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Jf Jr jr "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of and North of KC• Jr ^ ^
_T tc^ bantered as 2nd class matter at Post-oflice. Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of
Saturday, 1J6C. 1, 1945 Our 18tn Year, No. 43 ★ 10c Per Copy "A" March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at £420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr
"We. Can Make Democracy Work”- Haroid ickes
SAYS FULL
EMPLOYM’NT
BILL ‘A Must’
Address by the Honorable
Harold L. Ickes, Secy of Interior
before the Pyramid Club,
Philadelphia, a.P, at 4:00 pm.,
Sunday, November 25, 1945
It is gratifying to me to be here
today as the guest of the Pyramid
Club. It is a particular pleasure
to receive the token which assur
es me of an esteem which is cor
dially reciprocated. Such awards
I am convinced, perform a real
service. Such an occasion as this
provides all of us who are inter
ested in a cause an opportunity to
rededicate ourselves to those prin
ciples which we hold in common,
and to gather from that rededica
tion renewed strength to go forth
and continue the battle for what
we believe to be right.
Your club has long been a gath
ering place for the best minds of
the Negroes of this city. The
'n which I am interested, are and
lave been, I am sure, the causes
'jo which your members dedicated
themselves. Your members have
been concerned with plans to am
eliorate some the difficulties con
fronting Negroes because they
we Negroes. You are concerned
bout enlarging and improving
four economic opportunities. Justi
labiy you demand your fair share
if available obs. In common with
>ther minority groups you are al
io deeply interested in the prob
em of the full exercise of the civ
• rights that ought to be yours
without question by virtue of the
Constitution of the United States.
During the past few years, you
have seen many of your hopes in
these fields burgeon .nto realities.
The public works program which
I directed contributed largely, I
believe, to improving l he lot of the
Negro in this country. We built
hundreds of new school buildings,
sco vt of hospitals, ana thousands
of housing units for Negroes.
During the war, Negroes general
ly received higher wages than
they had ever received before.
The skills which had been learned
on projects financed by the Fed
eral Government were utilized and
improved upon.
I need not tell such an intell
gent group as this of the jtremend:
ous gains that have been yours as
a result of the insistence of our
great President, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, that neither the Con
stitution of the United States nor
right and justice, and certainly
not Christianity recognized any
distinction due to the pigment
ation of the skin. Measured a
gainst unfair and discriminatory
practices that had come to be
taken for granted not only in the
South but in the North we can
appraise the statesmanship and
the courage of the great Roose
velt in setting up the Fair Employ
ment Practices Committee.
There is cause for rejoicing over
what has been accomplished to
date in our Nation but there is
also anxiety for the future. We
must not permit a revival of
thoughtless and unfair discrimin
ation. The continuance of the
FEPC is needed to help insure the
Negro his rightful place in our e
conomic system, for it must be
recognized that full fruition of
the powers and development of
the capacities of the Negro has
not been achieved.
The problem of the Negro merg
es into and becomes inseparable
from the greater problem of Am
erican citizens generally who are
at or below th» line which separ
ates those that are able to live in
decency and comfort from those
who are not. This is the most
serious threat to democracy that
we are facing today. We must
find a solution if our democracy
is to develep and endure.
There is grave and pressing
need that we resist more firmly
and more persistently the exploit
ation of the underprivileged third
of the Nation—a third which con
tains so large a proportion of our
Negroes.
President Truman has ably dia
gnosed the problem. His solution
and it is a solution which affects
not only the Negroes but all of us
in the country, is the full employ
ment bill. The purpose of this is
to attempt to provide a job at all
times for everyone who wants to
work and is capable of working.
If the purposes of this bill could
be achieved, a great advance
would be made not only in solv
ing the Negro problem but in find
ing an answer to the crucial ques
ticn which confronts America to
day—whether we can make our
uemocracy work.
'This full empt- ytnent bill, if en
acted i-.to law, w -ulii be a mod
erate assurance 10 compensate for
the na» Jships experu . cea by the
ATTENnON WORKERS!
• 4 POINTS “TO THINK ABOUT”
1. Ignore “slights” (if they don’t become insults) on the job,
oron the way to and from jobs.
2. Don’t wait for the job paying the price you think you are
worth, but take a job and make it pay more by application
and diligence.
3. Don’t blame the street car when you are late to work. Get
an earlier start .
4. When you find so many faults with your job, the trouble
might be with you.
OMAHA URBAN LEAGUE, Industrial Relations Dept.,
Duward R. Crooms, Executive Sec’y.
Arthur B. McCaw, Ass't Executive.
Fr. Flanagan Makes Appeal for Boys’ Fund
Weekly Feature Launched To Promote Race Harmony i
Beginning this week, we shall present "Our Guest Column," a non-profit service of the American Press Associates devoted to furthering
group understanding.
Edited by Erna P. Harris, noted journalist, our new weekly column will feature prominent guest contributors who will review current
developments on the minority group front and suggest local and nationwide action. Coming soon as guest columnists are Pearl S. Buck,
A. Philip Randolph, George S. Schuyler, Dr. Ira De Reid, Rev. How ard Kestcr, Elmo Roper and other leaders in the fight for equality.
OUR
GUEST
Column
EDITED BY ERNA P. HARRIS
* Note to readers: This week
marks the beginning of a new
feature service, sponsored by the
American Press Associates as a
contribution to democracy. Watch
for noted guest columnists in thi3
space from week to week. Your
opinions and views are invited.
****
Though we have prayed through
the night years—
What if we wake one shimmer
ing morning
To hear the fierce hammering
of his firm knuckles
Hard on the door?
Shall we not shudder?
Shall we not flee?
from “Truth" by Gwendolyn
Brooks.
| Newspapers, magazines! radio
i programs and books bring the
truth to our attention every day.
Classes, labor unions, clubs and
other civic and social groups give
opportunity for discussing truth
with our friends, neighbors and
American people ruling the de
pression and the x - It holds
out the promise that the higher
standard of living and the greater
opportunities that we have talked
auout are n-'< mirages beckoning
us into an indefinite future, but
something that can be realized
within a reasonably short time.
We did not ask ou: sons to forego
the advantages of civil life for
some reward that might be reaiiz
| cd in generations hence. Our men
fought to defend den ocracy and
to assure economic opportunities
for themselves beginning as soon
ci- possible. It is a question now
of keeping faith with them and
v.. h oui selves. We have been
, raying until there is da..gcr of its
I becoming trite tha* every man
able and willing to work is entitl
ed to a jcb. It w„.-l a mockery
if we did not go about seeing to it
that every man alie ai d willing
to work may find a job.
I am shocked that anybody can
hr shocked by the proposal The
full employment bill simply rec
ognizes the natural interest of
the people in continued opportun
ities for full employment. It re
(Continued on page 6)
• For The Latest
(See Ed. Patton’s Ad
(ON PAGE THREE)
co-workers. That is great. It i3
the stuff of which democracy is
made. This is the “fierce ham
mering of his (Truth’s) firm
knuckles, hard on the door.”
But we do not shudder at the
difficulties ? The horrors reveal
ed in this truth? And do we not
flee the responsibilities pointed
out to us? Do we not dread the
necessity of facing titantic prob
lems of today’s world with this
sickening feeling of weakness in
side us?
“What can one person do?” we
ask ourselves. Echoing our inef
fectiveness comes the answer,
"Nothing.” Yet that answer need
not be true. Given an understand
ing of causes and some idea of
other people who face the same
problems, one person can do a
great deal. As a matter of fact,
once he ha3 that understanding,
he is no longer just one.
That is why OUR GUEST Col
umn” will examine some of the
underlying causes of prejudice
and misunderstanding against
people of difference races, relig
ions and Clashes. We shall pre
sent the ideas of some of the
most eminent workers for human,
equality. Furthermore, citizens
who are meeting and solving
some of the problems which result
from prejudice, conflict and mis
understanding will tell their ex
perience through this column.
During World War II the light
of publicity thrown on the doc
trine of race superiority in Nazi
Germany exposed this doctrine
and its brutalizing effects in a
way never before possible. The
truth that religious intolerance is
in effect, a kind of racism, was al
so revealed. Moreover, the disap
pearance of free labor in countr
ies where such bigotry was the
basic social principle was clearly
shown in the Nazi record. It
should bq easy for Americans who
suffer from racial, religious or
class discrimination to recognize
this demonstration of their own
danger. After President Truman
joined Prime Minister Attlee and
Premier Stalin in signing the
Potsdam proclamation abolishing
racial and religious discrimina
tion in Gerfhany under adminis
tration of the United Nations, #oe
Negro remarked, “Just waft till
the United Nations hear of the
United States.”
—
Whether an awakened, informed ;
American populace can be recon
verted to indifference and frustra
tion, now that World War II is
over, depends upon more than our
being informed. Even our willing
ness to do something is not e
nough. We must understand
causes; we must see the links
which tie our problems to those
of other people; and we must
know ways of solving these prob
lems, besides.
These are the things “Our Guest
Column” will deal with through
cooperation of eminent educators,
writers, trade unionists, church
men and government officials,
who will write for you here in
coming weeks. They are people
whom all of us know: Pearl S.
Buck, Willard S. Townsend, A.
Philip Randolph, Bishop John A.
Gregg, Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam
Ira De A. Reid, Pauli Murray,
Rep. Charles LaFollette, Rep.
Jerry Voorhis and many others.
Abetted by such practical counsel
we anticipate that we no longer
need either shucMer or flee bcfo. e
the demands for action which p. -3
session of truth puts upon us.
-—APA
Randolph Says Negroes Should Back C. 1. 0.
Automobile Workers’ Fight for Higher Wages
The fight of the CIO automobile
workers against General Motors, un
der the leadership of VV. P. Reuther,
is one of the most crucial struggles of
labor in the United States of America
at this hour, stated A. Philip Ran
dolph, International President, of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,
at the headquarters of the Union in
New York City, Saturday, November
24th. The refusal of General Motors
to arbitrate the question of the wage
demands of the auto workers is not
only a rebuff and defiance of the CIO
automobile workers, but it constitutes
a slap in the face of all of the trade
union workers of the United States
of America, black and white, Jew and
Gentile, Catholic and Protestant, A.
F. of I. and CIO. If the CIO automo
bile workers win this battle, it will be
the \ictory of the workers of every
craft and class and industry in this
country, and will strengthen the forces
of organized labor and give it the
confidence and faith in its strength
and cause to triumph over the forces
of reaction. If the CIO automobile
workers do not win, it wall be a set
back to all labor in America, said Mr.
Gov. Griswold Made
Honorary Chairman of
“Sock Polio” Campaign
Ted Metcalfe, State Chairman for
the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Fund, to
day announced that Governor Dwight
Griswold will serve as honorary chair
man of the Nebraska Chapter of the
Sister Elizabeth Kenny Institute.
Bing Crosby, chairman of the Na
tional campaign to raise $5,000,000 is
asking for your help for the helpless. 1
Your contributions will help biing
more Kenny technicians into hospitals
and clinics in Nebraska. One half the
amount raised in Nebraska will remain
here, the other half will go to the
Kenny Institute in Minneapolis to fi
nance full training of Kenny teclini
cians for permanent stay at clinics
throughout the country: to provide
periodical study courses for physicians
and technicians and to conduct inten
sive clinical research in poliomyelitis
and related subjects.
At the Kenny Institute a maximum'
hospital fee of $5.00 per day is
charged, if the patient can afford it,
nothing if he cannot. Treatment is
given absolutely free of charge to
everyone.
Contributions may be sent to this
paper to the Nebraska Office at 423
■ Omaha Building and Loan Association
Building. Omaha, Nebr. Make all
I checks payable to Sister Elizabeth
Kenny Fund.
Randolph.
Therefore, all the workers of this
country, and especially the Negro
workers, who are at the bottom of the
industrial ladder, but who constitute
a large section of the automobile
workers, should give this fight, under
the leadership of Philip Murray, R. J.
Thomas and Walter Reuther their
moral and financial support. This is a
fight fo rbread and butter for the
workers, not only in the automobile
industry, but in every industry. It is
the fight to maintain the purchasing
power of the people, which prevailed
during the war. If it wins, it will help
beat back the rising tide of unemploy
ment and an industrial depression,
concluded the Union head.
Southern Union of
Tenant Farmers to
Meet in St. Louis
Announcement was made today
that the 12th Annual Convention of
the Southern Tenant Farmers Union
will meet in St. Louis, Mo., on De
cember 11, 12, 13. Approximately 150
Negro and white delegates represent
ing 50,000 farm laborers in seven
southern states will attend the sessions
at the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
F. R. Betton (Negro), Vice Presi
dent of the Union, in making the an
nouncement, stated, “We have in
vited several nationally known speak
ers to address the convention. Mrs.
Mary McLeod Bethune, President of
the National Council of Negro Wom
en, has been invited to speak on the
evening of December 12th to a mass
meeting to which both Negro and
! white citizens of St. Louis will be in
vited.
Mr. Betton said the convention will
take up a proposal for a Union con
tract on cotton plantations to insure
I every' wage hand, sharecropper, and
tenant an annual wage of $625 per
! year. |
i The Convention will also work out
plans to aid members of the Union in
purchasing farms and homes of their
own in other parts of the country.
Betton said, “Thousands of Negro and
| white families are going to be dis
placed from the plantations of the
South by the new cotton picking ma
chine which is now being manufac
tured and will be used everywhere in
less than 10 years.” It is estimated
that the picker will replace 40 hands
in the cotton fields. That means that
one third or one half of the labor sup
ply will no longer be needed.
•For Greater Coverage
ADVERTISE IN
The Omaha GUIDE!
BEWARE GUTTER
REPAIRMAN
Call the Better Business Bureau
if an unknown person should come
to your door seeking a job of re
pairing your gutters in prepara
tion for winter. Rush Barns, act
[ ing manager of the Bureau said
today.
A number of complaints have
reached the Bureau regarding one
such dinividual who solicits gut
tering work, collects payment in
full after cleaning out the gutters
and promising to return and do
various repairs. Complaints have
i stated the man does not return as
promised, and when they attempt
tc locate him they learn that the
addresses given by him are false.
This person is believed to be the
same individual who was subject
of many complaints during the
Spring when his lawn service ac- i
tivities brought him into munici
pal court.
N'AACP INCREASES LEGAL
STAFF TO HANDLE VET CASES,
HOI SING, JOBS
New York_The legal staff of
the N'AACP has been increased to
four-full time lawyers, it was an
nounced this week, to care for the
needs of veterans and increased
activity in housing and employ
ment problems. In addition, the
staff will care for case.s involving
educational Inequalities, teachers’
salaries, and the usual criminal
cases.
The new additions are Franklin
Williams, himself a veteran of
World War II who will handle
»
cases dealing with members of the
armed services, courts-martial cas
es. blue discharges, etc.; Miss Mar
ion Perry who will handle housing
and employment cases. In addition
there will be Thurgood Marshall,
chief counsel, his assistant Robert
Li. Carter, also a veteran of World
War II, and Miss Constance Baker,
part-time legal clerk.
N.VACP TO APPEAL ICC
HI MAC I\ MAYS CASE
Washington, DC_NAACP law
yers will file exceptions to the re-1
port of an Interstate Commerce
Commission examiner who found
that the Southern Railway had not
shown prejudice or any violation
of the ICC Act in denying dining
car service to Dr. Benjamin E.
Mays, president of Morehous Col
lege, Atlanta.
Dr. Mays filed suit in May of this
year against the Southern, alleg
ing discrimination on account of
color in their refusal to serve him
on the company's diner. A hearing
was held on July 19 before an In
terstate Commerce Commission ex
aminer here. Briefs were filed on
September 20 supporting his claim
of discriminatory treatment by the
carrier.
The exceptions filed hy the NAA
CP will be in the nature of an ap
peal to the entire Interstate Com
merce Commission.
Boys of All Races,
Creeds, Religion,
Find Haven at
Boystowns ...
|,
Omaha Guide
2418 Grant Street
j Omaha, Nebraska
My dear Friends:
When I decided twenty-eight years
ago, to spend my life saving home
less, un wanted boys from becoming
misfits and recruits to the army of
crime, I felt sure the way to do it
was through love and kindness;
through training and teaching; and
through learning to do by doing. I
set out to do it with five boys, in a
rented house in Omaha.
Since then, as you know, more than
5,000 homeless boys, frightened and
friendless, of every race and religious
creed, and from every section of the
country, have come to Boys Town,
where we have given them sympa
thetic help and guidance.
During the past few years there has
been a constant increase in the num
ber of young boys—boys of grade
school age — who have been left
homeless. Some are orphans, the vic
tims of the war. Others are young
sters whom nobody wants. Either their
parents deserted them, or they were
so neglected and mistreated that
someone must provide for them be
fore they get into trouble far beyond
their years.
So that these boys may be admitted
when they arrive at Boys Town, I
have completed plans and work has
been started to expand our facilities to
take care of 1,000 boys from the first
grade through high school. The pan
orama on the inside of this letter will
show you how Boys Town has grown
from our humble beginning, and how
it will look when our present building
program is completed.
You have helped me here at Boys
Town, my friends, provide all of the
facilities necessary for the training
and development of the hearts, minds
and bodies of the underprivileged boys
of America. Our schools train our
boys in the theory and practice of
useful craftsmanship. Our self-govern-,
ment program develops self-reliance ]
and patriotic service. Our religious i
training develops the hearts of our
boys. Our musical organizations give
our boys the joy of musical expression
and appreciation. And, our athletic
activities give every boy a chance for
wholesome play.
You have been very kind to my I
boys, and I hope you will find it con- |
venient to send me a contribution j
now. It will help me save the lives of ;
more homeless, destitute boys who |
will arrive at Boys Town, and will
also help me complete this new
building program which is so neces- J
sary. A self-addres‘sed envelope which |
needs no postage is enclosed. Thank j
you, God bless you, and may the
Happiness and Peace of the Holiday ]
Season be with you always.
Sincerely,
Father Flanagan.
FOR FURTHERING DECLINE
OF TUBERCULOSIS IN STATE,
BUY CHRISTMAS SEALS
Tuberculosis is a killer more
deadly than war. Between Pearl
HarboK and V-J Day, it killed
; more people than the war itself.
So announced Miss Irene Carlson,
field representative of the Nation
al Tuberculosis Association who
has just left Nebraska to return
to her home office in New York.
I According to figures compiled
by the Nebraska Tuberculosis
Association. 198 Nebraskans died
of tuberculosis in 1944. The fig
ure represents a decline of 240
from the 438 who died in 1925, but
it is still too large, according to
Miss Carlson who emphasizes
that tuberculosis can be cured and
prevented. "It is a matter of get
ting at cases early”, she says "and
of telling people the facts about
| the disease.”
Miss Carlson was in the state to
assist with the Thihty-Ninth an
nual Christmas Seal Sale of the
Nebraska Tuberculosis Associat
ion. She urged all Nebraskans to
buy seals and use them if they are
interested in seeing a further de
cline in tuberculosis in our state.
Seals are the sole support of the
Nebraska Tuberculosis Associat
ion.
; To Reside in California
DR. CRAIG MORRIS
i ___ _
CLOSES DENTAL
OFFICES HERE
Dr. Craig Morris, one of Omaha’s
leading respectable citizens who was
bom reared and educated in Omaha,
has closed his dental offices at 24th
and Lake. And it is reliably reported
that he is moving to California, where
he will make his home indefinitely.
Dr. Craig Morris finished high
school in Omaha and graduated from
Dental School at Creighton Univer
sity in 1912. He also took post-grad
uate courses in Minnesota and Cali
fornia. *<
Last year he was called to Califor
nia by a group of dentists for the pur
pose of teaching them a new bridge
technique. It is reliably reported that
he was paid the sum of seventy-five
dollars per day and expenses for his
work there.
Last summer in 1945, a couple of
young California dentists, one a for
mer Omahan, Mr. Charlie Ennis flew
from California for additional infor
mation from Dr. Morris on the new
bridge technique. Shortly thereafter
Dr. Mortis went to California for a
six weeks stay. During the stay he I
took special post-graduate courses at
the University of California and he
also made a survey of the colored ac
tivities in Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco.
While in California Dr. Morris,
with a group of 43 other dental stu
dents and out-of-town dentists took
the state board to practice dentistry
in the state of California.
It is reported that Dr. Craig Mor
ris is the only applicable dentist of
the U. S. who has passed the State
Board, and it is reported that he is
moving to California for the purpose
of teaching the new bridge technique
to the doctors of dentistry in Cali
fornia.
Dr. Morris will Ik* missed in Omaha
for his sincere civic services, as well
as his dental clientele.
Dr. Morris was president of the
Carver Building and Loan Association.
Also president of the Douglas County
Negro Medical Society.
The Carver Building and Loan As
sociation, of which he was president,
and which bought a building at 24th
and Lake, has been in the process of
remodeling the office rooms. It is just
about completing the finishing touches
on their home. His work in the Car
ver Building has just about put the
association on a footing where it can
not fail.
The Provident Hospital is the or
ganization that will deeply miss the
guidance of Dr. C. Morris for it is
yet in its infancy. The Douglas
County Negro Medical Society with
the assistance of friends under Dr.
Morris' guidance has purchased a
sight for a hospital, and just a few
weeks ago elected a set of officers for
ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES
The second term of the Adult Ed
ucation Classes at Technical High
School will begin Tuesday evening,
December 4. Classes will be on Tues
day and Thursday evenings as fol
lows:
Comptometer — beginning or ad
vanced—6:30 to 9:30.
Beginning typewriting—6:30 to
8:00.
Beginning shorthand—8:00 to 9:30.
Advanced shorthand—6:30 to 8:00.
Advanced typewriting—8:00 to
9:30.
Registration any class evening. En
I trance by 33rd street entrance. $11.00
| fee for 3 hours of instruction; $6.00
j for 1% hours. Classes will last for a
period of 11 weeks.
a year.
Dr. Craig Morris will be missed
most for his guidance by this organi
zation.
Omaha wishes for Dr. Craig Mor
ris and his family a happy and pros
perous life in their new home in Cali
fornia.
Retail Leaders
Make Last Plea
For V ictory Loan
Douglas
Shapiro
Washington, D. C. Leaders of
the food, department store, milk
and pharmacy committees back
ing the Victory Loan throughout
the Nation have issued last min
ute appeals to put the drive over,
they informed War Finance Div
ision officials.
Stephen A. Douglas, chairman
of the Victory Loan Food Comm
ittee said:
"The retail food industry is put
ting unprecedented effort behind
the iVctory Loan. We haven’t fin
ished our job but are confident
we'll meet the challenge before
December 8th and sell our quota
on bonds So vitally needed to pro
vide money to write off tremend
ous obligations to men who won
our victory.”
Ralph L. Yonker, chairman, De
partment Store Committee for the
Victory Loan, said:
"Retailers know from previous
war bond campaigns that the dif
ference between success and fail
ure is the last two weeks of the
drive. Therefore it is now imper
ative that super effort be put into
the Victory Loan. Let’s finish
this job successfully and be proud
of a glorious record.”
Ariel C. Merrill, chairman, Na
tional Milk Dealers’ Committee
for the Victory Loan, said:
‘ Milk is still short but Victory
Bonds are available. When your
milk man knocks at your door let
him in. He always has a good
value to offer. This time it is
Victory Bonds. In performing
this double duty job he is doing
his part so when that friendly fel
low knocks at your door do your
part buy another Victory Bond. '
Nate S. Shapiro, c’ airrrr
Pharmacy Committee for the Vic
tory Loan, said:
Co tne dru,’r industry of Amo
ica: We are on the verge of suc
cess. ihis one last effort vil
make the difference between s‘ c
. cess and failure. Please design
I ate tomorrow as local drug store
Victory Bond Day in your comm
I unity so that we may keep com
[ plete our record of accomplish
| ment and write finis to a job truly
i well done.”
:*★*★*★*★*★*
GOOD READING
every week
★ The GREATER
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Local Drugstore.
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