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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1953)
Nebr. Nurses Se tfr/j'.i League Elects New Legislative Ac* c / fibers to Executive Board The Nebraska State Nurses As sociation have a bill,, LB 200 which will soon come before the Legislature. This bill provides for examination, licensing, and regu lation of the Practice of Profes sional Nursing. When one realizes that Cos metologists are licensed to beaut ify the ladies, Barbers are licensed to cut hair, and Veterinarians licensed to treat dogs, cows, horses, and all other animals, the Nurse, on whose competence a life is dependent, needs no such requirements. What protection does the pro fessional nurse that has gone to school for 3 years to obtain her training so as to treat those in need of her services competently and efficiently have, when all that is necessary is a white uniform and a Registered Nurse’s title to obtain employment in a field where one might be ' unqualified? The practice of prv. nursing means services prv. by a graduate registered nu e who for compensation or personal profit performs any professional service requiring the application of principles of the biological, physical or social sciences and nursing skills in the care of the sick, in the prevention of disease or in the conservation of health. Senator John Adams of Omaha, Nebraska, is in favor of this bill 100%. Miss Ada Coffey, a grad uate of Bryan Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, and working part time at the hospital in Pediatrics, while studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree at Wesleyan, says that for the pro tection of The Nurse, The Patient, and The Public, the passage of this bill is imperative. FEPC Killed by Committee Opposition Says Education, Not Legislation, Needed By Burt F. Newton Meeting the same fate of similar bills introduced by Senator John Adams in two previous sessions of the Nebraska Legislature, the fair employment practices bill in troduced in this session by Sen ator John Larkin was killed by the Labor Committee following a public hearing at the Capitol Monday afternoon. Opposition to the FEP bill came from Nebraska industry but it was almost a favorable opposition. M. G. Jones, speaking for As sociated Industries of Nebraska, said he favored the aims of the bill but he did not think a law was necessary. He said that he be lieved that time and education would bring about the desired re sults. He stated that his organiza tion had offered to co-operate in every possible way with pro ponents of FEP to work through a program of education to get bet ter working conditions for minor ity groups. Jones quoted Senator John Ad ams’ statement made to the press several weeks ago. Adams had said that he would not offer an FEP bill at this session “because of the remarkable progress in the past year by industry’’ in solving discrimination problems. Earl Luff, president of the Lin coln Steel company, said that he had told the head of an organiza tion representing Negroes in Lin coln to send him some men. When no one showed up after several days, he said he called the organi zation and was told that all Negroes in Lincoln were satis factorily employed. Luff cited this as one pf his reasons for believing that an FEP law in Nebraska was not needed. John E. Cleary, executive direc tor of Nebraska Small Business Men’s Association, said that an FEP Bill was unnecessary. He cited the progress that had been made and told of members of his organization that were working with the Urban League in an ef fort to improve conditions. H. L. Van Amberg, vice presi dent of Omaha Stock Yards, stated that his organization and the meat packing industry were among the largest employers of Negroes. He recognized the need for improve ment in working conditions for Negroes but did not feel that FEP was the answer. Prior to the hearing Associated Industries in a bulletin to its membership charged: “This bill if enacted, could only result in the harassment of honest employers, which in turn, would spread and promote intolerance and resentment—the very things the proponents claim they want to stop. Again such a law would provide an impenetrable screen for every subversive individual or group to hide behind.” Senator John Larkin, Jr., Omaha insurance man who introduced the bill after Senator John Adams an nounced that he would not intro duce a bill at this session, gave two reasons for offering the legis lation: 1. Numerous .cases of discrimi natory practices in industry in Omaha and Lincoln had been brought to his attention. 2. The Republican platform called for action on civil rights and President Eisenhower had called for action on the State level. Seymour Kaplan, Omaha, di rector of the Anti-Defamation League, traced the history of FEPC in his argument for passage of the bill. Lawrence MeVoy and Mrs.j Robbie Turner Davis, both of Omaha, offered themselves as ex amples why fair employment practices is needed. Mrs. Davis and McVoy have graduate degrees but are unable to get jobs in Omaha commensurate with their skills. Leo Hill, of the Northwestern Metal and Iron Works in Lincoln, stated that passage of fair employ ment bills in the United States will do away with one of the fa vorite Communist issues. He told of his travel in ten foreign coun tries during the past year and said that discrimination in Amer ica was always one of the first" issues discussed with him. Senator John Adams pleaded with his fellow members to allow the bill to reach the floor of the Unicameral where the entire Leg islature could pass on the bill. Also speaking in favor of FEP legislation were Gordon Preble, American Federation of Labor, URBAN LEAGUE BOARD ELECTS OFFICERS —Officers of the newly elected Urban League board are (from left, seated) Mrs. Joe Lytle, president; Mrs. George Randol, secretary; Mrs. Courtesy Sunday Journal and Star Howard Molden, second vice president; (standing) Asa Waters, first vice president; Sidney Alexan der, executive secretary of the Urban League; and R. T. Malone, treasurer. (Journal Photo.) Mrs. Joseph Lytle was elected president of the Lincoln Urban League at a board of directors’ meeting Wednesday evening, Feb ruary 25. She succeeds R. T. Malone, who was named treasurer. Mr. Malone had been president during the past six years. Other officers elected at the Urban League directors’ meeting, were Mrs. Robert Molden, second , vice president; Asa Waters, first, I vice president, and Mrs. Helen IRandol, secretary. The meeting was the first for six new directors. They were; Mrs. Louis Horne Asa Waters Leo Hill Miss Helen Pickard Hay Bartltett Harry Peterson Holdover members of the board are: I'laylon Lewis Mr*. FawiHella Baker Thomas Pansins Lowell Boomer Henry McWilliams James Wadkins Louis B, Henderson Mr*. James H. Dean Jewell Kelley Arthur Patrick Mrs. M. C. Leonard Mrs. Hasilia Bell Rev. Wm J. Monroe Joseph Fenton Herbert Burton Mrs. Ritha Banks M las Anna Smrha Sidney H. Alexander is execu tive secretary of the Urban League. Child Guidance,' Guild Sponsors Discussion Wednesday, March 11—Student Union Ballroom—8 p.m. The Lincoln and Lancaster County Child Guidance is spon soring a panel discussion on the understanding of children en titled: “CHILDREN ARE HERE TO STAY” The panel will consist of: Dr. D. Stewart MacDonald, ex ecutive director of the Child Guidance Center, as moderator. A psychiatrist—Dr. Roy C. Knowles, Director of the Mental Health Center, Sioux Falls, S. D. A psychologist—Dr. Herbert H. Humphreys of the Nebraska Psychiatric Unit in Omaha. A pediatrician—Dr. John M. Thomas, Omaha. A social caseworker—Miss Mary Jane Young, casework supervisor at the Child Guidance Center. A Lincoln father—Elwood N. (Jack) Thompson. The public is invited and there is no admission charge. Questions may be sent in ahead of time to the Child Guidance Center, 1517 H Street, and there will be ample opportunity for questions from the floor. Anton Muench, railway clerks, the Rev. John Cyrus, Omaha Pres byterian pastor, and Dr. Frank Court, pastor of St. Paul Method ist Church here. Senator Larkin, in a summation for his bill, said: “Discrimination definitely exists in Nebraska. ^ There has been some improve ment, but the progress just isn’t Calendar of Coming Events The childrens’ movie this Satur day, March 7th in the assembly room of the Main Library is a Comedy called: Francis. This movie is all about the talking mule. Showings are at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. “The YWCA has arranged a series of three Lenten Meditations on LIVING OUR FAITH to be given at the YWCA from 10 to 10:45 on Friday mornings. March 13—Dr. Carl C. Bracy, Chancellor, Nebraska Wesleyan University. March 20 — Mrs. Gordon Schroeder. , March 27 — Mrs. John F. Wichelt. These services are planned with the idea of strengthening a work ing faith and giving women a ! sense of adequacy for the prob lems of our day. All women are welcome to at tend without further notice.” A series of public speaking classes for adults were started Monday evening, March 2, at the Public Schools Administration Building at 720 So. 22nd. Mrs. Anna Lohmeier, University of Ne braska graduate, is the instructor. The classes are being offered under the Lincoln public schools’ general adult education program. There is a small weekly charge. Further information may be ob tained from Ona R. Wagner, di rector of adult general education, at the Public Schools Administra tion Building. fast enough for the times.” The Omaha Urban League named Senator Larkin’s father the, citizen making the most important contribution to racial relations in' Former NU Student Up For Appointment SANTA Fe, N. M. — A former student at the University of Ne braska for two years, Alva A. Simpson, Jr., of New Mexico is being widely supported for ap pointment to the post of U.S. In dian Commissioner in the new administration. At oresent state director of the New Mexico Department of Pub lic Welfare, Simpson formerly served as United Nations Deputy Chief of Mission and Chief of Health, Care and Maintenance for the International Refugee Organi zation in Italy and Greece. He was responsible for 170 Displaced Persons Camps of up to 12,000 population a camp and was head of a unit of 3,800 employees. He was in administrative charge of hospitals, welfare, vocational re habilitation. i A Westerner by heritage, birth and residence—his forebears were pioneers—Simpson has long been interested in assisting Indians to become integrated into the general American community; he helped the Navajo-Hopi Rehabilitation Program by testifying before the U. S. Senate Committee last year. At the University of Nebraska, Simpson played football and was a member of the Sigma Chi fra ternity. Omaha in the past year. Further consideration of fair employment practices legislation at this session will require a favorable vote by 29 members ai the 43-member Unicameral.
