COMMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE opinion |
..EDITORIALS..
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_ THE OMAHA W IDE
H
Published Every Saturday at 2418-20 Grant Street,
Omaha. Nebraska
Phonoa: WEbster 1617 or 1518
Entered as Second Class Matter March 15, 1927, at the Poatoffice at
Omana, Neb., umierAct of Congress of Murcn 8, 1879.
' TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION $2.0u fZR YEAR
Knee prejudice must go. The Fatherhood of God and the Brother
hood of Man must prevail. These are the only principles which will
atsi.d the acid test of good.
All News Capy of Churches and all Organisations must be in our
affice not later than 6i00 p, m. Monday for current issue. All Adver
tising Copy or Paid Articles not later than Wednesday noon, proceed
ing date of issue, to insure publication.
AFTER YOU, KIT CARSON
It lia* been truly said that “the American railroads are
internationally recognized u the most reliable and progressive
transportation sys.em in the world." And so closely is their his
torical groWth and development interwoven with that of the
nation that the glamorous story of one cannot be told without
the other. Wherever, the hardiest of settlors dared venture, the
section gang soon followed. Faint and tortuous paths of the
covered wagons were graded and spiked with last'd rails, for
ever marking the way of the emmigrants. I he job ol spanning i
the Iiocky Mountains, backbone of America, and other far west-i
ern ranges, presented nvpaling obstacles, all of which were fi
nally overcome.
Today Florida grapefruit and California oranges may be
enjoyed with equal relish in .the dead of winter, from rock-bound
Maine to the stormy coast of Washington and Oregon. The rail
road!^ own and maintain a quurter million miles of line—and
move commerce daily requiring more than a hundred thousand
railroad ears of many types, available for loading whenever and
wherever freight is ready to move.
In times of national emergency the railroads must be
ready to serve efficiently and at a moment's notice. During re
cent floods in the Middle West, the railroads gave invaluable
help to the sufferers, and during the great droughts of 19-14
and 19115, the railouds moved livestock oilt of the afflicted areas
without delay, thus saving millions of dollurs worth ol callle
and preventing u serious shortage of beef.
1-W appreciate the amazing work of organization back
of modern, efficient rnlilroading. Still fewer fully appreciate the
♦extent to which ,1flie railroads make it possible for all of us to
enjoy present-day comforts and luxuries.
FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!
Civilization-began with the discovery of fire by prehis
toric man. And icr inncy A human being, e.'vili ntion, so far ns
he personally was concerned, has ended with a fire!
It is a curious truism that one of mans essential aideis is
likewise, under other ciroumstances, one of man’s worst en
emies. Controlled fire is a boon. Uncontrolled fire is a destroy
ing demon. - -
The problem of controlling fire is as old as history. Im
mense progress has been made in .t)hg direction ol perfecting
fire-fighting apparatus and equipment, and developing mater
ials that resist fire. The fire department of yesterday is a ludic
rous thing in comparison to the amazingly efficient fire depart
ment of today, even as the building construction of yesterday
offered a veritable invitation to fire.
Aggressive effort has been given in recent years toward
educating .the public in preventing fire—and here, too, progress
lias been made, but on nowhere near a comparable scale. Some
of us have learned the simple lessons that will eliminate most
hazarik*—many of us have not. It is a safe bet that at least one
home out of two—and this includes new as well as old ones—
contains flagrant hazards which the owner disregards.
Tn the law, ignorance is no excuse, and it would be a fine
.thing if that same principal were extended to cover the har
boring of fire hazards. Each year, los# running into lhe millions
results from improper storage of inflammable liquids, needless
accumulations of waste, amateur tampering with electric fix
tures, eareletKsnesK with smoking materials. Such “little” things
as these are responsible for a majority of fire's.
Remember that fire is a good friend—employed respect
fully. Take no chances with it. Care will save you dollars—and,1
infinitely more important, perhaps your life.
Texas Preacher, 94,
Divorced, Don’t Like
0
Women Who Smoke
Dallas, Texas, April 17 (A_NP)
—Sett ing a record as the oldest di
vorced preacher in the state, Rev.
H. Y. Linn, 94 yeas old, a former
slave who was awarded a decree1
last Tuesday, is uncertain as to'
whether or not he will remarry,)
but “just in ease” e does, has his
own idea as to the type of woman
his n<#t wife must bt. “I don’t
want any wife ho dinks likker,!
smokes eigarets or dips snuff,” was
his ultimatium.
ENTERTAINS VISITOR
Misfs Lmotle Rucker, 4409
Burt, street, entertadnafd at a
beautifully appointed luncheon
n Friday, April 9th, in honor
f Mrs. Hattie Mae George
Hayes, charming yoimg newly
ved from Dallas, Texas. Among
those present wero Misses Ada
Fee Walker, Mary Ellen Onenl,
Felila Rucker and Mrs. Hayes.
Everyone left stating that she
bad enjoyed herself immense
y. Mrs. M. L: Rucker assisted
(t.-itih the serving.
KELLY MILLER
SAYS
WHY NEGRO COLLEGES
FAIL TO PRODUCE
ATHLETES
I he success of Negro ath
letes on the basis of nation-wide
and world wide competition
awakens sense of pride in all
our breasts. We are proud to
claim kinship with anyone who
achieves (superb excellence in
any line of distinction. To hold
the world record in uny compe
titive undertaking is surely an
achievement well worth brag
ing about. When Jesse Owens
outruns the world every Ne'
gro in the world feels a cor
responding uplift by virtue of
his prowess. Negro athletes
have achieved distinction espec
ially in track and pole-vaulting
which are peculiarly academic
sports.
It is to be noted that super
ior excellence of Negro athletes
in the academic world is con
fined motatly to those sports
which are dependent on per
lonal add individual abilities
Where intimate social contacts
are involved, the colored stu
dent is rarely admitted on a
plain of fair competition. In
baseball, football, an aquatic
sports the Negro rarely ever
comes to the front for ,thc sim
ple reason he is not given a
fair chance.
in the prize ring, the Negros
success is most phenominal.
The prize ring, however, does
not come within the purview of
iny present purvose because
such sports fall almost wholly
outside ,the scope of the aca
demic world. However, our col
leges are beginning to take cog
nizance of the importance of
cultivating the manly art of
self-defense. In case boxing and
fisticuffs should ever become a
part of the academic program,
iit. is but natural that Negro
students will shine forth most
brilliantly in this field of con
test.
We hflive but to mention the
names of Jesse Owens of Ohio
State; Ulysses Peacock of Tem
ple; Edward Tolan of Michi
gan^ Ralph Metcalfe of Mar
quette; Ben Johnson of Colum
bia; Arthur Thomas of Pitts
burgh; John Woodruff of
Pittsburgh; David Albritton of
California; and Uavalle of Sou
thern California to illustrate
.the extent to which American
colleges are developing super
ior athletic lalent in Negro
youth. But, as wre scan this list
of athletic celebrities we find
that none of them are the pro
duct of Negro colleges a»d uni
versities. Both candor and cur
iosity lead us to inquire from
what unfriendly cause does this
obvious deficiency proceed?
During my deanship at How
ard University, 1 discovered a
young man of considerable ath
letic power, hut because of his
fondness for sports we had to
suspend him for infraction of
rules. At a conference with the
dean of Chicago University
some time later, he apprized me
that he had recently enrolled
one of my former pupils who
was reflecting considerable cre
dit upon the university for his
athletic ability. This young
man afterwards gained consid
erable repute in the athletic
world, but full credit was as
signed to Chicago University
rather tha n to Howard.
Several years ago, while fill
ing a Weture engagement in
Philadelphia, I sought accom
odations in the Colored Y.M.C.
Calvin s Digest
By Floyd J. Calvin
COMMERCE REPORTS
It is encouraging to learn
tha.t thie Department of Com
merce, through the Division of
Negr o Affairs of the Bureau of
Foreign and Domestic Com
j A- 1 found that ,the rooms were
all taken and the restaurants
in the neighborhood overcrowd
ed with colored students from
nearby colleges and universi
ties preliminary to participa
tion in ,the athletic meet at the
University of Pennsylvania. No
single representative of of a col
ored institution scored any cre
ditable record at this athletic
meet.
Why is it .that Negro schools
and colleges rarely or ever turn
out any worth-while aihletic
products. There are thousands
of young men in high schools
and colleges. Surely they pos
sess the inherent muscular and
phyhicai capacities which col
ored boys in attendance at
white schools so strikingly ex
hibit. Fisk, Atlanta, Lincoln
and Howard, with thousands of
Negro students are far outdis
tanced in the at,hletic sports
by a handful of colored stu
dents from mixed schools and
colleges. Out of the same ma
terial white schools moke a su
perior product.
Development of superior tal
ent, whether in athletics or in
seholarsip, requires equipment,
facilities, discipline, surround
ings, atmosphere and spirit. As
a rule the colored colleges do
not supply the requisite of
stimulus and encouragement.
The missionary founders of,the
schools and colleges were so en
grossed with the moral and
spiritual necessity of savini the
soul that they displayed Ji tie
interest in the development of
the body. Much of the disinter
ested attitude is inhereted by
the present day control of Ne
gro schools and colleges.
Athletic sports a.re fast be
coming a rival to intellectual
interest in the great colleges
and institutions of America. The
Negro institutions lag behind,
both for la*k of resources and
interest in this important phase
of college life. Athletics may be
compared to solid intellectual
achievement as gunpowder to
the cannon ball, whose explo
sion nndnoise announce and ad
vertise the more solid accom
plishments of a purely academic
character.
Another eailse which mili
tates against the success of ath
letics in Negro schools is due
to the increasing number of fe
males in the student body Col
lege athletics is mainly a mas
culine sport in which the fe
male contingency constitutes
lookers-on and not participants.
Negro colleges are confroil -
ed with not only inferior fac
ilities, resources and spirit, but
are limited to inferior range of
competition. They must com
pete among themselves, and are
not permitted to test their prow
ess in competition with white
rivalry. Just as women could
hardly expect to attain a su
perior place in the world at
lage so long i*s they were eon
fined .to eomvetition with their
own sex; just so the Negro will
dag behind as long as his field
of competition is confined to his
own race.
Why do Negro schools and
colleges fail to produce their
quota of Negro athletes 1 I ut
ter the query, and await the
echo.
merce, is stepping out boldly
into the Negro field and at
tempting t o render informa
tion service to this group of the
nations entrepreneurs. In its
"Notes.and Comments" we find
much material which will not
only promote'l-etttj business
among Negroes, but can help
them without the Government
sending them a check.
I n “ Store Modernization
Needs", in the current release
from Dr. Eugene Knickle Jones,
ehief of this service, we note
three results to be expected1
from modernization, viz., in
crease of sales and profits "be
cause customers tend to gravi
tate to stores with better ex
terior and interior appearance
and with more uptoda,te facil
ities", reduction of expense "re
suiting from more convenient
arrangement or more efficient
equipment' ‘ ; and a more pleas
ant place in which to work—if
greater satisfaction is the re
sult.' ‘
Concerning his innovation, Dr.
Tones says: “From time to time
the Division of Negro Affairs
of the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce nates com
ments on business trends which
it feels w ill be of special inter
est to businesses conducted by
Negroes and those persons in
terested in the general prob
lems of economic adjustment.1 1
TEXAS ANNIVERSARY
Negro newspapers large and
small, are beginning to celebrate
their anniversaries with morel
promptness and seriousness. It I
perhaps is because they not on-1
ly have a deeper feeling toward!
die press as a vital factor in
the evolution of the group, but
that they appreciate the com
mercial value of tlie advertis
ing which accrues through such
celebrations.
We are pleased to congratu
late the Waco, Tex., Messenger
on its fifth anniversary. The
larger view the press is taking
of Negro life and living is clear
ly and forcefully expressed in
The Messenger's editorial, en
titled “What Thrt Messenger
Has Stood For." Editor L. J.
Rhone says: “This issue marks
the beginning of the sixth year
of the publication of The Waco
Messenger. For five years it has
gone forward with definite ob
jectives in view, rendering its
best services to ,t,he people of
Waco and Central Texas.
“The Waleo Messenger has
stood for the economic regen
eration and industrial survival
of the colored people of Cen
tral Texas. It has urged that
colored people themselves seek
economic outlets in developing
commercial and industrial en
terprises while at the same time
sfrive to hold their own in the
fields of employment already
onen to them.
“The Waco Messenger has
stood for a, free and unrestrict
ed use of the ballot by colored
citizens. Though their right to
'vote has (been challenged lo
cally we have always cast our
\ot w|th HiVll viduals rand or
ganizations leading the n,rmy
of the race's defenders.
“The Waco Messengefl” has
stood for an equitable consid
eration of colored citizens in all
civic matters. Waco’s colored
population has not always been
treated fairly in the distribu
tion of civic improvements. The
Waco Messenger has held that
our local government and agen
cies should be both jealous and
watchful of the general welfare
of all the people. Under no cir
cumstances should color blind
ness be permitted ,to offset ihe
working of civic righteousness.
“'The "Waco Messenger has
|stood for interracial good will.
It has refused to wave the red
flag even in the fa.ee of known
enemies among the white group.
To our mind interracial coop
eration is the backbone of pro
gress in the South.
1 he W aco Messenger Fas
stood for a social outlook for
colored Waco and CentraJ Tex
as worthy of being handed
down to our children as a her
itage fit for true American cit
izens. We do not believe that
American society will alwavs
suffer from social ills based up
on race prejudice. Unnatural
segregation of and discrimina
tion against individuals in Am
erican society must cease. There
is now a growing sentiment of
tlie American Imasses against
certain universal practices that
have victimized the Negro be
cause of his color.
“Finally, The Waco Messen
ger has stood for a local leader
ship with vision. We have not
been satisfied with the selfish
individuals whose bickerings
and personal dislikes for each
other have damned colored Wa
co with stagnation. For >five
years the Waco Messenger has
stood on the house top and
cried aloud against the pages
of local history being turned
backward and it is a sad stnry
that few in high places have
given ear to our cry.
“Forgetting our disappoint
ments of the past and holding
fast to the memory of the things
which colored Waco and Cen-j
^ral Texas have helped us ac
complish The Waco Mesenger
looks forward toward another
milepost with hope and prom
ise. We shoJl no.t cease to fight
for the things which stand for
progress, nor compromise with
the forces or influences detri
mental to the general welfare
of the race. If there are those
who agree with us, come let
us wajk together.
THE ARTS QUARTERLY
Lovers of tre arts, the county
try over will welcome the news
that Dillard University, located
at t,he base of the Deep South
—down below the Delta,—has
issued the first number of “The
Arts Quarterly
Dr. Nelson states in the Fore
An Echo
’From My Den
By S. B. Gilbert
-As I sit here in my den with
pen in hand, meditating »s it
were, there comes to my mind,
one of the laws of psychology,
“Kindness begets kindness"’
and thus the old Den Dweller
writes .that the Oma.ha Negro,
16,000 strong, with a potential
buying power of $10,000,000
annually should become a prac
tical psychologist by carrying
out this all important axiom of
psychology in the purchasing
and consumation of his daily
food-stuff. Investigate and find
out for yourself just what pack
ing plant employs the largest
number of Negroes, follow with
a similar probe of all o,ther in
dustries that are engaged in the
producing consummating food
stuff and then after this shall
have been completed, sit down
wfth pen and paper in hantl
compute the proportion of Ne
groes employed by the various
industries and pro-rate your
purchases accordingly.
For example, hypothetically,
should you find .tliat a certain
packing industry employs more
Negroes in Omaha than another
then when you go to the mar
ket to buy bacon, ham or shoul
der. call for the brand you have
found through your inves.tiga
tion stands, for the firm who be
lieves in fair play and stands
on the square when it comes to
proportional employment of our
people. With the same econom
ic yard stick measure the re
turns coming from all food
stuff producers both national
and local. Thus, you shall be
carrying out the practical rule
of psychology: "Kindness be
gets kindness."
word, that: “The Arts Quar
terly will hear the message that
art is not a thing apart, or for
the few. but that which all men
can enjoy, most men interpret
and far more men than we sus
pect can create. It will serve,
we hope, as an inspiration to a
larger participation in the life '
of art and in the richness and
joy which it so abundantly of
fers.
... ..
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I BRONZE *=3ancloutr
I&AThe orchestra
LEADER PUT “UNTILTHE
REAL THINK COMES ALONG*
OUT IN FRONT AS A REAL
SONG, THE TUNE PAID
OFF BY MAKING HIAA
ONE OF THE MOST DIS
CUSSED MUSICANS IN
THE j, PAST THREE MONTHS
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> THE TERPSICHORE AN NO*
1M LONDON WITH LEW LESLIE PRO-1
OOCTION OF ''BLACKBIRDS'’,SWW)
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,LATER SRC TOOK OP BOOK-KEEPING
i AND FW1RU.V BECAME A DANCERS
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