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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1918)
pe~i The Monitor nun 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. JUNE 8, 1918 Vol. III. \ . 49 (Whole No. 153) DIVINITY SCHOOL WILL BECOME HOSPITAL v, _ Philadelphia Property to Be Listed For Use of Convalescent Soldiers. Philadelphia, May 29.—Property of the Philadelphia Divinity school of the Episcopal church at Fiftieth street and Woodland avenue has been sold and will be used as a hospital for con valescent race soldiers. This announcement was made re cently by Dean Heffern at the fifty third annual commencement of the school, which was held in the Church of the Atonement at Forty-seventh street and Kingsessing avenue. Eventually the school will build on the site of the old Clark mansion at Forty-third and Spruce streets. In the meantime they will hold classes in o'd St. Andrew's church, on Eighth street above Spruce. The divinity school is being pur chased by several Colored patriotic so cieties and was originated by the Mercy hospital, a Colored institution at Seventeenth and Fitzwater streets, after which the new hospital will get its name Mercy Hospital for Negro Soldiers and Officers. Already $10, 000 has been paid down for the build ings and a campaign has been started to raise the full amount of $120,000. “GIVE DEMOCRACY TO NEGRO,” SAYS DAILY Bridgeport, Conn.—In a strong de nunciation against mob law, declaring that such a detestable practice must come to an end, the Bridgeport Tele gram, one of the most influential dailies in Connecticut, under the cap tion, "Democracy Safe For Negro,” says: “Two hundred and twenty-two Ne groes were executed outside the law last year for*c rimes both alleged and /< proven. The lynching of one lone man of German birth awakened the nation to the horrors of lynch law and pro voked the government to action against those responsible. “But the lynching and burning of helpless citizens whose patriotism has never been doubted and whose ances tors, although brought to this nation as slaves, fought in the battles of the nation in ’61, '98 and in the present war, goes on from bad to worse. “The subject of Negro lynching is getting bigger than the indifference ; which would ignore it. In thirty years nearly 2,000 American Colored men and women and children have been butchered in almost every conceivable j form by the lynchers of America. “If these columns were to give in j -v - uetail the incidents of the most casual lynching of today, say the lynching and burning in a Tex:>s town a few weeks ago, such details would sicken us all. They are too fearful and re volting to be told. We would scarcely believe them of the German. Yet they are true, and are recorded in the daily papers of the section in which they occur. “The detestable, un-American prac tice must come to an end. It is not the true American who b dulges in Mi is sort of race prejudice, but the rabble part. "In this day of sacrifice for democ racy every citizen ought to be awake to the need of democracy within our own borders toward the black man. Public opinion will do more than a thousand laws to bring the people of the South and Southwest to their senses in this matter.” WASHINGTON BEE ASKS — - PERPLEXING QUESTION Washington, May 28.—"Will Color ed speakers, who have accepted the government’s invitation to present the war aims of the country, be subjected to the inconveniences of jim-crow cars when traveling through the South to make speeches?” That is the ques tion the Washington Bee propounded to Hon. William G. McAdoo, in charge of the railroads, now that they are under government control. The Bee, in its editorial, advised Mr. McAdoo that since these men would be per forming a patriotic duty to their coun try in its war for world democracy, it would be unfair to force upon them inferior jim-crow railroad accommo dations. Although Mr. McAdoo has not indicated his policy to be pursued with respect to discriminating against Colored speakers and Colored soldiers on Southern railroads, a hope is en tertained that he will see the incon sistency of discriminating against pa triots in view of the fact that Presi dent Wilson so well said that “we en tered this war to make the world safe for democracy.” Omaha Negroes, Both Men and Women, Are Playing an Important Part In War Activities; They Boast “Never Was a Negro Traitor” Jlfivgi ^ Johnson « \_I Lieut £PlLJi'ilLngs worth E. W. Killingsworth is a Sergeant Major, and not a Lieutenant yet. The women in this group, reading from left to right, are: Back row—Mrs. P. W. Sawyer, Mrs. Jas. G. Jewell, Mrs. Isaac Bailey, Mrs. E. F. West, Mrs. Joe Brown, Mrs. W. W. Peebles, Mrs. J. F. Smith, Mrs. C. H. Hicks. Front row—Mrs. Nate Hunter, Mrs. Geo. P. Johnson, Mrs. Edward Turner, Mrs. Luther Dillard,. Children—Virgil Johnson, “Bill” Peebles and Elaine Smith. By MABEL Gl DM l NOSEN In the Omaha Bee The spirit of democracy knows neither race nor color. No people in the world are fighting more bravely for the principles of lib erty than the Negro soldiers of Amer ica and the race in Omaha is setting a fast pace in war work. The Negro soldiers are holding their sector of the line “over there” with a courage that bodes trouble for the German cause. The race that won the day for the Americans at El Caney arid San Juan are living up to their reputation for bravery in battle. As a fighting man the Negro soldier stands high. The boast, “There never was a Negro traitor,” goes unchallenged, for the military annals of the race are un smirched by a story of treason. While their men folks are fighting the women are busy with the many works of mercy which war makes for women. Omaha Negro women have a Bed Cross auxiliary which has made hundreds of garments for use in hos pitals. They meet every Tuesday afternoon at the Negro Woman’s Christian Home, Thirtieth and Pink ney- streets. The officers include: Mrs. I. Bailey, president; Mrs. J. Brown, secretary; Mrs. George John son, treasurer. Five - year - old Virgil Johnson, 'mi u * Lieut. Craig L^forris Sg/.C/jrrer <DYor>pis —Courtesy of the Omaha Bee. (laughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Johnson, 2816 I’ratt street, is the club’s mascot. She has never missed a meeting and the women declare she is a real help. She is an accomplished knitter and, if the war continues until winter, many a big Negro soldier will bless the work of her tiny fingers as he wraps a warm muffler about his swarthy neck. Two of the women shown in the picture have husbands serving as offi cers in the United States army. Mrs. W. W. Peebles is the wife of Captain Peebles, stationed at Camp Dix, New Jersey, and awaiting overseas orders. The 7-year-old boy is William, jr. He •saluted proudly and explained, “My daddy is n captain." Mrs. Edward Turner’s husband. Lieutenant Turner, is stationed at Camp Dodge. He was bom in Omaha and is a graduate of the Omaha High school. Other Negro officers from Omaha include Lieuetnants Will N. Johnson, Amos Madison and Andrew Iteed, sta tioned at Camp Funston, Kan., and Lieutenants John Bundrandt and H. J. Pinkett at Camp Dodge, la. Dr. Craig Morris, dentist, has been commissioned a first lieutenant in the medical corps of the army. His broth er, Sergeant Elmer Morris, has been .ransferred from Camp Funston, Kan sas, to the fourth officers’ training camp at Camp Dodge, la. Both are graduates of the Omaha High school and of the Creighton university. Elmer owned a drug store at Twenty fourth and Parker streets, which he sold when he entered the service. Sergeant E. W. Killingsworth, part owner of a barber shop at 2416 North Twenty-fourth street, has been ap pointed to the fourth officers’ training camp at Camp Dodge. Sergeant Leo T. Crockett of Omaha I nd Private Robert Smith of Nebras ka City are “over there” in the first line trenches with Colonel Wtlliam Hayward’s regiment, the old Fifteenth New York Ethiopians, now the 860th United States infantry. Word from Colonel Hayward recently praised the bravery of the men and said: “Thev are in the highest spirits; even the lame and the sick men beg to be al lowed to go into the first line trenches.” Press dispatches tell the story of two Negro Sammies, both wounded, who withstood a raiding party of twenty Germans and saved their com rades from surprise and capture. Omaha Negroes have purchased thousands of dollars worth of Liberty bonds and thrift stamps; more than 2,000 Negro homes are 100 per cent in Red Cross membership, and all have given generously to the second Red Cross fund. Practically all the Negro porters and waiters in Omaha donated a day’s pay to the fund. The Negro band, under the leadership of DanDesdunes, has played without pay at scores of patriotic programs. » . FIGHTING ANCESTRY OF NEGRO SHOWS HIM AN ACE WHEN IT COMES TO WAR As a fighting man the Negro soldier is ace high. Trace his ancestry: “Hannibal, greatest of tac ticians, Hi the war between Car thage and Rome; I/Ouverture in the Haitian rebellion against the mighty Napoleon; Attucks, as the first casualty in America’s first battle on Boston Common; black sailors with Perry on Lake Erie; Black Sampson at Brandy wine; Peter Salem at Bunker Hill; the Ninth and Tenth cav alry at El Caney and San Juan in Cuba.”—The Outlook. Quarter Thousand Victims of Mobs The National Association For the Ad vancement of Colored People Pro tests Recent Moh Murder in Hunts ville, Texas, by Which a Whole Family Was Plotted Out. SENDS APPEAL TO GOVERNOR Sixteen Colored Americans Lynched in Texas Alone Within Past Few Months and Nothing Done to Bring Mobocrats to Justice. NEW YORK, June 3.—The Nation al Association for the Advance ment of Colored People, through its secretary, John R. Shillady, makes public a telegram sent yesterday to Governor W. P. Hobby of Texas, pro testing against the lynching of Mrs. Sarah Cabiness and her five sons at Huntsville, Tex., and the fatal wound ing of her daughter on June 1, as the result of an altercation between a white man and George Cabiness. Mr. Shillady calls the attention of the gov ernor to the fact that sixteen Negroes have been lynched in the state of Texas alone since America entered the war, and pointedly asks the gov ernor concerning his action in bring ing to justice the murderers of the six Negroes. At a time when 157,000 Ne groes are offering their lives for the preservation of the ideals of democ racy, the association wishes to know if the Negroes of Texas are to be given their share of the democracy for which they are fighting. The telegram follows: June 3, 1918. Hon. W. P. Hobby, Governor, Austin, Texas: Press dispatches in New York papers June 1 state that Mrs. Sarah Cabiness, a Colored woman, and her five sons were shot to death by a mob at Huntsville, Tex., on June 1 and her daughter fatally wounded, because of altercation between a white man and George Cabiness. In the name of its 125 branches, with over 30,000 mem bers of both races, as well as all other justice-loving people of our country, the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People protests in the strongest terms against this outrage and urges you to use every power at your command to bring the perpetrators to justice. Two hundred and forty-seven Negroes have been victims of mob violence since the United States entered the war. Six teen of this number have been lynched in the state of Texas alone. At a time when 157,000 Negroes are in France or preparing to go, offering their lives for the preservation of our coun try, it behooves Texas to do every thing through its officials to stamp out mob violence. The laws of Texas, are adequate to punish all offenders against them. Lynching is a cencer ous growth upon the body politic and unless checked will spread as it has done during the orgy of bloodshed in your state and in Georgia during the past two weeks. Is Texas going to uphold her laws in this present crisis? JOHN R. SHILLADY, Secretary, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. THE MOB SPIRIT Washington, May 24.—Charles W. Walker (white) of New Orleans, in commenting upon Representative Dwyer’s bill to make lynching a fed eral crime, had this to soy: “The bill might not pass at this time, but the time will come when such a bill will be a law. In common with all advo <ates of state rights I regret it is necessary to take such steps, but it is plain that the state has failed to fer ret out persons responsible for lynrh ings. Looking back over such out rages as have occurred in the last five ; ears, I do not recall a single case where any member of the mob has poid the penalty for taking the law in 1 is own hand.” R.-iCE RIOTS LAID AT DOOR OF SPIES Men Say Germans Caused Lynching After Georgia Murder. Valdosta, Ga., May 23.—The lynch ing of four men near here for the murder of Hampton Smith last week, assumed a new angle today when some of the best known men in the community declared to have reported to their employers that .German agents had been trying to bring about trouble between the races. While officials were reluctant to be lieve that German propaganda had any direct association with the assas sination of Smith, the informers stated, according to information ob tainable tonight, that the pro-Ger mans had, in addition to their efforts to create trouble between white per sons and Negroes, been actively try ing to cripple farming operations. C A N D I D A T E S FOR OFFICERS IN ARTILLERY Twenty-One Colored Soldiers Trans ferred From Meade to Camp Dodge. Camp Meade, Md., May 27.—Color ed candidates for commissions in the artillery section of the fourth officers’ training school here are to be with-> drawn and sent to the school for of ficers at Camp Dodge, Iowa, head quarters of the Ninety-second division of the national army. At the third school the Colored men were trained with the white candidates. A list of twenty-one names of men transferred • rom the school here to Camp Dodge was announced today by Brigadier General W. J. Nicholson, the acting division commander. HIGH SCHOOL HAS EIGHT THRIFT STAMP CLUBS Shreveport, La., May 29.—The Col ored Central High school, one of the largest race schools in the city, has been organized into eight thrift stamp societies for work during the summer. K. E. Brown and his faculty are urg ing these societies to hold the school up to “100 per cent efficiency” in the stamp drive, and ask that while the stamp drive is on that no let-up be permitted in the sale of Liberty bonds and donations to the Red Cross. According to the teachers and pupils, the school “needs to help in the war program because many of ths pupils and teachers have relatives at the front.” S. D. Smith, a member of the High school, is now “somewhere in France.” NEGRO VILLAGE IS EXTREMELY PATRIOTIC Kansas City, Mo.—Calhoun, Ok'a., a mining town of 1,500, mostly Ne groes, is about as patriotic as they make them. It has bought $16,000 in ll ird Liberty loan bonds. This is the word that Mrs. W. H. Hollis of Cal houn, who is visiting her son, Dr. L. T. Hollis of 2827 Charlotte street, brings to Kansas City. Calhoun has been a frequent and generous contributor to the smokes for soldiers’ fund, and has given free ly to the Red Cross and other war funds. PLAN COLORED NURSERIES Chicago.—Mrs. Julius Rosenwald, Miss Mary ltozet Smith and the Eliza beth McCormick memorial fund are among the donors of large sums to the fund for the establishment in Chi cago of day nurseries for Colored children, just announced by a special committee of the board of directors of the Chicago Day Nursery association, of which Mrs. E. C. Dudley is presi dent. FORTY THOUSAND ARE CALLED TO THE COLORS Washington, June 5.—Orders for the mobilization of 40,000 Negro draft registrants qualified for general mili tary service to entrain from June 20 to 25 were sent out today by Provost Marshal General Crowder. The regis trants will come from twenty states. ANOTHER LYNCHED BY GEORGIA MOB Cordele, Ga., May 27.—James Cobb was taken out of the jail here last week and taken to the scene of an al leged crime and hanged. After the execution it is said that the body was literally shot to pieces.