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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1945)
VfiVjjP'rJTV I ^flB ■«|\): /JUSTICE/EQUAUTYH^^^^aTHE NEWS WHILE IT 1SNEVVS| g^HEWTOTHEllNE\ 2420 GRANT ST ■jf "Cy -^y ^ **Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC- ^ ££?*,£ Risers street £1*?* Saturday, March 17,1945 ★ 10c Per Copy ★ Our 18th Year, No. 6 Randolph Starts Fight on Metro’-Insurance Co. 0 i Urban League to Present Willard S. Townsend to Omahans : THE LIVING! 1 SOUTH ■ Q (BY HAROLD PKEECE) 3 (Copyright, 1945, by New South Features) L‘ ve often wondered what ran through the mind of my great grand dad when he was serving as door keeper of the first MR. HAROLD PREECE Reconstruction legislat ure in Texas. What did old Uncle Bill Preece, coming down from his cabin in the hills to be honoied by Negro and poor white statesmen, think as he guarded the door of the peoples’ legislature with an old-fashioned cap and ball pistol hitched around his waist? What was on the mind of Uncle Bill Preece, who had fought for Abe Lincoln and the Union in the cedar brakes around Bull Creek, when he heard the black statesmen and the white statesmen talk for the first time in the South’s history about the public schools and the free vote? That question has worried me for a long time as I've listened to the mountain folks around Bull Creek tells stories about Uncle Bill Preece and his boys who had refused to be concripted in the armies of slav ery. but who formed their own Texas army of freedom fighting under the banner of Abe Lincoln and the Union. I was born on Bull Creek in the Texas cedar brakes. I found the answer to my question Just a short time ago when I attended the com bined Southern-Western regional meeting of the National Negro Pub lishers Association meeting at New Orleans down in Louisiana. And I reckon that Old Man Bill Preece from Bull Creek thought the same things that his great grandson from Bull Creek thought as I listened to the new black statesmen of the South talk about the things which Southerners of both colors want and need. SCHOOLS VS. COTTON PATCH I think that something stirred in my heart as I heard the black stat esmen—the South’s Negro editors— talk about equal schools for all the South's children of both colors. I reckon that Uncle Bill Preece was thinking of his boy, my grandfath er. who never went to school more than three weeks, as he heard a Texas Negro legislator sponsor the first b 11 for free education in my home state. I guess I was think ing of how I was kept in the cotton patch and out of school when I heard Negro editors rise up to talk about better schools and better ways if education for what will be a better South. I reckon that I must have thought what my grandfatner was thinking when I heard the black statesmen from the editorial desks pledge ev erything that they had to give the South’s people of both colors the ballot. For when your grandfath er and my grandfather could vote together, back in Reconstruction, they could also work together. I salute the Negro editors of the South and of America—worthy sons of the black statesmen who gave the South its first birth of freedom I can tell you after attending this meeting in New Orleans that free- j don is being reborn in the South, j l reckon that it is being reborn up on Bull Creek in Texas as it is Well-Known Mason Dies George B. Evans Dies; Buried in Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, CHARTER MEMBER OF LEBANON LODGE NO. 3, A. F. & A. M. OF NEBRASKA Lincoln. Nebr.,—George B. Evans 68, well known Mason throughout this part of the country, died Sat urday evening, March 3rd at a lo cal hospital. Mr. Evans had been a resident of Lincoln for 32 years and had taken an active part in civic work. He was a member of Newman Methodist Church and at the time of his death, was Chair man of the Trustee Board and Su perintendent of Sunday School, a position he had held for years. Mr. Evans was a charter member of Lebanon Lodge No. 3 A. F. & A. M., and served in all the various offices. Master at several differ ent times. He was a member of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge AF&AM of Nebraska, Prince Hall Affiliation, Past Deputy Grand Master and at the time of his death Right Worshipful Grand CCFC. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elenora Evans, sister Mrs. C. V. Hudspeth, East Orange, New Jer sey and other relatives. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon from Newman Methodist Church with Rev. R. H. Powell officiating assisted by Rev. O. J. Burckhardt, Rev. T. T. Mc Williams, Sr., Rav. A. Chambers. Rev. R. Bell, Masonic Rites were in charge of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge. Honorary Pallbear ers were officers of the church and burial was at Wyuka cemetery. being reborn along the bayous of Louisiana and in the pine thickets of Georgia. Asks Navy Probe of Findings in 2-Day Hunger Strike of Negro Seabees The Omaha Guide— Morale Builder 572d Ordnance Ammunition Company APO 562 c-o PM New York, NY. 25 February 1945 Editor of Omaha Guide 2420 Grant Street )mnhn. Nebraska. Dear Editor, This is acknowledgement of re ceipt of the Omaha Guide. It was truly a morale booster for my comrades and myself, who are here in France doing our small mit to make this world a peace ful place to live. My best wishes for the Omaha Guide and its high level of Journalism. S-Sgt. Reuben Blackburn. Jr. 572d Ordance Am. Company. ran high. One of the Negro Seabees, Charl es W. McDonald, Motor Machinist’s Mate, Second Class, USNR., 62 West Glenwood Avenue, Akron, Ohio, said: “Upon leaving the ship the men in my group were each given five rounds of ammunition. As our landing boat approached the I beach, the officer in charge. Lieut enant Arzie C. Hall, Civil Engineer Corps, USNR., whose wife, Eva A. (Continued on page 4) Honor Mrs. Roosevelt at So. Conference for Human Welfare Dinner. “American Democracy In Action Today” “Because of the <?ourag-Q ecus and Resolute Spirit i of Mrs. Roosevelt and Others, Says Roscoe Dunjee, Okla. Black Dispatch Editor SPEECH BY ROSCOE DUNJEE, EDITOR, BLACK DISPATCH, OKLAHOMA CITY, AT THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOR HUMAN WELFARE DINNER. HELD AT HOTEL COMMODORE. IN NEW' YORK CITY New York. NY., March ll— Mr. Master of Ceremonies. Ladies and Gentlemen: American democracy Is In action today because of courageous, res olute spirits such as we honor to night. This evening, as we gather in this banquet hall, to do honor to Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt the wife of the revered President of this Republic, I think we should accurately survey and chart the actual progress made in the field of liberalism, morality and human decency here in America, with which she has such intimate rela tionship. I was especially Interested In what is currently happening in my beloved Southland, where I feel Mrs. Roosevelt, despite reactionary forces seeking to deter her, has set examples in fortitude, and has giv en expression to truth, justice and brotherhood as it has never before stemmed from high and exalted places. It is fitting that the Southern Conference for Human Welfare should sponsor this testimonial, where tonight we may honestly and fearless^ race some of the chal lenges that just from the relation ship the Southern section of the United States sustains to national welfare. First individuals and nations find great difficulty between ideal and practice. For seven long years the Southern Conference for Hum an Welfare has been honestly at tempting to snatch democracy from the ritual, converting it into a liv ing, breathing thing down in the Southern section of the United! States. Tonight we report of our stewardship. In addition to the First Lady of the Land, whom we honor we thank Hod that, there has been aroused such forthright resolute clarions for freedom, justice and fair play as Justice Hugo Black, Governor DQRMiTORV MEHARRY,, MEDiCAL _ COLj-^„jj‘ MeHarry’ Dream— This is a sketch of the proposed 6200,000 Alumni-Student dormitory to be built on the medical school’s campus next fall. Groundbreaking ceremonies will be a highlight of the commencement exercises on Sunday, September 16, when alumni from all over the country will be present. The honor of turning the first dirt will go to a representative of the class that contributes the largest sum on the building funr’J drive, hicago's director Dr. S. W. Smith of 4666 S. State has formed Century and Super-Century clubs for contributors of $100 or more. Thee Chicago women already in the Century club are Mesdames Maur ice R. Hebert, Joshua M. Brown and Ruth Smith. In the state of Miss ouri Drs. R. A. Ellis, L. V. Miller and A. W. Craddock have gained memberships in the Century Club. | (—Atlas Newsphoto Service.) SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Ellis Amall of Georgia, Senator Claude Pepper of Florida, Editor Mark Ethridge of the powerful Lou isville Courier Journal, Mr. Frank P. Graham, president of the Univ ersity of North Carolina, Dr. Hom er P. Rainey, Ex-President of the University of Texas, and our be loved board member Miss Lillian Smith. These distinguished Amer icans and thousands of other Sou therners are in a certain sense the ripened fruit of our labors. Democracy is education. I nev er realized this so much as lecent ly, following the meeting of Sou thern Editors and Writers in At lanta, Georgia. L was in New Or leans week before last, and it was there I heard an outstanding Geor gian say that the Atlanta meeting had so stimulated truth and fact, that it stymied and paralyzed the reactionaries who would have re tained the poll tax. It proves con clusively the imperative need of un relenting spirits who in the cause of freedom will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice. We need more radio talks that expose the right thinking, more pamphlets that uncover evil, and more conferences where men and women are willing to standup and make open confession respecting what is wrong with our social or der. Only, and in proportion as we are willing to honestly and frankly [ evaluate our patterns of living, will i we be able to make progress, and j the cause of civilization and mor-1 ality advance. [ I think the current war has ex posed many of the serious defects! in our Southern sanctuaries which are definite challenges to democ ratic society. The war has uncov ered irreputable conditions of il literacy and disease regarding which we have hitherto known little. It is a condition that af fects the welfare of the entire na tion. We who have gathered here tonight are resolved' that some thing shall be done about it. It is a national, not a Southern salamity, when we suddenly real ize that a large percentage of our Southern man-power, both black and white, is not intelligent enough or physically fit, to participate in (Continued on page 4) I Port Huaneme, California, Thor ough investigation by the N'AACP of the recent two-day hunger strike, of 1,000 Negro Seabee mem bers of the 4th Construction Bat talion who protested discriminat ion in awarding of Naval promot ions, reveals a story of violent rac ial antipathies, thwarted ambit ions and broken promises. According to the report made by Norman O. Houston of the Los An geles NAACP, who interviewed 27 members from the personnel of the 34th and 80th Construction Battal ions at Camp Rousseau, a great gap exists between Negro and white personnel; and a still greater gap between the Negro personnel and white officers;—In describing the esries of discrimination situations which led up to the strike, Mr. Hou ston submits the following testi mony as representative of unanim ous sentiment of all but one of the members iterviewed in the 34th Bat -talion: "They had men of ability and leadership in the Negro person nel of the unit. While overseas, Negro personnel made possible the advancement of many white first class petty officers to chief petty officers, most of whom were trans ferred out of the unit upon return to the United States. 'Men stated that while they were overseas they were promised that as soon as they were qualified as to technical skill and time in ser vice that they would be given ap propriate promotions. Later the promise was changed until when they got back to the States. Now that they have been back in the States since last ctober and expect an early return to foreign service, no appreciable change has been made on the part of the command ing officer to give the advance rat ings. "Instead of providing training courses and encouraging the up rating of Negro personnel to first class men and chief petty officers a group of white petty officers, first class, and chief petty officers were brought into the Battalion for positions of leaderhsip. These men average inferior to the Negro personnel, yet they will be given the opportunities for advancement and become their superiors once the Battalion is ready for overseas assignment or out of state assign ment. "It is a naval custom for chief petty officers to have separate mess and living quarters and all other ratings to mess and live to gether, but in this battalion they complain that regardless of rank all white men are put into separ ate mess lines and are given sep arate and the most preferred quar ters, and that while white petty officers are lounging in their quar ters Negroes of comparable rat ings are out doing the most men ial kind of chores. It was stated that while in camp Negro person 6nel takes care of most of camp duties whereas white personnel have little or no camp responsibil ities.” men cm plain of OFFICERS TREATMENT In pointing up the maneuvers and hatred existing between Com manding Officer McBean, a “Simon Legree” Mississippian, his execu tiv oefficer, Lt. Commander C. V. White, and the men under him in the 34th Bn., Mr. Houston stated, "The men accuse Battalion Com mander McBean, and his executive officer, Lt. Commander C. V. White, of violent racial antipathies as is expressed in their attitude that a Negro has no rights that a white man is bound to respect. They also complained that while they were overseas he refused to j allow them to accept invitations from white units to compete in athletic contests; and that he took it on himself to go into Oxnard and ask white business places not to serve them; and that at one time he caused to be maintained separ ate heads for his white and Negro personnel. The Commander, in or der to prove the incompetence of Negro for leadership, picks the wrong men as examples of leader (Continued on page 2) Cleaves CME. To Hold Revival Noted Tennesseean, Rev. A. L. Turner to Conduct Services The Cleaves Temple CME. church at 25th and Decatur street of which the Rev. T. J. Douglass is pastor, will conduct a Revival Meeting, be ginning March 25th to April 6th, 1945. The Revival meeting will begin at 8:30 pm., March 25th as official ly announced The Rev. A. L. Turner of Mem phis, Tennessee will do the preach ing at this great Revival. The Rev. A. L. Turner is a fine preacher and we want the public to hear him each night at 8:30 pm. I am inviting all the Church and ministers to help us carry on this meeting. Rev. T. J. Douglass, Pastor, Cleaves Temple CME. Church. A Greater Omaha Guide The Publisher of The Omaha Guide, wishes to announce to its many friends and readers, that on and after March 24th, 1945, we are going to double the size of our pa per from a four page 12 em, 8 col umn paper to a 8 page, 12 em, 8 column paper for your services. In 1939, December 24th, we had a very bad fire with no fire insur ance. The interior of our building was gutted by the flames, in fact^ our plant was almost a total wreck. The greater part of our equipment was put out of commission. We have been five years replacing our equipment and improving the inter ior and exterior of our building. We are now in a position to give to this community, the best newspaper service any newspaper has ever given to the citizens of this area. Our motto for IS years has been, ‘The Readers of our columns are the Boss of our Business”—Our aim is "To Serve You in the way you want us to serve.” If we error in this intention, please permit us to beg of you to consider its an error of the head and not of the heart. To make The Omaha Guide a kind of a paper you would like for it to be, we invite your construct ive criticism. Sit down and write us a letter and tell us what you would have us to do to improve the 1 Community in which you live, in a way that you would want this improvement done. You are the boss—we are the servant. We want 12,000 satisfied subscribers in this immediate area. You can help us make this goal by sending to us each week, all of the local news of your immediate neighborhood. Due to the manpower shortage, we do not have a sufficient number of reporter to serve you as you should be served personally,—but if you will write the local news of your immediate neighborhood and get it to us on or before Monday PM., it will come out in the current issue of the week. All you need to do in reporting this local news 13 to remember the principle meaning of the 4 W's which are as follows: Wliat was it? When was it? Where was it? and What was it? We will do the rest. Drop it In the mail, bring or send it to our office and put it in the mail slot. We want all of the local news of your neigh borhood. Help us to serve you as you want to* be served—help us to make The Omaha Guide the kind of a paper you want it to be. Watch next ' One of Our Foremost Labor Leaders TO SPEAK AT PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH, MARCH 2» The Omaha Urban League is to present one of our foremost labor leaders to speak here on March 29. The current drive for members by the Membership Committee is pro gressing very well according to Mae B. Taylor, chairman of that committee. They are looking for ward to raising the number to 1,000 members and to have a very successful meeting on March 29th at Pilgrim Baptist Church, at 8:00 pm. Tickets to hear Mr. Town send will be your 1945 membership card plus 20c. Willard S. Townsend was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1895. He graduated from the Walnut Hills High School in 1912 and continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Science in Canada. He was a i warded the Doctor of Laws degree by Wilberforce University last year. He was vice president and presi dent of the local organization of Chicago red caps and, under his leadership, a number of organized groups of red caps formed the In ternational Brotherhood of Red Caps. He was their first presi dent. In 1940, this organization changed its name to United Trans port Service Employees of Amer ica and broadened its jurisdiction to include other railway service employees. He again was the un animous choice to head the revamp ed organization. In 1942, the UT SEA voted to affiliate with the CIO and gained jurisdiction over red caps, dining car employees, Pull man laundry workers, Pullman shop workers, train porters, and air line service employees. Mr. Townsend was placed on the Exe cutive Board of the CIO. In addition, he is Vice President of the National Urban League; member of the Chicago OPA War Price and Rationing Board; Vice President of the Chicago Union for Democratic Action; Secretary of the CIO Committee to Abolish Racial Discrimination; member of the Board of Directors American Labor Education Service; member of Board of Directors, Parkway Community House; member of the National Executive Committee, Workers Defense League; member of the Omega Phi Psi Fraternity and member of the Fund Raising Committee, Atlanta School of Soc ial uork. He was selected in a na tion-wide poll as one of the twelve outstanding leaders in race rela tions for 1942 by the Schomberg Collection of the New York Public Library. He is a member of the Mayor’s Committee on Race Rela tions, Chicago; member of the Na tional Citizens’ Political Action Corrfmiftee, CIO; CIO Representa tive to the Cuban Labor Confer ence, Havana, uba; member of Na tional IO Housing Committee on Latin tAmerican Affairs. Mr. Townsend is married and they have one son, Willard, Jr. week's paper for the announcement of the new added features of nat ion fame that we will carry each week for your entertainment. Thanks a million for your consid eration of the above matters. Can we count on you for your full coop eration. The Omaha Guide Publishing Co., 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, 10, Nebraska. C. C. Galloway, Publisher. Going Away for Easter? Going away for Easter? Why not walk downtown today or to morrow if you like—Go by the way of North 16th Street and when you get in the 300 Block, just two blocks North of the Postoffice, on the West Side of the Street—if you please look up to your right until you see MARCUS CLOTHING SHOP, the place for high class merchandise in a low rent district. Yes sir, all kinds of costume jewel ry, extra fine luggage for that Spring vacation trip, also all kinds of working men's clothing. Jimmy Jewell Named to USO Committee The Management Committee of the 24th Street USO Club, has been strengthened by the addition of Mr. James Jewell, together with the present membres of the Comm ittee give the club a strong group to rely upon for advice and guid ance. James Jewell is a logical person for a member on the committee. He is the son of the late James Jewell Sr., who back in 1923, thru wisdom and foresight, built the building which now houses the club. It was Mr. Jewell’s dream that this structure would be an In j strument of usefulness for Negroes > SAYS NEGROES PAY *37348^3© IN PREMIUMS IN 1H7—CO. REFUSES TO HIRE NEGROES Dear Friend: — Employment will decrease 40% to «©%, according to statements of responsible public officials, when the war In Europe is over. It is axiomatic that Negro workers will suffer greatest In any large scale lay-offs. We want you to join with us in preventing this as far as possible NOW. How? By attacking the problem at its roots. For if we are to enjoy peace and democracy I at home after the war, then every citizen, every workr must be pro vided with full employment, and an opportunity to work, regardless of Race. Creed, or Color. For example: the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, a six billion dollar corporation, has grown fat, aided in large measure by the millions of dollars paid an nually into its coffers by approxi mately 2V4 million Negro policy holders. Yet, this giant institution hassteadfastly refused to employ trained, able and qualified Negro workers, except, in such menial jobs as porters, etc. Of the many thousands of Metropolitan employ ees. less than 20© are colored. What, you may ask can be done about It? As you know, you can't fight a six billion dollar corpora tion without money. So here’s what you can do to help. In order to open a gigantic National Drive -for jobs in an industry in which you put so much money, we are asking your generous cooperation by contributing your share to our Sii.l.tMMi Campaign Fund. This money will he used for the following: a. Employ a trained staff for publicity and promotional work. b. Distribute literature through out the nation, secure paid news paper ads. and radio time to bring our cause to public attention. c. Maintain picket lines arou.nd Metropolitan offices. d. amp; ign for a Negro to be nominated to the Board of Direc tors of the Metropolitan Life In surance Company. Your help, your contribution, your lending a hand now, will speed us on to attainment of our goal. Fill out the below coupon today, and return it promptly with your remittance. Don't delay, don't hesitate. Back up our home front attack. Fraternally yours, A. PHILIP RANDOLPH. Send your contribution today to:—. Aldrich Turner, Treasurer MARCH ON WASHINGTON MOVEMENT, INC. -084 Seventh Avenue. New York 27. New York REMEMBER— “Action i* the only prayer ever answered.” Do it Now—-Do It Today—Oar Goal *25,090 FOR VICTORY. □ I am a policy holder in the Metropolitar Li/e lnsura-.ee Company. 1 | I will join the Insurance Committee of the March On Washington Movement. □ 1 cast my vote for a Negro to be nominated to the Board of Directors of the Metropol itan Life. Q I enclose my contribution for the fight for jobs in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Address _ City...State... While our boys are fighting for DetwocracyAbroad—I.et a* fight for Democracy on the Home Front NOW’S W'e earnestly request that yon write a letter of protest to the following before April 10, 19-15: LeRoy A. Lincoln, President Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 1 Madison Ave., New York, NY Winthrop Aldrich, Chairman Chase National Bank, IS Pine St., New York, NY. Jeremiah Milbank, Sr. Partner Milbank, Tweed & Hope, _ Lawyers, 15 Broad St., New York, NY. William Crocker, Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 1 Montgomery St., San Francisco, Calif. of Omaha. Our present location is a monument of his foresight. Jimmy Jewell is a follower in his father's footsteps as a man of integrity and as a business man of Omaha. Recently released with a honorable discharge from the army where he served as laisor person between army and local USO Club he is certain to be a valued person on the management committee. First Anti-Discrimination Amendment Passed By The New Congress Washington, March 11—The first anti-discrimination amendment to be passed by the New Congress is now a part of the Draft Nurses Bill, the National Non-Partisan Council of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority announced. Introduced by Representative Clarence Brown (R), Ohio, sup ported in speeches by Charles R. Clayson (R), Massachusetts; Frank Hook (D), Michigan; and Ad. m Clayton Powell, Jr., (D), New York the Amendment passed the House on March 6. Action on the Draft Nurses Bill means that when Nurs es are drafted for Military Duty, Negro nurses will be called and as signed without discrimination or quota. Mrs. Thomasina W. Johnson, Leg islative Representative for the Al pha Kappa Alpha Council said that several attempts were made to have the amendment voted Into the bill when it was in the House Mil itary Affairs Committee. At the last attempt it was lost by a vote of 14 to 12. However, after much I effort, it was finally passed on the Floor of the House. Congressman Brown, (R) Ohio, and Clason, (R), Mass., were able to carry the entire party; while Congressman Powell (D. New York and Hook (D. Mich.) carried all the Democratic members except a mere handful of die-hards. The AKA-.Von-Partisan Council had worked unrelentingly in getting this amendment passed n the House. Mrs. Johnson stated that no less thati 00 of the Congress men had been contacted in person on this amendment. ^ ★*★*★*★*★ fv Negro Seabees Fought Side by Side with Marines at Peleliu On the morning of September 15 _D Day—the 17th Special V. S. Naval Construction Battalion, land ed at Peleliu to serve as ammunit ion carriers and litter bearers, but before nightfall its men were en gaged in a fierce struggle of the Pacific campaign, fighting side by side with the veterans of the First Marine Division. The 777 __Negro Seabeas in the Battalion were also veterans of the Pacific war. At Banika, an island of the Russell group, they had un loaded ships, dug ditches, set up buildings and installed a water sys tem. After that, they served on Emirau in the Bismarck Archipel ago building docks, unloading ships and doing other backbreaking jobs that must be done at an advanced base. At Peleliu, they were to make landings with the Marines, to carry ammunition to the front and bring back the wounded. The island, only six miles long by two miles wide, had been blasted zq our ships and planes, but when our assault troops landed on Sept ember 15 they were met by strong Japanese resistance^ Casualties among the Marines and the Seabees Let Us Build that New Home for You and Your Family The Realty Improvement Co. 342 Electric Bldg
