Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1942)
r GOOD READING The OMAHA 2“ HEW TO THE LINEV 5c at vour Drugstore largest accredited newspaper west of Chicago and north of Kansas ctit —member of the associated negro press Entered as Second-Class 874—Busing phone°5i7h*’ Nebraska’ Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, *-y 31,1942 OUR 14th YEAR—No. 46 City Edition, 5c Copy — - - " 1 " - - ■ . r .?*9.. ■ ...... ~ ~ .. SINGS FOR SOLDIERS 1 AT FORT HUACHAU, ARIZ. ETTA MOTEN brought happiness to the members of the famous 25th Infantry regiment upon the occas ion of her appearance in concert there. Miss Moten sang to a cap acity house in the post theatre. She was the guest of Mrs. Mary Carter, senior hostess at thp fort, and was the recipient of many graceful courtesies upon the part of the veteran colored officers of the post and their wives. Miss Moten, who was enroute east from Los Angeles, left fon Chicago and a series of engage* ments which include, El Dorado, Ark., Jan. 22, Camden, Ark., Jan. 23; Langston university, Jan 26; Oklahoma City, Jan. 27; Tulsa, Okla., Jan. 30; Muskogee, Okla., AKA’s, Feb. 1; Sumner High School, Kansas City, Kan., Feb. 3; Camp Livingston, La., Feb. P; Ruston, La., Feb. 10; Lufkin, Tex as, Feb. 11; Galveston, Tex., Feb 17; Waco, Texas, Feb. 20; Mont gomery, Ala., Feb. 24; Tuscaloosa, Ala., Feb. 25; Florence, Ala., Feb. 27. GOVERNMENT FORCES U. S. LINES TO EMPLOY NEGROES WHITE RACE A MINORITY IN WORLD Says Walter White No Enduring Peace Unless Race Factor Settled Right, Freedom House Is Told — New York... .‘‘There is no hope whatever for an enduring peace in the world until the right to full participation in government and to equal justice is accorded black. | brown and yellow races, as well as white,” declared Walter White, secretary of the National Associa tion for the Advancement of Col ored People last week, in a broad cast from Freedom House at its formal dedication. Recognition of this fact by the sponsors of Free dom House was hailed by Mr. White as a hopeful sign. Mr. White pointed out that the white peoples of the world should remember that they are the min ority; and that the majority, com posed of non-whites, would not for ever accept a world in which col or relegated dark people to infer ior status. “Lynchings, discrimination in J the defense program ,and other manifestations of racial bigotry are being used by anti-American, propagandists to label the United States as a hypocrite. Twenty four hours after white military po lice attacked Negro soldiers at Alexandria, Louisiana, on January 9. Japanese short wave broad casts were heard in the United States citing the Alexandria riot as proof of what would be done to colored peoples if the democracies won the war. White America and white Britain must ,in enlighten ed selfishness, wipe out every ves tige of racial discrimination with in them own borders or they may suffer defeat and humiliation.” Mr. White was one of a number of persons who spoke at the ded ication of Freedom House which is designed to be a center of act ivities against totalitarianism) throughout the world. Wendell Willkie declared that, “Free men know how to be tough, free men know how to win.” Others broad casting were Dorothy Thompson, columnist; Richard G. Casey, Aus tralian Minister to the United States; Dr. Frank Kingdon, cc cbairman with Miss Thompson of Freedom House; Herbert Agar of the Louisville Courier Journal; Dr Francisco Castillo Najera, Mexi can Ambassador to the United States; Validimir Hurba, Czecho slovakian Minister to Washington and others. Honorary president of Freedom House is Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. Among members of the board of Directors are Dr. Harry B. Gid eonse, President of Brooklyn Col lege; Dean Virginia C. Gildersleeve Herbert Bayard Swope, C. D, Jack son, president of Time, Life and Fortune; Lester B. Granger; Mr. Willkie and Mr. White. SOCIAL DISEASES UP, REPORT SHOWS Lincoln, Jan. 22—Chicken pox and measles ,the most common dis eases reported in Nebraska in 1940 were succeeded in 1941 by gonor rhea and syphilis. Dr. A. L. Miller state health director, announced. ON SS KUNGSHOLM New York, Jan. 26 (ANPi -A recent protest by the National Maritime union, CIO, caused the government to crack down on the United States Lines and compel the company to hire 25 Negro un ion members, who were “not ac ceptable” the day before, for ser vice on the former Swedish luxury liner SS Kungsholm. The quick and strong action taken by NMU and the government made a ser ious dent in the shipowner's wail of prejudice against hiring seamen because their skin is dark. The United States line, Moore-CcCorm ack, and Grace line are three ot the most important companies who persistently refuse to hire colored seamen and have caused many ships to said short-handed. With its new slogan “Keep ’em sailing,” the NUM seeks to throw overboard the business as-usual methods and discriminatory prac tices, and have war cargoes deliv ered on schedule. The S. S. Kungsholm was rec ently taken over by the govern ment, although operated by the U. S. lines. Last Dec. 2, the comp any called the union hall for 140 seamen to man the liner. Among the men sent were 25 Negroes of a variety of ratings for the stew ards’ department. The personnel office of the company rejected each one of the 25, marking “not acceptable” on his assignment card. In answer to their protest, the colored seamen were told — “Write your senator or congress man.” NMU President Joe Curran im mediately dispatched a wire to President Roosevelt, apprizing him that the company’s insistence on doing “business as usual” was mak ing the union’s atempts to man merchant ships difficult. “It is the understanding of the NMU,” Curran wired, “that the expressed policy of the United States government is no discrim ination against any American be cause of color. Unless the oper ators change this policy of busin ess as usual during the war emer gency complete mannig of vessels will become increasingly difficult. Before sending the message to President Roosevelt, Paul Warfield personnel manager of U. S. Lines, was contacted, but he claimed that he knew nothing of the situation. According to John M. FrankUn, company president, who was in Maryland, “We don’t discriminate against anybody who’s a member of the union.” When asked if the personel man ager was violating company pol icies, Franklin also replied that he knew nothing of the situation. The wire to the President brot an immediate answer from the maritime commission which stat ed it was taking up the question with the company. Later that (lay, Warfield called the union and announced that Negro members would be accepted. But he attributed the increase in number of cases, in these as well as other diseases during the year, to better reporting by doc tors and county officials. Gonorrhea cases, reported num bered 1,218; syphilis 1,504; chick en pox 1,143; and scarlet fever 1,009. In 1940 chicken pox led with 1,061 cases reported, follow ed by measles with 1,042. Other diseases reported in 1911 * SOUTHERN NEGRO FaRMERS MOBILIZE ■ TO PRODUCE FOOD FOR VICTORY Tuskegee, Jan. 24 (ANP) “Stock piles of food”, says Secretary of Agriculture Wickard, “Will win the war and write the peace”. Ne gro farmers are organizing at state, county and community lev els to produce their share of the.se urgently needed stock piles. Negro rural leaders including ex tension workers, and teachers of vocational agricultural and home economics, are holding statewide meetings in the AAA southern re gion for the purpose of reviewing presenot efforts and formulating plans to reach Negro farmers in the remotest areas in order that they may receive all available in formation on the drastically in creased production goals. State meetings have already been held in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana and similar meetings are scheduled for Texas, Okla homa, Mississippi, Arkansas and Florida. Typical procedure for these meetings is a study of farm plan sheets in which farmers have in dicated their intentions to increase production. Balancing such AAA practices as gardens, pastures, corn crops, etc., with intentions are necessary in order to insure each farmer fulfilling his pledge. During the meeting held at In dustrial College, Georgia, there was full discussions of various methods whereby all farmers may be reached and given guidance in following a scientific and system atic plan of procedure. A committee composed or iv-j gro state supervising officials in cluding P. H. Stone, state extent sion leader; Miss Camilla Weems, state home demonstration leader; Alva Tabor; teacher trainer in vo cational agriculture, and Misses Vivian Smith and Daisy L Lewis, supervising counsellors of vocat ional home economics assembled the suggestions for organizing at county and neighborhood levels and distributed them to the 150 Negro state workers who attended the conference. The report of the Georgia com mittee pledged “all out support of Negro agricultural workers, farm ers and other rural leaders behind this production program”. The Alabama compilation com mittee composed of J. T. Alexand er, T. W, Bridge and Miss L. M. Upshaw of the extension service, F T. McQueen of vocational agri culture and Mrs. Abigail Hobson of vocational home economics, stated that “throughout the confer ence there was every evidence of the desire of the Negro workers to fully participate in the program to attain the food and feed goals and otherwise to contribute fully their support to the government in the present emergency. White state officials of the AAA extension service and vocational education are attending and assist ing in the meetings. AAA officials from the Wash ington office include E. A. Miller, assistant to director, southern div ision, who is in charge of the meet ings; C. F. Clarke agricultural e conomist and the two Negro ad ministrative officers, James P. Davis and A. L. Holsey. were diphtheria 128, influenza 187 measles 478, meningitis 1, polio myelitis 28, smallpox 28, tuber culosis 186, typhoid fever 21, whooping cough 728. INDUSTRIALISTS REQUEST MORE NON-DISCRIMINATION POSTERS FOR PLANTS Supporting the Government’3 e£ forts to end discrimination in de fense employment industrialists throughout the country this wee,i requested additional non-discrim ination posters for display on shop and employment office bulletin boards. Approximately 75,000 such pos ters, quoting President Roosevelts Executive Order No. 8802, were dispatched to all defense contract holders last month by Mark Eth ridge, Chairman of the Presidents Committee on Fair Employment Practice. The 24 by 28 inch placard hai been prepared by the Negro Em ploymer.t and Training and Uu ATTY H. J. PINKE— TO BE GUEST SPEAKER AT LINCOLN’S DAY BANQUET IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA The Newman Methodist Church Brotherhood will give a Lincoln’s day Banquet on Thursday evening February 12th, in honor of that great patriot Saint of the repub lican party, Abraham Lincoln. The Banquet will be held at the Newman Methodist Church, 23rd and S Streets in Lincoln, Nebras ka. The guest speaker will be Attorney H. J. Pinkett, one of O maha’s most out-standing law yers and political leaders. The Banquet will begin at 8:30 P. M. Those in charge are as fol lows. Chairman, Mrs. Harriette Williams, Co-Chairman, Kenneth Smith, Program Chairman, Char lotte Williams, Master of Cerem onies, G. B. Evans, assisted by Wi) liam B. Davis of Omaha, The Pastor of the Church is Rev. C. A. Shaw. QUARTER MILLION MEMBERS SAACP GOAL FOR 1942 New York—An all out drive for a quarter of a million members is the goal the NAACP field stafl has set for itself for the year 1912 Five staff members will coj'er 17 J states between February and ! June inclusive, to push the Assoc j iation’s fight for equality in na tional defense and full citizenship rights for all American Negroes. HAVE YOU JOINED YOUR LOCAL BRANCH YET? IF NOT JOIN TODAY!!! j Minority Groups Branches of OPM in cooperation with the Presidents Committee, at the request of sev eral defense contractors who felt | that the Governmen’s policy should be brought directly to the attention of workers in their plants. Immediately upon receipt of the posters, scores of contractors ask ed for additional copies so that the Executive Order could be post ed on all bulletin boards in their plants. Typical of the response still being received daily by Mr. Ethridge are the following: OLDS MOTOR WORKS DIVIS ION, (General Motors Corporation —“Will you please send thirty-six (36) copies of the poster-SO that we may post all our bulletin boards throughout the plant.” PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY—“We are very much pleased with the posters.... we will see that these are prominent ly displayed.” GENERAL CABLE CORPOR ATION, N Y.—“We are very glad to have (the posters). .and would appreciate it if y°u will send us twenty-five (25) more so that we may have coirtplete cov erage of our offices and plant.9.’' CLINTON BRIDGE WORKS, Iowa. .“We have placed these pos ters in conspicuous places through out our plant. We will be glad to do everything we can to do our part during the present emerg ency.” ATLAS IMPERIAL DIESEL ENGINE CO., Cal.,—“We wera very pleased to receive this order in poster form, and the poster is now prominently displayed in our plant.” SUN SHIPBUILDING AND DRY DOCK CO., PA.,—“We will have these posters put up in o-ir yard immediately. For your in formation, approximately 10 per cent of our employees are colore 1. This is a greater number of col ored employees than in any other shipyard north of the Mason-Dix on line." AMERICAN BRASS COMP ANY, Conn—“Please accept cm thanks for the poster..we could use four more about the plant. T( )LEDO STEEL PRODUCTS NEGRO PRESS UNITED AS ONE VOICE IN SUPPORT OF THE NATION’S TOTAL WAR PRODUCTION PROGRAM Washington, D. C.The Ne-j gro press of America speaks as one voice in giving full expression to a wholehearted suport of the nation’s all out effort to win t'ne life and death struggle against) Hitler slavery and thus preserve our country’s independence. This unity of the Negro press behind the President’s victory pro gram reflects the deeply rooted desire of the Negro people to play their full part in strengthening} the nation’s military, civilian and production forces for winning the war. An examination of some of the leading Negro papers will serve to indicate this fact. The Norfolk, Virginia Journal and Guide, influ ential southern weekly puts it this way: “The United States was shock ed into a state of national unity on Sunday. December 7, when the Japanese suddenly attacked Pearl Harbor. On that day discord dis appeared and for the first time the dangers that have all along confronted America became appar ent to all our people, without re gard to politics, economic inter ests, class, race or creed.’’ To this the Los Angeles, California Eagle, important West Coast pap er adds “The sudden blow which Japan struck the United States.. moulded the country into a single fighting force against any outside enemy.” The Tampa, Florida Bulletin declares forthrightly that "our country is good enough to give all for. Our enemies, who would des troy our way of life must be con quered; it will take all of us work ing together to do the job. It can, must and shall be done. We are one on that.” As if to clinch the point, the widely read Chicago Defender says in an editorial praising the heroic champion Joe Louis: “Joe’s big heartedness (risking his crown for the benefit of the U. S. Navy Re lief) is emblematic of the spirit of millions of American Negroes ■ who are willing to sacrifice all in the cause of Democracy.” And we’re going to translate this sentiment into active partic ipation in the huge production pro gram for building planes and guns says the Baltimore Afro-American “Not tomorrow, next week or next year,” says this leading East Coast paper, “but today is the day. America needs all the train ed men she can get. Whatever difficulties there may be in gett ing into the armed services, into industry and manufacturing today there will not exist tomorrow. Any bright young man can get ahead if he will fight his way into and through the defense schools to a skilled trade—if he will-burn the midnight oil.... studying and learning.” If this is true of Negro youth it is also true of Negro girls and, women, says the Pittsburgh Cour ier, largest in circulation of all the Negro -papers. Commenting on the Rodgers Bill, which would enlist the aid of women from 21 to 45 to do army work as hostesses, .clerks, chauffeurs, mechanics and technicians, the Courier declares. “Colored girls and women will be eager and willing to serve their country in this manner, and thous ands are sure to offer themselves for enlistment when the opportun ity arrives.” The Oklahoma Black Dispatch develops the point further with the following significant statement on the challenge offered to our re ! COMPANY, Ohio—“We wish to express our desire for six more posters, if possible, so that we can cover each department in our plant." ) MAJOR BLOCKS SEGREGAT’ON IN PHILLY OFFICE Philadelphia, Pa.—A bright note for the week is the report that an attempt to segregate 20 colored girls in the typist section of the Army Signal Corps department here was scotched by Major Schail in charge of the unit. The incident was reported last week to Theodore Spaulding, pres ident of the Philadelphia branch, who said that a Mr. Weinberg, su pervisor of personnel in the office, approached most of the girls who are scattered in various parts of the department and asked them— “if they would not be better sat isfied working ogether as a color-* ed group.” According to Mr. Spaulding, Major Schail heard of the incident) and chastised Weinberg, in the presence of a number of the girls. Ha stated “this is not time for the raising of racial issues when our country is at war, and we dq not want disturbing factors introd uced which will separate the cit izens of our country in their inter est to help it.” IF YOU WANT TO HELP REGISTER FOR CIVILIAN DEFENSE Red Cross supervisory chairmen and ward chairmen met at the Red Cross Chapter House Thursday an reported to Mrs. Jack Abajian on the status of the organization in their wards. Miss Rosemary Tut tle, Executive Secretary of the Douglas County Chapter, in ex plaining the part the Red Cross has been assigned in case of war time disaster in Douglas County, gave new emphasis to the import ance of the block chairmen in the Red Cross city wide co-ordination program. “When people ask what they can do to help, tell them to register at the civilian defense office and then to get in touch with the Red Cross chairmen of their block. The block chairmen in each block in the city is trying to have at leas! one person in her block trained in each of the Red Cross volun teer services. In case of disaster or need this will make the work ing of our plan much more effic ient.” Mrs. Abajian, city chairman of the co-ordination program, explain ed that there are still some block a without a volunteer chairman to enroll residents of that block in Red Cross classes. She stated that the. importance of this job is so great that no one can do a finer service fpr his or her community than to accept a block chairman ship. search workers and scientists by the scarcity of rubber. “This is ; a challenge”, says the Dispatch, “not only to white America but to all Americans. It is a challenge to our schools and colleges. Every where there can develop types of research and investigation. Some time ago, Dr. George Washington Carver was able to isolate rubber from petroleum by-products There is plant life all over America which may serve our needs. 'The challenge comes in the preparation Negroes are making for those fleeting opportunities which from time to time will present themsel ves.” From every section of the coun try, Negro papers are expressing the full determination of the Ne gro people to unite with the rest of the nation in an all-out support for winning the war. --- URBAN LEAGUE’S ANNUAL MEETING FEBRUARY 10TH Organized in 1928 by many prominent citizens now living in Omaha, the Urban League Com munity Center will celebrate on Tuesday, February 10th, its 14th Annual Meeting. Although spec ial notices of the meeting were sent this week to all members of the Urban League, everyone is in vited to come and hear the inter esting program arranged for that occasion. Mr. Arthur J. Lelyveld, brilliant young Rabbi of Temple Israel will be the guest speaker. The Paul Briggs Ensemble, one of Omaha’s best loved choirs, will sing on the program. Rev. W. H. Phelps, Pastor of Lowe Avenue Presbyterian church will lead a panel discussion on the theme: “The Urban League’s Pro gram in our Nation’s War Effort" Following the annual election of new members to the Board of Dir ectors, refreshments will be serv ed. Mrs. Dorene Holliday. Miss Johannah Chapman, Mr, Charles Stewart qpd Rev. W. H. Phelps form the program committee in charge of this meeting. STIMSON TOLD ARMY MUST PROTECT MEN IN UNIFORM New York, N. Y.—Until the Ar my gives exact and equal treat ment to all soldiers In uniform and until it protects Negro soldiers from beatings and shootings in prejudiced southern communities, the nation can expect only bitter resentment and low morale from Negro citizens. This was the assertion of the N. AACP in a letter to Henry L. Stlra son, secretary are war, about the riot at Alexandria, La., January 9, in which twelve Negro soldiers were shot by civilian police. “This incident,’’ the NAACP said, “is only one more in,a suc cession of regrettable ones whose cumulative effect has been to de monstrate that the Army has ab dicated in favor of local southern white sentiment in the handling of Unied States soldiers who hap pen to be colored. “We submit that these riots prove that the Army nas adopted and is enforcing a social pattern in keeping with the morales of the small communities adjacent to the Army camps. The Army has tak en thousands of Negro men from northern and eastern states and placed them in localities whose, traditions and practices are des igr ed deliberately to humiliate and insult them, and even to maltreat and kill them. Not only does the War department take these men to these kinds of communities. but the military police, upon the light est pretext, solicit the active as sistance of civilan police, who have no regard for Negroes as men, or ciizens, or soldiers of their coun try, and who shoot them down without hesitation.” The Association called upon the War Department to take swift ac tion in the Alexandria case, and advanced the opinion that the bas ic cause of friction and clashes be^ tween the races at Army camps was the segregation policy of the War Department. »_ COMPLETE ORGANIZING OF NEGRO EMERGENCY MEDICAL FIELD UNITS Orgainzation of Negro Emevg ecy Medical Field Units in the D s trict of Columbia under the direc I tion of race physicians and nurses has been completed, according to an announcement by Dr. Philip T. Johnson, Assistant Chief Medical Officer, of Washington. Mobilization of Negro medical facilities and physicians, nurses, and nurses’ aids has been complet ed. Dr. Charles Drew, head of the Department of Surgery, school of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, is in command of the medical field unit formed at Free dmen’s Hospital, Washington. It is composed of four large squats. • •• REMOVAL OF BARRIERS SPEEDS UP PRODUCTION Negro boiler makers, chippera, caulkers and other skilled workers were speeding ship construction on tho Pacific Coast this week follow ing the removal of impediments to their employment in West Coast shipyards. This development was announc ed by Dr Robert C. Weaver, Chief of the Negro Employment and Training Branch of the War Pro duction Board, after representat ives of his office had completed negotiations with officials of Lo cal No. 39 of the International Boilermakers’ Union, at Oakland, California. As a result of these negotiations Dr. Weaver stated, Local No. 39 is now referring Negro skiled work ers to the various shipyards hav- ' Ing agreements with that union. More than 50 Negro workers have been referred to the Moore Dry dock Company and the Todd Ship building Corporation and many of these are now working as boiler makers, caulkers, chippers and as helpers in various categories. In the meantime, more than 40 additional workers have signed up for membership and the unions has advised shipbuilders that all Negro workers referred in the fu ture must be accepted for employ ment. “This expansion of Negro em ployment in Pacific Coast ship yards was greatly expediated by the public hearings of the Presid ent’s Committee on Fair Employ ment Practice.” Dr. Weaver stat ed. “These hearings brought into the open certain discriminatory practices both on the part of man agement and organized labor.” In a recent summary of its find ings at its Los Angeles hearing, the President's Committee, which is headed by Mark Ethridge, de clared: “The Committee recommends that the national or international officers of unions which deny mem bership to non-Cauca.'tians take prompt, positive and vigorous steps to assure that this un-Amer ican and undemocratic practice will not continue to operate as an effective bar to prevent qualified and needed workers of on-Caucas ian origin from securing employ ment in defense industries.” A short time after this recomm endation was made, Joseph Fran klin, President of the Internation al Boilermakers’ Union instructed officials of Local No. 39 to furnish clearance for Negro workers in shipyards under their jurisdiction. In addition to referring workers to shipyards jobs, the union has reached an agreement on the in duction of Negroes into the train ing courses for ungrading. As a result of this agreement, Negro unskilled and semi-skilled work ers will be able to qaulify through training as boilermakers, chipper3 slab men, flangers, caulkers and riggers. Dr. Bruce K. Bailey of the Hos pital Administrative Staff ,is the first officer in charge of operat ions and Dr. James Lowell Hall has organized the entire facilities of Freedmen’s Hospital to handle 600 bed patients of every type. Dr. W. C. Goins, of the War Res ources Committee of the Medioo Chirugical Society, is in charge of the medical auxiliaries. Under his supervison approxmately 100 phys cians are ready to serve in any capacity. Registered nurses under veter an Army nurse, Mrs. Marion B. Seymour are giving their complete support to Dr. Phillip T. John son who is in charge of this div ision. “Every individual in this serv ice feels that he or she is giving the utmost of their energies to the war program,” Dr. Johnson say?. “They have cheerfully and willing ly answered every call from the office of the Chief Medical Off!c-» er and have pledged themselves to continue to do so."
