^' HEW TO THtUNEl
LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OP CHICAGO amo NORTH OF KANSAS CITY
Entered as 2nd Class Matter at Postoffice, Omaha, Nebr., under Act of March 8, 1874. SATURDAY NOVEMB. 3, 1939 NUMBER 32
America's
tion Lies In
Education1
IL ■
f r a AAii
Carrying on the fight for Tolerance and Equality In this country, the Coun
cil Against Intolerance In America, together with representatives of 200
national women’s organizations, has Inaugurated a Seal Campaign cen
tered about “A Spirit of Tolerance,’’ a painting by McClelland Barclay
for which Katharine Hepburn posed. The seals are two Inches wide and
one inch deep, designed for use on letters, packages and general diallings.
Police Quiz
Bookkeeper
As Ambush
Murderer
Mound Bayou, Muss. Nov. 16
—(ANP)—Fred Miller, 45, a
bookkeeper in this all-Negro
town, was arrested at Clarks
dale Tuesday by police acting
under orders of District; Attor
ney Green P. ltlce, as official
Mississippi launched an inves
tigation into tlhe arribush -slay
ing last week of Eugene P.
Booze, Republican chieftain and
son-in-law of Isaiah T. Mont
gomery, founder of Mound Ba
you.
Although many citizens be
lieve Booza was killed in reta
liation for the slaying by police
six weeks ago of Miss Stella
Montgomery, daughter of the
founder and sister-in-law of E.
P. Booze, the Republican leader
himself said iu the hospital be
fore he died that the shooting
was the result of “political
jealous.”
Miller was arrested while Bo
livar county officers probed all
angles of the murder and was
taken to an unannounced jail for
questioning. The district attorney
said he believed there was more
than one assailant and that he
had “some valuable information”
on which to work.
Booze was shot when he left
his law office and started to en
ter his automobile around 7:30
Monday night. He was struck
twice in the chest, once in the
abdomen and once in the shoul
der. His chauffeur, Andrew Polk,
was shot in the hip. Both were
rushed to a hospital at Green
- ville where Booze died early tha
next dav.
The ftisillade taaroe tfroim be
hind posts in front of an old drug
store. A short time after the
shooting to which there were
no witnesses, officers who came
here from Cleveland, Miss, found
2<5 holes in Booze’s car and five
empty shotgun shells nearby. At
the hospital both pistol bullets
and buckshot were taketa from
the victim’s body.
District Attorney Rice says he
believes there were several cssas
sins in the murder which was
carried ouj in typical gangland
fashion. Citizens under leadership
of Mayor Green have started
collecting » fund to investigate
tlte death.
Booze was a member of the
Republican State Cantata! com
mittee since 1924, and his wife
ing of my own qualifications.
is Republican Na' ional Commit
teewoman from Mississippi
When Isaiah Montgomery died
some years ago, Stella, who was
recently killed by police, charg
ed Booze wi;h poisoning him to
death and had him brought t«
trial on the charge. Booze was
exonerated, but opinion in the
community was divided between
those who actually thought hiim
guilty and those who believed him
innocent.
The fued between Booze and
Miss Montgomery flourished so
greatly that the political 1 add'
go*i a court order prohibiting her
from entering hi« home after she
allegedly perpetrated several il
legal land deals here. She moved
to St. Louis, coming here only on
periodic visits.
Shetn she returned in Septem
ber, Booze got a warrant for her
arrest. Deputy Sheriff Clayton
Dempsey of .Cleveland and Mar
shall Fred Connor of Marigold
accompanied Booze to take hsr
under custody. The white officers
substantiated by Booze said they
were forced to shoot in self-de
fense when Miss Montgomery at
tacked than with a knife.
The community was incensed
nt the slaying, many persons con
demning Booze for his part in
the affair. He allegedly received
several threats to “gat out of
town” but hesded none.
Until th9 two recent slayings,
there had been few violent deaths
in Mound Bayou since an “out
sider” murdered Benjamin T.
Green, father of the present
mayor, many years ago. So order
ly was the town that not long
ago the city jail was torn down
because of disuse.
-/vfVv _ ---
SAYS MORE NEGROES
SHOULD SEEK TOP CIVIL
SERVICE JOBS
Washington, Nov. 16 (ANP)—
Emphasizing the failure of Ne
groes to take advantage of the
civil service opportunities for
jobh in the higher brackets of
governmental dspar ments, a n
official pointed out the sad lack
of interest among qualified Ne
groes as one of the reasons for
the failure of imiore appointments
to these jobs among Negroes.
“There is no excuse for it,” he
said. “I have just filed applica
tion for a position for vdiich
there will be no written exam.
Submitting my qualifications, I
see no reason why I haven’t an
opportunity for an appointment
to a higher position.
“Others can gelt the informa
tion the same as I did, by read
ing the Negro newspapers which,
to their everlasting credit, keep
pumping away giving informa
tion concerning these exams. I
know personally that there are
a number of highly qualified Ne
groes who could fill one of these
jobs as well as I can, not boast -
However, I want to give the
thing a thprough trial,”
Salva
‘Clouds of
Bigotry and
Prejudice Must
Be Dispelled”
I ® ’
Leading Women’s
Groups Aid Seal
Drive for Tolerance
America’s salvation lies in edu
cation that will dispel the clouds
of bigotry and prejudice, the
Council Against Intolerance in
America declared today in an
nouncing a nationwide seal cam
paign to (Underwrite constructive
work for tolerance in this coun
try.
The drive for funds to carry
on the educat ional program will
bo climaxed with a National Seal
Week from November 15 to Nov
ember 23. Mora than 200 promi
nent women Is organizations are
assisting in the campaign.
Headed by George Gordon Bat
tle, United Stale® Sena'or W.
Warren Barbour of New Jersey
and William Allen Whi.ie, the
Council has designated as its of
ficial seal a painting, “The Spirit
of Tolerance,’’ McClelland Bar
clay! noted artist and illustrator.
Katherine Hepburn posed as the
model.
Virtually every prominent
women’s group in the nation was
represented at the New York
meeting at which final plans for
tho seal drive were made. They
heard pleas by Dorothy Canfield
Fisher, internationally known
author and Dr. Henry Smith Lei
per, executive secretary of the
Federal Council of Churches of
Christ in America, for continued
cooperation to make the campaign
successful.
Among them were the Ameri
can Women’s Association, the
American Legion Auxiliary, the
Daughters of the American Rev
olution, the National Council of
Jewish Women, the National Arts
Council, tlhe United States Flag
Association, the Women’s Federal
Jurors Association and the Young
| Women’s Christian Association,
j Catholic Daughters of America
j and the National Council of
Women.
The seal drive will be further-'
ed by a press and radio campaign |
to be aided by leading figures of |
the stage and screen. Department
stores, hotel and theatre lobby
booths will be set up in principal
cities throughout the country.
Tho primary objective of the
campaign is increased distribu
tion of the teachers' manual, “An
American answer to Intolerance”,
prepared by the Council under
the direction of a group of na
tionally known educators for use
in the nation’s schools.
Since i'je publication in Septem
ber, this Manual has been adopted
by educational authorities for
use in classrooms of 44 states,
according to Mi's. Albion Mac
Corwick, administrative secretary
of the Council.
Mrs. MacCortnick revealed that
despite ''.‘he distribution of 10,000
copies of the Manual, the Council
has over 25,000 requests for ad
ditional copies, “to be filled as
soon as funds for continued pub
lication are available. The Man
ual is supplied without charge to
teachers.
Through the Seal Campaign the
Council hopes to distribute a tot
al of 100,000 copies of the Man
ual to English and Social science
teachers in the United States.
The educational guide contains
an analysis of propaganda, a
study of prejudices leading to in
tolerance, a chapter of factual in
I formation to combat propaganda
and a section setting forth means
by which teachers may graphi
cally impart the true meaning of
the basic human rights guaran
teed in the Constitution.
• 4 _
Salem-lfilson
Case Continued
Tho Hi Ison ca-se proceedings
wero stopp:<l Monday for an in
definite time, because of the ill
ness of ':he judge. The case will
bo r called. The defendents have
nob been able to account tor the
money spent. In fact, there has
been no financial report since the
thri church used the government
funds in 1936 for the building of
the new church. The defendants
are unable to produce any re
ceipts. So far, everything is in
favor of 1 3 trustees, but some
body wall have to account for
•that money possibly by finding
canceled checks and receipts for
that period of time.
-nfln-.—
Ask Better
Facilities for
Drs., Nurses
Washington, Nov. 18 (ANP)—
Writing in the Modern Hospi
tal Dr. Robert Olesen, makes a
strong plea for better training
for Negroes, and his article re
published through the facilities
of the U'. S. Public H'alth Ser
vice is attracting considerable at
tention.
“If better facilities were avail
able for the training of Negro
physicians and nurses,” says Dr.
Olesen “these professional work
ers would undoubtedly be able
to render a great measure of ser
vice to the members of th'ir
own race. Moreover, the advan
tages accruing from the improve
ment of the Negro Health, would
bo of benefit to the white popu
lation.
“An example will serve to il
lustrate the disadvantages under
which Negro physicians, medical
students and nurses usually
operate. Freedman’s hospital in
Washington, is devoted almost
exclusively to the treatment of
Negroes, although under the
terns of its charter, it may ex
tend its services to transient and
resident whites as well. The in
stitution is staffed by Negro
physicians and nurses and serves
as the teaching center for the
medical school of Howard univer
sity, one of the two Negro medi
cal schools in the United States.
“The tuberculosis death rai e
among Negroes in Washington is
abnormally high. In the calendar
year 1937, for example, the death
rate from this disease among Ne
groes was 227.8 per 100,000 while
among whites it was 45.0 per
100,000. Negroes comprise appro
xicately 27 percent of the popu
lation of the community. Obvi
ously, it would be highly advan
(Continued on page 6)
Charged With First
Degree Murder;
Gets 4 Years
Melvin Cook, who stood before
Judjra Sears in !‘he District Court
pleaded guilty to man slaughter
and received a sentence for four
years of hard laihon in the state
j penitentiary for the murder of
I Ora Stearns. The date of the of
fense was Soph. 4, 1939. Stearns
died Sept. 27.
Red Cross Start
" in Dougl as County Next
LSriVe Monday, Nov. 20th
•
A vast army of more than
3,000 volunteer workers was pois
d .his week ready to spring into
iction next Monday, November
iO, for '.he annual Red Cro«s
VCi-mbemh'iP Roll Call drive un
der direction of Cecil W. Slocum,
Douglas County Chairman. Slo
cum predicted the campaign goal
of 20,000 members would be
reached in one-half of the ten
day period set.
Slocum said he based his pre
diction on inquiries already made
at campaign headquarters, Nine
teenth and Harney Streets, and
h e tremendous enthusiasm
manifest by the workers to date.”
“I have taken part in numerous
civic and financial campaigns in
the past. But I have never seen
such monentum evidenced so far
in advance of a campaign be
fore,” Slocum said.
Slocum said some question had
arisen in the minds of Omahans
a* to just why '-he Red Cross had
withdrawn from the Omaha Com
munity Chest. Explaining the
action, Slocum said: “This is the
first appeal for membership in
Omaha for seventeen years, the
Red Cross having received its
funds from the Community Chest
since 1922. Officials of both the
Chest; and the Red Cross recog
nized that the functions and pur
poses of the Red Cross differed
from other Chest agencies. Un
expected emergencies plus a con
stantly increasing demand for;
Red Cross services made it im
possible to accurately forecast
,he need for funds during the
year. The withdrawal from the
Chest abled the Chest to add
threa new agencies this year.
Complete cooperation has been
shown by both organizations and
our campaign was set back one
week in order to allow the Chest
to oomplete its solicitation.”
Slocum emphasized that separ
ation of the Red Cross this year
.— i .i.i. ' .■— ^ i
1
had been “on the most friendly
of terns.”
“Directors of both organiza
tions simply came to the con
clusion that both would be best
served by the separation. We J
parted on the best of terms and 1
wi.h the hearty best wishes of
Chert Directors for the success '
of our Membership Roll Call
campaign,” he said.
Emphasizing that the Red
Cross depends solely on voluntary
contributions of a generous public
for the necessary financial sup
port, U> cany on, its mission of
mercy, Slocum «aid the campaign
would bo keyed to the though,
that the Red Cross has never
yet failed the American Public
in its hour of need and that it
was confident that same public
would not fail it now.
Only fifty cents of each mem
bership, whether it be for One
Dollar or for one thousand dol
lars, goes back to national head
quarters in Washington for the
national program. The entira
balance remains in Omaha and
Douglas County, he said.
Down-town Omaha will present
a most colorful appearance when
the campaign gets actively un
derway next week. Brilliant Red
Cross flags will fly from, the
trolley wires on the main down
town streets, as well as from the
flag poles of all important build
ings. Starting Monday all down
town office buildings will be re
quested to light their windows in
such a way as to make huge
crosses throughout the evening
hours. Stores will carry special
window displays. Theatre lobby?
and office buildings will have
special displays.
“We go into this campaign
with confidence bred of the know
ledge that the entire community
is whole heartedly behind us.
With such confidence we cannot
fail,” Slocum said.”
Republicans Recapture rhila.
Philadelphia, Nov. 16 (ANP)—
Negroes returned to the Repub
lican fold in a marked way when
Philadelphians went to the polls
last Tuesday and helped the GOP
to recapture this traditional old
guard city. When the counting
was over, Edward W. Henry was
returned for another six years as
magistrate, and the veteran
James H. Irvin was rent back to
city council. The*e are the only
Negroes elected to office.
How Negroes voted was very
much of a surprise as up to a
year ago, when the rest of the
state and city went Republican,
every Negro ward and division
heTe and in Allegheny still con
tinued firmly in the democratic
line-up. WPA jobs and relief
were pointed to as the reasons
why Negroes voted Democratic.
Throughout the city, there was
a sincere belief that the Demo
cratic candidate for mayor would
carry the city due to the fact that
there has been much dissatisfac
tion with the manner in which
the Republican machine has run
the city— unbalanced budgets, I
waste, and a hundred other com- '
plaints, according to the opposi
tion.
Early in the evening, however,
it became clear that, for some
reason or other, the people were
returning to tire party of Lincoln.
After all the votes were in, it
was found that only two wards
heavily populated by Negroes re
mained Democratic and the South
Philadelphia Thirtieth ward—tra
ditional political battleground—
was amiong those which chalked
rp a Republican victory. Since
1932 when Roosevelt became
President, this ward had voted
individedly for relief.
An indication of the about-face
among Negro voters is the exper
ience in the fourth eouncilmanic
district, from which Irvin was re
elected and which was conceded
to be a Democratic stronghold.
This district did not only return
Irvin but gave him a larger vote
than it did four years ago, despite
the fact that this year the Demo
crats ran another Negro as ap
ponent to Irvin. The losing candi
date was John H. Boykin.
Irvin polled 75,692 votes against
72,569 polled in 1935; Boykin
polled 73,227. Irvin ran fourth in
the number of votes received by
all the councilmanic candidates,
Magistrate Henry, elected city
wide, polled 383,474 votes against
247,738 received by his Democra
tic opponent, Dr. Willard Grinnag*
a dentist Henry credited with
rallying the 30th ward to the
Republicans, saw the war go over
with 5,133 votes to 4,801 garnered
by Grinnage. I.ast year the Re
publicans lost this same ward by
1,526 votes.
Tho results are interpreted as
a boost to Republican hopes to
win the president ial election in
1940 and as raising tfie chances
of Pennsylvania’s Gov. Arthur H.
James to get considf' -etion as
presidential candidate. < he oth
er hand, the present trend of the
voting is declared to be no omen
of what voters will do if Mr.
Roosevelt and the New Deal runs
for a third term.
A,.VA*,VA%,.VAVAW.«W
City Edition *
5cts- PER COPY
THE WEATHER
Upper Miss, and lower Mo. val
leys and Northern and Central
Great Plains, little precipitation
indicated within first half of
week, but likely within latter half
temperatures normal or higher,
followed by colder towards close1
ot week.
BORN WHITE
REARED
COLORED
Loses Claim
for $100,000
Atlantic City, Nov. 16 (Py
Frank W. Canty, Jr., for ANP)—
Despite the testimony of two
aged colored women that they
witnessed the birth of Mrs. Viola
Harris Gardner, 41 years ago in
'.bis ci .y who was born to one
Minnie W. Uphatrv (whitie) but
brought up as colored, Vice Or
dinary VV. Frank Sooy in prero
gative court ruled gainst Mrs.
Gardner, who sought to share in
her alleged mother’s estate toll
ing $110,000.
The case took 2 #tys to com
plete with many witnesses taking:
the stand. The first to testify i.i
the behalf of Mrs. Gardner was
Mrs. Sarah Hazzard, 74, who
«aid that she was called to at
tend the birth and that it took
place on the third floor of a
Presbyterian avenue rooming
boose, Oct. 2, 1898. She said
when sha arrived the baby had
been born a half hour and Miss
Vphi*n was in bed. Her testimony
however differed from that of
Mrs. Elizabeth Holland, 83, also
colored, who said she was present
whan a "Mom” Kelly, a mid wife
attended Miss Upham at the
birth. She said she washed rjvrt
dressed the baby. She gave the
birth place as the Upham home.
Shortly after the birth, wit
nesses say the child was moved
to the home of Mrs. I>eah Harris,
who reared it and to the child
was its mother. The Harris wom
an was said to have been an em
ploye at the Upham’s hoce. Mrs.
Gardner, taking the £,and in her
own behalf, claimed that she
was born white and brought up
colored. ;It was in the house of
Mrs. Harris she related, that she
came into this world. It wag not
until 1930 that she learned
through a letter from Mrs. Haz
zard that Miss Upham was her
real mother. Upon h:aring this
sho sent many letters to Miss
Upham, addressing her as mother.
Asked by the attorney for the
Upham whether she considered
herself white or colored, Mrs.
Gardner replied she did not know
because she never knew who her
father was.
Miss Upfiam died at the age or
70 last May in Philadelphia,
leaving he>r estate including pro
perties »t 9 S. Maryland avenue
and 1410 Atlantic avenue to her
cousins In Massachusetts and Mo.
Before her death she made sev
eral codicils. One whicn r<rsd
‘‘a young woman having recently
untruthfully and unjustly sug
gested that she was born my
child some 33 years ago, I most
solomenly declare I was never
married and was heavy with
child and hewer gave birth to
child.
"To this end that my estate
may not be harrassed with any
such claim and with the express
intention of disinheriting any
such child, I will that Viola Har
ris Gardner, or any other per
sons claiming to be my children,
have no part in the estate.”
Dr. F. Hurst Maier, assistant
professor of gynecology at the
Jefferson Medical college told the
court that in 1926 ne performed
an operation on Miss Upham and
found “definite indications that
she could never have consum
mated relations with a man.”
Dr. Robert Kirdruff, directs
of the Atlantic City hospital la
boratory said he performed an
autopsy on Mi» Upham for the
purpose of ascertaining whether
she had ever bom a child, ai>d
that it was plainly apparent that
she would not.
Mrs. Gardner resides In Balti
more and brought up as colored,
twice married colored men, the
first Clarence E. Small, whom
she divorced for disertioa.
Records at city hall reveal no
recording of the tiattu —
