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( LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS
_
^Under Ac^of'MarchV 1874—Business Phone: WE. 1517 • Ncbragk>- Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, March 7,1942_OUR 14th YEAR—No. 51 City Edition, 5c Copy
'wit ELIO COLORED AMERICANS
AGAR WARNS
U.S. MUST BE
STRONG
OR DIE
Alton, HI., March 1—“Life has
put a pistol at our heads and saiu
"You’ve got to be better or you’ve
got to be dead."
Thus Herbert Agar .editor of the
Louisville Courier Journal summ
ed up the position of the United
States when speaking at Monti
cello colelge here. Agar believes
we have to be “better” very short
ly or that China will be lost to us
because of widespread Japanese
propaganda which tells of our
treatment of the Negro.
Until we can fight against our
own sins of racial hate and stop
being divided on picayune issues
we can do little about the world
revolt going on. Its causes must
be understood and removed if we
would preserve icvilization, he de
clared.
Addressing the closing session of
a conference of 25 midwestem col
leges on mobilization of college
woman power, he explained the
most important subject before A
mericans today is “knowledge of
what this war is about."
“The significance of our striving
must be brought to a great pro
portion of the American people—•
and quickly,” he said.
CORONERS JURY FINOS
MURRAY ACTED IN F
DEFENSE IN CAFE BRAWL
MAN FATALLY STABBED
IN FIGHT
Mr. Frank Trammel age , 28
packing house worker was stabb
ed in the head Sunday noon in So.
Omaha, with an ice pick in the
hands of Wm. Murray and died
shortly afterwards in a local hos
pital. An argument taken place
in a restaurant at 2516 Q Street
after Trammel had been served a
piece of pie he did not like and
according to witnesses, he attack
ed Murray.
A Coroner’s jury meeting Tues
day March 3, 1942, found Murray
acted in self defense and he was
freed by the police.
Mr. Trammel who lived at 3016
R St., had lived in Omaha for two
years. He is survived by his wifi
Mrs. Odessa Trammel and two
small children of Omaha, father
Mr. Frank Trammel and other lei
atives of Texarkana, Texas. The
body is at The Thomas Funeral
Mortuary.
PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN
SUED FOR DIVORCE
FEARS HUSBAND’S GUN
HOBBY; ASKS DIVORCE
Because her husband, Marcus
(Mac», 42 a barber, has a hobby
of collecting guns, his wife, Mrs.
Constance McGee, fears him and
wants him restrained from com
ing to their home at 2207 Burdette
streets, her divorce petition filed
in district court declared Friday.
She charged cruelty.
SIX NEW NEGRO MILITARY
POLICE BATTALIONS
AUTHORIZED BY ARMY
Formation of six Negro Military
Police Battalions for service in
the Zone of the Interior has been
authorized the War Department
announced. The Battalions w'll
guard factories, warehouses, bridg
es, power houses and similar in
stallations. 'fj
Each Battalion will include a
bout 500 enlisted men. Member^
of the Battalions must be at least
five feet nine inches tall, must
weigh at least 165 pounds and are
required to have a high intelli
gence quotient.
One of the Battalions, the 732nd
is already in process of formation.
It will serve in the Sixth Corps
Area with headquarters in Chic
(Special to the Omaha Guide fromi
Pearl S. Buck:—
• ••
I venture to write this letter di
rectly to you, the colored citizens
of our country. Some of you may
know how frankly and constant
ly I have spoken to white people
about their obligations to you.
Now I should like t° speak to you
of the responsibility resting at this
moment upon the colored Americ
ans for the survival of human
freedom. For the colored Amer
ican stands today as a symbol, not
merely for his own race in one
country, but for the hundreds of
millions of other men and women,
colored and white, who are wait
ing for freedom and for the life
which democracy promises.
Who are these hundreds of mil
lions? They are the people of In
dia who on their own soil wait for
the opportunity to work out their
own national life in their own way.
They are the peoples of all colon
ies in Asia and Africa, some more
fortunate, some less fortunate in
their dependence upon govern
ments. They are people Who are
under no foreign rule but who are
ruled without freedom by certain
classes and groups of their own
race and kind. They are all those
people, Wherever they are, who
long for a society which gives
them opportunities not lessened be
cause of blood and birth.
I know that there are those a
mong you who in natural bitter
ness think, if they do not say,
that it might be as well if Japan
should win this war so that tha
white man would be forced out of
the lands of the colored people.
But this is to misunderstand tha
fundamental meaning of this war.
It is true that white people say
they believe in freedom and still
do not go on to make everybody
free, and yet the real issue in this
war is a single one... .it is a war
between the democracies who ad
mit the priniciple that men and
women should think and speak and
work in freedom and the Axis rul
ers who deny freedom even as a
principle.
If the democratic peoples win,
there wall be a chance to work out
true democracy. If jhe democrat
ic peoples lose, there will be no
further chance for a long time ev
en to try anything like freedom.
Japan’s whole culture ,ancient and
modern, is based on stern subjugi
ation of the individual. And there*
is no reason for anyone to expect
freedom from the German rulers.
This war, therefore, belongs to the
colored American as much as to
the white American and they stand
or fall together with the rest of
humanity. Never before has race
meant so much and so little... so
much because it is upon this point
of equality that the democratic
FOPULAR SOCIETY GIRL
WEDS
Miss Leeta Lewis, daughter of
Mrs. Harry B. Lewis, was wed to
Mr. Fredrick Eubanks of Spring
field, 111., son of Dr. John Eubanks
of East St. Louis, Misouri on Sat->
urday February 28, at 8 p. m. The
wedding took place at the home of
the bride and just the immediate
family were present.
The newlyweds left Sunday for
Springfield, enroute to Chicago,
where they will spend a short
honeymoon. They will reside in
Springfield where Mr. Eubarks
has a position as clerk in the Of
fice of Public Instruction for the
State of Illinois.
ago.
The 730th Battalion is to be
formed by May 1, _&nd the 731st
by July 1, both for duty in the
Second Corps Area with head-*
quarters in New York City.
The 733rd and the 734th Battal
ions have been assigned to the
Ninth Corps Area on the Pacifiq
coast. The former will be organ
ized July 1, and the latter May 1.
The 755th Battalion has been as
signed to the Seventh Corps Area
headquarters in Omaha. This
Battalion is to be in service by
June 1
«
PICKENS NOT FIRED
TO EXPLAIN NEWSPAPER
COLUMN TO NAACP BOARD
New York.... Dean William
Pickens, veteran staff member of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People,
now on leave with the U. S. Treas
ury department, has not been fir
ed from his position with the NA
ACP as has been reported by some,
newspapers.
Dean Pickens wrote a column
entitled “Pursuit Squadron”, date
lined from Tuskegee, Ala., and car
i ried in the New York Amsterdam
I Star News for January 31.
In the column as printed in the
Star News, were some assertions
about racial segregation general
ly, and particularly about racial
segregation in the Army, which
caused the board of directors at
its regular meeting February 9,
to vote that Mr. Pickens in this
article had taken “a position dir
ectly opposite to that maintained
by the Association.” The official
. language of the moeion, as voted
follows:
“That Mr. Pickens be notified
that his stand on the matter of se
gregation in the United States
Army is so contrary to the repeat
ed stand taken by the NAACP and
officially taken by the Association
Board of Directors that the Board
feels he cannot be reappointed to
the executive staff; that Mr. Pic
kens be informed of his rights un
der the resolution passed by the
Board at this meeting.’’
According to the resolution on
tenure of office for executive
staff members adopted by the
board at the February meeting,
any executive, when notified of a
possible dismissal for cause, shall
be given an opportunity for a hear
ing and appeal to the board of di
rectors.
Upon receipt of the official no
tice of the board’s action at its
meeting February 9, Mr. Pickens
offered to appear at either the
March 9 or April 13 meeting of
the board and it was agreed that
he should appear April 13.
NEGRO TANK FIGHTERS AT
INSPECTION—
Here is a group of “tankers” from
Company C, 758th Tank Battal
ion, GHQ light .ready for inspect
ion of their tanks and weapons at
Camp Claiborne, La. The sturdy
young men in this tank unit have
undergone Rigorous training and
are prepared for active service.
peoples have failed most disast
rously to practice full democracy,
and so little because if the Axis
win, color would not save or damn,
anyone. The freedom of colored
and white together would then be
lost.
Faulty as our democracy is, the
United States must be the leader
in this war for the right of peopl
es to be free.... there is no other
leader to whom we can look. We
have as our great ally the old de
mocracy of China. But China is
not equipped except as we can e
quip her for a military war. The
main burden rests upon our own
country. It is inevitable, too, that
after this war the United States
must be the leader in the peace.
China will be deeply concerned in
that peace, but there are concern
ed also the peoples of India ancj
Malaysia, the Philippines and all
the conquered peoples in Europe
and Africa. The United States
must be prepared in mind and spir
It to lead all these toward freedom
We are not prepared now. The
division between colored and white;
in our own country is dangerous,
not only for ourselves but for that
new world after the war to which
we all look with hope. You have
a peculiar responsibility to that
world, a responsibility to think in
terms of the whole human race, to
think of freedom in the ladgest pos
sible sense, and to consider likely
means by which freedom may be
established as a common human
principle.
As for the white people of our
country, you know them very well.
There is one group among their,
who have no race prejudices. All
over this country I know there arc
men and women who have an hon
est determination to work for real
freedom and equality. They are
aware of how much and how
wrongly the colored American suf
fers from racial and economic dis
crimination. These you must up
hold by every means in your pow
er. for should democracy not he
victorious, they will have to givei
their lives because they spoke and
worked for your freedom, too. If
the enemy is the victor, you wi’l
return to slavery, but they will be
killed.
The mass of the white Americ
ans belongs to a second group.
These willingly or unwillingly ac
knowledge prejudice ,but they are
beginning to believe in varying
degrees that their prejudice is
wrong. They are beginning to
see or at least to suspect that dis
crimination on the unjust ground
of color works evil not only to
those who bear the burden of dis
crimination, but to those who har
bor it, just as in the old days,
which permitted slavery, not only
the slaves were harmed but the
slave owners too. Slavery is a
double edged knife in any society
where it exists and race discrim
ination s the aftermath of slavery.
The third white group in our
country is smaller than the second
but not so small as the first. It
is made up of those white people
in whom race prejudice is deeply
ingrained because traditon still
holds them bound, or because their
lack of intelligence and economic
opportunity demand a class yet
lower than their own so that they
can feel superior to somebody.
These white people are the enem
ies of freedom. Should the Axis
win, these would be its friends.
They would rule this country un
der the guidance of Hitler and the
Japanese.
If the American white people
belonged mostly to the first group
there would be no need for this
letter. The work would be done.
Those conditions under which you
are now living, rich and poor, ed
ucated and uneducated, would al
ready have disappeare. If the A
merican people belonged mostly
to the third group this letter would
not be printed at all. We would
now be fighting on the side of the
Axis and against the democracies
and we would be planinng a com
plete subjugation of all the colored
peoples in the world.
But the American white people
belong mostly to the middle group
those who have inherited or been
trained in prejudice, but who be
cause they have also inherited
and been trained in the American
ideals of human freedom and e
quality now find a serious conflict
within themselves. For the most
part they honestly w’ant to do
right, but they are afraid, because
they see that this right will make
great changes in our national life.
It is true of all human beings that
they dread that which they do not
i know, and it is especially true
when what the white people have
known has been a tradition which
has given them te advantage.
But still just at tis moment our
chance of freedom for all people
is in these troubled, undecided, vet
on the whole honst white Americ
ans most of whom hate their in
ability to make practical their be
lief in freedom for all.
You see how great a thing I
am asking. I am asking you to
help this uncertain white Americ
an to understand you as a human
being, trust you as his equal so
that he may be convinced that if
you are given freedom equal to
his, you will not think of revenga
and liberty Only for yourselves,
but still of ordered freedom and
equlity for humanity.
I do not excuse in any way those
injustices and those cruelties which
you have borne. There is no ex
cuse for them. Yuo must neither
forget nor forgive them, but rath
er remember them, so that this re
membrance, like the bread and
wine, may fill you with fresh cour
age and new resolve. But when
you remember the suffering, wnicn
you have not deserved, do net
(Continued on page ^5^*3)
_
THE CIO AND
THE NEGRO
WATCH THIS COLUMN EACH
..WEEK FOR THE TRUTH A
BOUT THE NEGRO AND THE
CIO; DIRECT FROM H. Q,
WASHINGTON, DC. —
****
THE CIO’S STAND
The objects of the organization
are:
“To bring about the effective
organization of the working men.
and women of America regardless
of race, color or nationality, and,
to unite them for common action
it to labor unions for their mutual
aid and protection.”
—From the Constitution of the
Congress of Industrial Organ
izations.
WHEREpAS, The history of or
ganized labor in the United Stat
es replete with instances in whicn
reactionary employing interests
have sought to divide the workers
by playing on the prejudices and
special interests of whites against
Negroes, or the reverse; and
One of the great contributions
which the CIO has made to toe
strength of organized labor in the
‘United States has been to break
down the barriers which have ex
isted in the past between Negroi
and white workers in labor organ
izations! now, therefore, be it
PESOL.VED, That the CIO re
affirms the position which it has
consistently maintained from be
ginning in opposition to any and
all forms of discrimination be
tween one worker and another
based upon consderations of race,
creed, color or nationality, and
pledges itself to work with vigor
toward the elimination of outworn
prejudices of this kind wherevei
they may be found in American
life; and
That the CIO condemns the pol
icies of many employers of dis
criminating in their hiring and
other employment condtions ag
ainst Negroes, which constitutes a
direct attack against our nation's
policy to build democracy in our
fight Against Hitlerism.
Pevolution of the fourth conven
tion of the CIO held in Detroit,
Michigan, November 1941.
(To be continued next week)
T PAVE THE WAY
l _!_
• Willard Combo cartoon nourtaay ot CUetlmmd Pram
NEGROES GREATEST
OPPORTUNITY At HAND
SAYS CME. SEC’Y
REAL ESTATE
MAN IN CUTT
ING SCRAPE
BEAUTIFUL GIRL HIS DOWN
FALL
In an argument over a beautiful
girl, Mr. Fred Walker, a real es
tate broker, stabbed Mr. Joe Hill
three times in an argument about
a girl. Mr. Hill who lives at 2409
Caldwell street, was stabbed in the
left arm, breast and when he turn
ed to run Mr. Walker got him a
gain with a stab in the back. The
cutting took place Sunday morn
ing March 1st, 1:15 a. m. in Mr.
Cecil Smith’s restaurant on 24th
and Hamilton. Last report Mr.
Hill was in a serious condition,,
suffering many pains from the
serious cuts made by the real es
tate broker, Mr. Fred Walker who
lives at 984 North 25th St. The
entire police staff have not been
able to locate Mr. Walker, so re
ported Thursday morning at 8:30.
It is said Mr. Walker is in hiding
awaiting the outcome of his vlc
tme, and the young lady is in
tears over the misfortune of her
two friends.
POPULAR YOUNG MAN
PASSES
Frances Gerald Parks, of 2302
North 25th St., died Feb. 27 at
,Emanuel Hospital following an
operation. He worked at Hermans
Grocery for many years. He was
a member of Bethel AME Church
and also a member of the Bacch
anite Club.
He leaves a wife Opal Harris
Parks, a little daughter Joyce Ann
Parks, his mother Mrs. C. B. Par;<s
and five sisters and six brothers:
Archie Parks of Omaha, Will
Parks of Omaha, Herbert Parks of j
Omaha, Darner Parks of Hastings
Nebr., Gordon Parks of Detroit,
Mjch., David Parks of San Fran
cisco, Kathleen Phillips of Tulsa,
Okla., Capitola Morse of Omaha,
SAYS “PRESENT GRAVE
CRISIS PRESENTS NEGROES
THEIR SUPREME HOUR AND
GREATEST NATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY
Henderson, Texas, March 3 (A
NP)—“The present grave world
crisis presents Negroes their su
preme hour and their greatest na
tional opportunity,” said the Rev.
C. E. Chapman, general secretary
of public relations of the CME.
Church, here Friday night before
a large audience at the annual pro
gram and banquet sponsored by
the Henderson Negro Chamber of
Commerce.
“Light is breaking through to
the white world. The white world
particularly the so called Nordic
or Anglo Saxon world, is now
learning a belated, yet dear and
costly lesson from what is taking
place in this war torn, confused
and treacherous world. The white
man of America is learning that
the American Negro is, after all,
the white man’s best and most de
pendable friend," he said.
He cited “jitteryness among A
merican white people” as proof of
the emerging change in the whitel
world as regards the Negro. “The
white pedple of this country and
of England do not now know what
white person to trust. We’ve reacn
ed a point where every white man
is afraid of the other white man.
that they can always count on the
But one thing is sure: White peo
ple know from actual experience*
American Negro The speaker want
ed Negroes “to seize the golden
opportunity at hand” and further
urged that “all Negroes would
place themselves and everything
they possess at the disposal of tha
federal govemmnt in this grava
crisis, and make sure that we havq
every reason to insist upon what
we are entitled to when the battld
is over.”
-1 _
Beulah Brown of Kansas City,
Marcia Greene of Chicago, 111,
and Sydney Wilson of Hastings
ton. Mr. Herman Friedlander and
family attended the funeral.
I
LEADERS IN USO. WORK FOR
YMCA.
A group of the outstanding les
ders aiding the YMCA. as execut
ives of the USO. centers for Color
ed servicemen it conducts. Names
of those pictured and location of
their service clubs, are ( left to
right): Seated: A. G. Fallings,
Mashpee, Mass.; J. A. Davis, Co'
umbus, Ga.; J. H, Ford, Manhat
tan, Kansas.; W. H. Childs, Battle
Creek, Mich.; A. N, Hardy, Field
Supervisor, New York; R. T. Loc
kett, Camp Dix, N. J.; N, S. Jack
son, Norfolk, Va.; C, S, Chavis,
Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Stand
ing: E. B. Weatherless, Alexand-1
ria, Va.; J. H. Harris, Mineral
Wells, Texas; J, H. McGrew,
Richmond, Va.; E. A. Daw^oi,
Mashpee, Mass.; N. R, Cochrane,
Petersburg, Va.; C, N. Johns m,
Mastfpee, Mass.; Gordon Kitchen,
Brownwood, Texas, and E, E. Ear
ley, Columbus, Ga.
