Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1941)
UNITED STATES SAVINGS "bonds AND STAMPS M^rch of Events OPINIONS COMMENTS i THE OMAHA GUIDE A WEEKLY NEWSPAFEu Published Every Saturday at 2-418-20 Giant St * OMAHA, NEBRASKA PHONE WEbster 1517 Entered as Second Class Matter Maxh 15. 1927, at the Post Office at Omaha, Nebraska, under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. H. J. Ford, — — __ pres Mirs. Fluma Cooper — — Vice Pres. C. C. Galloway, — Publisher and Acting Editor Boyd V. Galloway, — Sec’v and Treas. - ■ 11 —— I >11 ® ~ .... "*' " " ..—I SUBSCRIPTION RATE IN OMAHA One Year — — —- — S2.C0 Six Months — — _ $1.25 Three Months — — _ ,<;g One Month — — — _ .jg SUBSCRIPTION RATE OUT OF TOWN One Year — — — — $2 50 Six Months — — — _ $1.50 Three Months — — _ $1.00 One Month — — . _ _ 40 All News Copy of Churches and all organizat ions must be in our office not later than 1:00 p. m. Monday for current issue. All Advertising Copy or Paid Articles not later than Wednesday noon, pre ceeding date of issue, to insure publication. ^, .. ... BETWEEN THE LINES (by Dean Gordon B. Hancock) NAZISM NEXT DOOR When Lindbergh sets upon the Jews he is coming dangerously near the Negroes. Nazism thrives on race hatreds and well might the Negroes tremble when the race persecution corns to the Jews, for then is it next door to the Negroes. Only a lortuitous circumstance saved the Negroes from great perse cution when KuKluxKlan was directed wholly against Negroes the revised form of the movement included Jews, Catholics and Negroes, and therein wras the Negroes’ salvation. Had the Klan not mistakenly lined up against these other two elements in our nation, great would have been the tribulation of Ne groes. But the Jews and Catholics could take care of themselves and incid entally they took care of the Negroes. It is mpst fortunate for Negroes that Nazism in this country is making its initial racial assault on the Jews; and we only hope that the Catholics will come next as this will give the Ne groes a breathing spell. Lindbergh has indirectly mitigated any wrath Nazism may be inclined to mete out to the Ne gro race; and there is such wrath, though latent, it is potent; and we must not deceive ourselves on this point When the attack on the jews comes it brings trouble next door to the Negro es of the country. , We may as well be warned that unless Hitlerism is defated great trib ulation awaits our already hardpress ed race. For every reason Negroes had for fighting in past wars, there are many reasons for fighting in this one. The threat against the Negro is more dire than ever and with the poss ibility of a world-wide conquest, those until they are annihilated. That is to say, if Nazism wins worldwide domin ion with its persecution complex, min oi'ity groups will be doomed perhaps unto their final extermination. The democratic and Christian ideology has been the only redeeming hope of the interracial situation throu ghout the world. When democracy per ishes from the earth the hopes and for tunes of the darker races will also per ish. Then will Christianity be so em asculated that it cannot function in saving oppressed groups. It must not be forgotten that there are those in this country commit ted to the proposition that in order that this country may. reach its destiny it must be relieved of its darker pop ulation. The movement that springs up ever and anon to have the Negro re patriated in Africa is merely a sympt om of an underlying social disorder that will call for more attention as the years go by. There is a threat in this recurring movement that Negroes have never fully appreciated. Under Hitlerism the repatriation of Negroes in Africa would be speedily consum mated. Today we have a press in this na tion that has a conscience; under Naz ism the press would have none. Today the Negro can make his protest vocal; under Nazism his voice ,of protest would be silenced. Today the Negro’s dark outlook gives hope of a brighter tomorrow; under Nazism there would be no tomorrow. One of the most dis quieting symptoms of this whole sit uation here in the United States is the sympathetic way in which Lindbergh ism is treated Until his outburst a gainst the Jews he was tolerated in a way that was most distressing. In stead of regarding him as a pro-Gei - man and Hitelerite and Nazi of deep est hue, he was regarded in far too many circles as a patriot zealous of Ids country’s good. It was disheartening to see how reverently the higher-ups regarded Wheeler and how slow the press was to brand him the proHitler satrap that many believe him to be. The press of the national has been entirely too sym pathetic and “tender” in its handling of such men as Wheeler and Lindbergh and their vest pocket satellites. In other words, Lindbergh and Wheeler have gotten away with “murder” in this country. That there are those to help them over is significant. The Na zi sympathizers are strong in this coun toy and this strength is a danegrous threat tip Negroes everywhere. Negro es may not be able to do much about it; but they should know what is taking place under their very eyes—-next door. The purpose of this release to re mphasize the necessity of the Negroes ‘‘all out” efforts in support of the Roosevelt administration. The fortun es of no minority group are being weighed more certainly and danger ously than that of the Negro race. The trouble next door is our trouble. Naz ism next door bears watching. The Negro next. BEATING THE GUN (By Alvin Moses for the ANP) THIS WORLD SERIES (OUS) BUSINESS-The National and Am erican League Baseball race has been the topic of sport fans during the past six weeks. Now that the world series is over we desire to analyze the thoughts of Negro fans who patronize this American institution, thoroughly and impartially. First, are Negro fans interest ed? Of course they are. Perhaps no race of people in all the polgot that is—America, manifest the interest displayed by the mistreat ed American of African descent. Year, after year, as these classics, (compar able only to Olympic games) swing on and off the stage of American affairs, Negro baseball players ask the age old question—‘‘WHY AM I FROZEN OUT OF THE PICTURE???” THEY SAY HE’S NOT BUT HE IS—Ask any of the ace Negro staff writers of weekly papers throughout the nation how they were impressed when interviewing big league manag ers or magnates; and invariably they reply—“We’ll PLAY NEGROES ON OUR CLUB IF SO AND SO WILL!!!” But that is just as far as the sub ject gets. Nice looking pictures spread all over the Pittsburgh Courier, Chic ago Defender, Amsterdam Star News, et al—showing the pearly teeth of Ne gro writers (often Negro players) grip ping the hand of sincere-appearing white managers; tell a story that nev er comes true. CORRECT WAY TO WIN PUB LIC SENTIMENT—'But during 1941, Negro business men have made a start for remeding this evil. Speaking for New York City a lone, where for four months, residents of the metropolis witnessed the cream of the National Negro league repres entatives in action at Yankee stadium -it won’t be long before WHITE BASEBALL FANS will be howling f6r -THE ADMISSION OF NEGRO BALLPLAYERS INTO THE LEA GUES. We don’t mean a paltry few pro Negro champions, who know that we have never been given anything sim ulating a decent cut of the cards in base bail—but thousands of fans who as vot ers, will petition their respective con gressmen. Winding up the most successful season in Negro baseball history, men like Jim (Soldier Boy) Semler, Pomp ez, Abe and Effie Manley and others, did more than—merely keep faith with their public. They won legions of un belie vir|g (in many instances) white fans who while admitting the Negro ballplayer physically was the equal of Major league stars, were loathe t'o ad mit he was their mechanical as well as intellectual equal. Naturally, we refer to the mechanics of the game solely, and not as some will asume, thinking, on any other level other than the topic under discussion which happens to be baseball. Yes, this is world serious business we’re talking about in this column. Business of baseball, in which Negro stalwarts like Paige, Leonard and Josh Gibson should decide whether they wish to play with an all Negro team at $250 monthly for six months—or draw down $40,000 yearly salaries like Jew ish Hank Greenberg did as is the unal ienable right of every American, re gardless of color or religion. LABOR & INDUSTRY (by George F. McCray for ANP) AN AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM Last week I raised the question what attitude Negro workers should take toward the new interest shown in us and our problems by the AF of L., the CIO. and various community and governmental agencies. Attention was directed to several courses which we might follow. We could be timid and merely accept what is offered, or we cjould develop an aggressive program, accepting whatever is offered to us of value, but always seeking and demand ing and working for more until full equality with all other workers is a chieved. With unwavering determination the Negro worker should follow an ag gressive program-discreet, well through, but determined. Not since the Civil war has the country been so conscious of our problems. Never have the American people been sc will ing to heed* our pleas for economic jus tice. Standing as a monument to our progress is the fact that we are now in position to exert tremendous pressure on Loth labor and business to force them to change their discriminatory practices. THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL NOT WAIT Of course, this opportunity is not of our making. Our part in it was im measurably small. If we were to ident ify individuals with the complicated forces operating in national and world affairs, out of which operation this op portunity for us has come, we would make the following observation: Her bert Hoover, would personify world depression and economic and social dis location; Adolph Hitler would typify brutal intolerance and the destruction of democracy; Franklin D. Roosevelt would be a fine expression of the grop ing friends of democracy; and John L. Lewis, would stand as the champion of a reborn idea, that men who toil, be they black or white, should have a de termining voice in running the world’s business. Obviously the interaction of these forces has provided us with an unprecedented opportunity. THE LINE OF BATTLE With this opportunity on our hands, our first objective should be to break down discrimination in unions and to make them democratic. To do this we must be in dead earnest about this whole union business. In reputa tion we should become as pro-union in the immediate future as we were anti union a few years ago. Not only must we fight for admission in all unions, but we must make union business our business. And to the unions which ad mit us today we must contribute both leadership and membership. THE UNIONS ARE WITH US Anti-union practice on the part of Negroes today is the simplest kind of foolishness. Every job in the Unit ed States today which is really worth having is either under contract with a union or soon will be. Moreover, most of the manufacturing and mechanical industries in which Negroes are employ ed are already organized. In fact many employers who used Negro labor as a kind of anti-union insurance a few years ago, are now trying to get rid of those they have. However, this hituation need not be alarming. If we build strong un ions with genuine seniority clauses in the contracts which these unions negot iate, if we through personal attention to union business, see that these senior ity clauses are observed, it will not be a difficult matter to convince a employ er that he should not turn against a Negro worker because it can no longer be presumed that a Negro worker will ‘‘scab”. Several unions in the Chicago area are demonstrating what can be achiev ed along these lines. BROTHERHOOD (by Willis B. Keller for ANP) If I’m wrong, find means to guide me That my steps be safe and sure. If I’m right lie down beside me And let both our hearts be pure. i If so burdens dawn upon you That weigh heavier than mine, Then it’s I who should come running And not wait for you to pine. « Each man gets his hard-earned living By the sweat of other’s deeds, So should you make haste in helping With some other fellow’s needs. ( i It takes strength to aid the cripple, True kind hearts to lift the poor, Steer the blind clear out of danger, Pin a welcome on your door. Life is what we do for others; Not for self or greed or hate Let’s be brothers as God wants us, And not wait until too late. i Dark Laughter . by ol harrington “I borrowed him from my sister-in law. I have a- date tonite with Mr. Bootsie and I thought I oughta have him around”.