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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1918)
r=n The Monitor n==n . |L_ _ A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor %, _ <S> $1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FEBRUARY 16, 1918 Vol. III. No. 33 (Whole No. 136) A Message of Encouragement “One's Own Freedom Is Safest When That of Others is Equally Safe," Says Secretary of War Baker, in letter to Chicago Branch of Na- j tional Security League. Washington, D. C.—Secretary of War Newton D. Baker has written the 1 following letter to be read at a mass j meeting to be held in the Coliseum, j Chicago, 111., on February 12 (Lin- ; coin’s birthday), under the auspices of the National Security league, with the co-operation of representative Colored citizens of Chicago: War Department, Washington, D. C., Feb. 6. National Security League, Chicago Branch; Mr. H. H. Merrick, Presi dent; Mr. Edgar A. Bancroft, Chair man Exectuive Committee. On Behalf of the Colored People: Rev. Dr. A. J. Carey, Dr. George C. Hall, Rev. W. D. Cook, Rev. N. J. Mc Cracken, Major R. R. Jackson, Mr. Morris Lewis. Gentlemen—I am in receipt of you: j telegram inviting me to be present and to deliver the principal address at a mass meeting to be held at the Coli seum in Chicago on the afternoon of February 12, 1918, under the auspices of the Chicago branch of the National Security league in connection with the representatives and leader? of the pa triotic Colored citizens of your com munity. As stated to you in the telegraphic reply which Mr. Emmet J. Scott, my special assistant, forwarded to you at my instance and request, I sincerely wish it were possible for me to be present on the occasion referred to, for j I would then have a splendid oppor- j tunity to tell of the fine spirit with j which the great test of the quality of America is being met by the Colored people of our country. But the pres sure of my official duties here com pels me to forego this pleasure. I wish, however, in view of my cn- j forced absence to send, especially to the Colored Americans of your com munity and elsewhere, just a few words of encouragement and confi- j dence. * In our reserve officers’ training camp, recently held at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, representative young Colored men presented themselves for training. They devoted themselves with zeal to the task and they are now I imparting to thg men under their j charge the military lessons which they j themselves learned. But more than this, they are teaching to their fellow men the principles for which America is in the war—those vital principles which are the foundation of the hopes of free people and the keystone of na tional security. ' After all, what is this thing we call “democracy” and about which we hear so much nowadays? Surely it is no catch-phrase or abstraction. It is demonstrating too much vitality for that. It is no social distinction 'or privi lege of the few, for were it that it could not W'in the hearts of peoples and make them willing to die for its estab lishment. But it is, it seems to me, a hope as wide as the human race, in volving men everywhere—a hope which permits each of us to look for ward to a time when not only we but others will have our respective rights, founded in the generosity of nature and protected by a system of justice which will adjust its apparent con flicts. Under such a hope nations will , do justice to nations, and men to men. j Nor can I believe that this democracy [ will be attained as a finished and com plete thing, but rather with increased education and knowledge its applica tion will enlarge and new meanings be discovered in it. It is not the phil- j osophy of disorder, but of progressive j order; not the doctrine of restraint by force, but rather of self-restraint im posed by men who realize that one’s [ own freedom is safest when that of others is equally safe. In a most encouraging degree it is being regarded by Colored civilians throughout the country as a privilege and as a duty to give liberally of their substance, of their time, of their tal ents, of their energy, of their influence and in every way possible to contrib ute toward the comfort and success of our fighting units and those of our allies across the seas. The Colored men who were subject to draft are to be commended upon their promptness and eagerness in registering their names for service in the national army, and likewise men tion is rr.sde of the relatively low per centage of exemption claims filed by them. Those in the service of their | country, I am sure, will prove faithful and efficient and will uphold the tra ditions of their race. It is, indeed, most fitting that you should hold your patriotic meeting on the day set apart in honor of the birth j of Abraham Lincoln, whose name is synonymous with freedom and true democracy. Hoping that your meeting and all of I your worthy efforts may be crowned with success, I am cordially yours, (Signed) NEWTON D. BAKER, Secretary of War. {QUALIFIES AS AVIATION MACHINIST Dallas, Tex., Feh. 15.—Oscar B. Polk has successfully passed the required examination and has been assigned to j the United States naval station at Key West, Fla., as an aviation machinist. He took his trial fight under the tutor ship of Pilot G. I. White, the son of Stanford White of the notorious Thaw White case. , , „ - - Will Employ Colored Labor The Federal Department of Labor Makes Preparation to Import Citi zens from the Virgin Islands and Porto Rico to Supply Demand for Workmen. Washington, D. C., Feb. 15.—The most important statement recently is sued in regard to the situation of black labor in the United States is that given out which has put a final quietus to the rumor that 500,000 Chinese labor : ers were to be brought here for farm and railroad work. Arrangements for the early trans ; portation of 50,000 common laborers to the United States from Porto Rico i are being made by the employment service of the Department of Labor. As soon as tonnage is available 60,000 others will be brought from Porto Rico jaud the Virgin Islands, sufficient, the department announced Monday, to j take care of any shortage in the do mestic supply of railroad and agricul-i j tural workers. Director General McAdoo has asked the employment service to assist in supplying the railroads with labor for maintenance and shop work. The first men imported will be sent to the south and southwest for railroad work with j the understanding that they will be re ' leased for farm service during the j press of the agricultural season. F. C. Roberts, special agent of the department, will leave for Porto Rico next week to arrange transportation, registration of the men having been completed some time ago. Louis F. Post, assistant secretary of labor, asserted today that all require ments for common labor can be met by proper distribution of the domestic supply and by the use of American citizens from Porto Rico and the Vir gin Islands. He condemned agitation for importation of Chinese and Mexi cans its “unnecessary and prejudicial.” MILLENIUM IIRAWETH NIGH _ Bastrop, Tex., Feb. 8.—There were ! five convictions in the district court the past week, all for burglary, all white men. Not a Negro was convict ed at this term of court in Bastrop county. NOBLE M. JOHNSON STARS NEW SERIAL -• Famous Colored Movie Star Has Heavy Part in “The Bullseye,” the Greatest Serial Photoplay Yet Pro duced. Universal City, Cal., Feb. 7.—For I the first time in the-history of the film industry a race actor is to be featured l in the greatest serial photoplay yet I produced, “The Bullseye,” produced by the Universal Film company, featur ! ing the noted Eddie Polo. Noble M. Johnson, the only recog ' nized race actor among the leading companies, has been chosen from among thousands at Universal City as the leading heavy in support to the furious, fighting Eddie Polo. Mr. John son’s recognition as an actor of ability has only been won through hard, per sistent efforts, and his rise from an “extra” with the Lubin company, three years ago, to the leading male support of a famous star in the largest film company in the world is a record that not only he but the race may well be proud of. Mr. Johnson has won his reputation as a race man, being known as such and recognized as such in spite of existing circumstances. Independence Heights Is a Colored Community Has the Commission Form of Government; Was Set Apart as a Municipality Three Years Ago; Has a Population of Seven Hundred. BY FRED C. WILLIAMS. It is not generally known that Texas boasts a municipality which is governed exclusively by members of the Colored race. The city of Inde pendence Heights, with a population of about 700, has this proud distinc tion. It was set apart as a self-govern ing municipality in January, 1915, and entered upon its first fiscal year February 1, 1915. It was launched as an experiment to prove the Color ed citizen’s ability to administer the affairs of government and so far has justified the movement. Has Commission Form. Independence Heights has the com mission form of government, its elec-i tive officers being a mayor and two commissioners, who constitute the - mayor and commissioners, respective ly, assisted by the heads of the specific departments. Forum of Commerce. Larger cities may have their Com merc ai clubs and Chambers of Com merce, but Independence Heights shows its progressiveness by having its Forum of. Commerce, the object of which is to promote business enter prises after the pattern and by the methods employed by Chambers of Commerce. Business Enterprises. And Independence Heights has its business enterprises. Among its mer chants are G. A. Allen, A. D. Sterritt, William Cummings and S. A. Brant ley, who enjoy a liberal patronage. Here is also located the Beacon Light <«. C). Burgess, Mayor of I independence Heights, Tex. city council, which appoints the other officers. The government is distfib uted under the following depart ments: Police, health, tax, finance and public improvement. G. O. Bur gess is mayor; C. M. Mitchell, public improvement commissioner; H. Davis, street and bridge commissioner; M. D. Lilly, tax assessor and collector; Wil liam Cummings, treasurer; G. T. Tay lor, city marshal, assisted by Police man E. J. Eldridge, and Dr. D. S. Sim I mons, superintendent of health. The public finance is appropriated to the general fund, public improve ment fund and street and bridge fund; each with the departments supporting j and being supported by the same being j under the general supervision of the — Manufacturing company, which is cap italized entirely by Colored people. Of > course such a community has a school and churches, there being three of the latter. Home Owners. A very large per cent of the inhabi I tants of Independence Heights are i home owners and others are home buy ers. Many neat homes, largely of the bungalow type, house its population. It is situated on the Trinity & Brazos I Valley railway, about six miles north east of Houston, to which it is eon | nected by a single street trolley line. The city’s present and first mayor, | G. O. Burgess, is an attorney by pro ' fessidn, who has had an extensive : practice in the Houston courts. Colored Fdk Control Millions New York’s Negro Population Has Steadily Increased Its Realty Hold ings in Spite of Handicap of Diffi- j culty in Securing Equitable Lo&ns. BY JOHN E. NAIL. New York, Feb. 7.—The Negro pop ulation of New York City for the past thirty years has, in some measure, owned real property. Back in the days when Negroes lived around Macdougal street a small amount of property was owned by various members of the race, 'which, as near as I have been able to detennine, represented about one-half million dollars. At that time the pop- j ulatkm was small—I presume 16,000 or 20,000 people would be a safe esti mate. With the northward movement, in which all peoples joined, the Negroes took up residence in and around what is now the Pennsylvania zone, and dur ing this period of their history in the city St. Philip’s P. E. church acquired property on West Twenty-fifth street; and later the Bethel A. M. E. church acquired property on the same street. Finally, here and there, a few Colored west side, but, on the whole, this has never been very promising in the way of developing. The apartments were antiquated and the section, being gen erally bad, there was never any evi dence of purchase on the part of Col ored people there, and the better ele ment took up residence in Harlem. Quite a number of Negroes went to Harlem in 1900 when white owners of properties were unable to rent to white tenants. These Colored tenants saved the day for these owners. This was the founding of the Negro section of Harlem, as it is known, and it had its start with two or three houses being opened to them on West 134th street. Finally other owners realized that through this medium it would be pos sible to keep their properties rented, and from time to time more houses were opened. The Colored people quickly realized that in Harlem they were being offered houses of a better type than they had ever occupied be fore, and it was not very long before the message was carried to their brothers in the lower districts of the city. The neighborhood today has a pop ulation of easily 1,000,000 people, and stretches from 131st street to 144th street, between Park and Eighth ave nues. It is safe to say that perhaps nowhere in the United States does a condition like this obtain. Big Holdings of Negroes. Naturally the people gradually caught the spirit of purchasing real estate, and since 1900 it is estimated by a recent census of their real estate holdings that about $20,000,000 worth of property is controlled by them. Among the big single owners St. Phil ip’s P. E. church controls about $1, 500,000 worth of realty and it is man aged exclusively by Negroes. Mme. C. J. Walker, of the Walker Manufac turing company of Indianapolis, owns easily $350,000 worth of property in this city. The rest is distributed among the population. The Negro population of the city sees the wisdom of becoming land owners and they prefer to acquire their property in a manner in w’hich no publicity is given to it. They pre fer to have their identity unknown, principally for the reason that since the mortgage lending institutions are organized in attitude against this class of property for mortgage accommoda tion, and since the mortgages are a necessity, only the courageous mem bers of the race dare acquire property. This may seem a broad statement, but it is nevertheless a fact. There is nowhere in the city of New York, where Colored owners of real estate, or white owners of Colored tenements, seeking mortgage accom modations can receive the same con sideration that owners of other proper ties receive, and wherever such mort gages are secured the owners are com pelled to accept a smaller mortgage, pay a higher rate of interest, a bigger bonus—in short, terms that are un equitable. Food Expert Goes to Washington Government to Make Experiments with Sweet Potato Products Work ed Out by Tuskegee Teacher. Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, Feb. 8.—Prof. George W. Carver, director of the Tuskegee experiment station, has just returned from Washington, D. C., where he went at the invitation of the Department of Agriculture to demonstrate the sweet potato products which he has been experimenting with successfully during the past year. Prof. Carver reports that his meet ing in Washington was most encour aging and states that it is the purpose of the government to make future ex periments with the sweet potato to as certain how some of the eighty-eight products which he has worked out may be used in connection with the nation’s war program of food economy. Concerning the dried sweet potato, one of the products which Prof. Car ver has been experimenting with, the Rural New Yorker says: “Prof. George W. Carver of Tuske gee Institute in Alabama recently sent us samples of dried sweet potatoes, the first we have ever seen. They came in excellent condition, and our people pronounced them quite equal to the fresh product when cooked. It was only necessary to soak them for a short time and then cook in the ordi nary way. These potatoes came in such excellent condition, and were so near to the fresh product, that it seems as if this preparation of the sweets ought to become a great industry. It is pos sible to produce more food from an acre of sweet potatoes than can be produced from any other crop growing in this country, and the very nature of the sweet is such that unless stored carefully it is short-lived. Some one in the south will find it possible to de velop a great business in drying and selling sweet potatoes.” WEST POINT FAR BEHIND TUSKEGEE New York, Feb. 8.—Charles Zueblin of Boston, an expert on municipal problems, addressing the Women’s City club at the Hotel Vanderbilt, ac cused the government of imitating Prussia rather than attempting to in itiate measures that would win the war. He criticised Annapolis and West Point as being “100 years behind Tus kegee,” and said that the best engi neers graduated from West Point are not permitted to stray from the archaic methods of the early nine teenth century. ORGANIZE HOME) DEFENSE LEAGUE Washington, D. C., Feb. 8.—A num ber of Colored men here have organ ized a company of the Home Defense league, to be known as the Treasury Rifle Guards. It is composed of em ployes in the treasury department un der the secretary of the treasury. Either Tips or Good Salary Dining Car Waiter Says Average Monthly Income From Patrons $75. Washington, D. C., Feb. 8.—The philosophy of tipping was expounded to an interested audience at the rail way wage hearing today by Robert I,. Mays, a dining ear waiter, who spoke for unorganized Negro employes. He said they received $25 a month wages for sixteen to eighteen hours’ daily work. When asked if they w'ould con sent to the elimination of tips and sub stitution of a higher salary, he said he believed both waiters and porters would be glad to forego tips if their pay was increased to $100 and up monthly. “Then your tips average $75 a month?” asked Mr. McChord. “Yes, on a good run. We serve pos sibly thirty persons at meals every day, the tips averaging 10 cents each, or about $90 a month. Some of the men on the big eastern lines, between here and New York, for instance, would kick on a salary of $100 and no t’ps, but the men in the west, on the long desert runs, where they have to buy their own food and get back home the best way they can, would be glad of the change.” “And what difference does the tip make in the kind of service received ?” “Absolutely none. We are not mere ly required to give good service, but our superiors see that we do give it, for any dissatisfaction means loss of patronage by the road. “I suggest a very small addition to each check—about 12 cents would care for the increase in wages. A slight ad vance in berth rates would pay the porter’s a living wage.” HAVE ANSWERED FINAL CALL Washington, D. C., Feb. 15.—Gen eral i’e'r.suing in his last report of deaths occurring in his forces “over there” included the names of Rufus Graham, Colon, Ga.; Thomas Murray, Charleston, S. C.; Aleck Cummings, Sanderville, Ga.; George H. Jones, Newport News, Va., and William A. Jones, Houston, Tex., all of the steve dore regiment, and Abraham Clausen, civilian worker of the transport work ers’ battalion. SECOND OFFICERS’ TRAINING CAMP OPENED IN PORTO RICO San Juan, P. R., Feb. 8.—A second officers’ training camp was opened here today with 100 Colored candi dates. A cantonment contract has been awarded calling for the completion of a camp by May 1, when it is expected that drafted men will be called for training. MME. WALKER MADE DIRECTOR New York, Feb. 15.—Mine. C. J. Walker and Frank H. Gilbert, amcw>g the wealthiest members of their race in this city, have joined the leading Colored clergy as directors of the Watt Gerry Holdinp company. A It M Y W ANTS COLORED MECHANICS The government wants Colored men to enlist in the technical positions of the Colored division of the army. The ordinance department is going to or ganize a mobile repair shop, or a ma chine shop on wheels, consisting of a large number of powerful motor trucks. The list of men required in cludes experts to act as superintend ents, first-class machinists and all around auto mechanics, men on small tools for saddlery, leather and canvas repair, machinist apprentices and help ers, cooks, stenographers, typists and clerks. Men who desire to come into the service for the special purpose of joining the mobile shop of the Ninety second Division (Colored) should write at once to Major P. S. Gage, division ordinance officer, Ninety-second Di vision, Camp Funston, Kansas. OFFICERS TO BE TRAINED IN TEXAS San Antonio, Tex.—A training camp for Colored officers has been opened at Camp Stanley, Leon Springs, Texas. Fifty men will be trained there, thirty four from the Twenty-fourth Infantry and sixteen from the Tenth Cavalry. The war department seems determined to keep Colored troops in the South, though it means a hardship for the Colored patriots.