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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1946)
IK * IK ★ IK *********** IK ★ IK ★ IK LOCAL & NAT’L NEWS-lOc per copy “AND WORTH IT” /JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEW TO THE LINE~\ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PHONE HA.0800 •fa--fa--fa “Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC.” ^ e iTi^nn t v iddii c. mu. t k in.i 4 i n -n rt . fcnteied as 2nd class matter at P<*t- oftice. Omaha, Nebr., Linder Act of SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1946 Our 19lh \ear—No. 9 ★ 10c Per Copy ★ Marcn 8. ,874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha. Nebr "OUR I GUEST Column Edited by Verna P. Harris NEGRO-LABOR SOLIDARITY (by Alfred Baker Lewis, Member of the Board, NAACP, Union for Demo cratic Action) The recent tremendously j successful and enthusiastic mass meeting held at Madi-' son Square Garden in New York on behalf of the FEPC illustrates very well the sor; of alliance between Negro or ganizations and organized la bor which will help to give us a much more progressive Congress in future elections if it can be extended through out the country. Official representatives of the AfL. and the CIO as well as indiv idual progressive unions join ed with representatives of Negro oragnizations in pledg ing continued active work on behalf of the bill for a perm anent FEPC. Negroes form one-tenth ot the population. But they do not furnish one-tenth of the members of professions like engineering, medicine, or law which are most highly paid, or one-tenth of the United States Senators, Represent atives, or State Governors. A very large part of this is due of course to racial prejudice. But much of it is due to the economic handicaps from which Negroes as a group suf fer. They do not have the money to go to college in the same proportion as do whit ° es, for they are most heavily concentrated in the lowest paid jobs, including domestic service and agricultural labor Being concentrated in the South, they do not have the same educational opportunit ies even in the lower grades. Incidentally, Southern states spend fo the education of white childen less than the national average, because as one down-to-earth sociologist put it, “The kids are where the cash ain't.'” (This maldis trihution of income is the big gest argument for the propos ed Federal Aid to Education bill). While Negroes suffer fron racial as well as economic die v- crimination in the present state of American democracy, workers too are economically under-privileged. The child ren of miners, textile workers white sharecroppers, or long shoremen, do not furnish any such proportionate num ber of leaders in education ami medicine as do the child ren of lawyers, professor?, doctors, insurance men, or bankers. Those who get their income from work or service lose their pay when they are sick, injured, unemployed, or old, or if they die premature ly; while those who get their income from rent, interest, dividends and profits find that their money keeps on rolling in even after they are dead. Since the wealthy class who get property income do not get their money from their own efforts, it is clear that they get it by exploiting the ‘ efforts of others. Organiz ed labor is numerically the largest force that is trying to reduce this exploitation. Since Negroes suffer from economic exploitation intens »» ified by color prejudice, there is and should be a nat ural alliance between Negro es and labor, for they have a strong identity of interest. Both alike are interested in opposing labor baiters, Ne gro haters, anti-Semites, and reactionaries. The progres sive wing of organized labor best exemplifies tbat alliance. Organized labor was the strongest supporter of our social security system, from which Negroes benefit sub stantially. Just now both organized labor and the Ne gro community are backing the ^ agner-Murrav- Dingeli Bill to raise the rates of bene fits for old-age pensions and unemployment insurance. This bill would also extend our social security system to domestic servants and agric ultural workers, a proposal which would greatly help Negroes; and it would set up a system of compensation for sickness and non-industrial accidents, with free medical ATTACKS HASTIE’S USE AS IS. GOVERNOR Washington, D. C.—Senator Abe Murdock chairman of the impor tant Sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Territories and In sular Affairs was notified by the NAACP that testimony submitted to the committee by Leslie Hunt representative for a powerful cor poration with extensive interests in the Virgin Islands, was a vic ious attempt to kill the nomina tion of the first Negro governor in the Island's history. Walter White sent the following wire to the committee chairman. We have learned with amazement and disgust that one Leslie Hunt has alleged before your commit tee today that Judge William H. Hastie whose nomination as gov ernor of the Virgin Islands you are now considering is either a communist or communist sympa thizer and that his confirmation as governor would be distastrous to the Virgin Islands. No grosser libel against a man of impeachabl^ integrity, ability and loyalty could have been uttered- We vigorously urge that Hunt’s testimony be treated with the contempt it' de serves and that instead his own record as secretary of the Virgin Islands corporation might well be investigated by the proper author ities on recommendation of your committee” ELKS ANNOUNCE ANNUAL ORATORICAL CONTEST Elk’s Annual Oratorical contest sponsored by Iroquois Lodge No. 92 and Cherokee Temple No. 223, IBPOE of W will be held April 18, 1946 at the Elks Hall, 2420 Lake A four fear scholarship will be awarded the winner. The contestants from various of, the high schools are: Missess Mable Hill; Cosetta Eubanks; Nor ma Lee Thomas; Nola Moore; Len ora Pierce and Mr. Theodore Cun ingham. The committee: Mr. J. T. Scott; Mr. Russell Reese; Mr. Ernest Wll liams; Mrs. Marian Hickman; Mrs Odessa Johnson an<j Mrs Bettie Davis Pittman, chairman. Mrs Bennetta L. Clevelanr, local Commissioner of Education. Everyone cordially invited. PRESIDENT SIGNS HOUSING BILL Washington, D. C.-Soundphoto— clutching the four pens used in signing the housing bill, author izing the expenditure of $250,000, 000 for the conversion of war CASTS FIRST SPADEFUL IN GROUND BREAKING FOR \ GRANDFATHER’S MEMORIAL BOOKER T. WASHINGTON IH grano-on of the immortal Booker T. Washington cast the first spade of soil in the ground break ing ceremonies which were heid on the old Burrough’s Plantation in Franklin County, Virginia on April 5th to mark the beginning of the establishment of the $2,000 000 memorial which is planned to commemorate the life of Bookei T. Washington and to perpetuate his ideals and teachings. Young Mr. Washington who is an archi tect, will also assist in the plann ing of the memorial. S J. Phillips, President of the Booker T. Washington Memorial, said that the program character ized the theme of Booker T. Wash ington’s life, “Helpfulness To wards Others.” The country’s re sponse to the appeal for contribu tions is highly encouraging. care and cash benefits. Or ganized labor and Negro leaders are behind the bill for Federal Aid to Education Organized labor is also a leading supporter of the blii for a permanent FEPC, and of the bill to outlaw poll tax es as a requirement for vot ing in Federal elections. Thus intelligent workers and Ne groes are in accord in the ef-i fort to pass such important progressive measures. Unfortunately tor the sol idarity of this natural alli ance between Negroes and organized labor, the older unions in the United States were formed before many Negroes were industrial work ers, and therefore, sad to say some of them still exclude Negroes. But the more re cently formed unions in the heavy industries, such as the Steel Workers, the United Automobile Workers, or the Packinghouse Workers, do not exclude Negroes hut wel come them on equal terms. There is a general opinion among Negroes that only the CIO unions, which are the ones more recently formed, are fair to their colored mem bers. But there are many AFL unions, such as the Uni ted Mine Workers and the International Ladies Gar ment Workers Union, and of course the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, which have no color bar whatever. Such AFL unions are in a, strategic position to oppose (and they hope soon to change, with the help of ju dicial decisions) the racial discrimination which still ex ists in some important AFL. unions. Urban League Membership Drive Launched APPOINTED PARISH WORKER MISS JEANNE L. RUDD, has recently been appointed Parish Worker by the trustees of Hill side Presbyterian Church, 30th & Ohio Streets. This is a new work among church groups. The Par ish Worker is a social worker em ployed by the church to work with the people living in the church community The minister of the Hillside Church, Rev. E. W. Gor don, reports that Miss Rudd will be primarily responsible for visit ing the homes of the many child ren who visit the Hillside Church Recreation Center so that suffic ient information may be had to more adequately serve -the needs of these children and their famil ies. Miss Rudd is a product of Oma ha, honor graduate of North High School and is at present studying at the University of Omaha, where she has been recently elect ed to Alpha Kappa Delta Frat ernity, the national honorary soc. iological fraternity. Miss Rudd is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and is quite active in the social, recreational and religious life of the young people in Omaha She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Rudd of 2886 Ohio St. GEN. ‘IKE’ ASKED TO USE NEGRO ON ARMY’S BOARD INVESTIGATING 6CASTE’ Washington, D. C_The General Dwight D. Eisenhower who recen tly appointed a six man board to investigate ‘caste' in the army re ceived a suggestion from Walter White of the NAACP to appoint a Negro to the newly created six man board to inquire into some GI complaints regarding caste in the army. Mr. White worded his sugges tion in a telegram which stated “If it is not too late may I sug gest that a most useful purpose would be served by addition of a qualified Negro to six man board appointed by you to inquire into caste in the US Army. As you and I know from first hand ob servation no element suffers any more from caste and racial dis crimination than the Negro. From our conversations I am certain you agree that no really democra tic army will ever be achieved as long as such racial demarkations resulting in discrimination and segregation continue. May we also suggest calling of qualified Ne groes to give first hand testimony and this association will be happy to furnish names of Negro enlist ed men, officers, war correspon dents and civilians who have first hand and exact information to contribute.” Earlier in the week Mr. Wtiite meeting with Gen- Eisenhower in Washington had discussed the re cent Gillen Report which was bas ed upon an investigation into the effects of racial segregation in W e Build... “Not for Ansrioa Alone, ...But for Ail Mankind”...FDR. THE COMMON DEFENSE BY Rev, Wm, C. Reman Four Generations ^et,Unborn April 12th marks the first anniversary of the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Mr. Roosevelt had his political enemies as indeed every great president of this country before him had his. But, on this first anniversary of his death, friend and foe alike can join in acclaiming what Mr. Roosevelt said in a memorable address about the meaning of America for us and for all mankind. “For more than three centuries we Americans have been building on this continent a free society. A society in which the promise of the human spirit may find fulfill ment. Commingled here are the blood and genius of all the peoples of the world who have sought this promise. We have built well. We are continuing our efforts to bring the blessings of a free society, of a free and produc tive economic system, to every family in the land. This is the promise of America. “It is this that we must continue to build—this that we must continue to defend. “It is the task of our generation, yours and mine. But we build an ddefend not for our generation alone. We de fend the foundations laid down by our fathers. We build a life for generations yet unborn. W e defend and we build a way of life, not for America alone, but for all mankind.” the army. Expressing his dissat-1 isfaction with the recommenda tions of the report, Mr. White1 pointed out that although it dis couraged the maintenance of some ] all-Negro units the old system of' segregation was still retained. The only change was in the fact that Negroes would now be placed in smaller units and attched to white units. RALPH ORDVNA, 332ND PILOT Tells of European Experiences Lt. Ralph Orduna By Herbert Davis Ralph Orduna, former 1st Lt. in the AAF who flew many mis sions 'in the European Theatre under Col Benj. O. Davis is back in Omaha now living at 2326 Franklin St. Lt. Orduna departed for over seas service In 1944. He was sent to Rennini, Italy by the way of Iran, Africa and Marseille, Francc where he joined the 332nd Fighter j Group. They flew missions overj Germany, Poland, Czechoslova-1 kia, Austria, Yugoslavia, Switzer land and other Balkin and low land countries. He was a witness of the crack up of 2nd Lt. Thomas Hawkins while taking off in a P-47. Orduna’s plane was hit by flak while over Austria but luck rode the cockpit with him and he came back safely. On his 20th mission over the Adriatic Sea the canopy (top hatch) of Orduna’s plane flew off while he was at 30,000 feet, almost six miles up which resulted in his hospitaliza tion from exposure for 3 months and his return to the States. Ralph says Italy is a beautiful country with a climate, like our California’s an<j that the natives, though poor, were friendly. Mo dern conveniences were few in the area in which he served. The Lieutenant received his pi lots training at Tuskegee Army Air Field where he took 10 wks. of preflight consisting in part of physics, navigation, aerodynamics and theory of flight, after which he went to Primary where he flew his first plane the PT 13 and studied more associated ground school subjects. After 10 weeks of training and 65 hours of flying, he then moved to basic where he re ceived additional training an^ Ad. vance flying. He graduated with 192 hours of flying and 13 months of training. In addition he took Mr. Russel Reese, chairman, I sounded the guns to the member-! hip committee he called together at the Omaha Urban League, on Friday, March 29, 1946. Mr. Reese jointed out in a very forceful way the value of the Urban League to the community, the activities in connection with the addition of school teachers last summer, the organization of Community Im provement Club, the organ zation of Business Men and Womens Clubs, The Community Fair, The Artits and Model Ball, its devel opment of the Imperialist Choral Group. Mr Reese announced the foll owing plans are available: Plan 1, Membership in the Omaha Ur ban League for the current year and montny copies of SPECTA TOR cost $1; Plan 2, Membership in the Omaha Urban League for current year, monthly cost of I SPECTATOR and quarterly cop ies of OPPORTUNITY cost $2.00; Plan 3, Membership in the Omaha Urban League for current year, monthly copies of SPECTATOR anj NEGRO DIGEST cost $3.50; Plan 4, Membership in the Oma ha Urban League for current year, monthly copies of SPECTA TOR and NEGRO DIGEST, and quarterly copies of OPPORTUNI-1 TY cost $4.50. Members of the committee are: | Mrs. Gertrude Brooks; Mrs. Pearl i Brummel; Mrs. Gertrude L Craig' Ms. E. B. Childress; Mrs. Ethel] Kirtley; Mrs. Adam Lee; Mr3 Estelle Gray; Mrs. Katherine Manley; Mrs. Lula Rivers; Mrs. Jamie Norman; Mrs. William Gi vens; Mrs. Sara Walker; Mrs. Esther Woods; Miss Margaret Fischer; Mr. J. C. Harris; Mr. C. Cade; Mr. O. C. Beck; Mr. Sam Towles; Mr. William Givens; Mr Charles Stewart; Mr. Burns Scott Mr. L. L. McVay; Mr. James C. Jewell; Mr. George Camper; and Mr. Henry Black. gunnery at Elgin Field and Tran sition at Walterboro, S. C. in a P-47 which was then the hottest ship in the air He flew missions in dive-bomb ing, straffing, cross country, low mission tweeps at tree top level, and simulated bomber escort with groups of nearby B-24s. Mr. Orduna is now driving a cab for the United Taxi Service while awaiting recall to the Pos tal Service. He has a strong de sire to go into commercial flying but the opportunity has not pre sented itself as yet. GOOD READING every week ★ The GREATER Omaha Guide On Sale at Your Local Drugstore. Ask GOP National Committee Consid* eration of 5 Items ---i*, housing units and military bar racks into 100,000 temporary hou ses for veterans and their families Pres. Truman beams a big smile toward, left to right, Sen. James M. Mead, (Dem. NY) author of the bill, Wilson Wyatt, Housing Expeditor and Philip M. Kultz nick, Federal Housing Commiss ioner, who witnessed the ceremony St. John AME. Church To Present Famous Violinist-Composer CLARENCE CAMERON WHITE famous violinist-composer, will b» presented Friday May 10.. 1948 at Central High School auditorium un der the auspices of St. John AM t. Church. For several years Di • White has been his race’s represent ative violinist, and now, at the height of his career ,he will again tour America during this season. Clarence Cameron White first ai traded attention as a gifted violin ist while a student at the Oberlin, Ohio Conservatory of Music. Sup plementing his study at Oberlin, he spent several years abroad as a pri-, vate pupil of M. Zacharewitsch, the I famous Russian violinist. These are some of the press com- [ ments concerning this famous viol-. inist: Fanny Edgar Thomas, Off-t-l er d'Academic, Paris. France: ‘You! played superbly. You had a fine I program. You are indeed to | congratulated.” New York Musical Courier: ‘Mr. | White played Vieuxtemps, Sinding, j Saing-Saens, etc- His playing is j most finished and artistic.” Le Temps K Port au Prince, Haiti) —“The violin recital offered by tor. American violinist, C. C. White was a priceless treat, for he is a master in the full meaning of the term. one of the greatest players we have heard.” Union Services Union services will be held at Zion Baptist Church, 2215 Grant St., Sunday night April 7. Devo tional service 7:30 Pm. Sermon at 8 pm. by the Rev. E. B. Chil dress and music by the St- John AME Church choir. The public is urged to attend these two closing services of our Union Services. Loftis Resigns Presidency of Local NAACP E. A. Loftis, who recently sue. ceeded Rev. C. Adams as presid ent of the local branch of the NA ACP, announced Wednesday that he had resigned this office. He said that the treasury funds had increased considerably during his few weeks as president. But that he felt it best for the interest of the branch that he should resign ANNOUNCES LAST CALL FOR SPRINGARN AWARD NOMINATIONS New York, N. Y_The NAACP announced this week that the: time limit for nominations for! the 31st award of the Springam Medal would soon expire. The Springam Medal is award ed annually for the highest achi evement of an American Negro in some field of endeavor. The choice is not limited to any one field and nominations are invited from spiritual, scientific, artistic, commercial and educational field. Paul Robeson, noted actor and singer, was the recipient of the 1945 Award for his distinguished achievements in the theatre and on the concert stage, as well as his active concern for the rights New York—The following let ter was sent today to the Repub lican National Committee asking consideration of the 5 items— FEPC, the Anti-Lynching Bill, the Anti-Poll Tax Bill, the Housing Bill and the conservative Repub lican-Southern Democratic coali tion—at its meeting in Washing ton on Monday. “As the Republican National Committee meets on Monday, we ( ask, on behalf not only of 13 miL lion American citizens of Negro blood but as well on behalf of the other Americans concerned with the fate of our country, that the Committee take unequivocal and affirmative action in the 1944 Re publican platform. We ask that unless the Committee can see its way clear to take act. on without punch pulling it take no action at all so that those interested may thereby know that the Republican National Committee does not See fit to implement without reserva tion its party pledges. The issues upon which we re quest affirmative action are: (1) The Fair Employment Pra ctice Commission Support of Federal legislation of this measure was pledged without qualification in the 1944 platform. But eight Republican Senators failed to vote for cloture in the United States Senate anj by that margin cloture was not evoked. In he House of Representatives the lajority of Republicans have 'ailed to date to sign the discharge petition despite inumerable pleas to them that they do so. Repub- ^ lican signatures could bring the ** bill to the flloor for a vote imme- ^ diately. But those votes are to date lacking We ask that the Re publican National Committee take whatever steps are possible under its present machinery and that it revise its policy and procedure if necessary to secure enactment at this session of the Congress of the bill for the permanent FEPC. (2) The Anti Lynching Bill The recent mob outbreak at Columbia, Tenn. the attempts to revive such lawless organizations as the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups designed ^o stir up racial an^ religious prejudice threaten a recrudescense of mob violence which can only be checked by federal legislation. We ask the Committee to go on record and to implement such pledge by support of cloture in the Senate and the signing of the discharge petition in the House. (3) The Anti-Poll Tax Bill The United States is vigorously supporting democratic elections in Bulgaria and Japan while Ameri can citizens, Negro and white, ar® denied the right to vote here in the United States This is a most extrordinary and hypocritical con tradiction. Republican votes for cloture can gring about “ie pas sageo of the anti-poll tax bill with in the next few weeks. Will the Republican National Committee see that these votes are forthcom ing? (4) Housing Americans of all races and all sections of the country desparate ly need housing. A fantastically financed lobby of real estate in terests is bringing pressure to bear on the Congress against hou sing legislation. Many of the Re publican Senators and Congress man, as well as those on the other side of the aisle, have given evi dence of yielding to that pressure. We ask the Republican National Committee to repudiate this lob by and to put forth every possi ble effort for the immediate en actment of such legislation. (5) The recent public announce ment of a coalition in the Con gress between 'conservative Re publicans and Southern Democr ats, although evidence of such a working agreement has long been . seen, has unfuriated many Ameri can citizens, particularly those of a minority like the Nero, because of the opposition of that coalition to legislation desparately needed for alleviation of suffering caused by job discrimination, disfranchi sement, mob violence and lack of housing. We ask the Republican National Committee to repudiate this coalition without equivocation The position taken by the Re publican National Committee on these issues will profoundly af fect the decisions made in 1946 and 1948 by many Americans, but particularly bv Negro citizens. of the common of every race, re ligion, and nationality Recommendations for the award should be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Committee of Award, in care of NAACP, 20 W 40th St., New York 18, NY. Each communication should state in de. tail the achievement of the per son recommended as meriting the Springam Medal. Albert Einstein, Harold Ickes, Huge Group Join NAACP Columbia Riot Case Committee New York, N. Y—Responding to an appeal by th« NAACP to lend their names and influence to a tremendously growing move ment to free the Negro citizens or victims of the recent Columbia riots a host of prominent citizens many of them internationally fa mous, have stated their willing ness to serve on a committee. Represented in the group are out standing statesmen, churchmen, journalists, and welfare leaders. Heading the list on the newly formed committee is Albert Ein stein world famous scientists and pioneer in the development of atomic energy. The list also in eludes Harold Ickes, ex-Secretary of the Interior, Sidney Hillman, labor leader, Col. Roy Evans Carl son hero of Carlson’s marine rai ders, David O. Selsnick, Holly wood executive, Herbert Lehman, ex-UNNRA chief, Helen Hayes i and Hilda Simms of the theatre j Also serving on the committee I are Charlotte Hawkins Brown,, Judge Jane Bolin, Oscar C. Brown J Chicago NAACP; James B. Carey j Cong. William L. Dawson, Earl B. Dickerson, Roscoe Dungee, Ed win R. Embree, W. J. Faulkner, David M. Grant, Thomas L. Grif fith, Jr., George E. C. Hayes, Revi Charles Hill, Lillie M. Jackson, Baltimore NAACP; Dr. D. V Je mison, -Nat’l Baptist Convention Inc., Rev. John H. Johnson, F'reda Kirchway, Cong. Charles LaFoI lette, Max Lerner, A. A. Lucas, Houston, Texas, NAACP State Conference. Also Senator Wayne .Morse; Carl Murphy, NAACP Board member, T. G. Nutter, of Charleston West Virginia; James G. Patton; Charles Poletti, Natl Medical Association; William Jay Schieffelin; John H. Sengstacke, Nathan Straus; Mabel K. Stau Pers, National Association of CoL lored Graduate Nurses; Dr. J. M. .Tinsley, NAACP Board member* Leon Washington, Jr., Los Ange les Sentenel. „ Bedford Park’s Beautiful Lots Are on the Market F or Sale Now! Call Realty Improvement Company 342 Electric Bldg. JA-7718 or JA-1620 “Small Down Payment Will Do tfae Job”.
