. . . EDITORIALS . . .
The Omaha Guide
I*ublished even- 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
of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Term* of Subscription $2.00 per vear
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, AUGUtrT 3, 1935
THE DEFENSE OF ETHIOPIA AT HOME AND
ABROAD
,Concrete Plan for Assistance
By John Brock, Associate Editor,
Crusader News Agency
NEW YORK—CNA—The drama of war, now be
ing enacted on the Ethiopian border, and affecting
the capitals of the big powrers, rushed to a climax
last week.
Mussolini made it clear that nothing savc the
complete submission of the Ethiopian people wmold
satisfy Italian fascism. From the accusers of “Ethi
opian agression” to “defenders of Ethiopian slaves
and “civilizers of fuedal Ethiopia,’’ Italian fascism
seeks to build a moral case for tis war of conquest
Barboraus Rule of Fascism
But uncensored, behind-the-line stories paint a
different picture. These stories reveal:
1. Each day at least 40 Italian soldiers are becom
ing invalids in North Africna camps.
2. Wholesale migrations of Italians are taking
place across the borders of Austria to escape mili
tary service.
3 Mass unrest of Italian peasants and workers
due to increased taxes for war.
4. The iminent danger of the collapse of the fas
cist dictatorship due to internal disorders.
It is this state of afairs which makes Musolini
bellow and rattle the sword all the louder in order
to bolster the morale and drown the chorus of in
ternal dissention.
Thus, the world views the strange sight of one of
the areh-barbarians of history donning the cloak of
“civilization and culture” for the purpose of per
petuating and exteneding a reginme kept in power
b yfilled prisons, quart doses of castor oil and firing
squads.
Machinations of Big Powers
France and England, fearful of anti-imperialist
feeling among their colonials, have hypocritically
talked ctf “curbing” Italy. But their plans for
“curbing”, so far revealed means the peaceful sub
mission of the Ethiopian nation to an Italian “pro
tectorate”.
The hypocrisy of these powers was exposed when
a treaty signed in 1891 by France. England and Ita
ly, granting eastern Ethiopia as an Italian sphere of
influence, was made public.
With the big powers backing Italy and the control
of the League of Nations established, Haile Selassie
has appealed to wrold public opinion He has stress
ed the desire for peaee and a determination to fight
Ethiopia as a Civilizer
By his straightforward statements, the Emperor
has won to the side of the Ethiopian people the pro
gressive forces of all nations, including Italy. From
the four corners of the earth, from Negro people and
anti-fascist elements, from Christian nad jews, have
come pledges Of support.
. So that, while Mussolini claims the t itle of
“civilizer”, those forces sincerely wishing to pre
serve civilization from fascist barbarsm, select
Ethiopia as a natural ally.
Aid Etheiopia
Documentary proqf of Ethiopia's acceptance
of these allies is the cablegram in answer to a
message from the Provisional Committee for the
Defense of Ethiopia and the American League
against War and Fascism:—
Message to Emperor Haile Selassie—“Three
hundred thousand black and white New York
members oppose invasion of Ethiopia. Protest plan
ned.”
Answer of Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign
League. Ethiopia will continue to seek a peace
ful solution but will defend herself against) an
attempt at predatory eonquest.”
The question of concrete aid in defense of
Ethiopia is now of immediate and pressing im
portance. First, must eome pressure on various
governments to withdraw aid or assistance to
Mussolini; second, to insure an effective defense
through ‘ gifts” of munitions and other materials i
and human technical aid; third, support of anti
Mussolini forces within Italy itself.
But it should be born in mind that the main
aid to his downf. 11 is a strong, well organized
Ethiopian military defense
THE ENGINEERS BATTLE FIRE
The fiscal year which recently closed, accord
ing to a report of the committee on fire prevention
and engineering standards of the National Board of
* 're underwriters, presented unusual opoprtunities
for the work of the organization’s engineering de
partment.
Members of that department inspected cities in
2 stat * and issued 21 complete reports along with
■A special and supplementary reports. These in
volve eities as large as Milwaukee Rochester and
Dayton. A complete report on Dos Angeles is now
being prepared. The engineers have exhaustively
tested fire apparatus for cities planning to purchase
new equipment, and have made recommendations as
to the efficiency of fire departments, which have
been almost universally accepted and acted upon by
municipal officials.
In cooperation with the Edison Electrical In
stitute, through-going tests of electrical devices and
wiring methods have been conducted. The Engi
neers have likewise played a prominent part in de
veloping training and drill schools for fire depart
ments.
One of the more important activities of the de
partment has been its cooperation with the National
Association of Public School Business officials- A
self-inspection blank has been prepared, to be used
by school authorities and fire departments. By
making periodical inspections, school hazards can
be discovered and corrected.
Work such as this is responsible for a tremend
ous lessening in fire loss. The money it costs is
saved to the public manytimes over, and its bene
ficial effect is especially marked in the case of the
policyholder, who eventually pays less for his in
surance than he would otherwise. It deserves the
support and cooperation, not only of public officials,
but of the public at large.
MAYBE THEY WERE HONEST
The action of the House of Representatives in
voting down the ‘death sentence” clause of the
Wheeler-Raybum utility holding company bill, has
been followed by a vast amount of recrimination, de
nunciation and plain name-calling.
It is said, for example, that the vote was
swayed by a powerful utility lobby which led the
Representatives around by their noses, at the ex
pense of the public interest. And. on the other side
of the fence, it is said that presure from political
sources likewise caused Representatives who were
really against the bill, t ovote for it.
It doesn’t seem to have occurred to any of these
commentators that the Representatives may have
simply voted as they are supposed to vote—on the
basis of what they honestly believed to be in the
public interest and compatible with their duty, and
that the vote thus reflects the genuine sentiment fo
the nation.
There is evidence enough to suggest that as the
true answer More than a million people wrote
the;r Congressmen about the bill—and the majority
of the letters opposed the death sentence. When
the hearings were held, a legion of responsible ob
servers testified for and against the bill—and again
the majority w-as opposed to the death sentence.
Some of the best known of the Representatives, dur
ing the floor debate, spoke against the death sent
ence—and their arguments were not political, but
social and economic.
It is certainly reasonable to assume that the
Representatives who voted for the bill believed that
the death sentence wras good and necessary—and it
is also reasonable to assume that the large majority
which voted the other way were equally sincere and
honest. The death sentence lost by around a two
to-one majority—and the best guessers as to the
state of public opinion think that a national referen
dum would produce about the same result.
SANE SAFETY MEASURES
Writing in Public Safety, Robert I. Cat.lin
points out that there are three factors involved in
solving the automobile accident problem—Educa
tion. Engineering and Enforcement. He then says
that enforcement represents the weakest link in the
chain, and makes specific suggestions for strength
ening and improving our legal machinery for coping
with reckless and incompetent drivers.
First, every state shoud enact the “standard”
drivers’ license law, providing for a thorough ex
amination for licenses.
Second, there should be more suspending and
revoking of licenses of drivers who are congenitally
unable to operate their cars safely.
Third, separate traffic courts should be estab
lished whose purpose should be educational as well
as punitive.
Fourth, traffic schools should be set up for vio
lators of driving laws. ^nder the supervision of the
police department. This has been done in several
cities, and the work is meeting -with great success.
Fifth, there should be more adequate protection
for pedestrians—who are the worst sufferers from
dangerously driven automobiles—such as walkways
and overhead and underground passages across con
gested intersections
Sixth, a Citizens Advisory Committee should be
created in every city to cooperate with the Commsi
sioner of Motor Vehicles in an effort to further in
crease the efficiency of traffic law enorcement, and
to educate and interest the public in safety work.
These suggestions are simple and workable, and
they can be put into effect in any townorcity. Thev
point the way toward saving thousands of the lives
that are now needlessly destroyed by automobiles
each year.
“Aboish all activities of government maintain
ing and operating a business.”—Eugene Talmadge.
Governor of Georgia.
]
ECONOMIC
HIGHLIGHTS
Happenings That Affect the Din
ner Pans, Dividend Cheeks and
Tax Bills of Every Individual.
National, and., international
Problems Inseparable from Lo
cal Welfare.
Price levels are something in
which everyr industry has a com
mon interest, along with every
consumer, private or commercial.
Secondary- reason for the estab
lishment of the NRA—primary
reason was wage and working re
quirements—was to peg and stab
ilize prices, thus assuring business
I a profit. NRA zeaots, when the
bureau was thrown into the legis
lative ash-can by the Supreme
Court, said that the result would
be price chaos which would dis
rupt industry and negate what
progress toward recovery had
been made. Opponents of the
NRA, while they felt this view
was obviously- extreme and un
justified, were mostly uncertain
as to the future price trend,* said j
little, and waited for events to
take their course.
Now Business Week has sup
plied a partial answer to the high
ly important price question,
through a ‘‘confidential poll” of'
executives of major industries.
Assurance was given to the per
nor firm names would be pub
sons asked that neither personal
lished, thus making it possible for
them to be as frank as they
wished. Results of the poll,
through and authoritative yet
wheih appears to be the most
made, appeared in a recent issue
of Business Week—and here is a
digest o fit:
STEEL—Price structures low
but sound, wil be supported even
during the dull season.
ELECTRICAL PRO DUCTS—
Price trend slightly downward,
but ultimate effect believed good
MINING—Prices are weak in this
industry. Elimination of NRA
pegging has caused a severe
break in copper prices.
AUTOMOBILES—Prices will
hold firm—the industry’s policy
of giving more value for the
money each year will be continu
ed.
PETROLEUM—0 utlook is
hazy. Price trends will be de
termined by the success achieved
in enforcing crude pro-ration.
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS—
Prices will hold firm during sum
mer with a moderate rise in fall.
DAIRY AND POULTRY PROD
UCTS—-Butter advance forecast.
Milk prices will be lower than
usual next winter, due to lower
priced feeds.
TOILET PREPARATIONS—
Prices will hold firm. Raw ma
terial prices in this industry have
risen sharply during the past
year, but not due to NRA influ
ence.
ALEDICAL PREPARATIONS,
—While prices o n individual
products will be reduced to meet
cut-price competition, there will
be no general breaks.
TYPEWRITERS AND OF
' FICE MACHINERY—W h i 1 e
prices on individual products will
bereduced to meet cut pricedcom- j
petition, there will be no general
price breark.
TYPEWRITERS AND OFFICE
MACHINERY—Anticipates nor
mal business, with stable prices.
AGRICULTURE—Meat prices
will probably stay for some time,
with possible breaks next winter
Grain prices are likely to be low.
These comments indicate but
one thing that the NRA decision
has had little or no effect on eith
er wholesale or retail price struc
tures. As Business W’eek points
out, most of the replies it re
ceived attributed surprisingly lit
tle importance to the collapse of
the NRA. There are no signs that
business at large is going in for
ruinous price-cutting on a wide
scale, which would inevitably re
sult in wage reductions and long
er working weeks—a n d industry
does not want that. The consum
er can be reasonably certain that
his dollar will buy just about as
much during the next six months
or a year as it does now.
—0O0—
I
Students of European affairs
have no lack of material these
days—material that is both ab
sorbing and appalling.
Top interest is the Italian
Ethiopian embroglio, which prog
resses steadily toward war—most
observers think actual hostilities
will start in the fall. Premier
Mussolini does most of his speak
ing from gun-carriages at present
—and his remarks are the most!
war-like in post-war history. On
the other side of the fence, black
Emperor Haile Selassie pledges
the life of every one of his sub
jects to the defense of Ethiopian
independence. In the meantime,
: foreigners are evacuating Addis
Ababa, Ethiopian capital, on the
advice of their consular represen
tatives.
• If war comes, Ethiopia will
able to muster an army of several
have two advantages—it will be
million men accustomed to the al
most incredibly hard country in
which they live.—A recent book
on Ethiopia bears the title, “The
Hell Hole of Creation,” and visi
tors to Ethiopia say that descrip
tion is not exaggerated.—On the
other hand, it has no artillery
worthy of the name, only a few
out-of-date airplanes, and even
lacks modem repeating military
rifles.
Italy is of course equiped in up
to-the-minute military style, with
the latest in machine guns, tanks, j
field guns, gas, etc- Military au
thorities are confident she will
win—though at a teffific cost of
life, and over a longish period of
time.
The problem is further compli-1
eated now by the appearance of
Japan with a warning to Italy
that Nippon intends to keep her
Ethiopian markets. Japan is as
much a first-class military power
as Italy and Mussolini doesn’t
want trouble with her.
Textile Workers Strike
in South Africa
Johannesburg. So. Africa. (CNA)
—By mail—The ranks of the 30Q.
textile workers of the Consolidated
Textile Mills remained solid here as
their strike entered its third week.
The workers are in a fighting mood
and determined to stand firm until
their demand for pay for the compul
sory holiday on Jubilee Day (anni
versary marking the 25th year of the
reign of King George) and union
recognition is granted, They are also
claiming pay for each day tsat the
strike continues.
Financial support for the strike has
been guaranteed by the Furniture
Workers Industrial Union, the Tailor
ing Workers Industrial Union, the
Garment Workers Union and the
Typographical Union.
Bar Arms to Ethiopia
London. England, (CNA)—An em
bargo on the exportation of arms
and a nmnnitdon to Ethiopia has been
in force here for several months, it
was revealed this week.
The British government, dominat
ed by imperialist interests, no less
than the French, are placing such
barriers in tse way that munition
manufacturers here and elsewhere
are reluctant to accept Ethiopian or
ders.
Last week. Emperor Haile Selassie
protested vehemently in a newspaper
interview that French, Belgian, Dan
ish and Czechoslovak officials were
blocking the shipment of arms to
Ethiopia even though the orders were
paid for and were actually awaiting
delivery at European ports.
Y. M. C. A- Closes Door
Militant Group
Los Angeles, Calif., (CNA)—Be
cause a speech by Langston Hughes,
famous Negro poet, displeased con
servative whites and Negroes, the
doors of the Los Angeles YMCA have
been closed to further meetings of the
local branch of the League of Strug
gle for Negro Rights. Hughes is na
tional president of tike League.
Displeased Backers
In explaining the reasons for the
order, Baxter S. Scruggs, executive
secretary of the “Y”, asserted that
the Hughes speech had displeased
some of those who control the Com
muitity Chest on whies he asserted
the YMCA is dependent for funds.
Scruggs issued his order only after
a vain attempt to persuade James H.
Garrot, architect and president of the
L. S. N. R., to agree to a quiet with
drawal on the part of the League.
Pointing out that Scruggs has re
peatedly insisted that the YMCA is a
community institution, Garrott re
fused the request.
Protest Campaign
For the past year the League has
conducted a number of forums at the
YMCA and among those who have
been presented in addition to Hughes
was Arna Bontenrps, also well known
as a novelist and poet.
Taking their stand on the ground,
that League members have been in
many instances supporters of the
YMCA, the local branch has launched
a drive, seeking to make Scruggs re
consider his decision.
Coal Company, Police,
Murder Miner
Critically Injure Another.
Birmingham, Ala.. July 31.
CNA—One miner was murdered
and another critically injured
THE REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
OF
Omaha Branch, N. A. A. C. P.
FOE ! I
JULY 16, 1935
TO:
The N _A. A. C. P.. Omaha Branch.
Executive Board, Officer’s, Members:
I &
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE SUBMITS THAT
It has carefully examined the books and records of the local
branch covering the period from January 19, 1935 to date of this re
port and finds as follows:
DEBIT
1-19-35—Previous Administrwion_$ .91.21
1-25-35—Collected to date of 1-25-35 __32.00
3'18-35—Net receipts from Pickens Meeting_1.75
Memberships—not including Pickens
Meeting—as follows:
6-16-35—Dr. Wesley Jones_1.00
6-16-35—John B. Horton_1.00
6-16-35—Mrs. Mabel Fields_1.00
6-17-35—Mrs. Victoria Tamer_1.00
3- 7'35—Mr.- Ollie Lewis_1.00
• . ■ * ‘
TOTAL :_$ 129.96 $129.96
t
CREDIT
Authorized but not of record_6.69
1-25-35—National Office_$ 16.00
1-25-35—Postage_.25
1- 25-35—Rent, St. Johns A. M. E. Church_3.00
3-18-35—National Office_7.50
3‘18-35—Mason and Knox_1-20
3- 18-35—Omaha Guide_8.00
4- 15-35—Dr. Jones—Emergency Expense _ 2.91
2- 4 -35—Postage_1.00
6-16-35—Convention Enrollment Fee_5.00
6-18'35—Branch Fee,. National Convention_104)0
6-18-35—Delegate’s Expenses_33.00
6- 18-35—Postage_-... 1.00
7- 16-35—Cash balance—on deposit_ 28.66
TOTAL_$ 124.21 $124.21
Amount unreported_ $ 5-75
The following sums were authorized hut
do not appear of record:
Mrs. Martha Smith_$ 2.00
Two telegrams to senators-3.94
Postage paid by Dr. Jones- .75
The Committee finds that the receipts listed from the five mem
berships have not been deposited or any disposition of the same
shown to have been made. Charging this five dollars for member
ships as unreported we find a shortage in the funds of the associa
tion in the amount of seventy-five cents. Adding the unreported five
dollars, we find the shortage to be five dollars and seventy-five cents
—$5.75.
The Committee further finds the books and records of the
Branch in an unsatisfactory condition. Attention is called to vouch
in the books of the secretary in the amount of $30.19. while branch
disbursements amount to $95.55- In other words, disbursements in
the sum of $65.36 which does not appear in the secretary’s voucher
book. It is apparent that there has been a lack of proper apprecia
tion of the duties and responsibilities of, the officers to each other.
Failure of cooperation is apparent. Sufficient team work is not
shown.
Likewise the committee finds omissions in the minutes cf sums
authorized to be paid by the board and suggest the board vote out
the following sums that the ymay appear of record:
Mrs. Martha Smith-$ 2.00
Two telegrams to senators- 3.94
Postage paid by Dr. Jones-.76
The committee further finds that the funds of the branch have
been handled by the officers in a manner highly commendable as
pertains to faithfulness to their trust; that any mistakes made were
in methods of handling and not otherwise and upon the reporting of
the five dollars for membership and the accounting for the sum of
$.75, the officers will receive the approbation of this commtitee.
Respectively submitted,
FINANCE COMMITTEE
OMAHA BRANCH, N. A. A C. P.
BY Charles F. Davie
Chairman
Approved and adopted: July 16. 1935_
when they were set upon here by
thugs in the pay of the Tennessee
Coal and Iron Co- The police
made no arrests.
The murdered man was Sam
Childs, member of the I nited
Mine Workers of America, and
active in the fight against the
company uninn in Bessemer. W il
liam Childs, brother of Sam, was
the injured mirier.
The murder gang was led by
“Killer” Alexander, white,
T. C. I. polieeman.
When Mrs. Sam Childs visited
the superintendent’s office to col
lect the company insurance for
her husbands death, she was
thrown out.
In protest against the cold
blooded murder of Childs, an en
tire shift of miners refused to
work unless Alexander was dis
charged. The company’s answer
was the firing of all the laborers.
Because of the militancy of the
trade-unionists here, the company
has been unsuccessful in hiring
scabs to replace the discharged
miners.
by the world-wide activities of the
Intematronal Labor Defense, prohib
its the exclusion of Negroes from
jury service.
The possibility of a Negro serving
on a Shelby County jury is now one
to 5,000, thanks to the efforts of the
jury commissioners.
The jury officials here admitted
that there have been no Negroes on
County juries “since reconstruction
days”. Further evidence of their
anti-Negro attitude was displayed
when they proudly added that “A Ne
gro inadvertently was called for jury
service 1” years ago and promptly ex
cused”.
, #
Compel African Troops
to Protect Fascists
Paris, France—(CNA) — Despite
the known hatred of Africans for
fascism, battalions of the 8th Zouaves
will be tnabilized against Bastille Day
parade sponsored by the People's
Front Against War and Fascism, and
compelled to protect the counter-dem
onstration of fascists and reactionar
ies.
Add Names of Two Ne
gToes to Jury List
of Ten Thousand
Memphis. Tenn., CCNA)—Reaction
ary elements chuckled inwardly when
the officials here made a feeble and
half-hearted attempt to comply with
the recent U. S. Supreme Court rul
ing on Scottsboro by adding the
names of two Negroes to the list of
approximately 10,000 Shelby County
residents eligible for jury duty.
The Supreme Court ruling, gained
Build Train With
Jim Crow Seats
Berwick, Pa., (CNA)—1The “Rebel”,
a new streamlined train which boasts
of jim crow seating arrangements, is
the pride and pet of its builders here.
It will run a daily schedule on the
rails of the Gulf, Mobile & Northern
Railroad between Jackson. Tennessee
and New Orleans, Louisiana. An
other train sicilar to the “Rebel” is
now under construction.