3-agj POUTICALBATTLES
/JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEW TO THE LINE \
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY _ PHONE HA.0800
2420 GRANT ST
■jp "Cv ^p -O- -jp "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• •^p ^ -jp
Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-of lice. Omaha, Nebr., Under An of
March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha. Nebr Saturday. February io, i#45 OUR 18th year—No. i
aEOOCECSEEDQ
■THE LIVING =
\ SOUTH :
0 (BY HAllOLD PREECE)
(Copyright, 1945, by New South
Features)
(New South Features, Box 3035
South Austin Station, Austin, Tex.)
CRAWFISHING
and the FEPC
Brothers, did you ever
watch a demed fool craw
fish bite into a piece of
MR. HAROLD PR EEC®
rod flannel on a pinhook?
You’d think from the
way that Old Daddy
Crawfish went after that
red raff that he was con
necting with a porterhouse steak:
Bnt nobody got fooled except the
crawfish—and he got caught.
Well, some of these old landlord
lawyers and some of these planto
crat politcoes down here in Dixie
think that Negroes and poor white
folks have got no more sense than
an old crawfish denned up in a mud
hole. Maybe, they think they can
fool us into believing that a rag is
a steak and that a rag will taste
mighty good alter a hundred years
of chawing on fatback
They are dumb enough, in these
tese days when the forces of pro
gress marshal from Virginia to Tex
as, to believe that we’ll swallow
something that they call a “right to
work amendment" as a substitute for
a permanent Fair Employment Prac
tices Committee- Yes sir. they’ve
had us down in a mudole tor a hun
dred years and they intend to keep
us down in that mudhole by keeping
the whites living in the mud mad at
the Negroes living in the mud and
vice versa.
\\ ell, brothers- it s time that the
South came up out o i the mudhole.
It’s time that we wiped the mud out
of our eyes and off our souls to
stand behind not only the FEPC but
the progressive labor unions and the
progressive business men who know
that FEPC means a democracy of
jobs here in Dixie
For there can be no democracy of
color in Dixie without a democracy
of jobs. Pappy O’Daniel’s Christ
ian American storm troopers know
that, too, and it is for that reason
tey are trying to coke the FEPC by j
giving us a “right to work amend- >
ment”, which has formed the basis
of anti-labor legislation in 11 dif
ferent states, which was adopted as
a constitutional amendment in Ark
ansas, and Florida, last winter- and
which is now pending in the legisla
tures of Texas and Georgia
Now- the main purpose of the
right to work amendment is to keep
the South and America m the mud
hole by outlawing the closed shop
and tereby forcing everybody, return
mg veterans included to work for
tour bits a day. Before the coming
of the CIO, which declares that a
worker is a worker before he is a
Negro or a Caucasian, Negroes hat
ed and feared the colsed shop be
cause the sign on the door read ‘Fo.
Whites only’. But that was yester
day and the South must look with
America toward tomororw.
Not long ago. I talked for mor
than an hour with Vance Muse, O’
Daniel’s sub-feuhrer of the Christ
ian Americans at his office in Hous
ton. You will remember Vance
Muse as the man who tried to whip
PAC INTENSIFIES
PREPARATIONS
FO/S C NtRESS,
LOCAL ELECT’NS
I CIO Political Action work will be
intensified in preparation for local
I elections this year and for Congress
ional Elections in 1945, CIO Presi- 1
dent Philip Murray said in a circular
to all CIO affiliates.
Murray wrote that the return of
PAC Chairman Sidney Hillman and
other CIO-PAC leaders from the
London V\ orld Labor Congress
which they are now attending would
mark a renewal of “the work of pol
itical education an political action
of the CIO”
“In the meantime, it is essential
that all local unions be advise to
continue their committees which
functioned during the recent nation
al election campaign and where they
do not now exist to establish them,”
lie said
"These committees, together with
the state and city councils, must or
ganize at once to exert their full in
fluence in the important olcal elect
ions which will take place this year
as well as to prepare for effective
participation in the Congressional e
lections of 1946.”
i Text of President Murray's let
ter to CIO affiliates follows:
TO ALL: National and Internation
al Unions, State and Local Indus
trial Union Councils, and Region
al Directors.
I>ear Sir and Brother: —'
At the national convention of the
CIO. held in Chicago in November
of last year, a resolution) was un
animously adopted directing the
continuation of the CIO Political
Action Committee.
The immediate political tasks of
the CIO were set forth in the reso
lution to be:
(a) To maintain and to stimul
ate the activities of existing polit
ical action committees established
in state and city industrial union
councils and local unions and to
establish such bodies where thev
are not now organized.
(b) To maintain, extend, and ,
stimulate the activity of commun
ity organizations formed under the
leadership or with the participat
ion of the CIO.
(c) To promote united action in
the political field in collaboration
with other organizations of labor,
progressive groups, and forward
looking leaders of the two major
political parties.
(d) To continue and ir.tensify
the work of securing the fullest
possible exercise of the right of
franchise by organization for a
maximum registration and vote.
(e) To carry on the work of pol
itical action through the publicat
ion and distribution of pamphlets,
servicing the labor press, the use of
the radio, and all other apropriate
means.
(f) To prepare the ground work
for effective participation in im
portant local elections of 1945 and
in local, state, and national elec
tions in 1946.
Since our national convention
Chairman Hillman of the CIO Pol
itical Action Committee has partic
ipated at my request in a prepar
up civil war in Dixie by helping
Georgia Gene Talmadge circulate
those pictures of Mrs- Roosevelt
posed with Negroes back in 1036.
'The right to work amendment
does not impose color discrimination'
Muse rumbled from beneath his six
foot four inches of beef and brawn.
“Maybe, we can persuade the coun
try to accept it as a substitute for the
FEPC-"
MR. RICE OX
THE SPOT
“A Houston Negro. C- W. Rice,
publisher of the Negro Labor News
here, went to the Republican Nation
al Committee meeting last year and:
almost sold them on the idea of the
right to work amendment as a plat- i
form plank in place of the perman
ent FEPC."
I have no way of checking on Mr
Muse's statement about the willing
ness of some Republicans to accept
a piece of legislation written in the
spirit o fthe infamous Black Codes
enacted by the planters after the
Civil War to hold freedmen in bond
age. But there are ways of check
ing on the shady Mr- Muse and his
camp follower who plays around
with Uncle Tom company unions in
Texas. Mr- Rice.
I commend both gentlemen to the
attention of the Department of Jus
tice and of the House labor commit
tee. headed by Congresswoman Mary
Norton, now considering permanent
FEPC legislation
Here in America, we are going to
have to mobilize all our strength fot
•he FEPC at the same time that we
mobilize all our strength against the
“right to work amendment” sponsor
'd by that mudhole axis of Pappy
^'Daniel, Vance Muse, and C. JV.
Rice
Naacp. Sees GOP
Double-Cross in
Taft Move on Fepc.
Sen. Taft “Tells Off” 1
Ohio Delegation
SEX. TAFT OF OHIO
DOUBLE-CROSSES
THE NEGRO AGAIN!
RENEGADES ON STAND
FOR FEPC BILL
WASHINGTON—Senator Robert
A. Taft, (R. of Ohio) told a delega
tion of civic, political, church and
labor leaders from his state last
Friday that he opposed a permanent
FEPC based on voluntary methods.
Expresing surprise and disagree
greement the delegation said that
thev felt they had every reason to
believe, in light of the Republican
party platform of last year, that
they would have Sen. Tafts support
for a permanent FEPC with suffic
ient authority to be effective.
They pointed out that Republican
in the House have obviously inter
preted the Republican party plat
form pledge to mean support for
the bill pending in the House and
Senate at the time that pledge was
written.
Congressman Vorys and Bender
also of Ohio, and a number of Re
publicans from other states have
become sponsors or the bill in the
House,, companion bill to the one
sponsored in the Senate by three
Republicans and four Democrats.
The delegation indicated to Sen.
Taft that they consider it imperat
ive that a permanent FEPC have
enfordement powers in order to
cope with the present manpower
shortages and post-war employ
ment problems.
Sen Taft has a«reed to confer
further with representatives of the
delegation at such time as it is
convenient for them to discuss fur
ther the differences between his
present position and that of the
delegation.
In the delegation were Council
man Jesse Locker, Cincinnati; Har
old Gassaway and Williajn 0. Wal
ker, Cleveland: Charles Francis and
Mrs. Marian Smith-Williams. Day
ton.
atory meeting relating to and, to
gether with the other members of
the Committee, is currently part
icipating in the World Labor Con
ference in London. This has pre
vented Chairman Hillman and the
CIO Political Action Committee
from devoting their full attention
and energy to the political prob
lems outlined at our national con
vention.
However, as soon as Mr. Hillman
and the members of the Political
Action Committee who are also at
tending the World Labor Confer
ence return to this country. the
work of political education and
political action of the CIO will be
intensified.
In the meantime, it is essential
that all local unions be advised to
continue their committees which
functioned during the recent nat
ional election campaign and where
they do not now exist to establish
them. These committees, together
with the state and city councils,
must organize at onie to exert their
full influence in the important lo
cal elections which will take place
this year as well as to prepare for
effective participation in the Con
gressional elections of 1946
They must organize more firmly
and work even more effectively
than in the past in irder that we
may be in a position to achieve the
goals which we. together with all
progressive Americans, are dedic
ated: winning the speediest possible
\ ietorv in the war, the establish
ment of enduring peace, the plan
ning of a domestic economy which
will yield full production, full em
ployment and real security for the
American people, the strengthen
ing of the basis of our democracy
to assure full political and civil
equality and equal economy and
cultural opportunities for all men
and women of every race, creed and
color.
Sincerely yours,
PHILIP SI CRH A V.
President.
Legislators Honor
Lincoln’s Birthday
WITH SPECIAL PROGRAM
FEB. 12, 1945 II* A. M.
Tribute was paid to Abraham
Lincoln by members of the legislat
ure Monday as his birthdate was
observed with a memorial service
presented by some talented colored
people from Omaha and Lincoln.
"Not only did Lincoln free the
slaves—but he ushered in a great
new economy", asserted H. J. Pin
kett, Omaha attorney. “Before the
emancipation of the staves we sub
sisted on an agricultural economy
—after that action we developed as
a free industrial nation, a free lab
or nation and a free agricultural
nation."
Mrs. Opal Ray Moss. Lincoln, who
was accompanied by Mrs. Izetta
Malone. Lincoln, sang “Star Spangl
ed Banner", “God Bless America",
and “My Buddy”.
Prayer was given by Rev. O. J.
Burckhardt, of Lincoln and Rev.
Trago McWilliams, Sr., of Omaha,
delivered Lincoln's “Gettysburg
Address”.
---
Joseph D. Patton Dies
Mr,. Joseph D.. Patton, 64 years,
1204H North 24th street, died last
Thursday at a local hospital after
an extended illness.. Me,. Patton
had been a resident of this comm
unity 24 years.. His wife, the for
mer Lillie Belle Landham preceded
him in death having passed a num
ber of years ago.
The Rosary was recited Monday
evening at The Thomas Funeral
Home, 2022 Rake Street.. Funeral
services were held at 8. 15 Tuesday
morning. from St,. Benedict-S Cath
olic Church with burial at Saint
Mary.’s cemetery.
Prominent
Omaha
Churchman
TO OBSERVE
ANNIVERSARY
THE REV. O. A. ASKERXEESE.
PASTOR OF CHRIST TEMPLE
COMMEMORATES .1RI) YEAR
HERE. FEB. IS THRU FEB. 25
—
(HI REX'. TRAGO MrWILI.IAMS,
SR.. REPORTER I
Next week the Rev., u.. A., Ask
erneese, pastor ol Christ Temple 1
Church of Christ (Holiness) USA-, I
is observing his Third Anniversary
and most successful year of his ad
ministration in Omaha,. Aside the
many additions in membership and
the freeing of the Church from all
Indebtedness, there have been many
improvements on the Church prop
er}' and a very ambitious program
lies ahead for 1945,.
Following is the program for the
week.:
DEACONS A DEACONESSES
Sundav Afternoon. Feb.. IS. 1945
Bro.. W.. M,. Stallw-orth, Chairman
Sister Inez Stallworth, Chairman,.
3.:30 pm.. Devotional and Congre
gational Singing,.
3.:45 pm.. Opening Talk Brother
William Stallworth,.
Talk Sister Anna Colquitt
Message Rev.. Wade, Choir and
Congregation, Salem Bapt Church ^
Monday Night. February 19tb
Till STEES AND MEN ’S Cl.I K
Rev. Trago McWilliams
Brother W, Shearron. President
7. :30 Devotional and Congregat
ional Singing.
8. :00 Talk by Rev,. McWilliams
Solo Sister Manley
Message.: Rev. Wm. Clayton. Choir
and Congregation, Mt.. Olive Bap
tist Church..
Colllection, Announcements, Ben
ediction,.
Tnewday Night. February 20th
PASTOR’S AID. I SUER ROtHII
Sister Ruth Hersey, President.
Sister Edna Taylor. President.
7. :30 Devotional and Congrega
tional Singing.,
8. :00 Talk. Sister Ruth Hersey
Solo «rrs. Robinson
Mesage: Rev. E. D. Johnson. Choir
and Congregation, St. John Bap
tist Church.
Collection, Announcements, Ben
ediction.
Wednesday Night. February- 21
SENIOR A Jt'NIOH CHOIRS
Sister Hattie Manley, President
sister M. West, President.
7:30 Devotional ana Congregation
al Singing.
8:00 Talk Sister Dollie McCrae
Selection Junior Choir
; Selection Rev. and Mrs. Peterson
Sermon, Rev. D. tS. Clair, Congre
gation. Mt. Moriah Baptist Ch.
Collecetion. Announcements and j
Benediction.
Thursday Meht. eFbruary 22nd
( WWW. No. 1
Sister Inez Stallworth. President, j
7:30.Devotional and Congrega-!
lion Singing. ;
3:00 Talk Sister B Shearron •
I Solo . Sister West
Sermon. Rev. M. C. Williams, Choir
and Congregation, Bethel Bapt.
Church.
■ Frida> Night. eFhrunn 22rd
NFNDAY SCHOOL A HYPI .
Sister Hattie Manley. Supt.
i Albert Westley. President.
7 30 Devotional and Congregat-1
ion Singing
3:00 Talk Sister Hattie Manley!
Selection Miss Dorothea Schumann
! "ending Miss Elavne Hogan
Se-mon. Rev. C. C. Revnolds. Choir
i Congregation, Clair Chapel ME.
| Church.
Collection. Announcements, and
Benediction.
Se-idnv Afternoon. February 2.3th
CWWW. No. 2
Sister Jeanette Seals. President.
3:30 pm. Devotional and Congre-1
gation Singing.
3:45 pm. Talk Sis Jeanette Seals
: Solo Sister Hattie Manlev
Sermon. Rev. F. C. Williams. Chair
Congregation, Zion Baptist Ch.
, Collection.
I Presentation of Gifts Rev. J. B.
5 NEW YORK—In a letter Feb. 7
; to Herbert E. Brownell, Jr-, Chair
man, Republican National Commit
. tee- the NAACP charged that Negro
j voters had been given the well known
j double cross by Republicans and
Senator Taft s refusal to support a
bill for FEPC with teeth in it- The
letter stated that not only did the
GOP not intend to support an FEPC
bill, but it intended also to sabotage
and defeat any legislation attacking
the problem of discrimination in em
ployment.
Making the NAACPs stand clear
on Senator Taft's move to betray
GOP promises made at the national
conversion last summer, \ Acting
Secretary Rov Wilkins told Brown
ell, "Our attitude is that until the
Republican party chiefs and congres
sional eladers repudiate the policies
national and local, must bear the re
sponsibility for this about-face in
the minds of millions of Negro vot
ters.”
In a letter also to Taft, pointing
out the trick in the Senator's recent
maneuver to set up an investigating
commission with no compulsory pow
ers, the N’AACP said, "You cannot
help but realize this proopsal of
yours for a commission to investi
gate and find out whether there is
discrimination and its extent, is a
move that deceives no one- What
is needed is action to correct the dis
criminatory practices known to ex
ist.
“We are convinced that your pro
posal will be denounced by everyone
sincerely interested in this question
as a political trick unworthy of a
senator and party leader of your
prominence
“As for this Association- our ad
vice to our members over the coun
try and to other citizens, is that un
til your action is repudiated by the
Republican party and its congress
ional leaders, the party must be held
responsible, and must be viewed as
being opposed to any effective meas
ures to guarantee Negro Americans
a chance at employment without dis- '
crimination. For- aside from stat- i
ing vour views, the plain purpose of
the bill you have introduced is to
divide and alienate support for the
effective legisltion (SlOl) now be
fore the Senate-’
Booker T’s Son Dies
The death of Booker T. Washing
ton- Jr., son of the late educator and
founder of Tuskegee Institute wa-~
announced by officials there this
week. He died of a heart attack
and funeral services were held ai
Tuskegee._
Tlrooks. President of the Interde
nominational Minister s Alliance
of Omaha and Council Bluffs.
Announcements—Benediction.
Mlt«. ROOSEVELT TO
SPEAK AX BENNEXT
Greensboro, North Carolina Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt, Col. Campbe.l
Johnson, assistant to the director
of selective service, and Miss Ka
therine Lenroot. director of the
Childrens bureau, Washington. D.
c„ headline the speakers as Ben
net College continues its eighteen
year tradition of annually drama
tizing the importance of home and i
family relations in its Home-Mak
ing Institute. The event opens on
•Sunday. March ISth when Miss
Lenroot will speak. Mrs. Roose
velt will be heard Tuesday night.
March 20th. and col Camobell
Johnson appears Thursday, March
23 rd.
! CHAPTER 11. OES.
! ELECT OFFICERS
The officer? of Princes? Oziel
Chapter Number 11, The Order of
the O,- E„ S,„ has been elected fo
rhe ensuinp year.: Louise Giles, W,
M„: Floyd Buckner, W. P.,: Louise
Adams, A,. JL.: Rev.. Charles Far
ris. A.. P..: Mable Bonner. Sec.'y: ,
Ada Woodson, Asst,. Sec_'y; Lyda
1 Wilson, Treas,.
_
5c WORTH
OF GOOD
I .READING....
THE OMAHA
! GUIDE I
FLORENCE MYERS DOES IT AGAIN...
Omaha Girl Marries Army Captain
JOINED IN HOLY WEDLOCK—Capt. Homer L. Starks, Commanding officer
of one of the training squadrons at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, was recently
married to Miss Florence Myers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Myers of this
city, in the Post Chapel. The ceremony was officiated by Chaplain Raymond
F. Harvey of Tuskegee Institute. The couple and their guests are pictured lis
tening to the Chaplain read the marital vow. Shown from left to right are:—
Chaplain Harvey, Mr. Sylvester Reeder of Washington, D. C„ Capt. Starks of
Portsmouth, Ohio, Miss Myers, and Miss Willie Mae Morgan of Montgom
ery, Alabama.
(Official T' S AAF Photo hv AAF Training Command
MRS. PEARL GIBSON.
St. Johns* Ame. Choir
Directress Files Paper
for A Divorce
Mrs. Pearl Gibson, 2865 Miami Street, directress
of the St. John AMK. Church choir, filed a petition
for divorce from Paul Gibson on Feb. 13, 1945 at
the County Court house as recorded therewith.
The Gibsons were married on Aug. 21, 1935.
— _
MISSING PAGES OF
AMERICAN HISTORY
(A Reprint from The Ohio State News)
The unique genius of America as the melting |
pot nation is that all kinds of people have contribut
ed to the making of the great country that we all i
know and love. When we look closely we see t hat i
the swell and tide of events that constitute Americ
an history is in reality composed of the activities of i
all the varied social and ethnic goups that have flow
ed into this amazing melting pot. A clear under-j
standing of our history inculdes the overall picture;
of the course of events that have brought this na-!
tion to its present position of world leadership. Such
a true understanding must also include a sound ap
preciation of the particular accomplishments and
contributions of the various groups that make up
the American population.
For over a quarter of a century the Associat
ion for the Study of Negro Life and History, under
the peerless leadership of Dr. Carter G. Woodson,
has been directing attention to the unique contribu
tion of the Negro to American civilization. Negro
History week, which is now being observed the
country over, is the annual climax of this year round
program, research and stimulation of the study and
appreciation of Negro history, is a welcome and
positive contribution to the relentless fight that
lovers of decency and justice must wage.
Seen in its proper perspective, Negro history
is simply a phase of total American history, an ef
fort to bring into focus those phases of the total pic
ture that for many reasons have been sorely neglect
ed. Included are, naturally, accounts of the accom
plishments of the Negro great of yesteryear. Con
sidered also are the profound contributions that the1
Ngro group, willingly or unwillingly, has made to
the total fabric of American civilization.
Difficult as it is to recognize often, Negroes
are today writing new and brilliant pages of current
American history.
The black men serving in every branch ofr(
our armed forces on every battlefield are writing
new pages in American heroics, and enacting a new
episode in the American drama of brotherhood and
democracy. The Xegro workers in war plants from
coast to coast are helping play out the great Amer
ican saga of production and proving again that men
can work and live as well as fight and die as broth
ers.
Xegro History week means that we recall all
this and much more when we demand for the Xegro
his rightful place in the American civilization ho
helped to build and is todav helping to unfold. In
its often thankless job of digging up the facts and
trying to secure for them a thoughtful and apprec
iative audience, the Association for the Study of Xe
gro Life and History is rendering the Xegro people
and the nation as a whole a great and significant
service.
The cause of Xegro history is the cause of all
the people. Let us all give the Association and itc
program our full support.
Cash Prizes for
High School
Students
Omaha Guide Sponsor
Contest for H i gh
School Boys and Girls
In Commemorating
118 Years of Negro
Press.
Watch Next Week’s
Issue for Time of
Radio Broadcast
The National Newspaper Publish
ers’ Association in connection with
the annual Negro Press Week Ob
servance (February 25 to March 3)
will ponsor a National High School
essay contest—Subject: “The Negro
Newspaper, Crusader ior Real De
mocracy’’. Coupled with this nation
al contest is a local essay contest
sponsored by THE OMAHA
GUIDE- Local prizes are $10.00
IN CASH- FIRST PRIZE; $5 00
IN CASH, SECOND PRIZE; $2.50
IN CASH, THIRD PRIZE
The three prize winning essays of
THE OMAHA GUIDE Contest
will be entered in the National Con
test.
National prizes are $100; $75. and
50, all War Bonds- This year marks
the 118th Anniversary of the Negro
Press. All essays must be mailed to
the Negro Press Essay Contest Edi
tor of THE OMAHA GUIDE and
should be postmarked no later than
March 3, 1945
RULES
1 Manuscripts shall contain no
less than 800 and no more than 1000
words.
2. Manuscripts must be written
on theme paper using one side only
3. The contestant's name must not
appear on the manuscript- Attach
to the essay a separate sheet of pa
per on which should be written the
name and address of the contestant
tse name of the school and of the
principal
4. Winers will be selected by five
udegs to be named by this news
aper. Prizes listed above for the
>cal contest will be awarded by this
iper according to the decision of
e judges.
5. The first three prize winning
ays in this cootest will be entered
the National Negro Newspaper
High School Contest
A committee of judges, no
• than seven in number, shall
three National prize winners
among the essays submitted to
by the various member papers.
The decision of the judges in
_ contests shall be final- All
essays become the property of the
NNPA and none will be returned to
the contestants. Judges will base
their choice on the character of the
material* originality, composition
an dneatness.
8. Only persons of high school
age in the continental United States,
I now' attending high school, are elig
1 ible to enter this contest. No metn
l*cr or relative of a member of the
staff of any newspaper will be elig
ible to compete in this contest.
Omaha Guide Publishing Co>
2420 Grant Street
Omaha. Nebraska
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