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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1945)
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PHONE HA.0800 'if ^ 'if 'ir ”Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• ^ O ^ Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oft ice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of K ,n/fc , , A ,, n . /-» _., ,, II 7~ * March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr. Sclturdcty, jVlciy 5, 1945 ^ 10c Per Copy 'A' Olir 18th YCcir, No. 13 Read "CHATTER-BOX” a youthful column by Doris McGill EV-ffg ggggT*FR nMlla „nF NAACP Charges 34TH BATTALION OF NEGRO SEABEES TREATED AS PRISONERS, CRIMINALS, Humiliation Apparent Because of Pressure Applied Against Dis criminatory Practices; Removal of Commander J. P. MacBean NKW YORK—Relying* upon reports from its nb servers on the Pacific* Coast, the NAACP ufcarg ed April 27 in a wire to Secy of the Navy James V. Forrestal, that the 34th Construction Battal ion (Seabees), who went on a hunger strike March 2-3 in protest against dis criminatory com!it ions, were herded on to their ship hound for the Pacif ic by an “armed guard with drawn bayonets.” The 34th alittalion is a veteran outfit having already served 21 months in the South Pacific Upon thnlr (return to the United States in the latter part of 1!»44, they fiood ed the Navy department, their friends, Negro organizations and the Negro press with protests over the treatment they had been arcord ed by Commander .1 1' Mat-Bean of Hall ieshurs, Mississippi and hilt executive officer, I.t Com O 1» White Norman Houston of tlie Los An geles branch of the NAACP con ducted an investigation at the Cal ifornia post where the battalion was stationed on February 27 and recommended the remofal of Com mander MacBean At a result of the pressure from all sides the Navy department re moved MarBean. but apparently in retaliation for the just complaints of the men, the battalion in being reshipped overseas was humiliated * oi ‘ig handled Mice prisoners or criminals In the wire to Secre tary Forrestal the NAACP, through Hoy Wilkins^ assistant secretary, said: “The National \»snrint ion for the Advancement of t'olored People is advised from Went toast that 34th i Construction Itaftalion embarked under armed guard with drawn bay onets as though men were criminals or were reluctant to nerve their country Thin battalion has 31 months overseas service and has proved beyond doubt its ability and loyalty We are alito advised that laM minute transfers out of battal ion over and above usual replace ments have left unit merely a shell of one which made excellent record in Sonfh Pacific. “FeeMng on West ('oast In that 34th lM being humiliated and pun ished because off vigorous protest of "hnhhy treatment and discrimin atory practices of former t'omman der J. P. Madlean resulted in Mac Bean's transfer We enfer vigor ous protest against this action If Navy investigation determined that Madlean should have been trans ferred men of battalion should not He penalised. If Madlean policies were not harmful to morale as charged he should never have been removed. “*nb*et|uent treatment off 34th battalion suggest* strongly unwor thy punitive action by Nnvj depart ment which has sent battalion mor ale to new low. This coupled with high percentage off inexperienced replacements presents battalion with tremendous job to maintain high "tandard of previous overseas service." J3 Years in So. Pacific Enjoys Month’s Visit few Mr Clifford Sessions one of the wide awake naval blue jackets has been stationed in Honolulu for 3 years and has enjoyed a month’s visit with his mother and sister in Omaha at 2417 North 22nd St Manhandled on Train; Gets Cash Settlement New York—The Southern Rail way company has made a substan tial cash settlement in the suit brought by Miss Edith Johnson of Brooklyn, who charged that she had been manhandled on a New 1 ork Atlanta train when she refus ed to give up her reserved seat and go into a “jim crow” car. The suit has been in court about a year and a half. Oliver D. Williams handled the case at the request, of the NA'ACP f v Miss Johnson, a senior student at Spelinan College, had alleged in a complaint filed on her behalf by the NAACP that although she held a "through” reservation from New York to Atlanta, she was ordered to change to a Jim Crow car when she reached Lynchburg, Virginia, and that when she refused to do so » she was forcibly ejected from a de luxe coach of the “Southerner”, on which she had reservations, and thrown bodily into a jim crow car, by a conductor and several police officers who were summoned upon her refusal to remove herself vol untarily . Proposes San Francisco Parley Kill Colonial Systems at Conference San Francisco, Calif.—As soon as the opening formalities of the World Security Conference here were over on April 25, a proposal was made on the morning of April 26 that the colonial system be a bolished, that equality of races be recognized, and that a bill of rights for all the people of the world be adopted The proposal was made by Dr W E B DuBois and Walter White NAACP consultants to the American delegation hey asked the Amer ican delegation to request that the proposal be written into the Dum barton Oaks agreement Instead of the present colonial system, the NAACP consultants urg ed an international agency to which the colonial powers would be re quired to report. 101 Officers Released; Bomber Group Moved from Freeman’s '■ lnnatl, Ohio,—Twenty- four, hours after 101 Negro fly mgr offlc «rs were ordered released from con finement at Godman Field, Kentuc ky. the 177th Bombardment group, a Negro medium bomber outfit, had ' been ordered away from Freeman Field at Seymour, Indiana, it was announced thl* week by Theodore M Berry of the Cincinnati NAACP Th destination of the bombardment group is unknown The order took effect at noon April !6 Release of the 101 officers who were being held because they re fused to sign a statement segregat in gthem in a jim crow officers' club came after protests had flood ed the war department, including a wire from Congresswoman Helen Gahagan ouglas of California Rep Douglas wired Secretary Stimson urging immediate release of the men The mas release leaves only three men still under arrest Lieuten ants Shirlv B Clinton, Roger C erry, and Marsden A Thomason The NAACP, through it* Washing ton Bureau, it* Cincinnati and In dianapolis branches and its national headquarter* in New York, is press ing for the release of the three men and indicated *hat if they are brought to trial legal counsel will be supplied by the Association Judge William H Hastie will be chief counsel for the men and Theo dore Berry of the Cincinnati NA ACP will be associate counsel 'Birmingham Teachers Win Equal Salaries Birmingham. Ala.—Salaries of Birmingham Negro School teachers will be equalized with those of the whites beginning September, 1.45 A decree signed here April 27 by the judge of the Federal district court reads that he ‘•defendants, the School Board of Jefferson Coun ty. Alabama, and J ~ Bryan, Su perintendent of Schools of Jeffer son County, Albania, and ihe agents of the said defendants and each of them do not and are hereby pro petually enjoined and restrained from discrimination in the payment of salaries against the plaintiff and any other Negro teachers and prin cipals in the public school system of Jefferson County, Alabama, on account of race or color •'The operative effect of this de cree is postponed until the school term beginning, September, 1945.” The case was brought by Wil liam J Bolden and was filed ..larch 27, 1942 Attorneys for Bolden were Arthur D Shores of this city and Thurgood Marshall, XAACP Special counsel of New YorV TRAIN PORTTERS HOLD RERION VI, CONFERENCE The Train Porters in the South eastern paiK cf the country will as semble in Atlanta, Monday, May 21st and 22nd in the Atlanta YM.CA. Auburn and Butler Streets, for a ★—*-*- * —★—★ | to ★ *★★★★★*★ to J to ★ *★★★★★*★ to 30thSpingarn Medal Award to Paul Robeson Discuss Plans for Mid-City Hospital Pres. Medical Assoc., Calls Meeting of Civic Leaders to Discuss Plans, i or a Class-A Hospital; Color ea People Should Underwrite Protect ; ~■.j Peonage Wide' Spread in Florida New York City—(WDL) “Involuntary servitude is com monplace in Florida," reported Morris Milgram, Workers Defense League national secretary, after a month's work there on cases of peonage and involuntary servitude, which the League has brought to the attention of the Department of Justice for prosecution. In central Florida, Milgram re ported, Negro citrus workers em ployed regularly five days a week have been arrested for “vagrancy” because they refuse to work Sat urdays. These cases never come to trial the WDL leader declared for the workers pay the $25.00 bond in order to be released. It is commonly understood that the bond is the fine, and that no appearance for trial is desired by public officials involved. The result of the arrests is to force citrus workers to labor a gainst their will, fearing arrest. While they would work willingly if they received extra pay for Sat urday work, many Negro workers now work Saturdays only under threat of imprisonment. regional conference to work out a program to safeguard their jobs during the post war period. The conference will have repre sentation from practicly every Southern road in the South and will be educational in nature. A. Philip Randolph, Int'l Presid-1 ent of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters along with Milton P. Webster. Charirman of the Int'l Ex ecutive Board. Thomas T. Patter son, Eastern Zone Supervisor and B. F. McLaurin, Int'l. Field Organ izer will be in attendance. The conference will close with a dinner at the Club Poinciana. Brotherhood Wins Election on GM&O. RR. B. F. McLaurin, International Field Organizer of the Brootherhood of Sleeping Car Porters conferred with Mediator Albert Smith at the Battle House Hotel, Mobile. Ala bama on the case of the Train Porters and attendants on the Oulf. Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Contesting the election was the Brotherhood of Trainmen, Brakemen Porters. Switchmen. Firemen and Railway Employees. Inc. The Brotherhood woif the election. Ensign Cooper To Serve an Personnel Officer One of the first Negroes to receive a naval commission as a line officer ; in the present war. Ensign George ! C. Cooper has been selected by I.t. Comdr. L. F. Moore, commanding I officer of the Naval Training School ; Hampton, Ya.. to serve as his per sonnel officer, The Navy Eepart • I ment announced this week. Use The Omaha Guide As A— Medium of Advertising j) Monday evening at 7;30 P ,M. Dr. Craig Morris, President of the Neg ro Medical Society called together a few Civic minded Citizens for the purpose of discussing ways and means of laying a foundation tor a Class A Hospital in the MicJ-Citty section where real democracy will ring true to its meaning on the plot of ground in the Bedford Park edition which is owned by Mr. Dee president of the Realty Improve ment Co., In«. Atty. Davis at the meeting brought out the fact that to lay the proper foundation of obtaining funds to build a hospital, the land should be deeded to the principal body that will have the work of laying the foundation for this hos pital. The Realty Improvement Cc-.. Inc. being the owner of this plot of land through their representative at this meeting Mr Dee stated that the size of the lot was 100 by 406 ft. and that the value the firm had on said lot was $6000.00, in fact he stated this firm had been offered $6000.00 for the lots for a purpose he thought was not essential for the Community and that offer had been turned down. Mr. Dee stated that he felt sure that the Realty Improve ment Co., Inc. would deed the lot to the Hospital Committee for the sum of $3000.00 definitely for a hospital only. It was concluded by the mem bers of the Committee present that every effort would be put forth to purchase the lot for the hospital. Dr. Craig Morris stated that the Medical Society was meeting the following Friday evening and at which time he would put the mat ter up to the members of said Soc iety and that he felt that it would be acted on favorably. Dr. Craig Morris said he had al ready inquired from the Auxiliary of the Society asking what they could do to help build the hospital. It was suggested in the meeting that the Hospital Committee be en larged and that the Douglas County Medical Society Auxiliary be repre sented on the Committee. The meet ing was closed with all concerned feeling certain that the money for the ground would be raised and that the hospital would be built. 2-Day Business Clinic Closes at Lincoln Uni. Jefferson City, Mo.. April 25, 1$45 The first annual Business Clinic, sponsored by the Lincoln 1 niversity (Mo.) Department of Economics and Business Administration on its school‘s campus April 24 and 25, closed a successful session which presented outstanding personalities on its program. White Corporal Sends NAACP Gift of $100 New York—Corporal Irwin Ross, -erving with a transportation unit ; overseas, has directed Liberty Mag j nzine to send the N’AACP $100, part ! of the money he received for an j article to appear May 19, entitled “They Kept the Army Rolling " I Since the article is about Army railroads in Europe and since regu lations prevent Corp Ross from ac cepting pay for work done in con nection with his Army duties, he contributed his check to various causes, including the N’AACP This is the second gift of this nature re ceived by the N'A ACP. the first be ing $1,000 early in 1S44 from Sgt John Sweet who gave away the money he received for acting in the British motion picture, “A Canter ] bury Tale ” PRESIDENT NEGRO MEDICAL SOCIETY, DR. CRAIG MORRIS Mrs, Cora Thomas Dies in Lincoln MEMBER PIONEER LINCOLN (J FAMILY; ACTIVE IN CIVIC, SOCIAL, OES. CIRCLES LAID TO REST IN WYl'KA CEMETERY Mrs. Cera B. Thomas. 71. 324 C; Street, a resident of Lincoln since 1 1907 died there at a local hospital. 1 She had been a resident of Lincoln I since 1907. Mrs. Thomas was born in j Fort Scott Kansas, she was grad- J uated from the public schools, at tended Teacher's State Normal there j and taught school in Oklahoma while it was Indian territory in 1897, after her marriage to Lon B Thomas she moved to Kansas City and from there to Lincoln. Her hus- ! band preceeded her in death having died in 1917, leaving a widow with five children who she raised to adult-hood alone. Mrs. Thomas never did remarry. She was a member of the Stew ardess Board of Quinn Chapel A M E. Church, Worthy Matron of Am aranth Chapter O. E. S. No. 3 and Grand Ada of Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska and Jurisdict ion. She had been ill two months. She is survived by a daughter. Mrs. Agnes L. Holcomb. Lincoln, four sons Sergant Francis E.. Fres : no California. Corporal Lonnie B., U. S. Army- over sea. Herschel, Lin coln. Wendell, Omaha, three sisters. Mrs. Elizabeth Woods, Mrs. Maude Johnson, Mrs. Vashti Mosby, all of Lincoln, five grand children, five nephews and other relatives. Funeral services were held Thurs day afternoon from Quinn Chapel A. M. E. Church, with llev. L. S. Goolsby, officiating assisted by R.ev. O J Burckhardt, Rev. T. T. McWil liams. Rev C C. Reynolds. Presid iams. Rev. C. C. Reynolds, Presid ing Elder John Adams. Eastern Star rites were in charge of the Amar anthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska and Jurisdiction, with Grand Wor thy Matron, Cloma Scott presiding. Burial was at Wyuka Cemetery, j Lincoln Music Observance to be Dedicated to 1,571 Hamptonians at War The annual observance of Natio nal and Inter-American Music Week at Hampton Institute May 6-12 will be dedicated to the 1571 former students and workers at the collegre who are now in the armed forces. Miss Irene Sanders head of the music department announced. Newi Appeal Filed in Army Scottsb’roCase Washington, DC.—A new petition asking for the immediate release of Frank Fisher and Edward R. Loury Negro soldiers sentenced to life im prisonment by Courts-martial in New Caledonia in 1943, was filed with the War Department this week by Judge William H. .Hastte,'chair man of the NAACP national legal committee and Congressman Vito Marcantonio (ALP, NY), President of the International Labor Defense The soldiers were convicted of rap ing a native French wdman. The sentence of Fisher was reduced to 10 years and that of Loury to 8, af ter Hastie and Marcantonio, serving as their counsel on appeal, made oral arguments and submitted briefs on their behalf in 1944. The new plea is made under the rules of the War Department providing for the review of convictions once a year. Citing the fact that the woman accepted three dollars from the soldiers immediately after having had relations with them Hastie and Marcantonio reiterated the pos ition they took last year At that time they expressed grave doubt “there there is (a) case in Anglo American jurisprudence in which a conviction of rape has been per mitted when payment had been of fered and accepted on the spot.” It was also pointed out that the ac ceptance of money was but one of , many affirmative indications of the I fact that the woman consented The new petition took sharp is- j sue with the War Department's o- I pinion of March 31, 1944, issued ov- i er the signature of the Under Sec- J retary of War reducing the sent ences but upholding the finding of | guilt. The Departmental opinion j contended, “Before any case is pre- i sented to a general courts-martial j it is subjected to pre-trial invest!- j gation If investigation indicates that such action is warrented and 1 the Commanding General approves I it is brought to trial ” Counsel for prisoners point out that in the Fisher-Loury case “the | recommendation of the investigat ing officer who thoroughly examln ed all witnesses was that the facts [ did not warrant prosecution for rape.” "His recommendation,” the peti tion . continued, “was ignored and 1 the evidence which supported it PAUL ROBESON New York—Paul Robeson, inter nationally famous actor, concert artist, and athlete, has been award ed the 30th Spingarn Medal it was announced April 26 by Pr John Haynes Holmes, chairman of the award committee. Mr Hobeson received the award for his outstalid ng achievements in the theatre, on the concert stage and in the general field of racial welfare The latest triumph in his long public eareei is his appearance in Margaret Webster's production of "Othello.” Mr. Robeson has appeared in numerous legitimate plays includ ing "Emperor Jones,” “All God's Chillun”, "Porgy", “Black Boy" “The Hairy Ape." and “Stevedore." In the films he has appeared in "Emperor Jones," "Showboat,” “Saunders of the River" "King Sol omons Mines", /‘Jericho” and oth ers . He gave his first concert perfor mance as a singer in 1926, and made his first concert tour of Am erica in 1929 His concert' tours of Europe occurred in 1926-28, 1931 and 193S, with a memorable tour of Russia in 1936 Mr. Robeson is a graduate of Rutgers college and olumbia uni versity. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He was a four letter man at Rutgers and was all Amer ican end on Walter Camp's team in 1918. He is married and has a son who is now a sophomore at Corn ell The SpitiKarn Medal was Institut ed by the late J E Spingarn for many years president of the NAAO' to go to the “man or woman’’ of African descent and American cit izenship who shall have made the highest achievement during the preceding year or years in any hon orable field of human endeavor.” The award to Mr. Robeson is con sidered the Spingarn Medal for 1944 The award is customarily presented at the annual conference of the NAAOP, but on account of ■wartime restrictions the conference has been cancelled this year In view of this circumtance *he medal will be formerly presented at a date and place to be announced later was withheld from the Courts-mar tial This alone is adequate ground for releasing the petitioners now ” The opinion also held that the prisoners had been “vigorously and ably defended" by lawyers appoint ed by the Army This proposition was likewise rebutted by the peti tion Fisher and Loury "have fil ed affidavits” the attorneys stated, “charging that thfey first saw ap pointed counsel less than t4 hours before their trials "Whatever the vigor of counsel may have been we deny their abil ity to defend adequately under these circumstances It is sub mitted that no reviewing author ity can reasonably say that the petitioners had the substantive pro tection which the right to counsel and the right to call and examine witnesses are intended to afford t Hastie and Marcantonio concluded CIO Convinced “Price Ceilings ]\ot Cause of Meat Shortage” Says Murray Relaxation of Ceiling Prices will Not Produce More Meat In a letter to all members of Con gress today, Pres. Philip Murray of the Congress of Industrial Organiz ation said that the CIO is “convinced price ceilings are not the cause of the meat shortagej and that relazat- : ion of price ceilings will not produce more meat.” Urging that price control be con- ; tinued and fortified” he said that • what we need if stimulation of all possible production, accompanied In adequate control of the supply from the slaughter house right through to the retail counter where families buy their meat." “Publicity emerging from the hearings conducted by the sub-com mittee seems to point more toward relaxation of price control than to strong action on black markets. One Senator is quoted as condoning the purchase of meat on black markets in the absence of meat av ailable through lawful channels. If dissent from that view was express ed in committee, it escaped my notice in the press,” he said. "Surely these must be distorted accounts of what the current in quiry is leading to. It cannot be possible, while our country is at war and our fighting men are engaged with the enemy, that any committee of the Congress is willing to lend itself in any degree whatsoever to an undermining of public morale here at home. Surely there can be no intended purpose to exploit our difficulties with respect to a dimin ished meat supply, or to suggest that relaxation of essential war time controls should be proposed to ease these difficulties.” "There is enough food, over and above military requirements, ofr all of us in this country, provided it be properly shared and strictly ration ed. To perform oonly a part of our vitally important obligation to the hungry people of Europe we shall have to maintain strict rationing. We are fully prepared to do what is necessary to make good the liber ation of subject peoples frr which Philip Murray __‘ our fighting men have given their lives.” Text of President Murray's letter (continued on pagegggp’S)
