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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1925)
The monitor NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor __ $2.00 a Year—5c a Copy § OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 8. 1925 Whole Number 513 Vol. X—No. 43 SIGN1,ARRING WHITES AS N REMOVED _ ■ ■ ■■ - — -- , . ANTI-LYNCHING CRUSADE TO BE PUSHED TO LIMIT Interracial Com mission in Annual Meet Makes This Phase of Kur harlsm One of Ita Chief Objectives MANY OTHER PI. A NS PROPOSED Encouraging Progress Reported from Practically All Sections of the South—The Press Co operates Atlanta, Ga., May 8.—An intensive anti-lvnching campaign, the promo tion of the study of race relations in colleges and schools, and efforts for more adequate school facilities, bet ter housing and general welfare of the colored people of the South, were among the major objectives set for the coming year by the Southern Commission on Interracial Co-opera tion, in three-day session here last week. Sixty representative men and women of both races—bishops, secre Ciries of great Church boards, educa tors, Y. M. C. A. executives, business end professional men, and women pro: inent in church and club circles, were present from all over the South, all the states except Arkansas being represented Notable Colored Personnel The colored membership of the commission was represented by Bish op Robert E. Jones, Bishop George 1 . Clement, Mrs. Booker T. Washing ton, president of the National Coun cil of Women of the Darker Races; Mrs. M ary McLood Bethune, presi dent of the National Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs; Mrs. R. R. Moton, Dr. and Mrs. John Hope, Dr. j Isaac Fisher, Mrs. H I,. McCrory and Mrs. R. S. Wilkinosn. all of whom contributed to the program. Miss Eva Bowles of New York and Mrs. M. L. ('rosthwaite of Nashville were elect ed to membership on the commission. There were present also as visitors a number of distinguished colored leader-, among them being Bishop R. C. Ransom of the A. M. E. Church, Dr. George E. Haynes, of the Federal Council of Churches, Dr. A. M. Town- ■ >end 01 the National Baptist conven tion, and Dr. Monroe Work of Tuske- , gee Institute. (..inching Holds Center of Stage The commission’s keenest interest was centered on the necessity of mak ing an early end of the lynching! habit, which has been decreasing at i a rapid rate during the last three years. The marked decrease in lynch- j fng wa ascribed largely to the mohil- j i'/.ation of southern women against! it. to the condemnation voiced almost, unanimously by the press, and to spe- j ei:d anti-lynching legislation in cer- I tain states. The commission deter mined to push the crusade more vig orously than ever, by appeals to gov ernors, sheriffs and other law enforce-, merit officers, by efforts to secure additional legislation in certain tates, by personal intervention in case of threatened lynehings, and by the cultivation though the press and in every other way possible of such a public sentiment as will no longer tolerate mob murder. College Groups Seeking Truth Dr. T. J. Woofter, of the commis sion’s headquarter’s staff, reported thal courses in race relations are be ing givpn in sixty white colleges in the South, and that there are also numbers of voluntary student discus ion and interracial forum groups which are doing fine work. The commie-ion expressed keen interest in this development and recommended that it he encouraged and promoted. Clark Foreman, secretary of the Georgia interraelul committee, told of recent investigations of model hous ing projects In Cincinnati and New York and outlined plans now under v av for similar projects in the South. The commission gave hearty approval, feeling that such a movement would meet an acute and long-felt need in many communities. The suggestion was made that a national foundation be created for the annual award of a worthy prize to that person making the most Im portant contribution in the realm of race relations. The plan was enthusi astically received and will be worked out, if possible. It was felt that such awards would greatly stimulate the movement for right racial adjust ments. Encouraging Reports Encouraging results were reported from nearly every quarter. J. D. Burton told of fine educational pro gress in Tennessee, a successful cam paign against crime in Memphis, and reorganization of the interracial work in Alabama, with especially notable results in Mobile and Selma. From Texas Mrs. Jessie Daniel Arnes reported the effective efforts of in terracial committees in preventing a threatened race riot in one critical ituation ami in allaying serious fric tion in another, in addition to the usual work along the lines of Negro education, community betterment, etc. Mrs. C. P. McGowan, of Charleston, reported a most favorable attitude to ward the work in South Carolina, where she has recently organized a number of committees and delivered addresses on race relations t>efore many important groups. R. W. Miles spoke for Virginia and North Carolina, where, in addition to the usuat"program, the interracial committees are making a special study of housing conditions, with a view to improvement through legislation and otherwise. Mr. Miles noted also a very encouraging change of sentiment in Mississippi, as indicated by the re cent building of splendid colored high schools in Natchez, Jackson and Mer idian, and by the quarter-million dol lar school building program recently set up in Coahoma county. Bishop George C. Clement, of Louisville, told of effective efforts for better Negro schools in Kentucky and reported a recent case in which the prompt ac tion of interracial groups prevented a threatened lynching. Prof. Leo. M. Favrot of Louisiana told of good local work in New Orleans, Shreveport and Lake Charles, as well as by the state committee, and announced plans for organization at five new points. Press Co-operates R. B. Eleazer, director of publicity, reported widespread and cordial co operation on the part of the press, and exhibited clippings showing that the commission’s news service is be ing used in 450 papers throughout the nation, with an aggregate circula tion of more than 10,000,000. It is believed that the number actually us ing this service is two or three times as great as these figures indicate. Dr. M. Ashby Jones of Atlanta was re-elected chairman of the commis sion and Dr. Will W. Alexander con tinues as director of the work. | ROBERTS PRESIDES OVER ASSEMBLY A SECOND TIME Sacramento, May 8 (Occidental Press)—Los Angeles’ representative from the Seventy-fourth District and California’s only Negro assemblyman, Frederick M. Roberts, for the second time was honored by Speaker Frank F. Merriam recently when he was called to preside during part of the debate for the re-consideration of the vote by which the Swlng-Johnson bill was refused passage. This is the second time during his career as assemblyman that Roberts has presided over the state legisla ture. In addition to this honor, he is the author of the Civil Rights law, the “No Reflection”, textbook law, and other laws designed to improve the working and living conditions of the people of his district and of this state. CHARLES YOUNG CHAPTER OF D. A. V. FORMED Prescott, Ariz., May 8.—Colonel Charles Young chapter No. 4 of the Disabled American Veterans, has been organized at Whipple among the Negro patients, a large number at tending a special meeting and join ing the organization. Officers of Ft. Whipple chapter No. were present and assisted in the organization of the unit. Commander Wagner of the Fort Whipple chapter sent a message to the national headquarters for a charter, which is expected to arrive in time for the new unit to be permanently organized so as to have a representa tion at the state convention to be held in Phoenix. The temporary officers who were elected at the meeting are: Richard Gamble, corrimander; Charles Van Zandt, adjutant; Roy Clark, treasurer. The newly organized unit was n :>,t ! after Colonel Churles Young, who performed distinguished service for the United States in the Spanish American war and who was appointed American minister to Liberia. Richard Gamble is a former Omaha, Nebr., boy., born and reared in this city. for some mysterious reason resi dents of the United States who were born in Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands prefer New York to Phila delphia, Boston, Chicago, St. Ismis or Holey, Oklahoma. A colored postmistress has been ap pointed at Watoga, W'. Va. Bethel A.M.E. Church Gets a New Lease on Life Bethel A. M. E. church was organized three years ago by the Rev. Frederick Divers, who was then presiding elder of the Omaha district. At the annual con ference in September, 1922, he was ap pointed pastor and has served them to date. When the report was read at that conference there were 35 members and no church property, but negotiations had been begun for the property they now occupy. The church succeeded in buying its church and parsonage for the sum of $14,000.00 and moved in November, 1922, huving paid $2,000.00 an the initial payment. All went well for the first year. There was splendid growth, tin* membership passed the one hundred mark and the spirit was fine, hut the notes were too heavy for tin* financial condition of the city which was growing worse, and when one note came due and could not he fully met and an other came due with gradual demoraliza tion under the strain, the congregation was driven almost into despair. The climax Bethel A. M. E. Church was reached in November, 1924, when suit for foreclosure was filed, but the newly appointed Bishop A. J. Carey, and Dr. C. A. Williams, and Kev. John Adams, and the officers of the church with Kev. Fred erick Divers os pastor set out to save the church at all hazards. Proposal after proposal was made to compromise, and plan after plan was tried out to raise money until they finally suc ceeded in raising enough to establish credit in the city and were successful in refinanc ing by buying out the creditors' interest for $9,000.00, paying all cash hut $1,500.00 which is secured by second mortgage. The pastor and members though battle scared are again facing the future with a look of renewed confidence in God and tin- church, the members with renewed con fidence in the ability and faith of the pastor. With a memliership of more than 135, and a splendid Sunday school, and three years of history and only $7,500.00 obligations on one of the most complete church institutions among Negroes of the city, is a lung way from 35 members, a new organization, and $14,000.00 obliga tions just two and one-half years ago. The pastor and his wife, who is an ac complished musician and an untiring worker, have made themselves felt in the life of the city, both in their church and other community enterprises, such as the j Y. W. C. A., the Old Folks’ Home, the business and Professional Men’s Cluh, the | Community Chest campaigns and frater nal circles. The Rev. Frederick Divers is ! now president of the Interdenominational Ministers \lliunce. 11c is a graduate of the Theological Department of Shorter College 1919. and1 at present is doing post graduate work in the Omaha rheological Seminary. Too much praise cannot be given to the faithful officers and members of bethel who have stuck to their task until victory came. Special Mother’s Day services at bethel Sunday. PROSECUTE NEGROES WHO RODE IN PULLMAN IN FLORIDA Philadelphia, Pa., May 8.—Word has just reached here of the case of three women and a man, all colored, being dragged from a Pullman car and lodged in jail for twenty-nine hours, after which they were released when a fine of $1,100 was paid by their employer, Samuel Dit, for a so called charge of violating the Jim Crow coach laws of the South, while riding through Florida. The mil lionaire business man secured the Pullman car accommodation for his servants from Palm Beach to Phila dhelphia. The conductor of the train is said to have wired ahead to Fort Pierce warning the sheriff that Negro passengers were on the Pullman, re sulting in their arrest and fines. FORCE NEGRO TOWN TO REMOVE BAN ON WHITES Henryetta, Okla., May 8.—The all colored town of Boley, Oklahoma, unique for a sign across its main street, which reads, “white man, don’t let the sun set on you”, was forced to remove the ominous warning by j the federal authority. Threats of re- ; moving the town’s post office unless the order was observed w'ere made., The town has a population of about 2,000. Pullman porters will soon be sing ing—or praying—on airoplanes now being constructed by the company for transcontipental flights. VIRGIN ISLANDERS BOAST OF OLDEST AMERICAN SHIP Christiansted, May 8. (Columbian Press Bureau)—Virgin Islanders of this port are proud of the fact that their harbor is the home of the oldest American vessel afloat, the “Vigil ant”, whose American history, it is said, goes back fully 150 years. The “Vigilant”, of whom her present cap tain says, “She is still a sweet and perfect sailor,” was once owned by a generation of sea pirates. Later, she was used in legitimate American trade, after which she plied between St. Croix and Porto Rico as a car rier of the famous bay rum made by Virgin Islands natives. At present she is engaged in the humble duty of picking up odd traffic and carrying i cattle between Virgin Islands ports and Porto Rico. MO. NEGRO INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION RECEIVES LIBERAL APPROPRIATION Washington, D. C., May 8. (Colum bian Press Bureau).—Word has just been received from the State Capital that an appropriation has been made for the continuation of the laudable work of the Missouri Negro Industrial Commission, of which Hon. Robert S. Cobb is secretary. For a while it was rumored that democrat members of the Missouri legislature had threat ened to “knife” the commission by cutting off its appropriation. That the commission is to continue its ex cellent work under the direction of the present efficient secretary is wel come news to thoughtful people of both races in the state of Missouri. FIFTY MILES FROM CLEVELAND Washington, I>. C., May 8. (Colum bian Press Bureau).—While our col ored fanners are moving from the South to northern industrial centers, j Japanese farmers are being brought i from California to Ohio and other, northern anil eastern states to do truck farming, because of the constant and increasing demand in the centers of industry for a greater quantity and \ variety of vegetables. Negotiations have just been completed for the placement of 500 Japanese farmers | from California on 1,500 acres of j leased land in Huron county, Ohio, | about fifty miles from Cleveland, a I city where hundreds of colored farm- i ers from the South, untrained in in- i dustry, but trained in agriculture, are 1 working in the factories and mills as i common laborers. The first Japanese farmers are expected to reach Huron county in July, with others following upon the completion of their harvest in California. Lettuce, celery, onions and other vegetables will be planted, and the Ohio Farms Company is now constructing fifty houses for the first fifty families. It may not be long before Japanese truck fanners will monopolize this very profitable bus iness in Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York, unless our farmers greatly increase their production of vegetables and form associations for the proper handling and marketing of their produce. HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS ATHLETIC CLUB HAVE INTERESTING DEBATE The audience which attended the debate given by the High School Girls' Athletic Club of the North Side Branch of the Y. W. C. A. at St. Benedict’s Community House last Friday night was fully repaid for its presence by the admirable manner in which the subject was bandied by the enthusiastic debaters. The girls had thor oughly prepared their subject and alily de fended their respective sides. The sub ject was: “Resolved’ That women should he barred from all industries.” The af firmative was supported by the Misses Mildred Gordon, Thelma Norris and Helen Wheeler and the negative hy the Misse Alice Hunter, Margaret Murray and Er nestine Singleton. The decision of the judges. Miss Edna M. Stratton, Henry W. Black and J. Dillard Crawford, was in favor of the affirmative, which was also the popular verdict. Miss Rachel Rice, as chairman, rigidly held the debaters to the time limit. Only 17,000 illicit distilleries were destroyed by state and federal officers in Georgia during 1924. OMAHA BRANCH N. A. A. C. P. HOLDS ITS RECI I.AR MONTHLY MEETING ' 'Phe regular monthly meeting of the | Omaha branch of the N. A. A. C. P. was i held at the North Side “Y” Sunday after noon at 4 o’clock, with the Kev. John Al bert Williams, president, in the chair. Several new memberships were received. A resolution, presented by the Kev. Rus sell Taylor, calling for the appointment of a special committee to investigate the ques tion for the appointment of a special com mittee to investigate the question of non employment which was reported to he acute among our people was adopted and the following committee was named: Rev. Russell Taylor, Rev. Frederick Rivers and Henry W. Black. Following the pispatch of routine business William I). Fountaine, I). V. S., a government inspector, gave an interesting and instructive address on “The Relation of Animal Diseases to Pub lic Health.” He rapidly traced the his tory of animal and food inspection from ancient Fgypt and Israel to modern limes and its extensive and scientific adoption by the United States government. He told of the many diseases communicable to man from diseased animals used as food and through impure milk, lie surprised his audience by informing them that in the arru embraced by Nebraska. Kansas, Iowa and Missouri, the great chickenraising territory even the much-loved chicken is subject to tuberculosis. At the close of his address Dr. Fountaine cheerfully ans wered many ijuestions asked him by the audience. A vote of thanks was tendered him for his instructive address. EFFECT OF MIGRATION Washington, D. C., May 8. (Colum bian Press Bureau).—In the year 1910 there were 266 counties in 12 southern states where Negroes con stituted fifty per cent or more of the total population; but at the census of 1920 this number had decreased to 219 counties in eleven states. The state of Virginia lost thirteen of these fifty per cent or more counties; Georgia, 8; Florida, 5; Mississippi and Texas, 4 each; Alabama, Arkansas and North Carolina, 3 each; Louisi na, 2, and Maryland and South Caro lina, 1 each. If the northern indus trial concerns will recruit their labor from the remaining 219 counties pos sibly the political bogie of Negro omination will disappear. + ~ . " • s Mother’s Day V_—----* ' —* PROMINENT WOMAN TAKEN ILL ON STREET IS JAILED AND DIES Colored Citizens Are Aroused Over Brutal Neglect by Police and Resulting Death of Mrs. Boulder INVESTIGATION IS PROCURED Mayor and City Commissioners Issue Report Deploring Occurrence and Give Assurance of Future Medical Care (By N. A. A. C. P. Press Service.) Lexington, Ky. May 8.—Colored people of this city are aroused over the treatment resulting in her death, given by the local police to Mrs. Ger trude Boulder, a prominent church and civic worker, who, when she be came unconscious from acute indiges tion on the street, was taken to a local jail on charges of intoxication and without any medical attendance was allowed to die in her cell. Local colored organizations, includ ing the Lexington branch of the Na tional Association for the Advance ment of Colored People, combined in presenting a protest to Mayor Hogan Yancey and in demanding a rigid in vestigation of the neglect shown by the police. The petition presented to the Mayor and to Safety Commis sioner Gentry of Lexington refers to the “tragic and disgraceful” death of Mrs. Boulder and gives the following statement of what occurred: “Suffering from a severe attack of indigestion last Wednesday evening, she fell unconscious on the street on her way home from work. In this state she was picked up by officers about 10:30 and taken to the police station for drunk. She, it seems, was left alone during the night, without medical aid or any attention what ever and was found dead in the cell the next morning. “Mrs. Boulder was highly respect able, a member of the Evergreen Baptist Church, a member of the Y. W. C. A., active in the Woman’s Council Community Service and sev eral fraternal organizations. She was an active worker at the polls last year and was one of the committee and contributor to the Welfare league. The best Negro women ami citizens of Lexington wish here to enter our protest, disgust and indignation against such treatment toward our law abiding citizens. “Indeed we are much alarmed and fee] that we have no protection what ever; we therefore beg you to make a thorough investigation of this case and if need be to so amend the laws or city ordinances so that the respect able women of our race would not have to die in a cell in the police station, if found in an unconscious state on the street. “Inasmuch as there were no signs of intoxication as certified to by the coroner, no disorderly conduct, no scars to indicate quarrel, coupled with the fact that she was neatly dressed, we feel that either our colored police woman, probation officer, city physi cian or trained nurse might have been called to identify her since few of our best citizens are known by the white policemen.” The petition was signed by Mrs. L. B. Fouse, representing the City Fed eration of 40 Clubs and the National Association of Colored Women, as well as by practically all of the lead ers in civic, fraternal and church work in the city, and was endorsed editorially by the local white press. As a consequence of an investiga tion made, the mayor prepared a re port, endorsed by the board of city commissioners, deploring the occur rence, and giving assurance of a new rule providing that medical attention shall at once be provided for anyone brought to the police station in an unconscious condition. The report of the mayor and city council concludes: “We found that Mrs. Boulder was a woman of unimpeachable character, thoroughly interested in the welfare of her community and her people, that she was a worker in all public drives for the benefit of the city, and contributed to all the just causes both of her time and money. In her passing Islington has lost one of its leading colored citzens and we hereby extend our deepest sympathy to th“ j members of her family.” Colored females outnumber the males in Alabama, District of Co lumbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Missis sippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, TennesBm and Virginia.