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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (June 22, 1918)
The monitor A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social and religious interest* of the Colored People of Nebraska and the West, with the desire to con tribute something to the general good and upbuilding of thp community and of the race. Published Every Saturday. Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2. 1916, 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 Edltora George Wells Parker. Contributing Editor. Bert Patrick, Business Manager. Fred C. Williams, Traveling Representative SUBSCRIPTION RATES. 81.50 PER YEAR Advertising Rates, 50 cents an Inch per Issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. Telephone Webster 4243. NEW YORK SOCIALISTS CONSIS TENT. rPHE socialists of New York have J- done an unheard of thing. They have nominated three Colored men for prominent national and state offices, Congressman, State Senator and As semblyman. And the men they have selected are among the foremost and ablest men in character and ability to be found in the state. They are not professional politicians, for profes sional politicians are scarce among so cialists, but high-class, earnest men with sincere convictions on certain governmental policies. And the fun damental principles of socialism are economically and ethically sound and are influencing the trend of legisla tion today more generally than men think. Governmental control of railroads, for example, and municipal ownership of public utilities, are important fea tures of the socialistic program; and there is a tremendous trend of senti ment in this direction today, which shows whither we are tending. In our judgment, the socialist party is the coming political party in the United States. Certainly much that social ists advocate must be incorporated into the political program of the fu ture. But to return to the action of the New York socialists. Their action is thoroughly in keeping with their prin ciples, for, as we understand it. they recognize neither race nor sex as a qualification for office holding, but character and ability. In this they are many years in advance of the old line parties. George Frazier Miller, whom they have nominated for congress, is one of the foremost clergymen of New York. For more than twenty years he has been rector of St. Augustine’s church, Brooklyn, and although nat urally of a studious and retiring dis position, he like many of his breth ren, by the very force of civic and national conditions, has been thrust into the forefront of civic racial ac tivities. And he has not been found wanting. Whether he is elected or not, he desrves and will undoubtedly receive a large vote. We hope for his election; because we need rep resentatives in congress, with broad mindedness, vision, ability and moral courage, and he has these qualifica tions in an eminent degree. The men whom the socialists have nominated for the state senate and the assembly or legislature, Mr. Ran dolph and Mr. C. Owen, are like Dr. Miller, men of the highest and best type. We hope that these men may also be elected. With the strong Colored vote in the districts from which these men are chosen they ought to run well. Of course, the great majority of our people are still wedded to the re publican party, although thousands are beginnig to think differently, and it remains to be seen whether par tisanship or race pride in this case will prove the stronger. The Colored American’s almost servile and slavish devotion to the republican party may prevent his supporting even men of his own race of the highest character, ability and loyalty, if nominated by any other party. The socialist party gives the Colored American an op portunity he has long desired. Will he embrace this opportunity ? The action of the New York so cialists will force the hand of the old line parties and compel them to give the race recognition on their respe ctive tickets if they wish to retain or secure our political support. More over, it will have a far-reaching in fluence upon thousands of intelligent and thoughtful Colored Americans who are thinking hard. Thought is a great emancipator. Socialists are re sponsible for starting many men and women, too, thinking politically along other than the traditional lines. The New York socialists have shown noteworthy political wisdom. They have also shown commendable con sistency. “ONE HUNDRED PER CENT EFFICIENCY’ UNDER the above caption the St Louis Argus published in Iasi week’s issue the following forceful and timely editorial every word oi which we most heartily indorse: “One hundred per cent efficiencj of our man power is essential in th< great conflict that confronts the na tion just now. When the war brok< out in Europe four years ago, th< | country naturally was not prepared; I but we are preparing now. It is the ' duty of the nation to see that every man that is called or is subject to call, be he black or white, is given the opportunity to register 100 oar i cent in efficiency. “We are very much gratified with the statement that nearly four thou sand Negroes are soon to be selected for special training in mechanical and scientific courses, which are being of fered by the government. This is right as it should be. The Negro has made good. He has shown to the world that he is capable of mastering the sciences as other men. This is a step in the right direction on the part of the government. It should go just a step farther. Colored men will make j good gunners for our navy. It is, I however, humiliating to say, that they tnly make good “mess attendants." Too, they will make good volunteer soldiers; but, it is mortifying, when : we think of them as being “best fitted : as stevedores.” They make good in all places of trust. We venture to say that there would be less fire which destroys property valued at mil- 1 lions of dollars and hundreds of lives, if Negroes were given more places of trust. There are hundreds of ways i in which the Negro could render the nation valuable service if he were only given a chance. Why should he be kept back? Why not give the Negro ; the opportunity to register one hun dred per cent efficiency? THE TASK. _ It is reported from Washington that ; a number of Colored orators are to be sent by the government into all j parts of the country to arouse the pa- j triotism of the race for our country j and this war. It will be a gigantic task and it will take Titans to ac complish it. Not only must the speak ers be scholars, but they must be psychologists. The heart of the Col- I cred race is most certainly with our country, but it needs something more than mere words to stir the latent fires. Stirring rhetoric and vision ary pictures may suffice for the mo ment and bring forth applause, but it needs be that each man and wom an and child carry home a burden of thoughts whose subtle power will eventually convince them that their everj- effort must be expended in help ing our country on toward victory. The ammunition of these orators must be facts and not fancies They must be able to convince beyond the shadow of a doubt. The Colored man and woman feel ti is war is not their vvar. They re member the treatment of the race in south and in the north, as well, and are slow to understand why this gov ernment goes forth with the slogan. “Make the world safe for democracy,”’ and yet neglects to put its own house in order. All this must be explained and it must be explained by men of broad vision and deep sympathies: men whose hearts can harmonize with the minors as well as with the majors of present American life. These orators must have the magic to pour oil upon our wounds and to heal with the mystic witchery of words that soothe and convince. This can be done and it is our hope that it will be done, but again we say that it is task tor Titans and not for Lilliputians. DR. CHARLES C. ALLISON. JN the death of Dr. Charles C. Alli son Omaha loses not only one of her most eminent physicians and sur geons, but the poor have lost a phil • "Dn-onic friend. Dr. Allison’s chan ties were not of the trumpet-sound ing class, but there are many who will cherish his memory for his gen erous and kindly assistance in time of need. A great and skillful surgeon, a noble, warm-hearted Christian gen tleman has entered into his rest. May tight perpetual shine upon him and the God of comfort solace his loved ones who tarry here awhile. PLAYGROUNDS NEEDED. An effort is on foot to secure a public park and playground for the children within the congested and congesting district bounded bv S'‘x tenth street on the east, Cuming strept on the south, Twenty-seventh street on the west and Lake street on the north. Such a park and playground should by all means be established and now. Petitions are being circulated asking for such playgrounds. Sign the petitions and get busy. The Children of the Sun By George Wells Parker This article is to be somewhat of an historical medley. So vast is Asia and so many are the empires that rose and fell there, it might be tedious to review' each one and try to give an in teresting story of its rise and fall and its contributions to civilization. In a general way I have afforded evi dence from modem archeologists as to the African character of the primi tive inhabitants of Asia—the people who nourished the beginnings of civil ization and pass them on to latter peoples. Perhaps Rawlinson, the re nowned English archeologist and his torian, has made this plainer than any other of his time. He say's: “The Chaldaman monarchy’s rather curious from its antiquity than illustrious from its great names or admirable ex tent of its dominions. Less ancient than the Egyptians, it claims the ad vantage of priority over every empire or kingdom which has grown up upon the soil of Asia. The Arian, Turan ian. and even Semetic tribes, appear to have been in the nomadic condition, when the Cushite settlers (black races) of lower Babylonia betook themselves to agriculture, erected temples, built cities, and established a strong and settled government. The leaven which was to spread by de grees through Asiatic peoples was first deposited on the shores of the Persian gulf at the mouth of “The Great River,” and hence civilization science, letters, art, extended them selves northward and eastward and westward. Assyria, Media, Semetic Babylonia, Persia, us they derived from Chaldea the character of their writing, so were they indebted to the same country for their general notions of government, and administration for their architecture, for their deco rative art and still more for their science and literature. Chaldea stands forth as the great parent and original inventress of Asiatic civilization, with out any rival that can reasonably dis pute her claim.” Indeed this is a great tribute to an African mother. I have already quoted authorities who testify as to the African kinship of the Babylonians, Assy rians, Syrians and other Asiatics of the Mesopotam ian Valley. Let us consider other parts of Asia now'. Lieut. Col. Smith in his “Human Species,” gives Col chis as the northern limit of Ethiop ian extension, and this is true as far as written history is concerned. You may recollect that Herodotus tells us that it was at Colchis that Sesostris, the Egyptian conqueror, planted a colony, and it is a historic fact that the descendants of this military as sociation, presenting the dark skin and wooly hair of Africa, were long distinguished from the nations of the district. It is even asserted to this day that it is possible to find Cir cassians whose blood might be traced to the soldiers of Sesostris. In my thology this country will be remem bered as the destination of Jason and his Argonauts in their search for the Golden Fleece. Leaving Colchis and moving south ward we come into Asia Minor and ! Armenia and here again we find the ever present African strain. Asia Minor was the seat of Ancient Troy and you may recollect when you read jour Homer how that Priam, king of Troy, sent to Ethiopia for his cousin to come and help him in his strug gle against the Grecians. Throughout this region of the world we find evi dences of it having been occupied by a people or a confederation of peo ples, the African confederation of which Alexander Winchell speaks and whom I quoted before. Here, too, was the Hittite people, one of the greatest nations of the ancient world, but of which little is known because the remains of their civilization have all but disappeared. It is by the dis covery of their treaties with other na tions that we know how really great they were. Once the Hittites became a dangerous rival of Assyria and their power was not broken until the sev enth century R. C. In Persia we note also the per sistent strain of this ever present peo ple. It is accepted today by all great scientists that the founders of the Medo-Persian empire were not the original inhabitants. When the Sem ites carried their expeditions into Media, the kings they fought did not bear Aryan names and not until the time of the Sargonids de we note a change. Rerossos tells us of a Median dynasty ruling in the remotest times which was African and that it had nothing in common with the Semites or Aryans. We know, too, that gen uine woolj' haired Negro clans ex isted in Laristan and Mekran in Per sia and even on the Hellmund and that their descendants are still to be found in great numbers. To realize the greatness of the peoples in these parts of Asia one mast read their histories. They were great and really majestic. Warriors most of them may have been, but with war they carried on the cause of art, literature, sculpture and science. From the distance of cen turies they accomplished much that was worthy and much that makes the present ancl future indebted to them ferever. In the next article I shall treat of the Jews and of Phonecia. As a pre lude to what I may haveto say about the Jews, let me call your attention to the fact that Abraham, the fa ther of the Jews, came from the Ur of the Chaldees. Remember that Chaldea was African and couple with this the fact that many African tribes and nations claim that this same Ab raham was the father of their race. Put two and two together and it may be that you can guess something of what I shall tell you next time of the Jews, the race that claim itself the chosen people and the one pure race in all the world. There may be pure races, but no pure race ever amounted to any thing in the history of the world. SKITS OF SOLOMON. Heat. Any son of a ukelele who antici pates a grand spoutation from old Sol at the present moment needs some drug besides Jamaica ginger. For the three hundredth time Sol has tried to stem the rivers of prespiration long enough to play old faithful and hand out his weekly hunk of massacred | English to the yawning millions, but j it “ain’t” no go. The thermometer is j too high toned and too uppish. Fur- j ther, is is dead to all flattery, ab- j juration and cuss words. It made, up | its mercurial mind to ascend and ascended it has, and that without any prospect of immediate descendence. In ye winter time we can hammer on tne typewriter until it has rheuma tism, but that is because we are keep ing warm. In the spring we can ham mer because we all get the microbus poetims feverus and feel that we can knock every literary maverick off the shelves of the hall of fame. But in this kind of weather ambition fades away like the pink in a ladies’ gau/.. shirt waist. We simply can’t do any thing but hunt the shade and camp around the ice water. Old Solomon I hrts tried to be faithful and hurl a ten-inch shell of condensed nonsense I at you every Saturday, but this week he renigs and throws his thirteen trumps into the waste basket. He Has tried everything from Japanese fans down to Christian Science in an effort to josh his corporality into the pcstatic stage of imaginative cool ness, but they won’t work. They are m-nk. The Sun, for some reason or other, has got it in for this little old nlanpt and is handing it the very antithesis of heaven. How long it * — o Ho ent know, hut RE LIEVE ME! old Solomon of the skit tishness is going to lay aft star board on pink lemonade and shade trees until friend earth raises the white flag and the Sun gives us a flag of truce. A SERMONETTE. Hold up your head, throw’ back your shoulders, feel, walk and act like a man. Never apologize for your race or color; but thank God that he ha made you as you are and has given you your daily task to do, by the faith ful doing of which you will become stronger and stronger. Despise and shun meanness in yourself and in oth ers. Be too big to be small; too mag nanimous to be little. Preserve your spirit of kindliness and warm hearted ness. These are priceless assets. WORK TO BE DONE AT HOME. Do you know that there is a great deal of real good work for us to do right here in Omaha? And what is true of Omaha is doubtless true of every other large city where our peo ple are to be found in large and ever increasing numbers. There is a tremendous opportunity i.nd a crying need for intelligent, ag gressive co-operative social work for protecting, uplifting and helping our people. Better housing conditions, for example, are needed. Howr are we to secure them by sitting down and doing nothing? Are public institutions supported in part by our taxes taking the same care of our people as of others? Did you ever think about it or make in quiries ? We spend entirely too much time with "pink teas” and “whist parties,” and like social pleasantries and pas times, when there are so many seri ous and vital needs demanding our energy and attention. Think on these things and then act. Patronize those who advertise with ns and tell them you saw their ad ir The Monitor. Our advertisers arf eour best friends. Let's all pull to gether. A war saver is a life-saver. «*♦ •% *\ f% *!«**•♦% •% •% •**•*•*%•*••*• #% I * FOR t Good Shoe Repairing f TRY $ | H LAZARUS, 2019 Cuming St $ CUMING TIRE REPAIR 1904 Cuming Street Douglas 8944 Expert Tire and Tube ! j Repairing Tires retreaded; 3,000 miles guaranteed. Satisfaction with all work. IF. WILBERG BAKERY T Across from Alhambra Theatre I The Best is None Too Good for t Our Customers. 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