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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1936)
THE OMAHA GUIDE Published every Saturday at 24618-20 Grant Street., Omaha, Nebraska Phone WEbster 1750 GAINES T. BRADFORD, - - Editor and Manager Entered os Second Class Matter March 15, 1927, at the Post Of fice at Omaha, Neb., undertheActof 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 prevail. These are the only priciples which will stand the acid test, of good ABOUT ITALIAN WAR FUND An inquiry to Secretary Cordell Hull of the Department of State as to whether or n,ot the collection of funds in this country by Italian Americans not a violation of the spirit of American neutrality was made this week by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The funds being collected by Italians in America arc adver tised as going to the Italian lied Cross, but in the publicity for a huge mass meeting in NewYork City last, week, where a total of one-half million dollars was announced, the statement was made that the funds were for the Italian lied Cross “and for other purposes.” An Italian-American newspaper, which sponsored the mass meeting, is quoted in the letter as saying “To once more demonstrate that the hearts of the Italo Americans heat with the heart of the faraway Motherland and that each and every compatriot who resides in. this Motherlond of adoption is ready to give all in his power to help Italy fight back thebrutal international coalition led by England with the utmost resistance and give a chance to the Italian soldiers who are now in Africa to write another epic page of glory in the history’ of civilization .... and also it must serve to show tImt the five millions of Italian-Amcricans who live in the United States are ready 1o iinrnoQutc themselves on the altor of their great Motherland and will answer . . . an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”, A similar letter of inquiry has been sent by the NAACP , to Attorney (ieneral Homer S. Cummings. It is the contention of tin Association that the vvarclike statement and the asser tion that the money Is to be used for “other purposes” is ovi donee that Italian Americans are violating the spirit of neutral ity. It will be recalled that many white* people and some color ed people among them Congressman Arthur VV. Mitchell—ad vised American Negroes not to boycott Italian Americans. II will be remembered that in Birmingham, Ala., the police even endeavored to force colored people to trade at Italian grocery stores, saving that collored had “no right” to boycott Italians. RESOLUTION URGES END LYNCHING A resolution demanding “enforced legislation to put an end to lynching and mob violence for all time” in America was ad opted at the recent national convention, of Iladassah, the Wo men’s Zionist Organization of America, held in Cleveland, and a copy has been forwarded to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People by Mrs. Herman Shulman. Iladassah, because of its rules, was not able to sponsor any particular legislation, but the delegates, in response to a telegram from the NAACP, went on record against lynching. The resolution follows: “WHEREAS, no greater blot on American democracy re mains from the unhappy days of slavery than lynching, and “WHEREAS, this is an evil which not only defeats the ends of justice but can poison the soul of a people, “BE IT RESOLVED THAT Iladassah, the Women’s Zion ist Organization of America in convention assembled express its abhorrence of the bnrbnrous mob passion which interferes with the due process of law, and “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Iladassah join the ever increasing body of Americans who rightly demand enforc ed legislation to,put an end to lynching and mob violence for all time in the American republic." 5C0TTSB0R0 FUNDS ASKED Contributions toward tho defense fund for the nine Seotts boro youths should be sent to the Seottsboro Defense Committee, 112 East 19th Street, New York, N. Y. Money orders and cheeks may be made payable to William J. Schieffelin, Treasurer, or to the Seottsboro Defense Committee. The defense organiza tions which have united to form the Seottsboro Defense Com mittee arc the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the League for Industrial Democracy, the Methodist Federation for Social Service, the International Labor Defense, and the American Civil Liberties Union Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers, pastor of Broadway Tabernacle, New York City, is chairman of the United Executive Committee, which will have complete direction of the ease The defendants are scheduled to go on trial January 13. REPULICANS WARNED AGAINST BORAH Warning that if Senator William E. Borah is nominated for President by the Republicans it would cause “a stampede of colored voters to the Democratic or independent ranks,” Hur ry H Davis, former Civil Service Commissioner here, issued a staement to Ohio Republicans advising them to avoid the Idaho Senator. A split is looming in the ranks of the Cuyahoga County Re * publicans on the Borah question. Mr. Davis asserted that op posilon to Borah is is developing rapidly among colored voters in the northedn states. He cited the blunt statement of Senator Borah that he would veto any anti-lynching legislation if he were elected President. Mr. Davis said: “The nomination of Senator Borah at the Cleveland con vention would be the biggest blunder the Republican party could commit. Ilis selection as the stnadard bearer would be hailed with delight by the Democrats. It would mean the cer tain loss of the pivotal northern states by the Republicans. Nominate Borah and watch the stampede of colored voters to the Democratic or independent ranks.” TWENTY HURRAHS FOR STATES’ RIGHTS Wo admire Senator Borah for much that he has done, and we hate to bring this up in view of the political situation among the Republicans, but wc do hope he’ll read the Tuskegee Inst tute’s annual report on lynching. The Senator, you will remember,objected vigorously to a Federal anti-lynching law on the ground it would violate State's | rights. Twenty persons, eighteen Negroes, two whites, were lynch ed in the United States during the year just ended. Eighty-four others were attacked by lynch mobes, unsucressfully. The number murdered is an increase of five over last year’s record. Senator Borah protects State’s rights, but State’s rigths didn’t protect the life of one man lynched for “slappnig a woman” or the life of another murdered for “activity in organizing sharecroppers. ’’ The Senator ought to clip the report to his copy of the Const iution and read both together. CONDITIONS IN CANADA ' During 1934, 1,182,123 people or 11 per cent of Canada's jpopulation were dependent on direct relief. Tn Vancouver alone, 50,OtX) out of a population of 300,000 are on relief. The constant lowering of the workers’ standards of of living lias lesuMcd in a great number of strikes and lockouts. From 88 labor disputes involving 16,738 workers in 1931, the number jncreased to 191 disputes involving 45,800 in 1934, and during the first seven months of 1935, a far greater number of strikes lave occured than in the whole of 1934. During the same four years, 20,157 men went to labor camps the control of the De >nrtmerit of National Defense, and were forced to work for 20 <ents a day. The expenditures of the Royal Canadian Mounted ’dice, an important arm of national defense, rose from $2,900, XX) il 930 to $5,300,000 ;n 1934, while new armories and air torts costing millions are built across the. country. ALTA VESTA A GIRL'S PROBLEMS (By Videtta Ish) Dear Alta Vesta: So my little girl was both sad and happy, was she? Well, dear, you had an experience common to all people. The way of life is very ! strange, but it is very much like what we call nature. In nature we | have clouds and sunshine, night land day, winter and summer. The very earth is made up of moun tains and valleys. And these rep resent the various experiences of life. We cannot understand the purpose or purposes in all of these experiences, but as wo see the good in nature’s differences, we are justified in believing that even the unpleasant things of life have their benefits. Now, Alta Vesta, do not allow fear of anything to disturb you. Fear is a dangerous thing. It be comes the master of some people and ruins them. Do not allow the fear of what might happen dim your present pleasure, but tell yourself that you will not permit such things to obtain.Deal harshly with fear, it will banish, il am quite sure my little girl will not willingly displease me, and If she believe to be right and if in doubt that she meant well and shall not scold her. Always do what you bolicwo to bo right and if in doubt don’t. >1 love you more as you grow older. Your Father. NO FREEDOM FROM FAULTS There is a Latin maxim which reads, “Vitils nemo sine naseitur,” land the translation is, “No one is born free from faults.” This is in harmony with the declaration of Alexander Pope. “Who thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne’er was nor ever shall be.” And universal human experience verifies this conclusion. While it is difficult for one to recognize his own faults, or at least properly to gauge the mag nitude of his own weaknesses, it is very doubtful if there may be found any one who is not con I scious of his faults. This knowledge of one’s own faults, his own short-comings, his own erranecies, ought to make any individual generous and tol erant in regard to the weakness es of his follows MAXIE MILLER WRITES | (For the Literary Service Bureau) I Wife of f if ten years feels old i flame rekindling—has good hus i band and three Children but is 1 tempted to leave them for old sweetheart who got mixed up and had to marry—stay with your ' good husband and your children Molina—Read East Lynn and take j warning. (For advice write to Maxie Mil ler, ca e of Literary Service Bur eau, 616 Minn., Ave, Kansas City, Kan. For personal reply send a self addressed, stamped envelope. Maxie Miller: I was disappoint ed in love. The boy I loved got mixed up with another girl and had to marry her. I’ve been mar ried 16 years and have three dear little children. Now this sweet heart and his wife have separated and he says he still love me. My husbanld is good to me and good to my children but mjy love for my old sweetheart has come back and I’m afraid J can’t be happy ny more. Would it be more sin to leave my husband and marry for love than to stay with him when I love somebody else? Tell me what is right and what is the best thing to do.—Molina. Molina:—It is not difficult to decide what you should do. You sho'uld remain with your husband and take care ofyour children. If this man had loved you as much as you thought he wouldn’t have gotten “mixed up" with the other girl. You owe it to your husband that has been good to you, and to these children, to stay at home and take care of them. Read the two old books East Lynn and Madame X and take warning. Maxie Miller. Eight Hundred Virgin Islanders Put To Work Washington, Jan. 11—(ANP)— 1 Eight hundred natives of the Vir 1 gin Islands are now working on WPA projects, designed to bring a measure of economicsecurity,ac cording to an announcement made by Marold L. Jckes, secretary of the United States Department of Interior, here this week. TRUST GOD AND FIGHT By R. A. ADAMS (For Literary Service Bureau) Whatever may be the attitude Of others, or what course pursued, By them, to your integrity Relentless cling, and verily If you are right, Trust God and fight. No matter what may be the price Nor what required thesaerifice, Or suffering, to what extent, Striving for human betterment, If you are right, Trust God and fight! If you’d live, after you are dead, j Unfaltering then, you must tread The path which martyrs all have trod, So, serving man, as serving God, Jf you are right, TRUST GOD AND FIGHT! — “CAN YOU TAKE IT” By R. A. ADAMS’ (For the Literary Servica Bureau) j This recent but familiar ex pression might be interpreted to j read, “Can you endure it?” “Can you resist it ? ” “Can you stand it?” “Can you survive it?" Affirm j ative augurs success, while a neg ative connotes failure. Can you take criticism, when you are conscientious in your course and confident that you are right? “Can you take it” when come disappointments in regard to your fondest drems nd most cherished plans? “Can you take j it” when friendships are lost thru misunderstandings and misrepre-1 sentations? “Can you take it” when you suffer crushing de feat If you can take it and carry on in spite of conspiracies of the com ( bined forces of stubborn “hellish host” of opposers, then success is assured. If you cannot; if y(ou quail; if you become despondent; , if you chafe, fret and dissipate your strength by efforts at re sentment and retaliation, then failure, -defeat, and disappoint ment are certain. In all we may , undertake success depends on whether “we can take it” or not. — SERMONETTE By Arthur B. Iihinow Representatives of two divisions of the same denomination came together to consider ways and means toward effecting a merger when one of the clergymen sug gested that it might be desirble to open the meeting with prayer. Immediately there came a protest from the other side. ‘No, no,” they cried. “We are here to consider the feasibility of union, and praying together! would mean that the union had already been consumated. Some doctrinal subtlety, we be lieve, was at the bottom of this protest, some distinction that was perfectly justifiable in the opin-! ion of those ministers. Whatever j it was, and however we may agree ! or disagree, we cannot help rec- j ognizing in the attitude a tribute to the power of prayer. When we pray, really pray, we are one. No union is so potent as when hearts unite in seeking God. ! Then petty differences fade, and wo wrestle for the mighty things that makefor harmony. We know that fanaticism has often prayed ardently, even fur-1 iously, but it could not have been true prayer, for we know w»e are ; not ourselves when we are fanatic, and wemust be ourselves when we | pray, for only perfect sincerity can reach the heart of the Al mighty. And God is love. When ; thesoul communes with Him it en ters into the atmosphere of His essence where evil and fanatics cannot live. Beware of prayer! If you want to prolong hatred, feuds and wars, do not think, do not reason, and by all means do not pray. There’s power in prayer. Catholics To Meet In Washington On January 12 Washington, Jan. 11—(ANP)—, The Executive Committee of the j Federated Colored Catholics will i meet here Sunday, January 12, ac cording to an announccmet made j by G. A. Henderson, Pittsourgh, | Pennsylvavnia, president of the or- j ganization. One of the important: features of the conclave will be the selection of the city in which j the national convention will be held. Among the cities to be con sidered will be Atlantic City, Bal- : timore and New York, with the last named perhaps holding the, best chance. KELLY MILLER SAYS O Jan 1st, 1863, Abraham Lin coln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which inauguarated the new life of the Negro race, on the 31st day of Dec. 1936, sev e ty-three years, to a day, since the Issuance of that life-giving docu ment. The writer’s span of life, now in the second half of his sev enty-third year, is an exact yard stick by which, | to measure the progress of the race since freedom. The occasion, therefore, seems fit ting for comprehensive reflection and suggestion. The commendable and much boasted progress of the race dur ing the past seventy-three years has now come to a standstill or a halt. The race as a whole, during the last five years of depression is marking time rther thn ink ing progress. Indeed, the whole world is upset; times are out of joint. The Negro is peeping about under the legs of the huge Collossus of civilization if haply he might find an assured place for himself. He is without ideol ogy and does not know for a cer tainty where he is going or how to get there. At this critical juncture the race should come to itself as did the prodigal son in tho parable. In the language of the gan>e of marbles, the Negro should come to “taw” at the be ginning of the year of 1936. 1. Through the eyes of his trained young men in political and social science he should observe and carefully study what is tak ing place at the great capitals of the world—at Moscow, at Berlin, at Rome, at Washington and at Geneva—with a view of under standing its portent to the dark est of the dark races of men, by which their path may be wisely guided amidst this maize of pres ent day civilization. 2. He should aim to under stand the nature and opertion of race prejudice which is stern, stubborn fact constituting the con trolling factor in the equation of racial life. He should seek to de termine, if possible, how far he may be able to overcome, modify or mollify it and to what extent he will be compelled to submit to its harsh and cruel exactions. He must develop a protective philosophy. Where he cannot overcome, he must undergo; for that which cannot be curedmust be endured. It is as foolhardy to shake the impotent finger of de fiance in the face of the inexor able without power to put that defiance into effect as it would be suicidal cowardly to yield to cruel and inhuman exactions with out exhausting every possible re course. 3. The race has but one wea pon with which to compat race prejudice effectively, and that is to oppose hate with love. The Negro is endowed beyond other breeds of men with loving kind of spirit and non-resistance of evil. The Nordic looks upon this endowment as an amazing grace but for the Negro it is assuredly a paving one. Although the Ne gro may not be able to overcome the evil of race prejudice, he should not be overcome by it; but should rather seek to overcome evil with good. Even the Nordic cannot have a race which loves him. The maxim of Edward Markham will ultimately conquer race prejudice if indeed it is con querable: “He drew a circle and shut me out Heretic rebel, a thing to flout, But love and I had the wit to win: Wo drew a circle and took him in. 4. The men and women who stand in the high pices of spirit ual, moral, intellectual and social leadership should be guided by the motive of service and not of pro fit. The money motive which has well nigh played havoc with the world is leading the Negro to destruction. The minister, physi cian, the lawyer, the school teach er or the business man who pro fiteers at the expense of the poor brings his profession into disre pute. The Negro pulpit in too many instances, is on the verge of intellectual dry rot and moral and spiritual bankruptcy because the ministers instead of being sal vators of souls shove an itching palm into the pockets of God’s poor. It were better for this type of minister that a millstone were tied about his neck and that he were cast into the depths of the sea. The doctor who is more con cerned with his pay than with the health of his patient; the lawyer who is more interested in his fee than in justice; the school teach er who places the payroll above the impartation of knowledge are worthily and are a stumbling block in the upward path of the race. 5. There should be a lessening of the margin between the elite and the lowly. The cultivated, the upright and the noble should and will receive the just appreciation and esteem which is their due but they should not vaunt their superiority to the discomfiture of those less fortunate than them selves. Noblesse oblige is the motto of all true gentility. There should exist that bond of racial sympathy and complacency of un derstanding between the lofty and the lowly such as is evinced by the Catholic priesthood towards the humblest members within that household of faith. The man far thermost down should be the chief concern for the one highest up; for less the Negro elite shall lift as they climb they will find them selves elevated upon impotent emminence without upper or neth er support. 6. The resultant racial life is the joint product of interracial and intra-racial factors. The Ne gro, in his state of helplessness, is peculiarly dependent upon his white environment for political, economic and industrial life. His social life falls mainly within the sphere of his own race. Apprecia tion of this distinction will go far to simplify the problem of race co-operation and race self-devel onment. 7. A second Negro Sanhedrin, or allrace conference, has been called to meet in Chicago on the 24th of Feb. 1936. This movement offers great opportunity for gen uine race statesmanship. The or iginal Negro Sanhedrin, called by the writter 15 years ago, failed in its objective because the Negro mind at that time was not ready for such a forthright race adven ture. The Negro had not- received enough earrings and fingerrings from the Egyptians to set up housekeeping for himself. All such proposals looking towards race self-leadership have fai: d for the same reason. During the past fifteenyears the Negro has learned many things hedldnot know then. He has suffered many things which he could not forsee; he knows more about the laws of race prejudice than he under stood. He then relied upon relig ion, philanthropy, education nnd Industry nnd economies to bring about a satisfactory solution. So far those have failed utterly. Phil anthropy has shifted from a hu humanitarian basis to one of cold, calculated, impersonal charity. The Negro has been pushed fur ther away from control over his own higher educational activities. In face of the present situation which confronts the Negro his chief reliance must be upon him self for guidance and direction in all the intimate relations of life within the circumscribed circle to which race prejudice have confin ed him. Philanthropy will still hand out crumbs, or it may be a crust, with the left hand across the color line. J pray and hope, I would like to say expect, that in this second Sanhedrin a statesman like leadership will emerge with requsite wisdom to formulate an effective race program and with tho requsite power of persuasion to impress it upon the race as an agenda of action. 8. We are approaching a pres idential election whose outcome means more than a mere shift of party control. It will in all prob ability determine the destiny of the nation and of the Negro for generations to come. The Negro is normlly alligned with the “for gotten man,” the man furthermost down. The “New Deal” engages to restore the neglected and over looked element of society, without regard to race or color, to its rightful place in the economic or der. Without committing itself to all the angles and tangles of the New Deal” and its complicated technique, -enlightened self inter est of the Negro alllgnes him with its essential aims and purpose. Capital should control industry under government, but should not control the government Abraham Lincoln’s dictum of “A govern ment of the people, for the peo ple and by the people” finds new application in the present situa tion. An enlightened spirit of self understanding will allign the com mon man ■with the liberal rather than the reactionary tendency of our day and generation. Rugged individualism (bent on piling up swollen fortunes) as the control ling factor of the government, is being discredited not only in this country but in all of the forward looking nations of the earth. The old and the new order are now in death grips. The right decision between the two is the first step in the direction of wisdom for the Negro in the new year of 1936. Kelly Miller.