Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1942)
GOOD READING The OMAHA if ._ KBs’ hewtoihf.une\ 5c ~—^ at vour „ J , LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS Drugstore ^ PENSIONS FOR VETS OF WORLD WAR No. I “FROM US... to JOE”. (by H. J. Pinkett) A pension bill providing for pen s'oning of Veterans of World War Number One has passed the U S. House of Representatives, and i« now pending in the Senate. It is meeting with stiff oppos ition from the Metropolitan dail ies of the country and other spec ial interests, the same interests which have urged the people of the United States to give Europ e m end Asiatic countries naa -ly forty billions it dollars. They call tne pension bill a “Treasury Raid” a "Pension Grab” and the like. The former soldiers for their part point out that a million A — an soldiers saw service during the First World War in France and other countries; that all men who served over there have had taken from them at least twelve years of their span of life; that all of them, therefore, suffered phys ical injury, and that the editors who write blistering editorials a gainst the Veterans would be say ing something else had they Deen with them in the lice infested trenches, filled with unclean mud, mixed with poisoned gas, while enemy artillery shells came over hour after hour, interspersed with machine gun fire and bombs from the heavens, with an interlude of rifle fire and hand grenades; snuffing out, with every blast, the lives of their comrades. Even a few hours of this would be convincing to editors who kne w it not; months of it would have made of them flaming champions of the pension cause. May it not be said that provis ion for the future of a soldier and his family is of the highest im portance to National Defense. The pension, if they ever get it, will start when the veteran reach es 65 years of age...Only a relat ively small number (ft them will live long enough to benefit from the law. Almost no parents and but few widows and children will benefit from it. It ought to be made a law. And if the Government, our govern-' ment, for whom we fought 24 years ago, expects us to give our sons to fight now in another Eur opean and Asiatic War, it would be wise to do now toward the vet erans of the First World War this bit of simple justice. FARM SECURITY ADMINIS TRATION STANDS PAT ON DISCRIMINATION IN POLL TAX LOANS Washington, DC.The Farm Security Administration is prac ticing discrimination in urging and making loans to white Farm Security clients for the payment of poll taxes in Southern states while denying such loans to Negro es and, according to C B. Bald win, Administrator of the FSA, does not intend changing this pol icy. It was learned by the NAACP last week that the FSA had issued instructions to include in the search of the records of white clients, a search as to whether or not poll taxes had been paid. If they had not, they are urged to do so and an amount sufficient to cover payment is included in FSA loans. Negroes are not only not included in this consideration but even if a Negro should request such a loan, it would not be grant ed. Thurgood Marshall, special coun sel of the NAACP, reported after a conference with Baldwin and other officials of the agency here, that Baldwin states that he would not issue instructions to include Negroes in this part of the loan now or in the future, and that he will stand behind the statement of E. S. Morgan, director for the Southeast region of the agency that "the Farm Security Agency has not and never will do anything contrary to local custom and reg ulations.” I Entered as Second-Class wi^Business Iphonef we.^lt*’ Nebraska- Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, January 24, 1942 OUR 14th YEAR—N.:. 45 City Edition, 5c Copy Southern Congressmen Force Ftegroesy Best Friends From Key Federal Government Positions Sunday Meetings for Kappa Alpha P si, Alpha Kappa Alpha - G HERE ARE THEIR RECORDS (by Alvin White) WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (ANT) Victims of anti-Negro bias, liberal white administrators in govern ment agencies here are being foie ed out, one by one, by a clique of prejudiced congressmen det- n ined to curtail beenfits Ne •'~t have received under liberalize terpretations of laws recently en acted. First to go was John M. Carm ody, adminisrator of the Federal Works Agency, He was followed by Clark Foreman, director of the Division of Defense Housing in FWA. And now Nathan Straus, administrator, U. S. Housing auth ority. The administration of each of these was characterized by sound racial policies designed to assure equitable participation of Negroes. Carmody, a Pennsylvanian, has a long record of fair administrat ion. Formerly a member of the National Mediation board, he was helpful to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in their fight for recognition by the rail industry. Later he headed the Rural Electrification administra-l tion. When he Federal Works a gency was established in 1939, Carmody was named administra tor. As FWA administrator, he was among the first to comply with the presidenial reques to’facilitate em ployment of Negroes in govern ment service. All racial identif ication on applications for posit-t ions were immedately removed and an order was sent to heads of constituent agencies in FWA dir ecting them to cease any form of discrimination against Negro ap plicants and employes. William J. Trent, Jr., had prev iously been transferred from the Public Works Administration to serve as racial relations officer on the administrator’s staff. Work ing with the personnel officer, Trent was helpful in securing em ployment of Negro workers. When the defense housing pro gram was assigned to FWA, Ad ministrator Carmody adopted the non-discrimination policy in con struction labor already instituted b ythe USHA. Under this policy Negro skilled and unskilled build ing trades workers have earned more than 52,600,000. Carmcdy clamped down on white union car penters in Mobile, Ala., who balk ed at working with Negro carpen ters, also members of the union. Despite threats of a strike, Negro carpenters went to work on direct order of Carmody. Scion of a famous old Georgia family, Foreman from his early youth has been active in efforts to improve racial relations. He be gan his career as a member bf the (Continued on page 2) ) -- ROOSEVELT POST No.: The Roosevelt Post No. 30, The Executive Committee met Sunday to appoint a housing com mittee to handle the program as ed by the Committee. Dr. v W, Peebles and his staff, the ost is starting a series of Bingo ight beginning Monday, January i9, Wed. 21. Fri. 23, The Northside Clinic sponsored by Roosevelt Post will be open to the public in a very few days as everything is all ready for instal lation, Doctors booths already. This clinic will take care of the needs of the entire northside start ing at Cuming street. There will STILL TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO RED CROSS FUND There’s still time to contribute to Douglas County’s $150,000 Red Cross war relief fund, General Chairman Linn P. Campbell said. Persons who have not done their share in donating to this fine work Chairman Campbell said, should send their contribution at once, to 320 Famam Building, Omaha, drive headquarters. Campbell pointed out that help ing finance the Red Cross work a mong members of the armed fore es and civilians who are war vic tiias “is our 'way of showing our support of the nation’s victory program and our support of the boys in the front lines on land and sea.” He declared: “We can, do no les than our full share.” Douglas county’s quota of 150 thousand dollars is part of a na tionwide 50 million dollar fund being raised, Campbell said. The money will be used for supplies, garments and relief goods for both civilians and armed troops who are war victims. Fifteen percent of the funds raised in Douglas County remains here to buy supplies and mater ials to be used in making gar ments for war victims. Red Cross aid goes both to persons and troops at the war front as well as to individuals in army and navy hospitals. A certain portion of the fund is being set aside also for the relief of persons in this coun try hit by sabotage or enemy bom bing. Vincent C. Hascall, president rf the Douglas County Red Cross chapter, said over 44,000 persons in the county were enrolled for Red Cross work. Of this number 34.500 are members of the Junior Red Cross. Participation of Douglas Coun ty school children, including tho.?e in a Omaha all Omaha public and parochial schools, in the Red Cross war work drive was held tast week. The school children had special programs and victory marches to contribute their nic kels and dimes to a nationa' chil BOYSTOWN COMMISSIONERS Mr. Chauncey Hodges, son of Mr. Chester Hodges, who is living at Boystown was recently elected to fill one of the Commissioners jobs at Boystown. Chauncey Hodges is a former student of St. Benedicts school 'and church. He attended St. Benedicts for three years or more and then left for Boystown where he is now a Com missioner. Chauncey’s father and friends are very proud of him. I . !■ From left to right: Chauncey Hodges, Charles Mitchell, Ben Martin, Mayer David Baker, Ed Enotny, John Polar, Ray Mar sn ail, Bernie Whold. JO TO OPEN CLINIC be three medical doctors on dut' at all times and two nurses. Ih membership of the post is well ov er our quota, but we are still striv ing to win the Spafford trophy foi the second year. We are also try ing to win the meritous Award for Service to the Community. With the Clinic in full operation we will be well out in front. Vis it our club rooms and see what the American Legion is doing for the Community and comrades. Remember the State Convention, meets in Omaha in August. Be sure and be on the band wagon _pay your dues now! dren’s fund of the Red Cross. This fund will be used solely for the ie)ief of children in war torn coun tries. Meanwhile .many firms through out Omaha reported their employ es had contributed 100 percent to the Red Cross drive. In many business houses all workers gavo at least one day’s pay to the wor thy cause. LOUIS ARMSTRONG ONLY COLORED TO PLAY FOR PRESIDENT’S BIRTHDAY BALL New York (C)..Louis Arm strong (Ol Satchmo) was the onty colored musician selected to hold the fort with his band at the White House January 30th, on the night of the birthday of President Roosevelt. Armstrong, just celebrated his 25th anniversary as a bandleader in Chicago last November 25th. Ol Satchmo received the invita tion from Mrs, Roosevelt, says hi3 manager Joe Glaser of Rorkefelli er Center here in New York. And he is happy to swing and do his bit for FDR. Right now, Satch is out in Hol lywood making that film of his life, “It’s All True” with Boogie woogie pianist Hazel Scott. They started on it the first of year. But Louis will come from the coast in time to make the ball and run right back. He was on ’our with the band before he went tc the coast, for the musical picture. NEGRO DEFENSE HOUSING j PROJECT THREATENED IN DETROIT Detroit, Mich_Seen as a re sult of a shakeup in the Federal Works Agency, Negro defense workers in this city are in danger | of losing the defense housing pro ject planned, built and promised j for occupancy by colored tenants.1 It was named the Sojourner Truth. ^ Houses. First objections to Negro ten-1 ants came from a few white cit izens, who organized a committee to oppose the project. In spite of j the protests from the white group, j the Federal Works Agency and! the United States Housing Auth ority resolved to go ahead with the project as first planned for Negro es. The FWA and the USHA. stood firm against repeated pro tests. Recently, however, the shakeup came in the FWA and Clark Fore man, assistant administrator, re signed to be replaced by Baird Snyder. The Detroit NAACP has inform ation that Snyder claims that members of the Congressional Committee responsible for the passage of the new Lanham Act now in Committee hearing ha l not ified him that they wish this pro ject to be converted for white use. The project is ready for occup ancy and more than 700 colored workers have applied for space and are waiting to be moved in. The NAACP is urging that C. F. Palmer, Coordinator of Defense Housing, Washington, D. C. an 1 Congressman Rudolph Tenerow i icz of Detroit be asked to insist that the project be turned over to Negroes for whom it was built. FAMOUS RACE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN CIVILIAN DEFENSE THRUOUT SATION OEM ;Mn Todd Dnncan (left) telling William D. Alexander, of the Office for Civilian ,Defense, that: “We are all Americans. The Negroes have never failed America And they vroa’t^ail her now.” . _ j Man an Anderson and the entire Carnegie Hal) audience, New York Citjr, tinging the “Star Spangled Banner," Inset, a close-up of Miss Anderson, j • The NACP pointed out the dan gerous campaign afoot in Wash ington to oust from office any government official who has been or gives indication of being deter mined to see that the Negro gets : a fair share of the benefits of gov- j ernment programs. A few such( men named by the NAACP a»-e Nathan Straus, of the U, S. Hous ing Authority; John Fpromdy, for mer administratcr •'f the Federal Works Aeencv; Clark Foreman, j already mentioned; Aubrey Will- j iams, administrator of the NYA, and Martin Carpenter whose plar, to integrate Negroes impartially into the civil service division was scotched last spring. J SOUTHERN RR GIVES EQUAL1 DINING FACILITIES AFTER PROTEST Mobile, Ala.The Southern Railway has divided its dining cars into compartments so that all passengers can have accommo dations in them during dining hours, the Southern conference of NAACP branches said this week. Colored passengers may now be served meals on all calls. The change was announced in a letter from the railroad’s assist ant vice president, R. K. McClain, to J. L. LeFlore, of this city, chair man of the NACP Southern Con ference. For the past three years the Association has been insisting that southern railroads provide a dining car arrangements that would permit colored passengers to have meals on all calls, with out waiting until after all whites had been served. The Louisville and Nashville and other roads are also adopting equal dining facil ities, it was announced. The changes are the result of com plaints filed by individuals through the NAACP. Led by internationally famous members of the race, Negroes ihroughout the nation are actively earticipating in the program of Civilian Defense and are serving n many capacities, accordng to Vfrs. Crystal Bird Fauset Chief of Ft ace Relations Division of the Of !ice of Civilian Defense in Wash-, ngton. Marion Anderson, famous oper-i itic Contralto, and Todd Duncan, star of the successful stage play, ‘Porgy and Bess”, are outstanding examples of Negroes who are vol unteering their talent and support if the program. Miss Anderson ievoted part of her first concert recital at Carnegie Hall New York Dity, to patriotic music, and Mr. Duncan is contributing his servic es in an all Negro radio program ievoted to Civilian Defense or. February 8, Mrs. Fauset announc ed. Working with Mrs. Fauset, Wil liam D. Alexander, as information representatives, reports active a.id enthusiastic cooperation from Ne gro groups throughout the coun try in all phases of Civilian Def ense and full support from the more than 210 Negro newspapers and periodicals. Leading a packed house in sing ing the national anthem and meet ing scores of persons from the audience after her recital, Miss Anderson stressed that the Amer ican Negro can be counted upon to carry out his duties and respon cibilities in this national emerg ency just as he has done his share in crtiical times before. America she said, needs the complete loy alty and unity of all its people to day. She urged that each person do his part regardless of hov, small the contribution. From Boston where he is play ing an engagement of “Porgy ant Bess” at the old Shubert theatre Mr. Duncan offered his own serv ices and the talents of his cast oi actors and singers to the Office' ? KAPPAS TO ST. JOHN AME. CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING The Rev. E. F. Ridley, pastor of St. John AME Church, will deliv er a special sermon, “The Chall enge of the Future”, Sunday Jan uary 25, at 11 a. m., when lii3 Kappa Alpha Psi brothers, their wives and sweethearts attend the morning services in a body. St. John Choir, under the direc tion of Mrs. Pearl Gibson, is plan ning an unuusual program for this event. The pastor and congregation of St. John AME Church extend a cordial invitation to the public. Dr. W. W, Solomon, prominent Omaha physician, is the newly elected polemarch of Alpha Eta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Frat ernity. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA TO OBSERVE FOUNDERS’ DAY Gamma Beta Chapter of Alpha* Kappa Alpha Sorority will observe! Founders’ Day on January 25th. They will have as their guest Miss Rosetta Nolan of Kansas City. Miss Nolan will be guest speak er at a program given Sunday, at 3:00 p. m. at Clair Chapel. She will speak of the place of women in the scheme of things today. Having just returned from the Boule of the sorority, Miss Nolan is quite informed about the place ^ of women, especially the place of the Negro woman in the world to day. Miss Nolan is a graduate of Howard University, and is now head of the mathematic depart ment at the R. T. Cole vocational school in Kansas City. She is al so one of the national vice-presi dents of Alpha Kappa Alpha, 3ni a past regional director. The public is cordially invited to attend this meeting. Mrs. Ruth Solomon is general chairman of the Founders’ Day Activities, and is assisted by Vel ma Thomas, Bernice Grice, Row ena Jones, lone Hanger, and Thel ma Hancock. of Civilian Defense. After a sixth curtain call at one performance he led the audience in singing the Star Spangled Banner and latter discussed the defense program with Mr. Alexander. Mr. Duncan recalled the untir ing service of the American Negro during the first world war and ex pressed a conviction that the pres ent emergency would find the lea ders and the vast majority of the race at the forefront of national defense activity. Citing the belief and faith of the Negro in Divine guidance; his unlimited sense of humor and his flair for entertainment through unique presentation, the stage star stressed the Negro’s ability to con tribute to the cause. “Time”, he said, “these characteristics are in valuable weapons that America will want to nse in this war ef fort.” The appearance of the “Porgy and Bess” star on the OCD prog ram in February will mark the first of a series of all star Negro shows on the air. The series which is to be announced will be produced on both the East and West Coasts, Mr. Alexander said. "These star entertainers will he donating their time and talent tc, build American morale,” Mr. Al exander said, “and this contribut ion together with other activity throughout the nation should dem strate to the entire American pub lic the Negros ’interest and *>at riotism at this critical hour.” FROMISED LAND The Promised Land Is always just ahead. You will not reach it Ere you’re dead. But your children’s children By their children will be led To a spot from which the Land.... Still lies ahead. i —Langtson Hughes. ; EXTRACTED FROM SPORTS BY BILL CORUM (New York Journal American, Wed, January 14, 1942) A1 Lyon, Executive Vice Presi dent of the Philip Morris Co, sug gested this idea inasmuch as we are all agreed that these are the days in which everyone of us want to do all we can and if possible, a little bit more. They are trying days, but great days too. Days of wonderful opportunity for in dividuals and nations. There is no doubt at all that they have! brought home to us some realiz ation of the great good fortune we enjoy in being American citizens. Can anybody question that this is a better America than it was six months ago? Here is the greatest opportunity any nation in all history ever had to win two wars in one—the fight ing war, and that we will win, and the even more important war a gainst bigotry, and prejudice and hatred. We are all one America now, and now Is the time to plan so well if we can that we shall be one A merica for all time to come. This is not just fine talk. It is really in our hearts. There are signs on every hand that it is. It is not a war that will be won in a day. Indeed, it will still be going on when the gun fighting is over. But every blow we strike low will count heavily in the future to the end that, God willing, we'll never again be as guilty as wo have sometimes been in the past of the awful littleness and mean ness of bigotry. That’s why this column is going to undertake this campaign now. On top of Mr. Lyon’s suggest-* ion came these two telegrams: ’’Everybody bewildered. Would like somehow to show apprecia tion to Joe Louis. How can we do it—.Hayden Meyers.” “Talk at our bridge table, how can we thank Joe Louis? Why not start thanks to Joe Louis campaign..L. E. McCluskey.” Well, gentlemen, it’s started. This is how I think Louis would like it done. To endow perpetual ly in some great hospital, a Joe Louis cot for any needy sufferer without question of anything, save that, ihat it be a deserving and needy case. The underlying thought is that perhaps when young brown Joe is an old pappy guy and his present) triumphs and eulogies lie half for goten in the records of a musty scarpbook, this litle act of the many who admired him will live on as a record of the sort of stand up American he was when Amer ica needed men to stand up; No Soliciting, No Campaigning There will be no soliciting of funds. We will not get in the way of any other of the many cam. paigns, all worthy, of course. This will be of a free will to honor a fellow who gave of his free will so generously. “THIS WILL BB FROM US TO JOE”. . ...with the understanding that those who contribute, and ouca more we say that the small contri butions will be the most welcome, do so out of the heart, and in thd hope of a truer liberalism and brighter tomorrow for our coun try. NEGRO SOLDIERS KEPT IN CAMP AFTER RIOT IN LA. 28 Soldiers, Woman And Trooper Hurt In Flare Up Alexandria, La.(C).. Negro soldiers were confined to their nearby camps, Livingston and Clarborne by the 5th Army Corps Headquarters after a flare up here in this city’s little Harlem, where 28 soldiers, one woman and a State policemen were all injured. Four of the soldiers shot in the 2 hour clash are in serious condition ac cording to Army officials. The flare up is reported to have occurred when a Wisconsin mili tary policeman arrested a colored soldier in front of a colored the atre. A crowd of Negro soldiers then attacked the white officer who immediately called in a com pany of white military police from Wisconsin. Still the Negro sold iers couldn’t be calmed until 60 military police and a score of city officers and 10 state troopers tock part in the rounding up of 3.000 Negro troops, dispersed about 3,000 colored civilians and closed 15 saloons and cafes in the four block area. Police had to use from 25 to 30 tear gas bombs, the city’s entire supply. Almost all the soldiers Negio troops involved were described as principally from Northern state*} as New York, Illinois and Pa. Negro soldiers, while restricted to their camps were not placed under arrest. Most of the 28 injured, were reported to be either shot, clubbed or otherwise bruised.