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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1945)
9 /JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEW TO THE UNE~\ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PHONE HA.0800 MU GRANT ST ^ O ^ "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC• ^ "O ^ ^ Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oftice. Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of n . n mir- _ _ March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr SEturtlEy, Sept. 8, 1945 ^ 10c Por Copy Ollr 18th Y6EP—No. 31 Omaha Urban League, Young Citizens Forum Announce Appointment of Teachers in Public School System “Caldonia” . filmer N ICKIE OTJA NIKI. AND COCIS JORDAN IN AN INTIMATE SCENE LOUS JORDAN PROVES CHEAT AS FILM ACTOR;“CALDONIA" DERI TS IN NEW YORK CITY (BY DOLORES CALVIN) New York City (CNS) "Caidonia' bas arrived. The film featurett \ stuffed with four new tunes and adorned with the Bobby Soxer's King. Louis Jordan, as its star, makes its initial bow in New York this week at the New Amsterdam Theatre in Times Square. It will be the first time the celebrated bandleader has appeared on the screen in a film acted in and at the same time’produced by Negroes. The 2 minute featurette, costing approximately 13,000 to produce, gives its Negro east a chance to prove its talents, besides introduc ing four hit tunes, including, of course, the sorg Jordan made fam ous, "Caidonia.” The film otoiv .s simple but car ries a direct appeal. There is no Uncle Tom ism The actors act their parts not saunter through them laz ily as "Caidonia" starts off stepping lively. Caidonia Jjri an's film sweetheart is really Nicki O’Daniel whose whole purpose in the picture is to keep Louie in New York to be near her. Nixing a Hollywood contract, Louie stays. Richard Huey, 250 lb Bro- dway star of “Bloomer Girl" convinced Jordan he is a Harlem producer of note. He hires the Jor dan band to make a movie in his studio where, with his brilliant ideas, he can elaborate on his film equipment. Unfortunately, as Huey’s ideas blossom creditors be gin removing the equipment piece by piece. Last to go is the piano and somebody’s still playing it. All this time a frustrated Jordan repeats to beautiful but hard-head ed Caldonia “All this trouble and I could be in Hollywood.” There’s the setting for the song hit. How ever, before the 2 minutes are over, they managi to include the love scene of Jordan and Caldonia. the dance team of Taylor and Harris, comedians George Wilshire a>d .Sporty Ode and 3 Sun Tan Girls. Actually filmed last winter, As tor IMctures Corp, in New York just released “Caldonia* August 15th for country-wide public consumption. They believe this featurette will be one. of many by Jordan and that in its giving unique entertainment to •he nation, ic wil’ also instil a cour age in Neg'r > youth to do things for hemselves. There’s progress in the theatre as ‘Caldonia” moves n to oeeome, l.ke Louis Jordar himself, one of the greatest little attractions in years. The Red Cross on the Job MANILA PI—European war vet erans. first to arrive in Manila by direct transfer discover the famil iar Red Cross doughnut girl and her tray of refreshments. Mrs. Let tie Warrington Werner of Corvallis, Oregon, is one of 15 Red Cross workers who set up mobile canteens near the railroad tracks when the GIs moved in from landing craft. These combat units from Italy de voured 10,000 doughnuts and 35# gallons of iced punch. Final Appeal for Nat’l War Fnnd will be Made This Coming Fall XJie final appeal for the National War Fund will be made this fall, with the budget set at $ 11 S.OOO.OOO in order to finance member agenc ies to liquidation or the end of 1946, according to advices to V. J. Skutt, general chairman oT Omahas Victory Fund and Community Chest Campaign, which raises the funis ?>i National War Fund in Omaha. Skutt stated that the National War Fund had advised him that 7-J Day does not signify immediate end to the work of member agenc ies of the Fund, with the exception cf American Field Service. USO- and USO-Camp Shows must carry on their programs for our service men until demobilization is »u actuality, Skutt said. While it is expected there will be shifts and reductions in the ,USO vudget. the work in the Pacific .vill have to be maintained at a high level and USO-Camp Shows will face expanded programs, for men w-ho are in forces of occupa tion. United Seamen's Service will al so have to continue its work while the merchant fleets are engaged in bringing men and materials home. No immediate change is in sight for the budgets of the foreign re lief agencies which are members of the National War Fund, Skutt con tinued. He pointed out that Presi dent Truman, in his report to the peoy' after his return from Pots dar ’ad made it clear that the people of this nation have a respon sibility to aid the war victims of those nationg which fought with us President Truman said: “If we let Europe go cold and hungry, we may lose some of the foundations of order on which the hopes for world peace must rest.” Skutt also pointed out that peace In the Pfcific also now makes it possible to render increased aid to the Philippines and to give all pos sible aid to China, both in great need. In its appeal this fall, the \ ictory Fund and Community Chest will urge Omahans t<y “Be Generous in Victory—We still have a Job to Do! -— — — ■ . — . ' ~===^~ - '■ 1 -1L- " ■ ... " Senator Bilbo Denounced By Fellow Mississippians _ Southern White Editors Oppose Anti-Negro Statements Of Eastland, Bilbo NEW YORK, NY—New and con-{ elusive prooi tnat tne nate Inspired Southern Congressional bloc mis represents Southern opinion in its outbursts of racial prejudice is con tained in a poll of 251 Southern white newspaper editors by the Southern Conference for Human ! Welfare. The editors, representing public ations from all 13 southern states, ' overwhelmingly opposed the anti- ! Negro statement of Mississippi’s Senator James Eastland “The Negro soldier was an utter and abysmal failure in combat in Europe. He has disgraced the flag of his coun try," \\ hich created such a wave of protest from progressive groups throughout the nation. Seventy-five and one-hait percent stated that this view did not reflect the ‘prevailing opinion of the sou thern people" Only 10 percent voted yes on this question, with 14% percent undecided Eighty three percent scored Sen. Eastlands canard as a “hazard to the nation's war effort.” Only five percent up held hia views. This denunciation of Sen East land and the philosophy of his col league. Sen. Bilbo, is expected to provide one of the most forceful arguments when proponents _of a permanent FEPC and anti-poll tax legislation presa for Congress ional action after Congress recon venes. Dr. Clark Forman president stated at the Conference's New York headquarters in releasing the results of the poll. Both these bills will receive full support from the CIO-PAC which has marked them as “musts” in its legislative pro gram. In discussing the survey Dr. Fore man stated: “Such polls as these prove conclusively that the south ern representation in Congress, in reality, represents only an infin itesimal fraction of the south's population. The opinions of these editors indicates further a growing realization of the vast econom'c and social problems that face the south in the reconversion period. These problems can only be solved when the representatives direct their at tention to specific issues instead of creating racial friction in order to maintain their political power.” Dr. Foreman supported his con tention by reminding that less than 18 percent of the adult population of Mississippi voted in the last presidential election and that Con gressman Rankin was elected by only six percent of the voters in his district. The Southern Conference is work I ing in close cooperation with CIO I unions in the south to elevate that section of the country to its proper place in the national economy aa an area of great industrialization and production. The Conference was officially endorsed by the National CIO last November and received an added vote of approval at a recent meeting of the southern^CiO offic ials. \OT CONNECTED WITH RAIL ROAD MEN’S BENEVOLENT CLVB The OMAHA DINING CAR WAIT ERS KEY CLUB wishes to convey to the public that we have no con nections with the Railroad Men’s Benevolent Club located at 24th iV Miami streets. We remain as al ways at 2409 Burdette Street. Alexander Smith, President, Alton B. Goode. Secretary. To Subscribe for Omaha’s Greater Negro Weekly CALL HA-0800 To Child Welfare Work in China V IN'IT A VIRGINIA LEWIS, prom inent authority on child welfare formerly with the Children's Bur eau of the U. S. Department of La bor, has joined the staff of the Uni ted Nations Relief and Rehabilita tion Administration for child wel fare work In China. She will go on loan to the Chinese Relief and R e h a bilitation Administration, where she will work under Dr. T. F. Chang, who is well known in Amer ican social work circles. Miss Lew is is scheduled to fly to Chungking in September. Miss Lewis’ appointment was ap proved by the Chinese Government on 15 June, while she was still at the Children’s Bureau. Generali} regarded as the best qualified per son for the post, she was urged by social worker groups and the Na tional Council of Negro Women to accept on the basis of the service she could render. This considerat ion shaped her decision. In China, Miss Lewis will be bring ing into play all of her distinguished experience in the child welfare field, which has included work on a state and national basis, throughout this country. She will be working directly with the Chinese govern ment and through the Chinese Re lief and Rehabilitation Administra tion. She will also work with na tional figures in the Chinese child welfare movement, and with volun tary religious organizations which have a long history of achievement in child care in China. On the basis of the work they have already done, she will intro duce them to the progress made in this country in both public and pri vate welfare programs, and estab lish a link between American and Chinese thinking on the subject. This is in line with UNRRA policy, which is to adapt its relief progrr to government policy and national J will rather than impose it from without. i Programs affecting the care of children, such as emergency shelt er, feeding, investigations of condi-, tions affecting family and Co urn unity life will also be of direct con cern to Miss Lewis, who will be con; cerned with the problems of child ren in both rural and urban areas. The homeless, abandoned and de pendent children for whom Miss Lewis will be working out a pro gram will be reaping the benefits of BILBO CALLED “UNFIT TO SIT WITH HONEST MEN IN LEGISLATURE” HEADLNE MAG, SAYS BILBO ACCEPTED BRIBE TO CHANGE HIS VOTE... Senator Theodore Bilbo of Miss issippi was called "unfit to sit with honest, upright men in a respectable legislative body” by his fellow Mis sissippi State legislators, according to a story of his life in the Septem ber issue of Headlines and Pictur es. The occasion for the denuncia tion was the revelation by Bilbo that he had accepted a $645.00 bribe to change his vote when the legis lators were choosing a man to fill Mississippi’s vacant seat in the Uni ted States Senate. Bilbo’s rise from a small-town politician from Juniper Grove. Miss, to become the scourge of minority and liberal groups in the highest legislative body in this country is best explained by the depressed condition of those whom he repre sents. Garrulous and vindictive, he has taRen pride in his role as the “dead-end kid” of the United States Senate. Although many persons would dis agree with his disscription of him self as a “marvel of intellectual brilliance,” he has established him self as a worthy successor in the long line of Dixie demagogues. Individuals and organizations from South to North have joined in denouncing Bilbo's most recent floods of investives against various minority groups in this country. Now that he has announced that he is a candidate for reelection it remains to be seen if his own small voting public has been affected by the wholesale condemnation of their elected representative. The story of his life in Headlin es and Pictures traces his career from its beginning to the present, and gives a startling insight into the circumstances which have pro duced “The Man.” Negro Worker Needs Full Job Bill WHITE TELLS SENATE UHOH* 0 Washington, DC.—Negro workers | who got employment largely n e mergency war time planU ana hi , temporary civil service jobs, need the Full Employment Bill passed ^ by Congress, Walter White NAA CP secretary, told the Senate Bank - ing and Currency committee Aug ust 29th. Not only doeg the Negro need the j bill, but his fortunes as a wage I earner will form an impot tant as ; reel of the who'e problem of post war employment,” Mr. Whit-j said. her years of work with the Negro | minori y gro> p and her understand- 1 ing of its problems in this country. As Miss Lewis puts it. work with minorities requires not only under standing of the minority and its problems, but also complete under- I standing of the entire social and government setting in which they live. Sleeping Car Porters Win Mediation Board Election on Union Pacific System Mr. Lawrence Farmer^ Mediator^ from the National Mediation Boards | conducted a system election on the I Union Pacific Railroad among | chair car attendants on that system The votes were counted in Saint j Paul on the 29th day of August in ! the presence of M. P. Webster. In ' ternational First Vice President of I the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porfters, and B. L. Morris. Twin Cities representative of the same Organization. The count for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. AF. of u.t was 178; for CIO; 1. There were 237 men on the system eligible to vote so that the vote gives the Bro therhood of Sleeping Car Porters a clear majority and the question of certification as the duly authorised representative of this group is just a matter of form. This adds the last class-ore rail road to the long list of railroads where the porters are represented by the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Forters. JOE MI M os DISCHARGE— New (CNS) Looking fit and taut, as he did when he fought Abe Simon in March> 1942t Sgt- oe Louis appeared in town this week weighing an edge over 200 pounds. He was mum as to whether he might soon he out of He army. Too he was silent as to whether he has been secretly train “While there has been a decided increase,” he said, “in the number of Negro workers employed in what we consider continuing indus tries. the majority of Negro work ers have been employed in strictly war production. According to the War Manpower Commission's most recent reports. the Negro labor force in essential employment is distributed in the following cate gories: Shipbiulding 192,000; Air craft production, 116,000; Ordnance and communication equipment 122, •00; Basic metals and rubber 103. 000; other munitions, 160,000. From | these estimates it will be observed i that 600,000 Negro workers are con centrated in the industries tl.at now suffer most severe cutbacks with the coming of peace. "With reference to the post war prospects of the Negro worker it may *be noted, on the basis of a comparison of the 1940 and 1944 figures on the occupational and in dustrial distribution of the Negro labor force that (1) the Negro has made his greatest employment gains in those occupations (espec ially semi-skilled factory jobs) which will suffer the severest cut backs during the post war period: (2) further, he has made his biggest advances in those industries (es pecially the ‘metals, chemicals and rubber’ group) which may exper ience the greatest proportionate post war declines. “iFnally,’’ testified the NAACP. secretary, “it also should be noted that in those occupations and in dustries in which the Negro has made his greatest employment ad vances, he was generally among the last hired. Therefore, under senior ity rules he is more likely to be • a d off than the average worker in ing hard for months. Davenport, la. Man Wins First Civil Rights Case Davenport, Iowa— Charles yV. Toney, president of the Davenport branch of the NAACP, hag announc ed that on August 8. 1945, the bran ch won the first civil rights case ever to be tried in that city. Mr. Toney and his wife were the complainants in the prosecution of a local ice cream parlor proprietor who had arbitrarily refused to serve them. The Assistant County attorney prosecuted the case, but as a precautionary measure a Negro attorney, S. oe Brown of Desmoines was brought in to assist in the pros ecution of the defendant. The case was won before an all white jury which deliberated only ten minutes. Parade to Feature League Opening Miss Mae B. Taylor, Chairman of the Omaha Urban League Commun ity Center's Neighborhood Comm ittee, announced plans for the Fall Opening of the League, 2213 Lake Street, on September 24. The theme of the opening will be a Community Fair in which the 1 whole neighborhood will participate Mr. John Watkins and Mr. Herbert Patten, co-chairmen of the Parade Committee, are arranging to have a parade that will start at the Lea gue after th moving picture show for the children on the above men tioned day and it will include all of the children present, the Elks band, Mr. Watkins’ orchestra, and floats on which will be the crowned King and Queen of the festival. The king and queen will be named by the Committee on Aw'ards led by Mrs. Madeline Harold, and will be selected from among the young people who secure the most pledg es cards of entrants and partici pants in the Fair. The Fair ittself will include an Old Fiddler's 'CoITTest so any fid dlers are urged to get in touch with Mrs. Gertrude Brooks, chair man -of the Program committee. Other committee chairmen are:.... Mr. Saybert Hanger, Exhibit Com mittee; Mrs. Lucille Clay, Arrange ments Committee; and Mr. Henry Biddiex, Refreshment Committee. The Omaha Urban League is sup ported by the Community Chest. these occupations. Mr. White pointed out that wide spread unemployment and suffering wrould speed the organization and influence of organizations like the j Ivu Klux Klan. The NAACP head I also urged the enactment of the bill j for a permanent FEPC, the nation al housing bill, S. 1342. the Kilgore unemployment compensation bill, the Pepper amendment to the Wage Hour act, the Wagner-Murray Dingell social security bill, and a federal anti-lynching law. Democrats To Be Judged by FEPC Action, Naacp. Tells Senator Barkley New York—Colored people will judge the Democratic party not by the statements of one or nvo lead ers but by what the party's actual ly able to deliver in the way of | FEPC legislation and other bills j affecting their interests. This was I the message last week to Majority j Leader Barkley in the Senate from i the NAACP. Senator Barkley wrote the NAA-1 CP protesting against a statement J that the filibuster against FEPC was "being generally interpreted a mong colored people as the offic ial attitude of the Democratic party.” The NAACP reply acknowledged Senator Barkley's personal attitude favoring FEPC and praised Presi dent Truman for his attitude, hut stated that the colored people over the nation are saying that the elec tion of a Democratic president means "handing the government over to the Bilbos, the Fastlands, and the most prejudiced section cf the Democratic party.” “We can say.” said the NAACP's letter, "that no single incident with in the past 15 years has so aroused and angered and disgusted the Ne gro citizens as the performance which the Democratic party perm itted to be staged in the senate on FEPC. We use the language ‘per mitted to be staged’ advisedly be cause it is inconceivable that a party which really valued the es teem and support of Negro voters located in strategic areas would have allowed either Senator Bilbo or Senator Eastland to have made the shocking and insulting speeches that were made slandering entire groups of citizens of the nation. We repeat that if the Democratic party had been really concerned a bout these people it would have in s.sted, in ways that are known to 11 On Payrolls Now; Seek More Openings The Young Citizens' Forum com posed of aggressive, young men and women, public spirited, unbias ed and politically non-partisan com munity leader3 several months a go developed the project of placing Negro school teachers in the Om aha Public School's system. Hyland E. Melford, assistant dir ector, Division of Venereal Disease Control, State Health Dept, of Ne braska, was named Chairman. Mr. Melford immediately laid plans that have been successful In placing today, Negro teachers in the Omaha Public school system. Working with Mr. Melford were Mr. Duward R. Crooms. Executive Secretary Omaha Urban League, Mr. Arthur B. MoCaw, assistant to the Executive Secretary. Omaha Urban League. Mr. Robert Myers, young business man and Mr. Ralph Adams, OPA Rent attorney. The Young Citizens’ Forum work ing closely with the Omaha Urban League, were successful in provid ing the administrative staff of the school system, headed by the Super intendent of schools. Dr. Corning, with many applications, both from local applicants and applicants from every section of the United States, many holding advance de grees from the leading educational institutions of the country, with many years of teaching experience. Speaking before the school board at one of it3 meetings for more than an hour and one half, at tim es. delivering master-pieces of rhetoric seldom heard in the oak panelled former music conservatory of the Josyln castle, now the office of the Board of Education, Messrs. McCaw. Melford, Adams, Crooms, and Myers urged a reversal of pol icy toward hiring of Negro teach ers. Speaking pointedly, almost militantly Mr. Melford urged on be half of the Young Citizens’ Forum, that Negro teachers be placed in any and every school, teaching any and every subject on the same basis as all teachers are appointed, irres pective of race, creed or color. Said Mr. Melford, "I am privileg ed to report, after having talked with an assistant to Dr. Hobart Corning, that there are now eleven, Negro teacher3 in the public school system and that negotiations are still underway to place more teach ers, thus giving the Negro citizens of Omaha, the representative num ber of teachers that is rightfully due them in every respect. The Young Citizens' Forum believ es this marks a milestone along the highway of inter-cultural and in terracial progress. Let us pray. God above, that those who so gallantly met the challenge, those now lying beside rows of white crosses in military cemeteries stretching across the wide expanse of Africa. Europe and Asia died not in vain, but that we » at home, free men, might have a de mocracy which i3 a reality and not a farce. The Young Citizens’ For um will help Omaha to meet that challenge. the leadership, that no such speech es should be made, although it is granted that a senator may not be denied the right to speak. ’ Public Meeting on MVA Called for Sept. 14th at Joslyn Memorial Bldg. A public meeting to discuss the proposed Missouri Valley Authority has been announced for Friday, September 14, in Omaha. It will be an afternoon and even ing event at the Joslyn Memorial Auditorium, sponsored by the Oma ha Progressive League, an organiz ation formed to promote wider un derstanding of important public questions, with the assistance of an advisory committee of prominent Nebraskans. Both the present legislation for Missouri River development and the proposed MVA will b? explained. C. Petrus Peterson of Lincoln, a director of the Nebraska Reclam ation Association, will preside, open ing the meeting with a statement of the needs of the Missouri River region. Harry Trustin, member of the O inaha City Council, will appear on the afternoon program to explain the present Missouri River legisla tion and Leif Erickson of Helena, Montana chairman of the Regional Committee for MVA, will explain the MVA as provided in the Murray Bill, which soon will be the subject of Senate Irrigation Committee hearings. Raymond R. Tucker, chairman of the St. Louis Pommittee for MVA. will present the progress of the MV’A movement to date. The evening meeting will be ad dressed by Olenn .1. Talbot, presid ent of the North Dakota Farmers Union, and another speaker of na tional reputation. Members -» the group serving as an advisory committee to the con ference are Mrs. Arthur Smith, Lin coln, president of the Nebraska Lea gue of Women Voters; Paul D. Mar vin, Lincoln, secretary of the Nebras ka Association of Rural Public Pow er Districts; Henry Pedersen. Sup erior. director of the Nebraska Far mers Union; F. C. Radke, Lincoln chairman of the Nebraska Commit tee for MVA; Reverend Ray O. Walk enhorst, Seward, president of the Nebraska Rural Christian Fellow ship; J. J. Ouenther, Omaha, presi dent of the Nebraska Federation of Labor; Frank Cronin. Omaha, region al director of the CIO; Mrs. Mary C. Hyde, president of the Omaha Lea gue of Women Voters; Mrs. M. S. McDuf/ee, Norfolk, former president of the Nebraska Federation of Worn en’g Clubs; Mrs. Clayton W. Woods president, Omaha YWCA; Mrs. John H. Bath, Omaha. American Associa tion of the University Women; Oeo rge J. Paulson, Omaha, lowa-Nebr aska States Industrial Union Coun cil; and Albert M. Wltzling. presi dent. Omaha.Central Labor Union. Carlyle Hodgkins, chairman of the Omaha Progressive League's ex ecutive committee, said the general public is invited to the meeting and that its purpose is to promote dis cussion among Nebraska people of Missouri Valley development