Largest Accredited Negro Nnvspap cr West of Chicago and North of KC
""= ' .. ==_—1J——■ ' —
Saturday, July 15,1944 OUR 17th YEAR—No. 23
Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oftice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of
March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr.
.. .
W'ill Run // Given the hod
President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt,
who said this week
that if he was nom
mated at the Dem
ocratic National
Convention in Chi
cago next week,
begwnmg Jury 1&,
he would run for
a 4th term as the
President of the
United States.
The powerful
National Political
Action Committee
of the CIO which
numbers many
prominent Negroes
as members and
supporters of its
organization, has
unanimously call
ed for a fourth
term for 'FDR.’
Patriotic Services to be
held at Bivens Tabernacle
The following is a Patriotic pro
gram to be held at the Sgt. Biven's
Tabernacle, 2711 North 24th Street,
Sunday, July 15, 1944 at 8:00 pm.
1. Scripture Reading and Prayer
by a Minister.
2. Difference between Right and
Privilege, by Sgt. Bivens.
3. The Constitution Rights.
4. The Public is invited.
5. Boy Scouts are invited, the Po- ■
tion of the Procedure will help some
Boy at Camp.
6. It will be an all WAC Pro
gram. Date will be announced latei,
the Procedure will be for Coal and
the Little Wesley Boy.
7. Thanks to Rev. B. E. Jones,
Rev. Rucker, and the Congregation.
U.S. Leases
Great Negro
Owned Mine
Atchison, Kansas, July 12 (ANP)
In what is one of the largest trans
actions negotiated by the government
with a Negro business concern since
the beginning of the war, the War
Food administration is completing ar
rangements for leasing the famout
Ferford limestone mine here. The
government plans to use the 12 mil
lion feet of cubic space to store lard,
eggs and other perishables in an un
precedented project which promises
to revolutionize storage of the nat
ion's food supply, ANP learned this
weet
The mine, which is operated by the
George W. Kerford company, and lo
cated at the edge of Atchison, has
long been one of the most substantial
business enterprises conducted by Ne
groes in the nation. Founded in 1897 j
by George W. Kerford, pioneer col
ored Kansasan, the mine was be
queathed at his death to his two sons,
Llovd and George Kerford. George
Kerford II died three years ago and
the third generation has entered the
business. George Ed Kerford shar
ing management with Lloyd.
The mine has long attracted the at
tention of stone quarriers. Instead
of digging into an open quarry, the
Kcr fords have mined their rock us
ing labor saving machinery and digg
ing ,-traight into the hills which com
prise their holdings. The result has
been r- huge cavern with level floors
and ceilings, the thousands of tons of
remaining rock supported by great
pillars. Among the firm's clients
are ;nost of the railroads of this sec
tion. the states of Kansas and Miss
ouri, the Army and Navy and th-_
governmental river and flood control
projects. Their operations have ex
tended over three or four states and
they have valuable rock holdings un
der lease in other areas. They wo k
b-'ill Negro and white workers and
at times have had as many as 500 men
on th“ir payroll.
The mine has a normal temperature
of 50 degrees. Refrigerating mach
inery will be installed by the govern
ment to give it a temperature between
30 and 32 degrees. It will thus be
come the largest single cold storage
house in the United States. To con
struct a building with equivalent floor
space would cost approximately $15,
000,000 accordnig to government es
timates. Between 3.000 and 3,500
carloads of food, with an estimated
tonnage of between 60,000 and 70.000
can be stored with ease.
For the farmer it will mean that
government support prices on hogs
will be met particularly in times of
peak marketing. WFA can continue
to buy hogs even after commercial
storage has been taken up.
For the consumer it will mean less
wastage of food. It will no longei
be necessary to divert eggs to live
stock feed or lard into soap as WFA
finds itself with oversupplies. The
agency will simply route the foods to
MASONIC LODGES OF
NEBRASKA A. F. & A. M.,
TO CONVENE JULY 19TH
By Maynard L. IVilson, G. R.
Robert L. Harris, Grand Scc’y,
with the assistance of Maynard L.
Wilson, Grand Reporter, -with *he
approval and consent of the R. W.
Deputy Grand Master, Clayton
Lewis of Lincoln, Nebraska, has
issued a call to all Masons and
their respective lodges that the
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge,
A F. & A. M. of Nebraska will
convene in their 26th Annual
Communication at the Masonic
Temple, 26th and Blondo streets,
Omaha, Nebraska, beginning on
July 19, 1944.
Out of state delegates are ex
pected to attend from Lincoln,
Hastings, Alliance and Grand Is
land.
N--/
SANDALL COM’ITTEE
TO MEET IN OMAHA
LINCOLN—Members of the exec
utive board and its associates will ga
ther for this year’s annual meeting of
the Nebraska Committee, Brewing
Industry Foundation to be held Fri-,
day at Hotel Fcntenellc, Omaha, an
nounces State t>irector Charles^ E.
Sandall. The board will hear Mr.
Sandall’s annual report of progress
with the organization’s program of
self-regulation in the beery industry,
will adopt plans for the ensuing
year.
“Interest and support for our good-1
conduct program is stronger than
ever as we now observe our sixth
anniversary,” said Mr. Sandall. but
explained, "Attendance at this year's I
annual meeting is limited to board
members because we wish to comply j
with the government's program to |
ease wartime strain on travel and |
hotel facilities.”
Atchison for future use.
Llcyd Kerford and his wife have a I
son and a daughter, the son in the j
army at Kessler field and the girl in j
high school here. The late George I
Kerford had two sons one of whom
is office manager of the concern and
the other in the army.
The Kerfords under the contract
will continue to mine limestone, car- i
rying on business as usual and con
stantly providing more and more
storage space for the government.
Lloyd Kerford was the first delegate
at large ever named from Kansas to
the Republican convention last month
Kansan, Former Olympic Star Joins Staff of Local Urban League
Son-in-Law of Rev.
David St. Clair to Fill
Job as Boys’ Work
Secretarv.
i
The Board of Directors of the O
maha Urban League Community Cen
ter announce the appointment of Mr.
Du ward Russell Crooms to the posi
tion of Boys Work Secretary on July
1, 1944.
Mr. Crooms came to Omaha from
Kansas, the state of his birth, where
he received his educational training.
He was graduated from Kansas State
Teachers College at Emporia, Kansas
in 1937, when he had completed ma
jors in Physical Education and Speech
in addition to courses jn Sociology,
Economics and Psychology.
In college, he was a member of the
“K” Club, College YMCA, and Pres
ident of the Youth Forum. During
Mr. Crooms college career, he gain
ed world-wide recognition as an out
standing athlete, participating on the
Olympic Relay Team representing the
United States in 1933 at the Berlin
Olympics. He was active, too, as a
member of the college football team.
As a former supervisor of a group
: of Ht-Y boys at the Emporia YMCA
Sunday School teacher, secretarv- and
president of a Christian Endeavor
League, and trained teacher, Mr.
Crooms comes well prepared for his
duties as head of the agency's Boys
Work Department.
As the father of a son, Mr. Crooms
[ has a natural interest in his new posi
j tion. His wife, also of Kansas State
Teachers College, is the daughter of
Rev. David St. Clair, pastor of Mt.
Moraih Baptist Church.
—
End to
Vote
Ban
I
ASKED BY 168
LEADING WHITE
GEORGIANS.
ATLANTA, July 12 (ANP) That
there is a growing list o! white Geor
gians who are willing to go on record
as urging the lowering of color bars
the eorgia Democrtaic Executive com
mittee has ercted around the primary. .
was indicated Tuesday with the issu- I
ance of a statement signed by 168
prominent citizens, demanding that
the committee rescind its action.
The signers of the statement repres
ented a cross-section of the more lib
eral-thinking element from virtually
every section of the state. “It would
appear from press reports that the
executive committee of the Georgia
State Democratic committee has ruled
that Negroes, otherwise qualified for
voting, will be barred from participa
tion in the July 4, state Democratic
primary." the statement read.
“We, the undersigned white voting
citizens of Georgia, interested in all
matters that will contribute to the
welfare of the state and to the largest
possible participation of all eligible
people in all elections regardless of
race, do not agree with this action of
the executive committee of the Geor
gia State Democratic committee. We
would urge that all eligible citizens,
regardless of race, be permitted to ex
ercise their right of participation in
this primary' if they have indicated
their desire to be members of the
Democratic party.
“In expressing this sentiment we
speak as Georgians and citizens of a
nation dedicated by the fathers to the
principles of total democracy and re
affirmed in the Atlantic charter as a
noble objective of this world strug
(Continued on Page 3#" 2)
FATHER ACCEPTS MEDAL
FOR HEROIC COAST
GUARDSMAN. '
Joseph H. Devampert, retired Pull
man Porter of Mobile, Alabama, is
presented with the Navy, and Marine
Corps medal, awarded posthumously
to his son, Warren T. Devampert.
Coast Guard Steward, by Comd'r Let.
G. Mueller of the Mobile District.
The Coast Guardsman lost his life »
board the Coast Guard Cutter Escan
aba. The citation states: "Desptre
the menace of possible enemy submar
ine action, Deyampert risked h:s life
in the black and icy waters of Sie
Atlantic to aid in the rescue of un
conscious survivors. His gallant and
voluntary action in subjecting himself
to pounding seas and bitter cold for
disregard of his own personal safety
wras in keeping with the highest tra
ditions of the United States Navai
. Service.”
Coast Guard photo released from
PPNS-.
Negro Denied Dem. Vote in Ga.
ST. JOHN AME.
SEEKS TO RAISE
816,000 BUILD
ING FUND
Captains Hard at Workl ***
Pushing Their Groups
Toward Success.
The St. John A ME. Church. 22nd
and Willis street, is engaged in a rally
to raise $16,000 for their Building
Fund. This rally will en on Sunday,
July 30th with special services.
The church has been divided into
two sides for this rally. Each sloe
has a general, 32 captains, who have
8 members m their crops. Each sol
dier is to contribute $32.00.
The leader of the Red forces is
Mrs. Gussie McPherson. Mrs. Evh
Ray is directing the Blues’ campaign.
Each of these ladies is hard at worx.
seeing that their side will not ccm»
up lacking when the drive is over.
Both generals this week issued
special announcements urging their
members to giye heavily this Sunday
on their individual goal. According
to reports a goodly number have raid
ed and already paid their $32.0u
Many more have expressed that they
will pay theirs soon.
The success of the drive depends
upon how the individual member,
take part, the leaders said. They
warned that while things look bright,
there is still a lots more work to be
done within the next two weeks.
Numerous other affairs have been
given and are- being given to raise
this building fund. All Omahans arc
urged to support this worthy drive.
Rev. E. F. Ridley, pastor of a.
John, said he was pleased at the keen
est of competition and revealed tluw
the government had granted priorit
ies for the amount of work to do be
done which will be determined by the
success of the drive.
Let’s all help pvt that top m St.
John! .
Golden Gate
Quartette To
Appear Here
The Golden Gate Quartette, that
tamed group of Negro singers will
appear in person at the City Auditor
ium on Saturday, July 29th, through
arrangements with the Music Cor
poration of America.
You will remember them as this
season’s stars of the Columbia Broad
casting system from where they have
been heard three times a week on a
coast-to-coast network. They are
long run stars of the Manhattan's
noted night club. Cafe Society Up
town and frequent guest stars of the
Coca-Cola Program and the Fitch
Band Wagon. They now rank as
one of the best known and most pop
ular muscial attractions in the coun
try.
From the music halls of Mexico to
the glamour of Hollywood their sing
ing has brought great commendation.
Their appearance in “Star-Spangled
Rhythm" a Paramount picture was so
successful that they were called back
to appear;in “Bring oa the Girls", a
stupendous technicolor musical soon
to be released.
This is the first appearance of the
quartette in the middle west. Mail
orders for tickets are now being re
ceived at the City Auditorium. Prices
range from 55c to $2.75.
CAPT. MARY L. PETTY
TO HEAD NEW NURSE
SCHOOL .
Fort Douglas, Utah, July 12 (ANP
A new basic training center for Ne
gro nurses is to be established here
at F'ort Douglas it was announced by |
Major General David McCoach, Jr.,
commanding general of the 9th serv
ice command. Capt. Mary L. Petty
of Chicago, the first Negro nurse in
the army nurse corps to hold a capt
aincy and the highest ranking Negro
nurse in the 9th service command and
perhaps the country will supervise
training at the new school.
Capt. Petty will be in charge of
135 nurses who will later be assigned
to station hospitals located in the,
command. The assumption is that
this inovation means that induction of
more Negro nurses into the armed
services. Recent graduates and those
who will be finishing the nurse cadet j
corps are expected to be especially
interested.
Capt. Petty is a graduate of M en
ded Phillips in Chicago, Freedman's
Hospital School of nursing in Wash
ington and was employed at Dixie
hospital, Hampton, Va.. She began
active duty with the army nurse corps
in September, 1941.
ST1IX JT i i U Sli\ U
BARBECUE FEAST.
Since it is true that both youth and
adults enjoy summer weather and es
pecially the outdoors, why not plan
now to attend the Mammoth Open
Air Picnic and Barbecue Feast to be
given on July 22, 1944 on the beauti
fully decorated lawn of Mr. and Mrs.
I. S. McPherson, 1712 North 28th
Street. Sit in those lovely and com
fortable chairs—also "enjoy a music
al treat wrhile you eat.” The public
is cordially invited to attend.
COLMAN SUCCEEDS CAREY
AS POST COMMANDER.
Charles J. Colman, long a diligent
and hard working member of Amer
ican Legion Post No. 30, last week
was elected to succeed Jacob C. Carey
as Commander.
Call to Action
Features Naacp
Chicago Meet’
Held in Chicago
July 12th thru 16th
Chicago—A call to action on the
problems of the right to vote, employ
-ment, housing and discrimination in
the armed forces featured the open
ing of the NAACP wartime confer
ence here July 12-16 inclusive.
The sessions are being held in the
Metropolitan Community Church,
41st Street and South Parkway, and
opened Wednesday night, July 12
with a keynote adress by Judge Hu
bert T. Delanv of New York City,
and a speech by James B. Carey, sec
retary-treasurer of the CIO on the
Subject "The Stake of Organized
Labor and the Negro in the Novem
ber Election^'
Delegates from 33 states and the
District of Columbia were welcomed
to the Chicago meeting by Governor
Dwight H. Green, Mayor Edward J.
Kelly, Rev. Archibald J. Carey and
others.
The conference will close Sunday
afternoon, July 16, with a huge out
door meeting in Washington Park on
a slope overlooking the lagoon oppos
ite 60th street and South Parkway.
Walter White, NAACP secretary,
will give a full report on his trip to,
England, Ireland. North Africa, It
aly and the Midle East, where he ob
served the treatment of Negro sold
iers. Marshall Field, publisher of
the New York newspaper PM and
the Chicago Sun, will give an address
The 29th Spingarn Medal will be
presented at this meeting to Dr. Char
les R. Drew of Howard university,
for his work in blood plasma. The
presentation will be made by Dr.
Earnest A. Hooton of Harvard uni
versity.
This meeting will be preceded by a
parade, headed by Col. Clifton E.
Jones, Commander of the 8th Infan
try, Illinois Reserve Militia. Other
meetings which were held during the
week were: Thursday morning, July
12, “How will the Negro hold his
Job?”, discussion led by Gloster B.
Current of Detroit, with George M.
Johnson, Jr., Associate Director, F
EPC, as consultant; afternoon, ”A i
Housing Program," led by Dr. Frank (
Horne, Horace Cayton and Andrew ;
D. Weinberger.
On Thursday night, a speech was
delivered on the legal campaign for
civil rights by Thurgood Marshall;
a^ short address by Odell Stukes, of i
West Philadelphia, Pa. on “Negro j
Youth and a Free World.” and ‘What I
the Negro Soldier Expects,” by Capt.
Grant Reynolds.
On Friday morning a discussion
was held on how the Negro should
vote led by Rev. Maynard Jacklf/r^
of Dallas. Texas, and Leslie S. Per
ry' of the Washington Bureau, NAA
CP; afternoon, the plight of the Ne
gro in the armed forces led by Judge
William H. Hastie.
On Friday night: Two speeches on
“How Can the Negro Hold His Job"
from labor's viewpoint by Walter
Hardin, UAW-CIO, Detroit, and
from maangement's angle R. E. Gill
mor, president Sperry Gyroscope Co.
Also, a first-hand account of the ter
rorism in New Iberia, La. by J. Leo
Hardy, president of the New Iberia
! NAACP. The youth delegates to
| the conference held their meetings
I simultaneously with the adult delegat
es.
Join the NAACP!
Fights Army Jim-Crow
PERRY H. HANSBERRY SUES |
TO ABOLISH D1SCRIMINATN
IN THE ARMY.
Perry H. Hansberry, 23, of 6140
Rhodes Avenue, has filed suit in the
Federal Court charging illegal dis
crimination in the Armed Forces in
violation of the Selective Service Act
of 1940.
By this suit, he is seeking to abol
ish all discrimination against colored '
people and delay his induction until 1
such time that the discriminations and i
abuses there under are actually dis
"■ .> jjjt -
continued.
The suit was filed by Atty. George
C. Adams of the Hansberry Found
ation and Atty. Chatman of the Chi
cago Civil Liberties Committee.
Perry Hansberry is the brother of
Carl A. Hansberry, Jr., now serving
with the Army overseas; and the son
of Carl A. Hansberry Sr., who
fought the famous Lee vs. Hansberry
Restricted Covenant Case-successful
ly through the United States Supreme
Court
Justice Department Must
Enforce Election Laws,
NAACP Tells Biddle j
Ntw York—The job of enforcing
the Supreme Court decision Jec'aring
that Negroes may not be barred from
pr.mary elections is squarely up to the
Department of Justice, Atorney
General Francis Biddle was to'1 l.t-t
week by Thurgood Marshall, N -.A 7
fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii
FEPC SCHEDULES PUBLIC
HEARING IN LOS ANGELES .
Malcolm Ross, Chairman of the
President's Committee on Fair Em
ployment Practice, announced that the
committee has scheduled a public
hearing in Los Angeles. Calif., Aug
ust 8 and 9., to examine numerous
complaints filed with the committee
alleging employment practices by the
Lcs Angeles Railway Company in vi
ola r ion of the Executive Order a
gainst discrimination in war industr
ies because of race.
The complaints, sa'd Ross, charge
.hat the company ie fuses to employ
Nigroes and intmbers of other min
o-.'ry groups in certain categories of
work because of their race or national
oi igin.
Negotiations with .he company are
being carried on at present, Mr. Ross
said, and there .s still hope that they
may result in making the hearing un
necessary.
P special counsel, who helped to ar
gue and win the historic Texas case
"The decision of the United Srat
es Supreme Court,” Marshall wrote,
rendered on April 3, clarifying once
and for all the laws as to voting in
ptmary elections, will mean nothing
to the millions of Negroes in the
South who have been denied th; right
to vote unless the United Sta’es iX -
paument of Justice vigorously en? ~c
es the statutes construed by the Uni
ted States Supreme Court in this de
c’’; ion.
‘ Negro soldiers fighting rhrnu
out the world -.odiv ere constant!? «
qu’ring as to whe 'i-.r or not ti e r
ft milks are permitted : o vote in tie
Democratic primaries in the deep
Si cth, and whether or not the? wn'i
be permitted to vote in tlir.se primar
ies if they are fotunate enough t> re
ten..
‘"1 he question as to whether or net
Nig-oes will have the tight to vote
in primary elections througho it the
Sctth can only be ccided by he vig
or with which the United Sat*j 1V
parment of Justice iiosecutes these
' Wc, therefore, strongly urge vm
o bi ing about the prosecution, not
(Continued on Page 4 I
THREE BROTHERS ENLIST
AS FFF’S.
A Mag the 120 Washington. D. u.
youngsters who have enlisted in the
Victory Fasm Volunteers to help
harvest important wartime food crops
in Maryland this summer are three
brothers, Samuel, James and Wilbert,
shown above with the father, Josepti
Haywood, just before they boaraeu
1 the bus and hied to Maryland farms.
When asked why they had joined up.
James, 14, oldest of the brothers, re
plied, “We want to help the war ei
fort, and make a little money: we
think it’ll be a good outing, too.’*
Well, with these three boys in tne
VFV's, the whole Haywood family is
doing war work. Mr. Haywood na»
a war job and Mrs. Haywood works
in the War Department. (PPNS).
WILL
SUE
•
AFFIDAVITS TO BIDDLE
Atlanta, Ga.,—Affidavits on the
refusal to allow Negroes to part
icipate in the Georgia Democratic
primary July 4, were sent to At
torney General Francis Biddle by
A. T. Walden of the Atlanta
NAACP branch if was announc
ed here the day after the primary
ATLANTA, July 12 (ANP)—At
tempts to vote were made by Negro
leaders in nine Georgia communities
Tuesday, July 4, and in each instance
were met with polite, but firm refus
als on the part of election officials.
The officials, however, were careful
to state they were acting under in
structions from the Georgia Democra
tic Executive committee, which a
week before the statewide primary re
affirmed its determination to restrict
the primary to white electors only,
despite the supreme court's ruling in
the Texas primary case.
Leaders presented themselves at the
polls in Atlanta, Macon, Brunswick,
Augusta, Albany, Columbia, Savan
nah, Moultrie and Fitzgerald. All
were members of the newly organiz
ed Georgia Assocaitiofl of Citizens
Democratic clubs, which a few days
before the primary planned the strate
gy which would lead to a sereis of
suits throughout the state designed to
smash the white primary.
Officers of the Citizens Democrat
ic club of Fulton county who present
ed themselves at polling places were
greeted cordially at the doors, given
applicatoin for ballot forms cm which
to place their addresses and signatur
es and then told that their names
were not on the lists as secured from
the county registrars. The lists sent
to the polling places had the names of
onfy white electors.
There was no disturbance from the
attempts to vote all over the state, al
though a flood of rumors that riots
would result kept police and even
state guard units in a state of emer
gency should violence break out. It
had been clearly stated in the press
and over the radio that only a restrict
ed vote would be attempted and mass
es of Negro voters who had rushed to
qualify themselves after the Texas
decision were advised not to go to the
polls under the circumstances.
The test of the Georgia White
primary drew nationwide attention.
Numerous white publications sent re
porters and photographers to cover
the event including such publications
as Life, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the
Field publications, PM and the Chi
cago Sun, the New York Times, As
sociated Press, International News
Service, United Press, New York
Post and even the Communist public
ation, the Daily Worker of New
York.
First voter to appear at the polls
in Fulton county (Atlanta) was C.
A. Scott, editor-general manager of
the Atlanta Daily World and presi
dent of the Democratic organization
in Fulton county. He was accomp
anied by J. A. Batts, district manag
er of the Afro-American Life Insur
ance company, and Henry F. Shorter
businessman.
After filling applications for bal
lot forms, they were told their nam
es did not appear on the lists, and as
they turned to leave were greeted by
(Continued on Page 1W3)
LIST WOMEN FOR
KEY COMMITTEES...
Washington, July 12 (AN'P)—A
national roster of women qualified to
serve on national and international
committees and delegations looking to
postwar adjustment is being estab
lished. the National Council of Negro
Women announced last week.
The move is an outgrowth of the
conference held by 200 women three
weeks ago at the White House where
the spokesman for numerous women's
organizations placed their cla:m for a
right to share in negotiators and con
ferences being held to restore the
world to peace and to maintain it
that way.
"We plan to establish this list and
to make recommendators of qualified
persons whenever the opportunity per
mits," Mrs. Jeannetta Welch Brown
executive secretary of the council an
nounced.
LESCOT IS1TS CURACAO .....
Willemstad, Curacao, DWI. July
12 (ANP)—Elie Lescot, president of
Haiti, spent Saturday and Sunday m
Willemstad and left for home Mon
day morning, it was announced.
On Sunday a pontifical high mass
was held m the cathedral here, fol
lowed by a reception r the officers
mess at Parera. That afternoon he
visited the oil settlement of Isla, and
in the even:ng was a ceremony in the
! Roxv theatre.
—
GOOD READING
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