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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1950)
_JL_ Vol. 4, No. 15 Lincoln 3, Nebraska Officia’ a Thursday, February 2, 1950 ---- - FEPC Pushed Aside In House;' Rayburn Ignores Rights Leader BY RAYMOND WILCOVE WASHINGTON. (INS). Speaker Rayburn (d., Tex.), sidestepped a fight in the house over civil rights Monday, Jan. 23, by calling up for debate a bill to confer statehood on Alaska. Rayburn declined to “recognize” Chairman Lesinski (d., Mich.), of the Labor committee, who tried to bring up the Fair Employment Practices bill and gave the floor to Chairman Peterson (d., Fla.), of the Public lands committee, for the statehood bill. Speaker Rayburn, commenting on his failure to recognize Chair man Lesinski, said that the “tem per of the house” was unfavor able to the FEPC bill at this time. Despite Rayburn’s decision to delay action on the FEPC bill, southern congressmen launched a minor filibuster consisting of a series of dilatory quorum calls and adjournment motions. Their maneuver was seen as designed to prevent completion of action on the Alaskan bill Mon day afternoon. Such a procedure would give the statehood measure a continuing priority over the civil.rights bill. In announcing that he would call up the Alaskan statehood bill, Rayburn reversed an earlier decision to call up legislation pro viding for United States contri Sac Says Thi*> In Dm- first in a scries of columns prepared by the Lincoln Social Action Council. an organization of religious, civic and social service groups and Individuals Inti rested in social action locally. During Its three years existence, the organization hat been instrumental in ameliorating a number of discriminatory practices in Lincoln and is continuing with a program of study, education and action.—Ed. Greetings to the readers of The Voice from the Lincoln Social Action Council! Perhaps if we can keep in touch with each other, we can find out how each can help the other. It is our hope that an occasional column in this very fine newspaper will enable us to communicate to you what we are doing and what you can do to help. I am sure you have heard of SAC and the work it has been doing for several years. SAC believes in a community wherein all members share an equal op portunity in which the color of one’s skin is not a bar across any door, whether it be that of em ployment. services, education, health, recreation or anything else; a community which is not dragged down by the human misery caused by discrimination, nor the human tyranny existing in prejudice. This is no Marxist doctrine—it is found in the writ ings of our founding fathers and the literature of all the great re ligions. Thus our programs, <?ur proj ects and our publications are aimed at achieving these goals, through education, legislation and a host of other methods. Without your support and inter est, we shall fail. Are you a member of SAC? Is your or ganization represented at our meetings? Future columns will tell you more of our work, our plans, and what you can do; but let me end our first column by urging all of you to come meet us at our next SAC general meeting Monday, Febrdary 6. at 7:30 p. m. at 1417 **R” street. We’d be delighted to have you! TED SORENSEN, President, Lincoln Social Action Council. butions to various international organizations. It is the first time that an Alaskan statehood measure has ever reached the floor of the house, although bills to give statehood to both Alaska and Hawaii were approved by the Public Lands committee at the last session. Under house rules, Chairman Lesinski must now wait until Monday, Feb. 13, before he can seek recognition again to bring up the FEPC bill. The House voted a year ago that the rules committee cannot bottle up a bill more than 21 days. If it is tied up longer than that, the chairman of the standing committee which approved the bill can move to bring it out on “discharge Mon day,” the second and fourth Mon day of each month if he is rec ognized by the speaker. In the meantime, rather than wait until the next “discharge Monday” on Feb. 13, friends of ! FEPC legislation have launched a movement to get it considered before that time. Rep. Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr.. of New York has started circula tion of a petition which if signed by a majority or 218 members will force the bill on the floor. On Wednesday, two republicans prepared themselves to join four southern democrats in killing a House leadership move to obtain rules committee clearance for the FEPC bill. A six-man coalition can force a tie vote thereby stopping any ac tion by the 12-member House group on the controversial FEPC measure which is part of Presi dent Truman’s civil rights pro gram. The two G.O.P. members, who asked that they not be identified, privately told newsmen that they would turn thumbs down on sending the bill aimed at racial job discrimination to the floor. The four southern members, who are opposed to the legisla tion are Reps. Cox (d., Ga.), Smith (d., Va.), Colmer (d., Miss.), and Lyle (d., Tex.). The house rules committee ses sion on FEPC was scheduled by Chairman Sabath (d., 111.) after the stormy session Tuesday when Rep. Lesinksi (d., Mich.) chair man of the House Labor commit tee, was unable to call the bill up under the 21-day rule. Bethune Club To Participate In World Power Feb. 24 has been set as World Day of Prayer, and millions of women will lift their voices in thanksgiving and a supplication all over the world for peace and Christian growth. Participating in the Lincoln ob servance will be the Mary Bethune Literary and Art Club which will render a choral reading. They are beipg coached for the occasion by Gebrge Randol. Among the other participants will be Mrs. Jennie Edwards and Mrs. Rubie Shakespeare (/.S. .mocracy 'Poor Product' Davis Tells UL Grice, Riley In Midyear Graduation Among the 660 midyear gradu ates at the University of Nebraska Jan. 28 were Alfred Bernard Grice, Omaha, and George Riley, Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Grice is the son of Mrs. Paul Grice, Omaha, and received his bachelor of science degree in business administration. He plans to continue his education at Omaha University in February with work toward an advanced degree. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and has served Beta chapter as president and two terms as secretary. Mr. Riley is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Riley, Little Rock, Ark.t and received his bachelor of science degree in business ad ministration. He plans to work toward his masters degree at the University of Nebraska beginning in February. He too is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Face of South’s News About Race Changing By Charles Goolsby Perusing the Memphis Press Scrimitar for Jan. 7, I noted a two column item headed “Mem phis in 1950 should—” which in cluded the candid comments of four Negro leaders—Dr. E. J. Walker, pres ident, Universal Life Insurance Co., Dr. Hollis F. Price, presi dent, LaMoyne college, J. A. McDaniel, exec utive secretary, _ Memphis Urban Mr Swingler. league and Lew is O. Swingler, editor, the Mem phis World, the city’s biweekly. The item caught my attention because it hasn’t been but a few months that the widely read southern dailies have considered Negroes’ opinions, much less dis cussed them in their pages and especially when the suggestions have been so to the point. Dr. Walker said that above sav ing buildings, a greater effort should be made to save lives by establishing a hospital and mak ing it possible for more doctors and nurses to train; provide more low rent housing and expand La Moyne college. Dr. Price echoed the college ex pansion and added that a Boy Scout camp site was badly needed; and some effort should be made to “enlarge the area of inter racial understanding.” Mr. Swingler, who was the U. of N.’s school of journalism’s second Negro graduate and editor of the Memphis World since 1931, has been civically active. He led the campaign for Negroes on the po lice force in 1948 and now urges: that firemen be added; that the cultural programs of the open air theater be shared; and the fur thering of the “commendable situ ation” between races in the city. Mr. McDaniel urged 60,000 Ne groes to register and vote; that “The world is not rushing in to buy the American kind of democracy,” said Dowdal H. Davis, general manager of the Kansas City Call and president of the Negro Newspaper Publisher’s association as he addressed 225 members of the Lincoln Urban League at their annual dinner and election of board members January 25. He preceded his remark by saying that democracy had not failed, but that there is a feeling of unrest as found Lula Williams Succumbs If MRS. LULA WILLIAMS. Mrs. Lula Williams, 81, of 2026 Q, died Sunday after a short ill ness. She had lived here three years. Born in Anderson, Texas, Mrs. Williams moved to Alliance, Nebr. in 1924. Her husband, Henry, preceded her in death. Surviving are a son, David Taylor of Alliance; four daughters, Mrs. Lottie Johnson, Mrs. Joseph Green and Mrs. Jessie Linear, all of Lincoln, and Mrs. Andrew Jackson of Ennis, Texas; one brother, Aler Brent, of Convoe, Texas; 16 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Thursday. Death Takes Rev. Riley Bell, 37 Years Here Rev. Riley Bell, 89, 2703 So. 8th Street, succumbed Sunday, Jan. 29 at 10:45 a. m. at a local hospital after an illness of some eight weeks. Rev. Bell was born Sept. 15, 1860 in the Indian Terri tory of Oklahoma. He came to Lincoln about 37 years ago and has remained here since that time. He has been a member of Mt. Zion Baptist church for many years and served its congregation as Assistant Pastor at various periods. He is survived by his wife, Hen rietta B. Bell, 3 sons, Frank and Bradford Bell of Chadron, Ohio, John of Tulsa, Okl.; half-sister, Mrs. Mary Duncan of Iola, Kas , a daughter, Mrs. Alenir Kelley of Lincoln; 6 grandchildern and 6 great grandchildren. Funeral ar rangements had not been com pleted at press time. all school teachers meet minimum standards for the same pay; the establishment of a vocational high school and expansion of adult edu cation a more active and articu late church in the field of race relations and fewer barriers be tween denominations. Fold all towels lengthwise be fore hanging to dry. Prevents “long corners,” and they’ll be handier for hanging on racks without re-folding. among Negroes in economic inse curity, personal insecurity, and in security of personal dignity. Too many people love ease, they don’t like a situation, but sit idly by in the status quo, preferring to withdraw rather than participate, while they are sold down the river. Mr. Davis continued saying that there are many people who are decent and want to do the right, but live under prejudiced teach ings because of the pressures of certain social groups. “I agree with Pearl Buck, we should make up our minds about what kind of government and society we want and work toward it.” In our present struggle with Russia, the problem is not money but a way of life, and our real resources are not arms but the hopes of mankind looking for a way of life. He reported that Gen. Clay, Berlin aiflift chief, told a group of publishers that the most diffi cult thing about teaching the Ger mans democracy was trying to de fine democracy in the face of the situation and practices (i. e. of Jim Crow army units). If being an American is valuable, why should we have to apologize, ex plain or qualify it abroad. HOPE FOR DEMOCRACY. “Despite its frame of imperfec tion,” the newsman continued, “it (democracy) can cure itself.” Its cure, he averred, lies in the re wards to the state of good citizen ship. If more officials in Wash ington had more integrity, there would be little opposition to civil rights legislation. And if Negroes were given an opportunity to com pete in the open labor market, our national purchasing power (Continued on Page 3) Army Plans More Integration As Javits Probes | WASHINGTON, D. C. (NNPA). As the Army planned to make public its program envisioning the integration of colored and white soldiers, Representative Jacob K. Javits, Republican, of New York, Thursday, Jan. 12, offered a reso lution calling for congressional in vestigation of racial and religious segregation in the armed services. Under the resolution, the pro posed inquiry would be made by a selection committee of 19 rep resentatives appointed by the Speaker from tlje House Commit tees on Armed Services, Educator and Labor Affairs, and Expendi tures in the Executive Depart ments. The resolution calls for a report by the special committee not later than next June 1. In introducing the resolution, Mr. Javits pointed out that the Navy, the Air Force and the Army have each adopted separate policies to assure equality of treat ment and opportunity for all members of their personnel in re sponse to an executive order is sued by President Truman July 26, 1946, and a directive issued by Defense Secretary Louis Johnson, last April 6.