Bishop.Tohn A. Gregg To Speak at St. John, Sunday, May 26th
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VOLUME IX OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, May 25th, 1935 NUMBER ELEVEN
PORTERS TO VOTE FOR REPRESENTATION
XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX
Ala. Supreme Court Orders Indictments Quashed
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ELECTION CALLED
BY MEDIATION
A. PHILIP RANDOLPH
National Election For Pullman Porters May
TWENTY SEVENTH
May 27th, or thereabouts, the National Mediation Board,
which controls and regulates the railroads of the country, will cause
to begin a national election to provide Pullman porters and maids
an opportunity to vote for the organization they want to represent
them in the negotations of agreements concerning rates of pay, and
rules governing working conditions, according to A. Philip Ran
dolph. National President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car
Porters.
According to the present schedule, worked out in Chicago,
by Mediator H H. Reed, who has been assigned by the Board to
to handle the election, the election will begin in New York, Chicago,
St. Louis. Los Angeles, New Orleans and Jacksonville at the same
time, beginning May 27th, says Mr. Randolph.
The Pullman Company has a company union known as the
Pullman Porters and Maids Protective Association, which will also
be on the ballot and compete with the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car
Porters for the right to represent the porters, states Randolph.
The invocation of the services of the Board was made by
Brotherhood which has resulted in the setting of the forthcoming
election, when the Pullman Company refused to meet the Bro
therhood in conference following the Brotherhood’s writing the Com
pany requesting a conference last November, observes the porters'
leader, Randolph.
"When the election ends, the votes will be tabulated by the
National Mediation Board and the organiztation which wins will be
designated as the lawful agency for making and maintaining agree
ments with the Pullman Company, concluded Mr. Randolph.
Mr. Randolph left Tuesday for Chicago, where he will direct
the campaign throughout the country to win the election for the
Brotherhood.
Red Perkins Rents
The Peterson’s
Apartment
The ‘long talked of’ and the
‘wonder why’ has been answered.
On May 22nd, Red Perkins, the
famous orchestra leader, rented
the Peterson Apartment, which
has been vacant for quite a
while.
Health Department
Closes Bar B-Q
Eighteen years ago the late
Mrs. Harvey Slaughter conceived
the idea to open a barbeque hut.
She and her husband selected the
I northwest comer of 24th, and
L Blondo Streets. For several years
A that was the only place in Omaha
V tchere one could buy a barbeque
• sandwich, and it became famous
•among Omaha’s worthy citizens.
^^_^henMr. Slaughter went to
Chicago, he sold out to Mrs. Edna
Mitchell, who has been operating
it ever sinee.
She reports to The Omaha
Guide that the State Health De
partment has ordered her to
close because of the lack of sew
ages and sanitary conditions. Mrs.
Mitchell is moving her place to
2011 N. 24th, Street.
—
DANCE REVUE TO BE
PRESENTED MONDAY
NIGHT. MAY 27th, AT
DREAMLAND HALL
A snappy chorus, a rhythmic tango,
a graceful waltz, a well drilled mili
tary tap and many other interesting
dances, solos and choruses are in
cluded in the Revue that the Girl Re
serves of the North Side Y. W. C A.
are presenting on Monday night, May
27th, at Dreamland Hall.
This is a benefit show to raise funds
to send a representative to the Girl
Reserve Conference at Wetomachek,
1 Wisconsin.
Miss Dorothy Beck, general chair
A. Philip Randolph to
Fight for Victory of
Brotherhood
Sleeping Car Porters to Choose
Organization.
May 23, 1935
Special to the Editor,
Omaha Guide,
Omaha, Nebraska
Dear Editor:
On the 27th of May, or a few days
after, the Pullman porters, by order
of the National Mediation Board, will
be given an opportunity to vote in a
national election for the organization
they want.
This is the first time that. Negro
workers have had the opportunity to
vote as a national group in an elec
tion under federal supervision, for
their economic rights. It is an ex
traordinary occasion. It is the result
of 10 years of militant, determined
and courageous fighting by a small
band of black workers against one of
the most powerful corporations in the
world. It may be interesting for you
to know that on the Pullman Board of
Directors sit J. P. Morgan, B. K.
Mellon, Alfred P. Sloan, George F.
Baker, Harold S. Vanderbilt, George
Whitney and others. These men rule
Wall Street, America and practically
the world of Capitalist finance and in
dustry And yet the Brotherhood of
Sleeping Car Porters has, in the face
of nameless opposition and terror,
stood its ground through one of the
worst depressions ever witnessed in
y( Continued on Page 2)
man, has worked very hard to present
an intertaining as well as attractive
revue. She has been assisted by
Misses Rowena Jones, Marjorie Bold
■ en, Lorraine Fletcher and Margaret
Dickerson. Miss Ethel Cole made at
tractive posters and many others;
have donated materials and services
j to make the show a success.
Those working on patrons’ lists in
clude Mrs. Lois Goode, Girls’ Work
! Committee Chairman, Mrs. Louellian
Waites, Mrs. Rose LaCour and Mrs.
J. L. Jewell.
3 JUSTICES
FOR HERNDON
Dissenting Opinion by
Justices Brandeis, Car
dozo and Stone.
Washington. May 23.—The
United States Supreme Court re
fused today—by a vote of 6 to 3—
to set aside the conviction of An
gelo Herndon, heroic 20-vear-old
Negro, who faces a sentence of
18 to 20 years on a Georgia chain
gang on a charge of ‘‘insurrec
tion.’’
The opinion was read by Justice
George Sutherland. Justices Louis
D. Brandeis, Harlan F. Stone and
Benjamin N. Cardozo dissented
from the majority opinion.
Basic Issues Evaded
Evading the basic issues of the
case, namely, the right to organ
ize their majority opinion declin
I ed to review the merits of the ap
peal, declamg that the defense
did not properly preserve the
federal questions involved,” in
other words, that the court had
no jurisdiction.
The court did not go into the
legality of Herdon’s conviction.
The details of questions to be
raised in the petition will be
worked out by the attorneys after
they have had opportunity to ex
amine the opinion of the court
■[and the dissenting opinion of the
SPEAKS AT ST. JOHN CHURCH
BISHOP jo:
Bishop John A. Gregg, presid
ing bishop of the fifth Episcopa
lian District of the Kansas-Ne
braska Conference, will be at St.
John’s A. M. E. Chtirch daring
3N A. GREGG
the week end of Friday. May 24th.
He will be the honored guest at
a banquet on Friday evening.
May 24th, and will deliver the
sermon Sunday, May 26th.
three judges who did not concur.
• . .. Organized for Relief _
Herndon, in the face of the most
vicious prejudice against the Ne
gro people, organized Negro and
white workers in a fight for re
lief in Atlanta where thousands
were starving as a result of un
employment. For this he was ar
rested on an old Civil War code,
placed on trial for his life, and
convicted by a “lilly white” jury.
He was sentenced to serve 18 to
20 years on a chain gang— a
sentence which meant virtual
death to the frail young Negro.
The opinion of the Supreme
Court confined itself to the most
obscurantist discussion of the legal
aspects involved, completely evad
ing the burning issues of the case;
Herndon’s heroic leadership of
the relief fighL in Atlanta, the
discrimination against Negro jur
ors, the rating, lynching-ineiting
speeches of the prosecutor, the
elementary rights of the workers.
J. Harvey Kerns to
Resign in June
J. Harvey Kerns, whose resigna
tion as Executive Secretary of
the Omaha Urban League-Com
munity Center, was tendered to
the board in JanJuary, will leave
the local organization July 1st.
Mr. Kerns came to Omaha in 1928
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
where he held a similar position
for six years with the Milwaukee
Urban League. He was the first
executive of the local Urban Lea
gue and developed it to the place
of one of the foremost branches
in the country.
When the Urban League and
the Mid-City Community Center
merged, he became executive of
the two organizations, known now
as the Urban League Community
Center of Omaha.
Mr. Bernard E. Squires, former
boys’ work secretary in the Cedar
Avenue branch of the Cleveland
Y. M. C. A., and at present, di
rector of boys’ and young mens’
activities of the Phyllis Wheatly
House, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
will succeed Mr. Kerns. Mr.
Squires will arrive in Omaha
June 1st. and will assume active
charge June 15th.
While it i§ not known where
Mr. Kerns will go, it is reported
he is scheduled for an adminis
trative position with the Federal
government. He will leave Oma
ha the latter part of June on a
tour ineludnig Cleveland. Wash
ington, New York and Hartford.
Negro Press Supports
Anti-Lynch Bill
To the Editor of
Omaha Guide:—
May I take this means of express
ing to you the hearty thanks of the
N. A A C. P. and of the organiza
tions which have cooperated with it in
the fight for passage of the Costigan
Wagner Anti-Lynching Bill? With
out a single exception there has been
unstinted and generous support by the
Negro Press; without such support the
fight could never have been made so
effective as it has become. We are
very grateful to you and your readers.
May I also take this occasion to
correct a misunderstanding which
seme people have regarding the pres
ent status of the bill? Passage of a
motion to adjourn on May 1st does
NOT mean that the bill is dead—it
simply means that the bill lost its po
sition as the pending business of the
Senate.
The Costigan-Wagner Bill is still on
the Senate calendar, and the motion
to consider it may be renewed by its
sponsors upon the completion of de
bate upon any bill which may come
before the Congress between now and
adjournment. I wish to assure your
readers that this will be done, and if
we continue to have your support, as
I know we shall, even more will be
heard about the Costigan-Wagner
Bill in the future than in the past.
We have just begun the fight!
Ever sincerely,
Walter White,
Secretary
—......
PATTERSON-NORRIS
HELD ON WARRANTS
—-(
Appointed to
Police Force
Ray Gustin. 2517 Maple Street,
was appointed to the Omaha Po
lice Department and started work
"Wednesday morning. May 22nd.
Commissioner Myers and In
spector Samardick are due con
gratulations on their appointment
of Mr. Gustin. Mr. Gus.in gained
high honors in the examination
and was rewarded with a position
on the force. He is a graduate
of Cen'ral High Sehool. Mr.
Gus in has a very promising
future.
N. A. A. C. P. to Meet
Sunday at Pilgrim
The local braneh N. A. A. C. P. j
• will hold a meeting Sunday after
noon. May 26th. at Pilgrim Bap
tist Church. 25.h and Hamilton
Streets, at 3:30. The public is in
vited to attend.
Communist Create
Police Court Dispute
_
Five workers arrested last Fri
i day when the police department
of Omaha prevented a demonstra
tion in front of the City Hall,
they were kept in jail the week
end by Chief of Police Samar
dick, who refused to reeognize the
! release order of Judge Holmes on
, the pretext that the order was
made out by hand, instead of on
the regular printed forms. The
judge, a Republican, cited the
democratic chief for contempt of
court, apparently in an attempt
to utilize for political purposes
the widespread resentment of the
workers of Omaha against the
strikebreaking role of the police
department in the present street
ear strike. The demonstrtaion
Friday had been called by the
Communist Harty to protest
against the city government’s ban
on all picketing, open-air meet
ings or demonstrations for the
duration of the strike, which has
remained solid after one month.
Included in those arrested are
Bud Reynolds, district organizer,
William Collins, organizer of the
northside unemployed council,
Mary Young, Robert Pike, and
Dan Evanoff. They are now out
on bond, awaiting trial on Wed
nesday on charges of vagrancy,
distributing leaflets, and disturb
ing the peace.
As par tof the city govem
(Continued on Page 2)
MIX-UP STORY A FRAME UP
Bessemer, Ala—(CNA)—A lynch
mob was festering here last Tuesday,
May 7, as police and local mine au
thorities picked an other victim for
an “attack” frame-up.
Walter E. Brown, 23-year-old
youth, was removed to Jefferson coun- j
ty jail for “safe keeping” after his
voice was “recognized” by a white wo
man who described a lurid roadside
night attack.
The whitewoman, Lucille Bailey, and
her escort. Gavin Howton, told a
mixed-up story about a flat tire, a
i lonely country road and a late hour.
The man said he had been struck over
the head by a “Negro who stepped
from behind a tree and attempted to
assault the girl.” Neither of the pair
could give a description other than
“The dark form of a Negro”.
However, this was sufficient evi
dence for a police posse who arrested
Walter Brown at his home early the
following morning- The pair’s sole
identification took the form of “voice
recognition”.
Brown is being held in the county
jail, charged with assault of Howard
and attempted assault of the woman.
The frame-up follows a series of mili
tant labor struggles in Messemer in
which Negro and white miners joined
together to fight for better conditions.
?Seek Wnt of Mandamus
to Force Date For
New Hearing
New False Warrants Hold all
Bovs as Alabama Proceeds With
Plans For New Leg-al Lynch
Trials.
Montgomery, Ala.—Acting on the
mandate of the United States Suprem”
Court, handed down on April 1, the
Alabama State Supreme Court yester
day ordered the ind.ctments against
both Haywood Patterson and Clarence
Norris, Seottsboro defendants, quash
ed
Although no indictments now exist
against Patterson and Norris, they
were ordered held for further pro
ceedings on the basis of new false
warrants sworn out at Seottsboro by
Victoria Price
The indictments still stand against
five of the boys, while Roy Wright
and Eugene Williams, the two young
est boys, are await.ng hearing before
the juvenile court. In the last two
mentioned cases, the International
Labor Defense has been pressing for
the setting of a date for the hearing,
which will have all the character of
a trial. Unless a date is set within
the next few days, the I. L. D. has
announced, it will seek a writ of man
damus to force Probate Judge B. L
Malone, of Decatur, Ala-, to set such
a date.
Strong intimation that a special
term of the grand jury at Scottsboro
will be called to bring new indictments
against all the boys—which move
would be preceded by quashing in the
circuit court of the remaining five in
dictments—has been given by the au
thorities there. The next regular
term of the grand jury is not until
fall.
The present action of the state su
preme court follows upon the decision
of the United States Supreme Court,
handed down April 1, that the indict
ments and convictions were illegally
obtained, before grand and petit jur
ies from which Negroes were syste
matically excluded.
Under Alabama law, Clarence Nor
ris and Haywood Patterson must now
be moved from the death cells they
have occupied for more than a year in
Kilby Prison here, to Jefferson coun
(Continued on Page 2)
Alabama Judge
Prosecutes Negro;
Innocence is Proven
Birmingham, Ala. (CNA) — Negro
hating Judge J. Q. Smith again dis
played his viciousness in the case of
Robert Stewart, a worker charged
with second degree murder because of
an accident which witnesses declared
was not his fault.
Stewart was driving an automobile
which was involved in an automobile
street car collision which resulted in
the death of two children
The parents of the children them
selves went into Judge Smith’s court
to aver the worker’s innocence and to
declare that they wished to press no
charge against him. Despite This,
Judge Smith insisted upon prosecut
ing Stewart—his sole “concession”
taking the form of permitting the
charge to be altered from FIRST DE
GREE MURDER to manslaughter.
Judge Smith has won a wide reputa
tion, even among Southern jurists, for
his prejudiced decisions against Ne
groes in his court-room.