Nebraska Newspapers

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•£. ^ ^ "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• ^
Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oflice. Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of e .__v ic in.4.4 _ _
March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha. Nebt S&tUTd&y, DGCeiH 16, 1944 OlIT 17t»hi YGcLT—NO. 45
__
CIVIC, FRATERNAL LEADER,
Atty. J. Dillard Crawford Dies
Bishop Brinker, Delivers Last RitesThursday Morning,- Buried in Family Lot at Forest Lawn Cemetery
Flowers Fill Chapel
As Men and Women of
Both Races Pav
Last Respects
FUNERAL RITES HELD
THURSDAY, FROM SAINT
PHILIP’S EPISCOPAL
CHURCH;
Omaha was shocked beyond words
last weekend, when news cpread of
the sudden passing of Attorney J.
Dillard Crawford electrified the
community.
Mr. Crawford became ill while
shopping last Saturday afternoon and
at 10:17 pm. that night at his home
at 2214 North 28th avenue.
Attorney Crawford, 44, had been a
practicing lawyer for the past five
years and had been distribution clerk
in the Coutny Clerk’s office for the
past twenty-three years.
He was the first Negro to be grad
uated from the old Commercial high
school, predecessor to Technical high
school.
He has been active in scouting cir
cles and the Thursday before his
death, he was awarded one of the
highest honors a Scouter may achieve
—the Silver Beaver Award.
He was active in legal and civic af
fairs of the community; a member
of the Masonic Shriner’s lodge; an
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity mem
ber ; member of The Omaha Bar As
sociation, The National Bar Associa
tion; on the Board of The Urban
League, The Executive Board of the
NAACP., The Family Welfare
Board: member of the Interracial
Council; and a member of Saint
Philip’s the Deacon church since he
was a lad.
MASONIC RITES.
The Masonic last rituals were held
at 9 p. m. Thursday, at the Lewis
Chapel. ] ||
BURIED IN FAMILY LOT
Funeral services were held Thurs
day morning at 10 pm., from The St.
Philip’s Episcopal Church with the
Right Reverend Howard R. Brinker
and the Reverend S- G. Sanchez, of
ficiating.
Mr. J. Dillard Crawiord was laid
to rest in the family lot, at Forest
Lawn Memorial Cemetery.
He is survived by his "wife, Lucy
Charlotte, sister, Mrs. Florentine
Pinkston, brother, Lovejoy of Bos
ton, Mass-,
Relatives who arrived for the fu
neral were: Mrs. Sybil Williams,
Miss Delores Young, nieces, both of
Detroit, Michigan; Mrs. Harriett
Oliver, cousin of Denver, Colorado;
Mrs. Ruby Gillard, Sister-in-law*
Active pallbearers were: H. W
Black Raymond R. Brown, Arthur
B. McCaw, Saybert C. Ha nger, Dr.
W. W. Solomon and Orlo V. South.
Honorary Pallbearers were: from
the County Clerk’s office, John
Slavik, Ralph Ronman, B. J. Svo
boda; from the Masonic lodge, Mr.
T- P. Mahammitt, Mr. Bert Johnson,
Mr. Maynard Wilson; from the Ur
ban League, Rev. W. H. Phelps,
Wm. G- Hayne; from the Bar and
Civic Assn., Mr. Virgil Northwall,
Judge E. Fiederick Wolffe, Mr.
Harrison J. Pinkett, Mr. C. C- Gal
loway, Mr. Herbert Fisher, Mr.
Howard Redden; from the Kappa
Alpha fraternity, Mr. Ralph Adams,
Mr. Russell Bryant, Mr. Charles F.
Davis, Mr. Willis W. Gray, Mr. Mil
ton E- Johnson, Lt. Gaitha W. Pegg,
Rev. E. F. Ridley, Mr. Eugene Skin
ner, Mr. Ray L. Williams, and Mr.
Delmar Woods.
Junior Busy Bees of
Workmans Club Sell $300
Worth of War Stamps
The Junior Busy Bees of the Work
man’s Club have scored again.
In the fifth War Bond drive the
Busy Bee Juniors of the Workman’s
Gub ranging from three and a half
pre-school age to twelve years, went
out and sold $100.00 in war saving
stamps, and in the Sixth Bond drive
now in progress, have to date, sold
about $300-00 worth.
The community is very proud of
this group of youngsters and take
great pride in getting behind them in
their undertaking.
Little Anna Mae Wright, with a
wonderful record at West Side
School, and the Woodson Center, is
the leader, with the able assistance
of her sister ictoria, who won first
prize in the Fifth Bond drive, and
Vera Starks, Barbara Jean Moore,
Leonard Loftin, and many others.
These youngsters’ motto, which is
often repeated, is:
“'Buy your Bonds and Stamps To
day, in Big and small amounts,
It uni Ihclp the USA., and that's
what really counts.”
WORKMAN’S CLUB WILL
HAVE OPEN HOUSE
The Workman's Club will hold op
en house for the entire membership
on Xmas Day. The hours will be
from 3 to 6 pm. All refreshments
free.
Carol Brice, Young Negro Contralto in Debut Saturday,
Jamaciaiu ‘J-Cd’
in Negro Hotel
CHICAGO’S PERSHING
HOTEL UNDER FIRE
by 0. T. Shelton
Chicago, (PPNS) The unveiling
of a life of horror existing beneath
the polished exterior of the swanky
Pershing hotel was made this week
when the death of Michael Myers,
one of a group of Jamacians brought
to this state to supplement the man
power shortage, was reported after
attempts to suppress the scandal fail
ed
Young Michael reportedly met his
death after contracting a contagious
disease, which resulted from substan
dard health conditions and facilities
imposed upon ninety of the Jamacian
group who were forced to live in one
large room. Herded like cattle into
their stuffy quarters, the men bunk
ed on army cots that crowd every
inch of available space. A reeking
odor emits from scattered garbage
and other refuse that littre the floor,
while proper ventilation is difficult
because of the large number occupy
ing the room.
The men go for weeks without a
change of linen, and the lack of
chairs, lockers or other useful fur
niture necessitates the piling of their
clothes on the floor. They have ac
cess to a toilet with water pressure
so low that only one inch of water
fills the commode.
The cost per man for these “ac
commodations” is $3.50 per week,
making a total income for the man
agement of $1,260 a month. These
unbelievable conditions that exist
in this secluded portion of the hotel
is in marked contrast with the finery
accorded regular guests.
The men are ostracised and not al
lowed to communicate with the other
guests. They are employed by the
Union Stockyards and upon arriving
from work must go immediately to
their quarters, using the side of the
lobby to gain entrance.
O. T. Shelton, the writer, who
made an unofficial investigation of
the case, places the blame on the
WMC, the hotel management and
A.tty. Bentley Cyrus, who acts as ad
visor and consultant for the men.
Roosevelt States Demo
cracy’s Victory Must be
Negroes’ Victory
Atlanta, Ga., (PPNS) The sixth
all-Southern Negro Youth Confer
ence held here last week was high
lighted by an inspiring message from
the nation’s commander-in-Chief,
President Roosevelt. The message
praising highly the Negroes’ contri
bution to America, was received with
deep appreciation by the assembly. In
the typical eloquent style of the Pres
ident, the letter stated:
‘It is good to know that at its
meeting in Atlanta this year the all
Southern Negro Youth Conference
will have as its theem, ‘‘Democracy—
The Challenege of Victory;” It is
increasingly apparent that this is the
challenge faced by us all.
“I know that on the road to victory
hard at first and bloody still, the
Negro youth of the south met, with
other American young people, this
challenge with a courage which has
dignified their geenration. Hundreds
| of thousands of young Negroes from
the Southern States serve in our
armed forces- In the factories, on
the farms, and in all fields of wai
activity, thousands of other Negro
young people have given freely of
their skill, their strength, their cour
age and their loyalty.
“They have fought not only to de
fend America but to advance Amer
ica. They have fought to establish
a universal freedom under which a
new basis of security and prosperity
can be established for all—regardless
of station, race or creed
* "Their fight has been democracy’s
j fight. And democracy’s victory
must be their victory—to cherish and
' eytend as the men and women of to
Tries toExtort Money
from Omaha Woman
EXOTIC TONDA
New York— Tantalizing TON
DALEYO, famous dancer of stage
and screen has the distinction of be
ing owner of the only night club of
her race in the gay white way of
Broadway.
The famous night club and cafe
restaurant has developed into the
most popular rendezvous in the
Times Square area, located at 18
West 52 street, attracting celebrites
of stage, radio and screen of both
races.
TONDALEYO is now starring in
her own revue, featuring Gladys
Bentley, "Queen of Cabarets”; Max
ine Johnson, "Pin-up Thrust”; Rub
berlegs Williams, “Rockin’ Like An
M4 Tank”; Kenny Watts, “Boogie
Woogie Swingster”; Danny Ricardo
Tonda’s baritone discovery and Geo
rgie James’ Rhythm Trio—Photo by
Snelson.
morrow.
“I send my best wishes to them and
to their cause."
200 Youth Take Urban
League Physical Exams
The Omaha Urban League, in co
operation with the Nebraska Negro
Medical Society and the State Health
Department, Friday of last week,
conducted physical examinations for
approximately 200 youth who partic
ipate in the athletic activities of the
Urban League. These physical ex
aminations were conducted in an ef
fort to protect the health of all the
youth who take part in the Leagues’
varied program. The parents of
those youths found to have disabling
effects which will prevent their tak- \
ing part in athletic and scouting ac
tilities will be notified in order that
such conditions may be corrected
soon. I
Assisting in the examination were
Miss O’Neil, Miss Patterson and
Miss Carter of the VNA. stafd, Mrs
Rivers and Mrs- Brooks of the AW*
VS., Mrs- Fay Lloyd and Miss Lyda
Montgiery and Mr. Raymond R
Brown, Mr. Du ward Crooms, Mrs.
Emma Carter, Mrs- Elma Lloyd and
Mr- L. Jefferson, all of the Urban
League staff.
Ryland E. Mel ford. State Health
Department, wishes to personally ex
press ris thanks to everyone who help
ed make this examination one of thc
largest and most successful yet con
ducted for our Negro youth.
R. E- Mel ford reported that Oma
ha can have one of the best health
programs in the nation if the peop'e
of the community will work toward
such a goal. “We must look for
W'ard to ’he postwar era and hold the
gains that have thus far been made
in venereal disease control and other
divisions of public health." “If we
are to share in the fruits of a vic
tory earned py our Negro boys at
the front, then we must also share in
the effort to help that victory be-j
come a reality,” said Mr- Melford.
Dr. Walter F. Clarg, of New York/
City, Executive Director of the Am
erican Social Hygiene Association,
speaking before a luncheon at the
Fontenelle hotel, Friday, composed
of distinguished Nebraskans and mem
bcrs of the Omaha Social Hygiene
Committee, outlined a program which
the community must adopt to meet
the needs of its returning servicemen
and civilians alike. Among those at
tending the luncheon were Dr. Wes
ley Jones, Mr- Raymond Brown and
Mr. Duward Crooms of the Urban
League and Mr- Ryland E- Melford
of the State Health Department.
PACKING WORKER HELD
IN STABBING OF WIFE
David Clifford Choice, 2T, of 5220
South 28th street is held for investi
gation by South Omaha police in con
nection with the stabbing of his wife,
Opha, 25, at the Swift and Co., plant
Monday eve.
According to a police report, both
are employed at the plant, and short
ly after 5 pm. Monday, Choice walk
ed into the canning room and stabbed
his wife several times. He fled, but
later appeared at the plant emergency j
room, where he was arrested
THURGOOD MARSHALL, ROSE
RUSSELL ON NAACP
BROADCAST
New York—December 20, on sta
tion WEVD (10:15-10:45 pm-) Mr.
Thurgood Marshall, famous jurist,
and Special Counsel for the NAACP
will broadcast the story of the As
sociation's fight for equal education
al facilities. Sharing the program
will be Mrs. Rose V. Russell, Leigs
lative Representative of the New
York Teacher's Union, who will pre
sent proposals for siilar objectives in
New York. Copies of speeches may
he obtained by writing to Miss Con
-uelo C. Young, director of the broad
1 ra?*«. after the program.
Vallejo, Calif. Man Held
by FBI Agents.
Sylvester James Jarrett, colored,
arrested December 5, 1944, in Val
lejo, California, by Agents of the
FBI for attempting to extort money
from Mrs- Rose McClinton, colored,
of 1917 North 27th Street, Omaha,
Nebraska, according to Special Agent
in charge, Duane L. Traynor of the
Onaha FBI office.
A codplaint was filed against Jar
rett in Sacramento, California on Dec
ember 6, charging him with violation
of Section 402d, Title 18, U. S. Code
in that he did cause to be transported
in interstate commerce a threat td in
jure a person with intent to extort
money.
The arrest came as a result of two
long distance telephone calls which
Jarrett made to Mrs. McClinton in
which he indicated to her that her
son, Eli McClinton, who is presently
serving in the United States Army in
Italy, waj on an island near Calif
ornia and needed $500 to buy civilian
clothes so that he might enter the
United States. In the first call,
which was made during the first part
of November 1944, Jarrett, using the
name of James White, told Mrs. Me
Clinton that her son would soon be
reported missing in action by the war
department but for her not to believe
such a report if received. He desir
ed that Mrs McClinton send money to
him for her son in order that he
might buy civilian clothes and get
home.
On December 1, 1944, according to
Mr. Traynor, Mrs. McClinton re
ceived another call from Jarrett in
which he instructed her to send mon- f
ey to an address in Vallejo, Califor
nia, and threatened that her son
would be done away with if she did
not comply. In making this threat,
Jarrett violated the Federal Extort
ion Statute
As a result of investigation conduct
ed by FBI agents in Vallejo, Calif
ornia. Jarrett was apprehended and
admitted he had made the calls as
James White
According to Mr. Traynor, Jarrett
formerly resided in Omaha at the
home of Mrs- McClinton and thus
learned of her son and his activities.
Jarrett was born in Flint, Michigan,
March 30, 1923, served in the United
States Army from January 15, 1943,
to August 12, 1943 receiving an hon
orable discharge. He was recruited
for work in the Mare Island Navy
Yards, at Vallejo, California from
Omaha, Nebraska in October 1944.
Jarrett will be held for prosecution
action in California
Graduates from Howard j
Medical School.
Mr. Edward Nathan Wiggins, bet
ter known to his Omaha friends as
"Ed" graduates fro the College of
Medicine at Howard University in
Washington, DC-, on Dec. 22nd. His
parents, Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Wig
gins plan to be present at the grad
uating exercises
Walter White to Pacific
as War Correspondent
New York—Walter White, execu
tive secretary of the NAACP, left
December 5, on the first leg of his
trip to the Pacific as War Corres
pondent for the New York Post- Mr.
White expects to visit all areas where
Negro troops are centered, and to in
terview elading government, military
and naval authorities in all theatres
of combat, and civilian circles. His
itinerary will include specifically the
China-Burma-India theatre, and Rus
sia. Stories, bulletins, articles and
special dispatches from these sections
’ Over Coast-to-Coast
NBC Network with KC
Philharmonic Orchestra
Carol Brice, twenty-five year old
Negro contralto who last spring won
the Naumberg Foundation award, the
first of her race to do so, will make
her national debut on a coast to
coast network of the National Broad
casting Company, on Saturday after
noon, December 16th, between 2 and
3 pm., Central Time (3-4 pm. East
ern War Time-.
The broadcast program will be that
of the Kansas City Philharmonic Or
chestra, first of the “Orchestras of
the Nation” series, with Efrem
Kurtz conducting, on which Miss
Brice is appearing as guest soloist.
This is the young singer’s first
public perforamnce apart from con
certs in small Negro colleges in the
South.
Conductor Kurtz heard of the
young artist through Clifton Fadi
man, famed Master of Ceremonies of
“Information Please”, who had
heard her sing at a party in West
port, Conn. Mr. Kurtz auditioned ^
her in his suite at the Waldorf-As
toria in New York City. She sang
one aria for him, Rossini’s “Mura
Felici” and he declared her ready for
national presentation. Prompt con
sultation with the Board of Directors
of the Kansas City Philharmonic Or
chestra resulted in her engagement
as guest soloist for the concert and
the national broadcast.
Miss Brice was born in Indianapol
is, Indiana, daughter of a Congrega
tional minister. Both her father and
mother, college graduates, are sing
ers though unprofessional.
At eighteen onths Carol was sent
to live with her famous Aunt, Dr.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown, founder
of the Sedalia School of Sedalia, N.
Caroilna. Her parents, two brothers
and sister fololwed her there later
when Mr. Brice became chaplain and
vice president of the school.
At 14 Carol became a member of
the Sedalia Singers, celebrated in
North Carolina, and travelled with
them about the country. She was
featured soloist when the Sedalia
Singers appeared in Town Hall in j
New York.
She won the silver cup in the state |
wide musical festival during her sen- 1
ior year at Sedalia, and through the I
generosity of a benefactress of the
school was enabled to continue her
music studies for four years at Tal
ladega College in Alabama- With
no prospect of a career as a singer,
she specialized in public school mus
ic with the intention of teaching for
a living.
Graduated in 1939, she came to
New York, spent the sumer in the
chorus of the “Hot Mikado” at the j
World's Fair, auditioned for the Jul
liard Graduate School in September
and won a fellowship. For the next
five years she was a pupil of Fran
cis Rogers, supplementing her fellow
ship with her earnings as contralto
soloist at St- George's church. Dur
ing this time she married a young
s;nger whom she had met at the
World’s Fair.
Last spring, with her son scheduled
to be bom a momh later, she entered
the Naumberg competition and won
the award.
For three years Carol Brioe has
toured southern college towns, act
ing as her own manager, gaining in
experience and repertoire, and con
tributing to the small family’s fin
ances. Her husband, Neal Scott, has
exchanged ihs own musical career
for that of a newspaperman and
Carol's chief adviser.
will appear regularly in the New
York Post the NAACP press releas
es and leading magazines. With the
addition of experiences in this new
assignment combined with earlier on
es In the European theatre of oper
ations in 1043 and the beginning of
1044, Mr. Wh>te will write ultimate
ly a book dealing with the whole
problem of race in World War II.
Cementing on the eve of his depart
ure. he said, “I am delighted to visit
Gas Situation
Released by V. S. War Department. Bureau of Public Relations
TALK OVER GAS SITUATION—Private Edward Clay of New
Iberia, Louisiana, talks over the gas situation somewhere on the
Western Front with General Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Allied
Commander. “Ike” places a lot of confidence in men like Clay.
(U. S. Signal Corps Photo from BPR.)
Wife Bestows Honor
T^UHrTr™"- ... .earn. ,....^-.j——u
Tuskgee, Alabama, (PPNS) Sec- daughter of Mr. and Mrs- F. Epps
ond Lieutenant Halbert Leo Alexan- of Nashville, Tennessee, pins his
der, of 310 E- 13th St-, Georgetown, wings on imediately following the ca
ll)., beams proudly as his lovely wife, det graduation at the Tuskegce Army
the former Miss Alice Hazel Epps, Air Field.
JOB OF BOND DRIVE IN NEBRASKA CAN
NOT BE DONE WITHOUT INDIVIDUALS
DOING THEIR FULL SHARE.
This is the last week of the Sixth War Loan drive
in Nebraska, and while indications were that over
all quotas would be reached in most of the state’s
93 counties, E bond sales were still far behind those
of the rest of the country, Federal Reserve reports
over the weekend indicated.
Leon J. Markham, Executive Manager of the Ne
braska War Finance Committee, said that individual
bond buying was still lagging, and that although
corporation buying was shoving the over-all totals
up, the job could not be done without individuals
ding their full share.
The state’s apparently slow buying prompted
Dale Clark, Nebraska War Finance Committee
Chairman, to issue the following statement to Ne
Nebraskans: “The path to victory is never cheap,
but if our Nebraska boys can pay for it with their
lives, we can pay for it with our dollars. The G. I.
Citizen’s dollars must march with G. I. Joe.”
Governor Dwight Griswold used a state wide net
work of radio stations, Sunday, to address a plea to
Nebraskans to back up the Sixth War Loan drive,
lie said, “Our current assignment is to back up Ne
braska’s fighting men by providing them with the
material of war that War Bond dollars must buy.”
Jle referred to Nebraska’s record-breaking corn
crop, and said that it isn’t enough to have produced
such a crop if it isn’t turned into dollars and cents
that will pay for the fighting equipment needed to
bring Nebraska men home.
“War Bond buying is the personal responsibility
of every Nebraskan. On that will depend whether
Nebraska meets its War Bond obligations in the fi
nal analysis,” the Governor said. He expressed
confidence that the same Nebraskans who harvest
ed this year’s tremendous crop are equal to the task
of putting over Nebraska’s War Loan drive.
First county to make its over-all goal, but still
lagging in inividual sales was Lancaster County
which topped its $11,608,800 quota last Thursday.
Reversing the order, Buffalo County toopecl its E.
bond nuota as first in the state to score this victory.
Buffalo over-subscribed its E Bond quota of $456,
900 by exactly seven dollars, Federal Reserve re
ports through December 6 indicated.
additional battle fronts and to do
whatever the NAACP can in improv
ing the conditions under which Negro
soldiers are fighting. I hope, also,
by talking with the leaders of China
India, Russia and other countries to
call attention to the importance of
the world problem of race which
most be solved and solved right, if
there is going to be any lasting peace
in the world.” Mr. White will re
turn sometime in the ear'v spr ng.