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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1926)
as, The Monitor ai O | NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO TIIE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS f THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. _ V _ __a__ ______ $2.00 a Year—9c » .py OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1926 Whole Number 552 Vol. XI—No. 32 -s ----—— — . . — I EIROPE WELCOMES NEGRO AMERICANS AS ENTERTAINERS Many Centers of European Culture Seek to Obtain Talented Colored Americana for Long Engagements VIEWED AS PROMISED LAND Cordial Treatment Accorded Race in Vienna and Other Foreign Cities in Striking Contrast to Am erican Attitude New York.—Europe, rather than Li beria, according to present indica tions, is the place toward which Am erican Negroes will in the future turn as their land of promise. In parti cular is this true for those who have a talent for the stage. Throughout Europe “the color line” is a thing unknown while in European theatres a colored skin is a real asset. Popular in Franee For years past colored Americans have been extremely popular In France and other Latin countries. They have been welcomed into society, feted as war heroes and otherwise given a status equal to that enjoyed by people with white skins. Since the war this popularity of Negroes has spread to other Euro pean states. There is hardly a city of any size where a few American Negroes are not to be encountered every day, especially during the summer months, and there is no na tional capital which does not welcome the Negro traveler as cordially as it does the white tourist. The time is long past when a black-skinned man attracted undue attention as he walk ed along the streets and dined in restaurants of Europe. In its hospitable treatment of the colored races Vienna has led rather than follow'od the procession. As the meeting place of east and west—“the eastern outpost of western civiliza tion", the Viennese call their city— Vienna has for centuries been accus tomed to entertain people from every clime and continent. To welcome the Negro today she considers only a new development in her traditional life. Actors Are Sought MARCUS GARVEY’S PLEA FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY HAS BEEN REJECTED U. N. I. A. Leader MuHt Serve at Least One-third of Five-year Sentence—He Will Then Be Deported Washington, D. C.—President Cool idge has denied the petition of Mar cus Garvey, president general U. N. I. A., for executive clemency, which sought to free Garvey from the Fed eral prison at Atlanta, Ga., where he has served one year of his five-year sentence. In his petition for clemency, Garvey also asked to be allowed to remain in the United States ninety days in order to straigehtn up some “business affairs” before being deported. This request was also denied by Secretary of Labor, who declares that Garvey would he immediately deported to British West Indies, just as soon as he is released from Atlanta prison. Garvey began his five-year sen tence on February 8, 1925, and will be eligible for parole October 7, 1926, under the one-third term. After that time he may be paroled, but will be immediately deported, according to officials at Washington. ALLEN’S RELATIVE DEAD New York City—Mrs. Lena Allen Johnson, great-granddaughter of the late Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the A. M. E. Church, is dead at her home here. She was the wife of ex Assemblyman Edward A. Johnson. OFFER $1,000 FOR RACE NOVEL New Y'ork City—Albert and Charle Boni, publishers, are offering $1,000 for the "best novel of Negro life writ ten by a man or woman of Negro descent.” All manuscripts must be submitted before September 1, 1926. SENTENCED FOR FORTY YEARS FOR MURDER EDITORIAL The Negro population of Omaha is a little above 15,000 or about 71/2% of the total population. Excluding Omaha and Lin coln, there is only one city or town in Nebraska that has a popula tion of 15,000 and that is Grand Island. If we as.a group were suddenly transplanted to some section of this rich state where we had a city of our own it would be the third or fourth city in size in the state. Have you any conception of the amount of money spent in a city of 15,000? Have you any idea of the amount of money our race spends annually in Omaha not for luxuries and amusements, but for the absolute necessities of life, such as food, clothing, fuel, light and housing? Get pencil and paper and try to make an estimate. You can readily understand that it will amount to several millions of dollars, for necessities alone, mark you. Add to this the money spent for amusements and luxuries and it will total other millions. Suppose we say, simply for the sake of argument, that our race here spends $3,000,000 annually for these necessities. How much of this amount is spent among legitimate enterprises of our own, which are struggling to build up business which will afford employment to our ambitious youth whom we are educat ing? It is safe to say that not 5', of this sum, or $150,000, is spent annually among our own people. Suppose one tenth of this $3,000,000, that is to say $300,000, a year were spent in buying groceries and meats and clothing and coal and drugs and toilet supplies from our own people in these lines, can you not see how speedily we would advance in the business world? Can you not see that we would soon have business establishments that would need clerks and l>ookkeepers and stenographers and other em ployees giving opportunities for business training and experience which are now denied us. We do not realize or use our economic power. We will never get anywhere in this commercial age in the commercial and bus iness world, so long as we spend ALL our money with white firms and business enterprises and neglect those of our own. We ought to judiciously divide our patronage giving it to those firms which appreciate our patronage and spending a share of it with our own worthy business enterprises. You will note we say “worthy business enterprises”. What do we mean by “worthy business enterprises”? Simply this: Bus iness ventures, where though the stock may be small, it is well selected, the place is kept neat and clean and the proprietor is doing his best to supply the needs of his customers by courteous and prompt attention. It is about time we stopped tying our own hands and restrict ing our opportunities by continuing to be buyers and not sellers, spenders and not savers. Remember please that if you buy only ten per cent of the things you need from some member of your race who has it to sell you are helping yourself to find a place in the business and commercial world. We have splendid opportunities for business and commercial development right here in Omaha if we will only use them. THOUSANDS OF “WHITE” VIRGINIANS AFFECTED BY PROPOSED MEASURE Amendment to Racial Integrity Law Would Class 20,000 of State’s Distinguished Citizens as Colored Richmond, Va. — Twenty thousand of the most distinguished people of Virginia wohld be classed as “color ed” under the ne awmendment of the state racial integrity law now pend ing before the general assembly, ac cording to Richmond News Leader. Included among this number are at least a dozen members of the legis lature and a member of the state Su preme Court of Appeals. The bill would classify as “colored” or “non-white” all persons who with any known demonstrable or ascertain able admixture of Indian or Negro blood, except descendants of white persons who married before 1619 and of the civilized tribes of Oklahoma and Texas now citizens of Virginia. As the results of the Richmond News’ contention, white organizations all over the state are prepared to stop the passage of the amendment of the state racial integrity law. A MOTION PICTURE WITH A GRIPPING STORY — “Capital Punishment,” a motion picture with a gripping story which bothe educates and entertains, is to be shown at the Brandeis theater for eight days starting Saturday. There will be four performances daily. The pi<Hu re has been reviewed by Dr. Victor Levine, chairman of the | Nebraska Committee for the Study of Crime; Mrs. W. E. Johnson, presi dent of the Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs, Sherrif Mike Endres; and several others interested in the J abolition of capital punishment. The group unanimously agreed that the picture should be recommended be-} couse of the powerful message it car- j ries. The leads in the picture are taken j by George Hackenthorne and Clara Bow. They are ably supported by Elliott Dexter, Mary Carr, Alec B. Francis, Eddie Phillips and several other well known stars. “I think everyone should see the picture,” said Dr. Levine. “The east ern critics who lauded the picture are absolutely right. It is more than a message. It has a sensational ro mance which keeps the spectator in terested until the very last minute.” WOMAN ADMITTED TO U. S. SUPREME COURT Washington, D. C.—Mrs^ Violette N. Anderson, of Chicago, has been admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court. She is the first woman of the race to receive this distinction. Mrs. Anderson is a graduate of the Universty of Chicago Law School and has practiced for six years. POSES AS NEGRO LAWYER, FORGES CHECK AND FLEES WITH A $4,000 PACKARD Detroit, Mich.—The Packard Motor Car Co. was defrauded out of a 1926 sedan by a white law student, who osed as a popular young Negro attor ney of this city. The student, who went by the name of Harold Hergoz, resided at 204 Josephine street. Through a casual meeting he became acquainted with Attorney Herbert White. Through the knowledge that he gained of the colored lawyer’s business during the time he was associating with him, he was able to carry out his scheme. Hergoz visited the offices of Attor ney White, at 212 State street, at an hour when he knew that he would be in court, with a demonstrator for the Packard Motor Car Co. He forged Attorney White’s name to a check for $1,400 for a car with out arousing any suspicion on the part of the salesman. When a repre sentative of the automobile concern came to investigate the sale later, the forgery was discovered, but Hergoz and the $4,000 Packard could not be located. COOLIDGE APPOINTS COLORED ATTORNEY MUNICIPAL JUDGE James A. Cobb Is Named as Successor to Judge Terrell on Monicipal Bench of District of Columbia APPOINTMENT WINS APPROVAL Ney Appointee Man of Character anc’ High Standing and Unselfishly Active in Racial Affairs Washington, D. C. (By the Asso ciated Negro Press.)—The recent death of Judge Robert H. Terrell created a vacancy on the Municipal Bench of the District of Columbia, a position which had been held by him for nearly twenty-four years. Upon Judge Terrell’s passing, President Coolidge promptly decided to appoint a colored man of similar high char acter and standing. After full con sideration of the claims of the various persons whose names were presented to him, he decided to appoint Honor able James A. Cobb, an able and ex perienced lawyer and a man of the finest character and connections. This was done Monday, February 15th. Influential Backing Given Cobb Mr. Cobb had the support of several important groups, including Senator William M. Butler, chairman of the Republican National Executive Com mittee; leading members of the Legal Fraternity, influential senators and representatives and men and women of his own race representing various schools of thought and influences. Mr. Cobb’s Civic Interests Mr. Cobb’s name was presented at the White House and to the Depart ment of Justice, and to Senator But ler by Dr. Emmett J. Scott, member of the Advisory Committee of the Republican National Executive Com mittee. Mr. Cobb has been connected with every movement that has been con cerned during the last twenty years with the civic interest sof the Color ed people of the District. In 1907, at the personal request of President Roosevelt, he was appointed by Attorney General Bonaparte as special assistant to the Attorney Gen eral and was assigned to the U. S. Attorney’s Office in and for the Dis trict of Columbia, having special charge of the pure food prosecutions, naturalization and forfeited bonds. Later revenue cases were added to his duties. How effectively this work was done the records in the Depart ment of Justice, as well as of the United States Attorney’s Office, and the records in the Courts, including the Court of Appeals of the District :>f Columbia, speak for themselves. In August, 1915, he resigned from the Department of Justice and again took up the practice of his profes sion, which is illustrated by the wide extent of his various connections. He has served at Washington as counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; as trial attorney for the Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, of which organization Honorable S. W. Green is Supreme Grand Chancellor, and of which organization Honorable S. A. T. Watkins of Chicago is Su preme Grand Attorney; as attorney for Howard University, and as attor ney for the Standard Investment Cor poration, which owns more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of real estate in the District of Colum bia, and as an attorney and direstor of the Prudential Bank of Washing ton. The letters filed at the White House and at the Department of Just ice include the most formidable group ’ of worthwhile endorsements, it is said, ever filed in behalf of a colored citizen whose name was under con sideration for appointment to high position. Mrs. Thomas Buford, who resides with Mrs. Willis, 2712 Maple street, has returned from Kansas City, where she went on business. Cleveland, Tenn— A. N. Riley und E. J. Suggs, two white men who were convicted of the murder of Charles Waterhouse, colored taxi cab driver, j and sentenced to forty years in th< j state penitentiary by a jury here, have begun to serve their term. SUCCUMBS TO LONG ILLNESS Frank J. Liverpool, who had been a resident of Omaha for nearly forty years and was well-known in Pullman j circles, died at his home, 1117 North j Twentieth street, early Thursday j morning, after an illness of several months. Eight years ago Mr. Liver pool became blind and subsequently be came a victim of creeping paralysis, which for the last year confined him to his home. He was an native ol Columbus, Ohio, and came to Omaha in 1888. For several years he was the headwaiter at the University Club. Twenty-five years ago he married Miss Ella Lynch, who with two .laughters, Mary Ellen and Teressa survive him. He was one of Omaha’s oldest Masons, under whose auspices the funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Mas onic hall at Twenty-fourth and Park er. He was a communicant of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. The buri al office of the Episcopal church will be said before the Masonic rites. CHILD KILLED BY AN AUTOMOBILE Carlisle, the six year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Mason Devereaux, a pupil in the Ixithrop school, died as a result of injuries sustained Monday afternoon when he was run down by an automobile drjven by Miss Eliza beth Howard, a teacher at the Sara toga school. Miss Howard was placed under a $2,500 bond pending the in quest which was held Thursday after noon, when she was exonerated by the jury. According to the testimony of eye-witnesses little Carlisle ran out into the street in front of Miss Howard’s car which was not being driven at a high rate of speed. cm me pan oi me meaincai worm this welcome to Vienna has been par ticularly cordial. Theatre managers have turned to Negro artists from America (and to many who yere not even half-artists) as an inovation which would swell boxoffice receipts; actors and actresses have gladly fra ternized with their colored colleagues because they have found in them something new to study; while pa trons of the theatre have not only exchanged their* money for tickets night after night without stint but also have fallen over themselves seek ing introductions to the most prom inent of the Negro visitors in order that they might invite them to teas and dinners. Both in troupes and as individual entertainers Negroes are to be found throughout the year in one or more cabarets. Occasionally some well known race singers give concerts, on which night the sign “ausverkauft" (sold out) is always hung before the box office window long before the curtain. HELD FOR SWINDLING Ft. Myers, Fla.—Four West Palm Beach white real estate salesmen held here on charges of swindling colored citizens on land deals. 1 have been bound over to circuit court tinder bonds totaling $16,000 by County Judge Stout. TEAR BOMBS USED TO ROUTE DELEWAItE MOB Georgetown, Del.—More than a score of tear bombs were thrown into a crowd of a thousand who attempted to storm the courthouse here Monday and lynch Harry Butler, colored, who a few moments later was sentenced to hang for criminally attacking 12 year-old Lenora Steinmetz. NEGRO COMPOSER SECURES DISTRIBUTION FOR SONG Chicago—Through the Educational Music Bureau of this city, Hermes Zimmerman, Negro composer, has suc ceeded in securing national distribu tion for his march song “America First and Forever.” This is the in spiring number that has made sucii a hit with the school supervisors ol Chicago and Evanston that it has been translated into eight languages foi use in the public schools by non-Eng lish speaking citizens. It will be particularly beneficial ii public night schools where immigrants are receiving free instructions in the ; fundamentals of Americanism. Musi cal critics declare that “America ■ First and Forever” is one of the best i national march songs of recent years, i marking the highest musical achieve-1 ment of young Zimmerman, who also composed “The Chief Corner Stone", a song of Ethiopia, “I Want to be Ready,” and a sermonette song, “Keep on Stepping Along.” INDIANAPOLIS FREEMAN SUSPENDS PUBLICATION Indianapolis, Ind.—The Indianapolis Freeman, one of the oldest publica tions in the race, and for many years the most widely read, has suspended publication here and has entered a plea of voluntary bankruptcy. Th< petition was filed by the well known editor, George L. Knox, president ol the Freeman Publishing Co., who nam ed as his chief asset the publishing company valued at only $500. Othei assets including personal holdings and a small piece of property under mortgage to the Railroad Menh Building and Loan Association, repre senting $200. Debts were listed at $6,000. WILL STUDY AFRICAN ASPECTS New York—Prof. Henry G. Bayer, of New York University, has inaugu rated an intensive study of the physi cal, economic and administrative as pects of the Belgian and the French Congo, the first course of its kind ever offered in the United States, which began last Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 o’clock in the School of Com merce of New York University, at Washington Square. The course will be open to the regular students of the University and to persons who make application to the Secretary of the School of Commerce. GETS AN APPOINTMENT IN STATE LABOR DEPT. East St. Louis, III.—In connection yith the State Employment Of fice at East St. Louis, Mrs. Wm. E. Officer, Jr., has been appointed clerk and has entered upon the active dis charge of her duties. Mrs. Officer has charge of the women’s division, as chief executive of that department, and as such, looks after the interest of women, both white and colored. In making the appointemnt, Mr. George B. Arnold, Director of the State Labor Department, stated that Mrs. Officer was highly recommend ed and was fitted for the place by experience and training. $70,000 AWARDED FOR INJURIES New York City—For injuries re ceived when a Philadelphia express crashed into the Havanna special on which they were yaiters, Edward P. Green, received $36,600 and Joshua Goodwin $6,000. Theodore Williams, white, cook, received $27,600.