I LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS Per Copy AND WORTH IT— “To Sell It, ADVERTISE** i /JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEWTOTHE L1NE\ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY _ _ 2420 GRANT ST PHONE HA.0800 ~if it if SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1947—Our 19th Year—No.50~ Entered as 2nd Class matter at I’ost-Offlce. Omaha, Nehraska Under Act of .--- ■ * . March.8.,1874. PUBLISHING OFFICES AY 2420 GRANT ST.! Omaha. Nebr. OUR 1 GUEST : Column ds on much of Ut'. tropical mainland, but on the sea itself an itber type of handicap is found -the man-made barriers erected on the basis of imperialism, nationalism and other anachronistic belief. These bar riers intefere with trade between the islands, with raising standards of living, with improving educa tion, and with the building of a broad-based, inclusive democracy bereft of class, caste, color and religious restrictions. ‘Here seem to converge the by-products of all the economic an dpolitica! errors made by man in the past five hun dred years,” said Charles W. Taus sig. The depression of the thirties plus the impact of World War II on the region began to shake some of the once sacrosanct attitudes of colonial officials, the sugar planters, the military, and the middle class, which tries to keep its skirts away from the morass in which the workers and peasants live. Labor parties and unions were organized. Demands for im provements were presented. Riots occurred when desperation led to extreme measures. Labor leaders were jail_i. Committees were ap pointed to investigate, and event ually "oxe action was taken on their recommendations. Greater political participation was grant ed in the British colonies fairly quickly, war interfered with many of these activities and tossed ur gent bread-and-butter problems into the hopper. The leasing of air and naval bases to the United States and the flooding of some of the military and civilian per sonnel wearing the “white supre macy” chip on their shoulders created serious situations. The Anglo-American Caribbean Commission,'chaired for the Unit ed States by Mr. Taussig, was created to try to solve some of these problems. The Commission tackled the pressing war-born troubles and kept at them during the emergency. Annual reports since its organization in 1942 are useful reading to anyone interest ed in the problems of colonial and other “backward” p«oples. The Commission has now adjust ed its activities to times of peace. It has taken the highly significant step of bringing the Dutch and French into the picture. The Commission is now a four-power affair. A Caribbean Research Council is getting down to brass tacks on the long-range needs of the region. Perhaps the most use ful arm of the Commission is the West Indian Conference, a forum for the peoples of the area, which has now held two meetings where opinions are fully and freely ex pressed. The second conference, which the writer was fortunate in attending, marked a real stride forward in democratic participa tion. Fifteen colonial entities ir* the Caribbean were represented, usua’ly by at least one “people's delegate,” as contrasted with a colonial official. The complexion of the second assembly was much darker than the first: of the 29 delegates. 23 were natives of the area. :■ k*'l After the destroyer bases deal in 1940, United States prestige took a nose-dive as a result of the ill-considered actions of many continentals. The region still looks askance at our domestic scene and wonders how much longer visious racism and religious bigotry will prevail. The debate on the promo tion of tourism at the West In dian Conference indicated the fear of many of the delegates that tour ists would bring their prejudice with them. The organization provides a tool with great potentialities. Whether it will be used to tackle 3ome of the more fundamental problems of the region depends primarily on public opinion in the metropolitan countries. Since the abolition of colonialism is one of the most ur gent matters on the world’s agen da today, all who believe in the wides possible extension of de mocracy should follow carefully the work of the Caribbean Com mission. Firemen Battle Blaze At Famous Old Hotel Patton Firemen battled smoke Satur day afternoon caused from an overheated stove which damaged several third floor rooms at the Patton Hotel, 1014 South 11th st. None of the guests were injured. A land mark of the South 13th st. district the Patton Hotel was for many years operated by Mr. and Mrs. Patton, long time local residents. Because of its proxim ity to the railroad stations, the Pattor. Hotel for many years has been the home of visiting Sleeping Car porters and Dining Car wait ers. Since the death of Mr. Pat ton, several years ago. Mrs. Pat ton has carried on the busines until recently when the property was leased to other operators. NAACP. OUTLINES 15-Pt. PROGRAM For 80th CONGRESS 500,000 Americans From Every1State In Union DEMAND BILBO BE BARRED Senators Robert F. Wagner, (D., N. Y.) and H. Styles Bridg s, (R., N. H.) reeeivez petitions circulated by the Civil Rights Congress, with signatures of 500,000 Americans from every state in the union, demanding that Senator Theodore C. Bilbo be barred. Presentation of the petitions took place January 3rd in Senator Wagner’s office before the opening of the 80th Senate. Participating in the ceremony (1 to r) Charlotta Bass, editor California Eagle, Milton Kaufman, exec. dir. Civil Rights Congress, Senator Wagner and Sen ator Bridges. STATEMENT BY MILTON KAUFMAN, EXECUTIVE DIR. OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS CONG. ONTHE BILBO COMPROMISE The majority of the American people will rejoice in the unani mous decision of the United States Senate to ask Theodore Bil bo to go home for two months. The rejection of Bilbo is a victory for decency and a blow to the whole system of discrimination against racial and religious min orities which plagues our nation. The Civil Rights Congress, which launched the initial campaign to oust Bilbo, applauds the bi-parti san character of the temporary ouster, at the same time warning that the millions of our citizens throughout the nation will not stand for Bilbo sneaking in any other door of the Senate now that the front door is temporarily bar red. Signatures continue to pour in on our popular petition, a half mil lion signatures having already been placed in the hands of Sena tors Bridges and Wagner for pre sentation to the Senate. We shall not rest until the Senate has posi tively barred Bilbo and all the oolitical and social ugliness he stands for. The people wili be strengthened and encouraged into demanding that the new Congress remain on the path of protecting civil and democratic freedoms and that the rights of labor, of racial, religious, national and political minorities will be safeguarded. The Civil Rights Congress is pleased with the present results of the campaign it started last summer, when it began to collect evidence of the fraud, intimidation and open incitation to violence to which Bilbo is guilty. Democratic America owes a debit of gratitude to the courageous citizens of Mis sissippi. mainly Negro, who 3tood up to Bilbo and dared to challenge his theory and practice of race supremacy and lawlessness. JOHN G. WINANT ACCEPTS CHAIRMANSHIP OF AMERICAN BROTHERHOOD WEEK John G. Winant, former Ambas sador to England, reportedly ac cepted the general chairmanship of the Fourteenth Annual Amer ican Brotherhood Week—Feb. 16 23, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The local chapter, header by Miss N. Austin has been active in promoting inter-faith and inter racial cooepration in Omaha by Promoting special activities, pro grams, meetings, etc., in coopera tion with local church, YWCA, Urban League and USO gToups. CONFESSES BURGLARY James Young. 45. 2102 Grace «t.. renortedlv admited to police that he burglarized the Nalilow Cafe. 2756 Dodge st. three times before his fourth and unsuccessful attempt resulting in his capture. Pleading guilty to a charge of breaking and entering before Dis unhmihmi nitm