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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (July 15, 1939)
Happenings that Affect the Din ner Pals, Dividend Checks and Tax Bills of Every Induvidual, National and International 1’rob lems Inseparable from Local Wel fare. Few Congresses in history have produced as little in so long a time as the current one. Of the dozens of major bills introduced (to say nothing of the thousands of minor bills, of which a consider able percentage falls into the crackpot category) less than half a dozen have been definitely acted upon. But that doesn’t mean that Congress is lazy of incompetent or is more than ordinarily domi nated by buck-passers. It does mean that one issue, of the most immense significance, has been up permost—and so far no one has of fered a solution that has met with widespread approval. That issue is the role of the United States in today’s complicated world afairs. As Newsweek puts it, “The 76th Congress offers no more striking contrast than the calm unanimity with which it votes hundreds of Millions for defense, compared | lith the hectic uncertainty with i jfhich it parries and postpones de cisions on foreign policies. Sena tors and representatives who can a gree on the number of ships, planes and guns needed cannot agree on what they are needed for.” The conflict between the isola tionists and the nationalists has been going on for a long time. To day it is more bitter than ever— and seems destined to become con stantly more so in the future. It is a known fact that this Admin istration definitely falls into the intemationilist classification,- |>he most potent iresidential advisor such as Ambassador Bullitt and Kennedy, seem convinced that we must eventually throw in our lot with France and England, and the sooner we do that the better off we’ll be. The Republicans in Congress, led by stern isolation ists Borah, Johnson and Nye, are convinced that this course *s suci dal, spells the participation of the U.S. in a possible war which is not our concern. Republican opposi tion is not particularly important to the White House—in spite or GOP gains last November, the Democrats still have a handsome najority. But this issue has split \arty lines wide open. Effective democrats such as Clark of Mis souri, are a8 strongly isolation ist in feeling as Borah. And many ^er lights in Congress, whotf view's have not yet been put on record, will vote for isolation when the time comes. Still more important, judging by all the available indicators, the A merican people are tending isola tionist in view. A recent Gallup (Institute of Public Opinion) Poll showed overwhelming disapproval of U.S. involvement in Europe’s troubles. The Gallup polls have a ccurately indicated the drift of public feeling in the past, and ma ny a Congressman whose prime interest is in pleasing his consti tuents, irrespective of what he per sonaly thinks, is certain to cast his vote according to their find mgs. Summing up, the advocates of the strictest kind of U. S. neutral ity have the edge at present. Whe ther or not they will hold that ^ edge depends upon many potential ities, tangible and intangible. But the force they exert today is in directly indicated by the Admin istration’s recent hands-off policy in the matter of neutrality legis lation. Mr. Roosevelt is not giv ing orders now—Washington ob servers say he aparently feels that Congress is in no mood for dicta tion. In the meantime, practically ev eryone seems agreed that we must build up our national defense to the limit. And Congress has voted military appropriations with a lav ish hand. So far more bhan $1,500, 000,000 has been appropriated at this session for national defense purposes. A recent bill (passed by the House ,and apparently sure of Senate approval) shows the kind of fighting tools we are making. It provides for two 45,000-ton bat tleships—larger than anything now afloat—two big cruisers, a number of submarines and destroy ers, hundreds of naval planes, etc. If the Navy gets its way, the shipyards will be kept even busier. In addition to the two 45,000-ton monsters, the Admirals have asked ■ for six 35,000-ton battleships, 18J heavy cruisers, 23 light cruisers, 1.50 destroyers, 56 submarines, and 6 aircraft carriers, plus 3,000 planes. And the Army is not being neg lected. Its force is to be increas 'd to 400,000 men (this figure in ludes (the National Guard, it is to So given more planes, and tre •nendoug quantities of weapons, in cluding the new Garrand semi-au "omatic rifles of which amazing reports are heard. So—while Congress fights to keep W3 out of Europe, the law makers are doing everything pos sible to make sure that Europe keeps away from us. Business still shows its slow, but rather steady, dawnward trend. That long-looked-for confidence on the part of (the business leaders simply hasn’t appeared. Good recent sign was a strengh ening of raw material prices, after a period of decline. Settlement of the great coal strike, think ma ny economists, will be a great help to all industry. CALVIN’S Digest By FLOYD J. CALVIIN (Listed by Editor & Publisher) Briton's “Senses” The Japanese have announced that .they intend to bring the British “to their senses” on the question of foreign concessions in China. This policy has precipita ted dramatic moves in the Far East. We think it only fair ithat the , Japanese “clear up” the Chinese question in their own interestb if they have a mind to do so. It seems more fair, even by Western standards of morality for the Jap anese .to control Asia than for the white man to travel around the world and make the yellow races pay tribute to him as he has done the brown people of India and the black people of Africa. Frankly, our sympathy is with Japan, for we went the white man’s policy of putting the economic yoke on all non-white peoples, as he has done our own people—even those who are citizens of the United States. We think it wouia De a good thing for the prestige of the sub jugated races if the Japanese can win their point. For the past 5)0 years, as history shows, the white man has collected tribute frofm the weaker people and built up what he pleased to call “civiliza tion,” but that civilization while it tolerates the presence of non white groups within its borders, does not give to them the so-called “Democratic justice” that we hear so much about these days in dis cussing theories of government. While we are loyal to our own coun/tiy, we would give to the peo ple of the Far East the same pri vilege we enjoy in maintaining the .'iunrc" Doct.ir .. Let the people of Asia have Asia, and let the foreign concessions in China be abolished. There is no good reason why a white man in China should be looked upon as superior to the natives; just as there is no good reason why Negroeis in the United States should not be given equal protection under the law. ramily and Home It is refreshing to read in a dis patch from the National Catholic Social Action Congress at Cleve land, O. on June 12, that Fabher John LaFarge, S. J., of the Cath olic Interracial Council, New York, speaking before the Con gress on “Christian Democracy and the Negro Middle Class,” said: “The problem of the Negro in a Christian Democracy centers a round the family and the home. Society w ill never have that 'form and character’ spoken of by (Pope) Leo XIII unless it can meet the threat which faces the Negro home today in our Ameri can civilization the threat of in security. This threat h,as not been met by the various enterprises and legislative measures set on foot during recent years to se cure homes and livelihood to A merican citizens. "The Catholic of thus country must see to it that the American Negro is not proletarinized, that is to say, driven further and further into the wageless, non property-owning class.” The new Catholic Archbisop of New York, The Very Rev. Francis J. Spellman speaking in Harlem Sunday afternoon at his first confirmations in his new position afcked Negro Catholics “to see that even if other Negroes were not converted th^t at least they would have ‘respect and ad miration’ for the Catholic church.” It would seem that the Negro would have “respect and admira tion” for any group or institution that sought to give greater so curity to "his family and home." All of us can take pride in the splendid feature given to Dr. W. E. B. DuBois’ latest book, "Black Folk then and Now,” by the New York Herald Tribune or^ Wednes day morning June 14, Not only is the whole book column given over to a review of the work, but a fine photograph of Dr. Dubdis appears in the column. The new book, published by Henry Holt and Co. 257 Fourth Avenue, New York, contains 401 pages is “the story of the Ne gro peoples of the world, from prehistoric times to the present* is one which few of us, white or black, are familiar", says the pub lishers. And the publishers go on: "Yet (this is far from being a mere work of scholar* hip. It will come as a surprise to white readers to learn how many of the great historical figures of the past have been wholly or partially Negro in derivation- From the time of Egypt’s greait queen, Nefeiftari, onward there have been Negroes of world-wide importance—1th e names of Toussaint L’Ouverture, Jean Christopihe, and the Mahdi among the warriors. The oburch has had Negro saints—St. Bene dict the Moore and St. Martin of Perres. The list of writers is a long one. Both Alexandre Dumas and Pushkin had Negro blood in their veins. The contributions of the Negro people to sculpture, music, and the arts are only be ginning to be recognized. “Professor Dubois is nowhere in the couitse of this book an opolo gisit for his people. He attempts, without rancor, to restore the Ne gro his rightful place in the hu man story. More than that, in a series of powerful chapters on the slave trade and the modern lot of Negroes in the world, he comes to grips with the fundamental issues of our time as they appear to a people still economically un enfranchised in great sections ol society. 'The problem of the twen tieth century is the problem of the color line,” he declares, and documents his case.’ “For those who fool that the white race is the only important one that the world has known, this volume is required readin For those who realize that the case for human equality of oppor tunity rests upon knowledge and understanding, Professor DuDois’s book will be an invaluable sur vey of a neglected field. It is written with a high sincerity and without special pleading.” Thus wo see that the publishers plan for this story of the Negro by Dr. Dubois to get into the hands of white people as well as the hands of Negroes. It will be un fortunate if Negroes themselves neglect the reading of this won derful story_ Southern Conditions Speaking to Negro Extension Agents at Tuskegee Institute, P. K. Norris, Senior Marketing Specialist in Cotton of the Foreign Marketing Service of the U. S. De partment of Agriculture, said: “The condition of agricultural la borers in foreign countries and particularly in India is far worse than the condition of tenants and sharecroppers on southern cotton farms.” Granting or accepting that this is true, it is no reason for the continued existence of deplorable conditions among sharecroppers ar tenants <>f the South. In this coun try, we pride ourselves on being very advanced in our living stan dards and our opportunities for ed ucation. The Government should continue to work toward the eli mination of economic .'.buses in SATURDAY NIGHT BACK H(5mE • %_ ■ ■111 ««'■*» IIM « ---- . . .... ■ ■ I. uL-nr»r» ^OldC.KAAMj! Hioe 'WJ GOLDFISH-' WERE COWfcSY WAT COUSGfe FELLER, TO CALL CW OOR J t^mxrymPH' rr?_ the rural Soubh, whereby tenants 1 and sharecroppers are kept down —forced to remain in a class that is very much to be pitied. -0O0 Harriet Tubman John Brown called her: “One of the best an bravest persons on this continent.” As related by WPA Federal Writers who have published 175 book, in the American Guide Ser ies, many of which contain histor ical and contemporary material a bout the Negro people, the super human efforts of Harriet Tubman, one of the boldest and most saga cious workers in this hazardous undertaking stands out heroically in American history . Harriet Tubman was bom a slave in Dorchester County, Mary land, one of eleven children born to Benjamin Ross and Harriet Greene who were both slaves. At an ear ly age she became the victim of her master’s rage, and suffered a skull injury from the impact of a heavy weight that he had hurled at her. For the rest of her life Harriet was afflicted, suffering sleeping spells intermittently. In 1849, when she was about 22, she conspired with her two brothers to run away. Sleeping days and tramping through the woods and over backroads at night, she made her way to New York. In her career as an agent of tho Underground Railroad, it has been estimated that Harriet Tubman made more than nineteen trips into the South and assisted more than three hunndred slaves “pieces of living, breathing property”—in making their escape. She was con fidance of Wendell Phillips who re lates that the last time he ever saw John Brown was when Brown came to his house with Harriet Tubman saying: “Mr. Phillips, I bring you one of the best and brav est persons on this continent— General Tubman, a3 we call her.” Harriet Tubman was frequently a guest at the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Her work was known and feared by slave-owners, and at one time an aggregate reward of forty-thousnd dollars was offered by Maryland planters for her cap ture—dead or alive. Because of her daring, courago and experience she was employed in the Secret Service of the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war Harriet established an old folks’ home on the piece of roper ty which, in 1857, Wiliaim H, Sew and sold to her. It was located near Seward’s home at Auburn, New York. Harriet Tubman later ■»■ —— TORK. shown embracing his j dog ‘“Boss,” is die central figure in Stella Gentral Sharpe’s new book of the same name. The book writ ten for children, was recently pub lished by the University of North Carolina Press. (ANP) A GLOBE TROTTER’S SREiCH BOOK fl Bi HI WATTS . When I made the above sketch en my first visit to the Isle of Harken In Holland's Zuider Zee. I was amazed to find that there was a great lack of small boys among the frolicking children on the spot less, quaint streets. And yet, many of the tots seemed much too rough and noisy to be sweet little girls 1 However, after talking with a fts of the friendly adults, I soon discovered tbs answer. It seems that up to the age of flve yeara ALL of the children are dressea alike—long skirt, apron bodice and lace cap. At flve, when the boy is ready to go to school, he changes to wide knee-length breeches i gen erally cut down from his father’s suit) but he still continues to wear his hair in long flowing locks. Then finally, at seven, hs makes the final step Into manhood, and from then on dresses exactly like his father. Next week, I’ll tell you about an interesting custom in (Rhodes—a Mohammedan country. turned her thoughts to rights of ■women- A'lhen asked if she be lieved that women should vote, she replied: “I suffered enough to be lieve it.” She lived to be eighty years old and was strong and vig orous to her death on March 10, 1913. ADVERTISE IN THE OMAHA GUIDE Largest Accredited Negro News paper Went of Chicago and North of Kansas City It’s Their Fault * A plea that the American peo ple “forget the notion that war is inevitable with Japan and show a bettor understanding of the feelings of (the Japenese’ was ut tered today by Dr. Dana T. War ren, University of Omaha physi cist and former resident and teacher in Japan. “The Japenese people don’t have bhe idea that war is neces sary with America. They regard war with the United States as no more inevitable than we Americans think a war with the Dutch in in evitable on account of Dutch Guiana.’’ Dr. Warren himself bom in the seaport of Kobe, Japan, near me industrial center Osaka, said the United States could do much to avoid a eonfliot with Japan by recognizing the existence of a state of war in China. "We should give our citizens the opportunity of being evacua tod by American gunboats. Then if those who persist in staying get bombed it’s their own fault; 'and the United States govern ment should insist that it will do nothing to help them’’. The University of Omaha scien tist declared that the American people do not have a proper un derstanding of the forces driving Japan into China. Japense authorities live under a very real dread of communism, he said. So great is this feeling that the government hais resorted even to executive action to re press what it calls “dangerous thoughts.” The principle of “ha beas corpus” being known to Ja panese law, some injustice and re t h i s doctrine o f “dangerous pression has followed the use of thoughts.” “This fear of commi*iism which is accompanied by an almost equal fear of Soviet Russian influence, has been a very strong force in the shaping of Japan’s policy to ward China. Her attitude toward China is essentially paternalistic. “Japan feels that China * blundering toward a terrible fate, j She looks on China as we would look on a blind man who was about te topple into a pit She feels that he just can’t let blind China fall into the pit. The pit, * in this instance is communism. China away from the pit even if Japan feels that she must pull force is necessary. ‘‘The Japense say, ‘Maybe China thinks she knows where’s she*« going but she really doesn’t un derstand; so we who can see must save her from a fate she’s bring ing on herself. We’re trying not to thwart China but to preserve her.” Dr. Warren thinks that A«*tiV Cans have been too callous where Japanese feelings have been con cerned. He characterized the im migration law of 1824 which ex cluded Japenese immigrants as a “slap in the face to Japan.” “The government of Japan had adhered faithfully to the ‘gentle men’s agreement’ with the Ameri can government to discourage Ja panese immigrants from coming to the United States. The agree ment had worked effectively; so there was really no need for the | exclusion law to be passed. “Because the Japenese people felt that they had been done an unjust and an unnecessary injury by the la%', relations between the two peoples have not been as cordial as they might otherwise have been.” -0O0——— Johnson Drug Co. Prescriptions LIQUORS, WINES and BEER WE. 0999 1904 N. 24th St. PAIN IN BACK MADE HERV MISERABLE 'V Read How ^ She Found Blessed Relief Muscles were so sore Mff' ^ mi shecould hardly touch a*? them. Used Hamlins Wizard Oil Liniment and found wonderful relief. Try it today if your muscles are stiff, sore, achy. Rub it on thorough ly. Feel its prompt warming action ease pain; bring soothing relief. Pleasant odor. Will not stain. Money-back guarantee at all drug stores. Read The Guide for News
