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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1919)
f — THE MONITOR A National Weakly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans _ Published Every Thursday at Omaha, Nebraska, by The Monitor Pub lishing Company. ___ Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2. 1915, at the Postoffice at Omaha. Neb., under the Act of March 3, 1879. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor and Publisher. Lucille Skaggs Edwards and Madree Penn, Associate Editors. Fred C. Williams. Business Manager. 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 Douglas 3224. r-- > THE SIN OF SILENCE T) sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men. The human race has climbed on protest. Had no voice been raised against injustice, ignorance and lust, the inquisition yet would serve the law, and guillotines decide our least disputes. The few who dare must speak and speak again to right the wrongs of many.—Ella Wheeler Wilcox. . ___/ UNDERSTOOD THEIR OATH AN unprecedented "event happened in Chicago a few days ago. The grand jury struck. It had been em panelled to indict rioters. The men were under oath to do their duty im partially. Thirty-one Negroes had been brought before the jury and were in dicted. Then the jury struck. They refused to go on with their work until some of the white rioters were brought before them. Their sense of justice was outraged by the fact that while it was admitted that white hoodlums had started the riot and acts of murder, and arson had been committed by them the activity of the police in mak ing arrests had apparently been con fined to Negroes. Up to that time only Negroes had been brought before the grand jury. This was so grossly and manifestly unjust that the broad minded white business men, of whom the jury was largely composed, re belled. Their sense of justice could not tolerate this injustice. Neither would their conscience nor their good judg ment permit them to allow such injus tice to pass unrebuked. Their action not only proclaims them to be men who understand their oath as jurors, but justice-loving and fair-minded men. It proclaims more. It shows them to be men of heart and vision, students and true interpreters of the trend of events. They realized that to permit this rank and wanton discrimi nation to continue would absolutely destroy the Negro’s faith in the white man’s intention or desire to deal out even-handed justice even in the city of Chicago. The danger of such a frame of mind as this must be apparent. In our issue of August 7 The Moni tor called attention to the fact that, despite Judge Crowe’s charge to the jury’ that they’ should deal impartially with all offenders, it was sinisterly significant that the FIRST offenders to be brought before the grand jury were Negroes. We claimed that this foreshadowed a determination upon the part of the authorities to place the blame upon Negroes and create senti ment against them. We contended that the offenders, white and black, should be examined together. It would seem that our position is sustained by the strike of the grand jury. It is to be regretted that Chicago1 showed this unmistakable bias. It Is, however, gratifying to know that the grand jury proved itself to be com posed of men who believe in a square deal and justice for all. Such men are the salt of any community. We want our readers to realize from this significant strike of the Chicago grand jury that there are white men in every community who are good men at heart and believe in justice and will, not stand for injustice. We, as a race, must not lose faith in the white man’s willingness to see that we get justice. We know how strong the sentiment is becoming among many of our people that the American white man has no intention of giving the Colored Amer ican a square deal. We know that there is much to support this opinion, and yet we contend that the great majority of Americans are for the square deal. Let us believe this, do our full duty and repress bitterness. If there is the temptation to point to the fact that there was rank dis crimination in the order of filing com plaints against Chicago rioters be cause of color, set over against it the significant and far-reaching fact that a grand jury, composed of broad minded, progressive white business men so understood their oath that they struck in protest against this rank discrimination. WOMEN AND THE FRANCHISE ■yyTOMEN are to have the privilege W of voting. The Monitor is glad of it. We have always favored giving women the ballot Now that they are to have it, our women should address themselves to the study of public ques tions and measures that they may be bK1o to vote intelligently and wisely. “MOGY” Al THERE he got his nickname we do W not know. His real name was Herman Bernstein, but no one knew him by that name. Everybody in Omaha either knew “Mogy” personal ly or by reputation. We became ac quainted with him when he was a hustling newsboy of 13 years—cheer ful, friendly, good-natured, warm hearted, “king of the newsies” even then. We watched him grow to man hood, alert, keen, progressive. We knew him intimately and had the most pleasant association with him when he ' was probation officer for the juvenile court, for the introduction of which in stitution in our city he was largely re sponsible. We watched him as he ven tured into many business 601011)11868 and it was always a pleasure to wish him the success for which he so faith fully strove and so richly deserved. And now he is dead, apparently by his own hand. We were inexpressibly i shocked when we read of his death. What whirl of the brain could have lead cheerful, optimistic, warm-heart ed “Mogy” to have ended his useful life in this city, God alone knows. May He in His infinite pity spare and for give whatever was amiss in the life of “Mogy,” king of the newsies, who took delight in doing good. JOSEPH PERRY, HERO IT is refreshing to turn from the stories of alleged crimes by Ne groes which the dailies delight to “play up big” as front pagers with screaming, scare-crow headlines, to the story of heroism which comes from Kansas City, Mo., where one of our race gave his life in rescuing a little four-year-old white girl from the poisonous fangs of a mad dog. True, this praiseworthy deed was given only a passing and obscure notice in the newspapers of that city, but it did not escape the attention of some who noted it and who will not forget. But what counts most, this noble deed of Joseph Perry is written in the Book of Remembrance in which the All Loving Father records the golden deeds of the humblest of His children. Joseph Perry simply obeyed the in stinct of every normal human being to go to the defense and rescue of any one in danger or peril and especially a little child. He did not think of self or of danger to himself. He saw a little girl in danger. He did not stop to think of her race or color. Taught by narrow-minded elder folk at some other time perhaps this same little girl might have called him “nigger." He thought of none of these things. His duty was plain. He saw it and did it. He gave his life to save this child. Men may forget, but there is One who remembers and rewards. All honor to Joseph Perry, hero! BE CAREFUL BE careful of your conduct at all times and in all places. This is good advice to follow at all times. It is especially so now. There is a spirit of discontent and irritability in the air. Be careful of your conduct; be careful of your temper; be careful of your money; be careful of your job; be careful of your honor and of your good name. Be careful. No, this is not “a sermon,” but a suggestion which if we all try to fol low none of us will regret. STOP GUN CARRYING TIERE have been too many mur ders in Omaha lately. They are due to “gun-toting.” There is entirely too much gun-carrying. The law against the carrying of concealed ! weapons should be rigidly enforced. People who carry guns are generally out looking for trouble. Only cowards, criminals or fools take delight in carrying guns. A quarrel or misun derstanding that could be settled by ] fisticuffs—if it must be settled by a fight—in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred, if one or the other of the principals has a pistol, results in a murder. The noose, the electric chair, the penitentiary or violent death con fronts the average man who carries a gun or a deadly weapon. Stop it be fore it is too late. AN UNHERALDED HERO Kansas City Post. Every’ once in a while a plain, un uniformed and unheralded hero is mentioned in the news grist of the day, verifying the oft-repeated asser tion that there are other places besides ! the battlefield where heroism may be | shown. One of these heroes died the other day—died at the old city hospital. He was a Negro. The act of bravery’ that cost him his life was done to save the life of a white girl—to save her from a vicious dog’s attack. And the Negro’s effort was not unavailing, either, for the girl escaped unharmed, while the Negro, standing between her and the dog, shielded her from the poisonous fangs and suffered lacera tions that caused his death. And he wasn’t even acquainted with the girl he saved—merely' happened to be passing along the street as the dog attacked the girl, and w’hile scores of others, many white, perhaps a few black, looked on, this Negro—his name was Joseph Perry and he lived at 2410 Flora avenue—rushed to the rescue. While we are paying tribute to heroes might it not be well to include Joseph Perry on our list? Joseph Perry, who, although black of skin, was white of heart and strong in physical courage anil human sym pathy. Time for Action Boston Christian Science Monitor. A high order of citizenship is de manded. For it is going to be made I clear that crime is a matter of the in dividual, not of the mass. If an in dividual Negro insults a white woman it is that individuol who must be pun ished, not any man of black skin whom a mob takes a notion to go after. And if white men, singly or in groups, at tack or injure Negroes, or undertake to punish even a criminal Negro with 1 out due process of law, then even the ! federal power itself should be called into play, if need be, to discover those individual white offenders and make them legally amenable. Mass judg ments of individual guilt, mob action to discover and punish culprits, are— let us say it plainly—too often toler ated with respect to Negroes w'hen they would stir the country if, similar ly' and with similar persistence, ap plied to white men. It is time that such injustice should be corrected. All Negroes are not bad, all whites are not good. It is time for this great com munity, the United States, to recog nize this fact and to bring out and make use of all that is good and true in each race by setting itself fairly’ and fearlessly’ to discover and to correct w'hatever is evil in each. The thing to' be remembered is that the true solu tion of the difficulty lies in the dis covery and correction of evil, no mat ter where or bf whom expressed. Assertion of Manhood New York Call. In the face of this black record the Times can only see in the Negro’s re sentment of his wrongs the result of agitation! The Negro would be less, than human if he did not finally assert his manhood and defend himself. We regard his self-assertion as the most | hopeful sign in the whole dreary rec i ord of exploitation and class rule to i which he has submitted. During the ! civil war he faithfully guarded his master’s plantations and showed no ! signs of a desire for liberation. That was a dismal feature of the struggle. His assertion of his manhood today is the brightest and most hopeful factor in his long story of servitude. If it is true that the socialist movement de serves any credit for the awakening of the Negro, we rejoice in whatever mite we have contributed to it. In that movement the Negro will find com rades who understand comrades who | share his longing for the equality of opportunity,, the leisure, education and happiness that can only be real ized when workers of both races are j members of a free world that knows no race, color or class distinctions. Quit Star-Gazing New York Telegram. Given a contented populace with ! work to do and everybody would be too busy to engage in rioting, taking the law and their lives into their own hands. Stop the rioting at any cost and then immediately remove the cause of the unrest or we shall have a longer death list and more homes burned and robbed. It behooves the United States government to quit star gazing, come down to earth and give the affairs of the country some atten tion. A Lawless City New York World. The tragedy of Chicago is that it is a lawless city with a lawless govern ment. What whites and blacks are do 1 ing to each other today is what whites ’ have been doing to each other for more , than a generation. ,.. . ..1 j Flashes of Most Anything j —.......—.—? And Still the Negro Pays A LWAYS before it has been that -TV the whites began the rioting and murdered the Negroes, who hid them selves until the mad frenzy of the mob abated. The white press was silent as to responsibility for bringing to an end such a state of affairs; the au thorities openly1 assisted the lynching of Negroes or hid behind the state ment, “We are powerless”; no one was indicted; no one was convicted; the victims were only Negroes. Washington and Chicago have had a clash between the races. As of yore the whites began the rioting, only this time the Negroes did not run, but stood their ground, preferring a shot in the breast to one in the back. The results were what could be expected from a group who have held unchal lenged the record for valiant fighting. The murdered ones were Negroes and whites, and the preponderance of whites was appalling. All over the j nation went up a mighty howl. The j white press almost stuttered in its at tempt to articulate; the authorities tripped over each other to get on the scene; the machinery of law was set in motion and indictments followed with the speed of lightning. The grand jury struck in Chicago because the prosecution presented evi dence against Negroes only; then evi dence was presented against some j whites. The results speak for them-1 selves in tones loud and prophetic— twenty-one whites and forty-six Ne groes. The whole nation stands still and waits for Chicago to redeem her self and demonstrate the majesty of unbiased decision and establish a precedent that will proclaim to all the 1 world, for all time, that justice does j exist and equality before the law is not a myth. Come on, glorious city of the west, decrease that disparity in numbers, so that, not even for a moment, the ene mies of peace and justice may point to you in scorn and derision. So far it has been that the whites start the noting and the burden of so ciety’s and the law’s revenge is visited on the Negro. Silence will not help, nor mealy-mouthed apology down the truth. He who claims to speak for his people and grins and says that every body is satisfied and everything is per fectly lovely and fair, is a liar and the tmth is not in him. Suppression of facts will not do it. Apology will not destroy it. Postpone ment will only increase it. Even-hand ed justice, and that only, will end it. -- THE BOOSTER T DON’T pose as any martyr for the I- cause of fatherland, Never made a speech in congress, never took a leading hand In these politics and platforms, but— jes speaking in the rough— I’m a plain, progressive Booster—don’t you think that good enough? You hear people right around us who just grumble and relate That “they never have my order and the styles are out of date.” Then they brag about their nobby suit (brought from foreign lands), While the local tailor worrier with a debit on his hands. Who complain that their home town is dead and “beastly slow.” If you wish it more progressive, why not help to make it so? And this one bare fact will combat all the argument you made— If 'tis worthy of your living in, 'tis worthy of your trade. Patronize the home town merchant; boost the neighbor • right at hand; Let him know you wish to help him by your helping, understand? Don’t be like the foolish sailor looking for the stream afar; Save your time, your strength, your finance — "drop your bucket where you are!” 0 you hear some fiery speeches and some advocations fine, When the busy season rolls around to some election time. If you want a splendid government, on this one point stand pat— Just choose the unassuming man who’s boosting where he’s at. 1 don’t pose as any martyr for the cause of fatherland, Never made a speech in congress, never took a leading hand In these politics and platforms; but jes speaking in the rough— I’m a plain, progressive Booster— don’t you thing that good enough ? EVA ALBERTA JESSYE. Racial Equality at Home Troy, (N. Y.) Times. America will be a house divided against itself unless every individual is assured of equal justice. I The Beautiful Thing | ( i About the FORD CAR is its 100% simplicity of operation, 100% per | y cent economy, and 100% service. That’s why we’ve adopted the *,* £ slogan 100% Ford Service. We strive to maintain the Ford standard £ ? all the time, in all ways, in all departments. y y y y We sell Ford Motor Cars and Fordsom Farm Tractors. £ *!* *i* | Sample-Hart Motor Co. | *{• Tyler 513. 18th and Burt Streets. .{. ... •> I 200,000 I l I Can Take Up DUDLEY’S NINETY DAY OFFER | % For ninety davs only will ship to all new agents $10.00 worth of .j. ❖ DUDLEY’S FAMOUS POLISH for $5.00. Save time. Just inclose £ Y five dollars and your address in full and a shipment will be made the £ y same day we get your order to Live Wire Agents. Hit the iron while A y it is hot. Write for an order. x Dudley’s Leather and Chemical Works *{' 116 South Main Street. Muskogee, Okla. .j. x—x—x—x—x—X**:—:**:—:-*:-*:* H Claeaificd Directory of Omaba’9 Colored profe9sional and Bu9inc99 firing x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—X"X--x--x«x—:-*X"X-x—X-X-*:—x**x—x-*x--:*-x--> i ALLEN JONES ANDREW T. REED 4 £ Res. Phone Web. 204. Res. Phone Red 5210. }{ JONES & REED j Funeral Parlor | Parlors 2314 North 24th Street. Phone Webster 1100. £ ■j. Expert Licensed Embaltners and Funeral Directors. Auto and Horse A !jl Drawn Vehicles. Lady Attendant. Open Day and Night. X We are as near to you as your telephone with every convenience at A hand. Calls promptly attended at all hours. £ B B Telephone Webster 248 Open Day and Night ij « Silas Johnson I Western Funeral Home 5 2518 Lake St. |( The Place for Quality and Service £ PRICES REASONABLE. Licensed Embalmer In Attendance £ Lady Attendant If Desired. S. r. » MUSIC FURNISHED FREE. %_ s » :: :: nXtOO::: K'»;:: R. H. Robbins | & Co. S ;< GROCERIES AND MEATS « c An Up-to-Date Store. g | r 1411 North 24th Street. £ Prompt Delivery. W. 241. £ III B Dolt | Now j I WHAT ? I • ii Subscribe | I for I | The I Monitor | 1 Eureka Furniture Store | Complete Line of New and Sec- fi ond Hand Furniture PRICES REASONABLE Call Us When You Hare Any “ Furniture to Sell 1417 N. 24th St. Web. 4206 % GREEN & GREEN { We Operate the One Minute Shining Parlor « Chairs for Ladies. Auto Truck and Transfer 1919 Cuming St. Phone Doug. 3167; Web. 2340. ; >$88BSWe<ffiEC5£«itfWk a a k a s: g'gmMKSSB Mrs J. H. Russell g PORO SYSTEM ')i‘ . • H a Hairdressing and Manicuring ^ Distinctive Service w Appointments .Made by Phone ■; S! 2911 Erskine St. Web. 231.1 •? g g :: a a a a a a :fa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a g 2* re :: ;; Mmes. South & Johnson g Scientific Scalp Specialists * Sole Manufacturers of ^ ^ * MAGIC HAIR GROWER AND 5 MAGIC STRAIGHTENING OIL g » 2? g \> t: teach the Art of Hair Dress- g % Ing, Shampooing, Facial Massage. O a Manicuring. Scalp Treatment and the Making of Hair xooda. X X re ?' Hair Grower, per box 50c. Straightening Oil, per box 36c X g For Appointment Call Web. 880. 2416 Blondo St., Omaha, Neb. a a ;• a a a a a a a : a a a a a a a a a a a a a £ * 1 £ Repairing and Storing Orders Promptly Filled 0 NORTH SIDE I SECOND-HAND STORE g R. B. RHODES Dealer in : New and Second-Hand Furniture g, and Stoves. < Household Goods Bought and § ^ © Sold. Rental and Real Estate. -j I 2522 Lake St. Webster 908 g » .» a South & Thompson’s Cafe * M 2418 North 24th St. Webster 4568 % g SPECIAL SUNDAY DINNER g Stewed enteken with dumplings.,40c », jg Roast Prime Beef au Jus-40c k Roast Pork. Apple Sauce-40c 0 a Roast Domestic Goose, dressing 60c ; k Early June Peas Mashed Potatoes gl Salad Coffee Dessert We Serve Mexican Chile goosoafflHKtagBagmMQ®awmao>iDSF EAT AT WEST CAFE K Good Cooking, Reasonable Prices t 1712 North 24th St. T. J. ASHLEY, Prop. S. W. MILLS FURNITURE CO. '5 We sell new and second hand % furniture, 1421 North 24th St. S 5 Webster 148. 24th and Charles. $ I DR. P. W. SAWYER! DENTIST 1 Tel. Doug. 7150; Web. 3636 j i 220 South 13th St. Open for Business the BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HOTEL e Nicely Furnished Steam Hested © Rooms, With or Without Board. 6 523 North 15th St. Omaha, Neb. Phone Tyler 897.