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Drugstore largest accredited negro newspaper west of Chicago and north of Kansas city —member of the associated negro press
Under Act of March 8, 1874—Bnsiness Phore; WE.*i sh**’ Nebraska, Qmaha> Nebraska, Saturday, November 8,1941 OUR 14th YEAR-No. 34 City Edition, 5c Copy
ARMISTICE
DAY
(by Ruth Taylor)
Solemnly and reverently
we gather together this
Armistice Day, 1941 to
pay honor to those who
died in the last World
War in defense of the free
dom which we all hold so
dear.
We mourn those who
have gone—but at the
same time we recognize
that there are worse
things than death. Death
is but one more tomorrow'
and for those to whom
faith is given, it holds no
terror.
We can, and we have, as
a people, faced death that
others might live. Now
we must face life that all
may live—a life changed
from our ambitions, plans
burdened with hardships
and sacrifice, darkened
perhaps by war and its at
tendant horrors.
To hate war is right. To
fear war is understand
able. But to avoid war by
denial of our principles
because of the hatred and
fear is wrong. We must
fight evil wherever it ex
ists.
A decade and more be
fore the Civil War, Low
ell wrote his “Stanzas on
Freedom” which was the
rallying cry against Slav
ery. Today it should a
gain be the rallying cry
for those who are against
the new slavery let loose
in the world.
“They are slaves who
fear to speak
For the fallen and the
weak;
They are slaves who will
not choose
Hatred, scoffing and
abuse
Rather than in silence
shrink
From the truth they
needs must think;
They are slaves who
dare not be
In the right with two
or three.”
The freedom that is ours
must be paid for by each
and every one of us. In
complete though our dem
ocracy may be, it offers
more to each succeeding
generation than any other
form of government ever
has bestowed. What its
future is depends on the
individuals who comprise
it. Its preservation may
cost us much—but we
know that he win faces
death bravely for another,
finds life eternal.
WHERE TO GO TO
CHURCH
SUNDAY
(See Page Three)
I REGISTER FOR DEFENSE JOB 0
TRAINING CLASSES 0
It is of the greatest importance Q
that colored men and women and 0
young people who wish employment in 0
defense industries secure the necess- X
ary training in classes which have Q
been established. Q
This newspaper urges you to reg' 0
ister for defense training classes of X
the NYA, WPA, or local vocational X
schools; also in training classes at in' Q
dustrial plants. Register Today! 0
farmer Given
Life Sentence
FOR BRUTAL MURDER
OF HIS WIFE
Thomas Farmer, 40, employe of
Cudahy Packing Co., for 11 years,
who killed his wife, the former
Miss Emma Parker, a resident of
South Omaha, pleaded guilty to
second degree murder on Nov. 4th
and was given life imprisonment
by Judge Sears He was repres
ented by Atty. John Adams Sr.
His attorney claimed self-defense
and asked for a lesser sentence
than life. The prosecltor was A
A. Fiedler and he recommended
life.
The killing occurred on 16th and
Dodge St., in front of the Neville
Hotel, where she worked as a maid,
August 11, 1941.
“This was a ruthless crime’"—
commented the judge, who critic
ized the county attorney’s office
with the statement that he believed
the case should have gone to trial
since that charge must be tried be
fore a jury, with no guilty plea
permissable
ALL SHELLS
ACCOUNTED
FOR
AS M ANIAC KILLS ENTIRE
FAMILY
Monday morning Nov. 3, Pe"cy
Green, Tucson, Mississippi bought
seven abet gun shells and Monday
night all shells were accounted
for. Percy Green killed his wife,
his mother-in-law and his wife's
grandmother and grandfather.
With the fifth bullet he shot ar
himself and missed, but with the
sixth bullet he shot himself in the
head, thus killing hisself Out of
seven shell, there is only one shell
left. All shells are accounted for.
JIM CROW OFFICERS
SCHOOL NOT BEFORE
WAR DEPARTMENT
New York—The purported re
quest for segregated Army off
icer’s training schools “is not of
ficially before the War Depart
ment or discussion or otherwise,”
the NAACP was informed last
week by Major General E. L. Ad
ams of the Adjutant General’s of
fice
News of the request was broad
cast by Fulton Lewis, Jr, Wash
ington news commentator for the
Mutual Broadcasting System, Oct
ober 20. His assistant told the
NAACP that the information came
from Edgar G- Brown, head of the
United Government Employes.
Brown and others are said to have
asked for the separate training
schools i nan “official letter to the
president”.
Last week 50 Negro leaders
signed a statement to the chief
executive repudiating the request,
fn addition to those whose names
were published last week are Mrs.
S. W- Layten, Philadelphia. Pa.
president of the Women’s Auxil
iary Convention to the National
Baptist Convention; Judge Myles
Paige of the Court of Special Ses
sions, New York City, and George
N. White, secretary of the Home
Missions of the Corngegationil
church
AUTOMOBILE WORK
ERS UNION URGES
DEFENSE PROGRAM
EXPANSION TO
INCLUDE COLORED
Cleveland, Nov. 5 (ANP) Meet
ing last week with representatives
of OPM., the United Automobile
Workers of America, AFL, urged
the expansion of national defense
program in a training program to
include both colored and white wor
kers who were laid off or who may
be laid off because of defense pri
orities. Headed by Elmer Davis,
director of the UAWA and Frank
Evans, international executive
board members, the plea of the un
ion was registered in an effort to
afford all workers an opportunity
to participate in the training pro
gram so that they would be quali
fied to enter defense plants upon
curtailment of civilian work
Efforts of certain organizations
urging the establishment of separ
ate traning schools for Negroes
only were frowned upon by the
union. Holding that this action
would only tend to create a class
distinction among workers and les
sen opportunities becouse of lim
ited facilites of the training pro
gram, the union asked that there be
only one program for all workers
interested in training for defense
Work.
NEGRO CONTRACTORS
MAKE PROGRESS ON
HOGE PROJECTS
PROVES THAT NO MISTAKE WAS MADE IN
GIVING CONTRACT TO NEGRO FIRM;
ALSO PROVES THAT WHITES
AND BLACKS CAN WORK
TOGETHER IN HARMONY
Home of 99th Pursuit Squ adron Nears Completion
GIGANIC PROJECT; CIVILIAN
ARMY TRAINING FIELD ALSO
NEARS COMPLETION
Tuskegee, Nov. 4 (by Albert An
derson for ANP)—There could
scarcely be a more inspiring sight
for one who wfas interested ‘-n a
demonstration of the abilities of
Negroes in the field of construct
ion, than to observe the progress
of the two airports being erected
here at Tuskegee, each of which is
being built by Negro contractors
and their crews.
Both are being developed incid
ent to the training of the 99th Pur
suit squadron, the all-Negro group
of flying cadets. This group is
already in trainng at the Civilian
Army Training field, almost com
pleted and which is owned by Tus
kegee institute. As soon as the
students graduate from ths prelim-1
inary army course, required before
the air corps accepts them as cad
ets, they will be given their broad
er, more exacting training at the
big 1700 acre airfield \tfhich is
mushrooming up after the fashion
of a vigorous, growing young city.
THREE AIRPORTS AT
TUSKEGEE
There wil Ibe three flying fields
here. Tuskegee already had a +em
porary field where the CAA prim
army course is given. Some 40
students are enrolled there at pres
ent. Because of the superior re
cord which the youth of this school
have made, Tuskegee was selected
for the more difficult civilian army
training course- That required a
fnore adequate field so Tuskegee
which plans to make aviation a
definite part of its future program,
bought land at another more fav
orable location and erected a new
field at a cost of $200,000 for field
and equipment.
This new field is almost finished
but traning has been going on
there for several weeks; There
>are some 50 students there -Archie
Alexander, the famous Negro con
tractor from Des Moines, la., has
the contract for building this air
port and while small in area com
pared with its huge neighbor being
erected by the Air corps, it is one
of the slickest, trimmest airfields
you ever looked at. Its large
brick hangar accomodates 10 army
traising planes and working quar
ters for Capt- Parish, army super
visor; G. L. Washington, civilian
manager, chief pilot Alfred And
erson and their various aides. The
students have living quarters at
Tuskegee.
1,500 WORK NIGHT
AND DAY—
A scant six miles further, 1500
workmen, toiling day and night on
three eight hour shifts are rushing
to completion the third airport, the
big two million dollor army field
which is expected to be named—
'‘Moton held.”
The immensity of this job stag
gers an onlooker- Apparently it
does not phase Calvin McKissack,
younger of the two noted archit
ects and builders of Nashville and
actively engaged in charge of the
job while his brother Mose looks
after other contracts. Calvin Mc
Kissack, with his quiet manner,
smooth, almost unctous voice,
shoots his car over hills, ruts and
ditches and clambers where the car
just cannot go over these hundred
of acres as they emerge from a
hilly, wooded, stretch of red clay
farm land into a community which
will house and afford training and
working quarters for a thousand or
two officers flying cadets, soldiers
mechanics and employes, as caimiy
as if he were constructing one of
the churches for_which his firm is
famed throughout the southland.
Mr. McKissack won’t talk much
about his job. He modestly ?ay«
p-—
that his task is to turn over to the
United States army a plant com
pleted to specifications laid out by
army engineers, within the pres
cribed time and cost limits, and to
prove when he does so that no mis
take was made when the contracts
was awarded to a colored firm
Under him are 1500 skilled and un
skilled men, black and white- The
ratio runs about 1,000 colored, 500
white. He has employed all the
competent skilled black men he
could find, most of the white men
Working for white sub contractors
who handle certain phases of the
work which were sub let and se
cured on bid. Most of the men
have been employed from Tuske
gee and nearby counties- A few
are his regular foremen and work
men who go with him wherever he
has a job to do.
WORKMEN OF BOTH RACES
Here in the deep south these men
have demonstrated that there is
not the slightest difficulty in hav
ing workmen of two races, work
ing side by side under the general
supervsion of a colored contractor.
There has not been the slightest
bit of friction or trouble- Every
one seems imbued with the fa-t
that they want to get the plant fin
ished on time. The plant is ‘.o be
hanued over in December. Al
ready trainees ar- pouring in
Some 200 mechanics from Ckanute
ii’-Jd arrived last we»k. They are
housed in tents bun- up on wond
er. flooring until the imp rang
group of green roofed barracks
over cn the hill is finished.
Every modern convenience will
be installed in this community.
McKissack and his men changed
the course of a sizeable creek which
ran through the grounds, and then
hard by are building a great sew
age plant. The public utilities in
the camp -are large enough to
serve a city of 10,000 people. The
army apparently is building both
for permanency and expansion. A
little further on top of a high hill
which overlooks the whole area, a
water works, reservoir and filter
ing plant are being constructed.
Simultaneously four great runwavs
are being built, one of them look-1
ing to be about a block wide, is a
mile long. The base for the run
ways is in and the concrete and
asphalt ready to pour.
OFFICERS ALREADY ON
DUTY
Six or eight medical officers ar-:.
already on duty and the hosp’cal
unit with half a dozen buildings is
rapidly nearing completion. It
seems impossible that just a few
weeks ago this great expanse was
unused except for a couple of scat
tered farms and a graveyard on
the hill which is in process of be
ing removed- An odd sidelight is
that the men who exhume the bod
es are paid $6 per day, must und
ergo sterilization every night and
remain in the hospital for obser
vation for six months after the job
is finished.
A foreman rushed up. He has a
section ready for inspection by the
army engineers. A dozen other
people come rapidly to ask instruc
tions or impart information as Me
Kissack surveys the field from the
hill. Major J. A- Jennings, white
commander of the 99th, passc3.
The hammers ring and saws buzz.
A fleet of 15 or 20 great motored
scrapers are smoothing the field
while other greater machines tear
sovagely into a hill preparing to
level it off. Over here a mechanic
al ditch digger burrows swiftly a
long making way for the 40 or 50
miles of pipe and water mains
which are being installed
McKissack, never ruffled, never
worried, looks on. “This is the
price we must pay for civilization”
he mused- “Water is one of the
great forces in modem living”, he
continued- “Oddly enough”, he
finished as he glanced around at
the water vtorks, “We Negroes are
apt to build churches first when
perhaps we ought to build wa
ter work”. It was an interesting
commentary coming from this man
who is both a Christian and a
Church builder.
One thing is certain. The air
field for the 99th Pursuit squadron
is gigantic and great beyond the
imagination of one who has not
seen it. In those surroundings an
under the training which the air
corps is giving, wll arise one feels
certain, a group of daring, able fly
ers of which all America may be
proud.
„ FLUORESCENT FUTURAMA
ELABORATE $50,000 LIGHT
ING DISPLAY TO BE SHOWN
AT HOTEL FONENELLE
• ••
Business and profesional men o
Omaha, Council Bluffs and vicin
ity wili be the guests of the loca
efectical industry, November i
to 13th inclusive, at the Fluores
cent Futurama, an elaborate $30,
000 lighting display, in the ball
room of Hotel Fontenelle
In this exposition, which is be
ing shown in only sixteen large!
cities, manufacturers of certfiec
Fleur-O-Lier lighting fixtures ant
R- L. M- industrial reflectors
have asembled over 100 types oJ
certified fluorescent fixtures. Lighl
ing experts will be m charge cl
the twenty exhibits to demonstrate
the uses of these various types ol
fixtures in stores, office and fac
tories, and to discuss with busin
ess men their particular lighting
problems.
Visitors will enter the ballroom
through a black light booth and be
welcomed by “Miss Fluorescent"
wearing a costumed dyed with
flourescent chemicals that makes
it glow under black light- Two
hostesses will register the guest3
on black light cards that change
when placed in a black light box.
One registration card each after
noon and two each evening will be
marked. Holders of these cards
will be entitled to choose from a
selection of combination incandes
cent flurescent floor lamps glVen
as door prizes
About half way down the floor
an attractive hostess will presMs.
at a light selection recorder. She
will defy anyone to guess within
ten footcandles the intensity <-f
the light they themselves adjust
to read a newspaper page. An
other hostess will entertain the
guests with a mysterious wireless
light outfit.
Local sponsors of the Futurama
include Electric Fixture and Sup
ply Enterprise Electric, General
Electric, General Electric Supply,
Graybar Electric, Westinghouse
Electric Mfg., Westinghouse Sup
ply. Wright and Wilhelmy and the
Nebraska Power C -mpanies.
NAACP. FILES BRIEF IN
TEXAS “WHITE PRIMARY”
CASE
Forth Worth, Texas—An early
decision can be expected in the
Texas “white primary” case for
which brief will be filed in the
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals,
November 13, the NAACP ann
ounced this week- If a favorable
decision is reached it will wipe out
one big obstacle in the way of full
franchsement for Negro Americ-j
ans, the NAACP. declared.
The case has been in court since
last January when Sidney Hasgett
of Houston, a qualified voter, fil
ed a complaint on charges that l.e
was denied the right to vote in the
primary election of the Democratic
party August 15, 1940- Hasgett
is suing for $5,000 damages and a
judgement declaring that he had
the right to vote. Defendants are
election judges Werner and Black
bum of the 19th precinct.
The case was first heard in Apr
il before the U.. S- District Court,
southern district of Texas, when
both parties agreed that the elec
tion judges did deny Hasgett the
privilege of voting because of his
color. No decision was reached at
this time, but Judge T- M. Ken
nedy asked for the briefs and tran
scripts of the testimony to study
before making a decision.
The new action is an appeal bas
ed on the decision which was ret
urned against Hasgett.
Thurgood Marshall, special
counsel for the NAACP and W- J
Durham of Sherman, Texas, are
attorneys for Hasgett- They state
that the question involved is whe
ther or not the Democratic prim
ary in Texas, is “state action”
within the meaning of the Fif
teenth Amendment to the Constitu
tion. Since the Democratic party
is in control in the state, victory of
a candidate in its prmary is tan
tamount to election.
The defendants maintain that
the primory is a private or “clos
ed” institution and not a state ac
tion.
I MARRIED WOMEft Al\iD WORK.... jj
(by H. J. Pinkett)
With apologies to John Slavik,
County Clerk, we wish to make a few
remarks on the subject of ‘‘MARRIED
WOMEN AND WORK”.
Now, Mr. Slavik is Clerk of Doug
las County. He was elected last year.
Through the good offices of State Sen
ator John Adams, Jr., his term was ex
tended two years. When he took
charge of the office there were sever
al women employees whose husbands
also worked. Thus it had been for
many years, in that office, in this coun
ty and state and in this nation. Mr.
Slavik decided that the place of marr
ied women was “in the home”, and that
was where he sent the married women
workers.
That very great issue which we
thought was settled with the adoption
of the 19th Amendment to the United
States Constitution, wa,s not raised
when Mr. Slavik was a candidate for
office last year; POSSIBLY IT WILL
BE WHEN HE SEEKS RE-ELECT
ION. Yes, it will be.
And this recalls the story of the
preacher who thought that this was a
man’s world. One Sunday morning he
preached a SPECIAL sermon to his
*
flock which had scores of married wo
men in it who, in order to help provide
for the numerous children, “worked
out”. The parson raved and ranted a
bout married women working, and de
clared: The Good Book says woman’s
plaice is in the home", that “women who
work cannot be good wives and moth
ers”.
After the morning services were
over, the “working women”, and that
group ran the churcb, decided that if
the good parson was opposed to “Mar
ried Women” working, married women,
would stop giving to maintain him in
the church. And true to their pledge,
they stopped giving. Four months
thereafter, the Good Parson died of
malnutrition at the County Poor farm.
We do not claim such a fate will
befall Mr. Slavik, but if all the married
women who vote, decided to vote a
gainst Mr. Slavik, his chances of re-el
ection will be quite “slim”.
Seriously, what legal right has a
gjovernment official to deny employ
ment to a citizen, because of sex or
marital status. We can think of none.
We insist the test should be compet
ency. Married women will educate Mr
Slavik on this subject in the school of
politics.
