“Chatter-Box” will Start Chatting Again .. Watch for Doris Ann’s Column Easter Week
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^--fa “Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC.” ^-J^L-y
c.TI.Dn.v . ,, ln„ .. „ -- ... , ~ . Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-of tice. Omaha, Nebr., Under An oi
O SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1946 Our 19th ^ear INo. 10 ^ 10c A. QT Copy March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr
o -- ■ ■ ■■ ...... . __ __ ■__
"OUR
GUEST
Column
Edited by Verna P. Harris
: O _
A BLOOD BANK HERO
° By OLIVER W. HARRINGTON
25 year old Milton Kramer, No.
2787-TH, is merely a number in
various Government files. His
prison sentence would have been
up quite a while ago—if he had
‘conformed’. But he is still forced
to idle away his time in Terre
cause he handed a protest against
the Jim Crow blood bank to a Red
Cross doctor before donatins his
blood. Don’t jump to conclusions;
Milton is not a Negro. He is a Jew
Behind prison bars, with several
f years of his life at stake, he hit
a firmer blow for democracy than
have many of us on the outside
who are free
The treatment of Milton Kra
mer, a member of more than one
minority, points up a number of
features of our decaying society.
I already said he belonged to the
Jewish minority. That's enough
by far for any one individual in
a day when anti Semitism and
other forms of bigotry threaten
to destroy America, ut for phil
osophical and political reasons,
Milton chose to join the minority
of conscientious objectors—and
for this he was sentenced, along
with two Negro comrades to five
long years. And when he and his
comrades, encountered segregation
and Jim Crow at Milan (Mich )
Correctional Institution—where
they were first incarnated—Mil
ton found himself a member of a
prison minority that was fighting
for the rights of another minori
ty. That today is his crime in the
eyes of the Federal Bureau of
Prisons; his parole is being with
* % held because he lost a years good
time, since handing his blood bank
protest to the Red Cross doctor
was considered an attept to smu
ggle out a letter. {
For one to feel called upon to
object to the camae of war in an 1
era when war is obloete is itself ]
a commentary on the present
state of mankind. For one to en-!
counter racist practices in a Gov- |
ernment rehabilitation institution
points to the hypocracy of the J
officials in charge. And for a man]
to be penalized for a bona fidei
protest against the vicious blood
bank policy is the height of auth
oritarianism in a country that
waves the four freedoms at the
slightest provocation.
Before Milton was transferred
to Terre Haute he helped lead a
successful fight at Milan against
segregated dormitories and dining
room. But the blood band incident
two years ago was too much for
the warden at Milan. Milton’s
‘good time' was forfeited. If he
had given his blood in silence and
made no protest, he would today
be free on parole.
Milton Kramer is no martyr in
search of publicity. He writes his
friends and family that he wants
to get out of prison. But Warden
Shuttleworth at Milan who origi
nally made the smuggling charge
now claims that Milton is no lon
ger under his jurisdiction. There
is nothing that I can do, says he
Warden Overlade at Terre Haute
passes the buck right back to his
colleague Shuttleworth by refus
ing to review the smuggling act
when repyling to inquiries about
Milton’s parole- Their cordial form
letters to friends of Milton virtu
ally drip with crocodile tears.
Even if we would grant the
truth of Warden Shuttleworth’s
presence that a written commun
ication handed to a Red Cross
doctor in the Warden's is consi
sdered smuggling would reflect on
the prison's unreasonable rules
and regulations, and not on
ton. According to what law on the
astute book does a prisoner for
feit his right of petition and his
right of free speech? Petitions for
writs of habeas corpue have of
ten been ‘smuggled’ out of pri
sons and chain gangs.
As a Jew who knows no color
line. Milton Kramer is a symbol
of the growing ties between min
O orities. As a conscientious objec
tor he epitomizes the wide and
; healthy differences of viewpoint
within each minority. As a man
who defied bureaucratic regim
entation and stood steadfast on
his principles, he belongs with
the shoe?, troops on the ramparts
of democracy.
As soon as I heard about this
sordid case, I wrote immediately
to James V. Bennett, the director
ofthe^Federal Bureau of Prisons
OMAHA HOME IMPROVEMENT CO.
Grand Opening Saturday, April 13th
Exterior view of The Home Improvement Co., 1502 North 24th St. shown, with Mr. Ferer, Vice President and Mr.
Parelskin, President, standing outside.
Mr. Parelskin and Mr. Ferer announce the opening of the “OMAHA HOME IMPROVEMENT CO., Inc.” at 1502
North 24th St. They cordially invite you to come in and see the latest Idea in Home Modernization.
Mr. Parelskin and Mr. Ferer are no strangers to the Ne; roes of Omaha, and have numerous friends. They spared
no expense in their^attempt to make Home Decoration A PLEASURE instead of a TASK.
The New Discovery, PERMA-PLASTIC, is a revolutionary Idea in Home Decoration.
Their decision in establishing their business in the heart of the Negro bnsiness district, merits a vote of confidence.
Stop in and see for yourself. They are prepared to com pletely Modernize and Decorate Your Home inside and out.
Free Estimates are gladly given—Call Mr. Marvin, Mgr., JA-3840 for any further information. (See Advertise
ment on Shoppers’ Page).
Negro South Editor Disagrees with Powell
By Alonzo B. Willis, Jr.
“Harlem’s militant Congress
man A. Clayton Powell’s illustra
ted advocacy of 'The Great Mi
gration’ is a blantly inept propo
sal for the solution of the Race
problem.
“In the second and main pre
mise, if, the Harlem Congress
man avers, the Negro worker is
truly the backbone of the South’s
income then Mr. Powell, he IS
the South and could have little
reason to run away from such
a substantial affiliation.
“Could you, Congressman Po
well, as a representative of the
of the whole race in the greatest
Democratic body in the world be
serious in trying to coddle the
Negro into thinking that blissful
ea'e and security awaits him be
yond the Mason-Dixon line where
he pose as illustrator Brent de
picts him dapper ad superiorily
indifferent to the industry, the
pioneering, the blood, the sweat,
the sleepless nighty; the brain,
the skill, the initiative and toil
that makes the wheels of South
ern industey and agticulture turn
that makes America the richest
and most productive country in
the world?”
“Don't you know that the sou
th is presently by far richer in
opportunity for the Negro, and
that sage Booker Washington
advised right when he said "Let
down your buckets where you are
•It is true that the South has
many needs; the Negro South
has many, many more That pre
cisely is where opportunity be
gins . Acceptance of the challenge
to meet these needs—that the
Negro must solve his problems
with his omn initiative. Legisla
tion alone won’t solve the race
problems—
“Congressman Powell you and
other, so-called leaders and perio
dicals. lulled into a sence of false
security and equality by wishful
thinking, should look at the cold
crystal clear facts about us as a
minority group froup and real
ize that long range, substantial
^™■■■■■■mm
Washington, D. C., demanding a
release for Milton. Now that you
too know the facts, won’t you
join me in the fight to free a
courageous youth from the omi
nous tyranny of our prison "sy
stem?
■ progress for the Negro can only
| come by merit.
“Equality is a God given some
thing born in a man, black oi
white. Let’s make ourselves equal
by BEING equal and one doesn't
have to yell it so loud or assert
| it so vigorously when one is equal
I for Dan Gardner summarizes:
, “Our philosophy should be one of
pride of race—with the knowled
ge and ability to compete equally
with any and all”.
Booker Washington, whom the
Congressman Powell quotes once
avered: “Merit, no matter under
what skin found will in the long
run be recognized and rewarded”
Louisiana’s own E. D. Tyler ex
presses it thus: “I am glad to
meet a person who is glad that
he is black. Who is conscious of
his color, and appreciates the fact
I am glrul to meet a person who
is glad that he is white. Every
person has some color, any color
[is alright. I am glad to meet all
[ people, when they strictly under
stand, That character makes the
person, color does not make the
man”.
Originally a great race with a
wonderful heritage and many
virtues, we have been sold o little
short somewhere down the line,
many times by our own leaders.
Our greatest present needs other
than economic, are health and
educational ones. The South rea
lizes this, and in fairness, is pre
sently essaying to do something
about both. Our educational sy-1
stems must be directed away from
the formal, the classics and the
fictitious, toward the productive,
the creative, and the actual. Agri
culture and industry, buying and
selling, manufacturing and mar
keting the great resources of the
South an<j the nation—the back
bone and substance of any econ
omy—must slant and dominate
the educational curricular and
pattern of our high schools, col
leges and universities. We must
in fact, be a part and parcel of
a nation’s production to be indis
pensible.
These things, Congressman C
Powell, are The Negro SOUTH’S
aim for the Negro in the South.
These are the basic things, vic
ariously unfulfilled by us in the
unilateral picture of American
economy, that retard our progr
ess. These things we will contend
for with great vigor. But we’ll
never coddle the Negro- into the
thinking that he is measuring up
completely, but for the restrict
ions imposed on him by the othe'
man. Our present argument is that
we need a different approach in
supplying these deficiencies. We
need first to un-prejudice our own
minds, see the beam in our own
eyes, ere we try to pluck the mote
from the other man’s”.
URBAN LEAGUE ISSUES
CALL FOR NEW MEMBERS
By H. Davis
“The Urban League Center was
created to stimulate and assist in
improving the economic, health,
and civic life of our Urban Com
munity. The effectiveness of our
work along these lines is propor
tional to the active participation
of those we serve.
“We are now launching our
Spring Membership Drive. We
hope that every civic minded in
dividual in our community will
avail his or herself of the oppor
tunity of becoming active mem
bers of our organization and also
urge their neighbors to join”
Stated by Mr. Duward R. Cro
oms, Executive Secretary of the
Omaha Urban League. Mr. Du
ward R Crooms says the Center
nas created several new organi
zations, among them being: The
Community Fair, whose purpose
is to stimulate interest in crea
tive personal industry through
public exhibits: the Frontier Club
an organization of business and
professional men.
Mr. Crooms, who resides with
his wife, Erma Lee and his six
year old son, Jerome, at 270?!
Maple St., became Director of the j
Urban League in 1945 after the!
transfer of Raymond Brown to |
Akron, Ohio. He holds a Bache-1
lor of Science degree having ma
jored in economics, spefjjh and
sociology. Mr. Crooms was also
an athlete of note while attending
school, having ran the 100 yd.
dash in 9.6 and the 220 in 20.9.
—
CHANNING H. TOBIAS AND
WIFE OF TENN. RIOT VICTIM
SPEAK AT WASHINGTON
Washington,, D. C_Dr. Chan
ning H. Tobias, prominent Negro
leader, and Mrs. James Morton,
wife of the Columbia, Tennesee
undertaker whose establishment
Rev. BurckharcSt
Celebrates His
78th Birthday
Rev. O. J. Burkhardt, religious
missionary, living at 1924 North
26th St., observed his 78th birth
day April 10. He has led a pro
ductive life doing good for others
and is still active.
His life has been spent in sev
eral different phases of service to
his fellow man. He has been act.
ive in prison work and brought
comfort to the sick in hospitals!
throughout this area. On some oc
casions he has saved prisoners
from electrocution. He is prejudi
ced toward none and makes no
distinction in race or social status.
He has been in Omaha since De
cember to live but has been act_
ive in this section for the past
half century. Rev. Burkhardt
says he has been called for coun
cil on racial matters by every
Governor from John L Sheldon
up to the present administration.
This will be the 1st birthday in
47 years that the the Rev. has
observed without tho presence of
his beloved wffe, Mrs. Anna Bur
khardt who died on June 20th ’45.
Mrs. Burkhardt in addition to be
ing active in civic and social work
was an instructor of religious art
for 30 years. One of her paintings
‘‘The Straight and Narrow’’ is
displayed in the Lincoln City
Mission.
Rev. Burkhardt was born in
Franklin Howard County, Mo., 5
years after the Civil War.
was wrecked during the February
26th riot by white terrorists, were
the feature speakers at a mass
meeting, Sunday, April 7th, under
the auspices of the District of
Columbia Branch of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People.
The meeting was one of a ser
ies of demonstrations being sta
ged throughout the country so
that the American people may
learn the facts in the Columbia
affair. The funds raised at these
meetings will be sent to the nat
ional office of the NAACP to
provide for the legal defense of
the 31 Negroes indicted in Tenn.
Union Services
Union Services will be held at
St- John’s AMU Church, 22nd and
Willis Ave., Sunday night, April
14th. Devotional Service 7 :a0 pm.
Sermon at 8:00 pm. by Rev. C. C.
Reynolds of Clair Methodist and
music by Clair Church Choir. The
public is cordially invited to at
tend this last meeting of the Un
ion Services.
BISHOP
CURRY
FOUND
GUILTY
OF CHARGES OF HOLD
ING FUNDS TOO LONG
Little Rock, Ark_Following a
trial that opened on Tuesday mor
ning, March 28, at 11 o’clock in
Vernon AME Church, North on
Greenwood St., in the city of Tu
lsa, Okla., Rev. J. S. Johnson,
Pastor, a verdict of guilt on two
counts was brought in at 4:30 pm
Friday March 30th, by the trial
committee composed of Bishop
Noah W. Williams of St. Louis,
Mo., Rev. W’. P. Mitchell of Bal
timore, Md., Rev. I. N. Patterson
of Philadelphia, Pa., Rev. M C.
Knight of Chanute, Kan., and a
Rev. G. W- Brewer of Cairo, 111.
Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom of
Wilberforce, Ohio, preside^ as the
judge of the court which was cor
ducted along strict ecclesiastical
lines. The charges had been filed
by ministers and laymen from
Oklahoma previous to the meeting
of the Bishops Council in Little
Rock last February charging the
Bishop with illegal handling of<
connectional funds, the unauthor
ized sale of property on the gro
unds of the former Flipper Davis
college grounds and holding the
money; the levying of burdening
assessments on the ministers and
churches and the transfer of a
miniter from his conference with
out the three months written no
tice require^ by law.
One of the high points of the
trial was reached when on Fri.,
morning over the protest of his
lawyers, Bishop Curry took the
witness stand and in the course
of his testimony turned over the
$1500 from the sale of the pro
perty in Oklahoma which he had
held for more than "a year and he
stated that he did not know where
to send the money. He also sta
ted that the connectional funds
belonging to the conferences in
Oklahoma had been spent to save
a church in Conway, Ark., even
though the law provides that the
annual conference secretary trea
turer handle the funds in each
conference in which they are rai
se'! Photostatic come'’ ’otters
and reports from the Missionary
department in New York which
should have received one half of
the funds raised were introduced
as evidence showing that Bishop
Curry had mailed in monies due
for the years 1943, 44 and 45
since the charges were filed and
had asked that the records of said
department show that he was in
the clear of obligations. The com
mittee found him guilty of the
charges in specifications numbers
one and two and asked for mercy
whereupon Bishop Ransome had
Bishop Curry to Stand and de
clared him suspended from all
official functions as a bishop in
the AME Church till June 19 that
is the day before the summer ses
sion of the Bishops Council is
scheduled to open.
NAACP QUESTIONS BAR
ASS’N SELECTION FOR
COURTS-MARTIAL PROBE
New York—The NAACP reaf
firemd its position in urging Sec
retary of War Robert P. Patter
son to appoint a Negro to the
Army’s hoard (investgating the
courts martial proceedings. The
board, comprising 9 prominent
judges and lawyers, was selected
by the American Bar Association
at the request of the War Dept
head.
In an exchange of correspon
dence, Walter White, Secretary qf
the NAACP, pointed out that the
Bar Association itself has been
notorious for its exclusion of Ne
gro lawyers except for William j
H. Lewis, who was admitted to J
the Bar Association many years
ago in Boston, until quite recently
when, as a result of vigorous and
widespread protests on the part
of white and colored lawyers
grudging admittance was ,given
to two Negro lawyers.
Mr. White agreed with Sec’y
Patterson that there should be no
racial isues in matters of milita
ry justice or any other kind of
justice, and that neither black nor
white lawyers should desire any
special advantage for a particu
lar race before a military court.
But I hhave seen so many inst
ances gross injustices in courts
martial because of race, and ven
ture to suggest again that it
would be desirable to have one
Negro serve on the committee.
SEN. WAGNER URGED TO
OPPOSE BILL AGAINST
MUSICIANS UNION
- ,
New York (WDL )—Senator |
Robert F. Wagner has been urged
by the Workers Defense League
to give leadership in opposing the
conference committe version of
the Lea Bill, which is scheduled
to come up soon in the senate.
The bill would make illegal im
portant provisions won by the
musicians union which protect1
Wallace Speaks Out
Against Negro Hatred
Chicago, 111—(CNS )—Secretary
of Commerce, Henry A. Wallace
sent the following message to the
Provisional Committee For a Na
I sympathize deeply with the
problems of all groups who suffer
discrimination and brutal forms
of persecution in this country in
which such forms of inequality
are so out of harmony with the
principles on which our democra
cy is based. I senderly hope that
the National Veterans’ Organiza
tion succeeds in finding a partial
solution to the problems of racial
discrimination, which is one of the
two or three most important pro
blems facing us in America today
The Provisional Committee, wit'
Joe Louis as honorary chairman
is in the midst of preparation*
for its conference of veterans m
Chicago on April 6-7.
500 Negro and white veteran*
fro..i ai» over the nation are ex
pected to attend and form a na
tional, Interracial veterans’ org
an.zauo.i whose aim will be t*
solve the splcial problems con
fronting Negro veterans. Latent
news indicated that the South wil
be represented by a mixed dele
gation of 150 veterans.
Speakers at the conference wiB
include Joe Louis, Dr. Charlotte
Hawkins Brown, Cong. A. Clay
ton Powell, William Dawson an<
and Ferdinand Smith of the Ns
tional Maritime Union.
“ALLURE”
i
MARVA AND IVY ARE EARLY BIRDS—Alluring Marva
Louis who is never caught napping when something new is
being added, arrived in town just in time to agree with at
tractive Ivy Madden that the new Allure Magazine for wom
en of color, debuting May 1, will be the talk of the season.
However, because of the shortage of paper,not many new*
stand copies will be available. But Marva and Ivy aren’t
taking any chances. They're buying advance subscriptions
to be sure they get their copy of "Allure'. “V’e can’t af
ford to be without it”, they say. (CNS photo)
Chairman
Washington, D. C. Soundphoto—
Rep. B. Carroll Reece of Tenn ,
banker and bemedaled World War
1 hero, last week was elected as
Chairman of the Republics a
tional Committee to succeed Her
bert Brownell Jr. who resigned.
L to R, Rep. B. Carroll Reece of
Tenn., receiving kiss from hi*
wife, as he receives the graveE
from Herbert Brownell, Jr.
musicians against increasing un
empoyment and which grant them
a share of the profits on their
recordings, Morris Milgram, VVDL
national secretary wrote Senator
Wagner. If James C. Petrillo, the
one which this bill is aimed at.
has committed any crime, there
are ample laws on the statute
books to cover every variety of
offense against society.
W ASHINGTON NAACP TO
PICKET LINE CIRUCS
Washington, D. C.—Dr. E. B.
Henderson, chairman of the Ke
creation Committee of the D. C.
Branch, NAACP, announced to
day that the Association was pi
cketing Uline's Arena while the
Shrine Circus is in progress April
8—14. In a statement to the press
Dr, Hejnderson stated while we
feel that the purpose of the Shrinc
Circus is commendable, we adhere
to our principle presimse that no
matter how worthy the cause,
mine’s Circus Arena is Out of
Bounds to self respecting negroes
and fair minded white persons
We trust through the picketing
to acquaint the public and the
Shriner’s with Uline’s undemocra
tic policy of barring Negroes from
admission from any of their regu
lar affairs, excepting boxing mat
ch ehs which he terms low class
entertainment for lew class peo
ple. If you believe n the democra
cy our bovs fought for, join us it
our protest at this un-Americaa
| poiicy.
! NAACP BENEFIT DANCE
FOR TENN. “RIOT” MEN
New York—It was announce*
by the NAACP this week that a
benefit dance for the legal de
fense of the riot victims of Term,
would be held May 3rd, at tke
Savoy Ballroom. Each year the
Association sponsors a birthday
ball. This year the Ball Commit
tee has decided to devote the af
fair to the extremely important
Columbia riot fund. All proceed
will go toward the legal defenmr
of these unfortunate victims af
Southern mob violence. Boxes and
general admission tickets are an
sale all over New York.
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 the Job”.
