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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1917)
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 and of the race. Published Every Saturday. Entered as Second-Class Mall 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. 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. THE RACE PRESS The Monitor is proud of the race press. We receive exchanges from all over the country. Some of them— not many, however—are poorly print ed; but even these show a well inten tioned desire to do something and to contribute as much as they may to the uplift of the race. The majority of our publications are well printed and well edited and ought to be better supported than they are, because they are a most im portant factor in our racial evolution and development. As a distinct so cial group we must have such publi cations. The albino press deals with the larger group, necessarily, and has no special interest in our distinctive social group. The race press, there fore, meets an imperative need and is gradually becoming to be recognized as a most influential agency. As evidence of this only a short time ago in discussing the Southern migration the State Journal of Co lumbia, S. C,. one of the most influ ential albino newspapers of the South, called attention to the fact that “several Negro newspapers and magazines” are in circulation in South Carolina and are making their influence felt among the race in that state. This, as one must readily see, is unlooked-for recognition of the in fluence of race journals. It is not an uncommon thing to see the editorial opinions of several of our leading race journals quoted by such publications as the Literary Digest and the New York Independent. We have been particularly pleased with the editorial utterances of the race journals in the present crisis. From California to Massachusetts a ad from Minnesota to Florida they have voiied a striking unanimity of sentiment. In manly and frank out spokenness they have all expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment we receive in this enlightened republic. There has been no fawming syco phancy or attempt to curry favor by feigning satisfaction w'ith existing conditions. They have made it known in no uncertain terms that we are op posed to race proscription and injus tices which belie the very funda mental principles of a republic. And yet they have been far-sighted enough to distinguish between the misinterpretation and non-applica tion, or imperfect application, of these principles by the American peo ple as a whole and the principles themselves. For this reason they have been unanimous in advocating loyalty to our flag and loyalty to our government. No discordant or dis loyal note has been struck by the press which voices the sentiment and influences the thoughts of Colored Americans. We are proud of the race press of this country and esteem it a privilege and an honor to have a recognized place in this ever-widening field of usefulness. SUBSCRIBE FOR THE MONITOR. SOME SANE ADVICE There can be no question as to the loyalty of our people. At the same time we know the disposition of some of our people to say things which they think will make them look smart. We know the disposition of some to say things they do not really mean. We therefore deem it wise to advise our people to be careful about expressing themselves in any manner about the American flag or the President that might get them into trouble. Wheth er we like it or not, we are now at war. Intemperate speech at anytime is out of place, but in time of war in temperate speech against the flag or the United States authorities becomes treasonable. Our race has never yet produced an anarchist or traitor, and God grant it never may. We have a record to de fend, but no treason to explain or atone. Therefore guard your thoughts and speech as well as your deeds. Be careful _ as to what you say. This is sane advice, which it will pay all well to follow. THE PRESIDENT’S REPLY About a month ago President Wil son wrote a letter to Prof. R. R. Moton, of Tuskegee, asking him if the American Negro would remain loyal to the country in the coming crisis. Prof. Moton, moved by a spirit of diplomacy as well as by a spirit of patriotism, replied with a letter pledging the loyalty of the Colored American and at the same time calling the President’s atten tion to the numerous wrongs suffer ed by our people in the south and asking for some word of promise of reform. The following was the President’s reply: White House, Washington, D. C. March 16th, 1917. My dear Principal Moton: Accept my warm thanks for your kind letter of the fifteenth of March and allow me to tell you how deeply I appreciate your generous assur ances. (Signed) Woodrow Wilson. And then the white American won ders why it is that the Colored American isn’t yelling himself hoarse for the President and abusing Ger many from the housetops. THROWS A MONKEY WRENCH IN THE WORKS In the Omaha Daily News of last Sunday the editor makes a spread eagle editorial over the fact that Judah Wulfsen, student of the Oma ha University, answered Ivan Nar odny, the famous Russian in this country who wants to organize a Russian-American regiment. Quoth Judah, “America is the great melt ing pot of the 'world. When we come here we become Americans. I am willing to fight for Uncle Sam, if necessary, but I would rather fight in the ranks with other Americans. Let us all be Americans and fight together.” “Hot stuff,” scribbles the editor. “Fine old American dope and good enough for me. Hurrah!” “Yes,” concludes The Monitor, “the American spirit is big enough to take in every nationality but when some one says ‘Negro,’ it comes to a dead stop. It hurls a monkey wrench in the machinery. CLEAN UP Saturday is Clean Up Day, And Parks will haul your trash away On a great big city auto dray. So get ready for the fray; Line up all in fine array And make an elegant display Of old tin cans and ashes gray (The last he will not haul away On the city’s auto dray). And yet to avoid dismay This our noble Mayor doth say: “No trash on our streets may stay, Or rubbish on our streets may lay— (North Twenty-first alone excepted, Where rights of rubbish are respect ed)— After Saturday, Clean Up Day.” Get broom and rake and fountain spray, And clean and wash the dirt away, And make Omaha the place to stay For all who love to work and play. Get busy, then, for Clean Up Day! SKITS OF SOLOMON City Cardens. A city garden is a spot two by four cultivated in the spring with imag ination and a few seeds and harvest ed in the fall with regrets and a small sized lard bucket. When a farmer plants his garden he esti mates that his rows of beans will buy a pair of overalls, his plot of lettuce a pair of gloves, and his area of rad ishes a new Bulgarian necktie. But when a city man or woman begins planting the spot 2x4, he or she sends for a catalogue and begins looking over the new models in $7,000 autos and $25,000 bungalows in the orange groveries west of the Sierras. The farmer usually realizes his ambition while the city chap realizes that he has done a million dollars’ worth of work for a dime. The first thing he did was to catch cold digging; secondly, spend several dollars ot good coin of the realm for seeds that wouldn’t grow; thirdly, break his spine in two juggling with the rake and hoe; fourthly, developing eye strain from hunting for sprouts; fifthly, burning up his skin fighting bugs, chickens and dogs in the hot summer sun; sixthly, losing a whole day's pay in order to harvest his crops; seventhly, starving himself to death by trying to make his year’s crop feed him and his for one meal. Lastly, he develops sore throat from swearing that he’ll never plant an other seed the longest day he lives. But he doesn’t mean it. Next year he will do the same thing all over again. He will have the same hopes and the same disappointments. That’s life. Obvious Observations _ ■ ■ - Under the defense of the realm act President Wilson has the power to name the maximum prices of food stuffs. We know the President is a very busy man but we wish he would stop long enough to hand an upper cut to the food speculators. Let’s, see. We’ve planted some beans, peas, lettuce, turnips, onions, and potatoes. If they all grow we’ll be on speaking terms with J. P. and John D. about Thanksgiving. If the British keep up their drive there won’t be much left for Amer ican troops to do but flirt with the French girls and tell them they mustn’t have anything to do with the black soldiers from Algiers. We have started to pack away our winter overcoat seven times and each time we get a mess of cold feet. We have now decided to let it hang on the peg in the closet for at least two months longer. The press reports that Allied Cab inet Members are coming across the pond to talk over the feeding of the Allies. That’s very nice and we ap prove, but we are willing to get a megaphone and start hollering, “Feed America First.” “At least two more years of war,” said Mr. Gerard, recent ambassador to Germany. “Whew! Germany sure must be some tough chicken.” If anyone ever tells you that a corpse can’t come to life, repeat to them the story of Old John Barley corn who died last November and is now alive and kicking up Cain at the Nebraska legislature. Thanking you for your undivided lethargy, we will now pay a visit to the weather man and ask him if ho has heard anything about the com ing of spring. ..1111 f 111111111111 lit 1111111111111111111111111111111■11111.111111111111111111111111111111111 I CnTrp Scrap | Paperj I for St. Philip’s Church | | Don't Burn or Throw Away Your Old I Newspapers and Magazines H GIVE THEM TO ST. PHILIP’S CHURCH | . = We Are Raising a Fund for a Special Purpose and are Offered a = = Good Price if We Can Collect a Large Quantity. E' Tie Them Up in Bundles and They Will be Called for. E I Phone Webster 4243 [ E John Albert Williams, Vicar. E 111111111111111111111111111111111111111 ■ imimiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiiiiii!