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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (July 15, 1927)
™ The Monitor ^ i f/j NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS O ^ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. ——.. ■ -h" - ■ -. ,, _ , ---- --- ---- - ..... • .. .... . - __ , , $2.00 a Year—5 |u a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1927 Vol. XIII—No. 3 Whole Number 625 - ' ■■■■■ ■ — — ■■ ■ ' — .ii ......... i — ■■■ - 1 1 ' — ~" • — - "~l 1 — . ... . .... . ■ « '»■ ■» ■ --■ « -- ... ■■an ' MT't.iJ li* Jil 'iiW ■ ■ Mali Risks Life to Save Flood Victims ADDRESS TO AMERICAN PEOPLE BY ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION *• _ New York, N. Y.—The Na tional Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People, has made public the text of the address to the American peo ple adopted by its eighteenth annual conference in Indian apolis. The text of the ad dress, which was drawn up by a committee headed by Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, is as follows: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People meets in its Eighteenth Annual Con ference with a distinct feeling of triump. FranchUement Gains For 25 years the white primary system of the South has been the most successful method of disfran chisement of Negroes. This year for the first time we have secured from the Supreme Court of the United States, m the Texas case, a decision which is the beginning of the over throw of the white primary; and not only this, but in its decision the Su preme Court in the most emphatic language rewrote and reaffirmed the Fourteenth Amendment as the fundamental charter of the rights of Negroes in America. The champions of race segregation have been chased from pillar to post in city council, legislature and court by this association during the last 15 years; the pursuit was crowned with success by the Louisville deci sion of the Supreme Court in 1917; and that decision was, this last year, reaffirmed and sircngthcncd in the lauisiana case. Federal Law Only Remedy The association daring the past year has clearly proven the insuffi ciency of state law to cope with lynching. We have shown that ni state like South Carolina is unable to punish mob murder even when fur nished with circumstantial proof of individual guilt. At Aiken, South Car olina, the lynchers arc known. Their unmolested freedom is the final de mand for national action against lynching. Education We have studied during the year the Negro public common school in seven southern states and shown to the nation the present demand for elementary education for black America; a demand reinforced by the cultural movement in literature and art which this association largely in augurated and first encouraged, and which is still showing vigorous de velopment and healthy growth. The reform in Negro higher education, begun at Fisk and continued at How ard has with our continued encour agement, spread to other institutions. Sentiment Improving We note with hopeful interest the beginnings of liberal sentiment in the backward South, manifested in a changed attitude in some of the more courageous newspapers; a growing open-mindedness among white stu dents; a gesture, still all too feeble, toward correcting the outrageous dis crimination against Negro schools; an increasingly sympathetic attitude on the part of the cultural elements of the South; and, finally, a more decent respect for the public opinion of the civilized world. These senti ments do not dominate the Southern opinion as yet, but the existence is encouraging to every lover of justice. The persistent campaign of the Na tional Association for the Advance ment of Colored People for social justice has played no small part in the rise and development of this new conscience in the South. This record of achievement is by no means complete, but it indicates the magnitude of our task and the encouragement which crowns our ef forts. No Relaxation Yet It would, however, be a grave mis take for this association or for the Negro race in America, to feel that our recent record of triumph is rea son for relaxed effort or lessened anxiety. On the contrary, from this record of achievement we have just learned true methods of aggression and defense and we have just begun to fight in deadly earnest. The Real Situation Let us be frank and open with our selves. The American of Negro de scent is still a slave in the United States. Lynching is again increasing and the burning of human beings has not ceased. False accusations of crime as at Coffeyville is meat for mobs. Many Negroes are forced to labor at wretched wages and under impossible conditions. Peonage, even in the midst of such a calamity as the Mississippi flood, has been car ried out openly and publicly with armed guards and militia. The doors of trades unions still remain discour aging obstacles even to conspicuous ability. School Children The position of the Negro chil dren in the public schools, both in the North and South, is still deplor able and they are not being given an equal or decent chance for common school training. Adequate high school training facilities are being denied in a large part of the South ern states and in many of the North ern states. Negro colleges are starv ing for funds. State institutions like Lincoln of Missouri are at the mercy of grafting politicians and the ad mission of Negroes to Northern col leges, even to state universities sup ported by public taxation, is being restricted by race discrimination. Segregation Residential segregation, clearly against the spirit of American insti tutions, the law of the land and the decision of courts, is still being car ried out by the manipulation of real estate dealers and financial interests. Unfair marriage laws to encourage bastardy and prostitution are propos ed annually in those states where they have not yet been enacted. In the government departments at Washington Negro civil servants are still openly segregated with the ap proval of the administration. Jim Crow Cars Above all, the “jim crow” car rides its unchecked career on the railroads of the United States throughout the South and even openly and brazen ly into the Northern states. This form of open and deliberate stealing by charging black travelers for ac commodations which they do not re ceive, must be attacked in the courts with the view of utterly abolishing the iniquitous and undemocratic “jim crow” system. Work to Be Done Despite, then, all that we have ac complished, our task for coming years is all too clear. We must continue to strive for a national law against lynching, for more intensive investi gation and prosecution of peonage, for the better education of colored children and for the abolition of the “jim crow” cars in interstate traf fic. We must continue to attack dis franchisement and segregation and constantly stand on guard against further encroachments on our funda mental rights. And we must above all remember that our most effective weapon is an independent and un purchasable ballot mortgaged to no man nor party and cast not for past favors but only for those individual candidates who vote and act for our best interests and the general good. Intereat International Girding ourselves for this battle at home, we are not unmindful of our oppressed and segregated fellows abroad; we send greeting to the op pressed people of Haiti and Central America; to the enslaved natives in the Union of South Africa; to the people of Kenya whose land and lib erty have been taken away; to the people of West Africa still struggling for full political rights; and to the independent but gravely threatened states of Abyssinia and Liberia. We hail the dawn of freedom in China and the hope pf independence in In dia and Egypt. And we thank all nations who are helping the darker peoples to gain the recognition of equality for all races of the world. EDITORIAL While it seems almost unbelievable that Henry Ford could have been ignorant for five years of the character of the arti cles appearing in The Dearborn Independent, defamatory of the Jews, and of the pamphlets, compiled chiefly of articles appearing from time to time in that publication, entitled “The International Jew/’ and given wide distribution, all right-mind ed people will rejoice that he has repudiated and retracted those articles, publicly apologized for their appearance, hum bly craved pardon of those whom he has caused humiliation and pain, and seeks to amend, as far as possible, whatever evil has been done. Of course, it is possible that Mr. Ford has been so absorbed in other matters that he never read a copy of what has been commonly believed to be his personal organ, The Dearborn Independent. This is possible, but highly improbable, without at least reflecting upon Mr. Ford’s general intelligence. It is possible, but highly improbable, that none of these numerous articles were ever discussed in his presence by his business associates and in this manner, at least, brought to his attention. But granting that he is a truthful, honest and sincere man, which we have no reason to doubt, his word must be taken for it that he was ignorant of “the character of the charges and insinuations made against the Jews, both individually and collectively contained in many of the articles which have been circulated periodically in The Dearborn Independent,” until they were recently brought to his attention by trusted friends, and that this caused his personal inspection of the files of the publication, with the result that he was “deeply shocked and mortified” at what his investigation disclosed. And that’s that! That these articles have done much to foster anti-Semitism and to cause anguish of mind upon the part of the Jewish people cannot be doubted. They have had a far-flung influence in creating an hostile attitude towards the Jews. Racial or religious prejudice is undoubtedly a species of insanity and the insane are not amenable to reason. This insanity against the Jews has been increased by the Ford publication. We, therefore, are pleased that whatever be the motivating cause, Mr. Ford has done the manly and right thing. It is a tre mendous task to repair the damage done by falsehood and misrepresentation and all the Ford millions can do but little to counteract the evil done. “Boys flying kites, haul in their white-winged birds; but you c$n't do that way when flying words.” Mr. Ford has certinly done the manly, the courage ous, the right thing and his action will have its value and in fluence. The spirit in which the Jewish people have accepted Mr. Ford’s apology shows the charatceristic magnanimity of that great, much-maligned and misunderstood people. It is worthy of their traditions. Suffering as our own people do from misrepresentation, promulgated consciously or unconsciously by a subtle propa ganda, in various forms, as unreasonable and as indefensible as that of the Dearborn Independent, we can truly sympathize with those placed in like circumstances. We rejoice whenever there is evidence of tolerance dethroning intolerance, truth displacing falsehood, right triumphant over wrong, justice rout ing injustice, light banishing darkness, intelligence removing ignorance. Wherever this is done the tide of humanity moves toward the flood, sweeping before it or engulfing that which is unworthy, unsanitary or unsightly. If Jew-baiting and the mental anguish and suffering it entails be wrong, then Negro baiting, too, must follow in its train. N. A. A. C. P. CHOOSES LOS ANGELES FOR THE 1928 CONFERENCE Governor C. C. Young of California and Mayor George E. Cryer Telegraphed Invitation* for the Meeting Indianapolis, Ind.—The Committee on Time and Place for the next An nual Conference of the National As sociation for the National Associa tion for the Advancement of Colored People, headed by Dr. George W. Lu cas of New Orleans, has announced that they had chosen Los Angeles as the meeting place for the Nineteenth Annual Conference of the Associa tion next spring. The committee took its action in response not only to invitation from the Los Angeles branch of the Asso ciation, but from Governor Young of California, Mayor George E. Cryer of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce as well. Governor Young’s telegram to the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People, reads as follows: “Joining in the invitation of the local branch of your Association, California will be delighted to have you hold your next annual meeting in our golden state. (Signed) C. C. Young, Governor.” “In support of invitation of the lo cal branch of your Association, it gives me pleasure in behalf of citi zens of Los Angeles to invite you to hold your next annual meeting in this city. Kind regards and best wishes for Buccess of your present conven tion. (Signed) George E. Cryer, Mayor.” PARDON FOR ANITA WHITNEY Los Angeles, Cal.—Pardon for j Charlotte Anita Whitney, who was I convicted under the California crim inal syndicalism act and who faced a term of from one to fourteen years in San Quentin prison, was granted June 20 by Governor C. C. Young. The governor’s action ended a fight of seven years waged by Miss Whit ney and advocates of civil liberty to save her from imprisonment on a charge of simply being a member of an organization which had been de clared illegal in California. The governor’s desicion was made after several weeks of studying the records of the case from the Alameda County Superior Court to the United States Supreme Court where the con viction was upheld May 16. THREE JEWISH LEADERS LISTED AS DANGEROUS Three Jews of national prominence are included in the blacklist of fifty six names of “dangerous un-Ameri can personages” who are accused of working to undermine the govern ment by what it terms “communistic tendencies,” in a special bulletin is sued in Chicago by the Society of the Scabbard and Blade. The three Jews named are Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland, Rab bi Stephen S. Wise of New \ ork, and Joseph Schlossberg, secreta-y and treasurer of the Amalgamated Cloth ing Workers of America. Rabbi Sil ver and Mr. Schlossberg are members of the National Committee of the American Civil Liberties Union. The latter is also a member of the execu tive committee of the organization. RISKS HIS LIFE RESCUING THE FLOOD REFUGEES Daring of Army Man in Taking 22 Victim* Affected with Small pox To Hospital Is Praised Washington, D. C.—Out of the Mississippi flood area there comes a story of the personal heroism of a Maryland white man—Major Gordon H. McCoy of the regular army field artillery. For weeks Major McCoy has been rescuing refugees, sometimes at the peril of his own life, sometimes pay ing his own expenses because he could not wait for orders. Little has been heard of him in the country at large, but some of those familiar with his work call him one of the out standing heroes of the flood. Uses Plane in Rescue The story has just reached here of one instance of his rescue work. In circling in an airplane over the flood waters he found a half submerged house on the upper reaches of the Boeu river in northern Louisiana, and when he flew low he saw a Colored American sitting on the roof and frantically waving. Major McCoy brought the plane to the surface of the water and enter ing the house found twenty-two men and women stricken by smallpox. He obtained two motorboats, carried them to safety, took another shot of smallpox vaccine and went to look for others. A veteran of the World War, Major McCoy is a descendant of fighting ancestors. He is a great-great grandson of William Pinkney of An napolis, at one time attorney general of the United States, a colonel in the War of 1S12, who was wounded at the Battle of Bladensburg. NEBRASKA TOWN WINS THE PLAYGROUND AWARD Harmon Foundation of New York Givei Recognition to Recreation Work on Its Playfield in Kearney in Contest Kearney, Neb., received an award of $50 from the Harmon Foundation of New York, according to an an nouncement just made for the pro motion of recreation work on its play field during the past twelve months. The sum of $5,900 was distributed to thirty-nine' communities by the Foundation in an Honorarium Con test which is held annually to stimu late improvements and arouse inter est in the playground movement. It is open to all seventy-seven fields in the country established under its auspices. The first and second prizes of $1,000 and $500 were awarded to Granville and Sidney, Ohio, and West St. Paul and Worthington, Minn., tied for third place, receiving $300 each. Kearney’s Park Commission has al ready increased the amount of land which was secured in 1925 with the assistance of the Foundation, and plans are under way for following out a ten-year program outlined by the University of Nebraska. This year an $8,000 concrete wading pool, the gift of the Kiwanis Club, and a drinking fountain have been added to the equipment. During 1927 the Foundation is pro posing to increase this number of permanently dedicated affiliated fields from seventy-seven to one hundred and is offering to give as much as $2,000 to twenty-three com munities for the purchase of land. Towns of more than 2,600 inhabitants desiring this assistance should make application to the Recreation and Playground Association of America, 316 Fourth Avenue, New York, which is administering the offer. They must show an increase in population of 30 per cent since 1900, the need for saving land, and a local interest in its development. Messrs. J. Dillard and Lovejoy Crawford, accompanied by their mother and their aunt, Mrs. William Russ of Denver, who has been her sister’s guest, will leave for an auto trip to Denver Friday night. They expect to be away for a fortnight. SOUTHERN SHERIFF PROTECTS PRISONER PRESENTED MEDAL Brave Officer Defies Mob Bent on Lynching Joe Hardy, Accused of Murdering a Planter THE EIGHTH MEDAL AWARDED Alexandria, La.—For saving Joe Hardy, a Negro prisoner, from a mob bent on lynching him, Sheriff U. T. Downs and Jailer W. G. Penny of this city were publicly honored here last Sunday by a great popular mass meeting, at which their courage and faithfulness were lauded by disting uished speakers and handsome bronze medals were awarded them. The meeting was held in the First Bap tist church at the morning preaching hour, and was featured by a sermon suited to the occasion by the pastor, Rev. Carl DeVane. The presentation of the medals was made by Hon. T. W. Holloman, a prominent attorney. The medals were provided by a Commission on Interracial Co-operation and were awarded by a committee composed of Hon. Hugh M. Dorsey, former gover nor of Georgia; Governor John W. Martin of Florida, Mrs. J. H. McCoy of Alabama, George B. Dealey, pres ident of the Dallas News, and Mar shall Ballard, editor of the New Or leans Item. In 1925 the Commission authorized the preparation of medals to be con ferred on officers successfully resist ing mobs. Up to the present, awards have been made in eight cases, and several others are now under investi gation. In the Alexandria case, mem bers of the mob went to the jail on February 1st of last year and de manded that Joe Hardy, Negro pris oner charged with the murder of a Louisiana planter, be turned over to them. Jailer Penny flatly refused and sent a hurry call to Sheriff Downs who rushed to the scene and told the mob that the prisoner would be pro tected at all costs and advised them not to start anything. Convinced that the officers meant business, the mob dispersed. NORTH CAROLINA EXTENDS SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAM Raliegh, N. C.—The Division of Negro Work of the North Carolina State Board of Charities began on July 1st a more extensive state-wide social welfare program with the ap pointment of C. Glenn Carrington and Miss A. Marie Crawford as mem bers of the staff, according to an an nouncement by Lieutenant Lawrence A. Oxley, Director of the Division. Mr. Carrington, a native of Rich mond, is a graduate of Howard Uni versity and New York School of So cial Work, and prior to his present appointment served as Boys’ Worker in the 136th Street Branch Y. M. C. A., New York City, and special work er at the Children’s Temporary Home School, Washington, D. C. He will give special study to two important research projects—-Negro Crime and Negro Child Welfare in North Caro lina. Miss Crawford is a native of South Carolina and a product of South Car olina State College, Orangeburg, who since leaving school has made her home in Charlotte, N. C. She will be assistant to Mr. Oxley and have charge of case records. The Division of Negro Work was created January 1, 1925, with Mr. Oxley as director. Its work, particu larly in the field of organizing social forces in small Negro communities, has attracted the favorable attention of many state departments of public welfare. Started as an experiment, it has become an established and per manent part of North Carolina’s pro gressive state-wide program. The re sults obtained thus far promise in creasing returns in family life, better race relations, justice in the courts, and larger opportunity for the citi zenship of the state.