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„ J , LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS
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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.