davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
So This is Democracy

A large majority in Congress wants to enact a
Federal anti-lynching law. A large majority of the
citizens of the country favor such a law. This has
been so for many years. Then why ism there a law?
Since this is democracy in which Congress is elected
by popular maiorities and in which Congress itself
acts by majority rule, how could the Senate yester-
day throw out the anti-lynching bill and prevent
MAORI rule?
Well. is seems that ours is a democracy in text
books and Fourth of July o~rations but not in the
Senate. There, periodically it is possible to rule by
minority dictatorship. The method is not the one
Of %stuffing he ballot box, or Of kidnapping or ter
rorizing the majority. The method is much simpler.
The minority merely DEGREES that there shall be no
vote at all. This is achieved under the rule of I'M
limited debate by which the minority talks a meas
ure to death. 1t forces The majority to turn to other
emergency legislation acceptable to the minority
dictat orship; so that the minority can palm itself
off as the majority.
While congratulating the southern senators on
the effectiveness of their dictatorship, we venture
to raise this question for their consideration Is it
wise, from their point of view, TO kick democracy
In the face quite so publicly at this particular time?
Granting hat they have got away with 1t for
MANY years, hasn't there been a recent change IN
the public temper which makes this sort of thing
dangerous? Wouldn't it have been wise from their
point of view, for instance, to give the Negro lynch
victim the nominal protection of Federal law and
then nullified the law as they nullify the Negroes
constitutional right to vote?
We are interested in this question because we
understand that these southern senators are very
fearful of the spread of radicalism, especially among
Negroes. The radicals are said to be telling the
Negroes and the poor white share-croppers and mill
hands Of the South that democracy is a fake, that
there is no such thing as representative government
IN this country, that democracy is only camouflage
for dictatorship by their enemies. Aren't those
radical agi:ators just mean enough to prove this
point in the minds Of ignorant Negroes and whites
by citing the dictatorship of those few southern
senators thwarting the mass democratic will OF the
American people and Of the majority of Congress-
ADM. ting, from the point of view Of these south
ern senator's, that Negroes must continue to be r'9-
bed of constitutional rights, couldn't they find a
safer method? After all, the Negroes are O%ne-tenth OF
a majority. With all this talk Of radicalisrn and some
of the oppressed actually demanding their rights,
perhaps ii would be safer for the country to hold
cut enough hope of democracy to them to discourage
more violent weapons.
Anyway, it may be a matter worth thinking
about while these southern senators are pattlng
themselves on the back, secure in their dicta orshlp
secure for the moment.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
A Thought for the Taxpayer

Those who believe that the eventual solution of
the railroad problem must be government owner
ship of the lines, would do well to take a look
across the Canadian border.
Canada is served by two large railroad systems,
each of which provides good service, operates mod
ern equipment and charges the same rates for
freight and passenger transport.
One system, the Canadian Pacific, is privately
owned, privately financed, and privately managed,
and has generally earned a reasonble profit for its
investors. During bad times, when profits have
been small or temporarily non-existent, the owners
have had TO pay their own way; they have no pub
lie treasury behind them to foot the bill for losses.
The other system, the Canadian National, is pub
hcly owned. 1t was financed by a great bond issue
guaranteed by the Canadian government. In all
the years of its existence it has continuously created
deficits to be paid out of the public's tax money.
Its total deficit runs into hundreds of millions Of
dollars; and is the direct cause of a substantial per-
cen,age Of the total tax bill paid by the Canadian
people.
There is no reason to believe that the American
people would experience better fortune with gov
eminent ownership of the railroads. The Canadian
National system has apparently been freer from po-
htical influence than is the usual government vent
ure in this country its managers have been men of
Integrity, ability and position. In the United States,
the chances are that the deficit would amount to
many times that of Canada, due to political buc-
canneerlng, and to the fact that much more rail-
road mileage would be involved.
If the people are persuaded into believing that
government ownership is the only way out Of the
v%exatious railroad issue, heaven help the taxpayers.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

don't eat carrots, don't wonder
when your child doubts your as
that carrots are good for
you" Children aren't that gufiible-
Avoid forcing. | mean that Wig
orous. stern insistence-"you shall
eat if or IN know the reason why"
Rebellion, resentment, unhappiness
ere the Only res.its. Your chance
is lost Do not discuss food values
ut length nor in technical terms,
such as calories, vitamins, miner
ais and the like. You may under
stand them but children don't
and more, they don't want to.
It is decidedly bad to make chill
Sren flood conscious" You car
do 30 much more by casual, quie-
Suggestion in a conversations
manner. saying, "this milk make.
strength" or, "this cheese build.
muscle" or, @this fruit keeps yo4
we'll"
Summer cGnsps good or bad
DR.. ireland wu discuss them ne1'
Ueek.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

sponsibles within their industry, are likewise eager
for fair and reasonable regulation. And every
private carries, whether rail or highway, is damaged
by the fact that some forms of transport, notably
sta.e and government owned waterway systems. are
subsidized from the public treasury.
Second, Mr.. Policy says that no legislation should
be enacted which will increase the costs of rail
road operation. That is important at this time.
when the train limitations law has been passed
by one state and is up for consideration in others.
Such laws as this, proposed in the mistaken belief
that they will advance employment, simply add one
more straw to the breaking back of the railroads.
The industry is barely earning expenses now and
artificial increases IN the cost of doing business
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

Things One Remembers
By. r. MI Hofer

The city council Of Long Beach, Calf, jumped
the rates of its municipal gas plant ten per cent
The additional revenue is not for the gas depar.-
ment, but for general city expense.
The Long Beach incident is Of no Importance ex-
cept as il illustrates the freedom Of tax-exempt
municipal plans from state and federal regulation
that applies to private plans.
Municipal utility plants are generally in poll
tics up to heir eyes. Rates are too often based on
promises to attract votes, rather than on fac,s. If
municipal tax-exempt plants do not fear the same
public regulation asd taxation that is applied to
private plants, why do they fight it tooth and nail?
on already tax oppressed industry.
The famous Tennessee Valley experiment in So
ciallzation of power resources of the South, has
fought every move to apply the same regulation to
is spectacle to see public officials ask one set of
laws for highly-taxed privately operated business
and demand exemption from those laws for untaxed
publicly operated business.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
Toward a Sound Transportation
Policy

In a recent address, John J. Peney, President of
the Association of American Railroads, proposed a
plan that he believes will solve the major railroad
problem Two of his points are especially note
worthy.
First, Mr.. Policy proposes that no form Of trans
~portation be subsidized, and that all be regulated
on an equitable and comparable basis. This is the
key to solving the principal difficulties In our trans
p~ortation policy; at the present time the railroads
are stringently regulated, while other carriers are
half-regulated or are not regulated at all The rail
roads are not the only sufferers; responsible bus and
truck operators, fcaed by fly-by-nights and ire
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
world today.
Keep En- Apart

On the n hand the n
strive to keep the workers divid-
ed in order to insure their posi-
tons and on the other the more
farseeing workers strive to unite
all workingmen in order 10 gain
decent living standards. It hap
pens In America that most of the
owners, those whose control Of
wealth deprives the rest Of us of
enough to eat and wear, are white
and 1t Is pretty easy to believe
that our troubles are an out
growth of differences in color.
Quite naturally, there grows I'D
a distrust of all whites.
And that's what the wealthy
want. While we fight among our
selves they live in luxury. What
Is necessary is for poor Negroes
and poor whites to sec he situa-
ton in its real light. Both groups
have got to unders and that hev
must unite on the basis Of the class
to which hey belong and for
swear old color antagonism or be
reduced to a worse than starva-
ton standard Of living.
Kicks in the Pants
When | write an article fitting
at all whites / am guilty of hin
dering worker uni and by all
means I should be brought to
hook for such an error. A verbal
kick in the pants is light punish
ment considering the gravity of
the crime.
The struggles of the next few
years are going to call for far
more uni ed action than has OBJ
tanned in the past and the very
fact that readers Of newspapers
r beginning to check up on those
who fail to fight for it is a healthy
sign. What this country needs
is about Is million Negroes who,
like my critic, are no longer con-
tent to take seriously the easy
explanation that all white folks
are evil.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
The Way Out
Bv Loren Miller
WHAT A

This column is on its road to
success. It finally got a letter
and nothing warns the heart Of a
columnist so much as to get a
letter, whether he is bawled out
or praised. What is chilling is a
heavy blanket of silence and a re-
fusal Of the readers to consider
the weekly offering important
enough to warrant the wasting of
a stamp.
My correspondent took me to
task for an indiscriminate use of
racial designations. 1t is his con-
tention that I give the impression
that our problems are purely and
simply those Of color and that In
some references to whites" had
issued a blanket Indictment Of
white people. Although | am not
certain just what article he had
in mind, / must plead guilty to
having done so at times. My
correspondent is quite right in
protesting against the>practice.
The Real Division
It is obvious on the face Of it
that whites cannot be Jumped to-
gether any more than Negroes.
Certainly l would feel nightly
insulted if / were tossed in the
same category as, for example,
Professor Kelley Miller Of How
ard. More fundamental than in
dividual differences are those diff
ferences that spring out of the
class to which men belong. Some
white men, and a few Negroes,
own vast holdings out Of which
they make profits. Most white
men, and an overwhelming pro-
portion of Negroes, are workers.
Quite naturally, the interests Of
those who own and those who
differ. The owners want to pay
low wages, the workers want high
wages; landlords want high rents
tenants want low rents. So it
goes all along the line. 1t is this
conflict between those who have
and those who have not, to para
Thomas Jefferson, that
breeds strife that infests the
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

Sunday morning, and there were
SO many people in their store that
It looked like a mad house. They
were packed in from both the
front and back, but you know
that | have reached the conclusion
that the Careys have made great
sacrifices trying to make this DOS
slble. | do not know of any time
that the Careys did not fight on
on the side of the people. They r
now organizing and asking for
Teachers in the public schools.
They have fought for Negro Rep
resentation on the School Board,
and L believe it can be done if
they were given support. ! re-
member when a lady who lost
$1,000 in their place came back
to their store seven days later and
her $1,000 was returned to her. 1
remember one time that one of the
Careys put out 45 Christmas or
ders, for which he was never paid.
and l am aware Of hundreds Of
cases where they have materially
assis: ed every worthy cause.
| believe this accounts for their
tremendous volume of business.
This is the biggest thing l have
seen since leaving Chicago.
Sincerely,
Morris Phillips
2209 n. 9th Ave.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

cheaper cotton. The result is
thai farmers find that, while
prices are better, they are unable
to sell; and they begin to doubt
the wisdom of The tax.
Housewives discover that the
tax forces up the price of bread
and pork chops, amount to a sales
tax on the basic necessity of life,
food. The result of that is a
gathering of consumers, bent on
eliminating the tax.
Even hog farmers, who are gen.
orally supposed TO be among the
greatest beneficaries Of the tax,
are dubious. They think that pork
professors r cutting down the
price they pay for livestock in
order to compensate for the tax,
and SO are taking it out Of the
farmer instead of the consumer
and middleman.
All of this is felt back In Wash
ington, where Senators and Rep
resentatives keep their ears to the
ground Result is a growing feel
ing on the part Of many Congress
men that the tax should be re-
pealed. Some Of them r begin
ming to talk about it; others will
line up behind them when the
future Of the tax comes up for
Congressional consideration.
-oOo-
In a recent article, able public
ist Walter Lippman pointed to a
strange anomoly. He said that
business is getting better, almost
all lines are up, and some are at
their best level since the depres-
sion began; but that confidence
on the part Of business men is
conspicuous by is absence. Cash
registers tinkle, but industrial
leaders still refuse to show much
optimism.
The reason for that, according
to Mr. Lippman is two fold. First,
the New Deal program is running
in circles, and no one knows what
is going to happen next. Bust
ness men are afraid of new and
strange legislation, that viii wipe
out the gains made.
Second, the Administration is
deliberately mourning The largest
government deficit in history,
without showing how or when 1t
will be met. That creates a fear
Of excessive taxes that will make
business progress and profits i'm
possible.
Mr.. Lippman, who is certainly
not an enemy Of the New Deal,
and is the first to praise its
achievements, thinks that the Ad-
minisration should Immediately
settle the doubts as to the future
Of legislation and the deficit
Business says fervent "Amen"
to that.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
Editorial of the Week
The Pittsburgh Courier Joins Hearst


Should William Randolph Hearst
advise Negro Americans how to i'm
prove their condition, his advice could
be no more pernicious than that given
last week by the Pittsburgh Courier,
a newspaper ~purportedly published
in the interest of Aframericans. Com
menting editorially on three issues of
vital significance to Negroes the Cour-
Ter recommended policies of resigna-
ton, docility, and self jim crowism.
We quote
Apropos the S~cottsboro Decision:
"The opinion of the Supreme Court
should be accepted as proof that the
courts of this country are just, cour-
ageous and fair If the rest of the
country will let Alabama go into
serious conference with itself on this
Scottsboro matter, we venture the as
sertion that the Scottsboro case will
have not been tried in vain . Let
US all return to a quiet and sober in
trospection."
Two centuries ago, Uncle Toms
grandfather said the same thing in
more picturesque language: "Hush,
pore black boy, doan you cry. Yo--alIll
git justice by-and-by."
Apropos of the Harlem riot: "Ne-
groes will have to go about this unem-
ployment problem another way :.
We must learn to punish our enemies
and reward our friends quietly and
without ballyhoo or violence"
The Courier lies. but even II
the riot did not accomplish anything.
nearly twenty centuries ago, the
worlds starving millions were told:
BLESSED are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth"
Apropos of the Texas Vote decision:
"f the Democrats can organize a par
lty and define the qualifications of its
members, the Negroes are not pre-
vented from doing the very same
thing"
In other words, we may now hope
fully look forward to the great day
when fifteen million Negro Americans
form a black bloc and legally wrest
control Of the government from
ninety-five million other Americans.
If W. R. Hearst should d
these opinions, no Negro American
would be surprised. But from a rep
resentative Of the Negro press such
views are incredible.
The Spokesman had expected Mr..
Vann, in exchange for his New Deal
appointment, to support the Admins
tration. We were quite u-nprepared
for this recent boot-licking betrayal of
the Negro people.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
Inter-racial Group
FavOrs Federal
Anti-Lynch Law
Continued from Page IL


editorial or other communication
of any character whatever against
the bill was put into the record BY
the filibus.e rs, indicating that
none had been received. So
damaging to the cause of the lyn-
cheers was the great volume Of
~favoring communications read into
the record by Senator Costigan
that Senator C~onnally Of Texas,
towards the end of the fight OBJ
jected to any more being put in.
Try to Bride Union Labor
Desperate Southern filibusters
resorted to every conceivable
trick and treachery. Senator
Black Of Alabama tried to shift
responsibility by asserting on the
sixth day of the fight that it was
a filibuster Of Republicans against
he bill. This patent falsehood
was laughed at.
Someone inspired kilograms to
some of the western senators from
farmer-labor groups demanding
that these senators stop voting
against adjournment as it was
holding up bills these groups
wanted passed. This pressure
caused several defections which
helped break the deadlock.
1t is also rumored that certain
representatives Of organized labor
were approached by southerners
and promised a blockcmwtytyy
five southern votes for any bill
Labor might designate if only
Labor would help get the anti
lynching bill withdrawn. Numer-
Gus trades were made to pull off
senators from continuing to vote
against adjournment, but in spite
Of this Senator Robinson, the Adj
ministration Whip was unable
for seven days to win.
The labor threat was halted by
the receipt Of a telegram from
prominent New York Labor lead
ers to William Green, President
Of the American Federation Of
Labor, urging support Of the bill.
Among the signers were A. Philip
Randolph, president Of the Bro
therhood Of Sleeping Car Porters;
Frank Crosswaith, general or
ganizer, international Ladies'
Garment Workers Union; Rose
Schneiderman, president, Wom-
ems Trade Union League; Nathan
Margolis, president of the l. L. g.
James Bambrick, Greater New
York Council Building Service
Employees international Union,
and other prominent laborites.
Roosevelt Criticized for Silence.
President Roosevelt was bitter
~ criticized by friends Of the bill
for his failure to send a message
to Congress demanding a vote on
the bill or to refer to the measure
in his so-called "fireside chat"
which he made over the radio IN
the middle Of the filibuster. 1t
was reported however, that he
urged individual senators to sup
port the bill. A prominent mid
western Democrat senator declar-
ed bitterly that failure to pass the
bill at this session would cost the
Democratic Party at least eight
pivotal states.
The day following the fight,
Senator M. M. Neeley; Democrat,
". Va, strongly condemned the
filibuster and accused the filibust-
erers of poor craftsmanship"
and of responsibility for blocking
action On important legislation.
$50 far as I know" he said,
every n Of my constituents;
Democrats, Republicans and So
cialists, are 100 per cent for the
anti-lynching bill.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
ECONOMIC
HGHLIGHTS
Happenings That Affect the Din
ner Pals, Dividend Checks and
Tax Bills of Every Individual.
National and International
Problems Inseparable from Lo-
cal Welfare.

The average citizen has a vague
knowledge Of the fact that the
Federal government is levying
processing taxes on farm com
modities in order to produce the
wherewithal for pursuing the Ag-
ricultural Adjustment program.
What he doesn't know is that
these taxes are now one of the
largest revenue producers the
government has; and that a bitter
war is slowly getting underway
between the friends and oppon-
ents Of the tax.
During the past p months, in
come taxes brought $760,000,0 900
into the Federal till. Processing
taxes brought in $685. 00, 900.
And, whether the tax is good or
evil, it is an undenied fact that
every cent of that three-quarter
billion came from the pocket
books Of American housewives.
In theory, of course, the tax falls
upon the food middlemen Of the
nation; producers of smoked
meat, the handlers Of sugar, the
bankers, the cigarette manufact-
urers. In actual practice, the cost
Of the tax is simply added to the
selling price of the product. Ex-
ample: On April /, 1888, Mrs.
America paid, on the average, GA
cents for a pound loaf Of bread.
In 1894, she paid 7.9 cents and
today she is paying 8.3 cents. Not
all Of the increase can be laid to
the processing tax on wheat, but
a substantial part Of it can.
Two hundred million dollars of
the $792,000,0 900 the processing
tax has raised, according to the
United States News, came from
hogs. Two hundred million more
came from cotton. A little came
from cotton. a little less came
from wheat. The remainder came
from sugar, corn, tobacco, rice
and peanuts.
Of the 1872 million dollars, 700
million has been paid to the farm
er- 1t is paid to him in fulfill
ment of a contract, not to produce
more or better food, but to pro-
duce less. He gets so much an
acre for not producing cotton, SO
much for not raising hogs. And
therein lies one of the grounds for
the battle that S getting under
way. A great many people think
it not only unwise, but actually
criminal, for the government to
pay out good money to "bribe"
producers to cut down their pro-
duction. This group is now en-
gaging with the group which says
that non-production is essential
in order to raise the prices of
farm products to a profitable
level.
That debate is largely theore-
teal. But there is much warfare
to anticipate over purely practi-
cal issues. In the past much Of
past much of the past much of the
cotton production has
gone into export trade. But, as
processing taxes are added to the
cost Of cotton, prices must rise,
and foreign buyers don't ike that.
Production abroad is stepped up,
as other nations seek of
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

contagious. If you
say one thing but do
something else, the
value Of what you
say is lost. The child
will do as you do.
Don't expect any
thing else. You are
the model. If VOC
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
To The Omaha Guide

Sometimes we think that it
doesn't pay to be square and
honest, but it certainly does. l am
oging to cite you one instance
where this fact is truly demon
strated.
I walked into Carey's Grocery
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

The state senate of Ohio refused the governor
OF Ohio and executive office expense budget includ-
ing an item Of 81 1000 for a new rug for his private
office.
The prevailing style of private offices of indus
tries Today does not show s, 600 rugs on the floor.
Possibly a governors office can worry along with
out one especially as it has to be paid for by taxes
On already taxoppressed industry.
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11
O0UR CHILD
/AND THE SCHOOL
.. ALLEN c IRELAND
D~~. PS,sssS ~ HsSas E<se~sss
N~ E~p<, SAs Dspsss~s Of fsSr Issrsrsss
Eating Habits

Consider these bits Of common
sense-
First of al, what you dc the
child initiates. Eating habits are
The Omaha guide., 1935-05-11

would force many lines into bankruptcy.
1t is a demonstrable fact that the cause Of ma
tlonal recovery is inextricably related to the vel
fare OF the transportation industry, which is normal
" our greatest employer and purchaser of supplies.
Aggressive and immediate steps should be taken to
bring order out of The transportation chaos.