davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Seuen Steps for
Breaking Tension

First, there are seven things you
must know about. One Of the first
signs of trouble is the rumor crop.
You begin to hear a lot of stories
most of which later will prove to
have been untrue. They may be
started by subversive groups; some
will have a grain Of truth in them.
They will include tales of planned,
imminent violence; Of some group
arming itself for attack or outbreak.
Then come stories Of violent as
sault, crime and murder. This
creates the beginning Of tension; the
group accused becomes frightened
and shows it. This lends color to
the tales.
Then come the incidents"
Incidents usually begin to occur in
crowded places. They might be
passed off and forgotten if a back
ground of hate, fear and suspicion
had not been built up. AS one OBJ
server said to me: Riots always
start when folks get out and bump
into each other"
The third point to look for when it
is clear that rumors have been
thick and incidents have begun to
happen is some ~subversive group
which may be promoting the trouble
for its w ends. Some of these
groups will have very high and
mighty ideals and very frequently
they will be wrapped up in the flag.
(Ku Klux, Black Legion. etc.)
The fourth point to watch is crime
reports because it is really the
hooligan element which finally steps
in to do the actual rioting.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
FRANCE:
Break Marshal

Leader ofFrance' sliberationmove-
ment, Gen. Charles de Gaulle spared
the life of Marshal Henri Petain by
committing his death sentence for
plotting against the internal safety
Of the country to life Imprisonment.
Nevertheless. the jury's additional
sentence of national indignity stood,
imposed even after Petain's final as
sertion: MY thought, my only
thought, vas to remain with the peo-
pie Of France as I promised instead
Of abandoning them in their agony.
My honor belongs to your
country.
Most controversial rench case Of
the century, Petain's trial found the
country sharply divided, with
charges on the n hand that the old
marshal had delivered the state up
to the Germans, and counter
charges on the other that prewar
politicians were using the proceed
ings \ whitewash themselves.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
EARNING BY EXPERIENCE

THE year ahead" says the Farm Journal and
Farmers Wife, will afford striking material for
thoughtful farmers to consider. Wartime restrictions
have reached into every day of every ones life. Farm
ers have taken rationing, price ceilings and floors,
and all else in their stride. Agreeing that some con-
trolls are to be expected in wartime, farmers have
seen that none has worked too we'll.
g.. Agricultural price policies, for instance, have
been affected by the political demands that cost Of
living be held down. Farmers have seen such policies
defeat their own ends by creating scarcities where
plenty was possible, and by setting up black market
prices instead of fair prices. Watching the ponderous
efforts of government to meet the rapidly changing
situations of these months ahead, farmers will have a
chance to estimate how much government they want
in their affairs when the war has passed.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

and Secretary of Labor Schwellen-
bach leave White House after re-
conversion confab.
and will be able to draw unemploy-
ment compensation to tide them
over the early transition period.
While manpower controls were re-
moved with Japan's defeat, wage
checks were retained to prevent an
infationary spiral. and efforts made
to minimize strike threats.
With another bumper crop on tap,
farmers could look to continued
heavy government purchases for the
large military and naval establish
ments and foreign relief, and an I'M
certain domestic market dependent
on the speed Of the reconversion
program. Under congressional leg
iSlation, however, farmers have
been assured of federal price sup
port for at least two years after the
war.
Among the first effects of reduced
military requirements was the re-
moval of gas, fuel oil, canned fruits,
vegetables and juices and other
%processed foods from the rationing
lists. At the same time, price on
troll was lifted from such items as
jewelry, sports equipment, toys sell
ing at Is cents or less, cigarette
lighters, pipes, luxury furs and gar
ments, some Photographic apparatus
and notions.
Because Of the shortage Of sup
plies, and no possibility for imme-
diate increases, rationing will be re-
tanned on meats. fats and oils, but
ter, sugar, shoes and tires.
In the case of tires, OPA an
nounced, drivers of cars used for
occupational purposes will continue
to receive cords according to the
importance of their work, and "a"
card holders will be given consider
alton in cases of unusual hardship.
Though a check will be kept on
shoes, mems and women's wear
manufactured before March /. 1914.
and priced at So. so or less a pair.
will be ration-free through to Sep
TENDER %.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
u. S. DemobiIizes

With the end of the war, the serv-
ices carefully prepared demobiliza-
ton plans were scheduled to be put
into effect, with the draft continuing
for men under Is years of age I'M
less the President or congress or
dained otherwise.
Approximately POI, 900 enlisted
men and 49, 0 officers are eligible
for release under the navy's newly
announced discharge plan requiring
"A points for the enlisted men and 40
for the officers. Under the program,
one-haf point is allowed for each
year OF age up to the nearest birth
day; one-half point for each full
month of active duty since Septem-
Der !, 1889. and 10 extra points for
dependents regardless of number.
Requirements for WAVES are about
IA points lower, with the same cred
it computations.
Designed to relieve men with the
longest service, the navy program
will permit release of about 1000, 900
men within the next IL to 10 months.
which, with the army's plan for dis
charging 5000, 900 G.I.s within a
year. will result in a total demo-
bilization Of 1000. 900 by 1947.
Except for four categories Of spe-
cialists, all army personnel with IS
points or more will be Immediately
released, along with men SO years
of age or over. Until such a time
as the size of the occupation force
needed in Japan can be determined.
however, there will be no reduction
in the present point system, it was
indicated.
With G.I.s in the Pacific eligible
for discharge due to be released.
men with low-point scores in the
U. S. or with only brief European
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington. ID. c.

WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington. ID. C.
There is a small group in Wash
ington very much concerned over a
matter which is a part Of recon
version and about which they can
do very little. That is the question
of ace riots likely to accompany de-
mobilization.
1 was surprised to learn how pre-
dictable these clashes are, from the
following statement by Alfred Nc
Chung Lee in a pamphlet produced
by a non-proft agency, the Ameri-
can Council of American Race Re-
lations. It was this:
THE federal Office of facts and
figures Cater called the office Of War
Information) had a confidential re-
port Is months before the 1943 De-
troit race riot that included this
sentence: Unless some socially con-
structive steps are taken shortly.
the tension that is developing is very
likely to burst into active conflict "
The day after the rioting began,
the Detroit Free Press stated:
Two months ago everybody in De-
troit familiar with the situation knew
that race riots were inevitable"
1t is worth noting that the profess
sional observers were much farther
ahead than the newspaper = and
newspaper reporters are pretty
highly trained Investigators them
selves. And they did know what vas
coming well in advance.
But the fact remained that nobody
did anything about it.
And that is where you and l step
into the picture.
Now nobody but a very small
class of professional in%citors of riot
want race riots anymore than any,
one but a very small class of profess
sional criminals are in favor Of
crime. But most people do not
realize that these clashes can be
avoided and very few indeed realize
that they are symptoms and not the
disease itself.
The basic cause of the group ten
sions which burst into savage flame,
destroy property, interfere with
business and nearly always cost
lives, is insecurity, just as insecurity
is one of the basic causes of wars.
A man with a job and firm pros
poets of keeping it who lives in
healthy and decent surroundings
does not want a riot with anybody.
1t is the man who is unhappy and
because he is not able to do any,
thing about it, who looks around for
a scapegoat upon whom he can
blame all his troubles. He ma
turally turns against a group whose
members have a different appear
ance and different customs from
his own.
The ~long-range cure for this
disease is better living conditions,
housing and employment. But it is
not Of the long-range treatment I
want to speak, but of the imme-
diate. simple things that you and I
can do to stop these tensions before
they break.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

Country Warned 10 Guard
AGAINST Race Disturbances
Insecurity in Reconversion Period May Be
Cause for S%mouIdering Resentment;
Minor Incident May Start Trouble.
BY BAUKHAGE
NetCs Analyst and Commentator.

The fifth is the police attitude. If
there is evidence of increased
friendliness with the hooligan ele-
ment and of a distrust of the police
by the minority group it usually
means that the tension has reached
a high point the forces of order
and the forces of disorder are max
ing common cause against the al
legged threat of the minority.
The two other danger points are
congestion. Of which I spoke before
dumping into each other) which
may grow out Of crowded housing,
and labor conditions where the
minority protests or appears to
threaten to protest discrimination in
hiring and firing.
With these points as a guide any
citizen can learn to recognize the
symptoms of danger. There are
plenty of people in any community
who know what is happening the
people whose work takes them into
the danger zones, like social workers
and police reporters. A school teach
er can learn a lot from what the
children say and do.
But long before the situation
reaches V en the rumor stage there
must be emergency planning in the
community. A program must be set
up in which certain groups have GER
tain definite things to do the moment
the observers see the danger sig
nails. Here they are:
Be sure the mayor knows exact
ly what steps to take to get the help
of the state militia. Have the clergy
men lined up to use their influence
and if necessary appear in person
-mobs respect the church. Work
out school programs, radio pro-
grams, newspaper campaigns-the
veterans organizations and the boy
scouts will help, the civic and pub
lie utilities, labor and business will
cooperate.
While President Truman was still
on the high seas en- route for home,
he and his staff began the careful
briefing of the correspondents, tell
ing them many details which were
not for publication but which will
gradually find their way into the
public prints.
They also gave out specific news
items for publication, one Of which
stated that it was largely the sug-
gestions Of the American delegation
which made up the agenda. This
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
BACk.OC:
Big Order

The American people bought near
ly % billion dollars less of automo-
biles and parts, and furniture and
housefurnishings in the three yea1 S.
1924, than they would have If
these goods had been available in
prewar volume. the department Of
commerce estimates.
In automobiles and parts actual
expenditures totaled 1.8 billions. with
expected expenditures under nor
NAL conditions, 1862 billions and the
deficiency in purchases, IA 4 billions.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

tlnct from the family allowances to
which the government contributes.
Over 40 million dollars have gone
to insurance companies in the last
three years to pay premiums on
soldiers civilian life insurance.
In June alone, $3.50, 227 went to
building and loan and savings and
loan associations under the recent
~ authorized plan permitting GIL.
Joe to save for a home.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
PEACE:
Tighten Imperial Grip

Even as General Macarthur ar
ranged the complicated procedure
for Japanese surrender and occupa-
ton, the U. S. prepared for the ma
jor readjustments looming ahead be-
fore the nation once again could
tread the paths of peace.
With the japanese government
anxious to bring about a cessation Of
firing before the preliminary surren-
der parley in Manila, the conference
was postponed to permit members
Of the imperial household to fly to the
far-flung Asiatic ba~ttlefronts to en-
force the emperor's orders to lay
down arms.
Appointment of tough and able ST.
year-old Prince Higashi-Kuni as Jap
premier disclosed an effort to bring
all of the weight Of the imperial
family behind the surrender accept
ance to avert any outbreak Of die
hards which might upset the inter-
nal situation. A second cousin of
the emperor and an uncle of the
empress, Higashi-Kuni has had a
long career in the Jap army, serv-
ing as chief of the military aviation
board, commander of defense head
quarters and a member of the SUI
preme war council.
While it was expected that some
~fanatical officers may try to fight
on, or commit hara-kiri, the great
mass of japanese we're expected to
give up peaceably. There will be
no trouble when American soldiers
go to japan if it is the wish of the
emperor" said one Jap naval Of
icer. THE army, navy and Japa-
nese people exist only by the will of
the emperor"
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

The census bureau says the aver
age tather is a years old. Aver
age wife's age (confdentiaD.
The best epigram on the victory
OF the labor party in England was
made by Sir Wilmot Lewis, veteran
washington correspondent of the
London Times. He said, My coun
try. may she always be right, but
my country right or left"
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

Following the joyous netos
Of Japan's capitulation, many
persons the country ouer reU-
erentIy made their cay to
church to offer prayers in graft
ude for the cessation Of hos
tiLifieS. The crotod porship-
ping on the steps Of St. Pat
rick's cathedral in Neto York
City wds typical, with a con-
sfanf stream arriving to express
their thanksgiving.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Planning Takes Time

This business of reconversion, or
getting back to normal after the war,
requires planning and thinking
through of tough problems on both
temporary and long-range domestic
questions. 1t cannot be done on the
spur of the moment. and likely will
take weeks or months after con
gress comes back next October.
Witnesses on the full employment
bill, including senators and repre-
sentatives Of labor and business,
all agreed that sudden end
of the war will mean quite a period
Of lay-offs." Meanwhile Sen. Ebert
Thomas Cd, Utah declared that
legislation to boost the minimum
wage under the Fair Labor Stand
ards act from 40 to 65 cents an hour
is "one of the first important meas
ures for consideration of congress"
At the same time. labor leaders are
urging congress to restore War
Labor board authority to order SUBJ
stantial wage adjustments.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Army Teaches G.I.s Virtues of Thrift

How widely the members of the
armed forces have been taught the
virtues of thrift is indicated by fig
ures supplied by the war depart
ment office Of dependency benefits.
As OF the end of June, there were
3,714, $40 active monthly Class-E al
lotments-of-pay, which are volun-
tary assignments Of pay to a SOL
dler's dependents, a bank, an insur-
ance company, ETC., and are dis
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
BARBS.. . by Baukhage

They call the counterfeit squad
the mince-pies and 1 suppose since
money talks you could call the grunt
from a buffalo penny mint sauce.
1t is easier for a man to get into
the army than it is for a dog to
Join the famous K-9 corps. G.I.s
sometimes get into the h~oosegow but
you seldom see a war-pup in the
dog-house.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25

Encourage your white neighbors to subscribe
to THE OMAHA GUIDE and learn what the dark
er one tenth of the American population is think
ing and doing.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
We Will Be Unreody
For Peace

This twinge of conscience was ap-
parent in a meeting of some 20 sena-
tors and a published outline Of a pro-
gram Of pending legislation, made
the day before adjournment. The
Mead committee report declared
that if the war in the Pacific ends
soon, it will find us largely UMPIRE
pared to overcome our domestic
problems. Unless reconversion is
speeded up, unemployment on a
large scale will ensue.
Many folks here believe that
end of the Jap war will come
within the next two to four
months, and the feeling among
those in position to know best is
divided about half and half on
that proposition. Congressional
leaders apparently are among
the so per cent who look for a
longer war in the Pacific.
Another thing left undone was
establishment of presidential success
sion which President Truman urged
be done Immediately. Many leaders
here think this to be one of the most
important and vitality essential
questions at this time.
So if the end of the war in the
Pacific does come sooner than ION
gress thinks. the expected temper
airy chaos in which our domestic
economy will founder can be laid
directly at the door of congress.
They have been f~orewarned, not only
by the President. but by reports of
conscientious and authoritative
committees of their own member
shin.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Conservation Needed

After the most extensive study Of
farmland resources ever under
taken by any nation, the soil con-
s~ervation service reported that more
than 80 per cent Of the country's
farmland was in need of treatment
to protect it from erosion and main
tain fertility.
More than $500, 600 man years Of
labor would be required for the huge
task, the service said, along with
327, AL years of motor equipment;
1.089, 978 years Of horse-drawn ia
c%ilities, and 2.544, LOG tons Of seed.
Of the AIT, SOL 900 acres Of farm
land now under actual cultivation,
the service said that 4 5000, 900
should be retired because Of steep
ness, erosion, wetness and stone.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
CROPS:
Another Good Year

Owing to record yields Of wheat,
oats, peanuts, rice, peaches, pecans
and commercial truck crops; near
record prospects for hay, tobacco,
soybeans, sugar cane, and large pro-
duction for potatoes, sorghum grains
and faxseed, the department of ag-
riculture predicted the 1945 harvest
would be the third best in history.
With the wheat crop estimated at
a record LAG, 283, 900 bushels on the
basis of conditions as of August /,
and with oats at 1,546, 032, 900 BUSH
els, feed grain production was at a
high level despite the estimated
drop in the corn harvest to 2,844, 478,-
900 bushels.
One of the bright spots in the
picture was the estimated increase
in sugar cane production to 6.976, 900
tons, and rise in sugar beet output to
9,332,00 tons, promising to relieve
the tight supply in the commodity.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Graue Matters SHIELDED

1t did nothing on full employment,
except to hold some belated hear
ings on the Murray bill, introduced
last January. 1t did nothing on the
human" side of reconversion, such
as acting on President Humans
proposal for an emergency $25 per
week for 26 weeks for laid-off work.
ers. It did nothing about sub-stand-
ard wages among some II million
white collar and other workers to
raise minimum wages to at least
IS cents an hour. 1t did nothing
about ~enlarging the social security
program to include farmers and
small business and professional men
as provided in the Murray : Wag-
ner bill. 1t did nothing about the
report of the Mead War Investi-
eating committee which urged i'm
mediate control of all war agencies
by the Office of war mobilization, and
severely criticized government de-
lay in reconversion plans. 1t did
nothing about government work pro-
grams to tide over any emergency.
1t did rush through a measure in
tended to give some tax relief to
business, but did nothing about a
general interim tax revision, consid-
cred necessary for reconversion.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
Ease Controls

Though five million people were
expected to be discharged from war
work following cessation of HOSTILE
ties, industrial plans for a rapid re-
conversion to civilian manufacture
promised early re-employment.
Fortunately. such basic industries
as steel will be able to furnish civil
ian materials with little delay, and
plans have been set up to continue
government supervision over scarce
items to permit more even distribu-
ton and prevent speculative hoard
ing and pressure for price increases.
With its financial position greatly
bolstered by heavy wartime produc-
ton, and with banking funds avail
able before settlement of cancelled
war contracts, industry generally is
strongly heeled for reconversion.
Meanwhile, civilians have record
cash balances and bond holdings,
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
zzee4ome
7ou4n
RT@Asn
in WASHINGTON
d Nv Wrl}er Shord
What Congress Left Undone
BY WoIfer Sheod
I WNU Correspondent
WNU Washington Bureau
62I Union Trust Building.

EMBERs of the 10th congress
- are now back in their home
towns for their summer vacations,
lasting until congress convenes
again on October s. Some few of
them contrived to take junkets to
Alaska, Europe or the Pacific ION
business Of congress"
This session will go down in his
tory al the one that abruptly re-
versed the traditional iso~lationist
policy of self-suficiency, to one of
full cooperation with other nations
on military, social, economic and
cultural questions.
Ratification of the United Ma
tions charter by the senate,
adoption of the Breton Woods
agreement, the Reciprocal
Trades agreements and the
Agricultural and Food agree
ments by both houses of con-
gress mark important mile
stones in the life of the nation to-
ward world peace and security.
But this reporter feels that when
congress adjourned for the sum-
mer it did so with some trepidation
over sins of omission. 1t had left I'M
done many things necessary to safe
guard our domestic economy NJ
things dangerous to postpone until
after next October, particularly re-
conversion plans.
The Omaha guide., 1945-08-25
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
.WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Japs Guard Against Uprising;
Plan to Demobilize 100000;
Nation Shifts TO Peace Economy

Released by Western Newspaper Union. -@
western Newspaper Union " analysts and not necessarily Of this wspap
Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1945-08-04
u. 5. Prisoners
Strike Against
Racial JiIncrow
Milan, Mich,
Ashland, KY,
Pens Involved

WASHINGTON - GA N p -
White and Negro prisoners, most
conscientious DIRECTORS, at two
federal penitentiaries are on strike
against jimcrow, according to let
tiers that have been sent here to
the Federal Bureau of prisons.
While no public announcement
has been of conditions at the feder-
al prisons of Milan, Mich, and
Ashland, Ky, at least IA men at
the two prisons are said to be on
strike against jimcrow dining rooms
These named at Milan are Wally
Nelson and Joe Quinn. both former
members of the Congress of Racial
equality. These involved in protest
ing jimcrow at Ashland are Bayard
RuStin, Phillip Brooks and Charles
Hall, Negroes, who are supported
by George Yamada, Japanese
American and eight whites Brooks
and Hall have been transferred to
other prisons, reports say.
The whites are Morris Herewith,
Alfred Partridge, Jason Hopkins,
John Neubrand, Arden Bode, Red
ney Owen, Bjorn Ekrem and Will
liam Hefner.
Organized action against jimcroW
at Milan began last April when two
men from Chicago both religious
conscientious DIRECTORS to war, de-
clined to eat meals served at tables
reserved for Negroes. They started
to eat with white companions but
guard told them to move to
their own table
The fight against segregation be-
gan at Ashland Federal prison on
June 3, when eight white inmates,
all conscientious DIRECTORS, refused
to eat in jimcrow dining rooms.
They have waged a fight to have
an interracial dining hall where all
inmates may eat with whom they
choose, regardless Of race, creed or
color.
These men have circulated a
statement around the institution
which expresses their determine
ton.