Nebraska Newspapers

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Q q. o o- —o & o—g.—o— * —o—*—o—* O— O —o—*—o—, —o—*—o—*——o—
LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS J ^ y Per Copy AND WORTH IT— “To Sell It, ADVERTISE”
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1947—OUR 20TH YEAR—NO.15,
Church Celebrates
5th Anniversary
Sunday May 18th the Mt. Moriah
Baptist church will celebrate the fifth
anniversary of their pastor, Rev. Da
vid St Clair.
Each of these years have been suc
cessful ones. The membership has in
creased through the baptism of many
candidates as well as those who have
united with the church by Christian
experience. Through the effective
preaching and teaching and example
by the pastor the church has been able
to stay in a state of revival.
The organizations of the church are
growing and some new ones have
been added. There is a place for all
ages to work.
The Church has also been able to
keep up in all her denominational
work.
Also an active and tireless worker
in the Church is Mrs. St. Clair. She
enjoys working in the Sunday school
and B. T. U. department and the
mission. Always ready and willing to
do whatever she acn for the Master.,
OMAHA URBAN LEAGUE
An enthusiastic crowd of 150 youths
and young married couples attended
the First Annual Youths’ Health Con
ference held in the Urban League
Building last Friday evening. After a
short introduction of the panel speaker
by Mr. M. Leo Bohanon, Executive
Secretary of The Omaha Urban
League, the Conference got immedi
ately underway.
Dr. Wesly Jones assisted by Miss
Mary Ellen O’Neal of the Visiting
Nurses Association, gave a simple but
cogent lecture on the basic require
ments for good health and longevity.
Mrs. Mary Fredericks, Counsellor
Omaha Public Schools discussed
“Moral Goals for Modem Youth.’
This group was concerned with every
phase of youth social life which are
determining factors for successful
| adulthood. Mrs. Lucyle Avant, former
I Red Cross worker analyzed the factors
| which make up happy and successful
! marriages to forty young people.
All the sessions were very well at
tended and the question and answer
period extended over an hour. At the
close of the panel discussion dancing
and refreshments were served.
The Conference was planned by a
sub-committee of the Omaha Na
tional Negro Health Week Steering
Committee of which Mrs. W. W. Solo
mon is chairman. Sponsoring organiza
tions were, The Omaha Urban League,
Near Northside YMCA, North Branch
YWCA, Woodson Center, Epsilon
chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Soror
ity, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Omega
Psi Phi, Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternities, The Midwest
Athletic Association, Star-Rite, Ebony,
Groseicks and Sharks clubs.
THE WEEK
By H. W. Smith
William .1. McCombridge has an
nounced on May 2nd his retirement a:
vice president and general manager o!
the press association in N. Y.
A two thousand five hundred lb
steer broke loose in N. \. near 39tl
street. On Thursday May 1st it brok<
loose from a herd in the 11th Ave
stock yards, police brought it dowi
with fifteen- shots.
* General William G. Linsay*of For
Jackson, S. C. regrets to leave Omah;
as he found the people very sociabl
and friendly in every wTay.
President Truman drove to the sta
tion Thursday evening to bid Presi
dent Aleman °f Mexico goodbye after
he had completed a three day visit in
Washington before going to N. Y.
The Nebraska legislature eliminated
, tobacco and cigarettes from the tax
i bill after a 2 hour debate.
■ Five persons were killed when
. steel plates from a passing freight
11 slashed a passenger coach on the
Penn. R. R. Thursday May 1st.
t Newburyport, Mass, will continue
i ten percent slash in prices it was re
■! ported on May 1st.
Buddy McCrea
temporarly
released
To clear up the thoughts of our
civic minded citizens of the commun
ity, we want the public to know the
real reason why Buddy McCrea is
not with the city recreational depart
ment.
Following you will see recent state
ment from the superintendent of the
City Recreational Dept. Buddy as you
know has helped in the community by
showing free movies, teaching boxing
lessons, and tumbling, etc. to help
curb juvenile delinquency.
Another one of these cases where
the Negro is first to be fired and the
last one to be hired. This is the sec
ond case where a Negro has been
dropped from the city pay roll in
thirty days. Negroes are entitled to
their poratle in employment, in ac
cording to the tax they pay and their
ability to serve. This is a matter that
the Civic organizations, such as the
Urban League and the NAACP should
concern themselves with.
Mr. John H. McCrea
1302 North 26th Street
Omaha, Nebr.
Dear Mr. McCrea,
This is to notify you that, due to a
reduction in Department funds, we
are forced to terminate your employ
ment with this department as of May
3rd, 1947.
However, you will be paid for an
nual leave up to and including the
17th of May, 1947.
We regret sincerely the necessity for
taking this action, but conditions allow
us no other alternative.
Respectfully,
William J. Meyers (
Superintendent of Rec.
Among those who attended tne na
tional Council of Community Church
es were Rev. E. F. Ridley, pastor,
Mrs. Gertrude Lucas Craig, and Mrs.
Eva Ray, delegates. With the dele
gation were Mrs. Crouch and Mrs.
Wmfl Perkins. They reported having
a wonderful time and were well
treated by the mixed group in Chi
cago.
i
giawiUig &<£«
^_:___
Entered as 2nd Class matter at Post-Office. Omaha. Nehraska, Under Act of
March.8.^1874. PUBLISHING OFFICES AT 2120 GBANT ST., Omaha, Nebr.
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND
The fourth annual nationwide ap
peal of the United Negro College
Fund was again highlighted on the
air last Tuesday night when these ar
tists gathered before the microphones
of the American Broadcasting Com
pany network in a “Carnival of Stars.”
The Fund seeks $1,300,000 to help
meet current operating expenses of
33 Negro private colleges. The artists
are, left to right, top row, Eddie Mat
thews, baritone; Robert “Believe It or
Not” Ripley; Cy Walter, piano styl
ist; Tony Ruffner, Master of Ceremon
ies. Bottom row, left to right, Carol
Brice, contralto; Three Flames, in
strumentalists, Erskine Hawkins,
trumpeter.
DRAMATICS LITERARY VARIETY
CLUB
of the City B.T.U.
lne club met at the usual time
Monday night to make future plans
for more programs. This club is trying
to help young people to be more pro
gressive in tlie future spiritually and
educationally. Some of the programs
that you can expect from these groups
of young people this month are:
Dramatics: The club is putting on a
Mother s day jilay at Morning Star
Friday May 9, at 8:00 p. m. Please
come out and back these young people
up. I am sure you will enjoy the play,
“Pilgrims Passage.”
Literary: Some of the young people
of the club are putting on an open
forum, What can the child expect
from its present environment,” at Sa
lem Sunday, May 4th, be sure and
come out to hear and to participate in
this forum, and to see what these
young people are doing to develop a
more progerssive education.
Variety: In the spare time after the
business is over the members settle
back to enjoy themselves in good
clean recreation. If you could attend
one of these meetings you will be as
sured that these young people are in
deed the future leaders of our race.
With the fair month of May ap
proaching remember “Rough winds
do shake the darling buds of may.”—
Shakespeare.
New Loan Association
It lias always been the policy ol
your Omaha Guide to recognize and
welcome and encourage new business
enterprises in our community. There
fore we take pleasure in passing along
to the public the operation of youi
Guide roving reporter, whose atten
tion was attracted to an unusual sign
at 24th and Burdette Sts.
We have known for some time that
this comer was one of much activ ity
being headquarters of the Omaha Di
vision of the B. S. C. P. but when
your reporter observed a sign reading
Porters Loan” he sought to satisfy
his curiosity by entering and ques
tioning the man in charge. He was
met by a very pleasant man in the
person of Mr. Taylor Murrell, who is
Secretary-Treasurer of the Brother
hood and who explained in detail the
nature of the business.
We found a Hall suitable for small
groups, which is available to the pub
lic. In the same building is a licensed
Loan Business” that will courteously
serve the public. When we sought to
determine the financial soundness of
the porters loan we learned that Mr.
Murrell had already been checked on
by someone in authority, which
served to make us still more safe in
welcoming this unusual type of busi
ness in our community that it will
grow and flourish to the credit of our
groups as a whole. In conjunction
with those features is also a nice line
of notions and refreshments which
means quite a convenience to gomps
when using the hall, as well as to any
individual, or the public. You will
| leam more about this unusual business
in succeeding issues of The Guide.
Read the Guide and keep abreast of
the news in your community.
I
Now that the strike is over, telephone men and women every
\
where throughout our territory are being welcomed back to their
jobs. We assure you that we will work as hard as wc i to get back
to regular day-to-day operations as quickly as possible . . . and to
carry forward our plans for constantly improving and expanding
your service.
RUBY SMITH, NIECE OF THE
FAMOUS BESSIE, DEBUTS ON
RCA VICTOR
Although the great, one and only
Bessie Smith now may be just a
legend, that legend is being perpetu
ated in the person of her niece, Ruby
Smith. Well schooled in the tradition
of the immortal blues singer, Ruby is
carving out a career on her own, in
spired in no small measure by her
famous aunt. With her newest RCA
Victor recording, “Hot Sauce Susie”
and “I’m Scared of That Woman*”
Ruby shows that she has much of the
same tlusty singing talent as Bessie
with styling of her own that gives
additional vocal color.
Ruby’s vivid personality, which has
instantaneous appeal, both in person
and on her RCA Victor records, has
been featured at Cafe Society Down
town and at Camegie Hall, where she
starred in the Spiritualist to Swing
programs a while back. She also has
been a popular favorite in Harlem’s
Small’s Paradise and Elks’ Rendez
vous. Her voice is rich, strong and ex
pressive with a wonderful feeling for
rhythm.
Ruby first met her aunt Bessie
when she was twelve.. Later, in her
’teens, she toured with her and the
“Midnight Steppers” revue on vaude
ville circuit and in tent shows. Al
though she started out in the chorus,
Ruby soon was doubling as a soubrette
and finally, when Bessie was ill, she
often stepped in at the last minute and
took her place. Audiences were im
mediately won over by Ruby and soon
were applauding her renditions of
“Thinking Blues,” “Back Water Blues”
and “He’s Mine.”
With that early indoctrination into
greasepaint, Ruby has one-nighters
and the footlights in her blood. She
is planning *a new tour this coming
season. Meanwhile, she is spending a
few weeks planning her repertoire in
her attractive Harlem apartment,
which she shares with an invalid
I mother. A graduate of Junior High
School P.S. 136, Ruby has many
friends uptown, who love to gather
for her chicken dinners and listen to
Ruby sing the blues like her Aunt
Bessie. Ruby’s rendition of “Port Wine
Blues” and “You Satisfy” on her re
cent RCA Victor debut, has won ac
claim from such an outstanding music
credit as George Frazier, of Variety,
who stated that Ruby was “a fine
blues exponent” and sings with “feel
ing, humor, and, what is very impor
tant, very good enunciation.”
HOUSEHOLD WORKERS FACE
BRIGHTER FUTURE
There is going to be a better day for
household workers when new plans
now in the making materialize. A
survey on household employment has
just been completed by the women’s
Bureau, of the U. S. Department of
Labor. The survey was conducted in
19 cities, such as Chicago, St. Louis,
St. Paul, Minneapolis, Syracuse, Cin
cinnati and others. A complete report
of this highly interesting survey has
not been published as yet but a par
tial report is out and I believe it will
have far reaching effect.
It is known that standards of do
mestic work as proposed by agencies
in these 19 cities will be raised much
higher and the pattern will probably
spread throughout the country. While
studying this report fresh off the press,
I was reminded of a significant state
ment ensuing from the Women’s Bu
reau annual report for the year end
ing June 30, 1946. It was to the effect
that — “historically-determined social
and economic factors have assigned to
women increasingly important roles in
the wage earning world.” Chief factors
the Bureau reported are, (1) The Na
tion’s need for the goods and services
made and performed by women; and
(2) the need of millions of women to
support themselves or supplement the
family income.
It occurred to the writer that if this
was a significant and important fact
with regards to women as a whole,
how much more important and factual
it is as regards Negro women, who’s
husbands and fathers get only small
and inadequate incomes.
In the over-all program of improve
ment for household employment, there
will be added considerable dignity and
security to the occupation. It was spe
cified that forms of contracts be exe
cuted with provisions for holidays,
paid vacations and even sick leave.
| uoO nued on page TlWO
MRS. MAUDE RAY CROWN ST
JOHN’S MOTHER OF 1947
In a beautiful after service Sunday
morning May 11 Mrs. Maude Ray
was crowned by Mrs. Hattie the retir
ing Mother of St. John’s of 1946. St.
John’s Mother of 1947. Mrs. Ray has
been a member of the St. John’s
church since early childhood. She has
probably worked in and worked with
more auxiliaries and departments of
St. John’s than any living member to
day. She is a member of the St. John’s
Senior Choir, serving as assistant di
rectress to her daughter, Mrs. Pearl
Gibson. She has assisted in all pro
gressive movements of the church.
She succeeds Mrs. Hattie Adams,
retiring Mother of 1947 who is an
other ardent and faithful worker in
St. John’s church.
Mrs. Ray is like her predecessor, a
true symbol of Motherhood and her
reign as Mother of St. John’s of 1947
will be one filled with the good things
of life.
YWCA WILL HOLD REPORT
MEETING
The public is cordially invited to
attend the Annual Report Meeting at
the Northside Building, Y. W. C. A.
on Sunday, May 18, 1947 at 4:00
p.m. The theme of this Report Meet
ing will be the “Responsibility of the
Lamplighters in the Community.” The
service is planned to be impressive as
well as interesting an dafter its com
pletion, there will be a Coffee Hour.
Also at this meeting, there will be
the final report of the Northside
YWCA Nominating Committee and
election of new members to the Com
mittee of Management. Electorals are
urged to cast their ballots so that a
full democratic report can be had of
the election.
. ” -
SUCCESS STCT.V
■i ... rnnuramin^^W .1
7P\. PwW .
k- meet BRICE DIXON
f He is a successful Chicago business
man. A former student »t Commerce
Tennessee Sute College. Nashville, j
Tennessee, Dixon owns and operates
The Rhythm Record Shop and is
credited with having the most com*
plete swing and jazz collection in the
| y. s<
i * Because of his business contacts he
is popular and well known with many
prominent folk in and out of the en«
tertainment world and is also a sue* 1
cessful salesman associated with the I
Apollo Records Distributing Company, c
i 719 S. State Street, Chicago, Illinois.;
A Navy yet Dixon is considered the
best dressed man on Garfield Boulevard.,
SINGING SENSATION OF. 1947/
I- .■■■■ I^MHI IIII ill i in I iiliwn - -—
The Ravens are the newest quartet to burst upon tho
theatrical horizons. The Ravens who made a spectacular*
J debut at the Apollo Theatre a month ago, bow into the New
York Strand Theatre April 4th with Cab Calloway’s revue*
The Ravens are being hailed as the best new harmony bet ia
the past 10 years. _ ,
•-Wages and Price
By GEORGE S BENSON
President of Harding College
Searcy. Arkansas
.is-'
»i -
ABOUT fifteen months ago Mr.
HenTy Wallace, then Secretary of
Commerce under President Tru
man, asserted that wages in the
automobile industry pould go up
30% without prices of cars go
ing up at all. It wasn’t true, as
all informed people knew at the
time. But the statement tended
to gain public support.^
At least the statement helped
gain public toleration for a long
strike, which ended with about a
20% raise in wages. But even
then the OPA was immediately
convinced that increases in prices
were made necessary. Little by
little OPA raised the prices on
cars until it had granted an av
erage increase of 22%. In short,
for a 20% increase in wages for
auto workers the public was re
quired, by OPA,_to pay_22%
more for cars. N
Identical NOW THE auto work
Reaction ers are asking for an
i~»w other raise : f about
25% in wages. Some labor lead
ers are maintaining that wages
in general can go up about 25%
without increasing prices. Mr. C.
E. Wilson, president of General
Motors, asserts that such a raise
will put prices of cars up by
25%. Mr. Alfred P. Sloan, chair
man of the board of General Mo
tors, also declares that. wages
cannot be raised_withcut raising
prices, .». , ^
| |T From last year’s~experiehce the
public will quite readily under
stand that if wages go up again,
prices must also go up.\ This
leaves just one real issue.' Is it
to the interest of workers and the
rest of the public for prices to
i-—:—
The Friendly Sixteen Bridge Clul
net at the home of C. Laster, 261!
Blondo street. The meeting was open
ed by the president. Business of im
portanee was discussed.
Three four hand changes of hndgi
•vere played. Brookshire won higl
■ v.
keep going up and up? If an*
other raise in wages is grantedi
only to be followed by a still
greater boost in prices, workers
will be no better off. 1n fact theyj
and all the rest of us, will bo
worse off. Higher prices will fin*
ally cause buying to drop off*
Then jobs will begin to decrease,
leading to unemployment and fin*
ally to depression.
(
A Sound THERE IS a way for
Method everybody to gain —
ip both workers and the
general public. That way is for
nanagemcnt and workers to co*
operate to increase production sa
effectively that goods will be
come plentiful and prices will go
down.
Then the workers will have the
equivalent of a real raise in wages
because their present wages will
buy more food and clothing. All
of the public will benefit in the
same way. This is sound econo
mics. But for wages to keep go«
ing up and up, only to be foN
lowed by prices going up and up;
is unfortunate for workers and
everybody else.' *“~
we want^to^ destroy the
American economic order and
force our country into state so*
'cialism, that is the way to do it!
Fifteen months ago many won
dered seriously if Henry Wallace
believed that wages could go up>
30% in any industry without
prices going up. Many now won-}
der if any informed people real
ly think wages can go up 25%)
l without raising prices. If we try
it we will again learn the hard
* way. ^ _
score. A delicious repast was served by
the host. The meeting adjourned to
'meet at the home of T. R. Turner,
2724 Blondo street. Brookshire, host.
Emmet Avant, Pres.
Otto Pruite, Repr.
On Air for United Negro Colleges
Radio Stations throughout
the country are playing tran
scriptions for the 1947 appeal
! of the United Negro College
Fund, which seeks $1,300,000
for 33 private colleges. Upper
photograph shows Cecil, Duke
| of Iron, center, with Gregory
Felix, Clarinet King, and Mo
, desto Calderon. They play an
i original Calypso song dedicated
to the Fund, “Teach Hppe to
/ All—Despair to None.” Lower
right is Maxine Sullivan, bal
lad singer. Lower left is Tiny
Ruffner, Master of Ceremonies.