Political f|T
Paragraphs tIj
By C A PIT AN
(A Capital New Service Feature)
MR. HOOVER AND THE
FORGOTTEN MAN
The Reconstruction Finance Corp
oration was conceived by President
Hoover and his advisors. The Repu
blican party sponsored it, and Demo
crats faced with the necessity of fall
ing in line, submitted to it. News
paper everywhere have been crit
icizing its functions. They have said
that it is operated just for the bene
fit of big banker^ and corporations,
that it doesn’t help the man in the
streets. President Hoover they have
doesn’t understand the little fel
low. Ail of that is campaign talk. It
is not true, but it is hard to talk to
the average man and prove that the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation is
one of the many agencies suggested
by the President which is aiding him
directly and indirectly.
ror once it will be possible m a
very few words to show that those
who praise the president for initiating
the Reconstruction Finance Corpor
ation know what they are talking a
bout. For once it is possible to point
directly how the little fellow is act
ually helped. The story is this: fn
a certain city there is a certan bank,
Both city and bank will not be named,
but any reliable person challenging
the facts can have them. The bank
■wa> a Negro institution which cater
ed to several thousand small deposit
ors—little fellows. Accounts aver
aged probably two hundied dollars to
a person. Not much, bat in these
hard times for any of the thousands
of depositors of the bank to have lost
their savings would have been to have
Seriously handicapped them. Not
only would this have been the result
on individual depositors, but if the
bank had failed the entire Negro
community would have suffered. Cci
ored merchants would have been un
able to make small short loans to
carry on their business, the citizens
in the community would have been
unable to pay their bills or borrow
money to tide them over, less would
have been spent and the entire com
munity would have been demoralized.
The bank, itself is a fine little in
stitution, run by men with nerve and
honesty. But fortunately a false ru.
m >r that the bank had failed, coupl
ed with the failure of white banks
started a run on the bank. Like
other banks, this one kept only a
norma! cash reserve; having placed
most of the depositor’s money out in
investments. It was difficult to get
cash. They were good for the money
but it was in partially frozen assets,
the sale of which at this time would
^tave meant a huge loss and ultimate
failure of the bank. In short the
bank was faced with failure, which
would have been a crushing blow to
the Negro community.
Many steps were taken, but one of
the most significant, both for the
moral effect it had as well as the act
ual effect, was a loan from the Re
construction Finance Corporation.
There is practically no question that
without that loan, speedily arranged
for with the government officials, the
bank would have failed, and an entire
Negro community, not only deposit
or*, but colored business and profes
sional men who make their livings
off depositor*, and the families of all
these people, would have been dealt
a crushing and disheartening blow.
This is the work of the corporation
conceived by President Hoover. Cer
tainly this type of work comes as
close to keeping hunger away from
little children as all the high flown
phrases of Franklin D. Roosevelt a
bout “forgotten men.” This is actual
help in the only way the government
can help individuals, unless we are
going to declare a national payday
and give money to everybody who
asks for it. It is a type of work that
reaches the humblest person in the
community. And it is but one of
hundreds of plans for the rehabili
ation of the country. To this type
of sane leadership Negro vo+ers every
where should pledge their support.
BOLD JOHN GARNER DODGES
VETERANS AND LEAVES
CITY FOR TEXAS
Washington.—(CNS)—When con
gress closed its doors last week and
trouped down the broad steps of the
Capitol its members had to pass
through rows of hungry and desti
tute veterans who have been here 8
weeks seeking relief for themselves
and their families.
n Members of Roy Robertson’s in
surgent California regiment, famous
for their “death march” around the
Capitol plaza, were joined shortly
before adjournment by the crippled
veteran leader W, W. Waters and
placed a petition in the hands of
speaker of the house, John Nance
Garner, on behalf of their fellow
veterans, both white and colored, re
questing that congress not adjourn
but recess. Garner promised to take
up the matter but shortly after ar
rangements had been made, he left
the Capitol building by an unobseiv
ed door and boarded a train for U
valde, Texas, from a station in the
remote section of the city.
- ;- I- .
Dr. Moton Sounds High Note of
Hope, in Business League Adress
: Address by Dr. R. R. Moton, Presi
dent. National Negro Business League
delivered at the Abyssinian Baptist
Church. New York City, Sunday
Evening, June 19.
We are met in the thirty-third
meeting of the National Negro Busi
ness League. This organization has
gone through many difficulties but
is moving steadily forward, increas
| ing in solidarity and effectiveness.
In the past f«w years Negro busi
ness has faced the most trying ex
perience's of its existence. Many of
what we supposed to be our most sub
stantial business enterprise have fail
ed, but I have not found as much
diseoruragement among Negroes as
might be expected. Then, too, the
Negro is not by himself, what he is
facing our whole business world is
facing. Indeed many governments,
national and state are facing the most
trying experiences of their existence.
Oftentimes what seem to be disadvan.
I tages may in the long run be turned
, into advantages, especially where
men have courage and an honest pur
i pose to succeed
The Negro, like the rest of the na
tion is “down” but I am unwilling
to believe that either the Negro or
the nation is “out.” This may be a
naive statement but I am frank in
saying that I do not feel as bad a
hout the depression as perhaps I
should. • I, personally, as weH as !
the institutions with which I am con
nected feel the financial difficulties
but I am not as much disturbed as,
perhaps. I should be. The situation
through which we are passing issoiid
if.ving the thoughtful, altruistic op
inion of thinking Negroes in a way
that I have not witnessed before. We
ar? increasing now in solidarity and ]
in constructive desires for the sue- j
cess of the entire group. There is |
less suspicion and jealousy within the j
race. There is less suspicion and
greater appreciation by the black race j
for the white race. There is a i
stronger and saner desire on the part!
of the white race to be fair in its j
dealings with the black race. This I
is true in business as in all other
, phases of life. There is increasing
! patriotism and more evenhanded jus
tice towards all groups weak as well
| as strong, poor as well as rich, black 1
j even as white. There is truly great
er tolerance intra-racially and inter
racially with a wholeome and in
creasing disregard of color and creed.
The nation is looking today as never
before, for character more than for
color and this is all happily illustrated
in the marvelus success that our Sec
retary, Mr. Albon L. Holsey, has had
in the progressive and effective or
ganization of the Colored Merchants’
Association which has been sponsor
ed by the National Negro Business
League.
This is the largest and most for
ward-looking avenue of business ef
fort among Negroes; it has had the
finest cooperation and backing from
white business men and organizations.
It is not a competitive movement, it
is rather meant to bring organized
Negro business into the channels of
trade.
The Negro spends for groceries
roughly more than a billion and a
half dollars a year. When that spend
ing power is properly organized it is
bound to make an impression upon
the American business world to the
disadvantage of no one but to the
| very great and substantial advantage
i of white and black people.
i am sure the Founder of this or
ganization, Dr. Booker T. Washington
would take satisfaction in the fact
that after thirty-two years the or
ganization would seem to have evolv
ed through the whole-hearted and
thoroughly unselfish, yet very wise
and persistent efforts of Albon L.
Holsey. In spite of handicaps that
would have thoroughly discouraged
most men, Mr. Holsey has persistent
ly plugged away, Not always with
the encouragement and backing of
many of our own people who might
j have helped. While there are yet dif
. ficulties to face there is every reason
; for encouragement and congratula
| tions. If the colored business men,
large and small, give their hearty co- ‘
operation and backing to this move-'
ment, its success is assured. White
people are cooperating.
The Negro, like other races, has his
troubles but many of his most serious
troubles, I fear, are not outside of i
the race-particularly business!
troubles. As a race we are still very
largely jn the chrysalis stage in busi- i
ness. There is yet too great a lack of
confidence on the part of our people '
in Negro business men. There are
reasons for it. We as a group are
not over-supplied with business pio.l
neers or with business pioneering but j
there is no reason for discourage- ■
rrient with our business failures, in |
the light of thousands of failures a
mong more experienced and frequent
ly better trained white groups.
Th« Colored Merchants’ Association
movement accepts nothing but the
highest standards, including absolu
tely sanitary surroundings. These are
things with which our group, as yet,
is not very familiar; other groups
: also have their shortcomings. The
j Negro business man must learn to
give quality and service and must not
expect the housewife to buy goods at
1 his store just because he is black, i
DR. R. R. MOTON
We are not dealing in or recommend
ing black stores but we are recom
mending (up-)toulate stores run by
black men and women. It is service
that the housewife wants and it is
service that the Negro business man
must give.
The National Negro Business
League through the Colored Mer
chants’ Association movement offers
a sane safe, constructive way out.
The trail has been blazed. We can
follow, we should follow, and if we
hope to succeed in business, we must
follow.
SEEKING TO CURB COMMUNIST
ACTIVITY IN GEORGIA
Atlanta. Ga.—(CSNS)—In an effort
to curb the activities of the Com
munists in the state of Georgia.
John Hudson, the assistant solicitor
general, at a habeas corpus hearing
for Angele Herndon, 19-year-old boy
from Kentucky, fought against the
release of the Negro youth.
Charging that the Communist par
ty of Amercia is trying to foment
strikes and riots in Atlanta indus
trial plants, Hudson said he would
ask the grand jury to indict Hern
don on a charge of attempting to
incite insurrection, which carries a
maximum penalty of death in Geor
gia.
NOT SO DARK
(Editorial from New York Times
for June 26, 1932)
A unive^ity professor hearing a
colored laborer singing expressed
his pleasure that any one was hap
py enough to sing in these days, but
got the answer that there was such
a thing in singing to make one’s self
happy.
Hearing Major Moton speaking in
his melodious prose about conditions
among his own people, one wonders
whether it is his own naturally radi
ant happiness that is expressing it
self or his exurberant hope. Doubt
less both are factors in his state
ment which presents a brighter view
of things than a downright disciple
of the “dismal science” would be
likely to take.
He wonders whether he ought not
to feel more disturbed about the
depression than he is and about the
financial difficulties of the institu
tions in which he is interested. But
this unwofrying psychology is most
wholesome for just such a period. An
ill time is a good time from which
to reckon, but it continues an ill time
if one does not in one’s striving look
away from it. Major Moton finds
that there is “a stronger and saner
desire on the part of the white race
V> be fair in its dealings with the
black race”—in business as well as
in other phases of life. There is
greater tolerance “intra-racially and
interracially” without which, solidi
fying of the opinion of Negroes, even
the most thoughtful members of the
race, might be ominous.
Major Moton s address was made
at the meeting of the National Ne
gro Business League of which he is
president. It has sponsored the Col
ored Merchants’ Association, whose
object is to bring organized Negro
business into the channels of trade.
For groceries alone the Negroes
spends roughly more than 81,500,
000,00 a year, and it is believed that
when such spending power as this
sum for food alone suggests is pro
perly organized it is bound to be
the disadvantage of no one, but on
the other hand of very great and
substantial value to both white and
black.
As a race the Negro is still “in
the chrysalis stage in business.”
There is still too great a lack of
confidence on the part of the Negro
es themselves in Negro business men.
This movement begun thirty-two
years ago under Booker T. Wash
inton, encourages and accepts only
the highest standards, including
sanitary surroundings. The Negro
business man is coming to learn that
he must not expect the Negro house
wife to buy goods at his store just
because he is black. The association
is recommended not “black stores”
but “up-to-date stores run by black
men and women.”
The cheerful, ever-hopeful, trust
ing spirit with which the Negroes,
most of whom are as children in
the field of economics, go forward
under their pioneer leaders such as
Major Moton and Mr. Holsey is a
reproach to many who become de
spaired under their lighter burdens
and lesser* difficulties.
Will Speak._at Zicn, ......August 14th
A. PHILLIP RANDOLPH
Rather Quiet
RAV
INCOME W
HERE
If—'—~—»
The Omaha Guide
Stands for....
Race prejudice must go. The Fatherhood of God
and the Brotherhood of Man must prevail. These are
the only principles which will stand the acid test of good
citizenship in time of peace, war and death.
(1) We must have our pro-rata of employment in
businesses to which we give our patronage, such as groc
ery stores, laundries, furniture stores, department stores
and coal companies, in fact every concern which we sup
port. We must give our citizens the chance to live res
pectably. We are tired of educating our children and
permitting them to remain economic slaves and enter in
to lives of shame.
(2) Our pro-rata of employment for the patronage
to our public corporations such as railroad companies,
the street car company, the Nebraska Power Company,
the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company and other
establishments which we are forced to support by right
of franchise. Also our pro-rata of employment in re
turn for the taxes we pa^ in our city, county state and
federal government.
(3) To encourage the establishment of a first class
hospital that we may get the best that there is in medical
science from our doctors whom we know to be nearest us,
also to encourage a high respect of them and encourage
more of our girls to take nurse training.
(4) A one hundred per cent deportment of our cit
izens in our public or private places of business, especial
ly on street cars. If we are to be respected we must act
respectably, especially in public places where we are con
stantly before the public’s eye.
a one nunarea per cent membership in the Um
aha branch of the NAACP. should be had to encourage
the efforts put forth by the founders of the organization
and to assist the general office to establish a five million
dollar endowment fund to maintain operating expenses
and to further the principles of the NAACP. All peo
ple of all races must be educated up to a higher principle
and a more thorough understanding of interracial rela
tionship that our county may in reality be a government
of the people, for the people and by the people in whole
and not in part.
(6) 'Hie re-establishment of the Christian Religion
as Christ taught it, for the uplifting of mankind, elimin
ating financial and personal gain. A practical Christian
Religion, week day as well as Sunday. An attitude to
ward our fellowman as a brother in order to establish a
principle which will guide the destiny of each other’s
children; our neighbor’s children today are our children
tomorrow.
(7) Courteous treatment in all places of business
and the enforcement of the State Civil Right Law.
(8) To encourage and assist in the establishment of
i the following financial institutions near 24th and Lake
[ Streets: A building and loan association, a state bank,
! and, also, a first-class trust company for the purpose of
administering aid and assistance to our widows and
j children.
(9) To encourage the erection of a one hundred
i thousand dollar Young Men’s Christian Association
| Building near 24th and Lake Streets.
I
I
(10) To enlarge the Young Women’s Christian As
sociation that it may supply sufficient dormitory accom
modations.
(11) To teach our citizens to live economically with
in their earning capacity by printing in each issue'a bud
get system for various salaries.
(12) To make Omaha a better city in which to live
by inaugurating a more cosmopolitan spirit among our
American citizens.
(13 To pul a stop to the Divorce Evil by passing a
State law making the mistreatment of a wife or a hus
band by either of them, a criminal offense to be decided
by a jury, first offense, jail sentence of a short duration;
second offense, one of longer duration; third offense
from one to five years in the penitentiary. This, we be
lieve will make men and women think before marrying.
(14) We must become owners of the city govern
ment by paying a seemingly higher salary to those whom
we employ to administer its affairs, a salary that will at
tract men of high calibre.
(1) Fight for a passage of the Dyer Anti-Lynch Bill
and fmis stop the shamful lynching of American citizens.
(2) One of our citizens in the president’s cabinet.
(3) . bederal control of the educational system that
every child hust have a high school education.
(D Assist iji the furtherance of research by our
scientists and historians to prove that civilization was
first founded in Africa.
(5) Establish a political influence which will bring
about our pro-rata of higher appointments made by our
chief executives.
siop grait in politics by passing a Federal Law
making election day a legal holiday and compelling every
American citizen of voting age to vote.
(7) Prevent further wars by teaching the so-called
white race that it is high time for them to quit fooling
themselves about white supremacy with only three-tenths
of the world’s population. They must be taught that
color is due to climatic conditions. They must be taught
that seven-tenths of the world’s population is made up of
darker races. They must be taught that the rays of sun
that blaze upon the equator and turn the skin brown do
not affect the power of the brain any more than the cold
ness of icy glaciers affect the brain of the white race;
and that the darker races will not continue to be crushed
by a money mad few. If the Fatherhood of God and the
Brotherhood of Man are not welded into the hearts of this
world’s family now, by teaching the principles laid down
by our Saviour, it will be w'elded into the hearts of our
children some day soon, on the bloodiest battlefields this
world has ever known.
(8) Cut down congressional representation from
the Southern States in proportion to the number of votes
cast.
The OMAHA GUIDE wiil put forth its best efforts
to bring about the above 22 points with the assistance of
those who believe it is for the best interest of good Amer- *
ican citizenship.
‘We would like Your Opinions, write Us’
