15he STREET
and thereabouts
by LAWRENCE P. LEWIS
OUR
GUEST
Column
Editadhy Varna P. Harris
BY ROCF.lt N. BALDWIN, DIRECTOR
American Civil Liberties Union
The greatest racial discrimination in
American law does not affect Negroes
as commonly supposel, but Orientals.
The United States is the only major
nation in the world which puts up a
racial bar to citizenship. By the Orien
tal Exclusion Act of 1924, it excludes
from citizenship and immigration all
Orientals, except the Chinese, to whom
special exemptions as allies was gran
ted during the war. None of the orien
tal peoples except the Chinese, with
a quota of 105 per year, may enter the
l nited States as permanent residents.
Those who are here either came in be
fore 1924 or secured temporary per
mits.
This wholesale racial discrimination
against Oriental peoples is an affront
to almost half the popuaton of the ear
th. Its origins go hack to the eary days
of slavery when in 1790 citizenship
was confined to "free white persons”.
It took the Civil War to extend it to
Negroes. It took World War I to ex
tend it to American Indians. It took
W orld War II to extend it to the Chi
ese.
There we have stopped. No resident
Filipino whose compatriots fought with
the American armies can become a
IS citizen. After Philippine indepen
dence in July, we will graciously per
mit the mmigration of 100 Filipinos
a year.
But such retail measures are not
enough. The gross injustice of this
wholesale racial barrier can be correc
ted only by the total repeal of the Or
iental Exclusion Act, putting all the
Oriental nations on exactly the same
quota basis as all other nations, and
extending to their citizens precisely the
same rights of U. S. citizenship.
The fear of organized labor that such
action would result in a wholesale in
vasion of cheap labor is without found
ation. On the basis of the 1890 cen
sus. on which all quotas are figured,
only 650 could be admitted annually
from all Oriental countries. If it is ob
jected that Japan as a recent enemy
nation would be included in the re
peal, it may be answered that Japan's
quota for immigration would be less
than 100, and that those now resident
in the United States are as much en
titled to citizenship as any other Ori
entals. The disloyal were interned dur
ing the war and later deported to Ja
pan. Furthermore, the loyal were fa
thers and mothers and close relatives
of 20.000 American boys of Japanese
extraction who volunteered for mili
tary service and covered themselves
with glory on the battlefronts of Eu
^ rope.
We have a further moral responsi
bility to the Japanese in the U. S.
They were the victims of one of the
worst racial tragedies ever suffered by
a minority in American life. As a mea
sure of ‘security’ the entire 115,000
people of Japanese blood on the Paci
fic Coast, two-thirds American born,
were removed from their homes, jobs
and schools, and evacuated to con
centration camps in the far West. And
there for two long years they were
kept behind barbed wire, guarded by
soldiers, living in barracks, .solely on
the ground of their racial origin. That
the discrimination was wholly racial
is .proved by the fact that no other
Axis nationals were removed from the
Pacific Coast, nor indeed from the At
lantic Coast where the danger of at
tack, sabotage and espionage was even
greater.
Racial discrimination against Jap
anese and other Orientals in our fed
eral law has brought other disabilities.
^ estern states hostile to them have
adopted laws prohibiting land owner
ship or occupancy by persons “ineli
gible to citizenship”, and denying them
licences for professions. Their attemp
ts to put property in the names of their
American-born children have been fru
strated by court actions. Their chil
dren are in many places segregated in
public schools. Economic competitors
in agriculture have resorted to vigi
lante action against Japanese Ameri
cans. The vast losses in property from
the hasty evacuation will never be com
pensated, though their valid claims will
be presented in the courts and Con
gress.
The Oriental population in the Uni
ted States is a tiny fraction of the
whole, .less than 500.000 people, with
over half of these in Hawaii. But over
half the people of the earth in the
Oriental populations, against whom
the discrimination is directed, are re
sentful of American prejudice em
bodied in law. They know that Amer
ican law is based on white supremacy.
Yet they see the United States cham
pion world democracy and they read
the pledges in the United Nations ch
arter against racial discrimination. Our
segregation laws at least put up a pre
tense of equal but separate accomo
dations, denied by all facts; but our
racial bars to immigration and citizen
ship make no pretense to equality.
Only total repeal of the Oriental Ex
clusion Act will abolish the greatest
singe obstace to realizing our moral
claims to democratic leadership.
We on Our Street will make the Car
ver's Savings & Loan Association a
success or a failure. If we support the
Carver's Savings & Loan Association,
success will be assured. What is good
for our community is good for the peo
ple who abide in it. An organization
of this kind is an outstanding achieve
mene for Our Street.
“Good afternoon, Urban League”,
said a soft, low voice over the tele
phone.
I was waiting to speak with Mrs.
Grayce Bradford, who was at this time
attending a staff meeting, so I began
a conversation with the Urban Lea
gue’s polite and soft-spoken Office and
Employment Secretary.
“How long have you worked here”,
I asked.
The young lady looked from her
work, quietly sat her pencil aside, and
answered, “Four months”.
She seemed a little startled at my
questioning her and I smiled, saying,
“1 write a column for the Omaha Gui
de. I write about people, about busi- j
ness, oh, I write about almost anything
and at the present time 1 would like
to write about you”.
“Gosh, I’d better be careful about
what I say”, she said.
“What do you enjoy most about your
work?”, I asked.
“It is really hard to say”, she answ
ered, “but I enjoy meeting people, and
I come in contact with so many of
them, and before I realize it, the day
has passed. I am forever calling people
to come to such and such a meeting”.
Miss Ovalyn Grice stood up, walked
to the pencil sharpener, and began
sharpening her pencil. She seemed tall
and slender while standing, yet while
she was sitting, I got the impression
that she was small.
“You attended school in Omaha”?,
I asked as she returned back to her
desk.
“V es, I went to Tech”, she answered, j
“I have been away from Omaha for j
three years and I meet so many people '
that I do not know. It has been a plea
sure meeting you, Miss Grice. Social
work is important work, and you seem
to be very capable of doing your job
well”, I said.
Miss Ovalvn Grieg smiled, nodded
goodbye as I closed the door behind
me, and I could faintly hear her say
ing as she answered the telephone,
“Good afternoon, Urban League”.
A few years ago I worked on a din
ing car with Voyal V. Watson. During
numerous conversations I found out
that Mr. Watson was not completely
satisfied with his work on the dining
car. I met Voyal Watson last week for
the first time in three years, and he
seemed satisfied, so I asked him if he
was still working on the dining car. Of
course I found that he was now in bus
iness, owner and instructor of the (Last
Word Beauty Salon ).
Yesterday I visited Voyal Watson’s
School of Beauty. I was amazed at the
neatness of his school, the curtained
booths, the modern equipment, the tidy
classroom, and the daintiness of thh
ladies in their starched white uniforms
and the men in their white jackets.
“Come in, Lawrence”, he said as he
shook my hand. “I’m certainly glad to
see you”.
“W ell Voyal, you got something here”
I said after glancing around. “How
and when did you get in this line of
work?”
“It happened like this”, he answered
“I was not using up all my time, and
you know me, I've got to be doing
something, so I decided to learn this
business. The more I learned, the more
I enjoyed it. I couldn’t be satisfied just
being an operator, so I opened up this
school. I The Last Word Beauty Salon )
"What do you think about men in
this line of business”, I asked.
“In all fairness to the ladies who
now dominate this type of business, I
believe that men are more conscious of
their work and are more -concerned
about how the women look. More men
are entering the field every day and it
won't be long before men will catch up
with the women as operators”, he an
swered.
'“Who are the ladies that are now
taking the course”, I asked.
“At the present time there is Mrs.
Max Williams. Mrs. Lucille Summers,
Mrs. Ruby Lee Bodie, Mrs. Rebecca
E. Evans, Mrs. Angaline McSuare, Mrs.
Alice Singleton, and we have one man.
Mr. Vernon L. Estes. Of course I be
lieve more men will soon enter the
field. Veterans can take the course un
der the G I Bill of Rights, you know”,
he answered.
Voyal stopped working on a ladie’s
hair and we walked around the salon.
He pointed out the different rooms and
the different equipment.
“Everything is sterilized and is kept
that way. I have a complete line of
products which run into hundreds of
dollars. At first many thought it was
strange that I undertook this business
as a career, but more men are being
trained as operators everyday. It is an
open field for men, and more men
should take it up. As soon as two of
my students get their license I intend
to study further at some school in New
York or Chicago”, he said.
Voyal V. Watson today is a success
ful operator and instructor. It is not
easy to go against convention and suc
ceed, but Mr. Watson has done just
that and now gets great pleasure and
satisfaction in passing on his knowled
ge to others.
I spend many of my evenings re
hearsing for the play (The Whole
Town's Talking ) now in rehearsal at
the Urban League. A young lady, very
intelligent and talented, a Miss Jeannie
Rudd, gave me a clear cut view of our
Omaha, and somehow I have not for
gotten it.
“Miss Rudd, you tell me that next
year you will graduate from Omaha U.
and you plan on going East to enter
some kind of social work. Why, Miss
Rudd, do you have to go East?”, I ask
ed.
Miss Rudd studied a moment, and
then answered, “There is so little op
portunity in Omaha. I want to be suc
cessful and in order to accomplish that
which I want, I must go somewhere
else. I can broaden my education and
my knowledge of social activities by
traveling. After graduating, Omaha has
so little to offer the educated Negro”.
“How true”, I said.
My thoughts stayed on that state
ment (so little opportunity in Omaha ).
How right this lady was. How little
Omaha has to offer the young educated
asof oj pjojja jbaojoj »m or) -ojSaj^
the best amoung our youth to another
city in the East or in the West or in
the South.
World It MCA Representative to^&peak Monday Aight
Paul Moritz, YMCA World Repre
sentative in China, now in this coun
try on furlough, will be the dinner
guest of the local YMCA World Ser
vice Committee on Monday night. May
20th at 6:00.
Moritz will speak at 7:30 in Room
203 of the YMCA to which the public
is invited.
Paul Moritz was President of the
^ MCA at Kansas University, Presi
dent of the Westminister Council and
of the Field Council of the Rocky
Mountain Region. He held several na
tional posts before going to China in
1939 as a soecial ambassador for lh<
American Student Christian Move
ment. Moritz has for several years
been closely connected with student
affairs both at hime and abroad. Wei
ilueated, widely experienced, and witl 1
i through understanding of student
teeds and problems, he is well qual
fied for the responsible posts he
tolds.
LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS | Per Copy AND WORTH IT- “To Sell It, ADVERTISE”
'JUSTICE/EQUALITY
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
ALL THE NEWS WHILE IT IS NEWS
2420 GRANT ST
HEW TO THE LINE
PHONE HA.0800
SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1946
Our 19th Year—No. 15
10c Per Copy
Entered as 2nd class matter at Post- oftice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of
March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street, Omaha, Nebr.
BRIGGS - WASHINGTON RECITAL
DRAWS PRAISE OF CRITICS
Elks Endorse
C. C. Galloway
for STATE SENATOR
C. C. Galloway
ELKS FAVOR CARVERS LOAIf
ASS’N SUPPORT COCA-COLI
Ai00,000.„j INVESTMENT
By Bro. Ellsworth G. Dover cans
NEW AMVETS’ BAR, LOUNGE AND BALLROOM OPENED
Standing before the Mew Bar in the recently opened Mew AMVETS Headquarters are reading from left to right are:
H.L. McCaw, Commander; Woodrow F. Morgan, Adjutant; Columbus McMorris, Vice Commander; Harold C. While
side, Finance Officer; and Paul B. Allen, Manager.
..
A well pleased crowd of about 400
witnessed the brilliant recital of Mes
sers. Paul Briggs, baritone, and Book
er T. Washington, virtuoso of the Ste
inway, last Sunday afternoon at the
Amvets Club.
Truly this dist>ursti;<> or such mag
nificent local talent is a rare treat for
music lovers of this community as
many others have made their war con
tributions likewise to these two artists.
They spent nearly four years fighting
the horrows of war to emerge with
none of their musical ability lost, as
was very vividly displayed in this re
cital.
The program was opened with Ma
lott’s “Lord’s Prayer” which was rev
erently rendered. This number was not
programmed, .this is the usual meth
od used by such celebrated artists as
Roland Hayes, Paul Robeson and Ma
rian Anderson.
Group 1 consisted of “The Blind
i Ploughman” bv R. C. Clark; “The
Builder”, by Cadman; and “Morning”
by Oley Speaks. This group of songs
are trying in any presentation but were
well rendered in this particular case.
In the “Morning’ selection, the higher
range of Mr. Briggs wasn’t quite up
to par, but as forsaid the group in its
entirety was well rendered.
In the second group Mr. Briggs gave
fourth tremendously with “Div Pas
senta". This was one of Mr. Brigg’s
best presentations. The song was pre
sented in Italian and the change of
moods and tempo, crescendo and de
minuendo had t tremendous effect on
the enthusiastic audience.
The third group of vocal offerings
consisted of Handel's “Where’er You
Walk” and Ischaikawsky’s “Pilgrim
Song”. In this respective trey bracket
the initial number gave Mr. Briggs a
chance to exhibit some fine breath
control which he broke the popular
strain losing effectiveness although
his accentuations and subdued tone
quality were well placed which initia
ted this effect for the baritone, “The
Pilgrim's Song” a typical baritone mim
her was tvpicallv rendered with double
forte still predominating the higher
I range.
Group four brought fourth the ini
mitable Mr. Booker T. Washington
the very ardent and efficient accompan
ist. concertist. and composer. For his
i'Mitribution, Mr. Washington gave
lourth with one of his own composi
tions “Imorovis'ons” with the assur
ance of Iturbi the composition of him
self as Rubenstein, Mr. Washington
performed magnificently displaying a
surplus of the song title “Improvisions’
the music hungry audience readily re
ceived this. Mr. Washington was re
called to the piano for an encore. He
paused momentarily and then played
a five second ditty that any first year
student could have handled with one
hand. This was to come under the
fCONTINUED ON P. 8
IROQUOIS LODGE No. 92
I. B. O. E. of W.
At the last regular session of Iro
quois Lodge No. 92; Charles 11. Dav»
Exalted Ku er, gave a ve:y interesting
discussion on the Negro in Omaha tak
ing rare of 'ts own and looking forwart
to the building up of his community.
Mr. Davis was proud to say that the
month of May will mark a milestone
for the Nearro P’sf'f* in anl
in coherance with this statement Iro
quois Lodge endoises the following
events:
Carver BuiL,:ng and T.oan Ass’n.
Mr. C. C. Galloway, Candidate for
State I e->’i'U-e from the 5th District.
$300,000 plant to be erected in this
district by the Coca-Cola Bottling C*.
Iroquois Lodge has completed nego
tiations for pircVsine the property
of 2811 Caldwell Street for the purport
of converting the said property mt*
o home for a"ed and disabled mem
bers of this order. A vote of thanks w*^
given to Bro. Herbert Mayberry, for
the work that has been done by him
self and his committee in the select
ing of this property.
The Annual O-atorical Contest wa*
held at the Elks Hall. 2420 Lake St.
Friday, April 18. 1945. The iu-'g«
awarded first prize to Miss Ane<Tw
Moore who will gradual in Tn"» rH
this year from Central High School
here in Omaha. The sub'ect cf the Con
test was "The Negro and the Consti
tution". Miss Moo-e will go .to the
Mid-West Convention where she wtM
compete with other District wiring*
for the Mid-West Award. The Oratu*
ical Contest was under the direct**
of Bro. Paul Holiday, Director of Fake
cation, Nebraska and Jtrisdlctinn. Br*
fhdiday worked as he has done lot s
number of years in making the Ora
torical Contest a success. Manv thank*
to Bro. Holiday and Committee.
Iroquois Lodge is also proud to s»
nounce a new organized unit added t*
this Order since the beginning of the
year; the Elks Band under the direc
tion of Joe R'ggers. TV Elks Ban4
will make its first public appearanc*
a' a c-ncert to b- hel 1 at the E’ks Hal
Friday, May 24, with the assistance
of the Elks Ensemble. Brig. Gen. Em
ery Hichman will be in charge of the
arrangements.
Antler Guard
The Antler Guard of Iroquois Lod«*
No. 92 is proud to announce the fol
lowing promotions:
Col. Emery Hichman, Brig. Ge«^
Capt. James R. McAlister. Col.; ami
supervisor of Western Division and et
Units thronrhcu* his Jif:sdirjjnn; T
Herbert Richardson, Col.; E^nie Ri
che, Capt. John Davis succeeding Br«
T. Herbert Richardson as Preside*
Ralph Bates Marching Co. No. 367.
Ralph Bates Marching Company N*
367 sponsored a card party at Elks
Hall May 10. Bro. P. L. Adkins, sec’y
Ralph Bates Marchina C«mr>any N*.
tCONTINUED ON P. 8
FORMER OMAHAIS VISITS GLIDE
C. C. Galloway greets boyhood I
friend, Irving W. Gray in front of the'
Guide building. Mr. Gray, now of
Chcago, was impressed by the intri
cate machinery and presses used ia
the publication of The Omaha Guide.
^M_VEJS
A Name to
Conjure With”
(By George H. McDavis)
“At long last’..These memorable
words were last spoken by King Ed
ward when he abdicated the throne
several years ago. Little did I know,
or dream that in my generation there
would ever be an occasion for me
to repeat these words.
On Friday evening, May 10, I was
privileged to be an invited guest at
the opening of the AMVET Post No.
2 Club Room and Lounge. I have al
ways mainained that Omaha was be
hind the times in comparison to othet
cities of equal Negro population. 1
wish to retract that statement and to
doff my hat to a courageous group of
men that has been my privilege to
know. These men have banded toge
ther and provided the needed stimu
lous to a dotish populace.
COME WITH ME ON A SIGHT SEEING TOUR
ON THIS MEMORABLE OCCASION:
The bar and lounge are comparableI
to Chicago s Club De Lisa or thej
Rhumboogie . Any type of drink may
be had from a Tom Collins to a Pink
Lady. The cusine is perfect presided j
over by the capable Mrs. Craig. Soft j
lights, the tinkle of glasses, the effi
cient waitresses, such dignitaries as
Val Peterson, Candidate for Govern-1
or, John Eckstrom, Candidate for
Sheriff, Jack Chase, Chairman of the
Liquor Commission, Jimmy LaHood,
Democrat Candidate for Sheriff, and
many other political aspirants, all in
attendance to make this opening one'
long-to-be-remembered occhsicyi. Now j
let us move in to the Ballroom where'
“Basie Givens” is giving out with his
sophisticated swing. On my left I see
Dr. and Mrs. Solomon; C. C. Gallo
way, Editor of this Publication; Mr.
and Mrs. McCaw, of the Urban Lea
gue; Mr. McGowan, Salesman for an
Insurance Company and many others.
all having a good time in an atmos
phere that was clean and wholesome.
The patrons presented a cross section
of “Who's Who?”
\ es, at long last we have a place
where we can take our friends for a
perfect evening of dancing or dining
without the fear >f embarassment.
Conspicuous by it s absence was noise
and boisterousness. Not a detail was
everlooked to make this Club a place
to be proud of.
closing, I wish to announce on
™T'lf the, members of the
AMVETS, that due to the last min
ute rush in opening; and to the in
complete mailing list, lots of their
friends failed to receive an invita
tion. The AMVETS wish to take this
opportunity to apologize for this over
sight, and extends a blanket invitation
to one and all to be their guests at
anytime.
REV. C. C. REYNOLDS TO
DENVER CONFERENCE
This coming Sunday, May 19th, will
mark the close of five years for Rev.
Reynolds at Clair Methodist Church.
He will leave Monday night for Den
ver, Colo., to attend his Annual Con
ference. Various churches and pastors
have joined with Clair Church this
past week in observance of his fifth
anniversary at Clair. The anniversary
will close this coming Sunday after
noon at 3:30 with the Rev. R. W. John
son and his choir and people in charge
and several other churches and pastors
will cooperate with Rev. Johnson in
the promotion of this service.
Rev. Reynolds extends to all the
members of Clair, and his family and
many friends of Omaha invitations to
worship at Clair this coming Sunday.
He will speak on the morning worship
hour on “How reads your score card?”
Yours”1 Sunday "ight “Affectionately
The Royal Jubilee Singers will be
ST. PHILIPS
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
trill Present Their
CORONATION
Ball & Pageant
MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1946
at The AM VETS Hall
24th & Miami
—MUSIC BY—
LLOYD HUNTER'S OrcHestrs
honor guests in the services at Clair
Sunday, and will charm our hearts by
their songs of praise.
SUBSCRIBE
TODAY1
Places for VOTERS’
REGISTRATION will be
found on Page 8
“FRIENDS FOR HALF A CENTURY”
George W. Watson, Real Estate
Dealer, C. C. Galloway, Publisher of
the Omaha Guide and Irvin W. Gray,
Headwaiter at the Exclusive Del Pra
do Hotel in Chicago since 1921. held
a reunion last week upon the visit of
Mr. Gray to Omaha.
Messrs. Watson, Galloway and Gray
frst became acquainted more than 40
years ago while serving as waiters at
the Loyal and Rome Hotels. Al
though now engaged in different en
deavors. they still enjoy getting toget
her at intervals to discuss their exper
iences of the past and their hopes for
the future.
While in Omaha Mr. Gray was the
house guest of Mr. and Mrs. Watson,
2413 Lake St. He was the recipient
of many social courtesies and renewed
many old acquaintances.
How To Have Good Government
The responsibility for good government in a democracy
you and me. We are the ones who make the choice. We
are free people who select our own candidates. If they are
bad, we have no alibis, for we choose them. If they are
good, we can take the eredit.
The choice of our leaders is our responsibility. We
must not elect a mediocre man because we like him, or be
cause he feels entitled to the job. Wre have done that too
often in the past, at too high a price. We must select our
candidates not from the bias of party, but on the basis of
past record, ability and character.
But we must not only select. We must be willing to act.
The express obligation of all men is to exercise their right
of franchise. Furthermore, we must be willing to serve.
If able men say they are “too busy” to run for local offices
they have only themselves to blame if they find nincom
poops the incumbents at whom they rail because of their
inefficiency.
Popular government can only be maintained if the peo>
secrated to the ideals of democracy, not a master state. Any
attempt of the state to rule would mean the death of the na
tion.
The men of our choice must, like the prophets of old, be
capable of inspirational leadership in time of peace and in
time of crisis alike. “We must4’, according to the words of
the prayer book, “make choice of wise legislators and faith
ful councilors, who, soberly, justly and with a godly gpirfe
ma enact things just and wise and merciful for the benefit
of all people.” They must be men whom we can trust—«■
that we can confidently follow them.
Great is the need for leaders. Great is the need for »—t
of vision who can face facts with courage, see things realis
tically, state truths honestly, accept responsibility humbly—
and never lose sight of the unalterable ideal upon which tUs
nation was built—a government o ftbe people, by the pen*
pie, and for the people.
“O Thou, who didst touch the prophets’ lips with fir^
send us Thy prophets for our dreadful days.”
