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About The weekly review (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1933-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1933)
THE WEEKLY REVIEW Published Weekly and “Devoted In the Interests of the Colored Citizenry of Nebraska.” VOLUME ONE LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, i IH'ltSDAY. JANUARY 12. 1 \m.__ __ I VIBER [WO The Urban League Needed In Lincoln By M. T. Woods. The program of the National Urban League is wide and elastic and with out a question of a doubt some phases of its program are both applicable and needed In Lincoln. It would be a mat ter of repetition to mention the entire program, however, it would be well to cite again those phases of the pro gram that would best help to better the social and industrial conditions of Lincoln, with especial reference to the Negro. Industrial problems are not of any consequence here as In comparison to what they are in large industrial cen ters where there Is a large Negro pop ulation. However, they do exist. Many Negroes are not employed now who possibly could be according to a num ber of employers who have recently been interviewed. Many employers say that Negroes never apply to them, and there not being any centralized place ment bureau from which qualified help can be selected and sent- them, they do not care to risk, the employment of Negroes alone to personal reference or the other means that unsatisfactory help has been sent them. This attitude particularly applies in cases of man agers of stores that have been in the city a short time or those who have been here a longer time but do not have an extensive list of colored ac quaintances. In brief an Urban League seertary could assist in bringing about tiie replacement of Negroes In posi tions that have been lost, helping them to retain jobs that they do have, and interceding for work wrongly thought closed to them. Briefly from a social point of view there is but little doubt that a com munity center program would take care of the present and immediate fu ture needs of the group. A community center would provide a place of whole some recreational opportunities for both boys, girls and adults. It would afford a much needed meeting place for the ladies clubs. The health pro rrarn could be elaborated on, with lectures and practical demonstrations being given at the community center. Other public meetings could be held in which civic pride would be stressed. This is a program, though briefly stat ed that deserves the immediate con sideration and whole-heal'ted support of the best thinking men and women of Lincoln. Opportunities Created by a Race Newspaper Many people do not foresee the ad vantages to the race made available by a Negro newspaper. Many unthink ing persons conclude that such a public organ is merely a source of revenue for its private promotors. Such individuals because of their unwarranted pesimis tic attitude fail to see the great bene ficial public service that a race paper gives. The motive behind any newspa per's activities is not one of selfish pe cuniary gain. There are many pur suits of profit that an individual or group of individuals could engage themselves in from which they could realize a greater personal enrichment than from the newspaper business. What then is an editor s purpose? To wiigage in such work he is surely endow ed with an altruistic spirit. He is try ing to make a way for those of his race and its posterity. One of the primary effects of a race newspaper is to bring members of the race into a closer affinity with each other. It serves as a bond, a tie, and through its printed pages it creates a kindred feeling and is effective in realizing a closer contact between us. one with the other. Let us look a little deeper into the effects of newspaper work in our race. Have you ever stopped to ponder over the possibility of employment for our youth being trained in the nation’s great institutions of learning? What will they do when they have finished’ It is an obvious fact that a very small percentage of them are successful in getting something to do from members of the other race. To aid in alleviating this embarrassing situation the news paper comes to the front. It estab lishes avenues of employment, not only in the coniines of its own under takings, but also in creating the senti ment and public opinion because of which more and more avenues of em ployment will be constantly opened In other concerns. For instance, by prop er approach the newspaper of the race has been instrumental in obtaining for us jobs in public service and pub lic utility concerns. Statistics showing this to be a fact are astounding. In tiiis modern day and time, all of us are anxious to know of the welfare, accomplishments and activities of each other. We all know that an attempt to glean these facts from white news papers is vain. So as a source of infor mation, the Negro newspaper satisfies this desire on the part of the Negro public. This brief statement will perhaps serve as an eye-opener as to what pros pects lie in the future for a successful promotion of the Review, th.. Negro newspaper of the people of Lincoln. Something Wrong Here— - - - - — ~• »r Alh,'rl r- H,ut 7 BILLION ' DOLLAR ; ; * fj We Thank You The publishers and cooperating staff of the Review are taking this oppor tunity of expressing our thanks and appreciation to the far-seetng business 'nen of I ■’•'coin who so graciously con tributed their support in our initial ef fort to give Lincoln its best weekly journal. We feel the same appreciation for these who made possible this cur rent issue and trust and earnestly so licit your future patronage. We will continue to endeavor to merit partici pation in your advertisiment budget as the years drift by. The Review offers its advertising patrons the exclusive coverage of a well organized group of liberal spend ers. For this group this publication is the sole source of local news. The col ored people of Lincoln earn and spend three and a half million ($3,500,000) dollars annually. This sum of money is not negligible to the well organized business men of this city. By regular use of the Review the smallest mer chant might increase his business two fold through the medium of this peo ple. • Editorially we are sponsoring re forms that will help Lincoln. We feel that by assisting Negroes we are help ing to better the conditions of the city in general. We are continually trying to help ourselvse even in the face of the most adverse conditions of mod- 1 ern history. This is largely possible be cause of the low percentage of illiter acy among our people. It is the policy of this paper to at all times furnish accurate information to our citizenry, hence we invite pe rusal of our columns and ask sugges tions for our advancement. Again we thank you for your initial encouragement and assistance, and re peat our request for your future coop eration. _n__ . End the Delay Action for protecting the lives of those who travel the east O street highway should not be longer delayed. The O street crossing, in fact, all the crossings over the Rock Island should be of the under-pass type. The tracks should be elevated from a point near Holdrege street to the southern limits oi tile city. The Missouri Pacific could easily put some of the R. F. C. funds into a safe crossing on the O St. rood. Eastbound traffic must now make a safety stop. Several of the progressive business men of Lincoln should block the plan for the hap-hazard repair of the O St. viaduct. This structure should be re built and the time is now while R- F. C. funds can be secured and labor is demanding employment. Since the Review, and any Negro newspaper for that matter, is a paper of and for the race, its success depends upon the support given it by the Negro populace. The greatest efficiency in any promoter will be futile in satisfy ing the public’s need for a newspaper unless there is a cooperation with the management, the good will and mater ial assistance of the patrons. Merchandise Bill In the Legislature A bill to forbid the selling of mer chandise by the public utilities will be Introduced in the legislature in a s', irt time. In Lincoln the matter will be in an issue In the spring campaign, it being claimed that the local public utilities franchise does not include merchandising and that present condi tions are maintained solely through in action of the city officials. -o My Business In Life My business in life is not to get ahead of the other men, but rather to get ahead of myself. To break my own record, to outstrip my yesterday by to day. To do my work with more force and finer finish than ever before, That is, I believe, the true idea of real Service. To get ahead of myself. My business in life is net to let well enough alone, but rather to force my self into the maelstrom of human en deavor. To do niy allotted task in such a way that its glaring success will hold the attention of my ambition, and be a spur to4 greater and nobler service each tecurring day. My business in life is not to envy those who lie down in green pastures, beside the brook of plenty, but rather to teach myself that through the field of enterprise in which I now labor, there is a pathway winding onward and upward, which will lead me to the attainment of my noblest ambitions, if I prove myself Worthy of them. My business in life is not to consid er myself superior to my present sta tion, but rather to know that I, my self, have chosen it of my own free will and accord. To understand my lim itations; to confine my efforts to fields I best know how to cultivate; to look neither to the right nor to the left with eyes on envy nor thoughts of malice, but rather to perfect my hand iwork. thnt those who in later years may follow in ny footsteps, will call me’ MASTER-CRAFTSMAN. -o Interesting Events Tile Semper Fidelis Club will soon sponsor a program • in recognition ot Negro History Week at the Mt. Zion Baptist church. Watch the Review for the date. The Lincoln Urban League will hold a meeting In the near future, the date I to be announced later. Members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity are already making plans for their annual "Guide Right" week program. The Home Benevolent-Charity Club cordially invites the public to a musical tea to be held from three to six o'clock Sunday afternoon, January 15th, at the exquisite home of Mr. and Mrs James Dean, 1028 Rose street. A pro gram will be given in which Lincoln's most talented musicians will be pre sented, Two or three short talks have also been planned. The tea is to be given In the interests of the Lincoln Urban League to cover the deficit of the expenses of making the recent so cialogical survey. Every one come out! Remember the Urban League will help you and the Race. Chairmen Oppose The Jensen Deal York. Nebraska.—John L. Riddell, chairman of the York county republi can central committee, has joined the insurgents in demanding a voice in party patronage matters. He has writ ten Everett Sanders, chainnan of the republican national committee, that he supports the protest of Barton Green in regard to the naming of Prof. A. C. Jensen to the radio commission. Chair man Riddell wrote Mr. Sanders as fol lows: "Mr. Barton Green, chainnan of the republican central committee of Lan caster county, has sent me a copy of hts letter to you, protesting against the appointment of Mr. Jensen. "I heartily endorse the idea he ex pressed in his letter to you. I happen to know the hard work that Mr. Green and his committee put in the last campaign in Lancaster county. The results speak emphatically for that la bor. "We all want to cooperate for the success of the republican party, not only in this state for the next two years, but nationally during the next four. This letter is written in the most kindly attitude of spirit, but we fel lows who are out here on the firing line not only v/ant to see cooperation all the way back to the general head quarters, but we feel it is absolutely necessary' to insure success in the years to come." Mr. Riddell is chairman in the home J county of National Committeeman, i Charles McCloud. Chaim-;.n George W. Wertz of j Schuyler has written Green that he j supports the idea of endorsements by , the different counties in the state. \ Chairman F. H. Me Carthy of Union j insists that ht wants to see the repub- : lican party represent the people in- j stead of a bunch of politicians. -o Modern Religious Trend The fart that the old Christian church served not merely as a place where the inexpediency of wrong do ing was emphasized, by instilling fear into the hearts and minds of the peo ple, but providing a place of meeting for wholesome social purposes were sufficient justifications for its exis tence at one time. But the church has lost ground in later days and still another reason is that too many cc chastlcttl misfits and religious rac keteers have sprung up to disgust the worshippers. To be sure, the Christian church and the Negro have had asso ciated with them some well known and greatly respected thinkers, and largely through their influence the chu.ch as an institution has survived through all the ages and still stands today With all, it seems that one is safe in saying that religion itself will con tinue to find response in the hearts of our people after the confusions of some psuedo ministers of the gospel have done their worst for our advance j ment and for human happiness gen | erally. Stage Reveals Plot To Burden Taxpayers Lincoln Kindness Man Ditteloxe* Nome Detail* of (ity Management. Several months ago Ernest O. Stage aroused sentiment against buying sup plies away from home. Last week, Mr Stage protested against sending money to St. Louis, the county commissioners having placed these orders. This week Mr Stage offers suggestions about the Muny station In Lincoln. He says: Notwithstanding the fact that the people ol’ Lincoln have, on two recent occasions, declared by a two to one vote, that they desired the municipal coal yard and the municipal gasoline station to be operated by the city, the present city commissioners have dou ble-crossed the voters and attempted to wreck these municipal activities and at the present time they are not func tioning In the Interest of the customers. When the city government asked authority to Issue bonds to build the ERNEST G. STAGE city buildings on Hayraarket Square, it was indicated that this building would be built facing 10th Street, but it was never Intimated tliat the construction ot this building fuetrng 10*.h St. world require the destruction of the gasoline station and coal yard on the west half of the block, which had been built at a cost of approximately $30,000. When the gasoline station was moved to 18th and Q street, it was generally understood by the people that the sup ply of gasoline would be stored in a tank under the ground at the new loca tion. the same as it had been at the old location. Instead of this the city commissioners placed the supply tanks away over near the railroad tracks many blocks from the present station and they haul the gasoline this distance in trucks. The cost of handling the gasoline by truck is approximately one cent per gallon. The municipal station regulates the pricn of gasoline charged by all the stations in the city of Lin coln. In other words, the fact that the refusal of the city commissioners to locate the storage tank under ground at the municipal filling station, cans- j In^' the gasoline to be trucked to the : station instead of being unloaded di- j reet irom the railway cars from the Rock Island track, makes the munici- | pal charge one cent more for gasoline | than would otherwise be necessary; I since an extra one cent charge at the , muny station causes an extra chart, at all other stations it costs the gaso line consumers in Lincoln one hundred 1 and fifty thousand dollars a year. When you ask the commissioner why they refused to place the bulk supply under ground at the municipal filling station, their answer is that the city engineer refused to grant permis sion to run a pipe line about 150 fee' from the Rock Island track to where the municipal station is located, a part of It to be under the street. It is pret ty hard to understand how intelligent men would put a burden of $150,000 a year on the public. Those who know, say that at least three railroad companies offered the city the use of land on which to locate the municipal coal yard at only a nom inal cost of $5.00 a year lor rental. In stead of accepting this generous prop osition, the commissioners elected to locate the coal yard on a privately owned piece of ground at a rental of $150.00 a year, and this, in tuni, re quired the railroad companies who de liver coal and gasoline in Lincoln to pay a switching charge of $5 00 a car for moving every car into this private ground. Our very efficient t?> city commis sioners erected a garage at a co6t of some $35,000 In the middle of ihe west side of Haymarket Square and facing the railroad track After the building was completed, they awoke to the fact that they could not get into the build ing at the front door when there hap pened to be cars on the switch track, In order to make the building available | they were compelled to go to the enor mous expense of building a drive thru - the middle of the block so that this [ garage must be entered from the rear. I and incidentally, to make room for Robert W Bagnell to Speak Here—Plan to Revive N. A. A. C. P. It was announced recently by 11am Woods, the president of the L n-^-j coin branch of the N. A. A. C. P. tl .agj the members of the local branch wo1 il£~i hold a meeting In the near future. 7 he organisation which has been lnact vC * for some time as far as local matters are concerned, has kept regularly ,ln, touch with the national office, accorid- , Ing to Mr. Woods, A waning Interest nnd poor atteni ance of meetings necessitated the pi st • lull In participation of local activltl is. 7’he fact remains however that the n|i tlonul orgonlzatlon cannot carry on splendid work for the Race unless the is financial as well ns moral guppet from the constituent branches Mai brunches that heretofore have bej considered banner branches have beiif““ apparently dormant at Intervals, fre - doubt another til effect of this inter national depression. I Mr. Robert V-’. Raynell, director oic^. branchcfi from the National office, is planning to visit Lincoln on or adopt March 8th, Mr Bagnell who lias been ~ connected with the N. A. A. C. P. hr this capacity for nine years, was for merly an Episcopal minister, and a well known public speaker. This may be the last opportunity for Lincoln public to hear Mr. Bagnell. as he recently made a request to resign from his present po- i sitiou. The date of the afore mentioned t meeting will be announced In the Re view In the next Issue, Everyone should avail themselves of their opportunity to be at this meeting as this organiza tion is doing more from a civil rights _ point of view to help the Negro than J any other contemporary unit. All old | members should renew their member- /• ships arid each serve as an agent to j bring in new members. The Review as j» of yore will support the policies and J , program of the N. A. A. C. P. It A United Race j1 The beginning of the year 1933 finds j " the colored people of Lincoln more l C united into one intelligent race than/ k. ever before in the history of our fair/ u city The colored people have awakenee ^ to the fact that in unity there 14 —« strength and power for the making a great program. The Review, owned and controle^ not by one individual, but by a grou of colored citizens for the advancementcb of the race. It will be the mouthpiecer_'„ through which we hope to complete this program. My connection with it is" paper and my part In the program is for the unity and betterment of Jit race, J, being In the civil service, tak ing no part in any political contro versy whatsoever. Every colored man and woman should be a subscriber to this paper and watch the advertisements of the mer chant1 in this paper. Re member, by advertising in this paper they show you the)*- respect for the race. They deserve and merit your trade. PAT RONIZE THEM. Lore tie P. Rwanigan. Baseball News Fvrn before the appearance of the first robin, the hot stove league lo cated on North Seventeenth street, is taking spring practice, and of course Johnnie Williams is ail pepped up v, ith prospects of a classy bunch of ball tossers for 1933. The demands from the smaller towns for colored bail teams is renter each year, and this year Johnnie expects to start the works earlier than usual. -o Mr Perry J. Stepney, who has been on the sick l; it for the pus: month, is very mw h improved. this driveway, it was necessary to wreck a perfectly good brick building which was erected or.ly about six years ago. Notwithstanding the fact that two former city attorneys, both recognized as unusually competent lawyers, de clared that the city commissioners had no authority to use the funds from the city coal yard and gasoline plant for other purposes, the present city commissioners have done this very thing That the present commissioners have deliberately attempted to wreck the coal yard and diunicipal gasoline sta tion is evidenced by the following facts: 1. Destroying the $30,000 dollar plant. 2. Refusing to accept rent-free lo cation for the coal yard 3. Refusing to place the bulk gaso line supply under ground at the gaso line station. 4. Unlawfully taking money from the gasoline and coal fund 5. 13y permitting coal dealers to des ignate the price at which the city shall sell coal 6. Permitting outside gasoline deal ers to dictate the price at which the city shall sell gasoline
