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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1946)
A Part, Not Apart by Ruth Taylor No man can truthfully say that he is self-made. Like l lysses he must humbly admit ‘*1 am a part of all that 1 have met.” Each generation has an increasing responsibility because it has had greater advantages, due to the work and sacrifice and lives of those which preceded it. “For unto whomso ever much is given of him siiail be much required;! and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Whether intentionally or not we learn from all those with whom we come in contact, with whom we live or work. Not only our own experience but the experience of others shapes our lives. We cannot live out of the world, but we must live in it, because of what we have gained from it and v.e must give as we have gained. What is true of the individual is true of the nation. No nation can claim to be **the people.” hat they are is the ri'suit of the work and toil, and labor and thought of count leas other peoples of other races and nationalities. As pure gold is too soft for even careful usage, so is a na t'an inbred upon itself, too soft for life. Only as it has L ?nded with other groups, with other races and drawn un to itself the good of these alien elements can it grow strong. \ .ere is no nation but what is a part of all nations—no r ;ce but what draws from other races in order to survive. Our pride in our country is due to all the diverse forces x ’Jch shaped it and gave it strength. We are Americans r I—but we have drawn from every nationality, every race, r ery creed to build the American way of life which is our i .'hest heritage. Each race has contributed to our coun try’s wealth, to the development of its powers. It is a part all nations—a part of the world. Only when this creed is recognized, when we understand t’;at “all experience is an arch” through which we can pass I) a brotherhood of nations, to a fellowship and fair ex change among all groups, can we solve the problem of re e.irrent wars and can all the peoples of the earth “go out with joy and be led forth with peace.” ■_■ Released by Calvin’* New* Service Such Herculean exploits as strangling a lion capturing a bull and cleaning the Augean stables were snaps compar ci with the task of refuting anti-Negro superstitions. Take l ie “Negroes-aren’t-good fighters” superstition with its im p ication of inherent racial cowardice. “Herculean” is the v ord to describe the efforts liberals have made to blast t ..is malicious myth. The records of individual and group IV.-gro heroism are in the files of the War and Navy Depart ments. There s citation after citation. Typical of the acknowledgments of high-ranking officers was that of Lt. ^'meral Mark W. Clark who, in commending troops of the 1 jur Hundred and Fiftieth (Negro) Battalion, said: “I am proud o fthe outstanding performance of duty of tuese soldiers in this baptism of fire. Their conduct was excellent and reflects the training and discipline of their unit. The Fifth Army welcomes such soldiers.” Helen Gahgan Douglas, Congresswoman from California i_ ad the record of this and every othetj Negro unit inserted iu the Congressional Record Appendix. The facts, taken fr.im official files, gives the lie to the “Negroes aren’t good fighters” superstition. But, jf you think these tacts have scotched the supersti tion you’re letting optimism get the best of your senses. Laly the other day this writer heard a young white lieuten ant, just back from Italy, tell some friends who had gather ed to see him off at the Chicago airport, that the Negroes “ran like hell at the first loud noise.” He said it loud enough so all the fifty-odd passenegrs waiting for the New York-bound airliner could hear him. When the plane landed in New York, I sat beside him in the airport taxi and I reminded him that the official record told another story. Bat he didn’t give a continental for the official record. The Ninety-Ninth Pursuit squadron? He brushed it aside. They made Negroes jockey trucks, did’t they? Why did L ey make ’em truck jockeys? Because they couldn’t £'ji^ht, that’s why!” So much for the effect of the few all-Negro ‘show units” on the prejudice-diseased mind. It’s what the Army and Navy apparently wanted. They organied the all-Negro com hat units grudingly, under pressure and as a nod to dem ocracy. Otherwise, as a candid appraisal of the record proves every efofrt was made to restrict Negroes to the same menial tasks that is made in capitalist civilian life. Edgar L. Jones, writing a sizzling attack on militarism in the February Atlantic Monthly, reminds us that “One of the very few paratroop companies ever to go through train ing without a single man balking when it came his turn to jump was an all Nc^r ) outfit; yet the Army marie no effort to correct the rumor that Negroes were cowards. The out fit was not sent overseas, where its performance might have encouraged other Negroes to demand fighting assignments, but was shipped off to the Northwest to fight forest fires.” If I were one who thought prejudices was merely a mat ter of misinformation, and that it would disappear when exposed to fact and truth, 1 think I would begin to get dis couraged. I am not discouraged because I know that pre judice is caused by something far deeper than ignorance. It is the product of ignorance plus the conditioning of a society of class exploitation. Militarism merely reflects the worst aspects of this society. Sooner or later the men of good will who fight prejudice so bravely and tirelessly, but so futilely, must turn to the mighty task of eliminating the social swamp in which pre judice is a spawn. They must think less in terms of mini mizing the effects and more in terms of eliminating the cause—in terms, that is, of building a social system whose collectivist nature produces the proper social climate for brotherhood. Industrial Labor Relations (by George ). DeMar for Calvin’s News Service) If the hiring practices of the New York Telephone Com pany developed in the past two years were to serve as the basis of hiring for all the subsidiaries of the American Tele phone and Telegraph Company, millions of dollars would come to Negroes. I have had friendly conferences with O. M. Taylor, executive vice president of the company, and I have reason to believe in his integrity, December 4, 1944, he hired four Negro operators and said. “I intend to hire more as they qualify4’. Today more than 300 are so em ployed. hey average $35 per week. This means $10,500 per week or over $500,000 per year permanently to Negro es in jobs not held before. The company continues to hire Misleading to some is the advertisement—“No exper ience necessary.” This does not mean no qualifications necessary. Personla appearance, neatness, alert mind, good voice, articulation, memory adaptability, dependabil ity, age marital status, education (not much over high school) are some of the factors entering into selective bit ing. Only 13% of the whites who apply get jobs. It is reasonable to suppose that the same proportion will apply to Negroes soon. The fact is that 26% of the Negroes who first applied through the Industrial Department of the Ur ban League of Greater New York qualified and have proved satisfactory in every respect. The girls work together, walk together eat together and may be visiting each other. The company is interested only in job performance, and personally I have witnessed operators together on “family night at the telephone company” which bears out official statements. A telephone company that has less discrimination than any other in the country, that is honestly doing something about ideal work relations should not be charged with dis crimination. The persons who allege discrimination, I be lieve, simply did not meet company specifications. The company still needs operators, but it wall not forsake its standards. Is Labor Selfish-9 (by ISoah C. A. Walter for Calvin’s ISeivs Service‘ Since V-J Day there have been more strikes in these 8 months than during the 3 1-2 years America was at war. Many people are being influenced to believe that these strikes have held up the nation’s industries from reconvert ing factories from war time to peace time production, creat ing unemployment for ex-war worekrs and war veterans. Many other people condemn these strikes charging that the Unions are maikng a mess of things demanding too much. Of course this is all so silly. We know why there were so few strikes during the war. The unions led by Philip Mur ray of the CIO and W illiam Green of the A. F. of L. all a greed with the Federal Government to discourage strikes to help win the war. Nevertheless there were then and still many wage and working conditions that were inequitable to Labor. In many industries during the war, worekrs were going home with fat pay envelopes based upon low hourly or weekly rates for long hours. Despite the increased cost of living the majority of worekrs wage rate during the war remained at prewar levels. The contents of the war workers fat pay envelopes of wages earned from long hours of toil, weekly was absorbed by the high cost of living and black market prices. W hen V-J Pay came the worekrs who were fortunate to be kept in hteir jobs found that their post war “take home” pay was almost 550% less than they received during the war. The cost of food, housing, clothing etc., remained the same or had been increased. What was labor to do? Industry was asked to increase regular wages to that “take home” pay would meet the cost of living. The Federal Government after investigation agreed Labor was correct in its demands. Industry at first refused to consider any reasonable adjust ment between the cost of living and workers “take home” pay. The worekrs could not live on 50% less wages and we witness strikes of auto, steel, oil, electrical and thous ands of other workers. Industry finally proposed grant ing wage increases ranging from §5 to 8 dollares per week based upon a 40 hour week. Most of the strieks have been settled and not one big factory has closed its doors because of these strikes, or wage increases granted labor. After looking at the record no one can truly believe that Labor is selfish. Negroes, more than anyone else should realie that Labor’s fight today is the Negroes fight. The more Labor’s wages come to be equitable with the value of industries production, the more goods the workingmen and their families can afford and therefore keep open the door of America’s great factories that provide jobs for American Labor. Right today thousands of Negroes and White ex war worekrs and veterans are jobless, unable to find decent employment with fair wages. These workers and veterans do not want Relief. They want jobs at decent pay levels. L<abor is the only hope to strengthen and maintain the Am erican system of economy if it is to continue to serve to provide all Americans, Negro and W'hite with equal oppor tunity to enjoy the great wealth of our rich country. No American, Negro or White wants to see our country return to the chaotic levels we suffered during the depression. JonJi&'oh {'ll 6eT\ /^77\ you soMe) ( Sau'Ri 1 v’money (tMftW!/ In recent decades there has arisen a new parasite profession in the United States—a new type of middleman — the fellow who says: “I’ll give you some of HIS money.” In politics, this means: “I’ll tax HIM and give it to you.” In the business world, this means: “I’ll get you more of your employer’s dough, if you’ll give me part of it.” This generosity with the other fellow’s money goes over big un til the other fellow runs out of money or until he decides he’s a chump to go on producing. Without the other fellow's ini tiative and enterprise, the mid dleman soon wouldn’t have any body to milk. The Week By H. W. Smith Tuskegce Institute Choir will sing in Constitution Hall in Washington, D. C. June 3rd. The Daughters of the American Revolution gave permission April 24. The Wall Street Journal says that living costs is less in some spots and the National Ass'n of Manufacturers says that the final version will leave profiteers badly dissapointed to hold back goods in the expectation of ob taining higher prices because of the curb of the OPA. Pan American Air Ways will use Constilation type transports on its run between New York. Lisbon and Afr ica beginning April 22. The US Justice Dept, is seeking evidence of the one billion dollar Ger man assets hidden behind forts in this country. The auto manufactures of Detroit have eccepted the application of the Kaiser-Fraser Corporation was annou nced by George Mason this week. A Woman’s bady taken from the Missouri river near Bellevue identi fied as Miss Marion Bly of 3280 Ave. E, Council Bluffs. ‘ Two men were killed in an auto accident at Rushville, Nebr., April 27. Louis H. Rubenzki, Summer Resort owner of South Haven, Mich., made a statement Saturday, April 27 saying he belived his daughter died last Nov. in W'ymore, Nebr., was poisoned. Burlington RR conductor of the wrecked train in wrhich 40 persons were killed, said April 27 he did not know a train was near his train. Mr. ^id Mrs. John Younci of route 6 Florence Station, said their three children made them nervous and want to give them away. A farmer near Belleville, 111., lost has wallet while plowing a year ago. It contained two ten dolar bills. He found it with the money on April 27. Mr. and Mrs. Hubert LeManger of Kankakee, 111., celebrated their 56th w'edding anniversady by taking an air plane ride to California. Four persons were injured in an auto accident 6 miles north of Craw ford, Nebraska April 26. coal miners strike yet going on with no end in sight and president John L. Lewis going good. NAACP broadcasting an attractive add in the program of the Spring Mu sical, said it was a very fine feature. VETERANS’ COMMITTEE TO MEET MAY FIFTH Omaha has its Town Meeting Forum once again. Responding to numerous requests from organizations and indi viduals. the Omaha Chapter of the American Veterans Committee has in itiated a year-around forum to be held each month at the Joslyn Memorial. The first AVC Omaha Town Meet ing has been scheduled for Sunday, May 5th at 7 pm. “Is the Press Fulfil ling Its Responsibility to the People” will be discussed by the following well known persons: Rev. Carl Storm, Uni tarian Church, Lincoln, Nebr., Ray Clark, Noted War Correspondent; Frank Cronin, Region al Director CIO, Nebr. and Iowa; Hugh Fogerty, Omaha World Herald; and Dr. John E. Coutney, School of Commerce, Creighton U., Moderator. “The American Veterans Committee believes that Omaha wants the op portunity to talk with its leaders first hand” commented John F. McAvin, Jr., chairman of the Omaha Chapter. “Of course”, McAvin continued, ‘"The speakers will be subject to questions from the audience”. The meeting would be carried on in the same manner as the “Town Hall Meeting of the Air” heard on Thurs day evenings over the radio. Mr. Mc Avin emphasized that the success or failure of the AVC Omaha Town Meet ing depended upon the support and interest that people show in attending. \. The public is uryed to attend. No admission charge. NEGRO COMPOSER WRITES FOR JEWISH SYNAGOGUE By Verna Arvey, Calvin’s News Ser.L For what is believed to be the first time in recorded history, a Negro com poser wil contribute a new work to a Jewish Synagogue when, on May 5, the Park Avenue Synagogues in New York City will give the first compo ser anywhere to William Grant Still’s setting of Psalm 29, which the compo ser has titled “The Voice of •' * T inis is a s.riking example of the grow ing awareness of the brotherhood of man, and the need for men of all races to throw aside personal prejudices and share in the gifts of God bestowed up on each of them. -, I IWWMWJI imm a umiuwjb • For Greater Coverage ADVERTISE in the Guide fine Quality-Personalized PRINTING --WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS Seek to Avert Mass Starvation In Europe; New Wage-Price Plan Seen as Spur to Production Rpi***** by Western Newspaper TTr>}r>r^ (EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expressed in these columns, they are those of Western Newspaper Union’s news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.) WORLD RELIEF: Need Great In calling upon the American peo ple to pull in their belts and get along on a smaller and less varied se lection of meats, cheese, evaporat ed milk, ice cream, margarine, salad dressing and beverages, Pres ident Truman declared that the threat of starvation overseas was greater today than at any other time in history. While Americans have been con ; suming about 3,300 calories per per son, he said, more than 125 million | people in Europe will have to sub sist on less than 2,000 calories a day; [ 28 million will receive less than 1,500 calories a day, and large groups will get as little as 1,000 calories. In shaping a nine-point program to enable this country to meet re | lief requirements overseas, the ad ministration placed emphasis upon conservation of dwindling wheat supplies to assure fulfillment of ex port goals of 225 million bushels. No less than 25 million bushels of wheat were expected to be saved during the first half of 1946 by rais ing the quantity of flour produced from a bushel of wheat to 80 per cent. As a result, more dark bread will be made. Another 20 million bushels of grain are to be conserved by discontinuing the use of wheat in the direct production of alcohol and beer and limiting the use of other grains for beverage alcohol to five days’ consumption per month. At the same time, the depart ment of agriculture will seek to cut down on use of feed grains by en couraging the speeding of market ing of hogs and beef cattle and cull ing of poultry. The other provisions of the ad ministration’s nine-point program include the acceleration of rail ship ments of wheat, corn, meat and oth er foods; exportation of 375,000 tons of fats and oils, 1,600,000,000 pounds of meat, and increased supplies of canned milk and cheese; establish ment of wheat and flour inventory controls on millers, bakers and dis tributors; and efforts to move more copra for cocoanut oil from the Philippines. WAR CRIMINAL: No Reprieve Having been convicted by an American military commission for countenancing atrocities in the Phil ippines, uen. romo yuki Yamashita’s life rested in the I hands of President Truman after the Supreme court had validated his trial and Gen. Douglas MacArthur refused 1 to mitigate the sen- ^ tence. ^ as tne President Mynwi wig considered clemen- General , cy there was re- Yamashita sentment in Jap anese circles over Mac Arthur’s or ders that Yamashita be stripped of his uniform, decorations and other army accessories in being hanged. Declaring that Yamashita was an adherent of the ancient Samurai warrior tradition, Nipponese gener als said he was entitled to a sol dier’s rather than a common crimi aal’s death. In ordering Yamashita’s hanging in disgrace, MacArthur asserted that the Jap had dishonored the military profession by countenanc ing troop rapacities instead of in sisting upon their protection of the weak, whether friend or foe. Scor ing the Japanese sack of Manila, MacArthur compared the destruc tion with American respect for the :ity in 1942 despite its impending loss. CONGRESS: Labor Curb Despite quick house action in passing the drastic Case bill with its restrictive labor legislation, the senate was expected to proceed more slowly in considering the measure. Holding their lines solidly through jut the week-long debate on the bill, a coalition of Republicans and con i servative Democrats beat down all J ifforts to take the teeth out of the egislation by modifying provisions Dr eliminating all enabling clauses to reduce the measure to a mere ieclaration of policy. While liberals assailed the bill as Dne of the most vicious anti-strike laws to come before congress, pro ponents clung fast to provisions set ting up a mediation board to consid er disputes; requiring 30-day cool HONEY OUTPUT: Up Totaling 233,070,000 pounds, honey production in 1945 topped 1944 out put by 23 per cent and was 19 per cent above the 1939-44 average. While boosting production, bee keepers also enjoyed higher prices resulting from the sugar shortage, an increase in the packing of one pound and five-pound containers to take advantage of higher ceilings, q flap |r^ I ing off periods before strikes; mak ing both management and labor li able for cbntract violations; outlaw ing violence and intimidation, and banning sympathy walkouts or boy cotts. WAGE-PRICE: New Policy Culmination of a long and strenu ous tug-of-war between government and industry, and between admin istration officials themselves, a new wage-price formula loomed with the expectation that it would pave the way for labor peace and start up full-scale production. Pushed by Reconversion Director Snyder, and at first' vigorously op posed by OPAdministrator Bowles, the new program reportedly called for general wage increases approx imating 17 per cent and correspond ing price boosts to permit industry OP Administrator Bowles (right) answers newsmen. to absorb the added expense. Though admitting that a rise in liv ing costs would result from the pol icy, administration leaders declared that the volume output following re sumption of work would bring prices to normal, reasonable levels. In developing the new formula, President Truman affirmed his be lief in a previous plan he had pro posed under which prices would have been raised only if industry had proven its inability to absorb wage increases. While the plan would have worked with full produc tion, he said, obstructions to large scale output necessitated a revi sion of policy. . UNO: Save Face At odds in the United Nations or ganization over the question of the presence of British troops in Greece, Russia and Britain patched up their differences with acceptance of a face-saving formula under which the security council dropped consider ation of the issue without a formal pronouncement. By dropping the question without further ado, UNO avoided the possi bility of impairing the prestige of Russia by refuting its charges that the presence of Tommies in Greece threatened the peace of the world or of offending Britain by acknowl edging the Red accusations. Russia’s dharges that the Tom mies’ alleged protection of rightist interests in Greece against leftist elements would have international repercussions followed close upon what it believed were British in spired Iranian complaints against Red interference with orderly gov ernment in that country. Occupying a strategic position along the British life-line in the eastern Mediterran ean, Greece, along with oil-rich Iran, ranks as a key spot in the Near East Debate Site While residents of the Stamford Greenwich, Conn., area recommend ed to UNO as a site for permanent headquarters, protested against the selection, a strong movement against approving the locality developed within UNO itself. In leading opposition against the Stamford-Greenwich site, Austra lian Delegate W. R. Hodgson de clared that purchase of the land for $20,000,000 was too costly, residents did not welcome UNO and no cen tral facilities for interim operations were available in New York. Despite proposals for purchasing the area recommended for from $600 to $800 per acre, residents of both Greenwich and Stamford voted against the inclusion of town areas in the site. Federal revenue of 2.4 billion dol lars—an all-time high—were col lected for the government in 1945 by the alcoholic beverage industry, an analysis of Bureau of Internal Revenue data shows. Comprising federal receipts from high wartime excise taxes and from occupational and other special taxes, the figure represents an ad vance of approximately 14 per cent Aver t>>o nrevin"* npaV FULL EMPLOYMENT: Water Bill With Democrats and Republicans alike expressing agreement, the house passed a diluted version of an administration-backed “full employ ment” bill that would have commit ted the government to providing jobless work at prevailing wages. As finally framed by a house senate conference committee and pushed through congress, the new bill sets up a council of three eco nomic advisers delegated to prepare annual reports on levels of employ ment, production and purchasing power and draw up a program for correcting maladjustments. A con gressional committee of seven will then act upon the recommenda tions. In typical comment on the meas ure, Rep. Manasco <Dem.. Ala.) de clared that it was high time con gress announced an unwillingness to continue deficit spending except in extreme emergencies, and Rep. Judd (Rep., Minn.) said the bill could do no harm and may do good. LABOR: Bloody Outbreak Murder charges were filed against four armed guards of the Toledo, Peoria and Western railroad follow ing an altercation between em ployees of the company and pickets near a siding at Gridley, 111., in which two strikers were killed and three others wounded. Climaxing the T. P.W.’s tempestu ous labor relations with the rail road brotherhoods, the bloody af fray developed after the company had non its first train over its eastern division since the union walkout last October. At that time, the government had returned the T.P.W. to its owners following its wartime operation of the strategic 239 mile line after taking over the property in 1942. Seizure result ed from T.P.W. President G. P. Me Near’s refusal to arbitrate a dis pute. waving ronowea tne train along a paralleling highway, about 25 pick ets parked their cars close to a sid ing in Gridley and moved toward a nearby switch which the four armed guards approached to “throw.” As the guards and pick ets neared each other, shots were fired and the strikers fell. Though it was admitted that the pickets car ried rocks, police sought to deter mine whether any had been armed. NEAR EAST: Russ Claims Repeated communist demands for the return of Turkish-held Armenian lands to Russia focused increasing attention on the Near East. Latest communist appeal for the return of Turkish provinces of Kars and Ardagan to Russia was made by Grigori Arutinov, secretary of the Communist party of Soviet Ar menia. In an election speech at biScks«A Russia Yerevan, played up in Moscow, Arutinov declared that the Armeni an people raised the question of re gaining the territory ceded to Tur key in 1921 in a border dispute. In the face of growing Russian pressure for the readjustment of Turkey’s mountainous eastern bor der, and other demands for a strip of Turkey’s northern Black sea coast, Istanbul has stood fast against territorial revisions. With the central government announcing its intentions to fight for every inch of ground, nationalists sentiment in the threatened provinces has been fanned to a patriotic pitch. WORLD COURT: Name American Top legal body of the United Na tions Organization, the new Interna tional Court of Justice will include one American among its 15 mem bers, Green H. Hackworth of Chevy Chase, Md„ being elected to the tribunal. In supplanting the old world court the new tribunal ranks as the prin cipal organ of UNO for resolving judicial disputes between nations. In addition, the court can be called upon to furnish legal advice to ac cedited UNO agencies. A legal adviser to the state de partment since 1925, Hackworth has participated in many international conferences. Accompanying Secre tary of State Hull to Moscow in 1943, he subsequently attended the Dum barton Oaks and San Francisco con ferences. With the U. S. delegation at the London sessions of IHSTO, Hackworth also is chairman of the United Nations committee of jurists. As a justice on the new court, he will draw $20,200 annually. FARM LAND: Sales Drop A continued rise in farm land values and a moderate decline in the volume of sales were leading developments in the farm real es tate market during the year 1944-45, the agriculture department said. For the United States as a whole, land values during World War II (1939-45) increased 50 per cent as compared with a 25 per cent in crease during World War I (1914 W