! /JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEW TO THE UNE\
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY _ PHONE HA.0800
2+20 GRANT ST
^ ^ ★ "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• ^ ^
Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oft ice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of , , x n— - „.
March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr Saturday, January 27, 1945 OUT 17th Year—No. 51
CALVIN K. STALNAKER TO BE IN OMAHA FEBRUARY 6-7
USO YMCA Consultant
Conducting Midwestern
Survey of USO
Activities
Calvin K. Stalnaker. USO-YMCA
consultant on services to Negro
members of the armed forces, is con
ducting a survey of Mid-Western
USO activities.
Mr. Stalnaker has had wide ex
perience in the fields of religion and
social service- For many years he
was a minister of the third Baptist
Church in Toledo, Ohio- He is a
graduate of Benedict College, Col
umbia, South Carolina, and Paine
College. Augusta, Ga., and did post
graduate work at Chicago Univers
ity and the University of Toledo.
Mr. Stalnaker opened his tour in
Lawton Okla-. January 21 as the
speaker at the Lawton USO Club’s
third anniversary celebration. He
visited McAlester January 22 and
23; Little Rock 24 and 25; and Mus
kogee, Okla-, January 26 and 27.
Monday and Tuesday (January 29
and 30) Mr Stalnaker will visit
Joplin, Mo- He will be at the Kan
sas City USO'YMCA Regional of
fice Wednesday January 31.
In his tour Mr. Stalnaker will be
interested in meeting USO club dir'
ectors. their staffs and volunteer
workers. He plans to meet with
them to discuss their personlnel and
public and racial relation problems,
their programs, continuing USO ser
vices for the war effort, as well as
plans for the post war period
M. Stalnaker’s itinerary will bring
him to Omaha, Nebraska. February
6. and 7, and to Lincoln, February 8
and 9.
He will attend a USO staff meet
ing on Negro services in Wichita.
Kansas, February 12, 13, and 14.
His remaining schedule calls for
sessions in Manhattan. Kansas. Feb
15 and 16; Salina, Kansas, Feb- 17
and 18; Cheyenne, Wyo.. Feb. 19
and 20; and in Denver. Colo., Feb
21 and 22.
Senator Kenneth S.
Wherry
Reports
WELCOMES COMMENTS
AND SUGGESTIONS ...
United States Senate
Committee on Education and Labor
January 11, 1945
TO MY FRIENDS
OF OMAHA. NEBR—
For two years I have served, as
your United States Senator and am
reporting to you as the 78th Con
gress ends, and the 79th Congress
begins.
The program which I advocated n
the elections of 1940 and '42 sug
gested elimination of governmental
nonessentials; removal of confiscat
ory taxes; elimination of govern
mental subsidized competition; pro
tection and encouragement of priv
ate enterprise; and the return to lo
cal Governrent- Accomplishment of
such aims would revive sane Govern
ment
One cannot do otherwise than sup
port and cooperate with the military
leadership in the war program be
cause we want this war won with
maximuh syeed and minimum loss
We shall unite odr efforts in writing
an enduring peane based on Christ
ian crinciples.
On the domestic front, I have
constantly fought the New Deal
philosophy of self-created emergenc
ies ; of setting class against class; of
political influence, pressure and priv!
-ilege; of power politics; of uncon
stitutionality ; of high taxes; and of
deficit spending.
Since being in the Senate, 1 hav«r
religiously adhered to the principles
of Constitutional Government; a
mended OPA- legislation to provide
protection for the private citizen in
V-nfordement proceedings: tmijided
the War Surplus Property Act to
provide that moneys recovered be
applied to the public debt; interested
myself in matters of concern to ag
riculture and the livestock industry;
and as a Member of the Senate
Small Business and Fuel Oil Com
mittees participated in and held 57
major hearings in assisting individ
uals and small business.
I am now serving on the following
CommiteeS' namely. Judiciary, Ap
propriations, Senate Contingent Ex
penses, Claims and Public Buildings
and Grounds, and have been selected
as Party Whip. These assignments
and responsibilities have placed me
in a position to aid the very pro
gram that is so essential to good
Government and have enabled me to
work for Nebraska interests.
Your comments and suggestions
will ce helpful and welcome- Thus
mav T better serve you, our State
and Nation
Sincerely
KENNETH .9. WHERRY.
OBTAINS EXECUTIVE URBAN' LEAGUE PO»T- MISS E. FANNIE
GRANTON, 1943 graduate of the Atlanta University School of Social
Work, has just been apointed Executive Secretary of the Englewood,
New Jersey Urban League. Before entering the School of Social Work
Miss Granton was employed with the North Carolina FEJtA, the South
east Settlement House of Washington, DC., and with the District of
Columbia Community Center and Playground department. Since grad
uation she has worked as Assistant Executive Secretary of the Hester
Community House, Houston, Texas. Miss Granton is a native of Wash
ington, D., and a graduate of Shaw University.
TWO DISABLED NEGRO VETS TAKE LAW COURSE AFFECTING
DISCHARGED SERVICEMEN AT AMERICAN UNI- WASHINGTON,DC.
Two Negroes are included in the first class of 21 handlcaped veterans
of this war now taking a five-month course at American University, •
Washington, DC- designed to make them experts on laws afecting the
rights of discharged service men, particularly disabled veterans.
The two men are 1ST Lieut. George L. Holand, St. Paul, Minn., who
saw action with the 92nd Infantry Division and Tech. Sgt. Charles U.
J^LUom^ifi^of^A^lantaj^Ga^wh^served^n^jthe^South^^acific^^^^^^^^
Nat Towles
Bus Almost
Fire Gutted
Mr. Nat Towles- owner of the
Nat Towles Orchestra, reported that
he had a serious fire on the bus the
other night. The fire destroyed
many of the seats and berths there
in, and it was with srTmr difficulty
that they left the city a few nights
ago to meet a musical engagement
Mr- Towles was forced to furn ]
ish chairs for his musicians to sit on
and of course there were no berths
until Mr- Towles can remedy this
sad situation.
11,200 Nebraska Boys]
Will Be Needed
By Selective Service
- . — ft — . .
Urge Men 30 to 37 Year of Age to Get or Stay on
Essential Jobs or BE DRAFTED.
During the first six months of
this year, Nebraska selective service
will need approximately 11,200 men
to meet the general military service
dinuction requirements of the armed
forces, Brig. General Guy N- Hen
ninger, state director estimated this
week on the basis of present condi
tions.
It is expected, the general said*
that these inductees will come from
the following sources:
New 18-vear olds .2,10')
From farms, ages 18 thru 25 5,100
From Industry, business*
ages 2R-20 2000
Men, ages 30 thru 37 . . . 2,000
TOTAL 11,200
eneral Henninger gave the follow
ing explanations regarding these
manpower sources:
THE 18 YEAR OLDS—It is es
timated that 3-900 Nebraska youths i
who attain the age of 18 during the
first six months of 1945 will regis
ter with selective service. One out
of every three probably will be unfit
for service and therefore, will not
qualify for induction- This will
leave about 2-600 qualified for induc
tion but 500 of these may be unavail
able for induction until after July 1
The remaining 2,100 will be induct
ed .
THE FARMERS—As of January
I, 1945, there were 10-837 unexam
ined men, ages 18 through 25- de
ferred in Class II-C for farm work
in N’ebrasna- Because of the acute
need of the armed forces for young
men, Nebraska selective service has
been directed to review the farm de
ferment claims of young men. It is
believed that half of the 10-837 far
mers ages, 18 through 25, can be in
ducted with full regard for the tv cl
ings amendment
The Tydings amendment to the
Selective Service act does not give
the agricultural workers absolute
exemption from induction. Such ex
emption was never intended. When
he asked Congress to adopt his a
mendment. Senator Tydings said:
“All my amendment seeks to do is
to provide that whenever a person is
employed continuously in good faith
in the production of food, and tak
ing him off the farm would leave a
large sectoin of land uncultivated,
and there is no replacement, he shall
eb deferred upon these facts until a
replacement can be found."
Nebraska agricultural experts a
I gree that at the close of 1344. there
(Continued on Page ~W 4)
To Renew your 1945
Subscription.
HA-0800
Nat’l Service Act
“Slavery ’Says Naacp
----c
MARKS APPLICATION FOR
NRW BEDFORD HOME .
Mrs. Hattie Webb, of 1611 Maple
Street, Monday, made formal ap
plication for one of the new hom
es in the New Bedford Addition,
located between Wirt and Spencer
Strets, 30th and 27th.
“Morale Rises to New High When
Negro Army Band Gives Out."
Omaha Boy With Famous
Negro Band In France
S-SGT. ARCHIE L. BROWX. 262S Parker Street, Is a member this band.
A well known trombonist, Archie formerly played with Lloyd Hunter,
Benny Moten. Eletcher Henderson, and Count Basie's Orchestras before
entering the services of his country.
- I
SIXTH ARMY GROUP—Music
means morale, and when a Negro
United States Army military band
with the Continental Advance Sec
tion—supply organization of the
Sixth Army Group including the
Seventh Army in France—"gives
out” with martial music, classics or
swing, morale rises to a new high. .
The band, directed by Warrant
Officer Gerardo O. del Rio, has be
come famous in the various military
neremonies in whinh it has partic
ipated overseas and in a number of
concerts given for the benefit of Al
lied sivilian audiences- The organiz
ation is a continsation of the famous
9th Cavalry Band- which dates from
the activation of the old 9th Cavalry
Regiment in Arizona in 1866
After serving in the Indian wars
in the western United States the
9th Cavalry Regiment and its band
was stationed in various parts of
the country until the Spanish Amer
ican War when it served under Ted
dy Roosevelt in Cuba
During World War I it was sta
tioned in the Phillipines.
The presently designated 399th
Army Service Force Band got its
name upon the disbandment of the
A It (.'HIE L. BROWN
2nd Cavalry Division more than a
year ago. 1 he band came oversea -
in January, 1944, and served in At
rica and Italy before entering
France- Throughout its history the
band has won a number of prizes in
contests, including first place in that
of the Texas Centennial Celebration
at Dallas in 193(5.
J l*ROI l> Olr* ARCHIE are his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. W. E.
Krown, who reside at 2617 Charles Street.
$100 Contributed To
Wendell Willkie Bldg.
New York— A contribution of
$100 ha? been made toward the new
Wendell L. Willkie Memorial build
ing by the District of Columbia
branch NAACP. A campaign is
now in progress to raise an adequate
sum of money to purchase and main
tain a building honoring the late
Mr. Willkie which \v>U serve as na
tional headquarters for organizations
fighting causes in which Mr- Willk
:e was deeply interested. The na
tional headquarters of the NAACP,
which for IT years have been at 60
Fifth Avenue, will move into the
new building as soon as it is pur
chased and made ready for occup
ancy, perhaps in the late spring or
‘urnmer.
The Freehold, New Jersey, branch
if the NAACP was the first unit
in the country to contribute to this
building, sending in $25 three days
after the appeal was received
1 NEW YORK, NY.,—Despite President Roose
velt’s insistence upon a National Service act which
will draft all men and women in the country for the
war effort, the NAACP characterized this legisla
tion as “slavery” in a statement this week.
“Experience during the first World War demon
Jstrated clearly,” said the NAACP
j statement- “that any ‘work-or-fight'
| bill means that Negroes will be re
| stricted and ordered about on the
| basis of color, rather than on the
I country’s needs
I “Under this legislation- it is en
; tirely possible that local and state
| administrators will restrict Negro
I workers to certain types of employ
ment, will bar them from free move
ment to improve themselves and will
enforce all manner of onerous rul
es dictated solely by racial discrim
ination
“Colored citizens will remember
the memorandum of Attorney Gen
eral Francis Biddle in the summer
of 1943 following the Detroit riot.
Although he denied the memorand
um, it is fairly well established that
Mr. Biddle suggested to the Presid
ent that one remedy for the Detroit
situation was to keep any additional
Negroes from going to Detroit.
“This is merely a sample of what
would happen under a National Ser
vice act- Negro workers could be
barred from white collar employ
ment- Thty could be confined to
farm labor. They could be barred
from high-paying factory jobs and
restricted to hard, hot- heavy labor
such as foundry work- They could
be ordered to outdoor work in se
vere weather- There is no limit to
the ways in which Negro citizens
might eb mistreated under this type
of legislation. It would be little
better than slavery.”
Roy Wilkins, acting secretary of
the NAACP. said that the 800 local
chapters of the organization are be
ing advised by the national headquar
ters in New York to oppose this leg
islation and to write their congress
men and senators asking them to
vote against it- The NAACP has
400,000 members in 44 states
March of Dimes Provides i
Scholarships.
NURSES AND STUDENTS
AIDED
During the 1 ‘>44 epidemics, ti c
need for properly trained profession
al workers was acute and it might;
have been greater, but. in anticipa- I
(COVriMF,l» PAGE TWO*
HE WORKS - Thanks
to Your Dimes.
Lonnie May, linotypist, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, is a rehabili
tated polio victim. Through efforts of the Oklahoma County Chapter
of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, at Luther, Okla
homa, and the Oklahoma Commission for Crippled Children, he has
overcome complete involvement of lower limbs and mastered
a skilled trade. All expenses for treatment, maintenance, training
and travel of victim were borne by the Oklahoma County Chapter
through funds received in the March of Dimes in Celebration of the
President’s birthday.
V _
F.E.P.L. To Hold Hearings On Western Cartridge Company
A formal nearing on cgopuu'in
of racial discrimination ugainbt
the Western Cartridge Company of
East Alton, Illlinois, will be held
by the President’s Committee on
Fair Employment Practices on
January 31, it was announced to
day by Elmer W. Henderson, Re
gional Director in Chicago.
’Our Committee has received a
number of complaints that this
company refuses to employ quali
fied Negroes at its great ammunit
ion plant and we have attempted
iu ncBuuttic ix cimugt: policy^
without successful results,” Hen
derson said.
t The War Manpower Commis
sion has also attempted to change
this company’s practices but was
unable to and certified the case to
FEPC in November 1943. At this
time the company made a public
statement that it could not comply
due to the prevailing community
pattern in East Alton. This city
has no Negro residents and there
is an aleged sentiment among the
white citiens against them.
DEMOCRACY WORKS IN OMAHA
When a dog bites a man that
is no news but when a man bites
a dog that is news. When twelve
men have been chosen as jurors
in a law suit for $15,0000.00 and
eleven of those men are white and
one is colored and the eleven white
men vote to elect the one colored
man as their jury-foreman that is
what we call a real Democracy.
This all happened in the Honorable
Judge Arthur C. Thomsen’s Court.
GIVE TO THE MARCH OF HIMES PAR * I YSIS FIND TODAY!
O. P. A. CLOSES STORE
Carey’s Neighborhood Grocery
at 27th and Grant was closed early
this week for a period of four
days.
To Renrw Yoor Subscription
CALL HARNEY 0800
BOWLES DISCUSSES CLOTHING
APPAREL RROBLEMS
Decisions of O.P.A.
Need Public
Understanding
FROM THE OFFICE OF PRICE ADMINISTRATION
TO THE OMAHA GUIDE PUBLISHING COMPANY
DEAR MR. EDITOR.
A month ago when I wrote you about the new food rationing pro
gram, I said t hat we faced further problems in our difficult task of
Plopping inflation. I said at that time—and again repeat—that the de
cisions we have made may sound unpleasant to some. They urgently
require public understanding.
To meet one of the most serious of those problems, we are now about
to take a series of important steps. The problem is that of apparel
prices, quality, and supply.
Our actions will be greeted with enthusiam by millions of consum
ers. But they are bound to stir up some unfavorable comment—part of
it unknowingly wrong as to facts; and perhaps a small part of it know
ingly and iresponsibly departing from facts.
1 am anxious to share with you my point of view in the actions we
are taking. First lets look at the problem.
Briefly, it is this. We have managed to hold the cost of living with
in a one percent rise over the last 18 months. This in IN' SPITE OF an
increase in the cost of clothing of over lip ercent. Rents have been
held stable. Food prices have actually gone down in this period. That,
is the only reason we have come nenr holding the line. We cannot rely
on a continued downward trend of food prices.
Those w-ho have studied the problem agree that the alarming rise in
clothing shows no indication of abating. In fact, quite the reverse. The
rate of rise is accelerating. Unless we take firm action now, the entire
stabilization program will be in danger.
The principal reasons for the increase in Department of Labor index
of clothing prices are:
1. Shifting by manufacturers to higher price lines, and consequent
disappearance of lowcost clothing from the stores, forcing consumers
to buy more expensive goods. oFr example, whereas two years ago 70
percent of women's dresses sold HELOW *7.85, 70 percent now sell
ABOVE that price. i
2. Actual price increases.
3. Deterioration in quality of many garments, causing a further price
increase that cannot be measured.
While the average family income in the nation has increased consid
erably, there are millions of white collar workers and families with
fixed incomeswho have- little or no increased buying power. There are
the service mens families living on alllotments. The increased cost of
clothing is working a great hardship on these groups.
Im sure you will agree that with the rise in clothing prices, with
quality deteriorating rapidly, with low and medium priced apparel less
and less available, and with insufficient textiles to meet civilian demand
any program to remedy this situation cannot be mild. For two years
now we have tried mild measures. I am sure that the time has come
when we must act with courage—and with a full sense of our responsi
bilities to the public.
Acordingly, OPA and WPB in cons ultation with industry are about to
take action in a joint program that will tighten controls. Within the
next few months, the results of this program should be:
1. Within the limits of supply, textiles will be channelled into more
essentialand lower priced types of apparel.
2. Manufacturers will produce in the same average price lines in
which they were producing two years ago.
3. On the average, this clothing will be better quality for the price.
4. Most clothing will carry tags giving the OPA legal ceiling price.
5. Firmer control of p rices will be in efect at all levels including re
tail.
It is important to note that this program will NOT increase the total
supply of civilian clothing, but it will shift the emphasis from high pric
ed and nonessential garments to the essential and lower priced clothing.
Within a few months between 6 and 7 percent—perhaps more—will be
cut out of currently inflated clothing prices. Without this program
clothing prices might easily rise another 15 percent during 1945.
While inevitably the efect of this program will be to reduce> industry
profits somewhat, they will still be considerably higher than in peace
time, Consumers wil be saved at least 800 million dollars a year. A
brake will have been put on a dangerous inflationary trend.
I know that you have been aware of this serious situation for some
time.
Mr. J. A. Krug, hairman of the War Production Board, and I have
discussed this matter thoroughly. We are in complete accord. We join
in hoping that we can count on your assistance in explaining and in
terpreting this program to the public. These are undoubtedly string
ent measures. But I believe you will agree that none of us can, afford
tc temporize with such a critical war time problem.
Sincerely, CHESTER BOWLES, Administrator.
“SICKER BAIT” WAR FII.M TO BE SHOWN IN BRANDEIS STORE
Thrill-packed for its full 40-minute showing, the War Department’s
latest film, "Sucker Bait”, will be shown at the Downtown WAC Salon
in the Brandeis store on Saturday afternoon, January 27. Starring in
the film is Corporal Russell Gleason, of Hollywood, who will make
three personal appearances during the afternoon.
The purpose of the film on which the government spent thousands of
dolars is to graphically show how dangerous Is the practice of discuss
ing military information in public and within hearing of strangers. Re
leased this week for civilian consumption the picture Wall be shown in
Omaha for the first time in the midwest. Three screenings are sched
uled, at two, three, and four o’clock. Corporal Gleason will give a five
minute talk after each showing.
Highlights of the film are a gunfight between Nazi spies and FBI.
men; operation of a German spy class in Berlin; Nazi subs on the
prowl in the North Pacific; the sinking of a U. S. convoy, and variou*
t ther thrilling episodes. The showings are open to the public without
charge.
WE PREDICT.
The European War Will
Be Over Within 90 Days
The Omaha Guide predicts that the war will
be over within 90 days. The war Powers of Bee and
especially Russia have decided to go back to fighting,
of course England and America have had it in their
mind that they were going to win the war in the air
with airplanes and seemly when they went into the
air Germany went under the ground. They forgot
that everything must come down to earth to win its
Victory at one time or another. When we think of
the square mileage of Germany and the fact that
this whole Country can be set in the inside of the
State of Texas and when we think of bombs explod
ing and that they destroy everything within a radius
of 200 feet, we wonder sometimes if some of the
bombs that have been dropped haven’t exploded in
mid-air.
If it had not been for the fact that the three
Powers of Bee and again we say especially Russia
had not been jockeying for the control of the puppet
Government in certain areas in all possiblity this
war could and would have been over at least 90 days
ago.
When we think of 377 lives being blotted out
every second, we wonder where the hearts of men
really are when they purposely permit a war to be
.prolonged by jockeying for certain positions in the
| post-war world.
Let us hope that the Powers of Bee have finally
decided that they have got what they want and that
they will stop permitting the destruction of this
world’s youth and finish this war in the next 90 days
or shorter if it is humanly possible.
After reading the above, don’t get cocky for
the world war will not be over when the guns are
laid down in Europe if we are willing to judge the
future by the late past and the very late past. After
the European war is over we are going to see some
kind of a disagreement among the Allies and out of
this disagreement sad to say but the truth of it is that
Japan will be able to prolong the war in Asia. We
must remember when Japanese citizens can walk
to the cliffs three to five hundred feet in depth and
sling their children to death and slit their own throats
and fall back into the same pits before they will allow
themselves to be captured by the Allied Army. To
us this means one thing and that is the Allies have
| got four hundred million people in Asia to either
| kill or observe them committing suicide and that is
I not going to take a short time to finish the job. In
! all probability we will be fighting in Asia for the
Inext five years but let us hope not; let us hope that
The men that have control of the Destiny of this World
'in their hands through the Divine Guidance of our
- Redeemer will be able to gather around some kind of
i a Peace Table and bring an end to this world’s misery
Jand human slaughter.