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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1918)
n=an The Monitor f^i . J i ----- /vo, : ■ A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans %, THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor \ $1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, MARCH 16, 1918 Vol. III. No. 37 (Whole No. 139) Marshall Typical College Town Seat of Wiley University anil Bishop College. Tyler Center of Fanning District. Terrell Scene of Hetty Green’s Son's Railroad Activities. MONITOR MIN'S WEEKLY LETTER Dallas, Tex., March 7, 1918. Arriving at Longview late Sunday evening, 1 was fortunate in locating a former school teacher of mine, the wife of Rev. ■ O. T. Womack, an old resident of Longview and well known in East Texas, who took special care in introducing me. After a day's work which was satisfactory, 1 left for Marshall, secured lodging near Wiley University and was up early the next morning prepared to do a good day’s work. Marshall is a typical college town and wears her honors with serene » dignity. For it fosters within its bor ders two very fine educational insti tutions. Wiley University, founded by the Freedman's Bureau, is under the direction of Prof. M. W. Dogan and J. W. Haywood, Dean, assisted by an able corps of teachers. Wiley had just suffered the loss of one of her largest buildings, the girl's dormitory, chapel and lunch room, but Dr. Dogan found time to receive the Monitor's representative and appointed one of his assistants to show me over the grounds and through the buildings and give me any information that I desired, while he tried to figure out how to make new bricks out of old ones. If any one knows the method the doctor will thank them kindly for their Information. Bishop College. Bishop College, the other institu tion of learning, was next visited. It f is supported by the Baptist Educa tional Society, and Prof. Maxon, a courteous and cultured northern white man, Is the President. Vet his assist ants are race men and women, it is a very exceptional school, having a complete college course which is up to the standard, and men and women who have been prepared at Bishop have proved to lie the equal of those graduating from northern colleges. 1 also met here a number of busi ness and professional men, who re sponded very readily to the overtures of the Monitor, and I caught the eve ning train west bound for Big Sandy, my next stop, with a goodly list of subscribers. Tyler Center Farming District. At Big Sandy I failed to do anything, so I boarded the Cotton Bolt for my next stop, Tyler, thirty mites west, which, like many of these North Texas cities, is so old people can’t just re member when if w'as built, and they are just the same today as yesterday. The people live in luxurious ease, Tor anything will grow there, and they grow everything. This is truly a farm ing district in the rich, sandy loam country. Quite a number of ruce men are engaged in business. There is also a quartette of physicians, who appear to be well eared for. Here also is located Texas College, sup ported by the C. M. E. Church, under the direction of Prof. W. R. Banks, President, with a corps of eleven as sistant teachers and an enrollment of 370 students, housed in five very fine large buildings spread out over 325 acres of the finest land in this sec tion. * Mineola Promising Industrial Center. The evening train carried me to Mineola, just 28 miles north, where I spent the night and part of next day. Mineola bids fair lo grow into an im portant industrial center, having a large box factory, also an oil mill which is running night and day, both employing race men in every depart ment. Terrell and Green. Terrell, my next stop, 54 miles west on the Texas Pacific and Texas Mid land railroads, the latter a toy the one-time richest woman In the world, Hetty Green, fought for her only son to amuse himself with; but out of it came some good for the race, for it was here in Terrell he located the headquarters In shops and employed race men in almost every capacity that he could. Terrell was the home of William (Goose Neck Bill) McDon ald, who received his start along the road of fame and fortune as the sec retary of the owner and president, Col. E. H. R. Green. Many Reputed Wealthy. Many other race men In this same community have profited from thiB same play toy and have accumulated quite a bit of wealth, Terrell claim ing the distinction of having living in and near the city more than fifty race men who can write their checks in five figures or more. I left there well impressed with Terrell and Kauffman County, and spent Saturday morning in Greenville trying to pry it open wide enough to do some busi- j ness for the Monitor, and finally suc ceeded. Hustling Denison. It being Saturday, always a hard day in a farming community, I was much relieved when the Texas Special on the M„ K. & T., north bound, moved out with me on board as a pas senger destined for Denison, where after cine hour and nineteen minutes I was set down in this bustling rail way and manufacturing town of North Texas, five miles south of the line of Oklahoma and the Ked river. Here are located cotton mills, cot '>*!» IVntcrs-Bnriihnrt Mar li —5— ton seed oil mills, compresses, rail road shops and roundhouses which employ large numbers of race men, who support a number of business of all lines ar ri a quartette of physicians, one dentist, eleven churches, five of which are of fine large brick struc tures, with two equally as fine in course of construction. Sunday was an active day for me, as 1 attended services morning and night and witnessed the organization of the Economical War Council in j the afternoon. The spirit that is be ing manifested in this community by the race in things that tend to ad vance the morale of our people is re markable and for which great praise is due professional men, ministers and the editor of its local paper, Prof. Owens of the Gate City Bulletin. From here 1 will start south again over the II. & T. C. to Houston, thence east to Louisiana. I'ntil next week, 1 am correspond ingly yours, FRED C. WILLIAMS, Traveling Representative, the Monitor A N IMPOSSIBLE EEAT TO EEI' HIS EEET Goose Creek. Texas, March 4.—Pri vate Mose Jefferson, who was honor ably discharged from the National Army at Camp Travis, San Antonio, because the Government could not find shoes big enough to fit him, is back in his little log cabin home near Goose Creek. He is sloshing around unshod, as he has been doing ever since he saw the light of day about twenty-five years ago. Mose's feet called for No. 15 shoes.: As it was an impossible feat to fit his feet with the largest regulation size' army shoes, and as it is necessary to conserve leather, this gentleman of megapedic distinction was honorably discharged. SPECIAL HOME OWNERS’ EDITION It is proposed to issue a sixteen page illustrated Home Owners’ edition early in April. Photographs of homes were slow coming in and so getting out of this edition was postponed un til April. Send in photographs of your home for this special edition. STOPPING BOOTLEGGING AMONG THE HOEOIERS Houston, Texas, March 15.- A step toward stopping bootlegging among soldiers in training near Houston was taken recently when the voters of the city adopted an ordinance putting out of business more than three hundred ward saloons. A total of 9,477 votes was east and the majority for the ordinance was 2,417. The vote stood 5,947 for and 3,530 against the meas ure, THE NEW CRUSADE To Save Life In Armenia Where Thousands Are Perishing With Hunger While You Have Bread Enough and io Spare. l)o you hear the children crying In the Armenian land? | Hy thousands they are dying, For food—and none at hand. We must not let them perish; We will not let them die; We’ll gladly help and nourish And still the children’s cry! COLORED SOLDIERS URGED TO INSURE W ISELY PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILIES AND DEPENDENTS Emmett .!. Scott, Special Assistant to Secretary of War, Urges War Risk Insurance—Time Limit Extended to April 12, I ills. Washington. D. C.—Mr. Emmett J. Scott, who, as Special Assistant to the Secretary of War, is looking after the interests of colored soldiers and colored people generally during the present war, has issued the following statement which is a real human mes sage of vital importance to the fam ilies and dependents of colored sol diers and sailors now serving in the Army or the Navy of the United States. "In addition to thousands of col ored soldiers," said Mr. Scott this week, "who are enliBted in the Regu lar Army and National Guard, thou sands of other colored men have been drafted under the Selective Service Law and have been taken away from their families for the purpose of serv ing their Country in this period of na tional emergency and need. Further, Mr. Scott writes: "As a measure of justice to the men who have been called to give their lives, if need be, in the service of their Country, the Congress of the United States has enacted the War Insurance Law (sometimes called the Soldiers' and Sailors’ Insurance Act), which pro vides for the care and support of the wife and children of the enlisted or drafted man during his service in the Army or Navy, and compels him to contribute up lo at least one-half of Ills pay for their support.” “The first obligation of every citi zen is to his country, but there re mains a duty second only to that pri mary duty, namely, a man's duty to protect his family and himself from any eventualities of the war. The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Insurance Act makes it possible for the soldier and sailor so to provide that, no matter what may come, he may be assured that his loved ones at home will never become the objects of charity.” Uompiilsor) Allotment. “The law says the first thing that a soldier must do is to contribute in fair measure to the support of his wife and children. When he gets into a camp or a cantonment he must an swer truthfully whether he has a wife, children, or divorced wife who is en titled to alimony under a decree of court, and if he has any of these three the Government will make what is called a “eornpulson allotment,” or what perhaps might better be called a deduction from his pay, anil this monthly deduction will be made by the Government whether lie wills it or not. \ soldier must allot to Ills wife anil children at least $15 a month. That is the minimum. This compul sory allotment, however, applies only to the wife and children and to the divorced wife, if the soldier chooses, he may make a voluntary allotment for the support of his mother, father, brother, sister, or other dependent. But he may be compelled to give more than $15 toward his family’s support. That depends upon his pay, and depends upon the size of his fam ily and the extra amount that the Government gives uh an "allowance.” Government Allowance. "The amount that the Government gives, known as the ‘allowance,’ is fixed in the law, and this monthly 'allowance' is generously contributed by the Government each month in ad dition to the soldier’s 'compulsory al lotment,’ which is deducted each month out of his wages. The Gov ernment’s monthly ‘allowance’ is $15 for a wife alone, $25 for a wife and one child; $32.50 for a wife and two children, and $5 for each additional child, provided that the greatest or maximum amount allowed shall not exceed $50. A man may give or allot to his family aH much of his monthly wages as he pleases over $15, but the amount which the Government adds or allows is definitely fixed in each case. “The father, mother, grandchildren, brother or sister of a soldier or sailor cannot get a government allowance unless they are actually dependent upon the man in whole or in part, and they cannot get it even then to a greater extent than he has been habit ually contributing to their support; only in case he has been contributing more than he has to allot to them can he come to the Government for the balance, and then subject to the limi tation that all the Government gives to each dependent mother or father j is $10 per month, and to each depend ent brother, sister or grandchild $5 per month. Compensation. "The ‘compensation’ feature of the law is somewhat like the present sys | teni of pensions or Workman’s Com j pensation Act. If, as a result of in juries sustained or disease contracted in the line of duty, an officer, enlisted or drafted man, or an Army or Navy nurse, should be physically disabled, provision is made for compensation of from $30 to $100 a month to him (ac I cording to rank and pay) and, should he die, compensation of from $20 to $75 a month will be paid to his wife, his child, or his widowed mother— these being the only persons entitled to receive compensation in case of death of the soldier. For a widow alone, $25 a month; widow and one child, $35 per month; widow and two children, $47.50 a month, with $5 for each additional child up to two. If there he no widow, then for one child, $20 a month; for two children, $30; for three children, $40. For a wid owed mother, $20 a month. Compen sation for a widow or widowed mother shall continue until death or remar riage; compensation to a child shall cease at the age of 18, or at marriage, unless the child is incompetent. The United States shall pay burial ex penses not to exceed $100. “Compensation in case of total or partial disability of the soldier is also provided for under this law. Claim for compensation in case of disability must be filed with the Bureau of War Risk insurance, Washington, 1). C., within five (5) years after discharge <!: resignation, or within five years after the death is officially recorded. Government War Risk Insurance. “The insurance' feature of the law is especially attractive and deserves most serious consideration and the j widest possible publicity. The insur ance offered by the United States Gov- ■ ernment means more than life insur ance to the soldier or sailor. It in sures againsl death and total perma nent disability, it is provided by the j Government for the protection of the | soldier and his family, in addition to J the soldier’s monthly allotment and ] in addition to the Government’s com pensation for the soldier's death or! disability. Every soldier ami sailor in the Army or Navy of (he United ■ States should curry a pulley of Gov ernment insurance up to the limit of $10,000, for the low cost of such a j policy will scarcely be missed from his monthly wages. This insurance j applies to injuries or death while in j the service or after he or she shall i have left it. “Exposure to the extra dangers of war makes the cost of life insurance In private insurance companies pro hibitive. it was, therefore, a plain ! duty and obligation for the Govern ment to assume the risk of insuring j hundreds of thousands of our soldiers who arc making the supreme sacri fice. Under this law, every soldier and sailor and nurse now in the serv ice, commissioned, enlisted or drafted, and of any age, has the right, between now iiml April 12, 11(18, to take out life and total disability insurance up to $10,000 at very low cost, with the Government, and without medical ex amination. Those hereafter enlisted or drafted can take out War Risk In- j surance within 120 days after enlist- | ment, etc." Colored soldiers and sailors, don't miss this royal opportunity. The families ami dependents of col ored soldiers should write at once and urge colored soldiers and sailors to take out War Risk (Government) In surance before II Is too late. The lime limit lias been extended to April 12, 11)18, in order lo give all men in the service a fair opportunity to pro tect themselves and tdieir families. The cost ranges from 65 cents month ly, at the age of 21, to only $1.20 monthly, at the age of 51, for each $1,000 worth of insurance, or only $6.50 per month for a $10,000 policy at the age of 21 years. This is a small charge on a man's pay—small in pro portion to the benefits it may bring. The premiums will be deducted from his pay, if he desires, thus eliminating (Continued on Page 4) STOPS SEGREGATION IN DELAWARE COURT Wilmington, Del.—For a long time it has been the custom to segregate white and colored persons who visited the several courts in the city, the col ored people sitting on one side and whites on the other. John 0. Hopkins, the only colored representative in the council, introduced a resolution in the City Council looking to the breaking up of this old custom, and was suc cessful in having it unanimously passed. The matter was then made known to the court authorities for proper action. CANNOT BAR NEGROES FROM PUBLIC PLACES Syracuse, N. Y„ March 15.—The court of appeals has decided that a Negro may not be barred from a pub lic dance hall, bath house, or restau rant maintained by a railroad corpo ration. any more than he could be barred from being a passenger on one of its trains or cars. The decision, with an opinion by Judge Chase, was handed down recently in the case of Carroll H. Johnson against the Au burn & Syracuse Electric Railroad. Southern Leaders Are Fully Aroused Leading White Citizens of Nashville Korin Law and Order League to Combat Lynching* and for the Se curing of Justice for All Men. M ill Incorporate a* a Permanent Body Nashville, Tenn., March 1.—Sunday | afternoon, February 24, at Wilson j Auditorium of the V. M. C. A., Nash-!, ville, Tenn., there was organized by j leading white citizens a Law and Or- j der League for the suppression of j lynch law. The meeting of the 24th followed a preliminary meeting of February 17th, when a committee of seven, consisting of Dr. Bdwfi) Mims. J chairman; Judge George N. Tillman, | Dr. Cary B. Morgan, C. A. Craig, Bruce j' It. Payne, P. D. Madden and Lee J. [ Liventhal, was appointed to draft j, resolutions and to submit a plan of i. action to the meeting of the 24th. The I meeting on the 24th was called to:: order by Chancellor J, H. Kirkland, of Vanderbilt University, who nominated Judge George N. Tillman as chairman j of the meeting. The meeting was at- ' tended, according to the Nashville j' Banner of the 25th, which contains a ; full account of thfe proceedings, by the |1 foremost men in education, business j and professional life of Nashville, in-j1 eluding Judge Samuel Cole Williams 1 of the Supreme Court, Mayor Gupton i1 of Nashville, and many others. The '1 resolutions adopted occupied nearly three columns in the Nashville Banner of February 25th, and are signed by ] ninety-six leading citizens of Nash ville. The Law and Order League Is to be ; incorporated as a general welfare corporation, the specific purposes of j the corporation being outlined as fol- [ lows: “The organization shall be known as j the Law and Order League. "The objects of the league shall bo 1 to bring about a campaign of educa tion and by all other lawful means, j the development of a sound public j sentiment that will lead to the prompt and certain enforcement of existing j laws for the prevention and punish-1 ment of crime. “To aid in the preparation and enactment of whatever new laws may be necessary for securing early and effective punishment of crime and the maintenance of law and order. “To create and arouse a more active public sentiment in the young and old in favor of enforcement of law and to combat the evils of lawlessness. “To cultivate a spirit of higher re- ■ spect for the majesty of the law, for the officers by whom and the agen cies by which it is administered, and ; to uphold the officers of the law in the performance of their duties. “To hold public meetings, prepare and distribute literature, provide lec tures, and to urge the pulpit, press and schools to stress the necessity for the suppression of crime and the maintenance of law and order, to the end that mob violence and at least the more serious crimes shall be con demned by public sentiment and cer tainly punished by the established processes of the law. "The activities of this league shall be absolutely non-political—except in the direct advancement of the objects of its organization.” Community House For Negro Soldiers Much Needed Building to be Erected by Fund Contributed by Civilians in Camp Funston National Army District. Omaha Organizing for Drive. It is proposed to erect a Community House for the Colored soldiers (at Camp Funston, costing with equip ment $20,000. This money is to be provided by the Colored people of the Camp Funston National Army Dis trict. A Community House at a training camp is a place in which the soldiers may meet their wives, mothers, sis ters and other female relatives and friends; where games may be pro vided and other entertainment and recreation may be had. Such places are provided not by the government but by money donated for this pur pose by civilian friends of the sol diers. Under date of February 15, in re ply to a communication addressed by the Editor of the Monitor, who was asked to act as chairman of our local committee, to Major Ballou, Captain Sam Bucklew, Activity Officer of the 02nd Division, to whom the letter was referred, writes: “It is very important that this house be built at once, so that the soldier may enjoy Ks privileges while he is in his own country. I have tried to interest the Colored soldiers’ friends in the importance of this move, and we are now ready to begin building, just as soon as we get the money to buy material.” When Fred Dabney, representative of W. C. Hueston of Kansas City, chairman of the general committee was in Omaha, an effort was made to form a strong local central commit tee to push the campaign for funds here. Several persons who were asked to serve declined; but the following per sons consented to act: Rev. John Al bert Williams, Rev. W. F. Botts, Rev. G. G. Logan, Rev. W. C. Williams, Rev. T. A. Taggart, Dr. L. E. Britt, J. H. Broomfield, W. H. Robinson, imos P. Scruggs, James A. Clark, Al en Jones, J. C. Belcher, A. H. Har rold, Sergt. Bradley, Joseph Lacour. W. Seals, Mrs. W. S. Metcalfe anil Mrs. J. Alice Stewart. The Editor of the Monitor wad chosen chairman, Amos P. Scruggs, vice-chairman; W. H. Robinson, sec retary, and J. H. Broomfield, treas arer. This committee hopes to enlist sev eral others who will be responsible for delivering and collecting the coin ■ards which have been provided by the Comfort and Welfare Committee. I’hese coin cards hold 50 cents. A systematic effort will be made to place one of these cards in the hands of every Colored wage earner in Om aha. Each person who is earning wages is asked to give the sum of 50 cents which he will place in this coin-card writing his name and ad dress on the same and giving it to the person delivering it to him, whose name also appears on the card. The money so collected will be turned over to the local treasurer, who after the dose of the campaign, will remit the amount raised to the Traders’ National Bank, Kansas City, which is the cus todian of the fund. Thd campaign for Omaha’s share of this fund will begin March 21st and end April 2nd. Let everybody give. Atchison, Kansas, has contributed $1,400 for this fund. How much will Omaha give? PROTECTING PUBLIC FROM OVERCHARGES Washington, March 15.—The Fed eral Food Administrators in the va rious states are lending their aid to ward publishing fair current prices of staple foodstuffs, thus helping to pro tect the public from being over charged. All dealers found over charging will be vigorously prosecut ed. Purchasers are asked to report all such cases personally experienced to the Food Administrator of their state. Tl'SKEGEE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL REMEMBERED New York, March 15.—Gen. Horace W. Carpenter, lawyer, who died re cently leaving an estate estimated at $3,500,000, left a legacy of $30,000 to Tuskegee Institute for the Booker Washington Memorial. Columbia Uni versity and Barnard College receive bequests of more than one million dollars each.