolis, St. Louis, her
old home town, and Omaha, where
she and her husband resided prior to
their departure five years ago.
DR. SINGLETON MEMBER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Dr. John A. Singleton has been
appointed the Nebraska representa
tive on the Advisory Board of the
Colored Voters ’Division of the Na
tional Republican Committee, of
which Dr. John R. Hawkins of Wash
ington, D. C., is general chairman.
This sub-committee to which has
been entrusted the conducting of a
vigorous campaign among the col
ored voters for the election of Hoov
er and Curtis, is a very important
part of the campaign organization
functioning under the chairmanship
of Dr. Hubert Work. The choice of
Dr. Singleton, who is a member of
the state legislature, and an active
and enthusiastic republican, is an ex
cellent one.
ELKS RESENT ACTION
AGAINST PERRY HOWARD
New York City—Monarch Lodge,
No. 45, Negro Elks, at a meeting at
No. 245 West 137th street, adopted
resolutions voicing resentment of
what is characterized as the “per
secution” of Perry W. Howard, grand
legal advisor of the Independent Or
der of Elks and Negro Republican
National Committeeman from Miss
issippi.
Assurances of sympathy and sup
port are expressed in the resolutions,
which charge that Howard is sacri
ficed for political expediency and
through race prejudice.
Monarch lodge is one of the larg
est in the country. It has 3,000 mem
bers. A similar resolution was pass
ed recently by Negro Elks of Balti
more.