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. EDITORIALS . . .
The Omaha Guide
Published every Saturday at 2418-20 Grant St.,
Omaha, Neb.
Phone WEbster 1750
Entered as Second Class Matter March 15, 1927
at the Post Office at Omaha, Neb., under the Act
ot Congress of March 3, 1879.
Terms of Subscription $2.00 per year.
Race prejudice must go. The Fatherhood of
God and the Brotherhood of Man must pre
vail. These are the only principles which will
stand the acid test of good citizenship in time
of peace, war and death.
Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, FEBRUARY 23, 1935
36,000 AUTOMOBILE “MURDERS”
The President of the United States, in letters
to the Governors of the 48 states, has urged the
enactment of uniform reguation of trraffie, and
intensified safety educational campaigns.
There is no good argument against uniform
traffic legislation and regulation in the face
of the fact that the kiting record of automo
biles last year touched the 36,000 mark.
Think of it. Thirty-six-thousand lives snuf
fed out by automobiles in one year. Why
should there be any argument about uniform
traffic laws and the need of coopera ion between
states to eliminate such a disgraceful record as
this?
Take a specific example1 Why should one city
be allowed, as at present; to maintain three dif
ferent types of “stop” signals at intersections,
thjus confusing both i s own drivers and those
from other states? Legislators could work on a
“life saving” program such as this to the bene
fit of every man, woman and child in the coun
try.
WILL FRIGHTENING INVESTORS BRING
ELECTRICAL PROGRESS?
In a recent article, Thomas N. McCarter,
President of the Edison Electric Institute, sur
veyed the experience of the electric industry
during 1934.
So far as sales of electricity were concerned,
it was a year of progress—progress in which all
class of consumers shared. A new high reeord
was set in the sale of electric refrigerators, and
the “Better Light-Be.ter Sight” educational
campaign carried on throughout the country,
produced excellent resul s. Total domestic
power sales exceeded those of the previous year
by 6% per eent, setting a new high record. More
than 500,000 families were added to the indus
try’s list of customers during the year. The
total of power produced for all purposes was
per eent over 1933, and(but 6 per eent be
low the a'll-time high of 1929. The cost of elec
tricity ot the consumer declined, ns it has done
progressively for many years.
All this is on credit side of the ledger—and
to most people it must.appear that the elec
tricity industry can look forward consistently
to a prosperous and progressive future. It is
doing a fine job for its customers, it is con
stantly seeking ways to expand and reduce
costs, and the public is showing a disposition to
buy more electric appliances and to use more
power—the cheapest servant mankind has ever
devised. But there is a debit side to the ledger
too—and it may be expressed in one word,
Polities.
Iron-handed regulatory measures, plus sub
sidized. tax-free government competition with
heavily-taxed private plants, plus mounting
taxation, plus pressure for unjustified rate re
ductions, are the great problems the industry
faees. Many companies are selling more power
—and making less profit. Polities, by erecting
artificial barriers to electrical progress, is
frightening investors. And, if the present trend
continues, it will threaten the very quality of
electric service—a harried, profitless industry
cannot serve the public well.
A STATE CAN LIVE WITHIN INCOME
Nebraska is advertised as being a debtless
state tody: as a commonwealth where the law
prohibits pledging the state’s credit for more
than $100,000; and also as a state which has rid
den through war and peace, drouth and plenty,
without issuing a dollar’s worth of bonds.
It built a 10,000,000 state capital over a
period of 12 years out of its annual tax levy.
Its roads are paid for,by a 4 cent gasoline tax
and motor or vehicle license fees, plus the usual
Federal aid.
Nebraska’s government, aside from road
building, is supported by a general property tax
and it has no income or sales tax.
These facts seem to prove that a great state
can be operated on a business basis and stay
within its income.,
Nebraska should be an object lesson for every
state in the union, many of which are staggering
today under bond issues to pay for political
experiments and inefficiency which the coming
generations will struggle to pay if they are ever
wiped out. The taxpayers should rise up in
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arms, as it were, against practically every pro
posal that is made to further burden the people
with taxes.
The lawmaker today who sugges s tax in
creases as a way to meet state problems, is in
most cases simply showing his inability as a busi
ness man to balance the pub'ic’s business budget.
IS YOUR PROPERTY ADEQUATELY
PROTECTED?
Officials of various states have found it
necessary to ask legislature to increase state
budgets as much as 20 per cent. The request
is due to the rising cost of commodities of all
kinds—everything a state buys, from lead pen
cils to cement, costs more now than it did 12
months ago.
iio far as individuals are concerned, values
and costs have likewise increased by 20 or 25
per cent. A home that could be built for $4,000
early in 1934 woui'd cost about $5,000 now.
Home renovization that could have been had
for $1,000 a year ago would cost $1,200 to
$1,500 at present.
As a result, the wise home and business own
er will make a thorough survey of the amount
of property insurance he now has. Fire in
surance should be placed first on the list for
revision, if it is needed. Daring the past 5 years
property-owners have progressively cut the
amount of fire protection they carried, in order
to keep it in line with actual values—if the
worth of their property dropped 30 per cent,
ii, was obviously safe and economical to make
a similar reduction in the amount of their fire
insurance.
Now it is equally wise to bring insurance cov
erage up in accordance with the rise in com
modity costs and property values. There is
much more potential waste in under-insurance
than in over-in*urance—all you can lose from
the latter is a few dollars in premium costs,
while the first might cost you thousands.
Watch your fire policies—which protect your
savings, your investments and your property—
in the light of changing economic conditions.
COOPERATIVES AID CONSUMERS
There is 0ne phase of the agricultural coop
erative movement that has received less notice
than it deserves—the effect the co-ops have on
the consumer.
Those who believe that the aim of coopera
tive marketing is to force prieeB sky high, are
mistaken. It seeks to sting the unprotected
oonsumer. Good cooperatives have been of
grpaf service to the consuming public.
The leading dairy cooperatives present a fine
example of thi*. They have standardized the
quality of milk, so that the buyer may be sure
of getting just what he wants. They have per
fected marketing and distribution machinery so
■that dairy products take the least passible time
in going from the farm to the retailer. They
have been instrumental in preventing destruc
tive price fluctuations, whereby the consumer
paid less than a product was worth one day and
more the next—and everyone involved suffered
in the long run. They have conscientiously
worked to give the public a better product at
a fair price.
Sound agricultural cooperatives perform an
essentia] and valuable service, both to their
members and to the public at large. They are
receiving intelligent support from members and
the people, where they understand the coopera
tive ideal. . .* '•
“RELIABLE” AND WANT WORK
Unemployment has been rife among common
laborers, a class of workers to which many Ne
groes belong. Of necessity they have had to
turn to relief agencies to sustain themselves.
This unnatural situation caused us to fear that
the desire to earn their own living might fade
out as a result of their finding out that they
could live without work. AVhat President
Roosevelt has said along that line confirmed us
in the belief that it is a condition, not a theory
which menaces our civilisation.
Now comes a most welcome assurance. A man
who has spent a lifetime superintending labor
ers and is at present overseeing a public pro
ject, gives as his opinion that Negroes, that
part of the unemployed nearest us, are capable,
reliable workers. Note that word “reliable.”
It is our text. If Negroes who, otherwise, would
be fed and sheltered by relief agencies, are re
liable in these days, then they must be eager
to work. They have not had their individual
ism undermined by the help given.
Possibly we should not have worried about
how Negroes were reacting to the unnatural
conditions. We knew fhat the English worker
voluntarily quit work and went on the dole.
AVe saw American whites in a mad scramble
for government money either as a public ser
vant or a public charge. Nothing would have
been more natural than for Negroes to have
joined the procession. Instead here they are
capable and reliable” on a pick and shovel
job when the temperature is below freezing.
We are glad. We would rather be related to a
dead lion than to a live rabbit.
ECONOMIC
HIGHLIGHTS
Happenings That Affect the Dinner
Pails, Dividend Checks and Tax
Bills of Every Individual. National
and International Problems Insep
arable from Local Welfare.
The ominous word “strike” is no
longer found dail.'f in newspaper
headlines. But this doesn’t mean that
labor is satisfied either with govern
ment labor plans or industry. It is
far from holding out the palm of
peace now as it was a year ago.
Washington observers have been
forecasting a labor blow-up for some
rr.onths—and it looks as if that long
feared event put in its official appear
ance on February 2. On that day,
burly, hard-boiled John H. Lewis, head
of the United Mine Workers, thrust a
thick wedge between the American
Federation of Labor and the Roose
velt Administration.
Focal point of Mr. Lewis’ attack
was Donald Richberg. who is often
termed “the Assistant President.”
Reason for the attack was renewal af
the existing automobile code, which
the Federation has bitterly opposed,
in that it permits men to work 48
hours per week—as compared to the
30-hour week for all industry, which
the Federation passionately espouses.
You may not believe in Mr. Lewis’
opinions—millions of people don’t—
but it is generally agreed that he is
sincere, honest and outspoken. He
represents the old-time, belligerent
type of labor leader who has definite
opinions and doesn’t mind airing them.
When he becomes involved in a ver
bal duel, he never wears gloves.
Mr. Lewis said flatly that Donald
Richberg is a “traitor to organized
labor.” He stated that Mr. Richberg
has deserted his former comrades. It
is interesting to remember, in this
connection, that Mr. Richberg made
his reputation as a hard-fighting labor
lawyer, that when General Johnson
appointed him to the post of NRA
counsel, conservatives feared he would
be excessively pro-labor in his atti
tude.
Mr. Richberg’s reply to the union
charge of treason, was that it amount
ed to a demand that he put union in
terests above loyalty to his govern
ment. He added: “If a refusal to
yield to such a demand be treason, let
those who charge it make the most
of it.”
Mr. Lewis is often at outs with his
A. F. of L- associates, and his opin
ions might have been largely disre
garded as being of a purely personal
nature, had not A. F. of L. President
Green followed him up by saying
that the Lewis’ statement “reflects
the Federation’s feelings very strong
ly.” Mr. Green then said that he
would shortly go to the White House
with a union protest against delay in
codification of the tobacco industry.
That brings up another important
point in the widening gap between
Administration and labor leaders.
Cigarette manufacturers, afraid of
unionisation of their industry, will
have nothing to do with the proposed
tobacco code- That, to labor’s way of
thinking, is bad enough—and it be
comes infinitely worse in the light of
the fact that the NRA chairman is
S. Clay Williams, formerly president
of one of the “big three” cigarette
makers—the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco
Company. NRA officials have said
several times that Mr. Williams with
draws from board meetings when the
tobacco code is being discussed, in an
effort to avoid charges of prejudices—
but labor doesn’t seem to be con
vinced. They don’t call the NRA of
ficials liars directly—but they inti
mate just about that.
It is noteworthy that union leaders
have not yet criticized the President
—all the criticism is directed toward
various of his aides. However, Mr.
Roosevelt makes all present govern
ment policies, and Mr- Richberg, Mr.
Williams and others are directly re
sponsible to him. It is therefore pos
sible that the labor leaders will event
ually come out with direct criticism
if the President—and the potential
solitical results of that would be tre
nendous. A. F. of L.’s membership
is imposing in size and it is usually
considered a potent political influence.
Whether that is true or not will be
seen in the future—some believe that
the rank and file of labor does not
follow its leaders blindly, that Mr.
Green and Mr. Lewis and other un
ion heads control fewer votes than
they think.
At any rate, the Labor-Adminis
tration battle is likely to be one of the
most important interna] problems of
the next year- Whether strikes will
result—and on a greater scale than a
year ago—cannot be safely forecast
now.
The Annalist reports that sustained
expansion in steel output continues to
dominate the business outlook. Prac
tically all steel users are increasing
their orders, with the automobile in
dustry showing the greatest advance
in demand for ingots.
Also encouraging is a substantial,
sustained upturn in construction con
tracts—the building industry was hit
hardest of all by depression, has been
the slowest to pick up.
The general business index is at
about 65 per cent of normal.
| TALKING IT OVER
By Mildred J. Bronson
THE PRICE OF WAR
Dear Friends:
I only wish I knew, and to tell the
truth I don’t believe even the govern
ment itself really knows. I believe
that Mr. Warren Miller of Dallas,
Texas, who requested this writing
and one who suffered a life time in
jury during the last world War. and
also millions of others who suffered
the same fate, are the only ones who
oan tell you the real Price of War.
We do not know the suffering men
had and are still going through, and
some will carry the pains, disfigures
and many miserable sights to the
grave- This is one Price fixing that
man will have no control over. God
and the individual alone know the
; Price, and I am sure if there were a
chance for a trade, there would be
many a deal closed if it was left to the
war veteran.
i nope mat Mr. warren Miller who
knows and who will deliver this most
striking topic, will at least cause some
of his hearers to go o*t and denounce
war, far and near, and with the help
of the Savior, cause this nation and
every nation of the earth to go in for
peace and in some way forbid war of
any kind. This is only a hope, but I
do hope it will come true.
'Did you ever go to a movie where
a War Picture was on and see the
people clapping hands, laughing and
yelling praises? No: Why! I am
asking you this question- Instead you
hear sad remarks. You see tears
flowing from the most heartless crimi
nals’ eyes, and at all times you can see
only sad faces deep in sympathy for
the ones performing the acts. There
is no pleasure watching the acts and
the reaction of war. But people go to
educate themselves with what really
happened to ther sons, sweethearts,
and loved ones. Yet we can only
draw a conclusion of it, but if you
wish to learn the real Price of War,
ask the one who knows-, “The War
Vet.”
One writer said, if you will permit
me to use it, “War is Hell”, and I
heard a wounded Soldier say in a
picture, he would quickly choose Hell
1 if he were given his choice, should he
i be called to War again. Oh, we do not
know but every War picture proves,
to the most unthoughtful person, that
it is terrible.
They tell me War plays no favorites
and respects no man or nation, but
regards only one thing. That through
the Power of death which will reduce
the strength of man’s war power they
can gain their goal. Think this over.
They consider death for a goal. In
football, it’s yards, in basketball, it’s
baskets, in golf, it’s holes, and in base
ball It is gaining of base and scores,
but think of this. In war it is death
to gain what man wishes. Oh, God,
why should there be war? Aching
hearts, unmeasured pains, unthought
ful sights, and above all sacrifices of
sons, loved ones, to gain a goal. Oh,
why is it that man can’t see the great
injustice ?
And, friends, here is the saddest act
of all of it. War respected no man
or nation, but America did. They
called every man, not color, from the
age of 21, so I understand, but after
the War, America forgot all about
War, and did more than ever, before
everything, to make my people suffer
and feel that all their loyalty to the
flag under which they lived, fought
and died was useless and unappre
ciated.
On their journey over the ships car
ried the soldiers and officers, not
colors- All were the same, going to
defend that flag which others wished
to destroy, and I am told that the
Negro not only did his part but also
seood ready at all times to go over
and place his nation in safety. Many
of them still lie there where he made
his last stand. But when the War
mothers were granted a trip by this
great government to visit those loved
ones left over there In death, the ship
that carried the White, Greek, Italian,
in fact every other Mother of the Na
tion, was too good for the mothers of
these heroic colored bojls- Oh, God!
Are the People in the last stages of
life? And who knows that the col
ored lad lying there in death didn’t
take the place of some son tha1» re
turned and is now united with his ftm
ily and enjoying that Mother’s Love
that might have been taken from him
by death. Who knows? It was not
because of their great ability to kill
or capture the enemy that they came
back, but Fate blessed them more, or,
maybe, they were too yellow to face
death. Many of the best tareet men
went down, because they fought to
defend and stood there live men and
died like men. I am sure some of
those who came back can not truth
fully say, “I did that.” If so, we
would be praising their acts, while
they slept peacefully in death beside
his fallen brother.
Who knows that the Mothers’ Sons
whom they are so selfishly, thought
lessly and heartlessly lynching, burn
ing and urtjustly mistreating, didn’t
take the spot that saved the life of
their Sons. Oh, God, who knows ? Oh,
if people could only think, maybe
they would let the law, that the men
made and that thej< trusted, take its
course. But ignorance always costs
something to the people who wish to
stand, feel and know that, by doing
such, is the only way to ever get into
the eyes of the World. But how? I
am askng you.
I would like to know, as a young
writer and speaker, why it is so hard
to pass the Anti-Lynch Law in this
country. Is it true that two-thirds
of tl*is great body of American people
wish such as this ? Can’t the great
leader, who I feel, God sent and who
has gained the confidence of this na
tion. restore us back to that great po
sition that we held so long in the
eyes of the world, convince them of
this most destroying and disgraceful
act, and make it a Federal law? Oh,
please tell me.
There is the N. R. A. and ather
laws to guide the Nation back to the
Road of Success, and don’t you think
that a law Protecting the lives, Homes
and also the property of States and
Government, would be far more im
portant, and would demand the re
spect of everyone I think so.
Don’t you think that such men as
Dillinger, Nelson and others who re
spect no man or law, can place some
of the blame on the War? These men.
as well as others, fought and were
lucky enough to come back to find
that all that they fought for was just
a blank promise, and everything they
expected went blank? If they had
found everything in bloom, like they
say it was in War time, while they
were over there fighting, don't you
think they would have taken a differ
ent stand in life? I think so.
If a colored soldier who stood and
took it like a man over there, found,
when he returned home, all that was!
promised him, don’t you think he
w’ould have made a better citizen?
Instead, he found it worse than be
fore and he has asked himself many
times. “What was I fighting for?”
Lynching, lowdown disrespectful ig
norant men who wish to get revenge
or gain what he wished for years to
accomplish. Half of the crimes that
the Negro is lynched for are not true.
We would not attempt to say that
some are not true. As I said before,
ignoranee causes the nation great
trouble and all races has its share of
this kind of people, but why not let
the law find the man guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt, as it is required by
the law, and then give him the full
extent of the law. Regardless,
wouldn’t that be the proper thing to
do? After all, we are human. May
God teach man to act his part, and the
man who sits around and waits for
some one else to gain a goal, and
get behind some old wornout lie to
get this man out of the way to get
what he had, get rid of him, and make
a law to protect the man regardless of
trouble who gained his goal from the
sweat of his brow. The country will
climb back into supremacy 90 per cent
faster and feel much safer when its
goal is gained. Don’t misrepresent
the name the country wears. “The
land of the Free” and I am sure that
we will soon be * singing praises,
“Peace on Earth, Good Will to Man”.
There will be no more wars, and the
Price will be so small that every
Mother, Home and good son will be
singing Star Spangled Banner.
Let’s Hope.
HOW OLD ARE YOU?
By R. A. Adams
(For the Literary Service Bureau)
A great sensation was created by
the pronouncement by Dr. Wm. Osier
that a man is practically useless after
he is forty. Of late, it has been ser
iously contended that a man has done
his best work and practically has
“shot his bolt;” by the time he is for
ty. Many of the industries are refus
ing employment to men past forty.
And so it gees.
Under the circumstances it is well
to take physical stock and consider
the whole question from its various
angles.
Some one says “A man is as old as
he feels.” Poor standard this, for
feelings are very vacillating things.
Another aphorism is “A man is as old
as his arteries.” This i» based on the
relationship of the arteries to the
heart and the heart to physical life.
But this standard also is variable and
unstable.
My opinion is that age is rather to
be measured by the mind. According
to thi* contention one is not old while
his mind functions normally; while he
can grasp and concentrate; while he
can commit or remlember; as long as
his mental channels are unclogged and
his mind is unimpaired. Mentally
some are old at twenty while others
are still alert at seventy-five. So, who
would keep young must keep the chan
nels of hi* mind unclogged and his
reasoning apparatus clear. Doing
this, he can stubbornly contend that
years do not make age.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Without a moral law anyone would
be justified in doing anything he could
succeed in doing .... based on the
principle either of cunning or might.
Between natons this would lead to
war. Within the State it could turn
into a savage battle of everyone
against everyone else, or else take on
the more “eivilized” form of cut
throat competition, sweatshops, racke
teering, hold-ups, and the like.
Dom Virgil Michel, 0. S. B.
MAXIE
MILLER
WRITES
(For the Literar" Service Bureau)
Girl 18 Want* to Stop School and Get
Married—Boy Willing to Wait—On
ly a Fool Would Give Up Education
In This Way—Go to School—Re
member the Old Adage, “Just a*
Good Fish in the Sea as Ever Were
Caught Out”—Go To School, Millie!
Maxie Miller: I am a girl 18. And
I’m in love. As you would know, from
my age, I haven’t finished my educa
tion. My people are able to send me
to school and they want me to go and
finish. But I love this boy. He says
he is willing to wait, but there are
other girls around here who are on a
hot trail after him I’m afraid I
might lose him, and I just must have
him because he is the only boy I can
ever love. I hate to disappoint my
parents, but I thmk I’d die if this boy
gets away from me. What must I do?
—Millie.
Millie: You would be the biggest
fool this side of the ocean if you'd
give up your education, at th s time.
Your letter is indeed laughable where
you say you can never love another
boy. Why child, perhaps you will
love a dozen others before you die!
You are ‘young. You hardly know
your mind. You say he is willing to
wait. This shows his good sense, and
you should show yours. And if seme
one else should “get him,” there are
other boys just as good. Go to school,
Millie, and prepare for life’s work, or
you will live to regret it.—Maxie
Miller.
RACIAL JUSTICE
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND
(The following letter was printed
on the editorial page of The Catholie
Daily Tribune of Dubuque, Iowa—the
only Catholic daily in the United
States. It is not only because it is the
only Catholic daily that we urge our
readers to subscribe—it is because it
is a newspaper which reflects Catholic
principals of social justice and racial
justice, such as the letter below tes
tifies. Father Raymond Vemimont is
a subscriber and frequent commenta
tor to The Catholic Worker.)
Equal Rights
It is most opportune to broadcast
these words uttered by the late Arch
bishop John Ireland:
“No church is a fit temple of God
where a man because of his color is
excluded or made to occupy a corner.
Religion teaches us that we cannot b«
pleasing to God unless we look upon
all mankind as the children of the
Father in heaven; and they who order
or compel a man because he Is colored
to take himself to a corner marked
off for his race practically contradict
the principles of Justice and equal
right established by the God of mercy
who lives in the altar. This prejudice
and exclusion in the church is a scan
dal and a shame. Let Christians act
out their religion and then there will
be no more race prejudice. The color
line must go, and soon, too. The line
will be drawn at personal merit. The
shame and scandal of putting colored
people in corners and lofts in Catholic
churches must be wiped out. The
doors of all Catholic institutions must
be opened to colored Catholics.”
These golden words should be
broadcasted for the enlightenment of
narrow minded and prejudced Cath
olics.
(Rev.) Raymond Vernimont.
THE IRISH TE DEUM
Thanks be to God for the light and
the darkness;
Thanks be to God for the hail and
the snow;
Thanks be to God for shower amd
sunshine;
Thanks be to God for all things that
grow;
Thanks be to God for lightning and
tempest;
Thanks be to God for weal and for
woe;
Thanks be to God for His own great
Goodness;
Thanks be to God that what is,
is so;*
Thanks be to God when the harvest
is plenty;
Thanks be to God when the barn
is low;
Thanks be to God when our pockets
are empty;
Thanks be to God w-hen again they
o’erflow;
Thanks be to God that the Mass
bell and steeple
Are heard and are seen throughout
Erin’s green isle;
Thanks be to God that the priest
and his people
Are ever united in danger and
trial;
Thanks be to God that the brave
sons of Erin
Have the faith of their fathers far
over the sea;
Thanks be to God that Erin’s fair
daughters
Press close after Mary on heaven’s
highway.
*The editors of The Catholic
Worker don’t agree with this.