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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1926)
THE MONITOR NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. $2.00 a Year—5 Cents - Copy _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, OCTOBER 1, 1926 Vol. XII,—No. 14 Whole Number 584 TT\ -'-^--■-- _ MCE COHDITII ; It, OMAHA SH01 1 VP A RECERT l WET w - 2. Analsyin of Report, Su ® *d by lxical Committee, M ,y National Y.M.C.A. S .., Department REVEALS IMPORTANT FACTS Of 15,444 Residents in Section Sur veyed 40 Percent Home Owners; 35 Percent Renters. Only One-Third Church Members ■\i a meeting held at 8 o'clock last Thursday evening in the Y.M.C.A. build mg. the report of the committee composed of representatives of the Omaha Y.M.t. A., Y.W.C.A. and Council of Churches was presented. The meeting was attended by men and women from each of the three organizations which co-operated in making this survey of conditions surrounding the colored folks of Omaha. Tlir data presented has heeri in the bands of the National Y.M.C.A. Survey ( ommiltee and Frank T. Wilson. Nation al Y.M.C.A. secretary for colored men’s work was present at the meeting anil presented his analysis of tire survey ami rivommendalions to the three organiza tions. His report emphasized the five gieal needs at present of the colored population of Omaha and these were 1. Need for recreational facilities, both indoor and outdoor. 2. Need for supplementary education in the evenings. I. Need fo better housing of single men. 4. Need for church co-operation. 5. Need for emphasis on spiritual and moral teaching. F.dwin F. Peirce, general secretary of the Omaha Y .M.C.A., presided at the meet ing and the group present recommended in the Hoard of Directors of the Y.M.C.A. that a committee he appointed whose re yp.msrihHitv would hi* work with colored men and hoys. The survey brought out the fad that in North Omaha there are at present 15.44-1 colored people. This does not include those living in South Omaha at all. 3,089 colored families arc represented in this figure. Titerc are 5.869 hoys over twelve M ars of age and the population during the past six months has been stationary. These people am favorable to Y’.M. and Y.W.C.A. work but are not thoroughly familiar with tlie benefits and needs. Regarding the housing condition* of colored people in Omaha, the survey dis covered that 40 percent own their own homes. 35 percent rent houses, and 25 per lent are roomers. \ great need was brought out for adequate rooming facilities fur the large number of employed colored lens and girls in Omaha who have no t homes here. No adequate provision is made for them at all and they must find rooms wherever they can. In a great ma jority of homes the father and mother and •ill the rhildren over 16 are at work. The total number engaged in painful occupation is 6.667 and are distributed a» follows: • Common laborers, 2.KK): do mestics 1,300; packing industry, 1.169; waiters and porters. 850; skilled workers. 500; professional men, government em ployees and social workers, 68. The great est illiteracy is found among common la Isuers and is about 12 percent among the adults. Nineteen churches of six denominations were found at work with the colored peo ple id Omaha hut only 5.424 of them are members of churches. 1,777 of this num ber are men, 2,927 women and 555 are children. The church indebtedness is $100,000 and 9300,000 more is needed for completion of the building program which these churches have already commenced. The institutional activities in the churches are literary and musical societies and base ball and basketball teams. The churches are reaching the people in a very limiter! way, the survey shows, only the Presby terian and Catholic churches haring gym nasiums and the Oirisl Child society con ducting s playground. Fight fraternal organizations are at work in Omaha for Negroes with 3,326 members. The principal recreations ar« dancing, card playing and baseball, the first and second being commercialized largely. The only agencies providing recreation for the young people without profit are the churches, the Y. M. C. A. and the Christ Child society. 90 percent of the young people have no places for recreation oilier than the streets. There are no free park facilities in this section and a proposed playground on the circus grounds is not yet available because of legal difficulties. 0 * I FORMER PARAMOUR MURDERS MAN’S WIFE Incensed Because of Woman’s Return to Her Husband Patrolman Davis Kills Mrs. Dudley and Shoots Self Washington. D. C.—Fashionable l? street was thrown into a panic early Tuesday morning of last week when four shots rang out from the revolver in tTie hands nf George S. Davis, a patrolman of No. 2 precinct, who murdered Mrs. Desdemona Harnett Dudley, wife of S. II. Dudley, fa mous eomedian and owner of a number nf theatres throughout the country, and also a number of apartment houses in this city. The affair was tlie result of an illicit relation existing Iretween Davis anti Mrs. Dudley, during the estrangement of the Dudleys. However, there had been a reconciliation anti this is said to have completely upset Davis, who, going to tne apartment, lagged Mrs. Dudley to resume her relations with him. Refusing to do this caused him to fire four shots at Mrs. Dudley who died while she was being rushed to Freedman’s hospital. Davis then ! turned the weapon on himself, sending a I bullet through bis left temple. His con ! dition is said to be critical. Mrs. Dudley ' was 3.3 years of age. Davis had been a member of the metropolitan police force for six years. I BEEBE, FORMER KLUXER AND CIVIC ALLIANCE ORATOR, HURLS DEFI AT <K) NIGHT SHI RTF RS The Rev. J. L. Beebe, pastor of Grace Evangelical church, and ardent campaign orator for the Civic Alliance during the recent primaries, lias resigned from the order. He made public hit letter of res ignation dated September 4, last Friday, and explained hw resignation to hi* con grgation Sunday night, from which th«> conclusion may be drawn that his congre gation is more interested in the Klan thin in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr. Beebe claims that F. L. Cook, field lepiesentative of the Kluxers summoned him into his presence September 3 and tidd him that because of certain activities of which the order disapproved, he would have to suspend him. Beebe hied him -elf homeward and immediately indited his letter of resignation. Quoth Mr. Beebe, acording to the World Herald, “Mr. Cook revealed my member hip in the organization. I never said I was a member.” (True to Klan form and duplicity, he declined to declare his mein hership when publicly challenged by VIr. I one l»h Koui-kv to do so.) “He (Cook) violated the oath of his own order in so doing.” Cook, acording to the same publication, i- quoted as saying that, “We think of Beebe just a* we do of Benedict Arnold, and further that he was acting under imperial orders advised hv a committee of the local organization/ Sunday night before a congregation of about 200 he explained his resignation, and said that while the order conatined ; mighty fine men ami women, it needed i considerable cleaning up. He declared that the klan i* “un-American, un Christian. | un democratic, despotic and hypocritical.” I He offered to debate F. L. Cook or any other higher official the klan wants to ! import from “outside Omaha.” ! PRINCE OF WALES SEES FLORENCE MILLS New York—An Associated Press dis patch stales that the Prince of W'ales at tended Monday night’s performance of “Black Birds”, the review in which Flor ence Mills is featured, which is just con cluding engagements throughout Europe. There are no gymnasium facilities open to ihe public. The survey committee found that in 1925 there were 63 cases of juvenile delinquency among colored hoys and girls handled by the Juvenile Court, average age being 14'di years. Most of these were charged with either theft or immorality. About 50 per cent were first offenders and 74 percent were boys. There is a close relationship between juvenile delinquency and lack of playgrounds and recreational equipment. There are no large rooming houses or hotels of the better class available to col ored people. Transient colored people have to lie cared for in private homea. Some temporary aid is given by the City Mission ami the Salvation Army and the Nebraska Children's Home society cares for babies while their mothers work. River view Home and Father Flanagan’s Home caer for some colored hoys and the only agencies giving aid to colored men are the American Legion and the Rod Croat. EDITORIAL A committee has submitted a report of a survey of the con ditions surrounding Negroes in the northern section of Omaha, where the largest number resides. The survey was made for the purpose of placing data in the hands of the National Y. M. C. A. committee at New York City for expert analysis and recommenda tions, if the facts so justify, for inaugurating Y. M. C. A. work among our group in this city. This report, as epitomized, with the recommendations based upon it, are published in* this issue and will repay careful reading. Five needs are emphasized by the report, as follows: Recre ational facilities; supplementary education in the evenings; better housing of single men, church co-operation and emphasis of spir itual ad moral teaching. The Monitor agrees with the first statement that there is need for increased recreational facilities, particularly indoor rec reation, for aside from those who attend the high schools, there are at present, no gymnasium facilities for our young men and women. This is a need that must eventually be supplied and could, even now, be met in a large measure, if certain institutions hav ing these facilities would be Christian minded or even broad minded enough to allow them to be shared under some satisfac tory arrangements with those of our group who might desire to do so. Is it too much to rope that some such privileges may be enjoyed while awaiting the larger provision which must eventual ly come? We do not agree with the second statement that there is need for supplementary education in the evenings. True, this year, the public night schools have been discontinued. This, how ever, we are sure will be only temporary. Our people were free to attend, and did attend in large numbers, these schools, both grade and high. The Knights of Columbus and the University of Omaha offer excellent opportunities for all who desire to avail themselves of them. We can see no reason why the classes con ducted by the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A. should not offer like opportunities. Fortunately, educational opportunities in the eve nings are open to our people and are being used. Better housing conditions for single men and transients is undoubtedly a need. And not only is this true, but many houses for which our people are paying rent ought to be condemned and tom down. We fear we do not quite grasp what is meant by “need of church co-operation.” Co-operation w'ith what? Social agencies and welfare organizations? They are doing this. And as to “em phasis on spiritual and moral teaching" the whole community, nay, the whole world needs this, not only by precept but by ex ample. The survey submits certain statistics which in our judgment, are open to question, as to their accuracy. Are they not estimates rather than actual count? For example, according to the report, the section of North Omaha surveyed shows a Negro population of 15,444, w’hich excludes sopie 3,000 in South Omaha and about an equal number in oth**r scions of the city. This wou'd make our population over 21,000, more than double that of the official census of 1920. Is not this figure too high? We think so. The survey shows many gratifying and encouraging facts as to home ownership, employment and other features which clearly prove that we are by no means a negligible factor in the com munity. We are surprised to lie told that only aliout one-third of the colored population residing in this territory are church members. This, of course, is readily accounted for if it be true, as the survey reports, “that the churches are reaching the people in a very lim ited way.” We are glad this survey has been made, and even though it may contain discrepancies which a revision will correct, it presents much for us all to think aliout and discloses much helpful and con structive work to lie done that challenges the best that is in us to be up and doing. “OVER HERE” The Egyptian Dancing Dervishes arc said to have nothing on the “Over Here” Chatterbox Girls, which will be presented at tin* Gayety theatre next Sunday matinee when it comes to a demonstration of ter psichorean art; for while the former may give expression to their erotic religious emotion with rhythmic accuracy and pro longed endurance; the latter coterie give utterance to what is apparently the pent up enthusiasm of a lifetime with such abandon and dexterity that their exhibi tion of diversified dancing has never l»een excelled in this country. Everyone of the chorus are solo dancers; they gyrate, jig, shuffle, hornpipe, fling, charleston, ballet, reel, contortion, kick and split, in a man ner that discloses artistry and grace. In addition to this they give an exhibition native dances including Russian, Italian, French, Hawaiian, Dutch and Irish. As George M. Cohan would say, “They are a great hunch of hoofers.” Bert Todd and Frank Cummings have engaged an excep tionally clever company to give life and vitality to the story as well as melody to the score, including Sammy Weston, who is a featured member of the cast. Among the others are Ray Clifford, Cy Young, Roy Sears, George I^ewis, Bessie Irving. Ells Ross, Loretta Beyes, Elsie and Pearl Kuna. N.A.A.C.P. MEETING SI NDAY The regular monthly meeting of the Omaha branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will be held Sunday atfernoon at 4 o’clock at the North Side Branch of the **l", at Twenty-fourth and Grant streets. This will be the last regular business meeting before the annual election of officers wfilcn takes place early in November. In addi tion to the business session which will be brief an interesting program will be given. EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP THE DEACON Tin' usual services will l«e held Sunday as follows: 7:30 a. in.—Holy communion. H:30 a. m.—Matins. 10:00 a. in. Church school. 11:00 a. m. Sung eucharist with ser mon. 8:00 p. ni.—Evening prayer ami ser mon. A troop of Boy Scouts, which will be known as Troop 7, is lieing organized at St. Philip’s. The membership is not con fined to St. Philip's Isiys, hut all hoys of the neighborhood who are above 12 years of age are invited to join. The meetings are held Wednesday nights at 7:30 in St. Philip's Guild room. I.ovejoy Crawford is scout master and Robert B. Allen, assistant scout master. The Scout committee is composed of fir. Herbert Wiggins, chairman; B. B. Cowan, Charles W. Dickerson, W. G. Haynes and Malcolm Scott. A troop of Girl Scouts is soon to be organized. Its membership is open to all girls above 12 who desire to join. COMMITS SUICIDE Bud Potter, well known about the city, aged 40 years, committed suicide by shoot ing himself sometime Sunday night near his rooming house, 920 S. When found it was believed that he had been dead for about eight hours. letters and effects found about his person gives the impres sion that it was purely suicide and because of love affaire, which no doubt temporarily unbalanced his mind, coupled with sick ness. He lias a grandmother, Mrs. Alice Grant, 820 G street and an aunt in New York. Rev. M. C. Flight was in attendance at the Kansas confe. at Hutchinson last week. WALKER HEIRESS AND HUSBAND SEPARATE Principals in Widely Advertized "Million-Dollar Wedding” Have Reached Parting of the Ways Chicago, 111,—Gordon H. Jackson and his wife, Mrs. May Walker Jackson, have come to the parting of the ways, according to admissions on both sides which fere made here this week. The doctor is re ported to have moved from the palatial apartment on exclusive Michigan Boule vard which he and Mrs. Jackson recently occupied and to have hired lodging in a local hotel. A divorce, by mutual agree ment of both parties is contemplated. Thus comes the first definite break in the famous "million-dollar wedding” of May Walker, the adopted daughter of the former A’Lelia Walker, who inherited the fortune of her mother, Madame Walker, the millionaire manufacturer of prepara tions for the hair and the skin. The mar riage was consummated in New York and was much commented on by the society press of the country. Nine thousand guests are said to have been invited. Rumors of separation have spread be fore when Mrs. Jackson took occasional trips from the city, but it was thought that whatever differences that miglr have , arisen wih the birth, a few months ago, | of a son. Gordon, junior. But that hope j which the poet says a child may bring1 seems to have been foredoomed to fail Ure’__ LINCOLN ITEMS Mrs. Mary Worden was called to Kan sas last week on account of a son’s illness. Mrs. Diuvina E. Ray died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. Hill, 2440 South Ninth street, last Thursday morning after a siege of illness. The funeral was at tended at Henry Brown’s undertaking par lors Sunday morning. Rev. C. R. Ross of Newman M. E. church officiated. The body was shipped to Dunlap. Kansas, Monday for burial with Mr .and Mrs. A. Hill ac companying the body. Mr. Zachary Johnson is reported quite sick at this time. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Allen have left the city. Mr. and Mrs. William Ewing have gone to Kansas City. Mrs. Smith of Cheyenne. Wyoming, and Mrs. John Huff were Lincoln visitors la«t week. Mrs. John Huff lives in Los Angeles and motored throughout the country. The Utopian Art club met at the home of Mrs. Ella Black, 708 North 13th St„ where they were entertained bv Mr. Nim rod Ross, Thursday night. .11 BILEE SINGERS PLEASE \ company of Jubilee singers consist ing of young folks from the Normal and Industrial Institute of Prentiss. Miss., were in the city this week. They were In cnarge of Prof. J. E. Johnson and wife, who is president of the school, and are traveling through the country by auto. Concerts are being given to raise funds for the bene fit of the school. They sing the old-time melodies, solos, classical and other music and are roundly applauded wherever they appear. They have a little fellow about 10 years of age who can recite the WTtting? of Paul Laurence Dunbar better than the author. He is gaining in favor as an en tertainer. The company sang for the First Presbyterian church (white! Sunday night ami gave a few selections after services at Mount Zion Baptist church. A program was given at Quinn Chapel A. M. E. church I Monday night, and was accorded a crowd ed house. Their stay was closed by broad casting over the Buirk radio station. The company left Tuesday for the south where their school opens October 4th. SCHOOLS OVERCROWDED; TEACHERS POORLY PAID Columbia, S. C.—Many transfers are ue ing made here as a result of the crowded condition of the Negro schools. Every available room in the colored public school is in service. Twelve grade teachers are handling two sections a day. In some rooms there are as many as 60 pupils. The teachers get twenty-five and thirty dollars a month. LARRY MURPHY WINS UNPOPULAR DECISION San Jose, Cal.—Larry Murphy, popular Los Angeles colored boxer, won an unpop ular decision September 21 over Young Carmen, local junior welterweight in a 10-round bout. CONSCRIPTION OF NEGRO LABORERS STARTS TRONBLE Drastic and Arbitrary Drafting of Ne groes for Reconstruction of Storm-Swept Florida Resented AROUSES NATIONAL PROTEST Many Individuals and Organizations Invoke President Coolidge to Stop Arbitrary Armed Conscription Chicago, III.—The conscription of Ne groes to lalxir in the reconstruction of storm-wrecked Florida, as is being carried on hv whites at the present time and which resulted in the wounding of several Negroes by sailors Friday, has brought forth hundreds of protests to President Cal vin Coolidge and a wave of indignation that has swept the entire Negro population of this country. In the effort to restore Miami and other cities in the path of the recent hurricane which wrought havoc in Florida, the re ports declare, that sailors and soldiers, armed with rifles have indvaded Negro sec tions of the towns and forced them into trucks in which they were carried to the storm-torn sections and compelled to work. In many instances, those conscripted in this fashion were enroute to regular jobs hut this made no difference to the armed whites. No excuses whatsoever were ac cepted but simply “get in that truck" and a later command “get down and get to work.” After several days of this sort of in fringement on their rights, Negroes in Miami refused to ire further subjected to the treatment and as a result a miniature race war was staged Friday in which three Negroes, including one woman and two sailors were wounded. To curb further outbreaks, the state militia was called out and sent to the black belt, evidently to safeguard those forcing conscription. Individuals, including some of the most prominent Negroes in America, and organ* ization, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Associated Negro Press, have sent letters of protest to the President of the United States urging him to put forth every effort to protect the interest of Ne groes in Florida and to put a stop to the armed conscription. The following telegram, sent to President Coolidge by Hon. Edward H Wright, poli tical leader of Chicago and a member of die Illinois Commerce Commission, is typi cal of tile deluge of messages: Hon. Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States Washington, D. C. < “In the name of fifteen million Ne groes in America, I protest against the conscription of Negro labor In Florida. Involuntary servitude has been ab olished and is prohibited by the Thir teenth Amendment to the Constltu tion. There Is no more justification for the conscription of labor than there Is for the conscription of wealth against the owner's consent even though a great catastrophe may have visited a community. I respectfully ask that our national government see to It that the Con stitution is upheld and respected In this matter." EDWARD H. WRIGHT Y.W.C.A. SCHOOL Elementary Gasses Ml elementary classes will be taught in the regular night school-classes to be offered at the “Y” every Monday, Wed nesday, and Thursday night, beginning Monday, October 11. This door of op port unity is open to every man and woman of the community. Mrs. E. W. Johnson, former principal of Long night school, hu< kindly consented to take charge of these classes. Use your evenings profitably! Home Nursing Class A class in Home Nursing for a term of six weeks will be given FREE, if the re quired number of women enroll. Sewing Class A class in Practical Dressmaking will begin Thursday evening, October 12. Term —eight weeks. Tuition- $2.50 for the course. Art Class A very interesting class in Art will he gin Friday evening, October 15. Term eight weeks. Tuition—$2.75 for the course. Choral Gub Watch for the date of the first meeting of the Choral club! Very capable instructors have been sc cured for each of the above classes. Any person who wishes to enroll in any classes requiring a tuition fee, will be obliged to regster lrefore that class opens. Because some classes will Ire necessarily limited in size, it will be wiee for you to ENROLL NOW. For further information call WE. 1559.