Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1946)
UOCAL& NAT’L NEWS-lOc per copy “AND WORTH IT” /JUSTICE/EQUALITY ITeW TQTHE LINE \ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY _ _ PHONE HA.0800 2420 GRANT ST ★--★ “Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC” y y SATURDAY APRIL 20, 1946 Our 19th Year—No. 11 * 10c Per Copy ★ at Po9t-°ft’“’ Omaha. Nebr., Under Act ot r-Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street. Omaha. Nebr OT v * Griswold Hits ‘ ‘Isolationist Policy9 ’ of Senator Hugh Butler OUR • GUEST © Column Edited by Verna P. Harris The Negro Farmer (by James G. Patton, Pres. National Farmers Union) Note to Readers: activities to heading America's most progressive organization of small farm owners. He is also chairman of the American Coun cil on Race Relations which helps to coordinate the activities of numerous local interracial and maor’s committees. Through the armers Union he has stimulated the growth of the cooperative movement and, unlike the react ionary farm bloc leaders, he has fought consistently for stringent price control and the rights of in dustrial labor.) Most people do not realize the very important role the Negro farmer has played in the production of food and fibre, particularly cotton, in our agricultural economy. Negro farm families have never been able to enjoy ev en minimum standards of ed ucation, housing, health or nutrition. The mechanical cotton picker and the flame blocekr will soon bring a ma jor economic and social cris is to the South and all of A merica. Again, as always m the past, Negroes will prob ably be the citizens who will suffer most. It •« the resnone'hility of the American people to aid tm- soar ro' ^*er», tenant.-, and small farm owners of the South, a very large percent age of whom are Negroes, in the readjustment which they will be forced to make with the mechanization and tech n ngu-e* developments in. co:, ton. All of us must see that tnc smail i armer, Negro and ; white in the South, has an opportunity to become vocal in governmental matters. We! must repeal the poll tax. We must make it possible for small farmers to organize freely, without economic and social pressures being used to prevent action from being taken in their own best inter ests. New farming opportunities in the Middle West and in newly irrigated areas, must be provided for Negro farm ers of the South. An equality of opportunity in industry must be guaranteed. The re peal of the poll tax, the pas sage of a Permanent Fair Employment ractiee Act. and the elimination of restricted covenPant real estate ordin ances, are minimum Hecessit ies for economic and social freedom. Restrictive propei tv ownership laws such as have been unfairly enacted in California against the Jap anese and other nationalities must not be applied to the Negro farmer seeking new opportunities. All of us must work to see that full employment is main tained, that every man who is aide to work and wants to work has a job with suffic ient income to buy a high standard of living. The best single guarantee against un fair discrimination in all lin es and for equal opportunity is to have full employment for everyone. If this can be brought about, the adjust ments caused by technologic al advances in agriculture will be made easier not only for the Negro fawner, but for all farmers in the lower income brackets. If we are to be the great example for democracy in the world, we must begin to put democracy into practice in full fledged form here at home, by providing equality of opportunity to all, regard less of race or creed, in all things, economic, social and political. Protest Absence of Negroes On Columbia, Grand Jury NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Thurgood Marshall, Special Counsel for the NAACP, announced today that pleas of abatement had been filed in the infamous Columbia, Tenn. “riot” case on the grounds that Negroes are excluded from the j local Gran<j Jury. As a result of the NAACP pro tests the cases involving thirty one Negroes indicted on charges of attempted murder will be pas sed over with the result that they won’t actually be heard until the early part of May Both Stephensons, Mrs- Gladys Stephenson and her son, Navy vet James Stephenson, testified before the Federal Grand Jury now the affair which began in a Columbia radio repair store when James Stephenson protected his mother who was being slapped and punched by a radio repair man, and which culminated in the wanton destruction of Negro bu sinesses in Columbia. At the top of the tragic events, homes were vandalized and Negro citizens ter rorized, with highway patrolmen and state guardsmen participat ing in an orgy of shooting and beatings of Negro victims during which ,m|an.y were seriously in jured and two Negroes murdered in the jail during third degree cross examinations. Several other Negroes also testified as well as all white newsmen who covered the "riot” and Sheriff J. J. Un derwood. At the New York office of the NAACP, Walter White announced that the urgent appeal for funds needed for the legal defense of the Negro victims of Southern terrorism had to date netted $4000 although it was pointed out that the Association has already spent $11,000 in the case. Mr. White again appealed for contributions to this critically imnortant fund. It was also announced that an executive committee had been j ro med rrom among the hundreds j of prominent Americans who are supporting the NAACP Columbia j Legal Defense Fund. Mrs. Elean or Roosevelt and Dr. Channing Tobias are serving as co-chairman ex-officio, of the executive com mittee Clark Foreman of the Southern Conference for Hu man Welfare; Mary McLeod Be thune; Bishop Oxnam; William L Green, AFL head; Phillip Murray CIO head; Charles G. Bolte of the American Veterans’ Committee; George Marshall of the National Federation for Constitutional Li berties; John Hammond; Arthur B. Springarn, chairman; Frank Stanley, Louisville, -Ky., publisher Walter White. TENN. VICTIM’S WIFE ADDRESSES D. C. AUDIENCE WASHINGTON, D. C_Mrs James Morton, wife of the Colum bia undertaker indicted for atte mpted murder in the Tenn., frame up, shared the speakers’ platform with Dr. Charming Tobias at As bury AME Church, Sunday April 7th, before an overflowing crowd of more than 1,000 citizens. The meeting was sponsored by the Washington Bureau of the NAA CP. Mrs. Morton, an eye witness to the so called Columbia riot on February 25th described the out rageous Southern police brutality to a hushed and shocked audience capturing the crowd's admiration and sympathy with her brave un derstatement. The Columbia woman described A FABLE OF A ROYAL FAMILY In the year of 1931, a royal fa mily was proclaimed. King Bore alis, Queen Aurora and their court in a regal Coronation pageant. E. W. Pryor, King Borealis, the first in former years active in the civic life of the community, and a member of St. Phillips and Dor othy Allen, now Mrs- Charles Wil son a talented musician, now of Chicago, 111., was Queen Aurora. Through th^ years the Kings an^ Queens of the Royal Family have reigned in triumph supreme Their princesses and countesses more beautiful, their pageants more spectacular. As the time is near for the pro claiming of King Borealis and Queen Aurora the XVI we the subjects of this royal family await expectantly the culmination of this the sixteenth coronation and pageant. how on the night of the tragic event she had been attending a meeting of Columbia citizens who were interested in building a high school for Negro children in the rabid Negro hating community, when her husband called for her explaining that trouble was brew ing, and that the town’s white citizens were openly voicing lyn ching threats. Mr. Morton said that a mob was forming and ad vised the people at the meeting to protect themselves and their fa milies against mob violence. About midnight of that night, s man, who described himself as a United Press representative. camt into the Morton’s home on the pretext of seeking an interview. 5 minutes later, members of the state patrol rushed in with ma chine guns and ransacked the nlace. driving several young boys members of her family out of bed and ordering them to line up be side the wall. The leader then said “If you bat an eye. I’ll blow your d.heads off”. Mr. Morton was accused of being the ring leader of an outlaw band and dragged off to prison with other Negroes. It was Mrs Morton who put through a call to the Nashville Branch of the NAACP where she was promised immediate assist ance. Just as she completed her call, a highway patrolman rushed into her room, and leveling the tommy gun at her head, ordered her away from the phone. Mrs. Morton also related how she bun dled up her children and spirited them to a safer part of the city while police and state troopers smashed through her home and her husband’s funeral parlor des troying all furnishings and leav ing a great KKK scrawled across a smashed coffin. in ms remarks Dr. Tobias, after praising Mrs. Morton for her bra very, offeed her the following consolation for the future, no harm can come, he said with sol emnity, because the forces of the righteousness throughout Ameri ca are behind our cause. Remark ing upon the two types of citizen ship our so called democracy af fords, Dr. Tobias declared that you can have democracy if you want it, or you can have a double standard of citizenship both at the same time. In introducing Dr. Tobias. Jg. William H, Hastie, Governor Elect of the Virgin Islands and vice president of the D. C. Branch of the NAACP, told of the fight be ing waged by the NAACP to free the innocent persons who were PRESIDENT GETS 1946 BASEBALL PASSES WASHINGTON, D. C., Sound photo—President Truman can see all the ball games In both leagues this year, if he can find the time having been presented with pas 3es last week at the White House Photo shows Clark Griffith, left, owner of the Washington Sena tors, President Truman and Ford Frick, president of the National League, holding ducats, while a newsreelman records the scene for posterity Japanese Women Given Ballot Rights JAPANESE CAST VOTES WASHINGTON, D. C_Signal Corps Radiophoto, Soundphoto_ Japan took her first wobbly step toward establishment of a demo cracy as an estimated 24 million voters went to the polls to select representatives for a new national legislature. Shown here a line of Japanese cast their ballots in the Yotsuya ward office. Corbin-Washington Concert Acclaimed arrested and charged with offen ses. He revealed that the Ass’n | has organized a nationwide com mittee to publicize the true facts of the Columbia affair and to raise necessary funds. PEW YORK JUDGE CRITISIZED FOR URCAPG POLICE BRUTALITY NEW YORK—The NAACP took sharp issue with a statement att ributed to General Sessions Judge George L. Donnellan in a [ York TIMES story during the sentencing of 3 young Harlem thugs to many year long prison terms on counts of rape, sodomy grand arceny, and feonious ass ault. The Association sent the folow ing message to Judge Donnellan: ‘The New York TIMES March 30, 1946 quotes a statement by you from the bench in connection with the Sentencing of three Ne gro youths convicted of particu larly objectionable offenses. You are quoted as demanding that the Police Commissioner drganize a strong arm squad of police to beat up criminals like these in the* district. The district referred to is Harlem, This shocking stat, ment aside from the uncivilized brutality which it encourages as a method of crime prevention, is oarticularlv alarming since it ad vocates setting up a special form of police brutality for Negro sus pects. The experience of civilized na tions over many years has shown that the police brutality does not achieve anything except a demT oralization applies as well to the aggressors as to the victims of police brutality. The brutality as you are quoted as advocating can not be differentiated from the brutality of Nazi and Japanese prison guards, the revelation of which has so recently shocked the American public. The implication which must be drawn from the quoted statement is that only by illegal means can the city of New York stop crime i in Harlem Advocacy of any such illegal action by the police force is par ticularly to be abhorred when it is said to be directed from the bench which is set up to admini ster justice in this city. I am hopeful that the statement which you are quoted as having made in the TIMES does not re present your views, but in any event, we feel that it is in incum bent upon you to correct the im pression which the newspaper article has created” SOUTHERN CATHOLIC GROUP WANTS FEPC BOLIXI, Miss.—Meeting in ex ecutive session here, the Catholic Committee of the South urged Congress to pass the following legislation: a permanent FEFC; the full employment toil; contin ued Price and rent control beyond June; the Pepper 65 cent minim i um wage bill, and adequate hous A far too small audience heard one of the most outstanding mu sical concerts of the season at the St. Johns Church Monday night April 15th. Mr. Lester Corbin and Mr. Booker Washingtons excellent renditions were received by the gracious audience with applause after applause. One had to be pre sent to appreciate the splendid program these young artists of our own presented- It was truly one of the rare treats that seldom comes our way. Each number rendered seemed to lift one high er and higher in musical fairy land. These two young artists are winning and will continue to win a place in the musical world. A few of the numbers rendered by Lester Corbin that touched the inner most depths of the hearts of the entire audience present are as follows: ‘Deep River’, By an' By ,‘Where’er You Walk’, “Oh No John’ and many others. Sev eral piano renditions by Booker Washington were as follows: Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude by Bach-Guenther, ‘Ertoet’ durch dei guter’, by Bach-Guenther and, ‘Polonaise E flat minor’ by Chopin Booker Washington Composer, pianist and Lester Corbin were presented by Clubs No, 3, 17 and 24. committee Mrs. E. B. Childress Tula Washington and Mrs. Hattie Moore. | mg legislation. A n«n profit organization, the Catholic Committee is dedicated to the application of Christian principles to the economic, indus-' trial, social and civic welfare of all the peope of the Southern, States- i At the invitation of Archbishop Joseph P. Rumme, the Comm ittee will hold its annual conven tion in May in New Orleans. PRES TRUMAN CRITISIZED FOP POLL TAX LETDOWN WASHINGTON, D. C—Presi dent Harry S. Truman who, until his recent Chicago address had lent full administrative backing to Federal Poll Tax legislation, was condemned for his obvious concession to white supremacy by the NAACP. In a telegram to the President, Walter White stated: ‘National Association for the Advancement of Colored People like many other organizations anj individuals is deeply shocked at your statement in interview in Chicago. April 6, that the matter of repealing the Poll Tax now imposed in seven Southern States is one that the states will have to work out for themselves. Since several efforts have been made to secur passage of Federal legisla tion abolishing the Poll Tax, since these bills have passed the House 3 times and one is now about to be brought up once more in the Senate, we take it that your Chi cago statement may be interpre ted fairly as indicating that you oppose Federal legislation to abo lish the Poll Tax. In taking this position we are sure you must t ■ Says US. Must Take Part in Inter national Affairs Governor Dwight Griswold ur ged Nebraskans to point the na tion’s way to lasting peace by re jecting the isolation policy of Hugh Butler at the Republican primary election June 11th. Griswold said his opponent’s re cent statement in Omaha that ‘ in ternationalism must be sidetrack ed” shows Butler proposes to re turn to pre-war isolation. Griswold said he is convinced that if we attempt to go back to the isolation policy “we will be plunging surely and rather quick ly into another war”. Acceptance of Butler’s policy, Griswold said, “would serve no tice on the German people that it is none of our business whether they are absorbed by Russia or whether they establish themselv es as an independent and progres sive nation.” Griswold said the US must take an active part in international af fairs and added that two wars have already come to this nation because we tried to live apart from the world. The Governor’s statements were contained in the first Series of weekly state-wide radio addres ses to be carried on Sundays by most Nebraska stations between now and the June Primary. R. E. Campbell, former Lincoln mayor and head of Miller and Paine department store, also said on the first program. “I want you to know that I am for Dwight Griswold all the way in this sen atorial campaign He has given Nebraska an excellent, common sense administration and I know of no man who can do more for Nebraska in the United States Senate. He has the ability, the background, the youth and the vigor. Griswold is the kind of lea der we need in the Senate”. APPEALS FOR NEGROES’ VOTING RIGHTS IN ALA, IND LOUISIANA NEW ORLEANS—Jn a court room filled to overflowing with attentive Negroes, most of them students from the local high sch ools and Dillard University, at torneys for the NAACP argued for the rights of Negroes to re gister and vote in State and na tional elections. The Jim Crow voting appeals were argued in the Circuit Court of Appeals before Judges McCord of Alabama, Lee of Louisians, and Holmes of Miss NAACP attorneys, A. P. Turead of Louisiana, Arthur D. Shores of Birmingham, and Thurgood Mar shall, Special Counsel from the national office, representing Ne groes challenging the traditional Southern Jim Crow exclusion, af ter reviewing the line of decisions since the 14th and 15th Amend ments and efforts of the Southern states to prevent Negroes from ' cespite the Federal Con stitution and laws, areued t't’st the Federal Courts had a positive dutv to erant relief in such cases and should not relegate Negroes to the use of the state machinery. Lawyers representing white su premicists of Louisiana an^ Ala., one of whom ironically is a law partner of self proclaimed Ala bama liberal. Sen. Lister Hill, did maintain that the appeals must first go through the State courts where, it should be r.n ,.,c< there would be little if any chance •mocratic. consideration. Thurgood Marshall, in closing the argument, cited the recent de cision oi uie US Supreme Court which categorically makes the duties of the Federal Courts clear in cases where Federal rights are violated. The case is under advisement with no indiciation of how long before a decision may be expected. realize that you are encouraging a system which has placed and kept in office Senators and Rep resentatives who have constituted the stubborn and unyielding core of opposition to practically all liberal legitetion both economic and social, and who are at this moment the chief opponents in collaboration with certain Repu blicans, of the legislative program which you have declared repeat edly the country must have in order to reconvert from the war ’•ears and function adequately at home and abroad in these troub led times. It is disturbing to the American Negro citizens and to other supporters of the abolition of the Poll Tax that our Chief Executive should declare for marking time on a system which is depriving ten million American people, six million whites and 4 million Negroes, of the right to vote at the very time, when con ditions so obviously and urgently demand the courageous and pro gressive leadership which is not visible in the type of representa tives elected under the Poll Tax System”. DRIVE TO REPEAL VIRGINIA’S DRAFT STRIKERS LAW IRGED New York City, (WDL)_In j pointing out that there is a dan ger of thd governor’s cracking i down agan in any strike situa tion, so long as there remains or. the statute books the 1930 law authorizing him to draft all men from 16 to 55 into the state mili tia, the Workers Defense League ; urged an immediate campaign for repeal of this law. This action was suggested in letters to Moss A. Plunkett and Martin A. Martin, who had pre pared injunction proceedings out against Gov. William M Tuck of Virginia and were ready to re present the WDL in defending any person arrested under his draft order. Plunkett unsuccessfully opposed Gov. Tuck in last year’s Democra tic primaries and Martin, Negro attorney of Richmond, was form erly on the legal staff of the de partment of justice criminal div ision. But no occasion for a legal test of the draft arose, because fol i “Journey Into Faith” HILLSIDE YOUTH TO SEE “JOURNEY INTO FAITH" The above scene is one of the the many scenes that will be a part of the spiritual experience of the young people who attend Christian Endeavor Service at the Hillside Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday evening. The scene which is taken from “Journey Into Faith” is one showing the crucifixion of Christ. This scene and all of the other sacred events of the story are reverently treated and will form a valuable part of the experience of those who are fortunate enough to see it. A special preview of this pic ture is being held for adults on Saturday night before Easter, April 20, 1946. Adults interested in seeing it may contact the min ister of Hillside Church or the Urban League. There is no ad mission charge for either of the showings. Christian Endeavor Services are held at Hillside Presbyterian Church every Sunday evening at 6:30- The services include devo tions, motion pictures, recreation and refreshments. There is no charge tot the privilage of attend ing these services. RESURRECTION ( By Myrtle Goodlow ) , Though we shall sleep beneath the sod, Yet in our flesh shall we see God When He shall stand upon the eartn The latter day to judge our worth For Christ has risen from the dead And in His sacred word has said On that great resurrection mom Earth and sea shall give up their dead If we His Holy Word received And in Him lived and have believed Eternal life He shall award Are the words of our blessed Lord lowing cancellation of the threa tened strike against the Virginia Elecrtic and Power Co., the utility workers were demobilized. The International Brotherhood of El ectrical Workers withdrew its strike when the giant utility com panv agreed to arbitrate the issue of back wages. Demobilization came within 24 hours of the governor's unprece dented draft order, described by Plunkett as unconstitutional and tantamount to involuntary servi tude. Under the order, which drew strong protests from AFL presi dent William Green, IBEW presi dent E. J. Brown and Rev. Don Rev. E. W. Gordon Pastor of Hillside Pr.-sbyleriw Church and prominent Leader m our efforts to quell juvenile de linquency. aid Harrington, chairman at the WOL national action comnutt^. the 1,1500 utility workers cede have been courtmartialled au*i jailed for refusal to break the* own strike. UNCLE TOM SUIT LET OUT IN NY SUPREME COURT NEW YORK—The $100,000 sat brought by Reed Lawton, pure*, dent of the American Civic Open. Company, against the NAAClt, Phillip Murray, president of Q* CIO, and William Z. Foster; ttoc chairman of the Communist Pas ty, was dismissed by Justis* Charles B. McLaughlin in reme Court yesterday, April MMfc Mr. Lawton instituted suit *» damages when his adaptation off Harriet Beecher Stowe’s ■ ted slave novel "Uncle Tonrt Ca bin'’ was banned in Bridgepac, Corm., as a result of protests os the part of civic minded organs zations who resented the faMtfb cation of the dynamic figure a Uncle Tom. Mr. Lawton figured in the new last year when police named ki* as a protege of Mrs. Albert K. Langford whose husband w slain in the still unsolved HM Marguery murder. § 15he STREET J and thereabouts | '■-—by LAWRENCE P. LEWIS-—r This, My Dear Neighbor, is about Our Street THE STREET. Tis the center of our activities; the axis of our daily way of life. All of us, in some way or another are affected by the happenings thereon. The Street where the most of us promenade, shop, barter, trade and sell. Where we meet acquain tances and renew old friendships. Our Street from Wirt to Cum ing, a throbbing, vibrating, living Street. The main theatre of diversified forms of recreation. Our Street, within its length and breadth can be found the pro verbal Butcher, Baker and Can dlestick Maker (’lectric lites now, Oldtipier) Rich man, Begger man Theif (or a reasonable facsimile thereof ) Doctor, Lawyer and Merchant Cheif and others. You are invited, Good Neighbor to take a Tour with me each week on this long, rambling, JrolUing, and historical STREET. It was a pleasure for me to shake hands again with my good friend, Mr. Mosley. Mr. Mosley spends his many spare hours at Taylor’s Shoe Repair Shop on Lake Street. In that shop, between the pounding of the hammer and whirring of the machinery Much debate goes on concerning the general well being of our comm unity. Words of praise for the good and criticism for the not so good. Mr. Mosley is an elderly gentleman and speaks with know ledge gained by years of experi ence. Anytime you are looking for an hour of intelligent conversation seek out Mr. Mosley. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Ned Moore. Just off Our Street at 2611 Pa trick Ave.. on the night of April 15, a party was given for Mr. and Mrs. Horace Goodlow from Seat tle by Mr. and Mrs. Ross Farmer. Mr. Goodlow is a former resident of Co Bluffs and Mrs. Goodlow, a lovely matron indeed, was form erly from Salisbury, Mo. They will leave shortly to spend a week with Mrs. Goodlow’s family in Mo., and then journey back thru Omaha for another gala time on Our Street. Warren Agee, just returned from the South Pacific, gave me a tongue lashing the other after noon in the M & M about the con ditions ahead, an intelligent man, he certainly is, and with his feet placed a little more on the ground will make one of Our Street'B oti> standing youths. Warren rcuiu more Youth at the head of dift erent organizations. He the Negro to be united, but iin« not approve of the Race reg»». gating themselves. Good though* Warren, keep up the lashing. I stopped by the Waiter’s Key Club for the first time sinre my return from overseas the other afternoon _ I was amazed by thr peaceful /atmosphere there 'll* music was playing softly and n> patrons seated at the tatkes W standing at the bar were enjoymj themselves in pleasant conven tions. I greeted many old tnw friends of Our Street. Before f realized it; the Street had up with me again—„ Neal Johnson and Leonar* Glynn, who were partners in their last business venture. The Sharp Inn, have dissolved their partner^ ship and are Opening separate cafes on Our Street. One will h* named the Sharp Inn Cafe aaf the other Neals’ Cafe. What tS*. solved the partnership? know, ana no one will tell. But both are remodeling their future establishments, wanting to opei up as soon as possible. Which one will open up first? I do not know but a race seems to be on an* Our Street is assured of two fi»w cafes ^ Spnng is here, invigorats** Spring! And already those sSak wart knights of the great cspex spaces are flocking to the g*# links. Manv of them meetmw or THE STREET. Mai Scott * a familar figure. William K* Nate Golstein and many other* can be seen in the early momruf" hours waiting for daybreak <« they can endeavor to break ok man par. Golf is getting to tec lot more popular every day. k. build3 the body and steadies nerves. ’Tis great for the lieu* too, Ladies. Friends and enemies, hate, prosperous and desftltute; you can just about judge a - character by his actions cr STREET. We may not be able to map tte world as we wish, but 24th JW is a part of us, its accomplM^ ments and failures, its goou art bad points are the productsi* *■ inhabitants, You and I. So long, good neighbors, n lm seeing you again next week*