Nebraska Newspapers

    largest Negro Newspap er West of Chicago, North of K.C.
18,1944 OUR 17th YEAR—No. 6
Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office, Omaha, Nebraska,
Under Act of March 8, 187-1— Business Phone: HA-0800. HA-080:
Negro Unit Had Highest Army B. Q.
PERFORM HIGH SKILLED DUTIES AS AIRCRAFT MECHANICS
i Hilll I ! . ■ i : ■ SUa „ ■ It ,4 4,1,.
Released by U. S. War Department. Bureau of Public Relations
The Aviation Detachment of the 376th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron of the Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Salina, Kansas, has set the pace for Army units everywhere when it comes to aircraft
mechanics, War Bond buying, and unit administration. Formerly the 49th Aviation Squadron, the unit has rendered invaluable service at the Smoky Hill Army Air Field for the past 18 months. Pictured
are, at left: Private Charles F. James, of Jacksonville, Florida, at work on an airplane motor. Private James is a graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College, Tallahassee, Florida, and studied!
at Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana. Center: Private Leroy Peters, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an aircraft electrician. He gained his skill in electrical work while employed in a ship
building firm at Chester, Pennsylvania. Right: Sergeant Andrew Bland, of Richmond, Virginia, is leader of the mechanics at Smoky HilL A mail clerk for a tobacco company in civilian life, Sergeant
Bland has become a highly skilled mechanic in the Army, specializing in propellers and generators. (Photos by U. S. Army Signal Corps.)
184th Command Says
In Answer to Stimson
CHICAGO, March 12 (ANP) Revelation that the 5
184th Field Artillery regiment formerly the old Illin
ois Eighth regiment, had the highest I. Q. rating of
any army units known to the officers of the Fifth In
fantry division came this week from Major Ovid E.
Harris, former battalion commander, in a letter re
pudiating Secy, of War Henry L. Stimson’s charge
that “many Negro units have been unable to master
eficiently the techniques of modem weapons,” of
which the 184th was one of the units mentioned in
the charge. _
Major Harris, now On the inac
tive list, sent his letter to the Pres
ident and Sec. Stimson.
“It is both amazing and shocking
to find your signature over so
gross a misstatement of fact,”
Maj. Harris said to Stimson.
As a battalion commander of t^e
184th Field artillery regiment for
three years, Maj. Harris said that
every test given in handling wea
pons was passed with credit by his
men. The test teams of the Fifth
Infantry division gave "superior”,
“Exeoellent” and “very satisfact
ory” ratings following a combat
test. All of this went to naught,
however, to Gen. Courtland Park
er.
“Despite all that has been said
to the contrary, your regiment is
not ready for combat.” Gen. Park
er declared. “You can march, you
can implace your weapons, and
you have demonstrated your aliil
ity to fire; but untl your house
keepng mprOves I’ll never cert.lv
you for combat. Why ,pu3t this
morning I (made an inspection of
your barracks and found a pair of
unlaced shoes under one of the
beds. That is poor leadership.”
“More than 300 of the enlisted
men were college trained, but as
replacements came the I. Q. rat
ing was lowered,” the Maj. reveal
ed. “Of the first group received,
40 could not read nor write. Then
we were called upon to furnish a
cadre of 300 men for a quarter
master unit. Instead of allowng
us to keep our best material tor
the artillery requirements, the sel
ection was made from personnel
cards and our men with the high
est I. Q- were transferred.”
■Our communications were rated
superior,’ ” Maj. Haris pointed out
We were credited with peculiar a
daptability for motor marches and
ou fire direction centers oecame
quiz centers for all visiting artil
lery personnel- In the fall of
1941 the 1st battalion went to Camp
McCoy, under my command, for
firing tests. Its scores for the O.
H. Q. tet 1 and 11, have not b;cn
equalled. Col. L,ewing of the sec
ond array conducted the test- Foci
official commendations resulted.
Then came the usual reward—35C
men were transferred as cadre
replacements were received. Out
task started over again.”
The 184th was gradually broken
up and reorganized into the 93011
and 931st field artillery battalions
which the war secretary disclOseC
will be converted into combat en
gineer unith. “Certain other ex
isting Negro field artillery units
are being converted to heavier sir
tillery. but the 930th and 931st ’-Si
mm howitzer battalions have no
been selected for conversion t<
heavier artillery or rentention a
field artillery owing to the unsat
isfactory record of both units,”
Stimson wrote Rep. Fish.
In his letter, Maj. Harris hit the
mistreatment of NegTO soldiers in
the south. Colored officers were,
ousted from post theatres and di~
njed the facilities of library's, be
said. Men and officers were open
ly' insulted by post cOmman.leis,
and their complaints were turned
back upon them as reprimands, he
declared.
ino soldier can say tnat inese
men lacked discipline,” he strets.-d.
‘‘NOr can it be said truthfully, des
pite the handicaps encountered,
that they are unable to ‘master ef
ficiently the technique of modern
weapons.' Ft. Sill does not say it
of these officers, nor can effic
iency ratings certify them for com
bat and at the same time indicate
that they are unable
"In the interest of morale and
the war effort,” the major continu
ed, “I suggest that the individual
records of these units be examin
ed prior to public condemnation.
The pride and hope of these sold
iers is to accomplish their assign
ed mission. Their desire is to per
form as ther predecessors dil un
der the regimtal flags of the old
Eighth in Cuba, on the Mexican
border and so gloriously in France
—one country, one flag.
LOSES FOOT
George McRae, 23, a native Om
ahan is recovering from the loss of
his right foot at the U. S. Navnl
Hospital at San Diego, California.
He was a gunner’s mate, third
class aboard the S. S. Sanderling.
HLs sisters, Mrs. Sadie McClain,
Mrs. Helen Bims. Mrs. Charlotte
Reeve and Mrs. Myrtle McCrea all
reside in Omaha.
NAVY ASKS FOR DENTISTS
Dr- Joseph C.
Brazier, Washing
‘On, DC., cliair
i nan. Military Af
.'airs committee.
National Dental
issoCiation says
the Navy depart
’.nent announced
that it is inter
ested in receiving
applications from Nkgro dentists
for a limited nutnber of colli
sions wthin the Navy department.
Applications are to be submit'e l
to the Office of Naval Officer of
Procurement in the principal cit
ies or addressed to Bureau of Med
icine and Surgery, Navy Depart
ment. Washington, 25, DC. (ANT).
-★-★
RAILROAD MAN PASSES
Mr. Arthur G. Neely. 3007 Corby,
> , died at Dr. Hospital Mar. 14. My
5 ers Funeral Home has the body.
:>?=-•--— ..
ANNOUNCE SPRING
QUARTER ADULT
EDUCATION CLASS
Registration: Week of March 20,
1944 or any Class evening.
CLASSES BEGIN:
Week of March 27, 1944 and run
for 11 weel-s
Typewriting—3 hour class—2
night per week—$11.00. Tuesday
and Thursday 7:00 to 10:00.
Typewriting—1 1-2 hour class,—
2 nights per week—$6.00—Monday
and Wednesday 4:00 to 5:30, Tues
day and Thursday 7:00 to 8:30—
beginning Tuesday and Thursday
8:30 to 10:00—advanced.
Shorthand—1 1-2 hour class —
2 nights per week—..$6.00 Tues
day and ThuTsday 8:30 to 10—be..
ginning Tuesday and Thursday
7:00 to 8:30—advanced (If enough <
demand, a beginning shorthand)
class will be offered on Tuesday
and Thursday for 3 hours 7:00 to
10:00)
Comptometer—1 1-2 hour class—
2 night per week—$6.00. Monday
and Wednesday 4:00 to 5:30.
Comptometer-—3 hour class —2
nights per week—$11.00. Tuesday
and Thursday 7:00 to 10:00.
(If enough demand, a class 'aill
be held On Monday and Wednes
day 7:00 to 10:00)
Bookkeeping Beginning — 3
Hour cass—2 nights per week $11,
Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 to 10:00
W. C. Cumuning, Director of Vo
cational Edu'datiorj. For further
information call Mr. Cummins dur
ing the day at AT. 3140, and dur
ing the evening at HA. 3710.
“SO LONG” TO MY MANY
FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS
FOR THE DURATION
Mr. R. H. Spiegal ,the proprietor
of the Furnture Mart, at 2511 N.
24th St., and formerly operator of
the Nine Center located in ihc
Ritz theatre building, wishes to
announce to his friends and cus
tomers, he is in the army now and
will leave for service soon. Mr.
Spiegal said he had to close the
Nine Center because it was too
mu'ch work for Mrs. Spiegal to see
after for the duration of the war.
Mr. Spjegal especially requests h!s
customers to g'ive Mrs. Spiegal
full cooperation in operating the
Furniture Mart at 2511 North 24th
St-, which she wll apprecia e
highly. Mrs. Spiegal is in , full
charge in operating the above place
of business while her husband is j
on the front fighting for our coun
try.
WATSON TO FIGHT IN
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Lawrence Watson, Omaha. 175
pound Golden Gloves king who
finally was eliminated in the Chi
cago semifinals on a questionable
decision, left at noon Tuesday for
Chicago. He will join the Chicago
ieam which will open training
Wednesday for bouts against New
York at Madison Square 4'trden
March 27.
Mike O’Leary, resting at his Den
ver h( cne hadn’t decided Tuesday
j morning whether or not to jo.in
j the Chicago team.
Report Recommends Higher
Education Among Negroes
EDUCATIONAL LACK SHOWS RESULTANT
LOSS IN MANPOWER—IN INDUSTRY AND
ARMED FORCES IN WAR TIME.
Restricted opportunities for ed
ucation among NegToes, the eton
omic and social factors responsible
the resultant loss in manpower,
particularly for the armed forces,
and industry in wartime, and rec
ommoendations for action are cov
ered in a four volume report t.f a
Congressionally sponsored .survey
of higher education among Negro
es recently published by the U. S.
Office of Education of the Federal
Security Agency, Commissioner
John W. Studebaker anounced to
day.
The report includes Socio-Eco
nomic Approach to Educational
Problems (Volume I). General Stud
ies of Selected COilegs for Negro
es (Volume II), Intensive Study of
Colleges for Negroes (Volume IIT)
and a summary (Volume IV).
Volume IV. written by Dr. Am
brose Caliver, associate director of
the survey, is a summary of fin 1
ings reported in the first three
volumes and offers recommenda
tions for action by Negroes and
their institutions of higher educa
tion. white persons and their insti
tutions of higher education, and
Federal and State Governmental
agencies.
“This survey has emphasized the
interrelationship existing between
education and the other social fac
tors in the life of the community,
the State and the nation," Dr- C.'d
iver writes. “It has shown how
the mobility of the population i:es
together the interests of the differ
ent regions of the country, and has
further indicated the extent to
which the goals and activities of
Negroes are common with those of
the majority group in America.
Finally, it has pointed out the nec
essity of providing equality of ed
ucational opportunity to Negroes
in the interest of the national wel
fare; for it has well been said that,
as a people half-slave and half
free was a threat to the Union, so
also if may be said that a neople
half-ignorant and half-educated is
a threat to democracy."
On the timely and crucial prob
lem of rac erelations, recommend
ations are made to both Negro and
white institutions.
Recommendations to Negro in
stitutions:
1. That they collect as much
i information as possible about Ve
1 groes and techniques of race ad
justment experiments and aetivit
es, and disseminate this informat
ion to both Negroes and white per
sons.
2. That they cooperate with
other colleges to deveiope union
library lists on the Negro and race
relations and arrange interlibrary
loans.
3. That those which have nr t
aleady done so inaugurate the
scientific study of the Negro and
I other races and their contributions
1 to American and world culture as
a part of the regular curriculum
offering.
4. That they recognize their
special responsibiliy to this minor
ity group and cooperate with oth
er community agencies to devetop
minority group strategies in at
tacking interracial problems, to
encourage civic responsibility and
participation and to remove the
stigma of inferiority.
Recommendations to white Per
sons and their institutions of high
er learning in the South::
1. That they join with similar
Negro institutions to develop a
Constructive program for better
race relations in line with the sug
gestions made to Negroes,
2. That, to develop qualified,
leaders, they work out ways and
means of making their facilities a
! vailable to Negro scholars, and as
sist in providing opportunities,
facilities and leadership for the
development of research among
Negroes.
3. That they assume increasing
ly the responsibility of pointing '
out to the majority group the eco
nomic significance and social im
plications of providing equality of
educational and occupational op
portunities for Negroes
4. That they examine, continu
ally, critically, and fairly the rela
tion between democratic ideals and
their practices with respect to the
consideration and treatment of
Negroes.
The following recommendations
are among those made to Negroesi
and their institutions of learning
regarding their educational prog
<continued on page!®=>2)
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la. Hospital
Bars Nurse
7 rainee
Keokuk, Iowa,—Saint Joseph's
hospital, a private institution in
this cjity. has turned down the ap
plication of Mrs. Virginia Parsons
for nurses’ training, apparently
solely on the basis of color
After she had met all the re
quirements and the hospital found
she was colored, it submitted the
question of her admission to the
student body which voted not to
accept her.
The training of nurses for the
armed forces, government health
agencies and war -industries is giv
en pursuant to Public Law No. 74
(78th Congress) appropriating Pert
eral grants to institutions provid
ing such trafning. Students are
paid a small monthly stipend in
addition to receiving free training,
board and lodging. Pubic law
No. 74 is administered by the Uni
ted States Public Health Service
and contains the following provis
ions:
“That there shall be no discrim
ination in the administration of
the benefits and appropriations
made under the respective provis
ions of this Act, on account of race
creed, or color-”
The Keokuk branch of the NA
ACP is considering the filing of a
suit for mandamus to compel the
admission of Mrs. Parsons.
HENRY ARMSTRONG LEARNS ABOUT WACS
Henry Armstrong, of Los Angeles, Calif, former
holder of three world ring crowns, visits the First
Women’s Army Corps Training Center at Fort Des
Moines, Iowa. He is shown at the training center
with WAC autograph seekers and fans. In a recent
bout with Jack Byrd,of Blytheville, Ark., at the Col
iseum in Desmoines, la., Armstrong scored a tri
umph by felling his opponent in the fourth round.
Bishop Brinker at St.
Philips Church SuncTy
The Rt. Reverend Howard R.
Brinker. Bishop of Nebraska, will
visit St. Philip’s Church, Sunday,
March 19th at 11:00 a. m., and will
install the Rev. Shirley G. Sanch
ez. D. D. as Rector and will preach
the sermon. The Mass will be
sung by the Rector. Everybody
welcome.
Veteran Mail-carrier
to be Buried Saturday
Mr. Charles A. Burnett, age 5‘d.
who died suddenly Tuesday morn
ing: at his home,2510 Corby street,
was a retired mail carrier and had
been in the Postal Service thirty
nine years and a resident of til's
community, twenty-five years. He
Is survived by his wife, Mrs. Es
telle Burnett, daughter. Mrs. A'.vne
Rucker, son-in-law, Mr. Robert A.
Rucker, all of Omaha, son ,M r.
Lawrence W. Burnett, daughter in
law, Mrs. Elaine Burnett of Sacra
mento, California, brother, Mr. Ed.
Burnett. Memphis, TeHn., av.nt,
Mrs. Mabel Clay, two cousins, Mrs.
Frances Young, Dr. Bernyce De
Freitas. all of Chicago. 111., two
Rrandchildren, Eeverly and Charl
es Rucker of Omaha.
The body lay-in-state at Thomas
Funeral Home. 2022 Lake street
until the funeral hour. Services
will t>e held Saturday at 2 pm. at
Zion Baptist Church, with the Rev.
F. C. Williams officiating. Active
pall bearers will be members of
the Mail Carriers’ Association.
Honorary pall bearers will bn
John Johnson. Joe Thom.ts, J. C.
Carey, Earl Waldron, John Murray
Rudolph Gerron, Walter Erring,
Henry W. Black, Walter Seals, At
torney Charles Eavis
Burial will be in the family plot
at Forest Lawn cemetery.
‘The Home-Front’
HR7, the apti-poll tax bill, which will restore the
vote to 10 million of the poor farmers and working
people of the south, is scheduled for early debate and
vote by the esnate after already being approved by
the house and recommended by the Senate Judiciary
Committee. There is now great danger that the
Southern Poll-taxers will attempt to filibuster the
anti-poll tax bill to death. Now is the tune for the
American people to act. Speak out for your part in
the fight. W rite your senators to oppose any mot
ion to table or postpone the bill—to call for a roll
call vote on every motion, and to be present for ev
ery vote, to oppose all amendments, changes, or ad
ditions to the bill, to vote for cloture in order to gag
any attempt at a filibuster.
One of the most important contributions, to date,
in promoting Negro-white understanding, is a new
film just released by the U. S. Army, entitled, “The
Negro Soldier.” In a series of dramatized historic
al scenes beginning with the Negro troops in the A
merican revolution, the Civil War, and the first
World War, along with bits from newsreels, the
film very effectively tells the public that the Negro
people are an integral part of the American nation
constructively aiding the country’s development in
in tune of peace and fighting to preserve her liberty
in war.
Just how many Americans will have the oppor
tunity to see this film will depend1 upon the demand
for it. Citizen’s committees of Negro and white
members should be formed to spinsor its showing in
local theatres.
_**_
“Races of Mankind”
We are fighting a war against fascism—against
the Nazi theories of race superiority, yet in our own
congress and in our armed forces we see signs of the
attempts to uphold and expand the forces of native
fascism. Most recent of these undemocratic out
bursts was the one last week bv Congressman May
of Kentucky directed against the use, by the army of
a pamphlet called “Races of Mankind”. The army
originally bought 55 thousand of these pamphlets to
use in their orientation courses. They are still
ntanding in a warehouse because of the stupidity of
some of the Southern, poll-tax congressmen whose
ire was aroused because the pamphlet states that the
average Negro of the North, because of his improved
opportunities and education, is higher in intelli
gence than the average poor white of the South. And
furthermore it proves it by the results of the intelli
gence tests given by the A.E.F. in World War T.
This 21 page pamphlet written by Ruth Benedict
and Weltfish, anthopologists of Columbia Univers
ity, gives a very adequate and interesting answer to
the myth of white superiority. In their concluding
paragraph, they make this statement, which is no
doubt a thorn in the side of all of the Southern reac
tionaries, “With America’s great tradition of demo
cracy, the United States shiuld clean its own house
and get ready for a better twenty-first century.
Then it could stand unashamed before the Nazis and
condemn, without confusion, their doctrines of a
Master Race. Then it could put its hand to the
building of the United Nations, sure of support from
all the yellow and black races where the war is being
fought, sure that victory in this war will be in the
name, not of one race, or of another, but of the uni
I versal Human Race.
You Cannot Vote H You Haven’t Registered-March 31st is the Last Day! Vote tor C. C. GALLOWAY