Nebraska Newspapers

    N.C. ROY LOSES FIRST PHASE OFUHLOE
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• ’\tvo°*, eople Read TTie Only Paper of ffs
The Omaha Guide Kind West of the
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VOL. VII.— Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday,^April 8, 1933._ Number Seven—
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"D!SE$nH61
rhe NEWS" f
iBKOAIK'ASTU f
Every Week froa this Column J
By CLIFFORD C. 51TCHELL {
RANDOM THOUGHTS!
• • •
Our bankers look none the worse
after having been to the "cleaners”
For once, apparently, color was no
conaderatioR. Financial soundness,
waa the key consideration and in pro
portion the colored bankers seem to
have fared much better than those of
the white race.
• • •
Apparently, a colored Iran in New
York who for twenty-three years was
considered a reliable employee, has
fared, financially better than his
* Lite employers for the latter could,
not stand the sight of seeing their
colored employee being driven to work
each day by a liveried chauffeur. How
ever, there'* a moral in that story.
• • •
In Louisville, a colored professor
lost his job because he dabbled too
much in politics. He must have been
dealing :n the wrong brand of politics
• • •
In Honolulu, a colored man loses
his seat in the Assembly, but gains a
Id 000 government job. On that basis
many of our own legislative members,
undoubtedly, would be glad to lose
their seats
• • •
Each year the Spmgarn Medal is
awarded to some colored person in
America, who. presumably, has serv
ed the race more notably than all
other members of his race. An Amer
ican. aow in Africa, receive#, or will
receive, if he comes after it, the 1932
award. After all, the world is getting
smaller and smaller. .
• • •
In contrast to the above, a colored
doctor m Philadelphia will soon de
part for Germany where he will study
os m scholarship provided by white
funds.
A colored man in Missouri loses a
high governmental position. He also
dabbled too much in politics, appar
ently. Another colored man, with a
different brand of polities, secures
the vacated position.
• • •
The tittle girl in Ohio lost her ap
peal (not sex, but legal) but she re.
reived infinitely more publicity than
she would have received on receiving
her degree for study in “Home Eco
nomic*.
• • •
In Portland. Oregon, a colored pa
per s building up quite a circulation
through its slogan. “The Advocate in
Every White Horae in Oregon in
1*»."
• • •
Apparently, “Happy Day* are Here
Again", for we are beg..inmg to read
of plane for the forthcoming conven
tion season Conventions will be the
death of us yet! That’* sn idea—
“Conventions *nc Funerals—oar spec
ialty."
• • •
'Coder the Microscope* in the
F'hiladelph.a Tribune is my favorite
column, if anyone is interested in
knowing it
ATTT. MORTIMER M HARRIS
GETS IS MONTHS
Washington. D. C—Attorney Mor
timer M Harris was sentenced to 18
months in jail by Chief Justice Alfred
day.
A. Wheat in criminal court here
Thursday. The Justice previously over
ruled a motion for a new trial for
Harris who was convicted of ember,
riemeat several months ago.
DePriest Amendment In Labor Relief Bill
- - . ...... _
DEPRIEST GETS AMENDMENT
TO REFORESTATION BILL
'-■ ■■ • ■ I. .. 1
Coagi sssman DePriest
Washington, D. C.—One of the few
amendments to be added to President
Roosevelt’s unemployment relief bill
through reforestation before it be.
came a law was an amendment by
Congressman Oscar DePriest of Chi
cago stipulating that in the operation
of the bill there should be no discrim
ination because of race, creed or color.
WORKING GIRLS HOLD ANNUAL
NATION WIDE BANQUET
On Thursday evening, March 28th,
the Sixth Annual Nation Wide Ban
quet, an annual celebration held by
the 80,000 business women who be
long to YWCA, clubs in the United
States, was held at the Central
Y WCA. One hundred and fifteen girls
representing Business and Industrial
Clubs from the Central and North
Side Y WCA. The clubs also recogniz
ed the 60th anniversary of the ad
vent of women into the modern busi
ness world through the perfection of
the first typewriter. The first class
for typists was conducted in a Y'WCA
in New Y'ork City. Following the din
ner. a pageant “The Shuttles of Com
merce” was presented. Girls from
North Side Branch taking part in the
pageant were: Louise Scott, Edith
Coleman, Lola Smith, Lucy Mae
Stamps and Mamie Jackson. Before
d:nner, Lola Smith and Lucy Mae
Stamps sang a Grace written by Dor
eene Holliday of the Quack Club. Ed.
rose Willis was pianist for the even
ing and Albertine Johnson presided.
CRAWFORD HEARING BEFORE
MAY l*t
Boston, Mass,—The postponed hear
ing in the extradition case of George
Crawford will be held between April
15th and May 1. it became known
here Wednesday.
According to the New York Times
of today, John Galleher, attorney for
Loudon county, Va., has written to
Attorney General Thomas E. Knight
of Alabama, chief prosecutor in the
Scottsboro trials, asking the advice
on how to defend the jury system of
the south. Galleher wrote that he
was facing this difficulty in Boston
in trying to return Crawford to face
trial in Virgniia for murder of Mrs.
A. B. Tlsley and her maid. The
whole jury system in the south, which
for decades has excluded Negroes, is
being challenged on all fronts and the
attorneys of Virginia and Alabama
are consulting together to devise
ways of meeting the .onslaught.
WILL ELIMINATE OFFENSIVE
WORDS
Philadelphia. Mar. 31—In response
to his protest, I. Maximilian Martin,
newly elected secretary of the Phil,
adelphia NAACP. branch has receiv
ed a letter from Blackett-Sample
Hummert advertising agency assur
ring him that the word “darky” will
not appear in any more radio adver
tising of “Old English” wax and oth.
er products.
St. Louis. Mo., —C. T. Felker, edi
tor of The Sporting Goods Dealer, has
assured the NAACP. that no offense
was intended by the use of the word
“darky” in a recent issue, but that
since it offends colored people, it will
Six Douglas County Voters’
League Candidates Nominated
not be used again.
New York, —Grafton S. Wilcox,
managing editor of the New York
Herald Tribune, has written James
E. Allen, president of the New York
branch NAACP. that the paper re
grets the use of the word “pickaninny
in a recent headline and that copy
editors have been intructed not to
use it hereafter.
Chicago,—Ames A. Castle, editor
ef the Sporting Goods Journal, on re
ceiving a protest from the NAACP.
against the use of the word “darky”
in his magazine stated they did not
wish to offend any race, but that he,
personally, thought Negroes in the
south preferred to be called “darky”
rather than “colored.” In reply Walter
White cited his life in the south and
his travels and wide acquaintance
with Negroes of all classes and stat
ed that never had he met a Negro
who preferred being called “darky."
NEW JERSEY NAACP. FIGHTS
POR COLORED LODGES OF
STATE
Montclair, N. J.—A resolution to
oppose in every manner possible the
passage of a bill now in the New Jer.
sey senate which would put the col
ored fraternal orders out of business
was adopted here Saturday by the
annual conference of the New Jersey
NAACP. branches. Twelve branches
sent voting delegates.
The year’s program of the state
branches will include a campaign to
place Negro teachers in mixed schools
fight against segregation in theatres
and the securing of jobs for Negroes
on public works projects.
CLARENCE MUSE VISITS NAACP.
New York,—Clarence Muse, well
known moving picture actor, spent an
hour in informal chatting with the
members of the office staff of the
NAACP., 69 Fifth Avenue, Thursday.
He autographed small photos of him
self for the staff and answered num
erous questions of the girl clerks a
bout various movie stars. Later he
had luncheon with Walter White,
NAACP. secretary, who is a friend
of many years standing. Mr. Muse
has been an active supporter of the
NAACP. for a long time and since
going to Hollywood has aided the Los
Angeles branch of the association in
raising funds.
NAVY CONTROL OF VIRGIN
ISLANDS CALLED “DISASTER”
BY NATION
New York,—The Nation, in its is
sue of April 5, has an editorial de
claring that the return of the Virgin
Islands to control of the Navy would
be a “disaster.” In part the editorial
states:
“The islands—are in pressing need
of rehabilitation. Governor Paul Pear
son has been working on a plan to
achieve that end, and in the face of
uifiveijBal econorrfic depression, has
made a good beginning. He has
turned over to the Virgin Islanders
^0 per cent of the administrative
posts. As Negroes are barred from
the Navy except as mess boys and in
other menial positions, return to nav
al control would mean ousting of the
Virgin Islanders from responsible of
fices.”
SMART BOY LANDS CROOK IN
A CELL
Jamestown. N. Y.—Five counter
feiters are facing the U. S. Grand
jJurj due to the smart tactics of ten
year old David Howie of Chandler
avenue, this city.
David was selected by the counter
feiters as being dumb enough to pass
spurious five and ten dollar bills in
grocer and cigar stores and bring
them the change; which favor David
did until becoming suspicious at a
local bank and inquired if it was any
good. The banking authorities told
David the money was no good and
took him to the rogue gallery where
he identified the five men and also
led the police to their hide-out.
David is Uncle Sam’s chief witness,
along with Secret Service Operatives
Goodby, Garvey and Carlson. Assist
ant U. S. Attorney Morgan is handl
ing the case.
THOMPSON RESTAURANTS
MAY LOOSEN COLOR BAR
Chicago,—The Thompson chain
was founded by the late John R.
Thompson, Sr., and for many years
hundreds of Negro patronage was al
ways welcomed without discrimin
ation. With the passing of the found
er, the control of the business fell
| into the hands of the late William
Wrigley, Jr., Charles A. McCulloch.
W!m. Collins and W. W. Walker, and
forthwith came the replacing of all
Negro employees by whites and a
new attitude toward racial patronage
was noticeable.
With the assumption of control,
which was gained by Mr. Thompson,
Jr., through his attorney Sydney
Gorman, it is believed that tHe Thom
pson restaurants will again be the
institutions of old.
OMAHA MID.CITY BUSINESS
MEN WILL MEET AT ROBERTS
DAIRY
On Tuesday, April 11, the Omaha
Mid-City Business Men’s Association
will hold its weekly meeting at the
Roberts Dairy assembly room. Elect
ion of officers will be held.
The association is composed of
eighty-five business men within the
territory between Fifteenth and For.
tieth from Chicago to Bristol Street.
The group was organized to promote
good-will among the business men in
this vicinity, and to do constructive
work in the community. The group
hopes to be able at some time to help
do away with the seepage of water
after heavy rains into the basement
of some of the groceries on Cuming
Street. At present the water floods
the streets after heavy rains and runs
into basements.
The present officers of the assoc
iation are: Mr. John Mercer, presi
dent; Mr. C. D. Zents, secretary, and
Mr. Dave Gerber, treasurer. Mr. Mer
cer has given the group excellent
leadership, Mr. Zents has put in a
great deal of hard work, calling every
—
Six of the cadidates indorsed by
The Douglas County Voters League
were among the 14 winners in the
April 4th Primary election. They
were; Roy N. Towl, Harry Trustin,
John Hopkins, W. W. Carmichael,
Richard W. Jepsen and A. A. Wes
tergard. •
Atty. H. J. Pinkett, the only Col
ored candidate among the 91 contest
ants, finished in 42nd place with
2,134 votes.
14 High Candidates
Roy N. Towl .34,882
Dan B. Butler . 27,616
Frank E. Frost . 24,769 i
Harry Trustin . 20,962
John Hopkins .19,300
Frank Myers 18,913
Harry Knudsen lg’,251
W, W. Carmichael _'.17,891
Dean Noyea . 16,678
J. B. Hummel . 15,375
Emmett Man non .14,347
Riohard L. Metcalfe . 11,698
Richard W. Jepsen .... ....11,452
A. A. Westergard . . . 9,624
member of the organization on the
morning of meetings, and Mr. Gerber
has done equally fine work as treas.
) urer.
Mr. S. E. Klaver, attorney, has
done a great deal of legal work for
the association, gratis, and has prov
en himself very beneficial to the
group.
Plans are now under way for en
tertainment at the April lith meet
ing. according to Mr. C. H. Blom.
berg, who represents the Roberts
| Dairy in the association. Mr. G. S.
Johnston, building superintendent for
the Northwestern Bell Telephone
Company, is expected to give some of
his famous impersonations. Refresh
ments will be served.
FOUNDER OF DOUGLAS NAT’L.
BANK, DEAD
Chicago, 111.—P. W. Chavers, foun.
der of the Douglas National Bank and
one of the leading business men here,
died March 19 and funeral services
were held on March 22. The late Mr.
Chavers was a native of Columbus,
O., and before entering banking he
had been a newspaper editor and
manufacturer of aprons. He came to
Chicago in 1919 and took over the
defunct Woodtfork Bank and out of
this institution grew the Douglas Na.
tional.
--■ ' ' -A
Dr. Lennox On the Job
.
HOME LOAN BANK SYSTEM
(continued from last week)
very few have come to the support
of it, although they have been made
eligible for membership. Instead of
using credit facilities provided by
Congress, insurance companies and
bankers are sending hundreds of their
own mortgage debtors to the Feder
al Home loan banks in an endeavor to
convert their mortgage mistakes into
cash.
Building and loan interests are
willing to shoulder their responsibil
it ies by bringing mortgage funds in
to the American communities and
have so demonstrated by the alacrity
with which they have joined ’the
Home Loan Bank System even before
it had made its initial loan.
Any banking sy.^fem to be a- success
must look beyond the lending possi
bilities of its capital stock. A comm
ercial bank must so conduct its af
fairs as to attract deposits which
constitute by far the larger part of
its available working funds. In the
same manner, the Federal Home
Loan Banking System must look be
yond its $134,000,000 capital to the
possibility of its expansion to $1,800,.
— y
000,000 if it is to be a factor in the
field to which Congress has dedicated
its efforts. If the terras of the act
carefully and conservatively admin
istered inspire the confidence of in
vestors the full benefits of the sys
tem will be felt. The $8,000,000,000
of building and loan assets constitute
a broad and safe base for this expan
sion. A liberalization of lending res
trictions especially when investors de
mand extreme conservatism will un
dermine the possibilities of the new
system before it gets under way. The
restrictions that limit the discount
privileges of institutions borrowing
money from the banks to 40 per cent
of the value of the property, a proper
and necessary safeguard for the pro
tection of Investors in the bonds of
the banks, should not be confused
with the rights of member institu
tions to continue their natural and
customary lending policies which by
state laws permit 60 per cent to 75
per cent loans. It is unthinkable that
investors would consider direct loans
to individuals on distressed mortgag
es as a proper base for the issuance
of bonds in a Federally administered
national credit institution.
Judge Denies Writ of Mandamus
to Youth Seeking to Enter
Uni. of N. Carolina
MANDAMUS IN N. CAROLINA
“U” CASE DENIED; TO APPEAL
DECISION
Three Young Colored NAACP. At
torneys Oppose State Attorney
General and Two Aides in Durham
Court*oom in Effort to Open
Professional School to Negro
Students
Durham, N. C.,—After a dramatic
and intense two-day legal battle here,
Judge M. V. Barnhill on March 28th
denied a petition of mandamus
brought by Thomas R. Hocutt, a col
ored yo<uth who sought to be enrolled
in the school of pharmacy of the
University of North Carolina. Hocutt
sought an order from the court direct,
ing the university to admit him as a
student. The judge held that the peti
tion of mandamus was not the prop
er method of seeking relief.
Denial of the mandamus was ex
pected by all parties and was pre
dicted before the suit was filed. The
attorneys for Hocutt immediately fil
ed notice of appeal and are preparing
the papers for the higher court. At.
tomeys for the NAACP. in Washing,
ton and New York are studying the
opinion. This suit is only the first
step in a legal fight to secure pro
fessional training for Negroes in N.
Carolina and other southern states.
Judge Says Color Barred Hocutt
Judge Barnhill, regarded as the
best trial judge in this section of N.
Carolina, in his opinion made the vit
all important point that in his judge
ment Hocutt’s admission to the uni
versity was denied on the sole ground
that he was a person of African des
cent. Judge Barnhill also declared
that Hocutt had made due applica
tion to the university to be admitted.
On two other questions of fact
which he was asked to decide, the
judge answered in the negative, say
ing that he did not believe Hocutt
complied with all the rules and regu
lations in respect to such application
and that he did not believe Hocutt
had established a clear legal right to
the university as a student in pharm
acy.
Drama in the Courtroom
The hearings were held in a court
room packed with colored and white
people. Conrad Pearson and Cecil Me
Coy, young Durham lawyers, were
assisted by William H. Hastie of
Washington, D. C., sent down by the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People.
The young colored lawyers were
lined up against Dennis G. Brummitt,
Attorney General of North Carolina,
A. A. F. Seawell, first assistant at
torney genera! and Victor Bryant,
local white lawyer.
Although the hearing was set for
Friday, it actually did not get under
way until Saturday. Friday was tak
en up with conferences in the judge's
chambers in which it was sought to
arrange a compromise. The attorney
general. as he said later in the argu
ment, # was for granting anything to
the Negroes if they would not ask
entrance to the sacred campus of the
University of North Carolina. No
compromise' was reached and Satur
day morning questioning of witness
es began. Interest was high in the
case as Hastie, immediately upon ar
riving on Thursday, had proceeded
with McCoy and Pearson to issue
subpoenas for everyone, white and
black, connected with the case.
Other Courts Recess to Hear
So intense was the interest in the
case, the judge in the criminal court
recessed for Saturday morning and
practically all the members of the lo
cal bar, colored and white, were in
the room. The law faculty of the uni
versity and of Duke University was
present, as well as many students
from the two schools. The Negroes,
who had been running to cover under
the steady propaganda of whites in
the city and state, came out to see
the battle and their attitude changed
-. . ■■■" ■ ' ..—.' ' . „ I
when they saw their young lawyers
holding their own against the state
attorney general.
Thomas J. Wilson, registrar of the
university was the main witness and
he was examined and cross examin
ed by both sides. Hocutt’s lawyers
finally got him to admit that Hocutt
had sufficient credits to enter the uni
versity. He was on the stand for
nearly two hours and under careful
and persistent questioning by McCoy
and associates, it was shown from
the catalogue that Hocutt had done
everything required for admission.
Attorney General Gets Laugh
On Tuesday afternoon when final
arguments were made, the courtroom
was like a sardine box. A mass meet
ing of colored people had been held on
Sunday and hundreds of people pledg.
ed backing for the fight. The spect
acle of colored lawyers bravely and
skillfully stacking the age old jim
crow practices fired the imagination
and loyalty of the citizens who had
remained quiet or hostile up to then.
It turned out that not only were
McCoy, Pearson and Hastie fighting
against the attorney general, but
they were up against brilliant legal
minds on the law faculty of the uni
versity. The university’s final brief
was drawn with the assistance of
Dean M. T. Van Hecke and Prof. R.
H. Wettaeh of the faculty.
In the final fifteen minutes allot
ted to him for argument, the attor
ney general drew an unexpected big
laugh from the Negroes in the court
room which effectively took the wind
out of his plea. He pointed out that
for 144 years the university had been
for whites and he said:
“I think there is a deep motive be
hind this suit and I think that mo
tive is that this ‘Nigra’ wants to as
sociate with white people."
The speaker evidently thought he
would get approval from the whites
and fearsome silence from the Ne
groes. The whites did not say any.
ll. • a _
«r cnange tneir expression*.
The Negroes broke out into a load,
derisive laugh and Judge Bamhili
was forced to rap for order.
Messrs. McCoy and Pearson made
masterful closing arguments, divid
ing their time with Mr. Hastie.
Judge Barnhill’s dismissal was in
somewhat technical language. He
proper remedy, but that if it was
held that the mandamus was not the
proper, the plaintiff had not sought
to use it in the proper manner in hia
prayer for relief. This last reference
is to the judge’s contention that the
petition should have asked not for
admission to the university, but for
the unprejudiced consideration of the
application by the registrar.
The hearings were marked with the
except that all the whites, by ona
utmost courtesy between all parties
method or another, dodged the use
of “Mister” in addressing the colored
attorneys. Mr. Hastie, a Harvard
graduate, chatted with Harvard men
on the university law faculty and
with Duke university students who
wanted to ask about the Harvard law
school. At the close of the hearing
Mr. Hastie thanked the court and bar
for the courtsey they had shown a vis
iting attorney. In reply Judge Barn
hill assured him that his court wel
comed him and appreciated the high
plane on which the plaintiff’s law.
yers had conducted their case.
ANTI-LYNCH BILL INTRODUCED
IN CONGRESS
Washington, D. C.—Congressman
Edmonds of Pennsylvania has intro
duced in the House of Representativ
es an anti-lynehing bill: “to assure
to persons within the jurisdiction of
every state the equal protection of the
laws, and to punish the crime of lyn
ching. ’ The bill has been referred to
the Committee on the judiciary.