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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1926)
'sss-i The Monitor “ NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS 3. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. _ O ’ ^ $2.00 a Year—5 O to a Copy. OMAHA, NEBRASKA. APRIL 23. 1026._Whole Number 557. Vol. XI.—No. 40 ELABORATE PL " BEING FORM_TEI) FOR OPENING DAY Omaha Buffaloes. After an In and-Out Road Trip, Arrive Home Monday for Opening of Season on Tuesday. Serrelary Han* Reis of the Omaha Western league team has announced that a!) plans for the opening day ceremonies of the Western League have been com pleted and that the officials are now sit ting hack waiting for game time Tuesday afternoon, April 27. at 3 o'clock. The plans include u*ual parade of both j local and visiting teams and officials j around the infield and to the flagstaff for I the customary flag-raising; the customary tossing of the first Irall by “Hizzoner,” Mayor Dahlmau. to Bald-Headed lzzie of the “Witches/* who are the visiting players. And in addition to these a real sur prise has been arranged for the fans who are loyal enough to attend the open* ing game. The international chief of the Elks and his staff will attend the game and local Elks have reserved a whole section of the grandstand for the local lodge. The packing companies have arranged for a flock of seats and will give out the usual hams for the first hits Tuesday. All amateur teams of the city are al»" planning on attending the game in a body. Omaha has great hopes of winning tli Opening Day attendance trophy and has a dandy chance of doing so. because ah i, other openings to-date have been played to small crowds. Remember the time of the game is 3 o'clock. and you are wanted to be present Box seats are now on sale at the City National cigar store. Socialist leader Introduces New Anti-Lynching Bill Washington, It C. Claiming that the ami-lynching plank in the. Republican platform of 1924 hail served ii* purpose when it attractril sufficient Negro vole* to injure Republican success at the polls atul that administration leader* were shamelessly letting it go by now. Represen tative Victor Berger, socialist from Mil waukee. Win., introduced a new anti lynch ing hill into Congress Friday, framed with an idea of avoiding the legal technical die- raised against the Dyer hill and pro viding for the action of the federal gov ernment particularly in eases where it ap peared the state government was not go ing to ai l. This feature of the bill meets the issue of state’s rights. Individuals who take patt in lynch ing* under the hill would he liable to im prisonment of from one to five years and a fine of $5,(XX). Officials who are dere lict in their duty in protecting prisoner* would be liable to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $10.(MX) Victor Berger has been one of the. most discussed members of Congress. Dur ing the war he was ejected from the body, but was later sent back by a constituency whielr has always upheld him. Houston, Tex. Miss Marguerite Penny barker, formerly connected with the Y. U C. A. here, and at present working with the Bethlehem Centei at Nashville, Tenn., has been awarded a fellowship in Columbia leading to her master's degree. She will begi-n her studies next Septem her. Miss Pennybacker is a graduate in vocal music from Fiske, and ulso holds a bachelor's degree from that institution. Philadelphia, Pa.—Attorney C. Edward Dickerson has announced his candidacy for congress from the First District, now repre sented Ixy W. S. \ ane, white. His p'al form contains proportional representation, enforcement of all constitutional amend ment* and the abolition of lynhcing. About 40 per cent of the voters in the district are Black Americans. AI Cl 1ST A VOTES SEWERS FOR COLORED DISTRICT Augusta, Ga. The City Council of Au gusla ha* just authorized extensive, addi tions to the sewerage system, which will greatly improve the sanitary conditions of the southern section of the city in which live most of the colored population. The project was initiated and carried to suc cess through tile efforts of tile local inter, racial committee, composed of a numbe: of leading citizen* of both race*. Hon. ) George Barrett, prominent lawyer, heads the white section of the committee, and Miss larcy l-aney, principal of Haines In stitute, is chairman of the colored section. Commenting editorially on the enter prise, the Augustr Chronicle says, “It is of importance not only to the community immediately interested, hut to the whole city, since the people of all Augusta are interested in anil affected by the welfare and health of the colored population" COURAGEOUS GEORGIAN URGES REPEAL OF SOUTH S “JIM CROW” CAR LAW Birmingham, Ala. A strikingly bold stand was taken by Dr. Will \&. Alexan der, white Georgian, and one of the secre taries ol the Federal Council of Churches, in an address before young white men and | women, gathered here from all section* of this country and Canada, when he spoke out fearlessly against the “Jim Crow” law of the South and demanded its repeal in the name of justice to all parties con cerned. “The majority population, the white, in I the South,” emphasized Dr. Alexander, has •iecided how the minority, the blacks, -bouid travel, but it is unjust for this ma jority to force Negroes to ride in such | dangerous places as the front coaches ol | trains; it is inconvenient and unfair for! Negroes not to have Pullman car and i smoking car privileges on southern trains. I I lie Negro should have more freedom and greater opportunity in the matter ol travel, education, housing conditions and more justice in the courts.” I he courts of the South do not find white men guilty of crime upon the tes timony of Negroes, he pointed out, and added that a “country which does not pro tect every individual by law will ultimately become an unsafe country to live in. He Raved throughout hi* talk so-called while supremacy over Negroes. LINCOLN NOTES. Robert Hammond, 48, was instantly killed in a fall down an elevator shaft while at work on the new Comhusker Hotel last Wednesday, at 9:30 a. m. Some mistake in signals was given as the cause. Th body was removed ti Lincoln Sanitarium, where it was pronounced lifeless by at tending physicians and was then removed to the undertakers parlor. The fall was v«n *tnr» - tin* body being badly mangled and broken. He leaves as survivors a wife and eight children as follows: Lucile Hugbard, Tliel • t. Ruth. Kdward, F.dwin, Raymond, Wil liam of Lincoln, John of Chicago; a moth 1, sister and uncle of Texas; mother-in law, Mrs. Lucy Foiling. Mr. Harnmond had been a resident of Lincoln since 1914, ami was known as an industrious man. , Funeral services were held Sunday aft e fin ion, and were largely attended by , relatives and friends. Rev. H. W. Bolts | officiated, assisted by Rev. M. C. Knight I • t Onion Chapel. Our sympathy goes out for the bereaved wife and family L. J. Mien was caled to hi* home in Lnid, Okla., last week on account of hi* mother’s serious illness. Mr*. Canada of Denver, Colo., was in the city last week to visit her sister, Mrs. Mary Nichols, who was very ill. Mrs. I Ratley of Denver, Colo., arrived ii the rity last week to care for her sick daughter, Mrs. Mary Nichols. Lugene Nichols was summoned from Washington, D. C., on account of his mother’s serious illness, hut death came to her early Sunday morning, before hi* arrival. Mrs. Eann> Young is reported abb* to Im* uj> and around home. Mrs. Mary Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Da vid E. Nichols, pased away at their home, I 2951 Starr street, Sunday at 1:10 a. m. Mrs. Nichols had recently undergone an operation for a goiter and had not been herself since, hut had borne up well under circumstances. She had been a resident of Lincoln many years. Site is survived by a husband, a son, Eugene; a mother, Mrs. E. Hatley; three !-osiers, of Denver, Colo.; a brother, of Detroit, Mich. The funeral was held at the home Tues day, at 2 o'clock. The Rev. John Albert Williams of Omaha officiated. The hus band and family have our heartfelt sym pathy. The Order of the Eastern Star i held their beautiful ritualistic service at the grave following the Prayer Book serv ice of the Episcopal church. Mrs. Nelie Maston has been confined at j home with sickness the past two weeks. Hev. H. W. Bolts was confined to his bed several days last week. J. T. Wright is of from work the past week on account illness. W. W MOSLEY. Washington, D. C.—T. Arnold Hill, di rector of the Industrial Relations of tin* National Urban league, and Rienzi B. |/mius, president of the Brotherhood of Dining Car Employes, are vigorously sup* porting a proposition t«» remove color restrictions in organized labor. They de* ,-lare the situation “un-American, un-demo crat ic and uneconomic.” DISCRIMINATION AND SEGREGATION IN POMPEIAN ROOM CALLEI TO ATTENTION OF MANAGEMENT OF TNE BRANDEIS STORE . --- Assurance Is Given That the Customary Courteous Treatment of Patrons of This Great Mercantile Establishment in Not Discriminating on Account of Race, Color or Religion Is to Be Continued. Despite the fact that there are some places in Omaha which violate, and have been permitted to violate with impunity, the Nebraska Civil Rights Bill, there are several places which our peo ple have been in the habit of patronizing where they are ac corded the same treatment as other patrons. Among these places is the Pompeian Room of the Brandeis Store. In one or two cases, it is alleged, colored persons misbehaved themselves, but this was not seized upon as a reason for denying or withdrawing certain privileges from all, as has often been done by other places. Recently, however, there has been manifested a disposition upon the part of persons in charge of the Pompeian Room to segre gate and humiliate colored people. There were several cases] of this character last week. This was brought to the attention of the head of the establishment and assurance has been given t hat the usual courteous policy of the Brandeis Store in its lunch ! room, as elsewhere, is to prevail. In an interview with Harry B. Zimman, whose friendly at titude to our people is well known and has been frequently; proven, and with Air. Karl Ixtuis, whose birth and training elevate i him far above blighting prejudice, the desire and intention of] the Brandeis Store to treat all patrons with equal courtesy was : again emphasized. Since this is the policy of the Brandeis store, The Monitor | urges our people to be so circumspect in their behavior that no cause may be given for criticism. The following letters are self-explanatory: Mr. George L. Brandeis, Omaha. Neb., April 19, 1926. I'resident Brandeis Store, Omaha, Nebraska: Dear Sir: Then- has berm brought to my attention today as President ot the Omaha Branch of lire N. \. A. C P., certain flagrant cases of discrimination anri insult offered respectable and well-behaved colored women in the Pompeian boom of your establishment, which 1 am very sure is contrary to your usual courteous policy and simply needs to be brought to your attention to Ire corrected without lurther action upon the part of our Association. ***** Saturday afternoon, April 17, 1926, Mrs. Melvin McCaw ami her daughter, Melva, oi 2606 Ohio Street!, were told that they must eat at an end table “reserved for sour people," And when they declined to move from a table where they had seated themselves, a waitress persisted in piling dirty dishes on the table. today. Mis* Louise layior. Alias May MaisftwU and Mrs. Sybil Oglesby were told that they must sit at this reserved end table, hut declined to do so and went elsewhere and purchased their lunch. A little later, knowing nothing of this incident, Mrs. Austen Seriant, formerly of this city, hut now residing in Chicago, was subjected to the same embarrassment and humiliation, to whili she very pro|ierly refused to submit. Another case of the same nature occurring today was that ol Mrs. Augusta Basil an. 2719 lorkc stteet. Miss Ida Armstrong was seated at the “reserved end table” but did not protest. These several specific cases clearly prove that a settled policy of segregation and discrimination, contrary to the Civil Bights Bill of Nebraska and contrary to gi»>d business judgment, lia* been inaugurated in ibis department of your store. Personally, I believe that this is not either with the knowledge or consent of your s. ll or of the other liberal-minded gentlemen who bold executive positions in your laige establishment, and which owes its growth and commanding position in our city | t. , the good will engendered by courteous treatment to all its patrons. Believing, as I said at the beginning, that this humiliation to which none of our self-respecting citizens have to or will submit—is not in accordance with your policy, and therefore, having been courteously called to your attention, will Ire im mediately repudiated, believe me, „ Very respectfully yours, JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. • * * * Rev. John Allrerl W illiaras, president, Omaha, Neb., April 20, 1926 Omaha Branch, N. A. A. C. P., 1119 North 21st St., Omaha, Neb. Hear Reverend: Your letter addressed to out president, George Brandeis, regai'l „,g certain discriminations and alleged insults offerer) respectable colored women of „ur l ity in the Pompeian Room of our establishment, was referred to the writer for attention. , Would like by way of answer to suggest that, the first time you are on tie iourtlt floor, please come in my office, and thu- enable me to go into the matter thoroughly. « e stand on our enviable record in dealing with all people justly, never discriminating on account of race, color or religion. We do not propose to depart from that well established policy now. , ... We believe the subject matter is worthy of exchange ol ideas, and in that behaJI 1 m„s, cordially ...vile you lor a chat in my office at such time as your convenience is served. Yours very truly, J. L. BRANDEIS & SONS, By H. B. ZIMMAN. _ Appointed Stenographer. Kansas City. Kan. Miss Sadie Holder ness has been appointed stenographer in the office of the County Treasurer to fill the vacancy of Miss Grace Howard, de eused. The successful appointee is a native of Tulsa, Okla., and a graduate in business of Hampton Institute. The funeral of Baby Frank Jones of 1908 North 26th street, who died April 15, was held Friday at 2 p. m, from Wagner & lsiwis’ undertaking parlors; the Kev. 1, C. McGee officiating. Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Band at Dreamland Hall Bennie Moten’s nine-piece Kansas City orchestra. Okeh record artists, will lie the next big attraction at Dreamland Hall, Tuesday evening. May 4 playing all their latest famous dance hits. Don’t fail to be there. No advance in price. Admission 50 cents. Dance till *2 a. a. WOMAN SHOOTS AND KILLS SELF. Mrs. Helen Vaughen, living at 5215 South Thirty-first street, was found dead, a suicide, at 5:30 p. ra Tuesday, a bullet in her heart. Mrs. H. Eddings, in whose home she lived, had not seen Mrs. Vaughen since Monday night. She entered the rixim Tuesday afternoon, to find the roomer dead, with a guu in her hand. Despondency over illness is believed to lee the cause. FUNERALS. The funeral of little Francis lametta Moss, %1 Nirth 25th street, who died April 14, was held Friday at 10 a. ra., from Wagner & la-wis’ undertaking par lors. Kev. C. A. Williams officiated. |>r. William I). Fountain returned Sun day afternoon from Denver, where he was railed the latter part of March by the se rious illness of his mother, whom he left rapidly improving. DRINKWATER CITES DUNBAR IN SOUTHERN GIRLS’ COLLEGE /‘The Gossip Shop” section of the March number of "The Bookman” contains the following suggestive item: Recently John Drinkwater blamed a brilliant lecture trail through the south in the course of which he filled an en gagement at one of the oldest and most conservative colleges for girls. This school is located in the Black Belt, so called because for generations, until the recent exodus of Negroes for Detroit and way stations, the census showed that eight out of every ten inhabitants were colored. The two whites and their descendants feel that they have to keep a stiff upper lip and practice segregation even to their mental associates. Drinkwater's lecture on “Some Aspects of Modem Drama,” illustrated by passages from his plays, was most enthu siastically received by faculty and stu dents. He was prevailed upon to make an impromptu talk to the English classes on poetry and to read some of his most I unions verse. The girls were simply spell hound. Hoping to break the ice. Drink water suggested, ‘Name me some of your southern poets/ But those students, who were familiar with Poe and Father Ryan and Hayne and Lanier—some of them blood-kin to Lanier! sat there dumb with awe of the great Englishman. So Drink water said, I II start you off with one of vour best, Paul Laurence Dunbar. The ice he was seeking to break congealed afresh. If he had gone on, as well he might, to rite them Countee Cullen, the hot j water pipes might have frozen and burst.” j Push “Guide Right” Week. Chicago Several thousand members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity are tak ing an active part in making “Guide Right Week.” sponsored by the fraternity, a suc cess. By radio, sermons, conferences, and meetings, they are putting into play the Guide Right machinery during this week. I he slogan of the movement is “The Right Man for the Right Job” and the pur pose is to influence high school students to go to college and prepare themselves for the trade* or profession for which they are best fitted ., Some very astounding facts were uncov ered by a committee of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity which investigated the in dustrial status of the Negro. Very few Negroes were found in the fields of manufacturing, commerce and the higher arts and professions. Today the race boasts only of a few thousand lawyers, doctors, ministers, and teachers plenty of poolroom keepers, an ocean of peonage serfs-—with a mere sprinkling of hanks and small commercial enterprises. God has given the race many talents, yet we are 95 per cent strong in the common labor group of the nation s wage earners. Monument for Negro, Vancouver, Gan. Within 12 minutes the Kiwanis dub of this city raised $1,200 of a fund of $50,000 to erect a monument to Joe Fortes, colored, who during his 36 years’ residence at English Bay taught scores of children to swim, saved the lives of 22. and rescued hundreds of others l»efore they reached the drowning stage. (Continuous exposure to all kinds of weath er broke his health, and he died in 1922. When interviewed by the Associated Ne gro Press, a leading Kiwanian said: “Brit ish (Columbia will not allow the memory of Joe Fortes’ life of self-sacrifice to pass. He was a man.” I'hiladelpha Makes Race Bank City Depositry ! Philadelphia—By ordinane passed by the City Council and signed bv Mayor Kendrick, the City of Philadelphia has designated the Citizens and Southern Bank ami Trust company, of which Major R. R. Wright is president, as a regular deposi tory for the city and county’s funds. Charles B. Hall, president of the City Council, introduced the resolution. As soon as the mayor signed it the city treas ury drew a cheek for $10,000 as the initial deposit. This is the first time in the his tory of Pennsylvania, or the east, that a race bank has been approved as a govern ment depository. The stockholders were elated. One said. “If the great City of Philadelphia can draw money out of a white hank and put it into a colored hank, what ought colored organizations, churches, and individuals do in order to build a solid financial foundation for our people? The Citizens and Southern Bank and Trust company has a paid-in capital of $125,000 and surplus of $30,000 fully paid. Arthur McCaw spent Sunday in Lincoln. The Women's Auxiliary held a pleasant meeting at the home of Mrs. Sarah Lewis, ‘2H18 Miami street last Thursday. COMMISSION OBOES BETTER TREATMENT AMEIICANS OF COLOR Meeting on Inter-Raeial Co-Oper ation Gratified With Favor able Reports of Improv ing Conditions. SPECIFIC “NEEDS” STATED Better Railroad Accommodations and Fairer Distribution of School Funds Prominent Part of Program. Tuskegee Inst., Ala.—(A. N. P.)—The seventh annual meeting of the Commis sion on Inter-Racial Cooperation, which was held here, was the most numerously attended in the history of the movement, and, in the opinion of many, the best. Seventy-five members of the commission and staff were present from all parts of the South, besides more than a hundred visitors and members of the Tuskegee faculty. The reports from the field were very encouraging, indicating decided and gen eral improvement, both in inter racial Con ditions and attitudes. It was found that even the few unfavorable situations which developed within the year—such as the barber hill in Atlanta and the Hampton Institute bill in Virginia—served to stir up and solidify the friends of inter racial justice rather than to work against the movement. I lie commission was especially gratified witli the widespread anti-lynching cam paign, as evidenced by the uprising of pub lic sentiment in Mississippi, the ces sation of lynching in Texas, the growing determination of sheriffs to protect their prisoners, and the universal condemna tion of this crime voiced by the news papers. Handsome medals just provided by the commission to be awarded to sheriffs who protect their prisoners from mobs were on exhibition for the first time, and a committee of prominent people is being created to award these medals to sheriffs who merit them. It was agreed that the crusade against lynching should be pushed in every way possible. The press was highly commended for its attitude on this subject and for its intelligent and sym pathetic co-operation with the commission's program in general. Among the brightest spots in the three day session was the hour devoted to stu dent work. Four young college men and women told of the open-minded study of race relations that is being made by many students in southern colleges, ami of the courageous efforts which these young peo ple are making to apply the ethics of Jesus in their inter-racial attitudes and conduct. These efforts take the form of college courses, voluntary' study groups, and inter-racial student forums and con ferences. Thousands of the South’s bright est students are being influenced by this movement. Among the specific needs emphasized and commended for special effort during the coming year were those of better rail road transportation, fuller Negro represen tation on public welfare boards, fairer dis tribution of school funds, improvement of the environment of Negro children, better cities, the encouragement in home owner cities, the encouragement on home owner ship ami the effort to promote a fuller ap preciation of Negro achievement and his tory. Colored Girl Wins Place on Nat ion ;il Honor Roll Philadelphia Ruth Wright, age 15, daughter of Dr. R. R. Wright, jr., editor of the Christian Recorder, was chosen as a memlrer of the National Honor Society of High and Secondary Schools. Out of over 2,000 students of the West Philadelphia High School for Girls, only 24 were chosen for this honor, and one was a colored girl. Miss Wright. Paul Shock, the prin cipal, said: “This is the highest honor that can be awarded a student in our school. It is given for superiority in character, scholarship, leadership and service.” , Makes Two Million on 15-Cent Capital New York—Watt Terry has attained the distinction of being the largest colored real estate owner in the Harlem section of New York city, besides owning a bouse in Brockton, Mass., and a summer home in Oak Bluffs, New York city. He got his start on 15 cents. Today his financial rating is in eycess of $2,000,000 Twenty years ago he arrived in Brockton. Mas*., with 15 cents, and after doing many dif ferent inbs he was aided by the hank in buying a home. From that he made his fortune.