— — w v v v - v/ —————— for Your Comrnunitr /JlSTiCL/LQuALiir|)^^roL THENEWS WHILE IT ISNEWSj^^M HEW TO THELIne\ b Your Paper” !_VOL. VII.—_ _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1933 NUMBER. THITY FOUR R^, MEMBEI W| 00 OUR PART \ Tune In l “BHESTMG | He HEWS" I ) BROADCAST!^ \ / Every Week from this Column J { By CLIFFORD C. MITCHELL \ THIS AND THAT By CLIFFORD C. MITCHELL A Publisher Writes. Mrs. Florence W. Oakfield. pub lisher of the Columbus, Obio, Voice, writes: My dear Mr. Mitchell: In consideration of certain unavoidable conditions, I hope you will overlook the interval that has elapsed since I received your letter. I have been lit erally confined to the bed for many months and have just been barely able to have my paper edited each week and including a noticeable de crease in subscribers as well as ads, on which my paper nearly solely dependent, you can conceive an idea of what difficulty I have been exper iencing. Nevertheless I want you to know how much I appreciate your articles so obilgingly sent to me and of the many favorable comments I have received upon them from my readers. I realize that they have been somewhat of an expense to yon and I am hoping that very soon I may make some contribution to repay you for the articles that have proved themselves so important a factor in my paper. I was very happy to learn of your success in occupying the posi tion that you now hold. You have my cogratulations and the best of wishes for a huge success . . ” It is encouraging to receive com plimentary letters from the publish, ers I have been serving even though it means nothing to me financially. But in time maybe the situation will work itself out and when I can be of greater service to the papers by stir ring up interest in their advertising columns and awakening their readers to be more responsive to the adver. tisements placed in the papers that maybe the publisher^ will favor me with a check now and then—or at le^.'t some stamps to help defray my weekly expenses. And speaking of service I find that my “"Digesting The News” has now oeen esed by one hundred and fifty, one different publications, the latest addition being the Spartanburg Times, and SNS publication. My weekly book comments now timber eighty two publications, the last three new ones being the Voice of the Nation. Okmulgee, Oklahoma; The Austin (Texas) Messenger, and the Durham (N C ) Dispatch. “Prisons and Prisoners” adds two new publication, making eighty three Jackson (Tenn.) World. “Chicago—and Chicagoans” reached is thirtieth publication when the Pitts burgh Criterion used this copy as a feature story. The Louisville Defender is now us ing my special weekly news feature, making the thirty sixth publication to do so. Last week in another column I tom mented cn an experience that I had aft- r B - Dr. E X French. 3618 South State Street. Chicago, who © wanted to sell me one of his Lucky Seals. One thing I give the Seer cre. di-; for and that he is very persistent. I have not yet bought his Seal but whn he called pn me the -other day I promised him that if he wanted to make me a present of his Lucky Seal that I would actually portray in a written article for the benefit of my readers just exactly what happened a a result. But whether or not the powers do not pass with the Seal v r.en it is donated I do not know. At any rate I'll always have an oppor_ turity decide to present me with one. For little favors of the week I am particularly indebted to Victor L Gray, managing editor of the Chicago Sunday Bee. NEGRO BOY GOES TO WHITE HOUSE FOR NRA GIFT WASHINGTON—.ith a beer bottle, since then their relations has been strained, and this trouble which occurred Sunday night was the accummilation of the whole affair. Death was almost instaneous, resulting from three shots fired by Ruth Gray. Two took effect in her back and the other in her arm. The Gray woman pleaded quietly before Judge Gaddy of the District Court and was sentenced to serve ten years in the States Prison at Jefferson, Mo. Ruth Gray will be remembered by th? people of Omaha as the daughter ef Alien or A1 Gray, one time prize fighter, but more recently operated a Taxi Cab Company. Nebr. Power Go. Will Pay Your Taxes Starting with this month, custom ers of the Nebraska Power Company will be rid of the federal tax on all electricity used for domestic and commercial purposes. No more will the additional charge of 3 per cent appear on electric service bills. This tax will be paid by the Nebraska Power Company, not the customer. Domestic and commercial users of electricity have been paying the 3 per cent federal tax since Jun 20. 1932. Taking on of the federal tax by the Nebraska Power Company will cost the company approximately $120,000 company, plus the increase in city, ; county and state taxes, plus the new federal capital tax. will bring our annual taxes to a total of more than a million dollars a year or $2,700 a .day.” said President Davidson. ‘‘This means that seventeen cents out of a year, according to President J. E Davidson. “The transfer of this tax to our every dollar we receive for electri. rty from all of our customers will have to be paid out by the to the tax collecting agencies. Many of our customers do not realize this when they receive their electric sendee bill each month. “For example.—if Mrs. Smith's electric bill averages $4 a njonth, she naturally feels that she is payng the Nebraska Power Company $48 a year for electric service. She doesn’t real ize that seventeen cents of each one of these dollars paid is redistributed I to the tax collecting bodies to be used for poliee and fire protection, sanita. tion, schools, and for carrying on the other functions of city, state, county and federal governments.” Besides the large increase in the tax bill of the company, starting with September 1, this company, like all other businesses. has taken Oy, sub stantially increased payrolls as a re_ ■ suit of the NBA Mr. Davidson stated. . — : was sent to Gallinger Hospital for observation. Fauntleroy got as far as the exe_ eutive offices, where he was stopped by White House attaches. He told them he had not eaten for a week Police were called and he was put under arrest. Scout Troop 79 Goes Over Tod William Douglas Killed By Truck N.A.A.C.P. Local Branch Puts On Drive for $5,000 The Omaha Branch of the Nat iona! Association for the Advance ment of Colored People, is putting on a drive to raise $5,000 (five thousand dollars), to carry on the work of the rganization, that deserves the whole hearted support of all the colored people, it is the N A A C P This organization for over a score of years, has been on the battle for equal rights and a fair deal for the black citizens of the United States, and in •oite of periodic efforts to discredit it, it hag survived as the watch dog of the colored man’s welfare as a citizen of this country The Omaha Branch, has been espe cially active in its part of the nation wide battle against wrong We can point with pride to many successful conquests against discrimination and injustice It wa= the local Branch of this organization, that took up the fight against the War Department, for heeding to the protest of prejudice citizens, and cancelled the order to ration two companies oi the 25th In.! fantry at Fort Omaha, officers, also an order was issued, that no soldiers should be stationed at Fort Omaha, white or black, doing regular routine soldier duty Since 1930, this Branch has been instrumental in removing 95 signs reading, "No colored trade solicited "’ In addition we have vigor-; ously pushed investigations into cases ] of police, who beat colored citizens without cause we have been a contin I uous menace to those proprieors of restaurants, and similar places who discriminate because of color This Branch saved the jobs of 7,000, (seven thousand) porter brakemen through out the Nation When the Brother hood of Trainmen in Nebraska, filed a complaint against the Missouri Pacific Railroad for violation of the Full Crew Law, and sought the dis charge of all Negro porter brakemen, thig Branch was immediately on the job We saw to it that the Missouri Pacific Attorneys, should carry this case to the Federal Court, which re sulted in a Federal Injunction against the Brotherhood of Trainmen, thereby, making secure the jobs of 7.000 (sev en thousand) porter brakemen throughout this Nation A fighter is helpless without wea pons, and is handicapped if his wea pons are inferior The weapon^ this Branch need is dollars. 5.000 (five thousand of them With such modern equipment, the local Branch will be a powerful, and dependable influence to carry on the battle of colored people, for their constitutional rights— the right to enjoy life, and to pursue happiness unhampered If he colored people of Omaha fail to supply this Branch with these weapons, they will be actually aiding and abetting the enemy Urban League Asks For Showdown DEMANDS SHOWDOWN FROM LABOR FEDERATION NEW YORK CITY— (CNS>— The National Urban League, through its Industrial Relations department has asked William Green of the American Federation of Labor to state clearly the position the Federation in the matter of Negro exclusion from trade unions. A wire to Green then pre. I siding over the annual convention of J the American Federation of Labor in Washington read as follows: “Imperative from every standpoint that current session of the American Federation League again draws your | attention to race discriminatory | practices of various nationals and lo_ cals of the Federation. The recogni tionof the Labor Movement under the XRA plaees upon it the respcmsibil. *•- including all workers regard less of race within its ranks. It is ; illogical with the Federation prestige and power that it should be too weak ; t0 bring itg component units in line with its own declaration of fairness I to Negro workers. We therefore urge j :^at the present convention of the American Federation of Labor take i steps to insure the right of member. . ship to Negroes in all its national and .ocal units and thereby remove a i barrier that has effectively kept Ne groes from participating in the bene, fits shared by other workers.” ---o Or. Scott Pleads for New Seal DR SCOTT PLEADS FOR NEW DEAL FOR BLACK AMERICA AT AMERICAN LEGION CON VENTION CHICAGO—(CNS) — Pleading for “a ro bust Americanism,” and for the forthright maintenance of Amercian deals of justice and fairplay for all races in all sections of the United States, Dr Emmett J Scott. Secre tary of Howard University and form erly Special Assistant to the Secre ! tary of War during tne world con j flict, delivered a masterful address to the Negro veterans of the '.'2nd and j 93rd Divisions of the American Ex ! peditionary forces The address was delivered on the occasion of the fif j teenth annua! reunion of the Ameri j can Legion to a packed audience of Negro World War Veterans at the Eighth Regimental Armory on Tues day night. October 3 In addition to being an honor guest I of George L Giles Post, No 87, American Legion, Dr Scott was this week also introduced to the American Legion Convention by Colonel Louis Johnson, National Commander at a session of the convention He was warmly greeted at this time by white and colored associate,, of the World War He was also guest speaker at a banquet given the veterans at the Roseland Club Wednesday evning Praises Valor of Black Soldiers In his speech to the men of the 92nd and 93rd Divisions. Dr Scott gave a vivid word picture in praise of the gallantry of the Negro soldier through out history “The glory of his serv ice.” declared the speaker, “runs like a golden thread not only through all American history, but may also be traced in all ancient and medieval history.—in the history of the great Chaka in the valley of the Nile thou sands of years ago; in the exploits of Hannibal, the great Carthagenian. said to have been the greatest of tact icians; in the exploits of L’Ouverture in the Haitian rebellion against the mighty Napoleon; in Attacks, the first casualty on Boston Common in America’s battle against the tyranny of George III; in the black sailors who were with Perry on Lake Erie; in Black Sampson at Brandywine; in Peter Salem at Bunker Hill; in Car. ney at Fort Wagner; in the 24th and [ 25th regiments of United States In fantry and the Ninth and Tenth Cav alry at El Caney and San Juan in [ Cuba; and during the insurrection in the Phillipines; and on the feats of the Tenth Cavalry at Carrizal" He pointed with pride to the accom | pliahments of the men of the 92nd and 93rd Divisions during the world conflict, especially at Chateau Thier ry, on the Rhine, and at Metz Decries Ingratitude of Nation Contrasting the service rendered by black soldiers with the recognition accorded them by their country in the post war period. Dr. Scott decried the ingratitude shown by the nation in its treatment of them “As one who re calls the assurances of 1917 and 1918, j he declared, “I confess presonally a deep sense of dissapointment; of poignant pain, that a great country i in time of need should promise so; much and afterward perform so lit-1 tie " Claim9 Negroes’ Right to A New Deal ‘‘We have a right to share in all the opportunities offered in Ameri ca,” he said “Instead of a world made safe for democracy, we have Mussolini and Fascism in Italy; Hit ler and a Nazi regime in Germany,' with their hitter persecution of Jew. j ish people; and Communism and Bol ■ shevism in Russia There is no place ! in America for any of these ‘isms ’ ; We must resolutely set our faces ; against every effort to give them a : foothold in this land of America i Our fight must be for a free Amer 1 ica, for the spread of true American j principles in every section of our land. | South as well as North, East and ■ West, and against alien efforts to ; destroy oar free institutions and that | threaten the security of our repub j lican form of government ” He pleaded with the colored vet. : eras not to be led astray by utopian and alien principles of government, and urged that they perform their full citizeship duties, in the confid-1 i ent hope that ‘‘better America” will no* fail to accord them all of the' , rights guaranteed them by the Fed era! Constitution He said: “The so cial revolution through which we are at present passing should have our unqualified support I have always ! believed that, even in the presence of bitter disappointmnt, it is the duty of every good American to do his part, and that having done his part, as you men did during the World War, one has claims upon the grati tude of the republic which can not be denied in the forum of sober thinking; in fact, the performance of full citi | zenship’s duties by us will impose in escapable obligations whch patriotic Americans will not seek to deny, or i evade This present social revolution : means the preservation of those in stitutions which should be as near and dear to us as to any group of our common citizenship “It is our duty, and it i3 our re sponsibility, the duty and responsibil. ity of every man who wore the kahki uniform during the World War to fight for that Americanism which Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt so | eloquenty preached; that American. ' ism which should be the legacy and heritage of every American citizen— | the humblest along with the most ex ; alted “I have always contended that a i country worth fighting for is worth | living for At the same time, I have always contended that a man who is brave enough to carry a gun in de. ] fense of his country’s honor should be honored with all of the rights and : privileges of untrammeled citizenship —complete protection of life and lib erty, freedom from the menace of cowardly mobs, all of the political and civil rights that other men enjoy: the ; elimination of unfair and unwarranted 1 discriminations of all kinds, and at | this time, of all times, a square deal in every industrial code under the i N R A ” In conclusion the speaker stated “liberalization in the future in racial j contacts must be the rule and not the Mr. William Douglas of 2613 Pa trick Avenue, was hit and fatally in jured by a truck at 24th and Patrick Avenue, Wednesday night between seven and eight o’clock. The driver of the truck was Leonard Bender of 2516 Cuming Street. Mr Douglas was hit as he was crossing 24th St., in front of the Ritz Cafe. He was tak en to the Covenant Hospital, where he died Thursday morning at 5 a m His injuries consisted of a fracture of the right ankle, fracture of the left leg. below the knee, fracture of the right wrist and other internal in juries. He never regained conscious ness. Mr. Douglas leaves to moan his death his wife, Mrs William Doug las, his sister Mrs Hattie O’Neal, and one nephew Mr. Thomas Steel of Kansas City, Missouri. exception ” Other Prominent Vets and Citizens Congressman Oscar DePriest, Col Joseph L Ward of the Colored Vet erans Hospital at Tuskegee, Alabama; Col Otis Duncan of the “Old Eighth Regiment” of Illinois. Dr T Edward Jones and Col West A Hamilton of Washington. D C ; and dozen,, of others were also present and spoke at the Eighth Regiment Armory meeting the night of October 3, and! at the banquet Wednesday evening. Octobr 4 The Colored Veterans of the 92nd and 93rd Division have had a royal good time at their numerous “get togethers” during the week MEMBER OF ROOSEVELTS OFFICIAL INSULTS NEGROES OF COUNTRY WASHINGTON— (CNS)— W L Roberts, of Atlanta, Georga, Assist ant Secretary of the Treasury got “°n the air” Monday night September -5, over station WMAL here and broadcast a ‘‘nigger speech’”’ so re plete with vile references and obscure language that he was “cut off the” three times in five minutes Aj a speaker at a banquet in honor of the Washington baseball club win ner of the American League pennants at the Occidental Hotel Monday night “the gentleman from Georgia” took occasion to insult millions of good citizens including 12,000,000 of Ne groes. by his obscene dialect stories and his outrageous reflections on the Negro citizenry of the Country A highly incensed and very much disgusted delegation of citizens call ed at the National Broadcasting office in the National Press Building, at 14th and F Streets, Northwest, Wed nesday morning and met there an equally highly incensed and thorough ly disgusted official of the broadcast ing company, controlling the station WMAL, over which Roberts broad casted his obscene storio, last Mon day night. The delegation eonsi-ted of the Rev R W Brooks, of the Lincoln Mem orial Congregational Temple, as chairman and spokesman; the Rev W H Jernagin. of the Mount Carmel Crp*:st Church; Archibald S Pink. ett, executive secretary of the local branch c.f the NAACP ; Mrs Gab rielle Pelham, Mrs D Brooks, Dr Herbert C Marshall, Col West A Hamilton, of the Washington Sen tinel; Garland Mickay, of the Wash ington Tribune; and a representative of the Baltimore Afro American Upon being ushered into the office 1 of W. M. Russell, vice president of the National Broadcasting Company, in | charge of the stations WRC and WMAL, in Washington, the delegation : met a mcst courteous official who greeted them with the remark: “Lad ; ies and gentlemen I know exactly what brings you here In fact I am ; sure I know more about the entire unfortunate incident than you do.” The Rev Brooks, after introducing ’ the different members of the delega | tion, stated in formal manner the ! reason for their visit and read to Mr Russell, for his information, copies of letters that had been sent to Mr J Roberts and to President Roosevelt, Credit to Scout Master T. P. Mahammitt __ • The big feature of the 3emi annual Covered Wagon, Court of Honor *t Central High auditorium, was the honoring of five boys of Troop 79, one of the three colored Troops of the Omaha Council, which consist of 86 Troops. Five members of one troop was awarded the highest honor of Scoutdom. which is the Eagle of Palms, The five Scouts receiving awards were Ricketts Nelson, Clem mist Will iams, Clead Madison, Edward Wig gins and Richard Marshall. Scout Master T P Mahammitt came in for a great medals of honor. He i» ScouT Master of Troop 79, and de serves great credit for the efficient and orderly manner in which the members of Troop 79 conducted them selves. In presenting the awards. Colonel McCollough called him before the audience and introduced him as the Scout Master of Troop 79. Mr. Mah ammitt has been connected with the Scout movement since its inception in Omaha. School Girl Killed 24th St. Death Trap? Mamie Louise Harris of 2532 Pa rick Avenue, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Harris, was fatally in jured when hit by a truck at 24th and Patrick Avenue, on the same corner where Mr. William Douglas was kill ed Wednesday night. Louise was re turning from school with her father when she was hit by the truck. She was hit as she and her father were crossing the street. The driver of the truck that hit her was Henry Zavett of 1617 North 22nd Street. He was driving a Hardware truck, which he owned himself. Louise was a student at the St. Benedict School at 24th and Grant Street. She was immedately taken to the Covenant Hospital and died short ly afterwards. of whose official family the “gentle* man from Georgia” happens to be a member Mr Russell listened attentively to the reading of the letters and at the conclusion told the delegation that he was not there or at home at the time of the broadcast, but was called later by his assistant and his office force to come down to the office at once “I met on arriving,” he said, “an excited staff and a very pale and much up set young man, who told how he had broken a regulation of the company in switching off the current during the broadcast Mr Russell explained by stating that his man wa, seated across the hall during the speech and could not a young man under 21 years of age, got an inkling of what the jokes would be and the general trend of the speech and from his place in , the control room switched off the ' current Mr Russell said this was against the rules for the young man [ to do this, but that he would see to it that he was suitably rewarded Assuring the delegation of the deep regret of the National Broadcasting 1 Company for the unfortunate incid. j ent of Monday night, Mr Russell said i hundreds of telephone calls, letters I and telegrams had been received in protest from all classes of citizens Asked by Dr' Marshall when Mr Roberts would again speak over i WJIAL. Mr Russell emphatically re plied: “Not in your life time.” Hundreds of letters of protest and | disguest are reaching Washington | each day since the unfortunate incid i ent HAMPTON INSTITUTE GETS 520,000 BEQUEST - _ j NEW YORK CITY— (CNS) — The [ will of Edward Severin Clark, one of ; the heirs to the fortune built on the Singer sewing machine recently filed in the Surrogate’s office of Otsego County. Nw York contains a bequest of $20,00 for Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute of Hampton, Virginia.