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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1941)
The We /JME/EQUflyTTlf/^MMlLTHE NEWSWHILE IT IS NEWS HEW .TO THEUNF^ LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS J&SmSSTwJES&SSWJS?wS. «SS^ Nebra**-Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, August 2i 1941 OUR 14th YEAR, No. 20 City Edition, 5c Copy — . 1 '' ... 1 y ... 7.- ~~..' . ■ -- ~~. ...~... 1 ' Protest Jim Crow In N.Y On Southbound Trains ♦♦ I » New York, N. Y-—The new streamlined, all-coach trains from New York to southern cities have brought in a system whereby Ne gro passengers are segregated north of Washington, D. C., just as they are in the states having jim crow car laws. The jim crowing of Negro pas sengers on these trains hauled by the Pennsylvania railroad north of Washington has been vigorously protested by the NAACP- in a let ter to H- A. Shaw, general pass enger agent of the Pennsylvania. On bhie steamlined New York Florida trains, and on the new New York-New Orleans streamlin er, the Southerner, all seats must be reserved in advance. Negi*o passengers are sold reserved seats only in the No. 1 coach of the train which, as usual, is nearest the engine. As long as bhe train is north of Washington, Negro passengers are free to use the club, dining and observation cars at will; but as soon as the train leaves Wash ing. they must remain in their se gregated coach. The NAACP- pointed out that Negroes are not required by law to ride in separate coaches north of Washington, and that, therefore the practice of restricting their reservations on these trains to one car out of New York is illegal. The NAACP. letter said that pro tests uKd complaints to its office in New York, and its office in Chi cago, whpre the practice is in vogue on Chicago-Florida stream liners, had grown in volume, and that ‘unless something is done by the railroads themselves, some ac tion will have to be taken in be half of Negro travelers. The latest NAACP- protest on thjis practice was occasioned by a complaint from a colored man who sought a seat reservation to Atlanta by telephone and was told that the train was sold out except in car S-l. He told the reservat ion clerk that he wfould take a seat in S-l- The clerk, thinking he was white, told him that was the “col ored coach”, and he could not sit there. The NAACP., letter pointed °ut that even though these streamlin ers are new and have the same car construction throughout, they do not furnish exactly equal fac ilities for Negro and white pass engers. For example, on the At lantic Coastline streamliner, the Champion, to Miami, Negroes aie assigned a half-coach ahead of the baggage car. In the white coach es on the same train there is a lounge room for women at one end of each car, and a smoking room for men, but in the colored coach, there is only a lavatory for men, and another for women. The NAACP- also raised the question of the denial of equal ac commodations upon these stream liners to Negro passengers, since the tickets on these trains are ad vertised as entitling the holders to “the run of the train”, including club and observation cars. YOUTH DISAPPEARS FROM HOME On Saturday night, July 26th. Harry Sampson. 2609 Lake Street, left his home after telling his mother that he was to be initialed into the Elks Lodge, and has not been seen or heard of since. His mother is very anxious to hear from Mm. Omaha police have been notified of his disappearance but have found no trace of the youth. NAACP. TO SPONSOR HAY RIDE The Omaha Branch of the NA ACP. wll sponsor a Hayride, td be given on the evening of August 11, 1941 at 8:30 p. m. All persons wishing to attend are requested to meet at 2418 Grant St. prompt ly at 8:30 p. m. on the night of August 11. 1941. I'lraawi, ••‘•••tffrnr*- — nTmn- - - - _ YOUTH ANSWERS KNOX’S STATEMENT“ 7 “What Would You Do If You were 25?’',.. TELL KNOX FINDS HIMSELF BARRED FROM THE ADVANTAGES OF A 25 YEAR OLD YOUTH— Hon, Flank Knox Secretary of Navy Washington, D. C Dear Mr. Secretary: I read in th|e New York Times with a great deal of interest, a United Press dispatch of July 21, giving a statement made by you “to provide inspiration to Amer ican youths.” This statement was an answer to a question profei-red by a Texas school teacher asking, “What would you do if you were 25.” Your admirable reply was defin itely patriotic and American. Any red-blooded American youth to day, patriotic and unselfish would undoubtedly decide to join the Un ited States Navy or the United States Marine Corps. He would also have your urge to seek rain ing as an aviator, and if a college graduate, apply for a commission If these avenues were closed to him by reason of ineligibility, then his patriotism would direct him to enlist as an apprentice sea man, or as a private in the Marine Corps- And °f these services would give him the thrill and the knowledge of being “one of a sel ect band of volunteers manning my country’s and civilization ’« first line of defenses.” Your enthusiastic and positive answer to this query of youths makes me extremely sad today. It brings home to me in stark real ity. all the denial and disillusion ment and youthful despair, expei* ienced by that segment of young Americans who must by reason of ineligibility, be denied the thrill of volunteering in the service of their choice. You see, Mr- Secretary, I am of the latter class. I am a strong young American, with college train ing, and a faultless patriotic rec ord- I am also in the draft, being registered with Draft Board No. 23 in Hackensack. N. J. Some member of my family has fought in every tfar this young Republic has participated in. This in order to permit succeeding generations to walk the world with dignity, thrill to the label “American” and to secure the blessings of liberty to themselves and their posterity. Today. I know their sacrifices and patriotic idealism were in vain Today, I find myself barred from the advantages of a 25 year old A merican as depicted by you, be cause, I am a Colored American. What a pity, Mr. Secretary, that you should have to expound a youthful credo for white Ameri cans only. What a pity, that at this critical time in our history, you should publicly recite an ideal ism that cannot be shared and ex perienced by all young Americans. As Secretary of the Navy, you better than any other but colored Americans know that: No Negro has ever served, either as an offic er or an enlisted man in the Mar ine Corps. No Negro has ever been graduated from Annapolis, and only two Negroes, during the past seventy years, have been per mitted to enter it- Negroes can only enlist in the Navy as menials, and can rise only to the position of officer’s cook or stewart. In view of these circumstances, colored youths wonder what y»»ur advice to us would be in answer to the question, “What would you do if you were' 25.” Would you accept discvimin ' BIRMINGHAM NAAC? HAS GOP DISCHARGED^ AND WILL PROSECUTE HIM ON MURDER CHARGE I Birmingham, Ala.,—Hubert G Alexander, a white policeman of this eity. \V!as discharged from his position by the personnel board of the police department for conduct unbecoming an officer, after legal action had been taken by Attorn eys Morrell Montgomery and Ar thur D- Shores, retained by the Birmingham branch of the NAAC P. Mr. Shores announced that Al exander will now be prosecuted on a charge of murder. The story began April 26, when Officers Alexander, W. R. Gunby, and Ed Taylor arrested John Jack son, a Negro. Alexander at that time charged that Jackson laughed at him as he walked by the color . ed man. Alexander so resented Jackson’s laughter that he struck him with his hand and with his pistol. Jackson was arrested, placid in the police car, and on the way to the station, Alexander shot Jack son four times, killing him. The coroner investigated and brought in a verdict of justifiable homicide, and the grand jury re fused to indict the officer. At this point the Bidmingham branch of the NAACP- retained attorneys Montgomery and Shor es, and succeeded in having Alex ander fired- A murder charge will now be pushed. OMAHA NURSES PRESENT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLORED GRADUATE NURSES The Mary Mahoney Graduate Nurses’ Club of this city will pres ent Mrs. Mable K. Staupers Exe cutive Secretary of the National Association for Colored Graduate Nurses, at a program at the YW CA.. on Thursday, August 7, 1941, at 7 p. m. The public is invited. Mrs- Staupers, who resides in N Y. City, is nationally known for her work to promote health condi tions for Negroes Mrs. Staupers is desirous of meeting all girls interested in nurse training at the YWCA at 4 p. m. on Thursday afternoon, Aug ust 7, 1941. She has done much in the interest of Negro public health throughout the United Stat es. A few years ago in Kansas City. Missouri, she campaigned for the Negro nurses at General Hos pital No- 2 in an effort to secure ation in the name of patriotism Would you be willing and happy to die for your country even though you were not permitted to live for her? If your hair was too kinky, and your skin too black and your blood to red to particip ate in. and be integrated in all phases of defense for you coun try, would you grin and bear it without comment? What, Mr. Secretary, can you tell the thous ands of us black youths who must decide ip a hurry what our attit udes and actions must be in this hour of our country’s greatest peril ? Mr. Secretary, might you not ask me, or some other colored youth, what we would do if we were 65. Secretary of the Navy of the greatest democracy on earth, and possesor of a liberal political background, having been an intim ate of Theodore Roosevelt, and now, the trusted aide of another? We could answer that question with conviction and resolution. We would go down in history as the greatest Secretary of the Navy this country ever had, by reason of our act to make the Navy a democratic institution, opened to all Americans, with liberty and justice for all. But alas! As black Americans, we apparently have neither the right nor the opportunity to be 100 percent patriotic citizens at 25 or 65. How comforting this must be to Nazi Germany who makes no pretense on the matter of race or color, and gives no lip service to human ideals. Very truly yours. E. Frederic Morrow new* quarters for them, and was very successful. Her most recent work has been in attempting to make openings for Negro nurses in the Army camps. The Omaha Club of Nurses con sists of Mrs. S. H. Dorsey, Mrs. Pearl Hieronymous, Mrs. Anna Boggus, Mrs Harvey. Mrs. Jessie Cain, Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Evelyn Murray. AMERICAN RABBIS CON DEMN DEFENSE DISCRIMIN ATION New York. N. Y.—A resolution condemning discrimination against Negroes in the national defense program was passed at the recent 52nd annual meeting of the Cen tral Conference of American Rab bis in Atlantic City, N. J The resolution proposed by the Committee of Social Justice thru Rabbi Edward L. Israel, of Balti more reads as follow's: “Race discrimination in employ ment in defense industries, result ing in some points in the utter exclusion of Negroes from labor opportunities has been so flag rant that the President has been forced to refer publicly to it. ‘ Our Commission with the en dorsement of this Conference, has frequently declare its opposition to ‘Jim Crow’ tactics in economic life. It is highly essential that in a na tion dedicated to the preservation of democracy, essential principles ; of democracy should be observed in our economic life and especial ly in th°se industries preparing for national defense. We deplore the economic discrimination that exists against Negroes and urge a speedy rectification of this in justice.” TEACHERS OF MD- COUNTY GIVE $500 TO NAACP. New York, N. Y.—In apprecia tion of the campaign which the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People car ried on and won for the equaliz ation of the salaries of Negro and white teachers in Anne Arundel county. Md., the teachers’ associat ion in that county has sent a con tribution of $500 to the NAACP. headquarters here. When the test case in Anne Ar undel county was won November 23, 1939. it was estimated that Negro teachers in Anne Arundel county would have their pay en velopes increased by $45,000 an nually. The test case was brought by Walter Mills, 31, principal in F. five-teacher school at Camp Parole, Md.. who alleged in hiS petition that he was receiving $1,050 a year, while white princip als doing similar work were rec eiving $1,800 a year. TRAVELER’S AID WORKER FT ' ' — Miss Dorothy Butler, who was graduated from the Atlanta Univ ersity School of Social Work last month, has been appointed to the staff of the Atlanta Travelers Aid Society—her duties to be concen trated on problems which arise in connection with the work of the agency at the Union Station. Miss Butler, who is also a graduate of Tjrlladega College, has served for a number of years as organist of the Junior Church of Big Bethel A ME. Church, the Senior Church of Butler Street CME., and assist-. ' ant director of Choir No. i of Turner Monumental. A native of Atlanta, shie is well known in soc ial and church circles of the city She is the daughter of Mr. George L. Butler, 175 Harris Street, N E. CELEBRATE EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES IN CANADA Windsor. Ontario, Aug. 4 (AN P)—Prominent speakers from both Canada and the United States were on hand to celebrate the 108th e mancipation celebration at Jack son park here August 1, it was an nounced this week- Negroes were freed 108 years ago from slavery under England’s rule. The cele bration was under the auspices of the British American Association of Colored Brothers. Walter Perry is chairman. BOY, 15, IS INJURED AS BICYCLE HITS AUTO Iver Smith, 15. 2736 Parker St., suffered bruises about the head end arms Sunday evening when a bicycle he was riding was in col lision with an automobile at 28th and Blondo Streets. Police were told the bike struck a rear fender on the auto, driven by James Wil liams, Sr., 2816 Blondo street. The injured boy was able to go home after being attended at the Nicholas Senn hospital. SOUTHERN PACIFIC RADIO INSULT TO HATTIE McDAN IELS AROUSES CITIZENS Los Angeles, Aug. 2 (ANP) — The Southern Pacifies radio broad cast last Wednesday night drew severe criticism from this comm unity when the word “N-..-r” was used several times by one of the contestants on the state wide broadcast over KNX. The announ cer apologized- however. The re mark was made when the announ-i ?er asked one of the contestants to imitate Hattie McDaniels, star of “Gone with The Wind”, an out standing actress. AMBASSADOR WINANT COMMENDS EXECUTIVE ORDER New York—In a letter to Wal ter White, NAACP. secretary. Un ited States Ambassador John S Winant in London expressed his pleasure at the action being taken by the government to wipe out dis crimination against the Negro in the national defense program and particularly at the executive order of President Roosevelt. WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (ANP) Contrary to President Roosevelt’s declaration thiat he had no intent ion of sending any more American ti med forces overseas at this time reports circulating last week gave evidence that the United States is seriously considering building a Amercan naval and military base at Liberia on the west coast of Africa. The information that Liberia is under consideration came from an administration conference report. Administration officials refuse to discuss the matter, but indications are that Liberia has been consid ered as an alternative to French Dakar, seizure of which has been deemed too risky. Liberia is considered of vital importance now because of its strategic position, just below Dak- ’ ar and opposite the Brazil coast. In his May 27 fireside chat the President intimated that he would seize the Portguese Azores, Cape Verde Islands and Dakar in order to forestall occupation by the Naz is if Hitler should invade the Iber ian penisula (Spain and Portugal). Occupancy of such) outposts by the Nazis, the President said, would be a threat to the safety of the United States. Libeia, founded in 1820 under auspices of American societies in terested in establishing a colon:/ of freed American slaves, was granted independence in 1847 but is still an American protectorate. Because of close relations with the United States. Liberia is said to be favorable to the building of n ilitary posts. Dr. John H. Furbay, former acting president of the College of West Africa, Monrovia, in an inter : view recently, declared that senti ment in Liberia is strongly anti- I Nazis. Fear rides tht Liberans [ that if Germany should get their continent under her thymb, they 1 would soon be in chains, the edu- ! cator said. 1 Several months ago, Dr. Furbay 1 continued, revolution broke out in 1 Liberia when some educated nat- j ives with a German educated lead- i er tried to assassinate the presij- , ent and seize the reins of govern ment. The USS Omaha, sent from ] Fluropean waters, arrived just in time to support the government. ■ The revolutionists were arrested I and sent to the first concentration | camp ever established in Liberia. NAZIS AGENTS THROUGH OUT COUNTRY ( Further discussing the recent 1 revolution attempt. Dr. Furbay, i who has kept in close touch with 1 friends and conditions in Liberia j since he left there two years ago, ( declared that most outsiders had i no notion of the cause of the flare* < up. Explaining the situation 1 < which exists, he said: < “Twenty-five thousand Americ- i an Negroes, ex-slaves, rule two mil ‘ lion natives- Conflict between the two uneven groups is always smouldering. Lately it has been 1 fanned by Nazi agents who have ; been into every corner of the Re public as traders, anthropologists ' and other forms of work.” t l Well-aware of German race the- ] ories, the natives feel alarmed at , the threat of Nazism getting a ( foothold anywhere near them as it , would mean slavery for all, Dr. Furbay contends. LIBERIA MORE FAVORABLE THAN DAKAR ' Army and navy experts are de- : clared to be of the opinion that it would take not only a strong nav- i al force but no fewer than 30,000 i men to reduce and occupy Dakar. 1 In the case of Liberia the under- i taking would be merely that of constructing a base, once the ar rangements were made. Another suggested site of an A- : merican naval and air base in Af rica is Freetown in British Sierra i Leone. NEW PRES. ASA TIMOTHY SPAULDING, the recently elected president of the National Negro Insurance As sociation, Is actuary and assistant secretary of thte North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co., of Dur ham. N. C- A graduate of Nat ional Training School, Howard U irfversity, School of Commerce, Ac counts and Finance, New York U niversity. as well as ho’ding a BS. in accounting and an MA in math j ematics. Mr. Spaulding entered the life insurance business well pre pared. A member of a number of | learned societies he has for a num ber of years been actively identi fied with the National Negro Ins surance Assn, and plans an active administration. (ANP) IH ... .Mi....—....... .—. 1 wwMwwiwMumunmi “WE MIGHT AS WELL LET NEGROES IN MISSOURI U.” SAYS STATE SENATOR IN*' DEBATE Jefferson City. Mo.,—In a de bate in the Missouri Senate July 9 over an additional appropriation of $200,000 for Lincoln university* the state’s Negro college, Senator L* D. Josyln. of Charleston. Mo., declared: “We’d just as well tell the Ne groes to go ahjead and enroll at Columbia (where the University of Missouri is located), and if the stu dents don’t object, let them stay :here.” Senator Joslyn was speaking in opposition to the motion of Sen ator Phil M. Dnnelly that an ad ditional $200,000 be appropriated for Lincoln university. The mot ion lost by a vote of 15-8. Sen itor Joslyn said further: “We can’t afford to keep appro bating for new courses at Lin :oln which we really don’t need*” Senator Donnelly referred to •ecent supreme court decisions ind to a law passed in 1939 by the Missouri State legislature to make Uncoln university the equal of he University of Missouri, and hus block the threatened enroll nent of Negro students at the lily vhite state institution. Said Don ielly: “Just yesterday the state su preme court held that unless a journalism school is established it Lincoln within a reasonable ime, a Negro must be admitted o the University of Missouri.” Senator Donnelly was referring o the case of Miss Lucile Bluford vhich is being handled by attorn >ys for the NAACP. Miss Blu ord. a graduate in journa’ism rom the University of Kansas, tnd managing editor of The Call >f Kansas City, Mo., has been seek ng to enroll as a graduate stu lent in journalism at the Univers ty of Missouri, but has been block ■d by the state supreme court, vhich, despite the United States upreme court decision in the Gain ls case, has handed down a tech lical opinion which declares, in effect, that the state must have a ‘reasonable time” to establish a ournalism school. The state supreme court opinion n this case, as in the Gaines case, s regarded as a ‘stall” to give the state legislature an opportunity o establish additional courses at Lincoln. To judge by the vote on Senator Donnelly's motion, the cgislature is not in the mood to ippropriate more money for Lin ;oln- If Senator Joslyn repres mts any sentiment at all, it. may nean that Negro students finally vll] be admitted to the graduate schools of the University of Miss >uri. senator jogiyn's remarks recalls i statement made by a Missouri egislator about 15 years ago when he annual appropriation f *» Lin :o)n was before the legislature Hus member, from a rural district the state, wanted to know why >he state had to appropriate an av erage of one half million dollars i year for a “handful” of Negro students at Lincoln as long as the state wras spending four million iollars a year for the University I )i Missouri, ‘‘which had plenty of immiminiminnminunmun*nnnnmnunnimiuimnmmmniuni)iii||^nrc|nfnrcrc||j|yn MRS. LUCY MAE BRITT GOES TO WORK IN SLAVIK S OFFICE John Slavik. Douglos County Clerk gives a position to Mr*. Lucy Mae Britt in the new, mod ernized County Clerical Depart ment which Mtr. Slavik’s office took over when Mr. Campbell left the service of the County. Mrs. Britt began her new duties on August 2nd. This makes a to tal of 3 Negroes employed in this office under Mr. Slavik’s supervis ion. classrooms and instructors to take care of these Negroes.” JOE ANI) MARVA CONFER; OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT PREDICTED Chicago, Aug. 2 (ANP) Heavy weight Joe Louis, his estranged wife, Marva. and their lawyers conferred last w'eek to talk over the couple’s pending divorce case, but no agreement was reached. Lawyers for both sides, however, made it dear that there was little hope for a reconciliation. Bindley Cyrus one of Mrs. Louis’ lawyers, said she is willing to be reconciled but Joe isn’t. William Temple, representing Louis, affirmed this statement but recalled that Mirs. Louis filed the* suit for divorce. He said Mrs. Louis’ charges of cruelty offend ed Joe. Joe, it was declared, is willing to make a property settle ment. but refuses to agree to Marva’s five point reconciliation plan. After the conference, held Mon day night in the office of Julian Black, Co-manager of the Brown Bomber. Mrs. Louis appeared very much affected by the proceedings. She revealed to the Associated Ne gro Press that she was entirely unable to make any plans for the future until after the divorce.0 NAACP. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETS On Tuesday evening, at the Ur ban League, the executive lega redress, and membership comm Ifttees of the NAACP. met and out dned plans for an intensive driv for membership which will star as soon as the Branch moves int its neW headquarters at 241 Grant Street. It is expected tha bhj- new branch headquarter should be completed within th next 10 days. The Associatio hopes to have a formal opening : which the public will be invite* Wlatch for the announcement t the opening date. HOOVER SAYS FBI. EMPLO\| NEGROES New York, N. Y.—In answer I an inquiry by the NAACP., J. e| gar Hoover, director of the Fed! al Bureau of Investigation f| Men) of the Department of Til tice, writes stating: “Please be advised that til Bureau has no ban on the empll ment of Negroes, and. as a mat! of fact, there are a number of !*| groes in th|e employ of this b| eau at the present time. With H gard to your question as to | positions in which these persl are employed, you are advised tl they are employed in both invl igative and clerical capacities.!