I V % LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS Under Act"of March 8? 1874—Business Phone/ WE. \ , braskatQmaha Nebraska, Saturday, July 19,1941 OUR 14th YEAR, Number 18 City Edition, 5c Copy HERMAN LEWIS FIRED? —————————— COMMISSIONERS GIVE OFFICERS WHOM LEWIS CHARGES WITH ENTERING HIS HOME WITHOUT A WARRANT, “A Clean Whitewash” • •• The Omaha City Council Tuesday morning found Herman Lewis* a city fireman, guilty of the charges made against him of conduct unbecoming a city fireman of interferring with police officers —resisting arrest, and unfitness to remain in the city service as such. The case was tried before the city coui; 1 on 'hh * ’ 10th days of July, rne eviuenee shiowed that three police officers went to the home of Mr. Lewis on the evening of May 27th, claiming they were seeking a Negro pros titute who looked like an Indian. They were asked by Mr. Lewis if they had a warrant to make an arrest of a person in his home and they said, “No.” Whereupon Mr Lewis called his attorney, Mr. C. • E. Walsh and inquired of him whether or not the officers could make an arrest of a person in his home without a warrant, and his lawyer advised him they could not. And according to the testimony on behalf of Mr. Lewis when he told the officers what his lawyer had said two of them assaulted him and beat him into unconsciousness, and therafter arrested an Indian girl who was in the home looking after the children of Mr. Lewis in conjunction with a niece of Mr. Lewis’, and also arrested Mr. Lew is. Both of tuem were- taicen to jail. The girl was booked as a vagrant and marked hold and lock ed in a cell in the city jail, and Herman Lewis w&s charged with vagarancy, interferring with po lice officers, resisting arrest and assault and battery. Growing out of this beating Mr. Walter Korisko, fire commissioner presented charges before the city council signed by Fire Chief A W. Olsen charging the bruised and battered fireman as stated here tofore. The vote of the council to dis miss Mr. Lewis was unanimous, and it represents a complete white wash’ of the police officers who according to Mr. Lewis’ attorneys were legally wrong. Immediate ly after the vote to dismiss Mr. Lewis was made, his attorneys announced they would appeal the conviction and dismissal bo the District Court of Douglas County' Nebraska and seek a reversal of the vote to dismiss. It was also intimated that several other law suits will be brought in connection with the case which has created wide spread criticism among the Negroes of the community as a result of police brutality. The only commissioner making any comment while the vote was being taken was Commissioner Roy N. Towl who. acting true to form, gave the police officers his verbal “whitewash*.” PROTESTING COLOR BAR, NEW YORKER ASKS PLACE MENT WITH RACE TROOPS New York—Because he sincere ly believes in true democracy, Ro ger Starr, youi g New York writ er. filed with his local draft board Wednesday. July 9th .a vigorous ly worded protest against the den ial of democratic rights to Negro AjneriJxns. The protest acaom panied Mr. Starr’s questionaire in which he placed himself in class I. Mr. Starr sent to the NAACP a copy of hi3 protest which reads in part: “You will note that I have ap propriately filled out the part of my questionnaire dealing with *ny racial ancestry. As a white, the Army wants to place me in a unit with white troops. I should pre fer being placed with Neg’-o troops, for then they would be come mixed troops: American troops. Certainly there are oth ers beside myself who went to school with Negro boys, who learn ed beside them the history of our country and the theory of its gov ernment and who want to be al lowed to contribute their services to their country under conditions AGRICULTURIST i ■ » --- — -■ i .— ■ ip. THOMAS N. ROBERTS recent ly appointed special assistant to the director of personnel in the U. S. Department of Agriculture with offices at Washington- For merly in charge of the country wide soil conservation and land utilization project at Tuskcgee which attracted nation wide at tention! Mr- Roberts has been working this year at the Univers ity of Wisconsin on his doctorate. His special field is economics and he will concentrate on securing I and placement of training young people for the department. (ANP) that do not hold that theory to ridicule.” Specifically named by Mr. Starr as weaknesses in the democratic system were discrimination a gainst Negroes in the administra tion of the Selective Service Act, Segregation of Negro troops from white, denial of equal opportunity to Negroes in the air corps, their total exclusion from the marine corps and relegation in the navy to mess attendant, and anti-Negro training and employment policies by large corporations. RANDOLPH, WHITE ASK AT LEAST TWO NEGROES ON PRESIDENT’S ANTI-DISCRIM INATION BOARD New York—At least two Negro members of the board to be ap pointed by the President as pro vided for in his executive order banning discrimination in defense employment and training were re quested by A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and director of the Negro March committee, and Wlalter White, executive sec retary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, when they conferred in Washington, Thursday, July 10, with Sidney Hillman, co-director of the Office of Production Man agement. Mr. Randolph and Mr. White stressed the importance of the ap pointment of at least two outsband ing and qualified Negroes to the board which will be attached to the Office of Production Management to hear, investigate and act upon complaints of discrimination in in dustries holdng government con tracts and vocational training courses. It was also stressed that the en tire board be made up of outstand ing persons of real ability- and that appointment must be made without further delay. JAILED AND FINED FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING Following an accident w'hioh. oc curred on Monday near 30th and Lake Street when his auto collid ed with the motorcycle of an of ficer who was chasing a speeder, William Phipps, of 2617 Parker St., was arrested and charged with drunken driving. The following day in police court Judge O’Brien fined him $5-00, sentenced him to 30 days in jail, and suspended his driver’s license for 18 months. Omnibus Corporation Employs 10 More Negroes URBAN L’GE PLANS YOUTH CAMP IN COOPERATION WITH WPA DEPARTMENT - ■ ■ " " i DETROIT WOMAN WHO KILLED PHYSICIAN HUSBAND ALLEGEDLY OVER WHITE WOMAN FREED ON BOND Detroit, July 16 (ANP)— Mrs. Evelyn Byrd, 38, attractive red haired widow of Dr. Floyd Byrd whom she is charged with slaying with a gun last week, was releas ed the same day on a bond of $2000 This highly unusual procedure in a murder case under Michigan law\ was said to be due to a com bination. of circumstances. Thef recorder’s court judge was said to have been lenient; three promin ent and powerful lawyers appear ed in her behalf, Edward A. Sim mons, Charles Roxborough and Harold E. Bledsoe; and there were special circumstances surrounding her case. Rumor has it that the dispute which led to Mrs. Byrd shooting her husband arose over a young white girl who used to live in th© house as a servant and with whom Dr. Byrd is said to have become infatuated. The doctor lost his life on his 17th wedding annivers ary after refusing to take his wife out in celebraton of the event. CHIEF COUNSEL ASKED TO STATE SCOPE OF TRUMAN COMMITTEE New York—In a wire to Hugh A. Fulton, chief counsel for the special committee investigating the national defense program, the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People ask ed his advice on the scope of the Truman committee hearings which are scheduled for July. The wire requested that Mr. Fulton state the number of wit nesses the Truman committee can hear on the issue of racial discrim ination, number of days it prom ises to devote to the hearngs, if committee plans to invite or sub poena policy making government heads, such as secretaries of War and Navy, directors of OPM; em ployers holding defense contracts, labor union heads and qualified persons who have been discrimin ated against. The chief counsel was also re quested to state if the Truman committee can include in its scope discrimination in armed forces, and whether or not he or any in vestigators have made investigat ions of discrimination against Ne groes and others in the defense program. TRAINING OF 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON STARTS JULY 19 AT TUSKEGEE Washington. July 16 (ANP1 — July 19 has been set by the War Department as the date on which training will begin for members of the 99th pursuit squadron at Tuskegee. Ten youths will form the initial class and they will bi gin a five Week pre-flight course. Other sections of 10 will be added periodically, so that a total of 30 will be in training at all times and 100 pilots wil be competely trained within a year. SCHOOL BOARD DELAYS EQUAL PAY SUIT ..New Orleans. La.,—An .exten sion of 20 days in which -to -file andwer to the equal pay suit fil ed by Joseph McKelpin was re quested last week by the school board of Newr Orleans Parish. The reason given for the request was] that it could not be determined whether the state’s attorney gen eral or the attorney for the local school beard should represent the defendants.. • It was later decided that both would handle the case for the school board. A. P. Tureaud of this city and Thurgood Marshall, special coun sel for the NAACP. are attorneys for Mr. McKelpin. ? For the first time in five years any Negro boy or girl of our Com- ( imunity will have the chance to en joy seven days of real camp life, at Harriett Harding Camp, locat ed at Louisville, Nebr. Period for girls—August 13, 20th, will be under the supervision of Mrs. Grayce A. Bradford who has just returned from a Girl Scout camp training period held at Camp Der ricotte, Troy, Missouri, and WPA Recreation workers and Girl Scout Troop leaders. Highlights of the girls’ period will be: out doer crafts, swimming, /archery, tennis, hiking out door cooking, singing, and camp fire ceremonials. Period for boys—August 25th-Sept. 1st will be under the supervision of Mr. Martin Thomas Boys’ Direct or of the Omaha Urbon League Community Center and WPA. Re creation workers as councilors and instructors. The boys’ program will feature: Swrimming, sports, crafts, group competition, group nature study, singing and stunt night programs. With the Assistance of the WP A. Recreation Department, the camp fee has been reduced to a minimum of $4.50 per week per person. “Mothers, fathers, and intef^st ed friends of children," said Mr. Martin Thomas ‘should realize that this is an opportunity to pro mote health in out door camping for our youth. Mothers and fa thers plan to send your boy and girl to their period. Interested persons are asked to sponsor some boy or girl whose parents cannot afford to send their children." One dollar registers a boy or girl at the Urban League 2213 Lake Street; Balance payable upon date camp opens. Registration will be taken until August 1. 28 SENATORS READY TO SUPPORT S. R. 75 Washington.D .C.—Twenty-eight United States senators have al ready stated their intention to support an investigation of dis crimination against the Negro in all phases of the national defense program as provided for in Sen ate Resolution 75, it was announc ed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Senate Resolution 75 would es tablish a committee of eight sen ators to investigate all cases of discrimination in the army, the navy, the air corps, vocational training and employment in def ense industries. The resolution has been temporarily referred to the Trunfin investigating committee operating under SenateResoiution 71 and dealing primarily with the allocation of government defense contracts. The Truman commit tee could concern itself only super ficially with the issue of racial discrimination. , Senators who favor a full inves tigation of nace discrimination are Abe Murdock of Utah, who stated, “I am wholeheartedly and unequiv ocally in favor of this resolution (75). I will support it with even7 ounce of ability at my command”; Alexander Wiley of Wisconsin, Burton K. Wheeler of Montana, David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, James N. Tunnell of Delaware, Robert A. Taft of Ohio, William H. Smathers, New Jersey; James M. Mead. New York; Francis Ma loney. Connecticut; Henry C Lodge Jr., Massachussets; Edvvia C. Johnson, Colorado; Chan Gur ney, South Dakota; Bennett Champ Clark, Missouri; Hugh Butler, Nebraska; Styles Bridges New y Hampshire. Others are Senators Josia'n W. Bailey, Ohio; Alben W. Barkley, Kentucky; Joseph C. O'Mahoney, Wyoming; Gerald P. Nye, North Dakota; Charles L. McNary, Ore gon; Pat McCarran, Nevada; Guy M. Gillette, Iowa; Walter F. \ The Coordinating Committee for Employment through its chairman Dr. A. Clayton Powell, Jr., ann ounced the employment of ten more Negroes in the Omnibus Cor poration of New York, mainten ance division, These Negroes who were picked from the Vocational High schools of Brooklyn and Harlem have been placed in various jobs in the com pany at basic salaries of not less $25 per week. Two of them were placed in the stock room, marking the second time Negroes were ever placed in that division where they have op portunities for raises up to $45 per week. There are now over 50 Negro employees in the Omnibus Corpor ation of New York City, making an average salary of $35 per week. Dr. A. Clayton Powell, Jr., said when interviewed, “the employ ment of ten more Negroes in the Omnibus Corporation of New York City continues to bear witness to the success of the work of the Ne gro people of Harlem in the boy cott and picketing of the Omnibus Corporation and shows also the good faith the company’s execut ives are manifesting toward the Negro consumer.” Geirge. Georgia; Sheridan Down ey, California, John A. Danaher, Connecticut; George L. Radcliffe, Maryland; Joseph Rosier, West Virginia; and Arthur H. Vanden berg, Michigan. NAACP. GOES TO BAT FOR WPA TEACHERS New York—Effects of the WPA rppropriation slash have already been felt here. Among the com plaints received by the NA \.CP. last week were those from WPA high school teaching projects where dismissals appear to have been made cn a racial basis. Hoy Wilkins, assistant NAACP. secretary, in stating the cases of apparent discrimination to Irving V. A. Huie, New York City WPA administrator, pointed out that in a teachers project where about one half cf the staff of 55 w"?rc '•olored. dismissals left only five Negroes. On mother project it was re ported that only one of ten Negro teachers was retained and that ov en he was dismissed and reengag ed after strenuous protest... In the third case four of six colored workers wfere dismissed. In spite of the fact that workers were informed that those with “excellent” ratings would be re tained and those with dependents considered for rentention, NAA CP. wras told that Negro workers with excellent ratings and depend ents were dropped while whites with) excellent rating and no de pendents were retained. The NAACP. urged an investi gation of the situation. NEGRO NURSES FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR ARMY POSTS RANKING AS 2ND LIEUTS. GOOD PAY NO ATTRACTION; MANY DO NOT UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNITY— • • • New York. July 16 (ANP) Fail ure of Negro nurses to meet the quota of assignments in armj camps after a determined struggle cn the part of the National Asso ciation of Colored Graduate Nurs es to win this concession is tak ing on disturbing proportions, it was learned here this week. As a result, Mrs. Mabel Keaton Stau pers, secretai-y ot the association, has issued another call to eligible nurses urging thei- cooperation. Early in Mured the section of the then National Defense Advis ory committee interested in coor dination of the Negro discussed with officials in charge of re cruiting of nurses for army serv ices the chances of enlistments lor Negro nurses. After much hedg ing and bickering, Mrs. Staupers Diplomate BENJAMIN W. ANTHONY Head of the department of roen tgenology at Provident hospital, Chicago, who has been named a diplomate of th)e American Board ■S Radiology, highest earned hon or obtainable in that speciality. Dr. Anthony’s ratii.g shows he is an expert in the use of the X ray and in radium therapy. (ANP’ was able to get 56 assignments divided between Fort Bragg m North Carolina and Fort Living ston in Louisiana. While exact figures were not immediately available, it is known that the anticipated response has not measured up satisfactorily. Because of this, any further ef forts to seek integration of color ed nurses will probably meet with difficulty. This is said to be es pecially true in connection with present efforts to secure openings in northern camps where Negro soldiers are stationed such as Fort Dix, N. J., Fort Devens. Mass., and Battle Creek, Mich. Requirements call for single women between the ages of 21 and 40, graduates of an accredited high school and an accredited school of nursing as well as members of the American Red Cross and the American Nurses Association. In these states where membership in the ANA is denied Negroes, mem bership in the NACGN would be considered the equivalent. Army nurses receive $70 a month in addition to maintenance and work an eight hour day ex cept in emergencies. They also receive one month’s vacation an nually. Several complaints have been registered with the association that local chapters of the Ameri can Red Cross in the south have Ween refusing to register Negro nurses. These instances are be ing investigated and proper pro test is being lodged with respon sible authorities. All nurse3 are requested to report any experience of discrimination they have in this manner to Mrs. Sbaupers or the local unit of the association. ACTIVE NATIONAL GUlRI) MEMBERS MUST REGISTER FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE UPON EXPIRATION OF SERVICE Men who have served in the Ac tive National Guare are required to register immediately upon ex piration of their service, even though they are not, under certain conditions, liable for further peace time training and service under the elective Service Act. That fact was stressed today by Brigadier General Guy N. Henni nger, Director of Selective Service: for Nebraska, who said that all such men should present themsel ves to a Icoal board for registra tion immediately upon their dis charge. “The act is specific,” said Gen eral Henninger, “in requiring reg istration of men within the age group of 21 to 36 who have serv ed in the National Guard. Men who viere members of the active National Guard on October 16 last, and who have completed six or more consecutive years, are re lieved from liability for peacetime service and training, but they (must register. Those who were members of the National Guard and have served less than six • Chances of Recon ci iation Between Joe-Mar va, Dim... - - NAACP WINS EIGHTH VICTORY OVER SOUTHERN RAILROAD Mobile. Ala., The Southern con ference of NAACP. branches scor ed its eighth vcitory over pullman discrimination on southern rail- ; roads when the Gulf, Moble and Ohio system advised the Inter state Commerce commission rec ently that berth occupancy in bed rooms at regular berth rates will now be provided for colored pas sengers in its sleeping cars. The GM & O letter followed an informal complaint filed with the Interstate Commerce commission by J L. LeFlore, of this city, head of the NAACP. Southern Confer ence. The complaint charged fla grant violation of the law by the carrier in refusing colored passen gers equal sleeping car accommo dations. A supplementary com plaint involving coach accommo dations is before the commission for consideration. The GM & O operates in seven southern states. OFFICERS OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE A. F. & A. M. OF NEBRASKA UNANIMOUSLY REELECTED For the first time in the history of the lodge, the officers of The Most Worship Grand Lodge of Ne braska, Prince Hall Affiliation., were unanimously reelected to their offices. The election was held at the Twenty-Second Annual Commun ication held at Omaha, Nebraska. July 16, 1941. The election was as follows: Na thaniel Hunter, 33, M. W. Grand Master; A. R. Goodlett, R. W. Deputy Grand Master. J. W. Dac us, R. W. S. G. Warden; Richard Taylor, R. W. J. G. Warden; P. H. Jenkins. R. W. G. Treasurer; Robert Harris, R. W. G, Secretary. Relief Board Members, Nathan iel Hunter. Chairman, P. H. Jenk ins, Robert Harris, Secy, R. S. Stewart, I. S. McPherson. Grand Trustees, A. R. Goodlett, chairman, J. C. Dacus. Richard Taylor, I. S. McPherson, R. C. Stewart. Ed. Blufford. Committee on Foreign Corres pondence, I. B. Smith. years are relieved neither from registration nor training." General Henninger said that his attention had been called to the fact that some men in the Nation al Guard in federal service who have been discharged because of expiration of' their service have not registered. They should do so immediately, he declared, and add ed that the Wlar Department has now issued instructions that such men shall be notified by their or ganization commanders at the time of their discharge of the necessity to register. EQUAL PAY SUITS FILED IN THREE NEW STATES New York,—New suits for the equalization of teachers’ salaries are being fought in three states by the legal staff of the NAACP. In Atlanta, Ga., plans were made last month by the Atlanta Citiz ens’ Committee on Equalization of Teachers’ Salaries, Attorney A. T. i Walden of Atlanta and Thurgood Marshall otf New York, special counsel for NAACP. to petition the Atlanta School Board request ing equal pay for colored and white teachers. The campaign for equalization in New Orleans, La., struck a tem porary snag when the local school board refused Thurgood Marshall permission to appear in behalf of Joseph McKelpin in whose name the equalization fighit is being made there. The board claimed their meeting was an executive session not open to the public. New Orleans citizens are continu ing the fight. The differential there is reported to be $275,000 a year. Clarence B. Robinson, teacher in the public schools of Chattan ooga, Tenn,'filed suit in the Dis trict Court of the Eastern District of Tennessee, June 10, for equaliz ation of salaries paid to Negro and white teachers there. He is rep resented locally by W. Henry El more attorney for the Chattanooga branch NAACP. lAnswer to Wife’s Suit Denies AU Allegations, Claims Lavish Gifts to Mate; Talks W’ith Her on Phone Thursday During Chicago Stop over; No Settlement of $250,000 Contemplated CHICAGO, July 16 (ANP) — Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin will probably kiss and make up before Joe and Marva Louis take such action, it appears today. The heavyweight champion fil ed an answer Wednesday to her divorce suit in which he denied virtually all of ihis wife’s allegat-' ions and introduced some of his own, among them the contention that she had not been a ‘‘true and I virtuous wi*e.” At the same time | he told how he had lavished thous j ands of dollars upon her and end ed by asking that her plea be den ied. The Brown Bomber, who had been reported coming to town for a conference almost daily since Mrs. Louis started action, finally did arrive last Thursday and spent a few hours here prior to leaving for Minneapolis and a boxing ex hibition Friday night. Joe spent most of the day playing golf, but he is understood to have called 1 Marva on the telephone. Howev er, what they said to each other is thus far a secret. It was also learned from Atty. William Temple, the champion’s counsel, that any talk of a $250. 000 out of court setlement for Mrs Louis was a pipe dream. Thus far, he said, nothing along that line had been suggested Sources close to the titleholder are inclined to laugh at Marva’s contention that Joe is worth $400. 000 in re|al estate and another $400,000 annuities, stocks and bonds and checking accounts. Al though he has grossed around $2. 000,000 in his seven years of pro fessional fighting, he has had to pay his managers, Julian Black and John Roxborough; his trainer Jack Blackburn, as well as other training camp expenses. This in itself knocked a big hole in his earnings. In addition, Uncle Sam has tak en his cut through income taxes and this alone amounted to sev eral thousand dollars. It is esti mated that a heavyweight champ ion ordinarily spends $1,000 week ly for living expenses because of his prominence in the World of sports and hs affiliation with the many who live in the sporting world of “easy come, easy go.’’ Anything less brands a titleholder as a piker and may react unfavor ably at the boxoffice in future fights. The champion has also spent considerable sums caring for his |mother and family, both in De troit and Alabama. His interest in pedigreed horses, of which he owns several, also is expensive and extensive. He is understood to have taken a loss on his softball team of a few years ago. According to his answer filed Wednesday, he has spent more than $125,000 on Marva in the nearly six years of their marriage. He has given her everything fin ancially to make her happy, in cluding an automobile or two each year, ian allowance of $100 weekly plus other gifts ranging from $500 to $5,000. But Mrs. Louis has been such an expensive item, th© petition says, that he has been compelled to pay her other bills and obligations amounting to an other $4,000 to $6,000 annually. The six flat buildings where Marva lives was purchased for $21,000 and given to her, and he spent another $21,000 in redeoor-* ating and furnishing her own a partment and the building. She receives another $300 in rentals from this building which is hers to use as she sees fit. Joe also denied ever having struck Marva, said she had not acted “kindly and affectionately” toward him ncr had she conducted herself “as a true and virtuous wife.” He did not elaborate on this statement nod upon his denial that he had ever stated to his wife “or intimated to anyone that he did not want a child or children ” He asked for dismissal of her suit for divorce. When the allegations in Joe’s answer were made known, it Has Marva’s turn to express surprise, especially at the aspersions on her wifely conduct. “Those aren’t Joe’s words,” Mrs