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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1919)
* ■" The Monitor ! K National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored j Americans. I Published Every Saturday at Omaha, Nebraska, by The Monitor Pub lishing Company. Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2, 1915, at the Postoffice at j 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, j George Wells Parker, Contributing Editor and Business Manager. Fred C. Williams, Traveling Representative. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, $2.00 A YEAR; $1.00 6 MONTHS; 60c 3 MONTHS Advertising Rates, 60 cents an Inch per Issue. Address, The Monitor, 304 Crounse Block, Omaha, Neb. Telephone Webster 4243. J T^OR anything worth having, one must pay the price, and [ the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice— j no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real { service.—John Burrows. • t MEDDLING AND MUDDLING IT looks very much as though Presi dent Wilson were unduly meddling in European politics and muddling af fairs. How far the United States will suffer or be benefited by this med dling is open to debate. Undoubtedly there will be some soreness upon the part of Italy, whose secret treaty with the allied powers, before America en tered the conflict, by which she was guaranteed the territory which she now claims, has, at the alleged sug gestion and demand of the American president, been treated as “a scrap of paper.” Italy justly believes herself to have been mistreated. It may be that astute European diplomats are using President Wilson as “the goat,” but certainly it must be apparent to all that America’s entrance into the circle of European diplomacy is fraught with dangerous possibilities. Italy feels aggrieved against Presi dent Wilson. This is very evident. And to be perfectly frank, she has just grounds for her grievance. Whether this will lead to unfriendli ness for the United States remains to be seen. Japan, too, far-sighted, suave, com mercially alert, intellectual, rich and brave, does not take kindly to Presi dent Wilson’s attitude on the equality of races. Of course, he w*as not alone in his opposition to this absolutely just recognition, to which the world must eventually come, but that does not mend the matter. These are but two of the clouds, “about as large as a man’s hand,” coming up out of the sea of European diplomacy, which may overcast the sky of international peace. 1 THE ITALIAN CRISIS THE Italian premier has returned to Rome. Why? Because Presi dent Wilson has refused absolutely to allow Italy to have Fiume and the Dalmation coast.. The press of the country naturally supports Wilson in his position, but surely Italy has some-1 thing on her side. In the secret treaty made at London, the allies promised Italy just what she asks for, provided she would cast her lot with them against Germany. Italy did so and kept her word. Now when it comes to payment time, Wilson, who knew noth ing whatever of the secret treaty, refuses to let Italy have what she fought for. Is Italy being treated fair? Have not the allies made their treaty with Italy only “a scrap of pa per,” just as they accuse Germany of making “a scrap of paper” out of her agreement not to violate the neutrality of Belgium? One does not deny that secret di plomacy makes many questionable deals and deals which are often more unjust than just, but if treaties are ! to have any sanctity, they must be kept. We have noted particularly that in all matters where white races are concerned, President Wilson is loud in proclaiming his special brand of jus tice, but when it comes to the concern of the Latins, Japanese and other darker races, his ideas of justice suf fer an eclipse. Italy has been wronged and Japan has been wronged, and Wilson in both cases is largely responsible for the wrongs done. “PRINCIPLE, NOT COLOR” MR. C. C. GALLOWAY, speaking before the N. A. A. C. P. forum last Sunday afternoon, gave voice to a sentiment which should become reg nant throughout the country. Mr. Galloway said, “It is time to forget color and to stand for principle." He pointed out very clearly and forcibly that America or no other country or race or individual will ever get the true perspective, ever advance to the highest point, until there is a cessa tion of the disposition to think of a man's color or nationality first, and the principle involved last. He fear lessly stated that our race no less than the white race is in bondage to this false and pernicious custom. "Forget color and stand for prin ciple." This is undoubtedly the lesson not only America but the entire world needs to learn. BE THRIFTY DESPITE HIGH COST OF LIVING THIS is an era of high cost of liv ing. The high cost of living is mainly due to the cost of high living. Certain extravagances, not necessities, are believed to be necessary for the wealthy and the well-to-do, and so to pay for these they boost the price of commodities. Those lower down the financial scale are compelled to pay the price. But those lower down very naturally ape those higher up and also demand certain luxuries, for which they, too. must pay the price, and so the boosting of prices and the in flating of values goes on all along the line, because all classes, each in de gree and many out of proportion to their income, must live high. So the cost of high living is in a large meas ure responsible for the high cost of living. We wonder how many of our people who are receiving good wages, despite the high cost of living, are wise enough not to live so high that they are not able to lay something aside for the proverbial rainy day? We wonder. While wages are good, try to live comfortably but frugally, and save some of your money. Savings banks, building and loan institutions, government securities like Liberty bonds and thrift stamps offer splendid opportunities for saving. Save a little each week and look forward to becom ing a home-owner. Be thrifty, not thriftless, despite the high cost of living. If, however, you and everybody else persist in high liv ing, living up to every cent you earn, the cost of living will remain high. MINISTERS BOOST MONITOR: THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN 7"E desire to thank our friends who »» are always saying a good word for The Monitor. We are particularly gratified that the ministers of the city have taken occasion several times re cently to publicly endorse The Monitor and urge their people to take it. The Rev. W. C. Williams, the influential pastor of St. John’s A. M. E. church; the Rev. W. F. Botts, the popular and energetic pastor of Zion Baptist; the Rev. M. H. W'ilkinson, the witty and eloquent pastor of Mount Moriah Bap tist; the Rev. Thomas A. Taggart, the little live wire pastor of Bethel Bap tist, South Side; the Rev. J. A. Broad nax, who ‘‘hews to the line, let the chips fall where they may,” at Allen Chapel, South Side; the Rev. John Costello, the vigorous pastor of Pleas ant Green Baptist church; the Rev. Matthew Rhonenee and the Rev. J. P. Jackson of Council Bluffs, have taken occasion to urge their people to sup port The Monitor, “our clean, well edited and fearless local newspaper,” to quote the words of one, “which so ably champions our cause and merits our loyal support.” Friends, one and all, we thank you sincerely for your hearty endorsement and support, and our earnest endeavor will be to prove ourselves in every way worthy of your confidence. THE NEGRO BUSINESS LEAGUE TWO weeks ago a call was made for Colored business men of the city to meet and organize a business club. The mail was late and few responded, but another call was made and every man notified of the effort. At the second meeting eight were present—eight out of a possible fifty. What is the matter with the Negro business man? Is he totally ignorant of the advantages of business organi zation, or is it that he doesn’t care? Is it that he fears eveiy movement for organization is some sort of political scheme or plan founded upon selfish interest? Why doesn’t he wake up? Cannot an organization of the many do more than one? The Commercial club of Omaha has made the name of Omaha known world-wide and it has made Omaha products known and welcomed in every home in this city. Why will not the Colored men organize and fight under the slogan, "Patronize the Negro Business Man!” Is it not worth while? Will it not accomplish some thing? We believe it will. j Obvious Observations | j _ ITALY is sore because the allies have regarded their treaty with her I as a scrap of paper. As Ramases said | the night he found his hen roost de serted, chickens will always come home to roost. We thought winter was over, but we’ve got another guess coming. Uncle Sam is bringing the white boys over pretty fast, but is mighty slow bringing the Colored. What’s the whereof of the whereas ? Friend Chester Franklin of K. C., a very brilliant vegetable raised in Omaha, is going to start a news paper next week. Good luck, old man. We need more live wires and we know you’re a hot one. Are you doing anything with that lawn in front of your house and any thing with the garden spots in the back yard? If not, get busy soon, if not sooner. Through the fields and over the fence, but the booze hounds still pur sue us. The Monitor is fat again, but that doesn’t mean everybody is paid up. There are still some folks who ought to find out the office number or the telephone. Pr. Nathaniel Cassell, of Liberia, will he in Omaha next week. Don’t forget to give him a few dimes for Liberia. Our brothers there need them. The war is over, but Europe doesn’t think so. Thanking you kindly for your fa vorable attentions, we will now pause to make some trenchant remarks to the ofice staff who make unkind re marks about the age of our pipe. SKITS' OF SOLOMON Handing It to Baby. IF anybody thinks that a new bom baby gets a square deal in this wicked world, it ig because he believes that everybody follows the rules for baby culture as laid down by infant specialists. If day old babies could really start something, there would be an anti-nurture campaign started tomorrow that would make the anti booze battle as sensational as a child’s doll party. In some countries babies are given half a chance to grab onto the dangling rope of life, but in others —wow! In parts of Germany, Greece and Armenia, a new bom kidlet is salted down with real salt on the basis that evil eyes, witches and members i of the devil family, have as much use for salt as a whale has for the prayer book. In Tartary baby is covered with butter, no matter whether it costs a dollar a pound or not, while around .Macedonian parts it is held under a stream of running cold water to make it tough. If this heroic treatment kills the kiddo, it is considered a weakling anyway. In Guinea it is buried up ! to its neck in sand, while the Lapp infant edition is put in a shoe and i covered with moss and snowr to keep it warn. In Mongolia a chip off the old block or blockess is decorated with a pot of paste and Bulgaria believes that unless she crowns the dimpled darling with a hot, sizzling omelet, it is sure to suffer from sunstroke. Ir. parts of India the infant specimen, and especially if it is a girl, must j wear a ring in its nose and shawl over its face, while a certain African tribe boards up the baby’s head so that it will develop into a right angled tri- j angle. Every American knows what happens to an Indian baby, but in China a baby is wrapped up like a papoose and hitched onto the back of an older child so that the mother won’t have to worry about it. GOOD MANNERS GOOD manners should be coveted and cultivated by all. Never con sider it a mark of smartness to be rude. It is a badge of ignorance and inferiority. Good manners will always compel respect. One of the world's master minds and one of the very first of Christian gentlemen gives this ex cellent advice, “Be ye courteous.” This, of course, means always have and show good manners. Jl ST OFF THE PRESS "Brown Boys in Khaki Brown,” a snappy, stirring, catchy race song. Suitable for stage, church or school. Sung about our own boys in our own songs. Words and music by Eva A. Jessie. Copies at 25c at Monitor office, or send 25c to Eva A. Jessie, 309 West Street Boulevard, Muskogee, Okla.— Adv. AFRO-AMERICAN REALTY CO. We collect rents. We pay your taxes. We advance money on your first payment. We are a friend to those who need a friend. We make a specialty in sales and up-keep of property. NIMROD JOHNSON, Mgr.« 2709 Lake St. Webster 540. THE WEALTH OF AFRICA By W. F. Francis, Jr. Under the title of “America’s Op portunity” an article appeared in a recent isue of Collier’s Weekly (March 22, 1919) with the intention of awak ening the American manufacturer to the usual opportunity of expanding his trade to the undeveloped parts of South Africa. The writer of the article in an ef fort to enlighten his white brethren, has gathered some interesting sta tistics which prove why the autocrat ic whites of the South Africa Union, and for that matter the European na tions are eager to control and retard the progress of the natives of the vast continent. Says a paragraph of the article, ver batim: “In any matter pertaining to Africa the American merchant and exporter must remember that he will confront a human equation and in this instance it is a black one. The Af rican native is not our Colored man. The African native is a child with a body of a man—who reasons as a man does and who follows first im pulses. On the average he is honest. He may steal a loaf of bread when he is hungry; he may kill you if he thinks you intend to harm him and his Tet, withal this primitive manifestation of human nature is not of the vicious type is not produced by a warped brain or wrong motive. It is human nature as it prevails in Africa.” While the foregoing is partially true the writer of the article in a fol lowing paragraph reveals the old Cau casian lust of subjugating the native to manual labor to further their own commercial interests, while little or no effort is made to give him an equal opportunity for development. Says another paragraph: “American capital can find an excel lent outlet in the development of cot ton farms worked by natives under white supervision. So far as indi viduals are concerned. Americans un less they be mining or constructing engineers or salesmen should keep away from Africa, as native labor is so cheap that no white man can com pete and eat. All rpanual labor is done by natives. The blacks are so superior numerically that only inter necine hatred, tribal differences, and the superior “kultur” of the whites help the latter to maintain their con trol. Africa is worth controlling.” Undoubtedly the , concluding sen tence (Africa is worth controlling) has been the ' prevailing thought of the European nations at the peace confer ence, each seeking to obtain as much territory as possible and finally con ceding to the mandatory system in preference to “Africa for Africans.” For the six months ending June 30, 1917, the mineral productions of South Africa was gold $94,445,421; diamonds, $18,562,505; coal, $7,808, 421; copper, $2,793,171; tin, $981,622; antimony, $45,750; asbestos, $221,392; ostrich feathers, $10,000,000. Egypt is the third largest cotton producing region in the world. The British Cotton Growers association re ports that in 1916, in addition to the Egyptian crop, West Africa produced 20,300 bales of 400 lbs. each; East Africa, 33,800 bales, and the Sudan, 16,200 bales, a total of 32,100,000 pounds. Indeed! Africa is worth controlling. —The Crusader. COLORED PRESS VALUABLE ASSET IN WAR WORK An asset of incalculable value in pushing war work among the Colored people of the country was the Negro press, the larger portion of which is actively identified with the National Negro Press association, the organized instrumentality of the race for the propagation of sentiment looking to its general uplift. These papers, large and small, of every denomination, fra ternal affiliation or geographical sec tion, without exacting a penny of com pensation, gave column upon column of their space to the war news that cheered the millions of Colored Amer icans throughout the period of hostili ties and kept them fully informed as to the helpful activities of the masses in the work of winning the war. This service proved to be of tbe greatest possible assistance to those charged with the conduct of the war, as it won and held the confidence of the people, maintaining their morale and stimu lating their patriotism at the crucial hour, when this nation needed the loyal and earnest co-operation of every element of its citizenship to as sure victory to its cause. The superb and generous support given by the Colored press to the war aims of the American government was one of the outstanding and most gratifying fea tures of the trying conflict with the foes of civilization. IDO the very best I know how—the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.—Abraham Lin coln. “UNDER TWO FLAGS” Under the efficient management of Mrs. Aida Hall Smith, the BuBoiit ' Dramatic club will present “Under Two Flags” at Boyd theater, Friday evening, May 9. Fifteen of Omaha’s well known amateur actors will take I part and their thorough training and | preparation promises a most excel I lent rendition of the drama which I stirred the country from coast to coast a few years ago. A few select num bers have been chosen for between acts and Lawrence Parker’s fifteen piece jazz orchestra, which will take charge of Krug park the next night, will make its first public appearance. The drama is given by Mrs. Aida Smith for the benefit of the St. John s A. M. E. conference rally and a very large attendance is promised. I The Beautiful Thing | X About the FORD CAR is its 100% simplicity of operation, 100% per X / y cent economy, and 100% service. That’s why we’ve adopted the * X slogan 100% Ford Service. We strive to maintain the l ord standard ,i, X all the time, in all ways, in all departments. y •j* We sell Ford Motor Cars and Fordsom Farm Tractors. X | Sam pie-Hart Motor Co. f Tyler 513. 18th and Burt Streets, .j. H Classified Directory of Omaha's Colored professional and Business firms vs'.».-vi;“X'W";"X“WC":"W"K"X"X"K"X":"X"'"W“ | Jenkins’ Barber Shop •£ In our new location everything is first class. All barbers are expert £ hair cutters. Give us a trial. We guarantee service. Electric massage, | manicuring. *{• Ice cream parlor and soda fountain X in connection under management of ;1* Miss Ethel Caldwell. 2122 North 21th St. Webster 209.'>. OMAHA, NEB. V & gj S E. A. WilliamsonI DRUGGIST £ Competent and Reliable « 1 £ 2306 North 24th St. « « « Webster 4443. § *>: KKXKKi: KSM X X K% x'x.:: gC Telephone Webster 248 X K Open Day and Night Silas Johnson i Western Funeral Home 1 | 2518 Lake St. f The Place for Quality and Service |R PRICES REASONABLE. ’ Llceneed Embalmer In Attendance r ’« Lady Attendant If Deelred. k MUSIC FURNISHED FREE. I R. H. Robbins f 1 & Co. | j GROCERIES AND MEATS “ I; An Up-to-Date Store, j 1411 North 24th Street. £ > Prompt Delivery. W. 241. | Maceo T. j WILLIAMS 1 1 Concert Violinist I j; it and Teacher M m * STUDIO, 2416 BINNEY ST. K Webster 3028. | EUREKA | | Furniture Store | *k Complete Line of New and Sec- k ond Hand,Furniture PRICES REASONABLE g '« S Call Us When You Have Any £ Furniture to Sell M gi ;; 1413 N. 24th St. Web. 4206. \\ '£ « xKKtxix «u»KwaBiasas<»^t8siaaso< Ij THE 1 WASHINGTON - DOUGLAS | INVESTMENT GO. ;; « | BONDS, INVESTMENTS, | | RENTALS AND FARM j! LANDS | Phone Webster 4206. 1413 North 24th St. 1 J. H. HOLMES I TAILOR ■• All work Guaranteed. La- 1 k dies’ and Gents’ Suits Re- f| i; modeled, Cleaned, Pressed f ” and Repaired. New Hoff- gl k man Press. » 2022 N. 24th St. Web. 3320 I gHBK®83H)CXMOOe«ganMXMID| j A. F. PEOPLES h Painting I Paperhanging and Decorating gj Estimates Furnished Free. £ All Work Guaranteed. 4827 Erskine Street. Phone Walnut 2111. | :w: H.'KSCx k, ;< South & Thompson’s Cafe 1 % 2418 North 24th St. Webster 4566 «' ” SPECIAL SUNDAY DINNER gj ** Ktewed enlcken with dumplings. 40c it g Roast Prime Beef au Jus_40c jj g Roast Pork. Apple Sauce _40c « Roast Domestic Goose, dressing 50c g B vw Early June Peas Mashed Potatoes m Salad Coffee Dessert SB § a; s 5! x We Serve Mexican Chile a I _ ;; «(X5< XOIMKOOMKXTIiiaiX XIx .x x x x xxx x x x 5 EAGLE CONFECTIONERY ; „ Delicatessen and Soda Fountain i: everybody welcome Open 8 A. M. to 12 I*. M. | 1409 N. 24th St. Web. 580 | ijj feOaWgKKiaBSOMiaPf'antXTf;:; X x x;xj(XIx a, 1 DR. P. W. SAWYER I j DENTIST ; / a Tel. Doug. 7150; Web. 3«36 » "* 220 South 13th St. ■;{ unwwwxix x x.x xx,x;x xrxxxHHffiaexBBcg i JOHN HALLl PROGRESSIVE TAILOR f 1614 N. 24th St. Web. 875. | y ffi n it u it a a n a a a u n n a u n n it a u « n n « Q W. C. CRAIG ;! High Class Pool and Hilliard !t Parlors. Soft Drinks in Connection. x 2124 North 24. Web. 280 X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X XX a x axxxx'gf » DIXON’S SHOE SHINING a a PARLOR, 1821 North 24th St. jf x All kinds of shoes cleaned and ■{{: I repaired. Carpets renovated. < Candies and soft drinks. I f,hxi;(9flK!a;x;aJ'«,axx1x:x,aii<iK?a;'>o<iKi)(rKi)!i Open for Buelneee the jf BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HOTEL < Nicely Furnlehed Steam Heated 5 Roome, With or Without Board. X i 523 North 15th St. Omaha, Neb. gg g Phone Tyler 897. fjj