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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 29, 1937)
COMMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE op,n,ons • • . . ' * * ** THE OMAHA GUIDE Published Every Saturday at 2418-20 Grant Street, Omnha, Nebraska Phenes: WEbster 1617 er 1518 Entered e* SecomTciasi Matter March 15, 1927. at the Poetoffice at Omaha, Neb.. underAct of Congreea of March 3, 1879. ' TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION 32.00 PER YEAR Race prejudice must go. The Fatherhood of God and the Brother hood of Man must prevail. These are the only principles which wHi tUn.d the acid test of good. All Nows Copy of Churches and all Organisations must be In ou •ffice not later than 6:00 p. m. Monday for current issue. All Adver twine Copy or Paid Articles not later titan Wednesday noon, proceed Ing (Tate of issue, to insure publication. ..EDITORIALS.. ' j THINGS ONE REMEMBERS There are many simple things that could be done to reduce automobile accidents. Recently I saw a small trailer with lum ber in it break loose from the pleasure ear towing it. It lashed on the side of the road. 1^ missed oncoming chrs by a split sec ond, and came just as near causing a wreck with the car which out into oncoming traffic, slued around and ran into a bank was following it. Th,, trailer had been fastened to the pleasure car bumper (which was never made to haul a trailer) with an irwaeeure bolt that simjrfy jolted out. It whs onJy a miracle that it did not cause serious or fatal accidents, 'fihe owner of the trailer refastened it to the bumpor witli some bailing wire and started out again. What excuse is there for laws or regulations governing automobiles, that permit, such potential deat^i-dealiug con traptions on the highways! A traffic officer would immediate ly stop a driver without a license plate. Why should not laws be pafwed whereby a traffic officer would atop every car tow ing a trailer that did not have some form of identification at tached showing it complied with rigid regulnttions as to its ipvfety, and arrest the driver! This is merely one potential law to aid in automobile accident prevention, which could be os easily enforced as automoble licensing requirements. - - 4 ■ ■ — PIANOLA POLITICIAN A few short years ago the late Colonel EL Hofer, then ed itor of the Industrial Review, wrote: “Mluahy-minded, good natured sentimentalists, aided by the sap-headed, ignorant and vicious dementis, including largo organizations of men und wo men moralists and upliftcrs who read socialistiehlly inclined newspapers and magazines—iwhat are they not capable of un der leadership of politicians who are ready to accept any theory that can be played on the pianola, hnd follow the will-o’-the wisp changing and vaecilaiing theory that everything can be Bafcly left to the desires and aspirations of the masses.” CHANGE OF HEART r "When the proposal to increase the membership of the Su preme Court was first made, it was widely believed, by the bill’s opponents as well ns backers, that it would be endorsed in the Senate by a handsome majority. Today, the most nutliorative surveys and estimates indi cate that the majority in favor of the bill is very small—two or three votes. A number of senators originally believed to be for it have reently come out in opposition. "What has caused this changef Several elements are invol ved—but the most imporant of all is the force of public opinion. It is no secret that, every congressman's mail bias bulged with letters discussing the proposal, and that the majority have op posed it. The meropolitan and rurfc.1 press is overwhelmingly opposed. So are most of the nation’s most respected political and economic commentators. More and more, partisanship is disappearing in regard to padking the high court. The people and their representatives are realizing that here is one of the most vital issues the country has yet faced, and that, it must be debated on grounds of prin ciple, not politics. That is a heartening sign. At best, .the Secretaryship of the Treasury is a hard job. Under present conditions, say observers, it is a major headache to its occupant—Mr. Morgenthau. The failure of Federal revenue to measure up to predic tions makes it essential for itjhe Treasury to issue more bonds at the end of this fiscal year. It is up to Mr. Morgenthau to as say the market, get .the money at las low interest as possible. This takes plenty of figuring, in the light of the substan tial drops in goverment bond values occurring early this year— drops .that have but slightly recovered. No authority thinks the decline was due to doubt of government's credit. It was due j instead, to more private financing, offering higher interest j rates than the government bonds, to profit .tpking for raising of money with which to pay income tnjees, and, highly import ant, to the Federal Reserve Board’s order to its members to in crease their deposit reserves, which necessitated liquidating of governments. Treasury long-term issues have been paying around 2*4 per cent on par value. New bonds will pay about 3 per cent, which means that carrying charges will cost the gov ernment millions more than formerly. KELLY MILLER SAYS THE LOST GENERATION OF NEGRO YOUTH I devoted th« time and apace allotted to my last release to a r lost generation of youth in gen ■ eral. 1 now come to the specific application to the case of the ■ colored youth in particular. " During my first interview of I President Mordecni Johnson af ! ter he assumed the duties at Howard University, I pointed out the human possibility in volved in (.he task which he had attend to perform. I slated to him that bhc present generation is bound for hell and express ed the hope that he might save ! it if he eould. The last generation of Negro youth, now pussing off the stage wus quickened and inspired by j the first impulse of freedom. The sky was the limit to its hopes andambitions. Being car ried forward by the enthusiasm for humanity engendered by the Civil War, its aspirations knew no bounds. The missionaries of the North made them believe that human brotherood and equality was not a visionary ideality but a practical concrete realization just around the cor ner. Thestatesmanship of that day brought three amendments into the Constitution specific ally intended to lift the Negro to the full status of Ameriian citizenship. When I was in col lege a> half century ago, my schoolmates were preparing to become high functionaries in public life. They had before them the example of Negro leg islators, goovemors, congress men and senators. Colored men were prominently mentioned as cabine^ officers and as vice president of tihe United States. Frederick Douglass wns the apostle and examplar of esual ity of citizenship, but came to the end of his life with disap pointed hopes. 1 heard his last great public deliverance in which he shook his head in fore boding declaring, “I had pre sumed that the white mas was too great to be small, but T can not shut my eyes to the ugly facts before tne." The recon struction dream had passed a way forty years after the ex periment began. Every Negro had been cast down from his scat of public power, there was not lefj a single member of a state legislature or of the na tiona congress. Only a few held on to public office by means of j donated appointments. All pub I lie power and prestige had been I stripped a'vny. The missionaries wno preacn ed human brotherhood and equnl rights in early years had passed from labor to reward to be succeeded by a breed with less faith in God and less be lief in man. The blighting ef fect on the hopes and aspira tions of the Negro youth was indeed appalling. Through lack of sincerity they caused their bladk brethren to lose faith in God and in the Christian relig ion. The missionary movement all over the world is facing de feat because the missionaries failed to live up to the doctrine which they proclaimed to be lieve. Great, will be their con demnation when brought before the bar of a just God. Being buffeted and baffled in this wise, they turned from the God l of righteousness to the God of i Mammon only to find confusion worst confounded. The awful reality was soon forced upon them that the accumulation of wealth, on their part was im possible. Missionaries taugh them a life of consecration t the redemption of their race b^ sacrifice. Hut when they los faith in the missionaries, thei repudiated the doctrine whicJ they taught. Every colored stu dent in the earlier days deeme< it to be his bounden duty to g< out into the world and do some thing for his race—now he vain ly hopes to be able to do some tiling for himself. Commence tnent day used to be the time oi great rejoicing and extrava gunt expectations—now it is n day of serious and somber re flections. Every year 1 witness over three hundred young men and women decorated withftca^ demie and professional degrees. My heart is filled with sadness. What are these young men and women going to do with their collegiate honors? JSvery col lege bred youth should pray three times a day, with his face turned to the White House, that the New Deal and its WPA pro visions may succeed, else the hopes and ambitions of educat ed youth will be dashed to the ground. There is little work that awaits them which will make requisition upon their aca demic attainments. The pros pect is growing more gloomy with the years. After recruit ing the prepared places with provided salaries, there is little that awaits; ^hem which will yield in return little more than a bare subsistence. The fault is not within the generation itbelf, but in the stars. This is a sacrifice gene ration which comes at a time of transition. The loss is inevit able. The offense must needs come, but woe be unto that gen eration through whom it com. eth. It is a crime against human ity to preach pessimism to the young, but it is a still greater crime to allow them to go on unmindful of t8ie fate which nwaits them. Wise statesman ship would caution them ho face the situation realistically —with a heart for any fate. But all is not lost. If this gen oration must nee{ls l)e H sacri ficial one, succeeding genera tions may rise on the stepping stones of their dead selves to higher things. A single genera tion is hut a day in a thousand years in the history of a race wiih an endless future before it While the Negro youth of this generation may have little or no opportunity to do great things or achieve great dis tinction as compared with the white men. ye they have the su perlative opportunity of doing the best they can. Angels can r An Echo i In ; From i My Den • 1 { By S. E. Gilbert ^ As I sit here in my den, pen * in hand, meditating as it were; I shall refrain from dipping my pen, but instead shall permit you to read wluit Woodrow F. Morgan, a young man who is completing his high school ca reer this June, has to say in re gards to “The Negro and the Constitution11 as was delivered by him in the recent lilks ora torical contest and with it won second place. THE NEGRO AND THE CON ST1TUTI0N Ladies and Gentlemen: The subject I have chosen to talk upon is one of the foremost im portance to the Negro. First of | all, let me state my reasons for selecting this all-important top ic. It is because of the fact that the Negro in his economic and political life, has been unfairly treated. He has not been given an opportunity to pursue un hampered, the desires of every one of you, namely; life, liber ty and t he pursuit of happiness. In other words, he is, although you may not wish to admit it, in economic slavery. Further more, he will continue to be in such a state of economic servi tude unless you see to it that the legislaures of our various law-making bodies, interpret the constitution of the United States in a fairer manner, in a manner not showing favor nor prejudice to any, but fairness to all. h nends, m, reference to Am endment 14, Section 1, of the U. S. Constitution; “All per sons born or naturalized in the United States and snbjeet to the jurisdiction thereof, are cit izens of the U. S. and of the states wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of cit izens of the U. S., nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, with out due process of law, nor de ny t o any person the equal pro tection of the laws." How many states have enacted laws in di rect contradicion to that ex press statement! In several Southern states the laws regu do no more, and no more is ex pected of them. “What though the field be losit, all is1 not lost, the mind is its own place and of itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." ISSiV ’ ALLEN toPAcnic MAS WIN ADDED lO . THE EATEST EDITION Of!HE DICTIONARY, AND MEANS 'ORAY' iOR^AlRvlGHT. bill * ROD.INSON * THE WOIAD MANY M MAM AvGO. £7 Vl/LEAD MILY' TWICE IMPRISONED NKS%tc< STRUMMED <5 SUNG HIS WAT to PARDONS. HIS SONGS & MUSIC WERE RECORDED FOR THE: U.S. lERRMUf OE CONGRESS. _ *. *TM3>( BH.ONNN^ AJVTtD AMONG THt TOP CONttDIAMS INOUP-GRjOUP, PLAYED AUATUlLt PARJ IN THt PICTURE VCAN THI5 &t DiXIt' JTAl^BJNG JANl WITMJU. ) 1957 JBTK!«ATI0I»AL »BB!10 TnESC (Sr HIT «pW»*yo»At Pte» 1068 H&XM J gating suffrage are often ad ministered in such a way as to discriminaie against the Negro voter. Five main devices are used in several southern states to exclude a large number of Negroes from the polls. They are: (1) an educational test which is enforced more strictly against Negroes than whites; (2) a poll tax,which many Ne groes cannot afford to pay; (3) the requirement that the voter own a cerain amount of proper t y, which operates chiefly against the Negro; (4) the bar ring of registered Negro voters from white primaries; (5) and constant intimidations by threat of physical harm. As a result of these, the Negro is denied the right to vote in the states where his race is the most nU' merous. Consequently, he takes little interest in politics and is likeiy to be wholly ignorant of state and national affairs. A com ment on the activities of south ern men in driving out the Ne gro vote occurs in a paper of the American Negro Academy and is summed up in this man ner: “The significance of the undoing of the reconstruction is that—it marked the arrogant reassertion of the malignant and desperate purpose of south ern oligarchy, trained in the ab solution of slave mastery, to de spoil the Negro of the rights of citizenship, and to reduce him to a state of serfdom." This is an unfortunate predicament which could be averted in most cases. My friends! It is up to you and me todevise some means of bringing about those, better con ditions, economically as well as politically. But how? And from what has been said it can be clearly seen that the solution of the Negro problem is not an easy one. However, I believe the best solution lies in the educa tion of the Negro. Give him health training, citizenship training, and vocational train ing. These will make him eco nomically self-sufficient. What do I mean by economic self sufficiency? By that I mean to say that the Negro should be in a position to support himself independently, without any aid from outside sources. He must be in a position to agressively compete with other races. He must feel that he is economic ally equal to any other race. When a race is economically self-sufficient, it is in a posi tion to more ably demand politi cal equality. To do this we should have here in Omaha our own Negro grocery stores on North 24th street. The Negro should operate his own laundry, The Musicians By Mrs. H. Making -o ' ‘ Lift every voice and sincr”. The very phrase itteelf is in di rect compliance with the com mand of God's will for He put a most belajutiful song in the mouth, heart and soul of Mary, the mother of JeBus—rejoicing and being glad that she was to go down in the valley in the very shadow of death to bring forth the Skvior of mankind. When one leads a people to give praise to Jehovah God, being glad and acknowledging the fact that He is merciful, thank ing Him for His goodness, and making known to Him that we notice His kindness, greater will be His blessings. David was most! highly rec ognized because hesang his song from the hills, from the valleys, and begged all people t o join in his songs of praise to God. Every man, woman ond child should learn for memory, the three verses of the great Negro |song written by a great Negro j pair—J. Rosamond and J. Wen : dell Johnson. Next week I will give the history of these writers The A-scale is next in line with 3 sharps—F, C and G. Do you realize that music is writ ten from A to G and regardless to how difficult a song or piece may appear, it is only written from a, b, c, d, e, f, and g notes. There are 26 changes in a chro m!a,tie scale. his own department stores. Yes, in a metropolis of this size we should have even a Negro hos pital. We should have a bank operated entirely by Negroes. At present the Negro, of course, has not reached this level. How ever, I do believe he is fast ap proaching that state. When he does, he will be readily looked upon as a potent economic fac tor, and eventually given polit ical equality in practice. Our educational opportunities must be greatly increased to bring about this type of Negro. The Negro child should have school ing as well fitted to his needs as that of the white child. Only then and then alone will we be able to free ourseves from the economic and political shackles that have kept us restraint these many years and that have retarded our progress. In conclusion let me say that the Negro has the quality and material to do these things. He only needs intelligent leaders , and above all, united and con certed action to bring about this economic self-suffis^ency, which will result in his politic al equality.—Woodrow P. Mor gan.