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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1916)
THE MONITOR A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social and religious interests of the Colored People of Nebraska and the West, with the desire to con tribute something to the general good and upbuilding of the community und of the race. Published Every Saturday. Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2, 1915, at the Post Office at Omaha, Neb., under the act of March 3, 1879. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor and Publisher. Lucille Skaggs Edwards and William Garnett Haynes, Associate Editors. George Wells Parker, Contributing Editor and Business Manager. Joseph LaCour, Jr., Lincoln Representative, 821 S. St., Lincoln. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, *1.50 PER YEAR Advertising Rates, 50 cents an Inch per issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. Telephone Webster 4243. ANOTHER YEAR One more year has slipped away to join the fleeting ages and another stands waiting at the portals of life. What does it hold for you and me and our race? • Blessings are of two kinds, blessings comparative and blessings expectant. The former can always be weighed and measured, but the latter are the offsprings of hope. Blessings com parative make us thankful; blessings expectant sweeten the heart and make welcome every dawning day. Nearly all the world is at war save us, and that is a blessing of wondrous worth. Across the ocean homes are gone, friends parted, families scattered to the winds of heaven, and loved ones sleeping forever beneath the ruins and din of battles; we are at peace. No trumpet calls us from our daily tasks to slay our fellow man—or to be slain. We are at peace and that is a blessing not to be measured by line or gold. May the blight of war de part from us ever, and from the un happy lands across the surging sea. And the blessings expectant ? Long has it been since a new year dawned that holds for us more promise than this one. Across the dark mountains of hate a ray of hope is creeping; through the veils of despair a beam of love is gleaming. Time and cir cumstance have conspired together to lend a dream to the children of our dusky race. And we are ready, for these two conspirators never weave a dream until their chosen are prepared for the gift. Yes, we are ready—and may we prove worthy. The new year holds its promise and may it strengthen our faith in the eternal value of hope. “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” was not whispered in vain. LOCAL COLORED BAR BERS AND THE UNIONS Recently all union barbershops raised the prices for haircuts and shaves. The Colored barbers, not be ing allowed membership in the unions, did not raise their prices. The result has been that much white patronage is now seeking the strictly Colored shop. Th union is much worried over the matter and delegates are visiting the Colored barbers and requesting them to meet the new schedule. The Colored barbers wisely and justly re fuse. The union has no right to make such a demand upon them. They owe the union nothing. And the fact that white trade is now seeking the Colored shops shows how flimsy is the idea of prejudice. All things equal, the white patron may imagine himself opposed to shade in skin, but when conditions make his prejudice costly he throws his preju dice to the winds. Social economy can’t consider a man’s color and it is through economical conditions that racial problems must be partially worked out. May the colored barber continue to turn a deaf ear to the union and stick to his business. COLORED ORCHESTRA PLAYS AT THE BLACKSTONE Saturday night Adam’s Saxophone orchestra made its debut at the Black stone and scored a triumph. It is the first time colored musicians appeared at Omaha’s magnificent apartment house and, from the praises showered upon the members of the orchestra, it will not be the last. The original ar rangement of the popular air, “There’s a Little Bit of Bad in Every Good Little Girl,” took the gathering by storm and the orchestra was com pelled to play the piece for a solid hour. The Monitor is proud of these tri umphs which colored orchestras are winning in their fight against the op position of union players and when ever one is made we wish it reported so that our readers may enjoy the spirit of the victories. SONG OF SOLOMON New Year’s Resolutions 1. Listen, O my Son, while I honk honk to thee about the resolves thou intendest to slip over next Monday. 2. It is best, O my Son, not to make any, for thou knowest thou hast no intention of keeping them. 3. But once annually it is custom ary for man and woman to think of putting a halter on their hefty habits and toss the lasso after the angel stuff. 4. Therefore, O my Son, rise up from the bogs of dank disinterest, grab virtue by the topknot and make her to deliver thee a package of saint salve and wholesome haloes. 5. Stir up thy latent powers and plan thy campaign against the frail ities of human falldowns. 6. If thou canst not separate thy shortcomings from thy longdoings, seek assistance from thy wife, rela tives or friends and thy denseness will become illuminated with floods of light. 7. Thou wilt then wonder if thou hast not Beelzebub looking like a 1900 model automobile. 8. Discouragement will block thy good intentions with his ready right and deliver an upper cut to thy nerve with his lithesome left. 9. Then thou shouldst seek fresh air because thy head holdeth much unseemly noise. 10. And under the star strewn sky thou wilt swear never to try to make another N. Y. D. resolution. It is well, 0 my Son, because thou wouldst not have kept them anyway. OBVIOUS OBSERVATIONS We will now proceed to the painless assassination of about two minutes. Happy New Year and may much mazuma meander towards thy pocket book and perfect health hand thee the happy hold on. The daily press is terrible “het up” over the fact that Senor Villa is roast ing an American or two south of the Rio Grande. Possibly it knows how colored folks feel when the southern savages of Dixie hold similar fire fests occasionally. So Lloyd-George doesn’t want peace eh? Well, if the kaiser keeps up his pace we reckon Georgie will wish he had grabbed the chance. Boston may be highbrow, but the prohibs weren't able to hand her the drinkless guff. She went wet in spite of Billy, the big bluff with the bally buncombe. Wilson is in bad again, as usual. He wrote a peace note and Europe asked the why of the wherefore. Lansing got busy trying to explain and has given half a dozen different explanations up to date. And just to think—four more years! We made quite a holler when cold weather came, but we are growing quite chummy nowadays. Wonder if Georgia will celebrate litis New Year by lynching several of her colored citizens? Among your New Year resolutions kindly remember that the paper you are reading costs money. Thanking you for your undivided attenion, we will now back up the hands of the watch and take things easy. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS. .- ■ Omaha, Neb., Dec. 24, 1916. The Monitor: Omaha, Neb. Gentlemen. Enclosed please find my personal check for one dollar fifty cents, in full for subscription to The Monitor for the year. I have during the year perused your publication with admiration and I be lieve it is destined to do much good by imparting much needed informa tion to our people. I can but predict and hope for this voice continued and increased pros perity in the future. Yours very truly, W. S. Metcalf. COLORED CONDUCTORS ON CANADIAN CARS (Continued From First Page) ex-Controller Hubbard and Dr. C. C. Janies, of the Dominion Department of Agriculture. Each of these men delivered strong addresses to the peo ple who had assembled in honor of the paper's anniversary. Colored Troops for the War. But the work which Mr. Whitney has done along patriotic lines is the work which makes a peculiar appeal at the present time. Early in the year he set about writing to Sir Sam Hughes, asking him to authorize the formation of the first Colored platoon. The authorization was immediately granted, and Mr. Whitney lost no time in agitating through his news paper, for volunteers. In every issue of the paper there appeared on the first page a strongly-worded appeal headed “Call for Recruits," and be low it a blank form to be filled by each prospective volunteer. So in ad dition to his other duties - Mr. Whit ney became a very efficient recruit ing officer. Week after week he urged the Cause through his paper, and re sponses came quickly. Janitors, rail way porters and laborers from To ronto and other places freely offered their services. The Negro in Canada is loyal; he realizes that under the British flag he enjoys certain privi leges not accorded him elsewhere. Colonels Refused to Accept Negroes. When the success of the platoon was assured Mr. Whitney sought to get the men attached to a battalion. But now came the stumbling-black. Not a colonel willing to receive the Colored recruits could be found. To Mr. Whitney, however, difficulties exist only to be surmounted. Confi dent that enough Colored volunteers could be obtained to form a battalion, he had the Militia Department au thorize the formation of what is now known as “The Colored Man’s Own Battalion,” of which 0. C. is Cieut. Col. D. H. Sutherland. This is a Con struction Battalion and is of the ut most importance. As the advertise ment is connected with it says, “Bridges, railways, and artillery roads, which are being destroyed b> the enemy in retreat must be rebuilt immediately in order to keep fighting men supplied with food and munitions of war.” Organized Civic Association. Besides his other activities, Mr. Whitney found time to organize the “Canadian Civic Association,” and he is at the present time chainnan of the executive board. The object of the organization is to train up the mem bers to the best conceptions of what constitutes good citizenship. One word explains the success of Mr. Whitney’s various efforts, and that word is “Service.” He possesses in a very strong degree what is called “Social consciousness.” More Sickness and Accident insurance for Less Money Old line protection. No assess ments. No medical examination. Everything guaranteed. GET ACQUAINTED WITH LUKE A. HUGHES. Continental Casualty Co. 334 Brandeis Theater Bldg. Douglas 3726. 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