The Omaha guide., 1942-10-24
THE BATTLE CALLS FOR EVERY VOTE

affairs is the almost miraculous response the Omaha Negro
made to the call of his leaders for a one hundred percent
registration in preparation for the November election. This
response is convincing evidence that there is a new awak-
enlng among this group to protect himself against unfair
treatment in governments under which he must live.
This all out step to prepare to select the men and
is a clear demonstration of Omaha's Negro population to
stand by the national movement of his people, to protest any
trespass upon the fundamental liberties granted hin by
the constitution of the land he loves. 1t was more than
this. 1t was the most pleasing gesture for unity we have
had in this city for some time. In this effort to stimu-
late the all too large latent Negro vote in Omaha, almost
every agency touching the civic life of this group moved
forward as a single man. All were there. The religious
service groups threw their full strength into the fray. 1t
was glorious! The results were more So. This paper now
hurries to express it's appreciation and thanks to all who
participated in this great work.
The caption of this editorial says: "The Battle Calls
For Every Vote" and the Omaha Negroes objective in
the coming campaign makes it definitely so. The reasons
given in this editorial showing why the above claim is true
We are living in a new day. A day, the coming of
which, is without the conscious invitation of any man. Ger
tainly not the American man. There are many appear.
ances which make our day new. Look wherever we will
over the United States and her possessions and we can.
not miss seeing better attitudes among the races. This
does not mean that inter-racial hatreds, prejudices, and
animosities do not exist for they do. But nevertheless race
feeling in America is better. There is a feeling of broth
erliness among the people that has not existed heretofore.
There are those who undertake to discourage this
view point by showing that the trend is not natural; that
the white man is forced in the consideration ne gives to the
silly and, to thoughtful minds, ineffective. History records
no war, in which the people of this nation were engaged,
III INcSIO tOO, d uOt d III VI tc multdHt uuH-
Der battling with guns for the American flag. Certainly
this defensive military era alone cannot be responsible for
much of this apparent good feeling among the races. There
are other causes.
The races seem to be yielding to the call Of a better
intelligence. Manifest and improved social conduct can be
accounted for in no other way. The number of Negroes
now serving in national and state Legislatures, the respect
full number now serving as Judges in both superior and
inferior courts over the land, the large number of admin
istrative offices now allocated to our group, the multi
tude of Negro officers now serving in nearly every branch
of the army, the naming of a battle ship after a Negro
and commanding it with a Negro captain and officers, and
the bread winning chance given the Negro in private as
well as gOvernmentally controlled industries, cannot be WIS.,
ualzed by any fair minded individual, except in a manned.
to show increased %brotherly respect on the part of those
with power and control.
While all of this is true, such an advanced step, would,
however, be extremely hurtful and Encouraging, if there
were not a reciprocal feeling and accomplishment on the
part of the Negro. That there is such a feeling cannot
be successfully denied. When the crisis came upon our
government after Pearl Harbor, Negroes were not placed
were among the first to VOLUNTEER. And he has con
T 1IRqss s s. nsIgn oF THE Mr SEGR SOT to say affe thi his r lfe in v defense
of the freedoms of other people is the most striking and
encouraging bit of SPIRITUAL DISPLAY known to the
Whenever and wherever the American Negro has been
called to serve his government, under requirements Of
law, he has been classified among the most potent, efficient
and loyal of all the workers.
If this editorial even suggests an accomplished i'm
provement in the matter of race relations, that would be
quite enough also to suggest the unacceptable duty of the
Negro to qualify his people, by the use of the ballot, to
stand against any establishment of government, any Of
flee seeker or holder who because of ignorance, prejudice
or down right cussedness would attempt to turn back
this present American trend, to bring about and continue
THE SPIRIT OF FAIR PLAY AND GOOD WILL among
the people who make it a nation.
There are other reasons to show the demand upon us
to call into play our full voting strength, and, to this writer,
the one to follow is the most appealing and convincing.
1t touches the struggle of the Southern Negro. His suf-
feringS and struggles through the centuries to blast the
hills from before him. To him the sufferings and tragedies
of the present day are not new. Earth holds no bloody
orgy through which he has not passed. Not even those
blood baths of the hostage victims before the blazing guns
of Hitler's gestapOs. His greatest agony, however, has
been caused by the tardy coming of citizenship. The South
ern Negro more so than his northern brother has walled
for political freedom. He Graves the grant of earth's high
est gift, THE RIGHTS OF A MAN.
with darkness, in a political way, a ray of light has at last
come. Last week the lower house of the Congress passed
a bill attempting to remove his strongest chain. It was
THE POLL TAX OF THE SOUTHERN
POLITICIAN. No sooner was this done, than the descend
ents of Vardaman and Tilman, Blease and Dixon organized
an all out effort to prevent the Senate from cOncurring
with the House. Now their method of prevention is keen
and seductive. LET HIM WHO RUNS READ.
There is mention here that the method used by the
political South is keen and seductive. This is not so alarm
ing as the great amount of help Northern Negroes give to
those who would enslave his race, by taking away their
political rights. This editorial undertakes an explanation.
The Southern white statesman and political leader has
no present intention of according the Negro his right to
vote. He knows that this is wrong and that he is sneered
at by the better thinking world. In order to overcome
this he promotes the argument that he withhOlds no more
than the NEGRO requests. He affirms that the Negro of
the south neither desires to, nor would vote if he had the