mS&l Mm J|B I ^ |Hj ^ ——BB BB B $$!■ SB 9B I^BTtP
^syE/ .^UMIJl^ §^all the news while it isnews^^^p hew to THEJJ^ '
LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY
Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office, Omaha, Nebraska. _CITY EDITION_
Under Act of March 8. 187-1- Business Phone: HA-0800. HA-0807 Saturday, DeC. 11, 1943 OUR 16th YEAR—No. 44 PRICE FIVE CENTS
Tom Daley’s ’Sport Parade* To Pay Tribute to Dorcas Thornton ^ “tune In!”
TO PAY TRIBUTE TO
DORCAS THORNTON, “OLD
ORIGINALS” BALLPLAYER
Bert Murphy invites all Amateur
Baseball players, and all Omaha
Colored people to tune in Friday
night December 10, on Tom Daley’s
“Sport Parade,” 10:16. A tributts
will be paid to the late Dorcas
Thornton, the greatest Colored
baseball player in Omaha’s history
Thornton will long be remembered
as a member of the first great O
maha Amateur baseball team. 'The
Originals.’
NAVAL HERO HEARD
OVER CBS CHAIN
— —----. .. f wmmm
Chicago—Last week, over the
Columbia network, Christopher C.
Sheppard, an officer s stewart, 1st
class, was featured on “The First
Line” a half hour radio program.
"Chris,’’ told his story of the FSS
Destroyer Borie's gallantly trium
phant fight against great odds in
sinking a German sub. A drama
tization was given of the young
hero’s action in sighting, firing ard
sending the sub to the bottom of
the sea. Stewart Sheppard was
dubbed ‘'a one man crew.” by his
skipper Lt. Charles H. Hutchins,
because the messman, ignoring the
ceaseless firing as it concentrate.]
in his direction kept on loading and
firing until the battle was ove.-.
(Press Photo Service).
Landis OK*s Negroes
In Major Leagues
THEIR USE STRICTLY UP TO i
CLUBS AND OWNERS
Baseball Commissioner Me-. *v
Mountain Landis answered base
ball’s touchiest question last F>i
day when he ruled at a joint meet
ing of the major leagues in New
York that “any big loop club is
free to employ Negroes to any and
all extent it requires.”
A group of Negro newspaper
publishers, accompanied by Paul
Robeson, noted Negro singer and
actor, appeared to plead for use
of Negro ball players in organized
baseball.
After the session was addressed
by Ira F. Lewis of the Pittsbuigh
Courier, Robeson anc John Senge
stake. publisher of the Chicago De
fender and president Of the Negro’
Publishers’ association, a four
point plan was presented by How
ard Murphy of the Baltimore Afro
American.
This called for steps to be taken
to have Negro ball players enter
organized ball, for their promotion
through the ranks of the minors to
the majors and for a similar sys
tem of selection from baj*o«ll
schools, sandiots, semipro ranks,
and so on.
No action was taken on the rec
ommendations, since there is no
written rule barring Negro players.
They have been kept out by base
ball custom.
However, the two leagues and
Landis issued a statement that left
the use of Negro players up to
each club without any restrictions.
PROVIDENT, NAACP
REMEMBERED IN WILL
Chicago. Dec. 8 (ANP) Bequests
of $10,000 and $15,000 were left to
Provident hospital and the XAA
CP in the will filed Saturday cf
Archibald F. Fre>er, white. 88 year
old retired capitalist and real es
tate operator who died a week ago
Monday
The entire estate is said to be
in excess of $1,000,000. The major
portion was left in trust for 15
years for the benefit of his daugh
ter. Mrs. Leonard Karcher of Bar
rington, 111., with the situation
that should she die without an
heir, this residue is to go to Prov
i'ent.
The deceased philanthrop.st has
long been a benefactor of the hos
pital and was largely responsible
for the funds with which to c,>u.
-troct the nurses' home at the in
stimtio*. * yi
-,i
.1 ■ ■
1ST IMPERIAL DIRECTOR
COL. HOWARD C. GILBERT,
first Imperial Director of the
Imperial Council of Shriners.
SS. JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
7TH LIBERTY SHIP NAMED
FOR NEGRO TO BE LAUNCHED
The seventh Liberty ship to be
named for an outstanidng Negro
American the SS JAMES WELDON
JOHNSON, will be launched at the
W'ilmington yards of the California
Shipbuilding Corporation in Dec
ember, the Maritime Commission
announced this week.
The vessel will pay tribute to the
noted poet, essayist, lawyer and
diplomat who was killed in an au
tomobile-train collision near nis
summer home at Dark Harbor, Me.
on June 26, 1938.
S41.000 APPRPRIATION BY
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
FOR NEGRO MISSIONS
IN THE SOUTHLAND
Atlanta, Dec. 6 (AXP) The Sou
thern Baptist Home Mission board,
which convened here last week in
a two-day session, apprOoriat-d
$41,000 for missionary work among
Negroes. Of the board's $765,000
budget approved for next year, an
appropriation of $285,000 for mis
sionary work among Indians, for
eigners and language groups in
the south was the largest item.
Dr. Courts Redford, ass'staut
• executive secretary-treasurer re
ported t° the board that mission
i aries now doing this work number
267 while workers in all depart
ments number more than 450.
The items in the budget include
$132,000 for city missions. $65,000
for work in Cuba, $16,000 for camp
work, $9,580 for work in Panama,
$7,000 for Jewish work. $41,000 for
Negro work, $18,000 for education
and publicity, and $18,900 for rural
work.
§■ , , ;■ 1 ~; ....■ t a ====_ ■ =
Mt. Moriah to Observe 47th Annivesary;
worth of
Good
Reading.
The Mt. Moriah Baptist Church,
24th and Ohio streets, will observe
the.r 47th anniversary of its found
ing beginning Sunday, December
12th continuing through Sunday,
December 19th. Leading pastors
of the city and their congregations
will take part to make this a most
joyful occasion.
Since Reverend David St. Clair,
the present pastor took charge,
Mount Moriah Baptist Church has
went forward rapidly. He, aside
from being a good minister, is a
good business man as well, and
the public can expect even greater
improvements and advancement
for the church in the near future,
as he is untiring in his effort and
is never satisfied unless things are
onstantly going forward.
TO BE DIESEL*ENGINEER
FOR UNCLE SAM
CORPORAL HAROLD C.
WHITESIDE
Cpl. Harold C. Whiteside has
left Marsh Field, California, wliert
he has been stationed for the last
eight months, to attend Diesel
Engineering School in Peoria, 111.
After completing his course he
will have charge of all Do.sel
Equipment of his Battalion.
"A very fine school.” he says.
Corporal Whiteside is the son of
Mrs. Benj. Whiteside, well known
Christian woman of our city, and
the brother of Mrs. Ray L. VTil
liams, both of whom reside at 3007
Ohio street.
' ★ ★
MRS. BETHl'NE PRAISES 01 R
BOYS' FIGHT FOR FOl'R
FREEDOMS
Washington, Dec. 9 (ANP) Praise
for the contribution NegTo fight
ing men are making for the pres
ervation of t hefour freedms was
voiced by Dr. Mary McLeod Beth
une, president of the National
Council of Negro women, last Sun
day. She was one of three guest
speakers at the Thanksgiving din
ner given for wounded soldiers and
sailors by the Equestriennes, a
club of government girls, at the
Lucy Diggs Slowe Hall.
“We women want to do all we
can to help that your pathway is
as smooth as possible,” she t°ld
the servicemen who listened intent
ly. ‘‘Whatever happens to that
body,” she added, “we know that
the soul is eternally at rest."
“My prayers are for you, my
w-Ork, my fight. Be honored and
be proud of the contribution you
are making for the four freedms."
William H. Hastie, former cvil
ian aide to the secretary of War
and Major Harriet West, Women’s
Army Corps, were the other two
speakers.
Hastie gave the lie to the “25
year-old" story that Negroes in
World War I were a failure. He
described the story- as an attempt
to discredit Negro fighting men.
He told of the responsibility
which all will face in helping the
men of the armed forces to return
to civiian life and full employment
after the war. Selective service,
he said, will have to carry much of
the burden ,but it will remain for
many others to help in the trans
ition.
The Equestriennes originally or
ganized as a riding club with a
membership of nine government
girls, have turned their attention
to entertaining soldiers at the Wal
ter Reed hospital and sailors at
the naval hospital at Bethesda. Md
Each Sunday they take smokes,
candy and newspapers to them and
'converse with them for a few hours
They have been able to bring the
soldiers and sailors to Washington
on occas ons and have them enter
tained by several of the night
clubs. At the local premiere of
"This Is the Army,’’ they brought
50 soldiers in for the Occas:on
They are planning to take a troap
of performers to Walter Reed some
time in December.
BURNED OUT OF HER HOME
Mrs. F. L. Hogan, burned out of
her home at 3318 Emmett street, is
for the present time making her
home with Mrs. Dixon, at 1722
North 27th street.
Smith Committee
Launches Attack on
Executive Order
Banning Discrimination
Rev. J. E. Blackmore
To Head NAACP.
New USO
Director
COMES HERE AFTER
BRILLIANT JOB AT
LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
MR. JOHN R. BUTLER, new
USO Director arrived in the city
on Monday to take over the duties
of Director of the North 24th street
USO Club for Negro servicemen.
He comes to the city with an ex
perienced background, having had
21 years of TMCA experience.
In 1923, he became Boys and
Physical Director of the Center St.
Branch TMCA, Springfield. Ohio
in 1929, went to the Spring St
Branch TMCA in Columbus. Ohio.
In 1931, he became Executive Sec
retary of the branch. Later, in
1939, he returned to his home
town. Springfield, Ohio, as Execu
tive Secretary
In 1941 on transferring to the
Army and Navy' Department of the
TMCA. he worked with the soldii is
for six weeks in Savanna, Illinois.
He was sent to Little Rock, Ark
ansas, in 1942 to begin the USO
work in that city. During the 23
months he stayed in Little Rock,
he was able to develop a program
of interest and a USO Club that is
reported one of the finest in the
Southwest.
As an outgrowth of his splendid
record, he was selected to develop
the USO in Omaha. Mr. Butl ?r
has been loud in his praise of the
citizens who have been so loyal in
supporting the present set-up, and
it is his aim to continue and irn
prove the services.
The government is expected to
complete negotiations within the
next few' days for securing the
Jewell Building. Through the gen
erosity of the American Legion,
the USO will be able to u'se the j
Willkie Says
Ku Klux Klan
Predatory Move
(by Doris Hollis-Montgom tv)
< DALLAS, Dec. 9 (ANP) Assert
ing that “the Ku Klux Kian is a
predatory movement that has no
place in America," Wendell L.
Willkie, titular head of the Repub
lican party, pleaded that such an
evil influence shoud not infect
Texas Quaity network Friday night.
Speaking to an audience in the
Fair Park auditorium, Mr. WiIIk>e
stated : :
"I am told that in many pa^ts
of the country something resembl
ing the spirit of the Kian is show
ing signs of revival. You who see
it at close range, you who know it
for the evil it is. will never permit
it to become again a potent force
in Texas.
“There is hardly a region in the
United States from Massachusetts,
to California which has not been
at some time susceptible to this
sickness. This is a predatory
movement wherever found and
whatever its dress. It has no place
in America”. Applause from the
audience was loud after these re
marks.
) The annual meeting of the local
branch NAACP. was held Sunday
afternoon. Dec. 5. at 3 o’clock at
the Hillside Presbyterian church.
Reports of work of the past year
were given.
Excellent talks were g.ven by
the President, Dr. A. L. Hawkins.
Mr. J. D. Crawford. Atty., H. J.
Pinkett, Rev. John Adams, Sr.,
and election of officers for the
year 1944 was held. The following
officers Were elected: President,
Rev. J. E. Blackmore; 1st Vice
Pres., Mrs. Loretta Bush; 2nd Vice
Pres., Rev. P. C. Williams; Sec’y.
Mrs. John Albert Williams; Treas.
-Mr. W. L. Myers.
Executive Committee: Dr. A. L.
Hawkins, Mr. Ed. Fletcher, Mr. J.
Snell, Mr. Adam Lee, Mr. Robert
Harris. Atty J. D. Crawford, Atty
H. J. Pinkett, Mr. L. F. McIntosh,
Mr. H. W, Smith. Mr. E. W. Me
Cowan. Other members are to be
elected to the Executive board.
PIONEER NEBRASKA
SETTLER, PONY
EXPRESS MAIL
CA R R I E R
MARK H. ALEXANDER,
101 YEARS OF AGE, DIES
Mr. Mark H. Alexander, age 101
years, died December 1 at his
home 1607 North 7th street. He
first Came to Nebraska in 1860, in
earlier life Mr. Alexander had been
an Indian scout and carried the
Pony Express Mail. He had beer,
married to Miss Ella Daisy, now
deceased at Wilbur, Nebr., in 1883,
where they farmed for a number
of years. To this union ten chlfi
ren were born, seven of whom sur
vive namely: Miss Opal Alexander,
Mrs. Rena Ellis of Los Angeles,
Calif., Mr. Earl Alexander. Omaha,
Mr. Mark Alexander, Detroit.
Michigan. Pvt. LerOy Alexander.
Pvt. Frank Alexander, both in the
U. S. A. army, Mr. Herschel Alex •
ander, LOs Angeles. Calif.
Funeral services were held on
Thursday afternoon, December S,
from The Thomas Funeral Home,
with Rev. J. E. Blackmore officiat
ing, burial Prospect Hill cemetery.
Dreamland Hall on Saturdays and
Sundays for the rest of the month,
affording entertainment and lodg
ing for the men.
Mr. Butler has also been very
active in civic, social, religious and
ieducation life of the communities
in which he has lived. He is a
member of the Methodist Church
having held important offices in
the church and conferences: a
member of various social and civic
clubs and Omega. Psi Phi Fraternity
His wife and 15 year old daughter
reside in Springfield, Ohio, and ex
pect to join him at a later date
E c m ^ r- it tm a m
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (ANP)—A.
new attack upon President Roose
velt’s executive order banning race
discrimination and the effective
ness of the FEPC was launched
last Monday b> the Smith commit
tee of the house in a report which
stated that all anti-discrimination
clauses in public contracts should
be prohibited by law.
The report, which mentioned
neither the FEPC nor the execut
ive Order by name, declared that
any such contractural provisions
must come only after laws to that
effect had been enacted by congress
and that no government agen. y
lad any authority on its own tc
insert such clauses.
Head of the committee is Rep.
Howard Smith, Virginia Democrat
Other members are Reps. Hugh
Peterson, Georgia: John J. Delan
ey, New York, and Jerry Voorh.s,
California Democrats and Reps.
Clare Hoffman, Michigan; Johr
! Jennings, Tenn., and Fred Hartley,
New Jersey Republicans.
Several federal agencies were at
tacked in the report and the Fed
eral Surplus Commodities COrp.
was specifically condemned for in
sisting that dairy companies whicn
sell to Uncle Sam include anti-dis
crimination clauses in their con
| tracts. This is the same commit
tee which also took potshots at the
OPA for seeking to enforce price
! ceilings on meat.
I Said the committee report after
! citing the regulation anti-discrim
ination clause in surplu's commod
ities contracts:
“Congress has never enacted such !
a law and, however laudable its
purpose may be, no government a
gency has been authorized by leg
islation to impose such a condition
“The subsidy program, the lend
lease, as well as the needs of our
armed forces, were never intended
by congress to be used as a subter
fuge to impose legislation upon
the country which congress had
failed or refused to enact
"Any effort to use subsidies, lend
lease funds or other appropriations
for any such purpose should be
prohibited by law.”
Although the Roosevelt execut
ive order was not mentioned by
name, the report condemned “un
authorized executive directives
which are bound, sooner or late,.
to fall of their own weight.”
Seeking to justify its stand, the
report Continued:
"Progress in the interest of ine
common people of America will
not be made if deviou's or uncon
stitutional methods, or methods
not authorized by congress, are j
used to bring about such progress.
"Sooner Or later, the whole bas
is of such action will be swept a
way and the net result will be ioss
rather than gain for the people’s
Cause.
"Some members of the commi
tee are opposed to discrimination
regarding employent and are strong
in their support of all the provis
ions of the wages and hours act
"However, the members of this
committee are unanimous in their
conviction that neither the object
ives of the wages and hour act nor
the prevention of discrimination
can be accomplished by the device
of making subsidy payments con -
I ditional upon what amounts to the
writing of new laws by an execu
tive agency.”
Ht'RT THANSKGIVTNG
MORNING
Mrs. Esther Dixon, 1722 North
27th street, slipped on a step early
Thanksgiving morning and dislo
cated a small bone in her ankle,
and she is still confined to her
bed.
! mmmiimmmiiimiimiimiimiimii
To Hear
Lynn Case
NEW YORK CITY. Dec. 7—On Do
cember 8th the TT. S. Circuit Court
of Appeals, sitting in New York
City, will hear the Winfred Lynn
case. Arthur Garfield Hays will ar
gue Lynn’s case and will carry it
to the Supreme Court.
The Lynn case is the only court
test made to date of the legality
of the U. S. Army’s discriminatory
treatment of Negro soldiers. Win
fred Lynn, a colored corporal, claims
he was illegally selected in a Jim
Crow quota. His case rests on the
1940 Draft Act. which specifically
forbids "discrimination against any
person on account of race or color”
in selection and training.
The National Citizens Committee
for Winfred Lynn, with offices at
1 West 125th Street, was recently
formed. Among its sponsors are
George S. Counts, William H. Has
tie, Willard S. Townsend, George
L-P. Weaver, John Haynes Holmes,
A. J. Muste, James T. Farrell, Nor
man Thomas, A. Philip Randolph,
George Schuyler and Alex Rose.
—\_ .
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN TO DISCHARGED
SERVICEMEN
The Office of War Information
issued a report on the training and
employment opportunities open to
discharged servicemen of this war
and what advantage is being taken
of these opportunities. The report
based on information obtained from
seven Government agencies, indic
ates that a majority of the return
ing servicemen are accepting em
ployment in war plants where, de
spite their disabilities, they are do
ing a good job and are becoming
a real factor in relieving the pres
ent manpower shortage. Relative-,
ly few are taking advantage of the
opportunity to obtain vocational
education at the cost of the Gov
ernment. but the Veterans Admin
istration expresses the belief that
many of those who are now accept
ing employment in industry will
request vocational training if and
when their present employment
ends. <
To date, at least 800,000 veterans
of this war have been given dis
charges from the Army, Navy and
Marine Corps. The Army release-1
585.000 from Pearl Harbor th'.-Oitg't
September 30, 1943. The Navy dir
I
charged 133,155 from Pearl Harbor
through October 31, 1943, and the
Marine Corps discharged 34,759
during the same period. Of ‘.ho-je
discharged, 370.000 were released
from the Army for medical reas
ons and 46,961 from the Navy and
Marines for medical reasons. The
| remainder have been discharged
for a number of reasons, the most
important of which is over-age.
Of the total number discharged,
26.000 have applied to the Veter
i ans Administration for continued
iimiiitimimmmiiiiiimimmiiiuiw'
CHANGE IN' ATTITUDE
TO MINORITY IS TOLD
Raymond R. Brown, executive
secretary of the Omaha Urban
league, has returned from Ogalalia,
where he spoke on “The Church
and the Minority Problem” as one
Of a series of Sunday night forum
programs at the Methodist church
there.
Many significant changes have
taken place during the last tew
years, in public thought regarding
minority groups, Brown told the
group. A genuine concern has
been developed not only for the
Btatus of minorities but also for
the reaction of these groups to
that status, he said.
hospitalization and 2,800 have ap
plied to the same agency for voca
tional rehabilitation. The bulk of
the remainder have either return
ed to their old jobs or have taken
new jobs.
A discharged veteran is entitled
to the following:
1. His old job if he wants it (un
der certain conditions).
2. Preferential consideration
Bhould he wish to work for the
Federal Government.
3. Assistance in obtaining a new
Job.
. Vocational rehabilitation Or
training.
5. Free hospitalization and med
ical treatment in a Veterans Ad
ministration hospital as long and
as often as he needs it for service
connected disabilities ,and for non
service disabilities if facilities are
available.
6. A pension for life or as long
as the diability contunes for a ser
vice-connected disability if the
disability is rate dat 10 percent or
more.
LEND SANTA CLAUSE A
HELPING HAND ASKS
TRANSPORTATION OFFICE
The Office of Defense Transpor
tation asked Christmas shopper to
lend Santa Claus a helping hand.
This is how shoppers who use
street cars, buses and taxicabs can
help:
1. Shop now. Mail now Do
not wait until the “eleventh hour.”
2. Ride the buses and street cars
during off-peak hours... .between
10 a.m. and 4 pm. Transit facilit
ies are crowded in the morning and
evening with workers.
3. Move back in street cars and
buses. Make room for others.
4. Have exact fares ready if
possible. This will speed up serv
ice.
5. Queue up for orderly board
ing of buses and street cars.
6. Use taxis only when nec’s
Bary....and when you do, share
them with others if possible.
7. Carry your packages wnen
ever possible. .__but only during
non-rush hours On buses and
street cars. Such packages de-1
prive workers of space during p ak
hours and slow up the movement
of passengers in boarding and leav- j
ing.
And remember, War Bonds a: d
Stamps make the best Christmas
gifts: for, with their Other advaat
ages, they also do not take up |
space in transportation.
The ODT had a word for school J
students, too. It was this:
Do not linger downtown after
school until the evening rush hour !
begins. There is not enough room
on street cars and buses for both
workers and school children.
FRK ROOD ENJOYABLE
READING
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