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THE OMAHA GUIDE
Published Every Saturday at 2418-20 Grant Street,
Omaha, Nebraska
Phanea: WEbster 1517 or 1518
Catered M Second ('lass Matter March 15, 1927, at the Poatoffice at
Omaha. Neb., under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
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Race prejudice must go. The Fatherhood of God and the Brother
hood of Man must prevail. These are the only principles which will
itiii-H the acid test of good.
All News Capy of Churches and aH Organlrationa must be in our
sffioe nut later than 5:*9 p. m. Monday for current mauc. All Adver
tising Copy or Paid Articles not later than Wednesday noon, proceed
ing date of issue, to insure publication.
..EDITORIALS„ \
ECHOES OF THE NEWS
By S. 1. FORD, Washington, D C.
WALK HOUR LAW The president has sent to congress a
metHttm urging the passage of a hill covering minimum wHges
amt maximum InSirs of labor, as a meows of “dxteuding the
frontiers of social progress.11 Senator Blade and Congressman
Connery immediately introduced a hill in their respective branch
of Congress in keeping with the president's message, ami made
platis to rush its passage as one of the “must” hills) f#r the
current rfcusiion. The objectives ami general principles of the
hill are admirable. “Kxtending the frontiers of social progress"
sounds great. But despite tlufce lofty aims, any such legislation
place* the Negro between the devil and the deep sea. impair
ing his economic future forever. While wo admit that this is
not the intent of sponsors of the bill, the fact remains that the
result is imperative. Negroes, forming one-tenth of owr popu
lation, must pay the same price as people of other races, and
»<t«H*tiimv4 more, for their clothing, food and shelter, and should
bo guaranteed equal opportunity and remuneration for their la
bor. If anything in the Black-Connery Bill would bring about
Mu**,, objectives in addition to “extending the frontiers of so
cial progress”, wc would he happy to lend it our whole-hearted
support. If th,. “frontiers of social progress” were equally or
even proportionally extended, then, too, all would be well. But
iphtarad, our future is imperiled. Negro labor is threatened with
either legal discrimination or automatic extermination.
The Black-Connery Bill would permit industry to pay low
er wages to Negroes than to white men doing the same kind
of work, and tiring the same cost of living, forcing them into
legalized economic slavery. On the other hand, any requirement
in the bill that all persons, regardless of race or color, doing
the same kind of work, be subject to the same wages and hours,
would menu the immediate discharge of Negroes rather than
pay them a decorous wage, driving them into the already over
flowing relief rolls of the variousstates and municipalities
Is this the reward of the Negro for his support of the ud
minis! ration in the recent campaign or must he suffer further
privations in spite of his loyalty! We must nob too soon for
get those provisions in the old NRA that gained it. the fitting
nickname “the Negro Removal Act”, and it is our duty to re
mind our friends in Congress that passage of the hill in any
form will militnte to our disadvantage, notwithstanding the
possibility of failure to “extend the frontiers of social progress ”
The National Constitution Defense League, with head
quarters at 921 Westminister St., N. W., AVfashington, D. C.,
is taking the lend in a nation-wide movement against the Black
Connery W\age-IIour Bill mentioned above, and solicits the co
operation of the readers of this jiaper in the effort.
- - -- *
VISIBLE VS INVISIBLE TAXES
By E. HOBIER
”It would he an excellent thing if some of the many taxes
now levied indirectly were promptly scrapped in favor of di
rect personal taxes, even on the smallest incomes” says The
New York Times. “That would give us an electorate with a
greater sense of responsibility in the matter of public finance,
And legislatures with more backbone in the matter of retrench
ment.” The persistent belief possessed by millions of citizens
that they pay no taxes whatsoever because their incomes fall
below certain “income tax exemptions”—coupled with the at
titude that “the rich guys have to pay”—has bred an almost
vallous disregard for government spending.
Direct taxes constitute a minor part of government income,
■while indirect taxes on food, clothing, drugs, amusements—ev
erything we buy and use—fall proportionately heavier on the
poor than on the well-to-do; because there are fewer of Ihe lat
ter. The Times' suggestion to have direct trxes supplant some
of the indirect taxes, is an excellent one. Unfortunately our
lawmakers always eye such ideas with enmity, because of their
potential political repercussions. But the fact remains that all
of us pay taxes, and that persons of moderate means are pro
portionately the heaviest taxpayers. This should be constant
ly repeated and empliasized. Eventually If wifi sink in on tin
voter and then the lawmakers will act.
DEATH IS PERMANENT
* •
The destruction of the Hindenburg has once again brouglr
before the eyes and minds of the world the terror of sudden
uncontrollable fire. Millions of people, reading the news ae
counts and viewing the ghastly photographs of the doomed nar
ship and its victims, have been gripped by a shudder of hor
COMMENCEMENT AT FAMOUS TEXAS COLLEGE
J ’resident Joseph J Rhoads of Bishop < with l>r. J. ('. Austin, Chicago pastor, heads the (’omnaencemwaM^o^ewdo!^ at
Bishop College. Throngs of parents ami friends attended the exercises which were held outdoors. Dr. Austin gMv« the f*l dress.
KELLYMILLER
SAYS
THE DOOR OF HOPE
I am aware that my last release
on "The Lost Generation of Negro
Youth” left a bad taste in the
mouth. Some would bo disposed to
conclude that it shut the door of
hope in the face of ambitious and
aspiring young men and women.
Let me reassure them that the door
of hope is still ajar, but it does
not lead to free and unrestricted
opportunity as was enthusiastically
expected a generation ago.
The task of the prophet is a
thankless one. His true function is
to stand on the tower of observa
tion with clairvoyance which pene
trates beyond the dip of the hori
zon. From this point of vantage he
sees the distant rim of vision and
warns tho people to taka heed be
time.
The Hebrew prophets played
everlastingly upon the minor key.
They warned the Hebrew people of
the wrath to come, but always left
an avenue of escape. Sodom and
Gomorrah might be saved if a mi
nimum residuo of righteous men
could be found. Nineveh would
bo destroyed only in case its in
habitants did not repent of their
wickedness, in sack cloth and ashes.
This saving clause was appended to
the note of every Hebrew prophet,
even that of JVremiah, the forecast
er of gloom and doom.
Thesp prophesies have been and
still are being substantially ful
filled. Generation after generation
of Hebrew youth were lost to the
salvation of their own race and of
the world. There was not a single
prophet nor spiritual genius for
four hundred years between the
prophet Malchiah and the coming
of Jesus, but in the fullness of time
which is not yet, the Jewish race
seems destined to vindicate the pro
phecy vouchsafed to Abraham “In
thy seud shall all the nations of
the earth bo blessed.”
The analogy between the situa
tion which confronted the Jewish
raco throughout its history and
that which confronts the American
Negro today seems to be perfectly
obvious. The Jewish race constitut
ed a dependent and self-helpless
minority. Thoir whole reliance was
upon the vicarious salvation. They
were continuously warned that
their only hope lay in righteous
ness and that if they went awhor
ing after the enticement* and al
lurements of the Gentile world,
only destruction awaited them at
the end of the road.
All this was summed up in the
admonition of Jesus. “The leaders
of the Gentile lauded over them;
but it must not be so with you. He
who would be great among you,
let him be your servant, and the
greatest of all is the servant of
all.” This is the dominant note in
al! Hebrew prophecy.
The proverb tells us that ih*re
is always room on top, but only
one out of every ten thousand ev
er reaches the top amid the stress
and strain of modern competition.
Worldly opportunity is like a monu
ment whose broad layers at the
base taper to a point at the vertex,
where there is room only for the
favored and fortunate few. But
there is always room at the bottom,
where opportunity is free for all
who understand how to avail them
selves of it in the proper spirit of
a consecrated heart and mind.
Th6 educated Negro today has
the opportunity for humane and
sacrificial service beyond any other
class of youth of our generation
but they need not seek comparable
glory, honor and material reward
in terms of which present day ex
cellence is appraised.
Tho teacher’s function is to en
lighten the ignorant. The payroll
teacher is an abomination to God
and man. The Negro teacher is
confronted with a mass of ignor
ance which can only be dispelled
by sacrificial devotion to the ped
agogic art.
The function of the physician is
to heal the sick. The impulse of the
true physician is to carry medical
aid where sickness and disease are
most prevalent.
The Negro race is subject to all
the ills that human flesh fall heir
to. There devolves upon the Negro
doctor as heavy a task as befalls
the disciples of Escapalpius of any
race or clime.
The mission of the minister is
to make men better in the life that
Sow is and prepare them for the
life that is to be. He finds oppor
tunity where sin abounds. There
is certainly no longer volume of
sin among any people than among
the Negroes to whose moral and
spiritual leadership he is called.
The minister of the gospej who
constitutes his office for filthy
ror. Not so long ago the New London school disaster resulted
in a similar reaction.
The unfortumwte par^ of it is those lessons are so quickly
forgotten, and that a large parj of the public virtually refuses
to adopt safety measures of long standing need, which would
Prevent thousands of individual tragedies whose cumulative
total of death, injury and property damage is infinitely greater
thhn that caused by the infrequent major disasters that are
headlined in the newspapers throughout the world.
For example, six thousand persons in the United States
exclusive of the 1500 who die annually in burning buildings—die
yearly of burns and scalds and practically every one of these
deaths is preventable. Children arc the principal sufferers
thanks to the carelessness of adults. Unprotected stoves and
grates, hot water, stefcm, and matches are the principal objects
which quickly became lethal agents of death n.t the innocent
exploring touch of a child's hand. Among adults the practice of
starting fires with kerosene a<nd gasoline is well in the fore as
a producer of fatal burns, and as a destroyer of property.
Death by fire is just as painful and horrifying—whether
it occurs in a home or in a spectacular disaster. Thdulc of this
before you throw kerosene on that balky fire. Remember thn,t
death is a permanent proposition, and no amount of money will
bring bask life to a charred body.
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This Week in
Thought and Religion
By R. L. Moody *
FATHERHOOD
“Like as a father.pitieth his
children, so the Lord...pitieth
them that fear Him.” Psalms 103:
13. June 20th is te be celebrated
as Father’s Day. We are to show,
by oral expression and deeds, our
love and appreciation. Many are
very stem in their thoughts about
fathers. But it is as blessed to be
a father as it is tobe a mother.
One could not or would not suc
cessfully exist without the other.
Though the Old Testament does
not directly stress the fatherhood
of God, it foreruns its revelation
in the New Testament by its types
and shadows. The Patarichal family
of Abraham, Isaac and Jlhcob are
definite types of the relationship
between father and son as fulfilled
in Jesus Christ and the Father.
Realizing the glory of being a
father, there is as much need of
pure, upright, Godly men as the
progenitors of our children, as the
need for pure virtuous mothers.
It is very alarming to see the
men of this present and passing
generation igo on in wickedness
and sin, with our young men fol
lowing blindly.
Men and fathers can God test
ify for you as He did for Abra
ham? “For I know him, that he
will command his children and his
household after him and they shall
keep the way of the Lord.” Gen.
18:19. If this can’t be said of you,
then begin today to make it true
in your life, then our young peo
ple will be able to truthfully say
and sing:
i iiii.ii ui v/ui rauicta: wi: wiu juvc
Both friend and foe in all our strife
And teach thee, too, as love knows
how,
By kindly words and virtuous life.
Faith of our fathers; Holy faith!
We will be true to thee ‘til death.”
lucre and who profiteer’s at the ex
pense of God's poor deserves to
have the millstone of condemnation
tied about his neck and be cast in
the middle of the se,a.
The Negro lawyer has a great
function to see to it that members
of his race secure their legal rights
and liberties, both as effects per
son and property. His material re
ward will be scanty, but great is
his reward in the higher domain
where service is appreciated, not
in dollars and dimes, but according
to its true value. The lawyer who
takes advantage of his profession
al position to rob the poor people
of their miserable pennies is as
guilt-worthy as a minister who
dishonors his calling. Herein lies
the superlative opportunity of the
educated Negro of the present day
and generation.
He should qualify himself by tak
ing advantage of the deepest and
highest educational privileges that
dollege and culture »/fc|’d, and
should consecrate himself in the
spirit of self-sacrifice to serve his
race without stint or limit in the
high places of intellectual, social,
moral and spiritual leadership.
Herein lies the wide open door of
hope to the youth of the present
generation, but if they persist in
the quest of greed, glamour and
glory of the white world they will
bring down upon their own heads,
and that of the race, self-execu
tion of all the woes and calamaties
which the Hebrew prophet foretold
would befall the children of Abra
ham.
If the 2,000 Negro college grad
uates who take their degrees in
June and the college generations
which are to follow them, will em
brace their task in this spirit, they
will save their race from the im
pending wrath which may not oth
erwise be averted.
Fireworks Exhibit at
Creighton Stadium
On Monday, July 5
In order that the American ’
gioa band of Omaha can lead the
Nebraska delegation down Fifth
avenue,, in New York City, at the
National American Legion conven
tion. Omaha Post No. 1 will stage
i massiv« fTowo-k* exposition »''d
clovn circu* at the Creighton Sta
dium on July 5th.
Proceeds of the exposition will
bo used to finance the band’s trip
to New York. Legion officials fael
that in having th“ Onv>V
lead th« Nebraska delegation, they
are making a definite civic contri
bution to Omaha and to the State
of Nebraska. Banners boosting
Omaha and Nebraska will be car
ried by delegates before thousands
of people, gathered
ev6-; portion of the United States.
An outstanding feature of the
fireworks exposition will be a piece
—160 feet wide—depicting Paul
Revesre on his epoch making ride.
Another piece, more tha«i 20 feet
high, will show the Statue of Li
ber iv.
Arranyjm'fnts for *the exposi
tion and circus are (being made by
the finance committee of Omaha
Post No. 1, American Legon.
“The fireworks demonstration
v ill be the most spectacular ever
hold in Cmaha,” said Chairman
Morris E. Jacobs of the Finance
Committee. “Seats will go on sale
at the American Legion office on
Tuesday. Half of the stadium will
be reserved. General admission
will be 40 cents for adults and 25
cents for children. Reserved seats
will be 25c extra. Because the re
served seats are limited, it will be
‘first come, first served.’’
During the Fireworks Exposi
tion, fifteen clowns will carry on
for the special benefit of the chil
dren. Special fireworks stunts
with the clowns are being arrang
ed, Chairman Jacobs said.
The American Legion band will
also give a concert on the opening
of the fireworks demonstration.
-o
Everybody in town is going.
Where? To the big carnival dance
at the Dreamland Hall on June
28th, given by the Bacchanite Club,
featuring Anna Mae Winburn and
her Cotton Club Boys.
N A A C P Meet To
Discuss Elections
New York, June 15—With a
sharp eye on the actions of eon
gressmen and senators, delegates
to the 28th annual conference of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
which meets in Detroit, Mich. June
29th-July 4th, promise lively dis
cussion of the congressional elec
tions of 1938s
Foremost is the anti-lynching
bill. Congressmen have already
done their duty by passing the
Gavagan bill, but the Senate in
marking time and those senator*
who come up for election will haw
to answer to the voters.
Tho conference ie expected to
make demand for immediate action
by administration leaders to sea
that qualified colored voters in tho
south are permitted to veto. Char
les Chandler, an attorney of Mudko
gee, Okla., will speak at Detroit
on the franchise case new in the
Wagonyr county courts.
“The same House nwjerity lhat
forced passage of the anti-lynch
ing bill can force action against
disfranchisement,” an N. A. A. C. P
statement eaid. “The Negroes in
the north who elect the men who
give the party in power its great
majority expect action to see that
their brothers in the south get
their voting privileges.”
The NAACP is watching close
ly the various relief bills and work,
wage and hour bills and the record
of congressmen on these will be
discussed at Detroit.
About 1,000 delegates are ex
pected to attend the Conference
which will be addressed by Homer
Martin, president of the United An- "
tomolbile Workers, Dr. Robert C.
Weaver, Governor Frank Murphy
of Michigan, Congressman Joesph
A Gavagan, Walter White, J. B.
Spingarn and others.
-o
4500 Hear Gavagan
and White in L. A.
Los Angeles, Juno 16—An au
dience of 4,600 crowded into the
First M. E. church here last Sun
day afternoon to hear speeches on
the federal anti-lynching bill by
Congressman Joseph A. Gavagan
of New York and Walter White,
secretary of the NAACP.
The speeches were broadcast
over radio station KFWB.
On Friday night, June 4th, just
after the speakers arrived from
Kansas City, a special radio pro
gram was arranged for them over
the Warner Brothers station,
KFWB. The program was arrang
ed by Clarence Muse, well known
screen actor, an in addition to
Congrssman Gavagan and Walter
White, Mr. Muse spoke, the Hall
Johnson ehoir sang and Leon Leon
Eirdi’s orchestra played.
The Los Angeles meeting under
the auspices of the Los Angeles^,
NAACP branch of which Thomas"^
Griffith, jr., is president, was one
of the series held across the coun
try by the NAACP to arouse sen
timent for the passage of the Ga
vagan anti-1ynjjhing bill by the
Senate. Meetings were held in
Louisville, Ky.; Kokomo, Ind.;
Chicago, 111.; St. Louis and Kansas
City, Mo.; and the final meeting
in New York, JVine 10th.
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