Nebraska Newspapers

    LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF K ANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS
Ega /S#*' N8brael“ Saturday, S.pt. 11. 1943 OUR 16th YEAR-No. 31 City Edition, 5c Cow
ANP Exposes Rife Prejudicesr sc
Irregularities at Ft. Huachuca : of Good Readin ’ j
- . i< I
Post Commander, Ala.
General, Calls Men
“Niggers”; Restricts
Training to Marches,
Drills; Wants Them To
Go Abroad; Troops
Say They’re Untrained
TUCSON. Ariz., Sept. 8 (ANP>—
Confidential information has been
obtained by the Associated Negro
Press of startling and sensational
discriminatory practices imposed
upon soldiers of the 92nd infantry
division stationed at Fort Hllach
uca. Sources cannot be revealed
for fear of reprisals upon the in
formants.
The shameful situation threatens
to develop into a national scandal,
and more important, according to
observors, unless the federal gov
ernment and the army high comm
and takes immediate, forthright ac
tion to correct the disgraceful con
ditions. it is believed that all the
fury of an overseas battlefield will
explode in this desert community
Black American soldiers who a
few months before had entered the
U. S. army filled with patriotic de
termination to help win the war lor
democracy, even to the point cf
sacrificing their lives, are now re
ported to be enmeshed in the dol
drums of frustration and despair,
as a direct result of the heartbreak
ing inhuman teatment meted out
to them by commanding general
and white officers alike.
Specifically the shocking charges
made by army personnel attached
to the fort are:
1. That the commanding gener
al, E. M Almond, of Anniston, Ala.
refers to his Negro charges both in
and out of their presence as “nig
gers."
2. That the commanding gener
al is formulating plans to convince
<the war department to ship the
division overseas for combat duty,
although the division is miserably
unprepared for such service.
3. That Gen. Almond is not a j
top flight commander and was not
assigned to a white unit because
h elacked necessary qualifications.
The war department foistered him
upon the Negro group it is charged
because it was necessary to place
him somewhere.
4 That the commanding gener
al orders the post Gestajio to hold
a'shakedown” of enlisted person
nel after each live ammunition
practice to detect possible bullets
secreted away for an allegedly
planned “insurrection.”
5. That a quota system operates
in the making and promotion of
Negro officers with a few ever
reaching the rank of first lieuten
ant. Most of the Negro officers
are “frozen" at the second lieuten
ant level.
Information has trickled out of
the camp that several white offic
ers including one colonel have
been severely beaten or kilted in
altercations with enlisted person
nel. The officers are also sail to
stand far behind the lines during
firing practice with live ammuni
tion. becauhe they fear a sharp
shooter might train his sights Up
on them and revenge mistreatment.
6. That enlisted personnel is
trained with obsolete combat weap
ons and not given instructions in
modern methods of warfare. In
stead. training consists almost ex
clusively of marches and drills a
round the confines of the aimy
poet.
7. That the food served in mrss
halls at Fort HUachuco is the
“worst in the army."
8. That although present con
ditions on the military reservat
ion have existed ever since the div
ision moved into Arizona last May.
Atty. Turman K. Gibson Jr., act
ing civilian aide to the secretary
*>f war, and Brig. General Benjam
in O. Dovis, inspecting general
from the inspector general's office,
Washington, on a recent inspection
!here found conditions to be “in ex
cellent shape," morale "high",
training "good”, and the overal
picture “gratifying.”
Personnel at the army post are
said to be greatly puzzled over how
they can reconcile the vicious dic
tums of Gen. Almond and his staif
of white officers to peachments cf
a nation pledged in a war to carry
the four freedoms and democracy
to the far corners of the world.
Rumors are being circulated in
Tucson that the soldiers are so res
tive under the “slaveocracy” rule
at the camp that a flareup of ser
ious proportions is expected almost
momentarily. Only positive inier
venfon of the federal government
with drastic ptgiishmet delivered
upon the heads of responsible au
thorities is seen as a possible nre
veniative.
Soldiers complain that at a rec
ent meeting of mess officers and
mess sergeants Gen. Almond deplor
ed the alleged waste of food ard
d clared before the mixed group:
(continued on pag-et-3?“2)
Texas Minister To Conduct Salem Revival
Elks to Chi' in *44
Pittsburgh. Pa..—Grand Exalted
Ruler J. Finley Wilson, in a state
ment this week to the representa
tive of this paper said he was
proud to announce that the Grand
Eodge and Grand Temple Conven
tion had adopted unanimously a
resolution making Chicago. Illin
ois its meeting place for 1944. In
the above picture is shown left:—
the Grand Exalted Ruler and Dir
trict Deputy (Chicago) Exalted Rul
er James W. McCaskell. Mr. Wil
son will attend the Baptist Conven
tion in Chicago and will be the
house guest of the McC&skelU. He
tlho announced that more than
1125,000 dollars worth of savings
bonds had been purchased by the
members of his organization at the
convention. (Press Photo Service).
U. S. Calls... To
I
S. B. Danley. who will head th#
U. S. Employment Office some
where in the Hawaiian Islands left
from an unannounced port >o toe I
West Coast this week to take up j
his duties. Mr. Danley and family
were honored last week in Chic
ago at the Alpha House where V.
S. Treasurer representative Will
iam Pickens directed the farewell
cennony. Pictured above are Mr. |
Danley and family, Margaret lb.
left Mrs. Danley. Theresa and Mr.
Danlty seated. The family will
leave for Hawaii as soon as the
government can arrange transport
ation. which it is said within a few
weeks. Acting as special repres
entative for U .S. Government Em
ployet Service in Washington for
the past six months, Mr. Danley
ia well prepared for his new posi
tion. He is a graduate of the Uni
versity of Southern California and
has done graduate work at the Un
i versity of Chicago, Fisk and North
■—<-.-■» ^ rL-Tzzmczi'mai&TSt
western. His family resides at
6154 Evans Avenue, Chicago. (Press
Photo Service.)
4 MEDICS TO SERVE
ARMY WIVES
Birmingham. Sept. 9 (AXP) Four
teen Negro doctors here have giv
en their consent to cooperate with
maternal home delivery program
or wives of enlisted men in all
branches of the service, attaches in
the Jefferson County Health de
partment indicated this week.
Doctors agree to give their ser
vices for the minimum rate of SC5.
Prospects were doubtful as to whe
ther the Jefferson hospital, in
View of the need of 12 nurses,
would be able to undertake the
program. Authorities expressed
the feeling that provisions would
be made for the wives of colored
enlisted men in the event Che hos
pital program was put into oper
ation.
BAPTIST CONVENTION
GETS UNDER-WAY
Reelection Expected 1
Dr. Jemison
• • •
Chicago, Sept. 9 (ANP>—The larg
est body of organized Negroes in
the world, the National Baptist
convention. Inc., representing more
than 4,000,000 persona is holding
its annual meeting in Chicago
Tuesday through Sunday with head
quarters at Monumental Baptist
Church. Over 5,000 delegates and
3.000 visitors were expected to at
tend.
The opening session was held
Tuesday at the Eighth Regiment
armory. The Rev. James L. Hor
ace. pastor of Monumental Baptist
church and president of the Bap
tist General State convention of
Illinois, announced that in a very
chort time the convention sub-com
mittees had planned a significant
and comprehensive program giving
special attention to housing, trans
portation and entertainment for
the delegates and visitors.
One of the outstanding attract
ions was a pre-convention musical
at the armory Tuesday night at
which a 1,000 voice chorus under
the direction of Willa Jones, Tho
mas A. Dorsey, George A. Gullat:
and Dr. A . J. Offord appeared. The
general convention session opened
Wednesday morning.
Mrs. S. W. Layten of Philadel
phia .president of the Women's
Auxiliary, and Mrs. Jessie C. Japp,
first vice president and general
• hair-man of the Chicago branch,
made elaborate preparations tor
the women’s convent,uu w.iich met
at Olivet Baptist church.
The youth sessions, directed by
Miss Primrose Punches, western
director of the young people's de
partment of the convention. are
being held at Pilgrim Baptist
church. The Primrose chorur, a
group of youth singers directed by
*fiss Ethyl Helena Smith, is appear
ng on the program.
On Friday evening, a Citizens
Victory reception will be heid at
the Parkway hall to honor, the na
tional, htate and local officers of
the convention. Mayor Edward J.
Kelly and Hon. Wendell L. Wiilkie
hre expected to address this gath
ering.
Numerous courtesy receptions
have been planned. Rev. Horace
has cooperating with him these
members of the executive commit
t -e; Rev. C. V. Johnson and J. H.
Jackson, co-chairmen; W .A. John
son. general secretary; Rev J. O.
Austin, youth group; Rev. N. C.
Lunceford, laymen; Rev. J. H.
Jackson, women and Rev. Sterling
A. Crayhon, moderators. Dr. D.
V. Jemison cf Selma. Ala., is the
president of the convention and is
gyptctt ' to be reelected.
The national and local officers
''■*’1 be honored with presentations
cf v ar bonds and stamps. The
convention is cooperating with me
United States Treasury depar m .nt
a rutting ever it.i third srn: l._ap
drive. Baptist? have bought bonds
o a large extent and have a >mrn
• r cf chaplains serving whn ’.he
ar >ied forces
2 Tomato
Pickers
Burn
To Death
Living In Chicken
Coop, Says NAACP
Reporter
Quakertown, Pa.,—The State will
eek the oonviction of Edward O.
Mastin for the deaths of Willie
Cooper and Mrs. Odell May, Negro
migratory workers who were burn
ed to death here August 17 in a
barn on the Mastin farm on Route
No. 2. It Is expected that the case
will be tried early in October.
A personal investigation by John
Grantham, president of the Lehigh
Valley NAACP Branch, revealed
that the victims were two of fifty
emigratory workers who were
brought from Florida by a white
contractor to gather in the tomato
crop on the Mastin farm. Tomato
es picked by these workers are sold
to the government through the
Campbell Soup Company.
Most of the workers are housed
in chicken coops; the largest being
about 7 feet square and only 5 feet
in height. Grantham said in his
report "workers along with their
children are living in these small
chicken coops—and these little
coops, even if they were fit to live
in, are tioo small for a couple to
live in comfortably—but the most
horrible thing of all is that nearly
every worker has a large family
and he and his family live in these
small houses.._This condition is
worst than slavery could have ev
er been.’’ Unable to take pictures
of the housing provided for work
ers. Grantham submitted to the
NAACP national office a free hand
sketch of the chicken coops which
he described as filthy and unfit for
human habitation.
Though dissatisfied with the con
ditions under which they have been
forced to live, the workers said that
they have not been able to earn
enough money for railroad fares.
Tho deceased persons were living
in a barn and were burned to death
at midday when they were trapped
by a fire on the third floor. Thera
was only one exit and one worker
suffered a broken back when he
Attempted to leap from a window;
Another was severely burned.
At the coroner's hearing at Quak
ertown on August 27, the coroner’s
jury held Mastin responsible for
the death of the two workers.
Prentice Thomas .member of the
NAACP national legal staff attend
ed the hearings.
Evidence presented at the hear
ing showed that several families
llived in the barn. Some of the
persons had oil stoves on which
they cooked. The barn was filled
with hay and other inflammable
material. There were no fir“ es
capes; the only exit being through
one door and the windows.
District Attorney Edward Blist
er. Doylestown. Pa., said that :n
order for the state to make its case
it would be necessary for Claude
Jack.ion, one of the workers who
last saw the deceased persons s
jkve. to appear as a witness. Jaek
json has agreed to remain in the
state.
SIXTY JEWISH. PROTEST \NT.
AND ROMAN CATHOLIC
CLERGYMEN MEET TO
ABOLISH RACE RI0T8
Chicago, HI., (Special to Press
Photo Service) —An appeal to gov
ernment officials and all citizens.
I SALEM TO START REVIV AL
SUNDAY SEPT. 12TH
The Salem Baptist Church’s City
Wide Revival begins Sunday, Sept.
12th conducted by Evangelist O. R. j
Short, D. D. of Bonham. Texas.
The entire populace is invited
and urged to attend and all Relig
ous agencies are asked to cooper
ate.
Time Sunday', Sept. 12th, 1943.
Place 28th at Decatur Sts., at the
Salem Baptist Church.
14 States
Takeup Gov.
Griswold's
Hog Wager
Fourteen states have taken Gov
ernor Griswold Up on his offer to
bet a Nebraska hog against any
atate which thinks that it will over*
subscribe its Third War Loan quota
by more percentage points than
does Nebraska. The bets range
all the way from a buffalo thrown
in by Governor John C. Vivian of
Colorado to peanuts and tobacco
anted by the great State of Virgin
ia.
'Some of these States have a lot
lower quota than our $103,000.00."
said Griswold, “but knowing the
people of Nebraska as I do. I'l say
that with any luck at all we should
definitely come out on t«p.’’
The States taking Governor Gris
wold up and the Third War I.oan
quotas assigned to them by Wash
ington are as follows:
Arkansas, $58,000,000; Colorado,
$72,009,000: Idaho. $25,000,000: Ill
inois, $921,000,000; Indiana. $257,
000,000; Iowa, $196,000,000; Kansas
$112,000,000; Michigan, $451,000,000;
Minnesota. $216,000,000; North Dak
ota. $29,000,000; Oklahoma $100,000
#00; Vermont. $153,000,000; Wiscon
sin, $298,000,000.
Wm. S.
Lawson
Dies
PIONEER RESIDENT
Mr. William S. Lawson, age 69
years, died Monday morning at his
home, 2511 Corby Street, after an
extended illness. Mr. Lawson
came to Omaha! fifty-one years a
go and was former head waiter at
a local hotel for a number of years.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawson were marr
ied July 15, 1892 and to this union
were born ten children, all who sur
vive. Last year Mr. and Mrs.
Lawson celebrated their Golden
Wedding Anniversary-. Mr. Law
r.on was a member of Zion Baptist
Church and was a man who was
genial, hospitable and an ideal
companion and a warm-hearted
friend. He is survived by his wife.
Mrs. Eva Lawson, seven daughters,
Mrs. Blanche Blair, Mrs. Grace
Stanley, Mrs. Bertha Moore. Mrs.
Ruth Rice, Mrs. LaVene DeLispice.
theesons , Mr. William S. Lawson,
Jr.. Mr. Clifford Lawson. Mr. Lysle
Lawson, all of Omaha, one sister.
Mrs. Mildred Parks, Pittsburgh, Pa.
twenty-one grand children and
three great grand-children.
The body- lay in state at The
^homas Funeral Home until the
funeral hour. Funeral services'
|Were held at 2 p. m. Thursday
from Zion Baptist Church with bur
ial at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
“To use all foresight in creating
the atmosphere in which no battles
between our people can occur” was
onnoun<e<? this week by s;xty Pro
testant. Jewish and lloman Catho
lic Clergymen throughout America.
'Among the signers were the Rt.
'Rev. Msgr. John A. Ryan of tne
National Catholic Welfare Confer
ence: Dr. Stephen S. Wise. New
R.R. Hearings
Start Sept. 1.5
Negroes have fired the railway
engines of America for more than
a hundred years. All Firemen of
the Florence, S. C. PCOCLF ha\e
been at their jobs ten years or
more. In spite of their years of
exceptional service white R. R.
Brotherhoods are willing to snatch |
their jobs for Inexperienced whites.
The Colored firemen of Florence
S. C„ (shown above' have turned
their case against the Brother
hoods into the hands of the FEPC
which will hold hearings in Wash
ington, D. ,C. on September 15-2<)tb.
#
Previously Scheduled
Hearing Almost Doom’d
F.E.P. Committee
L. A STORY
TO TENN.
The Rev. I*. A. Story, Pastor of ,
Cleaves Temple CME. Church, and
well known as a civic and spiritual
leader of our city, has been ap
pointed by his Bishop, J. A. Ham
lett of Kansas City. Kans., to a
pastoral charge at Memphis .Tenn. 1
Ke is expected to preach his farf -
well sermon on Sunday. Sept. i&th.
He will be sorely missed by hi3 cor
-gregation and his many friends.
York City; Dr. T. Bromley Oxnam,
Methodist bishop of Boston; Dr. Al
bert W. Palmer, president. Ch'-cago '
Theological Seminar}-; Dr. Henry i
Sloane Coffin, Moderator of the
Presbyterian Church, and the Rt. I
Henry Wise Hobson, Episcopal!.t.n i
bishop of Southern Ohio.
EDUCATOR SAYS TIGHT ON
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
SHOULD BEGIN IN HOME
Washington, Sept. 8 (ANP) —Ap
parently juvenile delinquency is
being attacked where many prog
ressive social welfare workers have
long maintained it should be com
batted—in the hgfne. Indications
are further that some progressive
thinkers on social problems believe
that the term “juvenile delinquen
cy” is a misnomer and should pro
perly be called “adult delinquency"
Mrs. Harry Grattan Doyle, presi
dent of the Washington board of
education, writing in the current
issue of the Chevy Chase Citizen,
tells of the findings of a study of
the problem sponsored by the board
in the junior high schools. Both
Negio and white school surveys a
gree that the first and primaiy
reason for delinquency is (1) lack
of discipline in the home and i?) I
broken homes. With variations
the two groups said other con mb- i
uting factors were insufficient ef
fort in the home, and bad environ
ment caused chiefly through sub
standard housing.
Measures have been suggested
by teachers to correct the condi
tion with the cooperation of par
ents ,and public officials. School
areas of community councils will
oe formed composed of parents,
teachers and community leaders'
who will seek to impose checks Up
on the social ill. Anl advisory
committee of parents, religi ms
leaders, social and recreational lea
ders and others will be created to
plan long range programs to con
sult with the board in its effort to
Bolve the problem.
Many parents reel that sir -t
discipline hurts children, warps
them through curbing their :h;ld
ish instincts and therefore sr.ieU
their children from all things ui -
agreeable including hard work,’'- !
stated Mrs. Doyle. "There is no
unkindness to children greater
than turning the mout into the
world as individuals who do on»v
the things they want to do and
who have not been made to stick
to a job until it is finished.”
Mrs. Doyle added that the plan
of the board "will play an import
ant part in the training of young
people in this war to be Useful cit
izens, but the first responsibility
for children lies in the home. Hom
es where mothers and fathers to
gether see that their Children are
diciplined, that they attnd church
that they have clean living condi
tions and ■wholesome food, that
they have proper recreation, are
now, as always, the strength rf
our country.”
MAN HELD AS THEFT
FROM FRIEND PROBED
An Omaha man was held Sun lay
by police on an open charge on the
complaint of Leroy Newland, 42.
of 2917 Grant Street, who said the
man. his friend, robbed him of #12
Saturday night.
FEPC TO HOLD HEARINGS ON
CK. DISCRIMINATION IN
EMPLOYMENT
Charges of discrimination in em
ployment because of rice or color,
lodged against 23 railroads and M
labor unions, will be examined by
the President's Committee on Fair
Employment Practice (FEPC) at
hearings to be held September 15
18, 1943, in Washington, D. C. T ie
hearings will be held at the Depart
mental Auditorium. Department of
Labor, 12th and Constitution Ave
nue, Northwest.
Complaints received by the FE
PC allege that the practices and
policies under question fail to con
form to the provisions of Execut
ive Order 8802 as amended by Exe
cutive Order 9346, to the detrimc.it
of the prosecution of the war. the
Workers’ morale and national unity.
Most of the charges involve the
question of discrimination against
Negro workers. In some cases,
workers of Mexican origin are in
volved. One or more of the sever
al charges involves each railroad
and union cited.
Exhaustive investigation by tne
FEPC has resulted in the compil
ation of a lengthy list of allegat
ions involving agreements between
ranroaas an unions wnereby tne er
■tective utilization of available qual
ified manpower has been hamper
ed because of discriminatory em
ployment practices based on race.
Chief among the practices com
ing under scrutiny of the Commit
tee is that of considering Negro
railroad workers ■‘non-promotabl
es.” This is alleged to have beep
done through the engotiation cf
agreements between union and rail
road which set certain restrictions
on the percentage of Negroes
which may be employed in a stip
ulated category
These agreements, together with
enactment of union regulations
limiting or barring non-white mem
bership serves, it is charged, tend
to reduce sharply the number of
qualified Negroes employed by the
►allroads despite an increasing
need for such labor.
FEPC SCUTTLED BECAUSE
OF FIREMEN’S CASE
It is to be remember that it v.-an
he sensational findings of the FE
PC investigators in preparing fur
the original hearings that doomed
he first FEPC. The suspension of
the hearings shocked and aroused
iberals throughout America, ar.d
hey formed a coalition of organ
izations to save an drestablish FE
PC under the leadership of a. Phil
ip Randolph, whose March on \\ a -
hington Movement had convinced
President Roosevelt of the neces
sity of issuing Executive Order ,V .
8802. The Save FEPC Committ.- *,
has been successful in getting u,e
FEPC re-established, removed from
the jurisdiction of Paul McNutts
Mnapower Commission, and with
an increased budget of JS40.00u>j.
A significant factor to bear in mind
s that despite the temporary set
back the firemen experienced, t-ie
asis of their case is no less pert
inent today. Instead, it is felt in
some circles, with qualified justi
fication that the case is more im
portant today than ever befor -.
This feeling is prevalent because
of the greater number of facta
which have been compiled, and be
cause a victory for the Colored f:re
men at this time when bias against
Negroes and the general reaction
ary spirit it at its highest peuk,
would hail a smashing defeat on
the biased Railroad Brotherhoods.
It also might signal by a prec3dent
turn toward a more liberal atli
ude in America.
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