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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1949)
YoL 4, No. M ' Legal Newspaper Thursday, December 29, 1949 1949 Prog re , ,<ii In Some Areas; Hopes for 1950 Are Much Higher Before another issue of The Voice reaches you, 1949 will have gone the way of all years, and the old world will begin its 1950th trip around “ole Sol” since the first Christmas. As 1949 bows off the scene, and the great drama of life and time continues with the understudy (that may be greater than the master) taking over as the star. In looking at The Voice for Dec. 30, 1948, we were expecting that in 1949 an FEPC bill would be passed in Nebraska, that Truman’s civil rights program would be passed by congress and “with its passage, much of the anti-American propa ganda in other parts of the world will be invalidated,” and some thing about America becoming greater than ever, “for it will aid its citizens, all of them, to con tribute to society the very best of their creative and productive capacities.” Well, anyone who has kept up with the news at all knows that this hope was not fulfilled dur ing the past year, yet still per sists. However, there has been progress in the fight for equality and democracy for all people dur ing 1949. CIVIL RIGHTS Most all of Mr. Truman’s pro gram has been studied by con gressional committees and those portions that have been passed by committees, will come up in Janu ary—FEPC, anti-poll tax and anti-lynch laws. FEPC In Nebraska, after a short cam paign for FEPC, the legislative committee tabled the matter, but before the senators went home, they resolved to study the prob lem. This was a step forward, and has brought increased inter est of Nebraskans in the matter of providing unbiased competition for jobs. The last of public hear ings on the matter were just com pleted in December. The legisla tive council will not have its find ings printed, however, until they are ready to report to the 1951 legislature. Meanwhile, fair em ployment laws were passed by Oregon, New Mexico, Washington, and by the city of Richmond, Calif. This makes seven states and six cities with such laws. FEPC failed in Illinois and Ne braska. CIVIL LIBERTIES In May, American Indians were admitted to West Point for the first time and in June. Indians were extended the privilege of voting. EMPLOYMENT Early in the year (February) the National Urban league an nounced that this was a banner year for employment but by fall (September) the number of peo ple out of work in the east changed the picture a good deal there. Locally William Hightower 0 received an award for 20 years service with Consumers power, Mrs. Willima Glenn of Omaha was added to the clerical pool of the legislature, in June Joyce Williams also obtained employ ment with the state under the merit system, and in the sum mer, Oscar Harriott became sec retary for a state board of con trol officer. COMMUNITY Passing mention of locally hap penings should include the Urban League cleanup campaign in April, along with Barbara Moody Charles Bonds piano recital. Jean ette Vinegar got a drawing in the public school show. Mrs. Ruby Hurley of the NAACP youth branch was our guest here in May. June saw Teresa Littlejohn elected governor of girls’ state then gyped out of the opportunity to attend girl’s nation. July, the Salt creek rampage brought out the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to help its victims which included Mrs. Corena Williams. Clayton P. Lewis was also re-elected for his sixth term as Grand Master of Nebraska PHA Masons in this month. In August Bryan hospital opened its doors to Negro stu dents. September saw Atty. Gen. Johnson crack down on gambling. November saw a change of pol icy at Lincoln General hospital regarding the use of Negro nurs ing help. RELIGION In February, Bishop Carey Gibbs, A.M.E., embarked for Li beria and in July, South Africa let down its bans against the church and allowed Bishop Bon ner to enter South Africa and Rhodesia. POLITICS In January, President Truman was inaugurated after a surpris ing victory at the polls and in sisted that he still wanted the civil rights program passed. In Nebraska, Gov. Val Peterson was also inaugurated the same week after a similarly sweeping vic tory in the state. In congress, William L. Dawson (d., 111.) be came head of the committee on expenditures in executive depart ments (like Agriculture, Justice, etc.). In December, William Has tie was made a federal judge. Sociology. In February Mayor Cunning ham, Omaha, appointed a human relations committee to study con ditions in the community which adversely affect inter-group rela tions. April saw Dr. Charles S. Johnson, noted sociologist, re spond to an invitation of the Uni versity of Nebraska to be main speaker at its honors convocation. He advised young Nebraskans to approach social problems with understanding and lack of fear. In July the World Town Hall sem inar began its tour and in De cember, one of its members, Dr. Walter White, NAACP Execu tive secretary on leave, told cam pus audiences of his experiences. The National Urban league con vention in Denver in August at tracted local affiliates of the or ganization and represented a new interest in solving the problems occasioned by race in this section, of the country. Came November, and the UCYM conference at tracted many young Nebraskans to Beatrice where Dr. Cleo Black burn, noted sociologist talked about some practical Christianity. Sad part was that a Beatrice hotel refused to keep the world-famous personality and left a poor im pression of the state with one who travels a good deal. EDUCATION. The great majority of advances in experimental race relations took place on the nations cam puses, there being slightly more enlightenment in colleges and fewer fears due to ignorance. St. Johns university, University of Kentucky, University of Okla homa and the Texas U. School of Medicine, all admitted Negroes for the first time last year. Racial bias was condemned on another half dozen college yards The Uni versity of Chicago, Harvard added their first Negro faculty members. The American Association of Uni versity Women lost a couple of chapters in its insistance on non segregated admission to the or ganization, but gained many more members. On the Nebraska cam pus, thne Board of Regents elimi nated its discriminatory policy on entrance to the girl’s dormitories. Civic leaders officially wel comed the end of the 85th year old , raciA* segregation policv in the (Continued on Page 2) \ yyisirL oL $00jC&? it)ilL i V ) Bv G. Loyd Wilson m L’ • (A Resolution for You) ( Believing that peace on earth is possible only by fostering / individual and group relationships which are based upon mutual i respect, sympathy, and good will, I pledge myself to endeavor ( always to: I 1. Regard those with whom I come in contact as individuals • and primarily as members of religious, racial, national, or other groups or classes. 2. Form and develop my business, professional, or social re ) lationships with individuals with *whom I am associated without • regard to their racial, national, social, or religious affiliations. 3. -Speak of no man disparagingly because of his race, national ) ity, or religious affiliation. • 4. Accord to all others the right to their racial, national, social, w. • and religious affiliation preferences that I seek myself. 2** \ 5. Speak and work, in groups of which I am a member, on ' j behalf of tolerance, mutual respect, and good will toward all groups ; : which may differ from those of which I am a member. ! | j l May the New Year ) Be ever bright — Ever right — jj For you and youre ! | i ( i | i I 6. Speak pleasantly and respectfully to those of races, nation- ( ) alities, social classes, or religions other than my own, and attempt j j to meet even unpleasant reactions of others with consideration of : ! the strain under which men everywhere are now living. ( / 7. Avoid jokes or other references which may give offense to / ^ others. j • 8. Form a contact with at least twelve persons of other races, * nationalities, social classes, and creeds, and invite them individually £ ) or collectively to luncheon or dinner, either at home or in public, ) • as my guests during the ensuing year. 1 9- Ask each of these twelve men to do the same with twelve £ / others of races, nationalities, or creeds other than theirs so that the ) j ripples from these pebbles of good will may literally embrace the i world. I ( 10- Respect the integrity of each man as an individual entitled i / to life, liberty, and the quest for happiness according to the pref- ) • erences and dictates of his own conscience. « ) I will read this obligation at least once each month to keep it j : always fresh in my mind and a charge upon my conscience. £ f Lloyd Wilson is a piofessor at the University of Pennsylvania, and teacher ] • of the Men’s Class, Roxborough Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa. !i | Harvard Student Council Adopts Anti-Bias Measure CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (ANP). Harvard university took on a futuristic outlook here last week when its student council voted 7-6 to ban discrimination for color, race or nationality” in membership of 'all college or ganizations. Backers of this measure said adoption would make it possible to put the ban into the charters of students or ganizations. Now that Congressman Dawson has been made vice president of the Democratic National com mittee, political seers are pre dicting an increase in topside jobs for qualified Negroes in government agencies; jobs, that is, having political preference. Rev. Burckhardt Succumbs After * Short Illness Rev. Oliver J. Burckhardt, 81, formerly of Lincoln, died Friday, Dec. 23, in Omaha where he had made his home since leaving Lincoln several years ago. Rev. Mr. Burckhardt came to Lin coln with his wife, Anna from Jefferson City, Mo. March 25th, 1880. He had lived at 1236 Washing ton St., for many years. He had been Rev. Burckhardt. president of the Inter-racial and I n t e rdenominational Christian Alliance. For more than 40 years he had been associated with work at the state penitentiary in Lincoln and served as volunteer associate chaplain there for about 30 years. He was a mem ber and former pastor of the Church of Christ Holiness. Surviving is a foster daugh ter, Mrs. Ollie Love Jones of Omaha with vhom Rev. Mr. Burckhardt made his home fol Court Awards Boy $10,000 For Loss Of Fingertips WASHINGTON. (ANP). James C. Horton, 16, was awarded re cently $10,000 damages for the loss of four fingertips in a grocery store meat grinder. A jury in the local district court of Judge David A. Pine made the award. It also ruled $300 dam ages for the boy’s father, George M. Horton. Loser in the case was Solomon Teichman, grocer, who owns the store where the accident oc curred. The jury decided its case on the basis that James, who was 15 at the time of the acci dent, was too young to operate such a machine and the grocer was negligent without work men’s compensation insurance. The boy worked after school. All 17 speces of penguins live in the southern hemisphere. Fire claims an average of 22 lives daily in the United States. lowing the death of his wife June 20th, 1945. Funeral service was held Wed nesday at Umbergers with the Rev. Trago O. McWilliams, Jr., in charge.