Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1945)
0 i j I I /JUSTICE /EQUALITY HEW TO THE UNE\ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY _ _ PHONE HA.0800 2420 GRANT ST ^ ^ ^ "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC■ ^ *Cy Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oft ice, Omaha, Nebr.. Under Act of _ , , _ _ . _ March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr Saturday, March 24, 1945 ★ 10c Per Copy ★ OUT 18th Year, NO. 7 '■ ' .- ' -- ✓ A Cr Ann Watch Next Week’s Guide For a Message t\ vjtuup Direct From The Radio Queen, KateSmith A Broadside Fight Against Army Aviators! Read About the Treatment of Flying, Fighting,Dying Americans’ Recording Now being made by The National Urban League. Watch Next Week’s Issue of the Greater Omaha^Guide for Full Story. —" .. 11 i . ■ - Brig. General Hines to Seek Negro Veterans9 Wishes in Hospital Policy In Address Before Nat’l Urban League Postwar Discussion, Planning Group New York—Answering an inquiry as to what the Veterans' Adminis tration's future policy would be on segregated veterans' hospitals, Brigadier General Frank T. Hines, Veterans' Administration head, re plied that he would ask Negro vet erans themselves what they want ed to be done about it, and would follow their desire. This promise was made by General Hines as he appeared with a panel of speakers at a Forum on "Planning Now for Jobs Ahead" sponsored by the Na tional Urban League at New York Times Hall, on Tuesday evening, March 13. Mrs. Lillian N. Poses, War Man power Commission Regional Attor ney; J. Raymond Walsh, CIO Eco nomist; Nelson H. Cruikshank, A. F. of L. national representative, and C. S. McDowell of the Anna Corporation were other members of the panel of government, industry and labor experts discussing future Job planning with emphasis on Ne gro employment. Flanking these were Urban League staff members from some of the racial tension areas throughout the country who acted as consultants: William Val entine, Jr., Administrative Assist ant of the Detroit Urban League; Howard Gould, Director of Indus trial Relations of the Chicago Ur ban League; iRchard Jefferson, In dustrial Secretary of the St. Louis Urban League; A. J. Allen, Jr., Ex ecutive Secretary of the Baltimore Urban League; and W. Y. Bell, Jr. Director of the Southern Division of the National Urban League. Leo Cherne, Executive Secretary. Re search Institute of America, served as chairman of the Forum, with lister Granger, Executive Secret ary of the National Urban League introducing the panel. Speaking formally earlier in the evening. General Hines had insisted that “for almost a quarter of a century as the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, it kas been my privilege as well as my official re sponsibility to carry out the laws of the Nation as they provide var ious rights, benefits and privileges for former members of the military and naval forces of the United States and for their dependents and survivors. No distinction has ever been made by that Administration between veterans because of race, color or creed.” Hines assured his audience that as far as the Veter ans' Administration is concerned, “there will be established and car ried out freedom from discrimina tion in the administration of the law; freedom from inequality in education; freedom from inequal ity in expenditures for health, hos tntalI*atfoi> and rehabilitation; freedom from obstacles and preju dices which prevent eaual work op portunity and equal pay. BOIEERVt AKERS’ AIXILIARV ABOLISHED Nelson H. Cruikshank in his speech announced the recent vote of the Executive Committee of the International Brotherhood of Boil ermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers af America to abolish the class or "auxiliary'' status of Negro locals. He also asserted that the A. F. L had incorporated the principle of non-descrimination as far back as 1881, at its first Con vention in Pittsburg, and disclosed further the fact that the total num ber of Negro members in A. F. of L. unions “is greater than any other, now numbering upwards of a million.” CIO l KC.ES LEGISLATIVE APPROACH J. Raymond Walsh, CIO repre- I sentative. emphasing the import ance of legislative action in better ing job opportunities for Negros, mentioning specifically the Federal FEPC. He pointed out the establish ment of an FEPC within the I'Aff, and the 100 percent record of NMU In its Negro-white brotherhood as examples of CIO achievement in the specific field of Negro employ ment. Captain McDowell stated his be lief that the Negro wants and is entitled to the right to compete on an equal basis with the whites in terms of training, experience, and ability for employment. He also disclosed an opinion that the re sponsibility for the solution of race problems lies outside the field of industry. It rests in part on the schools, the churches, social institutions, labor organizations. Captain McDowell continued," and upon individual members of each community, and to a large extent on the Negro himself.” Attorney Poses, who spoke ex temporaneously, although she had a prepared speech, was puite em phatic in declaring the declared; policies, laws and constitutional provisions against discrimination were not enough. “Epual opportun ity must cease to be words used as window dressing for democracy. she stated,” but must become part and inherent in the process. As a people we intend to protect the right of minority groups to epual employment. As a result, we are prepared to penalize those who thwart epual opportunity. I.KAOI E SOCIALISTS PREDICT INCREASED TENSIONS The evening was highlited by re ports from the League specialists from varioue tension spots in the country. Bell, in discussing the S iuth, stated that contrary to some of the thinking of many elements in the South, the southern Negro is, ■ ‘t adjusted to his situation, add ing that, "we hardly expect him to he if for no other reason than that for the past four years, he has been exposed to a constant barage of governmental propaganda '■ailing for a brigh new world of four freedms. . . he has to accept those ideals as his own.” The Detroit situation was out lined by Valentine, who accented the tensions in that city on house ing, asserting that 62,000 Negroes had moved into the aere in the past four years, up to last summer; : that 14,000 applications for house ing which had been presented by Negroes last year had yielded only 1,000 filed; that there were only three areas left which can be utiliz . ed for houseing, but they cannot be : used untill the Mayor and the Com mon Council reverses the policy that the racial composition of these neighboorhoods must be kept. St Louis' tension spot was em ployment, Jefferson indicated, with more than one hundred of the city's employers still refusing to hire Negroes. He also observed that St. Louis' record of twelve to fourteen all Negro strikes led the country. Allen of Baltimore predicted ser ious conflict in employment after the war, but emphasized the fact that with 30.000 Negroes having moved into a residential area with out appreciable expansion of the area, early, serious conflict was likely. Gould was the only optimist in the group. He expressed himself as not too pessimistic about the pro • gress of race relations efforts in a I number of aeras in Chicago. The Forum, exceptionally well i attended, was a part of the Nation i a! Urban League's Vocational Op portunity Campaign Week, which is set aside each year to stress vocat ional training as a means of helping to solve the problem of the Negro's status as a worker. cast from his neck down with a fighting chance to come out OK. Labor Leader to Lecture In Interest of Urban L’ge Membership Drive AWARDED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS ! C APTAI\ CHARLES L. THOM AS Commander of a Tank Destroyer com pany in France who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on February 28, 1945, by the War Department for "extraotrdinary heroism in action." Captain Thomas, who entered the Army from Detroit, thus becomes the second Negro in the present was so honored. The other, Private George Watson of Birmingham, Ala. received the award post humously after losing his life heroically at Fordoch Harbor. New Guin ea, in March 1943. Sustaining multiple wounds in the chest, legs and arms, this courageous officer won the Army's second highest decoration by literally shooting his way through the Siegfried Line last December in a blaze of fire from enemy rockets, artillery and machine guns. Photo by Hi-Lite Studio, Detroit, from Bureau of Public Relations. OpaLaxity in Negro Neighborhoods Pointed Out Washington, DC.,—In urging the establishment of the Price Control and Stabilization Act under which OPA operates, Leslie Perry of the Washington Bureau NAACP, charg ed among other things in his testi mony before the Senate Banking and Currency Committee, violation of rent ceilings on the part of land lords in Negro neighborhoods and the negligible lack of attention to this problem by OPA. Pointing to this single reservation which could be ilminated through appropriate surveys made with a view to better enforcement. Perry declared, "the NAACP heartily endorses the con- ■ tinuation of the present program.” Basing the major part of testi mony on experience reported by NAACP branches all over the coun try, Perry said, “I can say that the overwhelming majority of our mem bership appreciates the importance of price control legislation and is heartily i t favor of an extended and strengthened Price Control Act. I Without the controls in force today by virtue of this Act( the cost of living during World War II would have spiraled just as did in 1917-18“ “A problem that is perculiar to the Negro in this whole question flows from restricting Negroes to overcrowded, segregated neighbor hoods. As a natural product of this practice, which obtains for the most part in urban centers through out the LTnited States, is the distind economic disadvantages that he suf fers as a consumer. Landlords and operators of retail food stores in Negro neighborhoods have been prone to regard such segregated neighborhoods as beyond the pale of the law insofar as observing price ceilings is concerned. In this connection, surveys made sometime ago by our branches in New York City and Chicago disclosed that Ne gro shoppers in their neighbor hoods must pay considerably more for foodstuffs than persons in com parable white neighborhoods. .In New York, for example, it was found that a Negro family of four pays an average of 5 percent more for the privilege of shopping in Harlem and in Chicago such a fam ily pays roughly 3 percent more. From all reports, these conditions are typical of differentials obtain ing in most urban centers with a substantial large Negro population" This difference is due not only to sub-standard food products sold in stores catering to Negroes, but al so reflects the practice of these merchants to edge up the price in violation of the Act." GIN STOLEN FROM HOME OF MILTON JOHNSON A .25 caibre pistol valued at $13 was reported stolen from the home of Milton Johnson, 2836 Decatur Street last Saturday. A basement window had been forced open. FOI Ml WITH THRO AT Cl T Eloyde Combs. 49. of 2616 Maple street, a packinghouse worker was found with his throat slashed Sun day in the basement of his home. Police said Mr. Combs was found by Edward C. Clark, same address, after he heard a cry in the base ment. A razor was found by pol ice. Mr. Combs was taken to Doc tor's Hospital. Grace Hutten Memorial to be Dedicated by Rev. Sanchez at St.Philips Church Sunday, Mar.25 PI I.PIT GIVEN IN HEK MEMORY BY SON, LT. JESS C HUTTEN A pulpit given in memory of the late Mrs. Grace Hutten, by her son, ! Lt. Jess Hutten, will be dedicated j at Saint Philip's Church, 1121 North j 21st street, Sunday, March 25 at [ 11:00 am., by the Rev. S. G. Sanchez 1 D. D., rector of the parish. Mrs. Hutten was a Case Worker for the Family Welfare Association for 20 years. She was also a mem ber of the Nebraska Welfare As sociation, of the American Assoc iation of Social Workers and a faith ful communicant of St. Philip’s par. ish. Lt. Jess Hutten and his wife now reside in California, where they went after his honorable discharge from the U. S. army. □□□□□□□□□□00 : THE LIVING| I SOUTH : (BY HAROLD PREECE) 3 (Copyright. 1945, by New South Features) Strikes to Help John Rankin This week’s candidates for the penitentiary — Vance Muse, secretary of MR. HAROLD PREECE the Christian Americans, —and John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Work ers of America. This week's boupuets-. to the little group of legislators in Arkan sas and the little group of legislat- J i ors in Georgia who spiked the Christian American anti-closed shop anti-FEPC “right to work" bills which would give John L. Lewis' undercover gumshoe men in the Southern Labor movevent the chance they want to call more strikes and strech out the war. This week's big question mark— the Texas legislature which has be fore it the same kind of bill turn STETTINIUS ASKED WHAT IS THE ROLE OF COLONIES IN 'FRISCO MEET NAACP. Adopts Resolutions On Colonial Issues and Policy NEW YORK—A resolution on Colonial issues and policy adopted by the NAACP Board of Directors and transmitted March 15 to Secre tary of State Edward R. Stettinius, for consideration at the San Fran cisco Conference to be held April 26, called for "a declaration of rac ial equality of the great groups of mankind in ternational law", and provision against economic and gov ernmental exploitation of colonies. The resolution written by Dr. Du Bois demanded that these steps be taken "to make war at once unlike ly and unprofitable.” In regard to the control and ownership of colonies, the state ment urged “it be the sense of the I ed down in the legislatures of Ar kansas and Georgia. If Texas passes this bill which bears the mark and the spirit of Hitler's swastika, the Christian Americans will have won the Souths biggest bridgehead: the Lone Star State. The road will be wide open for the Christian Americans, backed by the dime a dozen poll tax office holders to shut the Negro out from every skilled job in Dixie and to keep all of Dixie's laboring folks down to grits and hoecake. The road will ajso be open wide, if Texas stabs in the back her own men in uniform, for Lewis and hi" wreckers to call strikes, not only in the mining industry, but in every other industry where Lewis has kept a bridgehead by keaving his rough and tough boys in the CIO after he himself had drawn from it. It is the Lewis gang which is responsible for the current strikes in Detroit's automobile plants. S.O.S. for Democracy I‘m writeing this column as an I S. O. S. to my readers, and to the 1 Southern people of both colors. I want our boys of both colors to finish up the job of shooting out the Hitlers over there so that they can come back soon and finish up the job of voting out the Hitlers over here. Every ton of coal or every machine part held up by a strike not only lengthens the days of Adolf Hitler in Germany, but also the days of “Pappy O'Daniel,” "The Man Bilbo,” and old cussspitt ing John Rankin in Dixie. You will remember that Congress enacted the Smith-Connally anti strike act sponsored by Howard Smith of Virginia and Tom Connally of Texas after Lewis had pulled the 1943 coal strtike. Now 1 have been informed that Vance Muse's best friend in the Texas legislature, Rep Marshall O. Bell of San Antonio, is prayinp to <?od that Lewis will call t'ne miners out on strike on April 1. This is just what it will take for Bell to stampede his fellow legislators into passing tne anti Negro anti-labor “Right to work” Bill. The Smith-Connally Act did not stop strikes. It caused strikes. And the “Right to Work” Bill will start strikes rathen than stop them Reactionary big employers support "anti-strike" legislation to cause strikes so they will have an excuse after the war to clamp down a fas cist dictatorship on all of us. John L. Lewis and Vance Muse are help ing them prepare for that job. Now friends I'm not throwing off on our brothers—the Negro and white miners of Dixie. Their wage demands are just. I am hoping that the government will take over the mines before April 1 in order that our brothers will have a little ; more to take home to their wives and babies come Saturday night. But I hope also that our brothers will not play into the hands of those who would wreck the human race—the Christian Americans. United Nations that the ownership and control of colonies and depend encies be recognized in internation al law only on the following terms: "(a) That the dominating country solemnly engage to give the peopl es of sucn areas immediately a voice in their own government, (b) That it solmely declare Its intention that by a given date these peoples shall either be integrated into the polity of the mother country with full rights of citizenship; or shall be allowed to become independent and autonomous countries as the peoples themselves shall decide, (c) That the natural resources of these countries including mines, rorests, land and its materials shall be otyn ed by the colonies and used prim arily for the benefit of the inhabit ants of the area; that the organiz ation of industry, the control of la' bor and investment of capital sl^all be ordered for the benefit of the people in the area and not simply for profit of invested capital or pri marily for the welfare of people out side the colony, (d) That an inter national Mandates Commission be established and implemented under the supreme authority of the Unit ed Nations with the right to sup ervise the government of territory mandaated after the First 'World War and any such enemy territory acquired in the present war and to investigate report and recommend action in the case of countries who do not keep their commitments in colonies or will not make such cas es the conduct and administration of these colonies be placed under control of the Mandates Commis ion, backed by the authority of the Usited Nations.” Warning that no action less than indicated in the foregoing para- I graphs could be depended upon “to i rescue this world from continued war and the persistent exploitation I of a large portion of mankind, if | not indeed the majority of human beings,” the statement pointed out, “that every demand on colonial powers here made has at some time or other been declared by these powers as an integral part of their policy. Peace and civilization, hu manity and religion today demand this sacrifice of independence on the part of the world's great powers for social progress and democracy." M-Sgt. J. B. Crumbley Awarded Certificate of Merit in France Master Sergeant James B. Crum bley has been awarded a certifi cate of Merit in recognition of con spicuously meritorious and out standing performance of military duty. Stationed somewhere in France, he has been cited for his ability in receiving, storing and issuing am munition. Sgt. Crumbley has been in the service for three years and has been overseas for one year. In civilian life, he was owner of the well-known Xaborjiood Car age. E. W. Sherman’s Son Seriously Wounded in Germany Combat Area FAMILY RECEIVES SAD NEWS OF SON IN SERVICE Mr. Sherman, one of the propri etors of the Edholm and Sherman Laundry. who is chairman of sel ective service board No. 3, was in formed of his son being dangerous ly wounded in combat duty in Ger many. A few days ago he arrived in America- He is now at Fitz simon's Hospital in Denver, in a 5 Letter Signed by W, E. B. DuBois I New York—An inquiry directed j by the NAACP to the Secretary of State asked if on the agenda of the i approaehinb conference in San j Francisco, the question of colonies and their future status and treat ment will be considered?" In addi tion, the letter which was signed by Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, inquired if “any commissions or spokesmen from the colonial peoples will be present to speak directly or indir ectly for their aspirations and pro gress." Finally it inquired ‘‘if any provisions will be made for the rep resentation of American Negroes at the San Francisco meeting in order that they may advocate an advise measures for their own social pro gress and also be given opportunity to speak for other peoples of Afri. can descent, whom they in a very real sense represent?” Dl HOIS TO BE NAACP OBSERVER AT SAN FRANCISCO New York—Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, director of special research for the NAACP, and long a student of col onies particularly African affairs, was named March 12 by the NAA CP board of directors to be an ob server for the NAACP at the Unit ed Nations conference opeeiing April 25 in San Francisco, Calif. Willard S. Townsend. Noted Labor Leader, who will speak at the Pil- j grim Baptist Church, 25th and Ham -iiton Sts., next Thursday. March 2!t»h. under auspices of the Omaha I Than League. TICKETS STILL ON' SALE FOR W. S. TOWNSEND LECTl RE Miss Mae B. Taylor. Chairman of the Membership Committee of the Omaha Urban League announced that sale of memberships and tic kets to the meeting March 29th at Pilgrim Baptist Church, will be at the following places on Saturday, of this week: Johnson Drug Store; Omaha Outfitting Co.; Macel's Res taurant; Ritz Theatre; Tuxedo Bar ber Shop; Killingsworth & Price and Mayo’s Barber Shops. Salespeople at the above locations will be—Mrs. Cloma Scott; Mrs. Grayce Bradford: Miss Evelyn Bat tles; Mrs. Lucy Mae Britt and Miss Mae B. Taylor: and Mr. Bums Scott Mr. H. G. Clark; Mr. E. M. Forrest and Mr. Arthur B. McCaw. Midyear Graduate Atlanta Social School Gets Cleveland Pont Miss Clarice V. Helm, 1945 mid year graduate of the Atlanta Uni versity School of Social Work, be gan work as Case Worker with the [ Children’s Service Bureau of the : Cleveland Ohio Humane Society * February 15, 1945. Miss Helm is a I native of Wichita, Kansas. Urban League Takes Over 40 Credit Union “After more than a year's study, the Four “C*s” Credit Union has come under the sponsorship of the Omaha Urban League Community Center” said Hr. E. R. Fletcher, president of the Credit Union Board, today. The Credit union membership after the proper notice, took ac tion at their annual meeting on January 20 and received the Cer tificate of Approval for the change last month. The Credit union one of several thousand in the United States, was organized in 1938 by the Central ized Commonwealth Clclc Club, commonly called the Four “CTs" Club for the purpose of encourag ing thrift among its members and to make loans where needed by its members. The Four “C?s” credit union is covered by the State Bank ing Department of Nebraska ,has an annual audit by a state examin er and carries a sufficient bond on the Secretary-Treasurer. The amendment to the By-laws approved by the State Director of Banking of Nebraska makes it pos sible now for every member of the ' Omaha Urban League—men and women—to become a member of the Four “C's” Credit Union. During the past seven years, me credit union has loaned $3831,25 to ] ;ls members. All of the money was | paid back to the union without aj lawsuit or without the use of a collection ' agency. The Board of Directors recenty raised the loan limit to $200. The 135 members of the Union have purchased $1081.61 in shares as of December 31, 1944. Members of the credit union save by borrowing money from their or ganization and avoid carrying charges for cash purcnasea. The interest charges on loans are con siderably lower than those charg ed by commercial loan companies. Dividends may be declared to mem bers at the end of the year. Anyone in this community may become eligible for membership In the credit union by joining the O maha Urban League Community Center at 2213 Lake Street. whic’» is also the headquarters of the Credit Union. The Board of Dir ectors must approve all applica tions for membership in their reg ular monthly meeting. The Board of Directors and of ficers recently- elected are: Edw ard R. Fletcher, President; George Harrisf Vice .President.; Raymond R. Brown, Secretary-Treasurer; —. M. Forrest, H. W. Smith, A. B. Wright, C. W. Pierce, Dr. J. J. Jones and Du ward R. Crooms. Supervisory- Commitee: L. F. Mc Intosh, Robert Harris, and James W. Headley. Credit Committee: Dr. M. E. Johnson, Charles Cole man, John T. Davis, E. W. Me-1 Cowan, and Bert Tate. Army Studing More Effective Way Of Training Neg roes NEGRO LAWYER, IN ITALY FOR STIMSON. CALLS ILLIT ERACY' A FACTOR IN 92NO DIVISION (BY* JOHN CHABOT SMITH) I by Wireless to the Herald Tribune Copyright, 1945, New York Tribune’,' Inc. HOME, March 14—The War De partment is making a special effort to find out why the 92nd Infantry Division and other Negro combat units have made unsatisfactory showings, and to work out new methods for dealing with the par ticular problems of Negro troops, it was revealed today by Truman K Hibson, Jr, civilian advisor to the Secretary of War. Mr. Gibson a Negro attorney from Chicago, who has been in Italy since February 28 on a trouble-shooting mission that will take him to other Negro units in other war theatres, said he had found no reas< to be lieve that Negroes as a rac< re any less courageous than other people. The 92d Division labor® -..Oder the handicaps of excessive illiteracy and inadequate training, he said, ] while Negroes are always sensitive to incidents which revive race pre judices, and many of them lack a clear conviction of what tnev are fighting for. V POSTWAR FATCOR Mr. Gibson said the War Depart ment is especially interested In the problem because it is a stumbling block to the department's hopes for post-war universal military train ing legislation. "If we have uni versal military training, Negroes have to be included," he said. “One of the keys to defeat of the nurse draft bill is that out of 9,000 reg istered Negro nurses it (The Army) has taken only a few more than 200." “The problem cannot be solved merely by legislation, but it can and will be solved by determination on the part of the Army,” he added. Mr. Gibson will report to the War Department's Advisory* Committee on S' ecial Troop Policies, of which Assistant Secretary of War John L,. McCloy, is chairman. Talking frankly at a prc.-s con ferr.co, Mr. Gibson said he had tri ed to find out why Negro troops so often “melt away” in the face of the enemy. Similar things have happened in white units, he said, but not on such a large stale. Where a few stragglers will fall by the wayside in other units, a whole Negro platoon will sometim es get panicky, particular at night when the individual soldier feels he has been left alone with no one around to support him in battle. Not all Negro troops melt away un der fire, he said. He C'ted numerous instances of personal courage and of companies battalions and regiments which had distinguished themselves. WHEItE THE TKOIBI.E LIES Mr. Gibson found the answer to the 92d’s problem largel y in the division’s history. It was activat. ed three years ago. before the Ar my’s special training program for illiterates was developed, and many (Continued on Page IW~4) Let Us Build that New Home for You and Your Family The Realty Improvement Co. 342 Electric Bldg Jfl-7718 w^sn^
