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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1945)
★ ^ ^ ★ "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-of tice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of ~ , n i_ __ n ^ , __ __ __ March 8, 1874. Publishing offices at 2420 Grant street, Omaha. Nebr Saturday, February 3, 1945 Our 17th Year—No, 52 The Rev. Thomas S. Bowdern, S. J.,_ "HARVEY S. FIRESTONE Creighton Uni. Pres. Will Address Urban League GETS LIBERIAN AWARD At Annual Meeting “Urban Re-development and Com munity Planning” will be the subject of the talk by the Rev- Thomas S. Bowdern, S. J-, Creighton Univers ity President, at the 17th Annual Meeting of the Omaha Urban Lea gle Community Center, Tuesday, February 13. Because of Father Bowdern’s deep interest in post-wai urban pltnning and because of the study Creighton University is mak ing of this subject- he will have « special message for the citizens of this community Although the Omaha Urban Lea gue has been holding annual meet ings since 1928, the year of its or* igin. this will be the first dinner meeting for this occasion. It will be held at Zion Baptist Church, 2215 Grant Street, with dinner served at 6 :45 p. m Mrs. Doreene Holliday, Chairman of the Program Committee, in mak ing this announcement, wished to cal] attention to members and friends of the League that reservations for the dinner must be placed at the of fice, WE-5020, before noon Febr uary ^th in addition to a turkey dinner, those attending will have opportun ity tc enjoy special music and to par ticipate in the other events planned for the evening. New members to the Urban League Board of direct ors will be elected at this meeting. • Editorial Comments We have for the next week's is sue of the Omaha Guide a series of editorial comments from 25 daily newspapers throughout the country, gathered by the National Associat ion for the Advancement of Colored People, 69 Fifth Avenue, New York NY- These summaries of editorials concern Negroes from South Caro lina to Newr York and from New York to Frisco. They will be print ed in a series of eight installments. ■■ ' • -—_ ’ 1 Nebraska Power Co. Will Comply 100% with WPB “Brown-Out” Order The Nebraska Power Company will comply 100% with the recently released ‘brownout’ order, effective February 1, Mr- J. E. Davidson president, said today- He asked that all customers of the company make every effort to help this program, which is designed to relieve the crit ical fuel shortage. He further stat ed that everyone is asked to start the program voluntarily before Feb. ruary 1 Tht War Production Board’s an nouncement of the nation-wide ‘brownout’ order gives detailed in formation about the types of elec trie usage which will be prohibited Utilities Order U-9, the new restric tion, practically eliminates use of e lectricity for outdoor advertising and ornamental and display lighting, and it is estimated tat the order will save 2,000.000 tons of coal annually Under terms of the new WPB or der, effective February 1- no elec tricity may be used for the follow ing purposes: 1. Outdoor advertising and out doot promotional lighting. 2. Outdoor display lighting ex cept where necessary for the con duct of the business of outdoor est ablishments. 3 Outdoor decorative and out door ornamental lighting 4- Show window lighting except where necessary for interior ilium- j ination. 5- Marquee lighting in excess of 60 watts for each marquee 6. White way street lighting in excess of the amount determined by local public authority to be necessary for public safety. 7. Outdoor sign lighting, except for: (a) Directional or identification signs required for fire and police protection, traffic control, transpor tation terminals or hospitals: or dii - ectional or identification signs for any similar essential public services the lighting of which is specifically certified to be necessary by local public authority. Certification shall be made in writing to the appropr iate electric supplier and need not be in any particular form: (b) Directional or identification signs using not more than 60 watts per establishment, for doctors and for hotels, and other public lodging establishments As one of the penalties for non compliance, the new order- which is effective throughout the nation, pro vides that WPB may direct the dis continuance of electric service to any consumer who wilfully violates the order- This order was drafted by the Office of War Utilities of " after consultation with rep resentatives of te electric industry from all parts of the country. 5 White House release, the I resident stated that in view of the iact that residential dwellings are to be kept at a 68 degree temperature to conserve fuel, it was also essen To Renew vour 19-15 Subscription,. . tALL HA-0800 Consolidation of Negro’s Labor Gains Dependent upon Maintenance High-level Postwar Employm’nt 1940-44 Gains Made Rre In Areas In Which Post War Adjustment Will Be Severe Although the defense and wartime^ civilian employment of Negroes in creased by approximately 1,000,000 jobs between April 1940 and April 1944, the consolidation of the Ne gro's gains in the postwar period will be largely dependent upon the maintenance of a high level of post war employment, the Monthly La bor Review, official organ of the Unifed States Department of Labor, declares in its January 1945 issue Revealing that the employment of Negro men rose from 2,900,000 to 3 200,000 during the four year period and that the number of employed Negro women increased from 1,500 000 to 2,1000,000, the periodical points out that “the Negroes’s great est employment advances have beer, made in precisely those occupations industries and areas in which the postwar adjustment will be most severe.” The Review's summary on "Wa and Post-war Trends in Employ mem of Negroes,” prepared by Seymour L- Wolfbein, of the Occupational Outlook Division of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, states: "The 700,000 Negroes in the Army have their civilian counterpart in the more than five and a half million Negro workers in the United States. This civilian labor force has exper ienced marked changes in both its occupational and industrial attribut es, which are significant as indicat ors not only of wartime change but also of postwa. employment oppor tunities “Employment of Negroes in civil ian jobs increased by almost a mil lion between April 1940 and April 1944, the number of employed men rising from 2.9 to 3.2 million and the number of employed women from 1-5 to 2-1 million. The outstanding changes in Negro employment that, occurred during the 4 year period were a marked movement from the farms to the factories (particularly to those caking rlunitions of war), a substantial afoutit of upgrading for Negro workers, but little change in the proportions occupied in unskilled jobs. As the Negroes’ greatest em ployment advances have been made in precisely those occupations, indus tries and areas in which the postwar adjustment will be most severe, the extent to which these gains can be retained will be largely dependent upon the maintenance of a high level of postwar employment. 1 hese facts shown in the present article are based upon an analysis of data on the occupational and in dustrial distribution of employed \ Negroes for April 1940 (shown by the 16th Decennial Census.) as compared with April 1944 (shown by the Monthly Report on the Labor borce of the Bureau of the Census.) CHANGES IN OCCUPATIONAL DISTRIBUTION, 1940-19.',} "The proportion of the employed male Negro labor force on farm? declined form 47 percent in April 1940 to 28 percent in April 1944, oi by 13 points; the proportion in in dustry increased by the same amount The remainder of the major occupa tional groups showed changes ol not more than about 1 point betweei. 1940 and 1944. “The shift from the farm to the factory, therefore, is bv far the tial that outdoor advertising, and ornamental and display advertising ' be prohibited for the same reason. He added that he would insist upon the compliance of all government a gencies, including the White House. Mr- J. E. Davidson, in a letter to all commercial and industrial cus tomers of the Nebraska Power Com pany, explained the restrictions- and offered special information or as sistance in interpreting the ordet whenever needed. (most outstanding change that took place in the male Negro labor force during the war. Between 1940 and 1944, the number of Negroes em ployed as skilled craftsmen and fort men doubled, as did the number en gaged as “operatives,” i- e. perform ing the basic semiskilled factory op erations- Altogether, the number in both categories rose from about 500 000 to a total of about 1,000,000 dur ing the 4 years covering the Nation al Defense Program and the entr) of the United States into the war In contrast the number on farms, either as farm operators, or laborers decreased by about 300,000. In terms of the total numbers involved the other changes were small “The number of Negro men work ing as proprietors, managers, and officials increased 50 percent in the 4-year period, but in April 1944 still had not reached 75,000. “Slightly over 7 of every 10 em ployed Negro women were in some service activity in April 1940, and the great majority of these were domestic servants. After 4 years, the proportion in the services had decreased only slightly, although a significant internal shift had occurr ed. The proportion working as do mestic servants showed a marked in crease, while those engaged in the personal services, e. g. as beauticians cooks, waitresses, etc-, showed a cor responding increase- It is interesting to note, in this connection, that the actual number of Negro domestics showed a slight increase between 1940 and 1944 (about 50,000), but it was not enough to counterbalance the decline of 400,000 among white domestic servants “Asa mong the men, the most pro nounced occupational shift among Negro women was the shift from the farm to the factory. In April 1940. 16 percent of the entire female Ne gro labor force was on farms; 4 years later, that propotion had been halved- The total number of Ne gro women employed had increased by about a third; the number em ployed on farms had decreased by a bout 30 percent. On the other hand Negro women employed as crafts men asd foremen and as factory op eratives almost quadrupled during the same period. “No significant changes occurred in any of the other major occupa tional groups. Percentage increases were large; the number of Negro women working as proprietors, man agers, of officials tripled, those work ing as saleswomen almost doubled, and those engaged as clerical work ers rose to a number five times a great as in April 1940. The actual numbers involved were very small, however, and made little difference in the occupational distribution of the employed Negro women. NEGROES' POSITION IN TOTAL LABOR FORCE. 1940 and 19U “It is evident from the foregoing that Negro workers have experienc ed a considerable amount of upgrad ing: by April 1944 both men and women were engaged in skilled and sem:skilled factory operations which few had performed before the war Nevertheless, a considerable propor tion of the Negro labor force was still engaged in unskilled occupations and service activities- Thus. 1 in ev ery ■> Negro men was working as an unskilled laborer in April 1940: af ter 4 years, the proportion engaged in that activity remained the same. The same situation was found in practically every other major occup ational group. "The employment distribution of Negro women followed the same pat tern. Despite their large increases, already noted, in clerical position and as saleswomen, the total in thess occupational groups numbered les I *an 100,000 in April 1944, as com DECLARE PILGRIM BAPTIST’ PULPIT VACANT By order of the Chairman of the Pilgrim Baptist, Church, effective, January 31, 1945, the pulpit of the church was declared vacant. This all came about at a recent meeting when a motion was made that the pulpit be declared vacant. The motion was carried by a majority vote. READY OX THE FIRING LINE—Soldiers of a field artillery battalion in Germany swap palaver in their dug-out wTiile they await firing orders. Medic on duty with them (wearing red cross on helmet) Is Pvt. Veer land Thompson, Newport, Virginia. Others are left, to right: Pvt. Lester Rutland, Sylvester, Georgia, Cpl. Robert Jones .Longbranch, Texas; Pfc. Lafayette Owens, Anniston, Alabama; Cpl. Ellis W. McNeal, Eufau !a, Oklahoma; Pfc. James P. Laney, Beaumont, Texas and Pvt. Lloyd E. Arrington, Chicago, Illinois. U. S. Signal Corps Photo from Bureau of Public Relations. ._&.e ^4s Aazi Shells Rained on Bastogne Negro Artillerymen Stuck To Their Guns pared with a total of more than j V2 million white women in the same occupations in that month. Further -more, comparatively little gain was made by the Negro women in such other fields as professional and semi professional endeavors and in the proporietary and managerial groups "After 4 years of wartime change over 98 percent of the clerical and sales force in the country is still white, while about 95 percent of the professional, proprietary, and man agerial group also remain white. On the other hand, the proportion of the unskilled jobs filled i>y Negroes is larger than it was. For example, the total numebr of male laborers, (outside of agriculture) decreased but there was a slight increase in the number of Negroes in such jobs. The same sort of development oc curred among female domestic ser vants- The greatest gain in employ ment opportunity has come from ths opening up up of jobs to Negroes as semiskilled and skilled workers, principally in factories CHANGES IN INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION, 1!)',() to I!)',) "The changes in the industrial distribution of the employed Negro es between April 1940 and April 1944 reveal again the shift from the farn. to the factory, showing a marked de cline in the proportion engaged in agriculture and a corresponding in crease in the proportion in manufact uring. The gains in factory em ployment. however, have occurred in the munitions industries. Thus the most important fact disclosed the concentration of the increase of Negro factory workers in the “met ais, chemicals, and rubber” group— the so-called war-industry category which includes the basic heavy in dustries such as iron and steel antt machinery, as well as transportation equipment (including aircraft and shipbuilding). The actual numbei of Negro men in this group increas ed by well over a quarter of a mil lion between 3940 and 1944, tripl ing in 4 years. “Essentially the same pattern of war-time change in industrial dis tribution occurred among the Negri women. The data show a similat trend from farm to factory, a!th< the decline in service activities and the increase in employment in trade is particularly marked among the women. Here again, by far th? most important change in employ ment in the manufacturing field wa> j also in the “metals, chemicals, and rubber” group. Fewer than 3.000 c Negro women were employed in this | group in April 1940; 4 years later j 50 times as many were so employed, j "One other field of employment ! which deserves special mention is government service- Negroes in pub lie employment in April 1944 num bered about 200-000 in contrast to fewer than 60,000 in the same month in 1940 NEGROES' POST-WAR EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS "With reference to the post-war job prospects of the Negro worker, ; it may be noted, on the basis of a ' comparison of the 1940 and 1944 fig- j ures on the occupational and indus- , trial distribution of the Negro labor j force, that (1) the Negro has made | his greatest employment gains n- i those occupations (especially semi skilled factory jobs) which will suf fer the severest cutbacks during the postwar period, (2) further, he has made hi biggest advances in thosi industries (especially the “metals, chemicals and rubber" group) which will experience the greatest postwai declines. In addition, it should be pointed out that the Negro gains have taken place in congested production areas where considerable readjustment of the labor force will be necessary. In general’ the Negro has been able to get his war job in areas where a substantial proportion of the labot force was also engaged in war work information for four major congest' ed production areas (Mobile’ Charl eston. Detroit, and Willow Run, and Hampton Roads) shows that among the more than half a million in-mi grants, about 1 in every 4 was a Ne iji-w ‘asjnoo jo ‘sapp asaqj_ -oj3 . tun} joqe[ ajqe-iapisuoa aauauadxa over in the immediate postwar per iod. "Finally, it should be noted that in those occupations and industries in which the Negro has made his great est employment advances, he was generally among the last to be hir ed. Therefor under seniority rules lie is more likely to be laid off that, the average worker in these occupa I tions. "The war has given many Negroes their first opportusity to demonstrate ability to perform basic factory op erations in a semiskilled and skilled capacity. The consolidation of the Negro's gains in the postwar period (and this is true, of course, for a sizable proportion of other worker* as well) is dependent in large mea* ure upon the volume of employment 1 that then prevails ” BROKEN BOW NEBRASKA MAJOR IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS. WITH U. S- FORCES I N FRANCE—So close to German in fantry that mortar bombs fell on them “like rain,” men of the 969th Field Artillery Battalion, a Negro 155-mm howitzer outfit- stuck to their guns and fired all around the compass during the defense of en circled Bastogne The battalion, which landed in France last July- was attached to the 28th Infantry Division at the titm of the German attack On the morning of December 17, I the battalion was informed by its forward observor that the Germans were moving in to attack. There was heavy- artillery fire- “Then", said Captain William J- Wood. Communications Officer, of Wichi ta Falls- Texas, “our communication* w-eip' put. j^rry artillery knocked out damn near-all communications in the whole sector. He seemed to know the location of every switch board” Unaware of the situation, the bat talion moved back toward LaRoche where it was attached to an artillery group and ordered toward Neufcbat- . eau. Enemy tanks and infantry at tacked from the east and south Twice the battalion went into firing position to repel threats to the col umn Mortar file and enemy artillery grew heavy. Other battalions in the artillery were knocked out- Under dioreclion of the 101 st Airborne Div ision, the 969th moved to Villeroux, w-here it set up its guns- Enemy tanks and infantry approached. With the help of a few scattered tanks and a handful of infantry, the 969th made Jerry keep his distance. At one time the enemy was so close that the battalion commander ordered all classified material des troyed Enemy mortar fire grew even more intense. Small arms fire rain ed on the gun positions- Individual exploits were many. The battalion medics evacuated both German and American wounded undei enemy (Continued on Page THANK OMAHA POLICE FOR HKTI'RN OK STOLEN POCKET HOOK LAST DEC. .10 (by J. E. Smith) Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Porter of 2013 | Vorth 23rd Street wish to thank I the Omaha Police for the quick ser | vice which was given in the find ing of the pocketbook and con taining important papers of their njece Mrs. Leona Porter King of Kansas City. Mo., who was held up jid rohed on Saturday night, Dec. '30, 1944. NEW YORK, Jan. 23—For in valuable service to the Republic of Liberia. Harvey S- Firestone. Jr., President of The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, has been awarded the degree of Commander of the Order of the Star of Africa, Walter F. Walker, Consul General of the Republic, announced. The citation, conferred by President W. V. S. Tubman of Liberia acting in his capacity as Grand Master of the Order, is the highest presented by the Re public. Membership in the order is limited to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in the fields of public service, science, politics, art or literature. Only a very few persons from countries other than Liberia re ceive this high honor and those selected from outside the Repub lic must have won world-wide recognition in one of the fields for which the decoration is given. President Tubman notified Mr. Firestone that the award was being made as “an indication of my personal esteem and gratitude of the government and people of the Republic of Liberia for the invaluable assistance rendered in the economic and social develop ment of the Republic by the es tablishment and progressive ex pansion of your company in Li beria”. The Firestone rubber planta tions were started in Liberia in 1925 when the late Harvey S. Firestone, founder of the Fire stone Company, began his crusade for Americans to produce their own rubber”. • Foreseeing just such a situation as occurred when the Japanese cut off the major portion of the natural rubber supply, Mr. Fire stone sent Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., to survey the rubber produc - Outstanding Contributor Mr. Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., President, of The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio. ing countries of the world to de termine where Americans could best grow their own rubber. Li beria was selected after the most careful consideration and now has become the largest producer of rubber in Africa. Since Pearl Harbor th'e Firestone plantations, where 51,000 acres of trees are in production and about 30,000 additional acres are being developed, have become one of the principal sources of natural rubber for the United Nations. The plantations produced 36 COO, 000 pounds of rubber in 1944 and the figure is expected to go high er in the future. " AEmtASKA BOYS HELP BATTALION WIN THIItll BATTLE STAR _ Twv boys. Corporal John H. Bowen, 3528 North 29th St., Omaha, and Private First-class Sanford W. Hern, Nebraska City, are among the members of the Sixth Army sroup in France, who have won their Third Battle Star for participation in as many major campaigns. Their group is the 385th Engineer battalion of the Continental Advance Section, sup ply organization for the Sixth Army Group and the 7th Army In France. Hats Off Omaha Citizens To A... Group of Race Men Sponsoring Carver Bldg. & Loan Assn. Omaha citizens wish to congratu late the distinguished gentlemen for being the first in the history of Ne braska to organize a much needed financial institution. The officers of this organization are in hopes of conducting its affairs so that it will be acceptable to every man, woman and child in the mid city section as a place to start their savings accounts, and thereby build ing a financial institution which knows and can best serve the district wherein we live. All Omaha’ in fact- everybody, is wishing the Carver Building and Loan Association a successful career in their efforts being put forth to serve a group of people who have never been acceptable to any Build ing and Loan Association in Omaha as a borrower, as any other citizen. Negroes today have $176,000 in fin ancial institutions in Omaha, which is being used to give employment, to build homes, buy homes and to fin ance business in every section in the city except the Negro section. Col i lectively, you can put it in, but in dividually you cannot get it out where it will give the service that it is giving to others. Yet it belongs to you. This Carver Building and Loan Association has been granted a char ter to do business under the laws of Nebraska, clearing through the bank i mg department in the capital of out | state- It will be under the super vision and subject to check and bal ance by the State Banking Depart ment. Every officer will be a man of experience and proven community pride, and under a bond according to their respective responsibilities in the capacity in which they are ex pected to serve. So your savings for your future anticipations from $1.00 to $5,000 for the education of that boy or girl, for a savings for your old age or the security of the things that makes life worth while, and that is a home to live in, can be started by opening a savings account from $1.00 to $5,000. Start yout savings account today. WHERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CARVER BLDG. AND LOAN ASSOCIATION We, The Omaha Guide, have had many inquiries from our readers a bout who to see and get in contact with about the Carver Building and Loan Association. Attorney Charles F. Davis, who was elected secretary and treasurer of this organization, is officially in his office at 2420 Lake street from 7 to 9 pm. each evening except Sunday, or can be called at WE-4189. Mr. Davis will be glad to hold an interview with anyone wishing to know more about the Carver Building & Loan Associa lion Fighting, Fighting, iYes, Hard Fighting By Beginners Who Want q to Go Places Pvt. James Simms of the Har vard Army Air Field will be one of the Negro favorites in the Midwest Golden Gloves tourna ment at the City Auditorium Wed nesday and Thursday of next week. A former lightweight champion of the Keesler Field, Miss., army base, Pvt. Simms has won nine out of ten fights in a brief amateur boxing career. The air mechanic from Savan nah, Ga., worked as a sparring partner for Bob Montgomery when the latter was preparing for his title bout against Beau Jack last summer. The Boys Town team, coached by Paul Hartnek, also will be led by a Negro, Middleweight Kenny Morris. In this same class will be James Watson .younger brother of Larry, who has been going strong as a pro boxer since winning the Omaha light heavy Golden Gloves title last year and progressing to the semifinals at Chicago. Watson will represent the Lo gan Recreation Club, along with Flyweight Joseph Taylor, Welter Charles Grimes, and Middleweight I I ~ ~“—— Emil Jordan. There will be about H5 bouts each night, February 7th and 8th, in the City Auditorium ring, with the eight class champions being the Midwest representatives in the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions the last week in February. BOY SCOUTS TO OBSERVE 35TH ANNIVERSARY FEB. K-14 The 35th Anniversary of the Roy Scouts of America will be ob served the week of February 8th to 14th. HWDOPH SAYS NEGROES RALLYING TO FEPC Columbus, Ohio—In a large and enthusiastic public meeting in De troit and Indianapolis, A. Philip Randolph, Co-Chairman of the Na tional Council for a Permanent FE PC., stated that no question has conte before the Congress affecting Negroes since the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitu tion which is as fundamental, vit al and important as the LaFoll ette-Dawson Bill in the House and the Wagner-Capper Bill in the Sen ate to make the Fair Employment Practice Committee a permanent post-war agency. Local muneils have been established in Detroit and Indianapolis and are mobiliz ing public sentiment and raisin^ funds for the fight for the Dills In Detroit, the Rev. Mr. Horace White was chosen as the coordinat ing Co-Chairman and in Indiana polis, the Rev. Audies.