The Omaha guide., 1935-04-06

eiAiic nc mas spoken III pidCtiCdiiy eN-
cry university and college.
Appointment Of Frank R. Cross
waith a. General Organizer by the
International Ladies Garment Work
ers Union was commemOrated at a
testimonial dinner, Sunday evening,
March 8, at Park Palace, Fifth Ave-
nue. and 10th Street. The occasion
is worthy of celebration because this
is the first time one of the largest
units of American Labor has filled
such an important post from the ranks
of Negro labor.
las 2 special tribute to Crosswaith
the occasion has been selected by the
Harlem Labor Committee of which he
is chairman to take the first steps in
the launching Of the United Negro
Trades within the frame of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor.
A distinguished list of speakers rep
.resenting a cross section of the Ameri-
can labor movement attended the
function. They include William Col
Inns, N. Y. representative of the
American Federation of Labor, David
Dubinsky, president international
Ladies Garment Workers Union; Jul
JUS HICKMAN, Manager Joint Board
Dress and Waistmakers' Union; James
Bambrick, president building Service
Emplo: e's International Union; A.
Phillip Randolph, president brother
hood of Sleeping Car Porters, B. C.
Vladek, business manager Daily For
ward. August Classens, labor score
tary Socialist Party; and Mr.. Cross
waltz.
An ambition program Of organiza-
ton and education to bring the 6,00O,-
600 Negro workers of the country in
to Unions is planned by the Harlem
Labor Committee with the United Ne
gro Trades as the instrument.
Nj. HICKMAN, who will introduce
the speakers at the dinner, said today
that for many years he has regarded
some such movement as the United
Negro Trades as an essential pro-
gressive step.
Race prejudice is absolutely absent
in the union Of which | have the honor
to be general manager" Mr.. Hoch-
mar said, eve have long since ex-
ploded the lies spread about Negro
workers. We have thousands of Ne
gro members and they are among the
most loyal and faithful in the Union.
Today he is forced in paper unions
that are hardly more than >'scab' re-
cruiting agencies. Or he is led astray
by air Drained movements that use
him as a catspaw for demonstrative
purposes. Our union has a simple pro-
gram for the Negro: Equal opportun-
lty for the job at equal pay ard con-
ditlons'. Around some such program,
as l see it, the program of the United
Negro Trades will revolve."
MI. Crosswaith has had a distin-
guished history in the labor movement
Of the country. He has occupied many
important posts and is well known
not only as a practical organizer and
field worker but as a writer and lee
turer.
William c. Handy, author of the
Indigo Memphis, Beale Street and St
Louis Blues, known on and off Tin Pan
Alley as the father of the blues, and
j. Rosamond Johnson, author of the
music to Paul Robeson's cinema sue
cess Emperor Jones', internationally
famous opponents and interpreters of
Negro aspirations in music, have been
added to the program Of the testimon-
ial dinner to Frank R. Crosswaith,
Sunday, March 8, Park Palace Fifth
Avenue and 10th Street.
The dinner commentaries Cross
walth's appointment as general organ
izer for the International Ladies Gar
ment Workers Union and two decades
Of service in the labor movement. 1t
is the first time that a union like the
international, third largest in the
United States, has appointed a negro
to such a high post.
AS a special tribute to Crosswaith
the occasion has been selected by the
Harlem Labor Committee of which
he is chairman to take the first steps
in the launching of the United Negro
Trades within the frame Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. julius