General Welfare Reporter (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 30, Ed. 1 Saturday, November 10, 1945 Page: 2 of 4
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PAGE TWO
General Welfare
Reporter
(SUCCESSOR TO LABOR'S VOICE AND
NEWS ADVOCATE)
Official organ General Welfare Federation
of America Published semi-monthly at
Oklahoma City Subscription rates: $1 per
year bundles of 10 or more copies 3 cents
each singles 5 cents
Entered as Second Class Matter December
6 1934 at the Postoffice at Oklahoma City
2 Oklahoma under the Act of March a
1879 312 West California Street
MA M FINLEY Managing Editor
DULA C MAIA)NE Circulation Manager
NATIONAL OFFICERS
IRA M FINLEY Chairman National Executive
Hoard Oklahoma City Okla
HOMAS E MORON Pres Washington DC
ELWOOD THORNE Vice-Pres Miami Fla
JolIN M SYLVESTER Vice-Pres Wash DC
LEICESTER IL F WATTS Vice-rres Provi-
&ne IL
N
GLEN W SIMPSON Vice-Pres Rochester
N Y
61 E X AN PER CRUICKSI IA N KS Treasurer
Vashington D C
ARTHUR L JOHNSON Executive and Legisla-
tive Secretary in Jose Cal
IlitADFoltD W THURSTON Chairman Na-
tional Advisory Council West Newton Mass
OUR MOTTO: Poverty must be
wiped out no nation can call itself
Christian or civilized that permits
babes little children and the aged to
5uffer for food clothes and shelter
Cro99
President Boorde Must
Bpi
Resign One of His Positions
President Thomas E Boorde is an
active pastor of a church and every
hour he gives- to the G'WA there in
Washington is done at a sacrifice of
his health time and money Within
the next 60 days he will need to re-
sign as pastor of his church or as
active leader for the GWA Ile has
been President of the General Wel-
fare Federation of America since its
beginning and should be on the job
for us at the National Capitol every
day We must arrange to furnish
headquarters at least $500 a month
to take care of his salary pay an of-
fice clerk rent etc The GWA is
an important nation-wide organiza-0
tion and has a big job to do Presi-
dent Boorde is highly qualified to
look after the interests of the organi-
zation The various clubs and indi-
viduals should pledge themselves to
remit a certain minimum each month
to the Washington office Where pos-
sible the November and December
pledges should be sent in at once in
order to build up the fund by Janu-
ary 1st Remember President Boorde
will resign as pastor of his church
iand give his entire time to the GWA
If we can allow him enough salary to
take care of himself and his wife
t We urge you to write President
11
rA)orde at once 945 Pensysivania
' ve N W Washington D 0
Ilnley Says Official Poper Should
I
4 Be Changed
T i
This paper n its twelve years of
'existence has been a very militant
limper The Reporter may not please
' all the members of the GWA as it
vvill continue to discuss "politics"
The News Advocate was suspended
for the duration of the emergency
'and can be revived any time within
n six months after the President or the
'Congress declares the emergency is
past
We have no patience with timid
thinking and agree with our friend
-Easterlin of South Carolina that the
only thing that will get the job done
is to show the politicians that we
have the power to defeat them This
paper does not want to cause friction
in the organization but frankly we
will not be muzzled because someone
is afraid of political action We can
rot secure political results without
political action ll'e love our organi-
zation and know that it has the most
powerful potential influence in the
USA There will be members who
will resent us tellinm 6 them that the
Relyublican Party isin the hands of
American big interests and the lead-
ers are not concerned with the gen-
eral welfare Others will resent our
telling them that the Democratic par-
ty while progressive in its declara-
tions has fallen into the hands of a
few poll tax reactionary fascist
minded members of Congress These
Our Paper Twelve
Years Old the lOth
THE GENERAL WELFARE REPORTER
fellows through their long years in
Congress are chairmen of most of
the important committees Because
of the fact that their btates distran
cluse "mggers and "poor white
trash" these fellows can stay in Con-
gress They are working hand in hand
with the Republicans The organiza-
tion should own and publish its own
paper at the Washington headquar-
ters Then those who agree with us
can subscribe for the Reporter and
those who are shocked can have a pa'n-
2 their own liking!
0
(Continued from Page 1)
tion have a voice in the conduct of
the party with which they are affili-
ated Help shape its policies write its
platforms conduct its business and
see that the proper people are se-
lected to run it We have urged our
people to set up local committees to
register the careless voter and get
him out to the polls on election day
We have urged them to make a care-
ful study of all issues and then go to
the polls and cast their votes as one
We will continue to urge our co-workers
to do these things and urge them
to work with other organizations and
groups who may be seeking the same
ends
Old Age Pensions and Social
Security
When the Reporter was born there
were no social security or old age
pension laws The editor helped to
write and the VIA organization (now
GWA) initiated the first old age pen-
sion law in Oklahoma before the So-
cial Security Act was passed Other
papers and other orcranizations have
collected thousands Nclo liars during
the past twelve years while the Re-
porter received pennies and dimes
But no other publication in the Unit-
ed States can point out with proof to
one-tenth the benefits for the old folks
that the VIA-GWA and the Reporter
have accomplished Organized labor
has undertaken to take the job of
having the Social Security Act broad-
ened to cover all persons over the
age of 60 for women and 65 for men
The Wagner-Murray-Dingell Bill is
their answer to the question of social
security This bill is a great step for-
ward but organized labor will have
to quit dividing themselves into hos-
tile camps and unite in defeating a
lot of money mad Congressmen be-
fore they can get their bill passed
We intend to support it The GWA
and the General Welfare Reporter
will seek to unite every pension mind-
ed organization group and progres-
sive individual behiml our plan to
provide a pension for lhe old folks
We want a decent pension paid to ev-
ery man past 65 and woman past 60
who did not have enough net income
the past year to pay Federal income
tax We want these elderly citizens
to draw the same amount of federal
funds regardless of the state they
live in the color of their skin or the
altar they kneel before We will not
fight those who want to continue "old
age assistance" by "improving it"
-We want it wiped off the statute
books we don't want our people hu-
miliated embarrassed and discrim-
inated against any longer
To Those Who Have Made The
Reporter Possible
During the past 12 years a few
loving souls have talked with others
abont the VIA-GWA organization
They have secured memberships sent
in subscriptions and some have made
contributions In the early days of
the Reporter we had a great army of
unemployed workers This paper was
their champion here in Oklahoma—
the VIA was their protector A few
years ago these unemployed workers
began to drift into other states seek-
ing employment and often whole
communities were depopulated The
older folks who stayed behind kept
up the fight but their ranks have
been thinned almost to the vanishing
point by the cold hand of death We
have watched them go and have
thought every time one went "Surely
someone IN ill take his place in this
fight for humanity" The war is now
over Millions will soon be unemploy-
ed older people will have less buy
mg power and no earning power The
Reporter and the General Welfare
Federation of America is in a position
to render a great service But it must
depend upon the rank and file reader
and member The question is not can
we continue ta publish another 12
years but can we continue to publish
for one more year? We rejoice that
we—you and I—have done a big job
and hope we may work together add
new recruits and do a bigger job
soon
Rheba Crawford—The
Angel of Broadway
The Race Is Today's
How fast are you running?
Are you getting anywhere?
"Slow sort of country" said the
Red Queen to Alice in Wonderland
"Here you see it takes all the run-
ning you can do to keep in the same
place If you want to get somewhere
else you must run at least twice as
fast"
There are loads of times in life
when your maximum speed can do no
more than assist you to hold your
own The temptation to stop run-
ning is very keen under such cir-
cumstances The inclination to catch a long
breath and let the world go by is
constantly with you That is the
reason every effort must be made to
double the speed
The speed business not only in-
volves reaching the goal accomplish-
ing an aim finding an ultimate desti-
nation It involves keeping up with
life fulfilling the promise of your
gifts serving the present age
It is very easy to become afflicted
with a mental and spiritual apathy
that affects your feet and stops their
action
In fact feet running in the race of
life are supplied with energy that is
generated in the mental and spiritual
boilers of existence If you are not
traveling well the fault is entirely
your own
Circumstances can hinder financial
and social progress They have no
control over mental and spiritual
advancement
Adverse circumstances should stir
you mentally and spiritually to the
place where you run all the harder
faster and more surely
I have a sneaking suspicion that
the goal we attain or fail to attain is
not nearly as important as the effort
we put out to get there
You cannot run well with yester-
day dragging at your heels You
cannot run fast with your eyes fixed
upon the blinding light of tomorrow's
sun
If you look upon today's road
strain every nerve and sinew of your
body and soul to the race refuse to
be halted or hindered—your speed
will be assured your courage re-
warded and your gains guaranteed!
Hew GWA Chapter Chartered
At Hale Center Texas
Our very active leader and organizer
Mr T G Black of Floydada Texas re-
ports that his State Representative went
with him to Hale Center Texas recently
and they organized a new GWA Chapter
Mr Black and his friend are to be con-
gratulated and the people at Hale Center
are certainly to be congratulated Ira M
Finley is trying to work out an itinerary
to visit all points in Western Oklahoma
and go from Hollis Oklahoma to Floyd-
ada He will try to visit the new Chapter
at Hale Center
Another Faithful Warrior Fall's
From the very day the VIA was or-
ganized H a (Red) Harris of Shawnee
has helped to hold the banner high For
over 13 years he has carried on the fight
securing names to initiative petitions serv-
ing on committees to help others distribu-
ting literature attending local district and
state meetings of his organization His
sudden death at Shawnee leaves a vacancy
that we hope some younger man or woman
will fill No longer can "Red" serve on com-
mittees of the VIA-GWA to assist others
no longer can we bear his voice leading
while the local chapter sings the old time
hymns that "Red" loved so much "Red"
Harris died without property without mon-
ey but he was a rich man because he loved
his fellow men
"Poor Priest" Only
Had $268000
110 66 7 to Set Up A Very
Active Club" illot7
Urgent Business—Call a meet-
ing at once! Meet Anywhere—two
three or more American citizens
Read and discuss the vital infor-
mation in the Reporter then write
letters to YOUR Congressmen and
Senators Tell them as members
of the GWA you want a fair deal
for the old folks Ask them to tell
you what they think of the Wick-
ersham Bill
Hurry—Rush and get this done!
Don't adjourn your little meeting
without setting dates for the next
meetings Large oaks from little
acorns grow Thousands of these
little meetings will spell Victory!
Don't forget to give the General
Welfare Reporter a report of what
you have done ' and what you in-
tend to do If you do not' intend
to do anything please advise
whom you think should do it as
IT MUST BE DONE!
The following article appeared in the
Chicago Sun August 31st and then pub
lished in the Proletarec a Jugo-Slav Labor
paper in Chicago
Rev James David O'Neal Highland Park
near Waukegan Illinois died and left
$268000 The Priest's nephew Charley
Brusta was shocked When the Priest died
the Probate Judge called the nephew into
court There was no Will The nephew
said his Uncle was only a poor man All
the relatives said the same thing The
nephew said it was possible that he had
made $5000 "Good" says the Judge
The Judge told the nephew to find out
if he had any money in the bank The bank
answered that there was no money but he
had a bank box The lock box was opened
and they found $268000—more than a
quarter of a million dollars That was
something the Archbishop from Chicago
cannot understand—how he had made so
much money off a poor farm how he poor
farmer could make so much money
My own brother was a Priest but he
never got rich off the poor — Frank
Knafles Edmond Oklahoma -
Farm and in Groups Fight
Increase n Housing Cost
AU Oklahoma City labor organiza-
tions the General Welfare Federation
of America and the local Farmers'
Union have named a joint committee
to combat increased living costs They
are recognized by the Office of Price
Administration as an official Advis-
ory Board Mrs Joe P Horton local
GWA Secretary and Editor of the
Reporters' Column of the General
Welfare Reporter serves on the com-
mittee for the GWA These organi-
zations working hand in hand are
demanding of Congress that they
keep tight control on increased cost
of living and that ceiling prices be put
on sales of houses as well as rents
The business interests are fighting
for increase in rents without any
limit on cost of homes The commit-
tee has sent letters to both of Okla-
homa's Senators and the eight Mem-
bers of Congress and copies to Presi-
dent Truman and OPA Director
Chester Bowles
This is another instance where the
GWA is rendering the most valuable
service to the common people
Surplus War Buildings
For the Old Folks
F M Easter lin and his South Carolina
Old Age Pension Association are making
a fight to secure hospital and the entire
buildings of a base that is being released
by the Army GWA Chapter 7 of Okla-
homa City has asked their State President
to confer with Oklahoma State authorities
and urge that four or more of the Army
and Navy towns be bought and made avail
able for the use of the old folks Some of
these places are modern little cities with
paved streets playgrounds parks hos-
pitals churches and all We urge that
GWA organizations in other states make
a demand for their state authorities to
buy such plants for the old folks and ask
organized labor churches and others to
join you in the demand
4
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Finley, Ira M. General Welfare Reporter (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 30, Ed. 1 Saturday, November 10, 1945, newspaper, November 10, 1945; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2190584/m1/2/: accessed July 2, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.