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
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