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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1935)
WAV.V.V.’.V.W.ViWV.VV^MVA’/WJV . . . EDITC WWAWWVWWWmWWMWWWW The Omaha Guide Published every Saturday at 2418-20 Grant St., Omaha, Neb. Phone WEbster 1750 GAINES T. BRADFORD, Editor and Manager Entered as Second Class Matter March 15, 1927 at the Post Office at Omaha, Neb., under the Act of 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, OCTOBER 19, 1935 ANGELO HERNDON’S CASE ^PIJE United States Supreme Court this week up '**■ held the decision of the courts of Georgia sentencing young Angelo Herndon militant labor organizer to 18 to 20 years on tlie chain gangs of the state. The Supreme Court could not have upheld this decision had the facts in the ease been con sidered rather than the fear of offending this dem ocratic state’s pride by reversing the decision. The court had tlie same facts to consider in this case as in the Scottsboro eases but the mass pressure of the two cases differed. “Scottsboro” is known over the world but not much interest has been ex hibited in Herndon’s case as should have been be cause it is more of a labor case. The hundreds who Herndon organized to march on the Pulton County authorities and demand bread are now on the relief rolls and their martyr has been forgotten. They dare not speak in his behalf or they plight be cut off the relief rolls and there may not be another Angelo to lay down his liberty for the cause of the starved workers. Georgia has a Governor who has aspirations to be I resident ot the 1 n.ted States. Last month he spoke in the state ot Nebraska to the farmers trying to start a third political movement that would sup plan the late Huey Long’s Share the Wealth Party. This man could spend his time studying conditions in his own state and improve them and then start out with h.s ballyhoo. Using an ancient law to con vict a man guilty of saying less radical words than what he uttered to Nebraska farmers, Talmadge stdl has nerve to parade his virtues before others and ask nomination to the presidency. However nothing will grow out of his speech and it is all probably forgotten by now. Those defending Herndon ask that all persons interested in seeing justice done to this youth to sign a post card, letter or wire to Governor Eugene Talmadge, Atlanta, Georgia, demanding the release of Herndon. DIXIELAND GIVING AWAY SPHERE are certani things happening in that 1 section of the country called Dixieland, or just plain Dixie, which indicate the stronghold of hate, race prejudice and other handicaps to Dixieland as well as to the Negro, is now seeing the light and making progress. To be specific, Dixieland is now forced to give away to justice and fair play, per haps not so much through being overmuch in love with so doing, but rather because she is forced to do so. W e read with some delight the big victory for justice and fairplay won by the National Associa tion for the Advancement of Colored People, in that Donald G. Murray, a Negro, has been admitted to the Law department of the University of Maryland. Only the beclouded mind would contend that this is an occurence of no particular importance to the Negro m particular, and to the cause of Justice in general throughout the nation. There maybe those who will contend that Maryland ls not in the socalled “Deep South ’’ but she borders on the South and the social customs, laws, et ceterea of Maryland differ very little from those of other southern states. Some will claim that only one person is involved m this instance, but they should remember that the victory of one person in t he cause of Justice “ often taken as a criterion for others who seek Justice 1 ourts in passing judgement take cogniz ance of such cases and they have more bearing than a lot of ballyhoo by unthinking people to the contrary. So the victory in admitting Murray to the Uni versity of Maryland will go a long way in the mat ter of getting equitable educational opportunities m other states ,where Negroes are denied their con stitutional rights to get an education as other racial elements m the citizenry. The states of Missouri, West Virginia and Virginia ,particularly, the first two named, should be the next where such a fight is made. Maryland has been forced to do her duty to Donald G. Murray; she can now' be forced to do her full duty by other Negro students as well, in all departments of all her schools. W hat has been done in the case in question, should, can and ultimately will be done in West "T‘ *inia, Kentucky, Missouri, other border states, a* itimately in the socalled Deep South. It maybe AVW/W/AVAV/A'/A,//A,iWAVi,.VA,.W» 'RIALS . . . F,V.V.\V-V.V.V.V.V-V.V.V-,-V.V.VV.V.V.V.V. a bitter pill for the Southland to swallow, but swallowing time has come. Paraphrasing the state ment of another we say: THE NATION CANNOT LONG ENDURE WITH ONE ELEMENT OP ITS CITIZEN/RY ENJOYING ‘FULL CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES WHILE ANOTHER ELEMENT EQUALLY MERITORIOUS IS DE NIED IDENTICAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES AND YET SHARE IDENTICAL CITIZENSHIP RESPONSIBILITY! The most assuring thing of the whole situation in the Maryland case is the attitude expressed by the University faculty (at least reported so), to the effect Donald G. Murray will be accorded every courtesy and attention due any other student, how ever white. That is as it should be. We hope they mean what they say. If their acts belie their state ments, they will stand forth in bold relief as colossal jellyfishes and persons worthy of high seats in the best Annanias club in the world. So Dixieland is giving away. —From the Plaindealer. DRAMA ART MUSIC YfOURS truly knows of two very fashionable Negro churches in this state where the min isters and their families ride around in fine cars, eat the finest foods, and wear the finest clothes. It is true that the wealthiest Negroes in that partic ular city do patronize the two churches of which I write, yet it is the wash women who scrub their ; knuckles to the bone in order that their pastors may live m luxury. The women and men who slave for almost starvation wages in the hot, dusty, to bacco factories, who are ashamed to send their j children to school because they cannot afford to I dress them in comfortable clothes, nor give them proper food are the ones on whom these parasites of religion prey. As for me, I think it is a damn shame and am going to fight it every chance I get. There is only one thing worse than white Bourgeois and that is a black one. There are some of us who are preparing to TEACH Workers’ Edu cation and we often ask ourselves how we are so_ ing to get down to the workers level. To those let me say this. Your problem is not how to get down to the level of the working man, but torealize that you are there already. People who have lived all their lives in a pseudosocial atmosphere, and are planning to treat the worker with the same con tempt that he formerly did is doomed. It is a damn able disgrace that we as Negroes should presume to set ourselves apart and then criticize. We have got to get in the water and fight like hell not only to save our brothers but to save ourselves. Not one of us is invulnerable. In the final reckoning we are not judged as individuals, but as a race. So to those of us who have been swimming in the mud pond and have been “psyching” ourselves into be lieving that wm were in Mr. Astor’s private pool, let’s come to our senses before it’s too late. You now are wondering what this article has to do wtih Drama, Art and Music. Isn’t life a stage? Aren’t we the actors? Don’t we sing? Wrell I for one am advocating the need for a new song. This it not the time for compromise. Of iourse some of us are going to be. crucified by those very individuals whom we are trying to save, but a man who is a leader and has a principle and is not willing to die for it is not fit to live for it. Let's adopt this song as our theme; “Stand aside all you petty Bourgeoise and let us the workers pass.” Then after we have taken our rightful places in the new social, political and economic order, we can look back on our former “leaders” and' in the words of that master fighter Pop Eye, and say, “Pooey” to all of you from all of we.” ' 11II ill so far as the Negro is concerned is much like the old fashioned melodramas. After the \ illan has kicked Little Nell all over the place, has broken both her legs, has tied her to the rail road track in the face of an on rushing passenger train, and lias even put her Ma and Pa out of their home, this same villan looks lovingly and longingly at! Little Nell and sighs; “Oh why don’t you have1 confidence in me?” But Little Nell continues to pipe I bravely No! a Thousand Time No! AVhen every! thing looks darkest, ji dashes the big strong hero' and saves his darling in nick of time, and they live happily ever after. ! Now my dear readers (that is if you have read this far), you may ask; “What does such a dumb simile have to do with the Negro? Just this. We as Negroes are playing the role of Little Nell in the real drama which is being enacted daily. We are not only booted all over the stage by ruthless white politicians, but by our very own preachers and business men. The politician comes to those of us who are permitted to vote and tell us what intelligent people we are; how he cried when poor old Uncle Joe passed away; that Abe Lincoln was the Ne groe’s best friend; that Booker Washington was the ONLY educator; and then to add insult to injury Ue looks bonignly over the audience and savs, “I had rather hear you colored people sing your be loved spirituals ” “I remember my dear old black mammy.” Abe Lincoln .... “Booker Washington ....’’ “Spirituals . . . .” “Vote for me ....’’ We like fools vote for him. He like the cheap political bag pipe that he is only mocks us The Negro preacher has been one of the great est if not the greatest handicap to us as a race. All of them are exploiters. He has made us hope for pie in the sky by and by, when all the time he has been eating his right here. A Guide Reader Gives His Views On Politics Editor Omaha Guide:— Colonel Theodore Roosevelt should be nominated Republican President in 1936. So said a com mittee now organizing which is planning to organize 100 Colonel Theodore Roosevelt Republican Clubs throughout the United States. They are offering reasons why he should have the Republi can nomination in 1936. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt for President, is ...qualified, ...has ...the ...ability. He ..is ...a .Diplomat,... a -business man and a Republican.... Capable of filling the office of the Presi dent of the United States. First. He is all American, born in Oyster Bay, New York, 48 years ago. He is 100 percent for Amer ica and the Constitution of the United States. He was sentenced duty in service from 6 years old school age to 48 years to Septem ber 1935. He is a man with a family, having taken a wife at an early age. Reared one daughter and three sons. He was 21 years old when he finished Harvard in 1908 B. A. Second. In 1908 he gave his ser vices to several business enter prises. He was author of a book ‘The Average Man’, with his brother he wrote a book ‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ in 1916. Third. He was soldier commis sioned Major 25th Inf. U. S. A. April 20, 1917. At France 1917 with division, First army A. E. F. (Wounded in Battle) participated in battles at Cantigny, Sessons, Argonne-Muse, and at St. Michiel. Fourth. He was trustee of the Howard University at Washing ton, D. C., and one of the heads of the Boy Scouts of America. He was organizer of the American Legion in 1919. Member of Roval Geographical Society of London, England. Fifth. Prior to his entering as Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy in the year of 1921 he gave valuable service to the Republican party. Sixth. He was candidate for Republican Governor of New York going up against Tammany pol itics in 1924 and sacrificing him self for the Republican party. Seventh. Chairman of the New York states convention in 1927. Explorer to Asia in 1928, 1929 and leader of the James Simpson Roosevelt-Field museum. Eighth. Governor of Porto Rico 1929 to 1932. Ninth. Governor General of the Phillippine Island 1932, 1933 ser ving the people so faithful that the people asked the Democratic Administration to retain him. Tenth. Since 1933 he was asso ciated with business and has give vigirous service on aiding the re turn of the Republican party to power in the U. S. Government. Eleventh. The life of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt of Oyster Bay, New York, He has known nothing but service and duty and having been always around loyal Americanism. Good government. With America Liberty and Free dom also being a son of a wise leader and one of the late pres idents of the United States makes him capable of being president of the United States. In following his life very closely we find him walking in the narrow straight paths and fighting for American Liberty and standing 100 percent for the constitution of the United States of America. We can not see why every loyal Republican any many wise Democrats could not stand for a great character for president of the United States. The committee now informing is asking each individual voter who reads this circular letter and see the great character we are of fering the American people for president of the United States. Will deem it a pleasure if they so desire and make a fac-simile typewriter copy and send foth one or more to voters. You can form a club and head it yourself if you so desire. There* is no finance to foster this move ment. It is volunteer and free will offed. You are at liberty to send j THE WAY OUT (By Loren Miller) (Special to CNA) NOT FIT TO PRINT The man from whom I bought the morning paper said that he had made up his mind not to have any more dealings, commercial or social, with Italians in this country. He was pret ty angry at Mussolini too and this is no place to put down his remarks; they simply don’t fit into a family journal of this kind. My friend argued that many Ital ians were supporting the invasion of Ethiopia and he made it profanely plain that he wouldn’t risk having anything to do with supporters of a robber war in Africa. The argument sounds plausible enough, the only trouble it that it plays right into the hands of Musso lini. After all, the Italian dictator and his high-up fascist pals don’t intend to do any fighting in Africa. They’re going to leave the dirty Work to the Italian workers and farmers. On the other hand, the av erage resident of Rome isn’t mad at the man in the Addis Ababa streets. Ssame iactics If the war is to be popular, the Italian war lords have got to stir up hatred among Italians for all Ethiopians, a process already well under way. Ethiopia is being painted in Italian papers as a bloodthirsty nation of slaveholders bent on wreck ing civilization. I remember the same business dur ing the World War when the Ger mans were pointed to as baby-kill ers and ho me-wreckers. There was a time when I actually believed that I hated the “Huns” wholesale, al though I knew that our German neighbors were nice people. Once you get this national hatred business going, you have laid the basis for popular support for war. Let it go far enough and you lose sight of the real causes of the war, any war. Soon you drift into the belief that there are natural enmities between people that underly large-scale mur der by trained soldiers. It’s A Racket For the moment the record is fair ly straight; there are few who do not understand that the invasion of Ethiopia is a racket, a put-up job by Mussolini and Italian industrialists to cover up conditions at home. Italy is facing a food shortage, prices are rising, wages are drop ping and the people are grumbling. But war will bring a little flurry of prosperity and if the people can be doped on phony patriotism they will forget their grievances for a time. A campaign of hate directed against all Italian people will only drive them closer to Mussolini and aid him and his war-buddies. That’s what he wants. If we really want to cripple him we ought to put our energies on try ing to point out to Italians, here and abroad—many of whom hate fascism —that they have nothing to gain through the success of the African plunder drive. If Mussolini is to be defeated the job will have to be done as much through discontent at home as through defeats on the battle field. Watch the Bankers Ethiopia needs war supplies and there is much to be done in that direction. Collections for the purpose of medical supplies and other aids will help much more than emotional attacks on the ice man who happens to be an Italian and who is probably as hard up as the next man. It’s a safe guess too that Ameri can bankers who have $400,000,000 in investments in Italy will soon be sending faw and finished war ma terials to Mussolini unless we start a campagn against them mighty soon. None of these things can be done alone; Negroes will have to put in j with other enemies of fascism. If all the anti-war sentiment that exists i in the world can be got together the Italian fascists can be defeated* The easiest thing to do is to hate all Italians indiscriminately, the wis est thing to do is to see the war for what it is and seek means to cripple the Italian war-makers. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Oyst er Bay, New York, your good wishes and success, for the nomin ation of the Republican party and that you are forming a colored Theodore Roosevelt Republican Club to aid him in getting the nomination for the Republican presidency in 1936. To aid the cause Colonel Theo dore Roosevelt to be nominated to be Republican nomination for president, the people have a man that is qualified, have the ability, is a diplomat, a business man and a Republican capable of filling the office of president of the United States. Success and best wishes. A voter for Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. KELLY MILLER SAYS: UNION OF AME, AMEZ AND CME DENOMINATIONS A denomination, is a body oi Christians united by a common faith and form of worship and discipline. There are over two hundred denominations of Chris tians differentiated by creed or ritual. The Methodist Episcopal church was organized by John Wesley in America in 1784. Since then it has split into six separate denom inations—three white and three colored. The proposal to unite the three white bodies is now receiv ing wide discussion. The AME and the AMEZ de nominations split off from the parent body at about the same time and for practically the same reason—race prejudice. The CME was later set apart by the ME church South. There never has been any creedal or ritual differ ence in these Negro denominations. These three denominations copied their confession faith and form of worship from the Mother Church. I remember the first time that I saw Dr.Price , President of Liv ingston College, was in 1881 when he was visiting Washington as a member of a commission to cbn_ soljdate these denominations. I recall that he expressed the hope that the union would take place as the result of the pending delib erations. For more than fifty years there has been repeated ef fort to bring about this result, but all without success. There never has been, and is not now, any reason why these denomina tions should not unite except the practical difficulty of eccleastical consolidation. Experience shows that it is exceedingly difficult to have separate church organiza tions, of the same faith and order, united into one congregation with one set of officers, purely for reasons of eccleastical and per sonal jealously. Neither congrega tion is willing to give up its own name, pastor and set of officers, ; One often finds several struggling congregations of the same denom ination in a given community whereas, if they were consolidat ed into one organization the work of the Master could [be carried on with half the expense and thrice the efficiency. But human na ture, with its petty jealousies and narrow prepossessions, is a stub born force which must be reckon ed with in all practical dealings. These denominations for many years have been operating in the same field and among the same class of people. Each of them is ambitious to cover the entire Negro race; but the field is verv imperfectly covered and too often the work is inefficiently done. Poor congregations and poorly prepared ministers are struggling as best they can in the spirit of rivalry rather than Christian un ion and cooperation. It is pathetic to go through a small town and see a little AME church on one corner, an AMEZ on the other and a CME on still another, whose combined congregations could barely support a competent min ister and carry on up-to-date church activities. If there were any reasonable hope or promise for growth or enlargement in the early future, this wasteful dupli- , cation of effort might not be so inexcusable. But for the past thirty or forty years neither of these denominations have very greatly augmented its member ship. In the large cities the mem- 1 bership of each denomination is concentrated in a few large churches with little or no promise ; of church extension. I 'doubt ■ whether there are many more Ne- ( i?ro Methodist in Washington to day than there were when I came , to the ctiy fifty-five years ago. Whatever increase may have tak- 1 en place has arisen from immigra- * tion rather than by fresh recruits. 1 It is pathetic to say that these churches are waning rather than waxing as a potent religious and social factor in the life of the race. There is need of fresh im pulse and incentive. This it seems, might be brought about by the union of the dhree bodies into one solid phalanx of Christian endeavor. Where there are no dic trinal differences, nothing but ec-p cleastical pride and jealousy can ■ keep denominations apart. Natur ally enough, each church has a number of ambitious men for the higher orders and is zealous to re tain its traditional name. Consol ' idation means devising a new name, reduction in the number of Bishops and general officers. No candidate wants the door of hope shut in his face by consolidation. The consolidation of denomina tional schools, colleges and other properties ought not to occasion any insuperable difficulty. This is a strategic moment for such consolidation to take place. It so happens that there are a number of vacancies on the bench in the three bodies and funds are not sufficient to pay the full staff of general officers. Should these denominations be willing to forego any further election of Bishops or general officers for the next two or three General Confer ences ,the number would natural ly reduce itself to the require ments of the Consolidated Church and funds would be adequate for proper compensation. By ertecting such union at this time, Negro Methodist would pre sent to their white co-religionists a noble example in Christian brotherhood and unity. The three white Methodist bodies are tied up in a tangle over what to do with the Negro membership in their household of faith. They con fess their lack of the sufficiency of grace to assimilate them into one Christian fellowship with themselves and are confronted with embarrassment of setting them apart in a semi-separate ec cleastical body. The white Chris tian is perfectly willing to accept the colored member on the basis of brotherhood but not of fellow ship. It is reserved for the Negro Methodist to point out the way of Christian unidn among all peo ples of the same faith and order. Let us hope that this long defer red consolidation will speedily be brought to pass. When tins has been accompolished, the colored members of the Mother Methodist Episcopal Church, however they may be adjusted in the mean time by the exegoncies or race preju dice within the parent body, will in all probability find it easy and agreeable to unite with their col ored brethern in consolidated Ne gro Methodism. Ideally, all Methodist should unite in one body without regard to race or color, but the practical will preceed the ideal. The Ne gro must become one with him self before he can reasonably hope to become one with his white brethern. Who Are the Barbarians? By R. A. Adams (For the Literary Service Bureau) As an excuse for its rape of Ethiopia Italy makes the contention that these black people are uncivil ized, they are savage, are barbar ians, and it is necessary to force civilization on them. But facts dis credit this contention. The emperor of Ethiopia has proved himself to be one of the most cultured men in the world. He has made every effort and offered every honorable concession in order to maintain peace. His language has been as temperate as it has been cultural. And these “barbarian” na tives have been easily restrained by their emperor when otherwise they would have massacred the Italians in Africa long ago. In contrast, Mussolini has openly boasted of his intention to invade the territory of a peaceable and un armed nation and force his will on them. His airplanes have bombarded lefenceless cities, destroyed hos pitals, killed non-combatants, includ ng women and children, and tho varfare against these people is ruth ess in the extreme. Under these nrcumstances it is not difficult to ietermine who are the barbarians. For these depredations Italy has nerited and received the condemna tion of the civilized world and Ethiopia has been acquitted of dame. And this verdict sustains the sontention that Italians are barbar ans rather than Ethiopians. A New York chemist while seek ng a pure dry cleaning fluid by :hance discovered a process for mak ng ordinary gasoline virtually fire proof. Notice, Subscribers: If you don’t get your paper by Saturday, 2 p. m., call Webster 1750. No reduction in subscriptions unless request is com lied with.