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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1917)
The Monitor * A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans \ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor - rft ----- $1.50 a Year. 5c | py _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 10, 1917 Vol. III. No. 19 (Whole No. 122) Persistence Pravai \ In Philadelv \ * ^ Davis Passes Rigid Examination and Meets All Requirements. Efforts to Shelve Him are Thwarted. GIVEN PLACE AS FIREMAN Philadelphia, Pa.—To secure an pointment after passing a most rigid examination is no small job for black men in this city. After a very stren uous fight lasting for several months the color line was finally broken in the Fire Department here and James Da vis was appointed on Wednesday. Mr. Davis was forced to secure af fidavits in support of his character from more than three hundred peo ple. He met all of the conditions imposed by the local Civil Service Board and the Fire Department. In the face of all of this he was not ap pointed. White men of lower aver age were appointed. Davis and his friends felt that he was being dis criminated against and determined to know the reason. An investigation was started and it was soon leameu there was no intention of appointing Davis. In fact, he was offered a transfer to the Department of Public Safety where he would be placed on the eligible list as patrolmen without examination, Mr. Davis’ manhood as serted itself and he asserted that he had taken the examination for a fireman, had met all their require ments and nothing less than an ap pointment would suffice. Prominent citizens of both races learned of the apparent and flagrant discrimination being practiced in the City of Brotherly Love and used their influence in Mr. Davis’ behalf with the result that he was appointed on Wednesday, October 3. PREJUDICE CARRIED INTO CANADA BY SOUTHERNERS Hamilton, Ont., Can.—Two theatres in this city have drawn the color litre, the Temple theatre and the Grand theatre. Manager Wall, of the Tem ple, and Manager Louden, of the Grand, have announced that they will not permit Colored people in the or chestra or dress circles of their the atres. Both of these men are form the Southern part of the United States, There is no other' public place in this city that refuses Colored peo ple first class service, not even the million dollar Royal Connaught hotel, the manager of which, Mr. O’Neil, says that any Colored gentleman is welcome within the walls of his splen did hostelry. The Colored people of this city will probably take measures to secure their rights in the case of the two prejudiced managers. REPUBLICANS QUIZ MITCHELL New' York.—Mayor Mitchell, the fu sion candidate for the mayoralty, met a committee of Colored men, headed by Fred It. Moore, and told them his attitude toward the race a few days ago. He declared that in the larger as pect of things he treated the Colored people in the came way he treated other elements of New York’s vast 'yjrtiposite population. He said that he appointed a Colored man a member of the school board because he be lieved the large Colored population should have such representation. He asserted that the few Colored men on the civil service lists had been given a square deal and that he tried to find an exempt place for some Col ored man. He declared that he was not in fa vor of a public bathhouse for the Ne groes of Harlem, as that involved an idea of segregation that he was op posed to, but that he favored one for all dements of the population of that section. AVAR OF WHITE MEN PUZZZLES ISLANDERS Missions Had Long Preached Against the Sin of Fighting. London.—The “white man’s big war” has completely mystified the natives of England’s Pacific islands, who for a generation have heard war denounced as a sin by their white pro tectors. Moreover, the fact that a war could last more than a few days was a puzzle to them. An interesting ac count of the attitude of the natives of the Gilbert and Ellice Island is in cluded in the annual report of the colony. Wrong nobody by word or deed. RICHMOND HAS GREAT DEMONSTRATION Richmond, Va.—The Mass meeting held Friday night, October 26, 1917, at the City Auditorium was the most remarkable outpouring of Colored pie ever witnessed in this city. The capacity of this mammoth structure estimated to hold from four to five thousand people, was entirely inade quate. for the mighty army which stormed its c'oors. There was abso lutely no disorder. It is safe to say that nearly twee as many people were on the outside as were on the inside. The feature of the affair was the mammoth j.srade that preceded the exercises. Kessnich’s Band participated in the parade and white members of the lo cal Boards were in line. The length of the procession has been estimated at three miles. It is well nigh impos sible to do justice to the magnificence of the affair. White people were as enthusiastic :n cheering the marching throngs as were Colored. Red fire cast its glare along the thoroughfares and fully fifty thousand people must have lined the streets to witness this truly remarkable outpouring of the march ing throngs of Colored people. At the Auditorium speeches were made by Mayor Ainslee, Judge Pritch ard and others. 'fhe drafted men and their friends were notified to be at the Gray’s Armory, Seventh and Marshall streets Saturday morning, 8:15 o’clock, to bo ready to go to Camp Lee, juts about 25 miles away from this city. The ladies had prepared kits for each re cruit and they were distributed to them. This was the first time in the history of the city that a Colored re cruit had been permitted to enter this great structure of the crack military white organization of this city. Left for Camp Lee. The line of march was to Clay street, to Second, to Broad, to City Hall, where the line wan reviewed by Mayor George Ainslee and then to Ninth street to the Byrd Street Sta tion. Some of the leading white cit izens marched in line with the Col ored men. It was a scene never to be forgotten. All divisions had dis appeared. The thought was one and the same,—to respond to the cry of distress from the executive officers of the State and Nation. _ NEGRO CHURCHES SHOW GROWTH IN SO. AMERICA Bishop Knight and Dr. Gray, the secretary of the Protestant' Episcopal Board of Missions .for I.atin-America, recently made a visit to the Canal Zone. They found a most encouraging state of affairs as far as the loyalty of the people is concerned and they I have returned with strengthened ocn viction that the Church must do some thing for these Negro congregations and do that soon. Many of them came originally from Jamaica or others ot the West Indies, and were trained un- i der the Church of England clergy. Again and again the visitors came to | places where no public ministrations j had been held by a clergyman for | many months, but they found the churches well cared for and the people eager. At Ilocas a Chinaman was brought forward for confirmation. The fact that these deserted people had brought into God’s Church a man of so different a race is a testimony to their loyalty which needs no com ment. FIRED AT BLACK FOLKS WANTONLY East St. Louis.—Wanton shooting at Negroes by soldiers on patrol duty during the race riots here last May was testified to before the Congres sional Committee »investigating the riots October 24. Charles Roger, president of a large chemical company here, testified that a man in a crowd of whites remarked to one of the soldiers: “ ‘What are you doing with that gun, you can’t shoot.’ ” “ ‘The hell I can’t.’ ’’ Roger quoted ! the soldier as saying. Whereupon the soldier fired into the crowd of Negroes and one of the Negroes fell, wounded, testified the witness. CAMPAIGN STARTED TO AID PROVIDENT HOSPITAL Chicago, 111.—The doctors of the race are working hard on a campaign to relieve Provident Hospital of finan cial embarrassment and to re-open its free dispensary. Dr. Wilberforce Wil liams is heading the movemetn and gave the first subscription of $50. Members of Hospital Corps From Fort Des Moines, Who Went to France on Trasport Antilles, Which was Torpedoed on Return Trip. With Cheers and Tears the Nation Sends Them Forth • * Patriotic Demonstration In Which Race Lines Are Ignored Mark the Departure of Colored Conscripts of the National Army for Various Cantonments. Seventy thousand of America’s stal wart sable sons have cheerfully an swered their country’s call to service under the selective draft. When vol unteers were called for hundreds of thousands offered their services, but they were not accepted. Disappointd, humiliatd and chagrined, but without sullenness or bitterness, these patri otic men awaited their opportunity which came with the selective draft. And how their patience and patri otism have been rewarded. From every section of the country, citizens of highest station, largely ignoring racial lines and animated by the thought that in this common con flict we all are and must be only Americans, have vied with each other ] in trying to show that the Colored selects of their respective commun- | ities are as highly regarded as any other patriotic element. This splen did spirit is enheartening and inspir ing and makes atonement for the spirit of indifference at first so wide ly manifested which would have chilled a patriotism less ardent than that which glows in the warm hearts of our ; people. With cheers and tears the nation has sent forth our sons to the sixteen ; cantonments where they are to be I trained to take their part in the great j world war for democracy. And they | will sustain the best traditions of ! their sires. The Monitor has selected a few i brief reports from all sections of the country as representative of the pre- | vailing sentiment: California Cheers for Conscripts. Los Angeles, Cal.—The white and ; Colored population of Los Angeles j joined in one grand demonstration to I show their appreciation of the se lected Colored men from Los Angeles District, who departed Sunday for j Camp Lewis to take their places among their white brothers to gain J liberty for the world. Never in the I history of Los Angeles has there been such a demonstration. Bands, speeches, flowers and gifts figured in farewell. Mrs. Frank Williams, wife of the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce presented each train load of selects with a large American flag. Ovation at l’hiladelphia. Philadelphia, I’a.—A big ovation was tendered this city’s quota of drafted men as they left for Camp Meade, Md. The Keystone band, the Elks’ band, a delegation of Odd Fel lows, the Sons of Veterans and the Home Defense Guard escorted the men to the B. and O. station. Hev. C. A. Tindley delivered an inspiring address to the men. Men of Maryland Made Happy Baltimore, Md.—From nearly every aMryland town comes the news that the men were given a big ovation as they departed for Camp Meade. One white man in Ellicott City gave each of the 34 Colored draftees a one dollar bill and in Frederick the mayor and other prominent citizens turned out. A large number of the nine hun dred men from the city left Sunday from Camden station, twelve coaches being required to take them. Thou sands were congregated here. Cheers filled the air. The Southern Star band played and played, thus keeping up the spirits of all. They even played for a number of white soldiers who were leaving that morning. Wisconsin W'arriors Sent On Way. Madison, Wis.—Wisconsin has show ered honors upon the Colored men who have been drafted. The various welfare organizations of the state have shown their appreciation in every way. Friday night an enter tainment and banquet was given for them in this city. Several hundred citizens of both races were asesmbled and blended their voices in singing patriotic songs accompanied by the G. A. R. band at the state capitol. The Red Cross presented them each a comfort kit when they reported at the recruiting headquarters Friday afternoon. The or.e hundred men rep resenting the state’s first quota left Saturday midst patriotic demonstra tion of cheers and sincere regards and encouragement. Proudly Patriotic. Pittsburg, Pa.—To the step of mar tial music; under weather conditions trying to the stoutest heart; with un mistakable evidences of wishes of God speed everywhere, Pittsburgh and vi cinity’s drafted youth, marched away Saturday and Tuesday to their wait ing trains, leaving behind the broken family ties and the grim realization that the war has been brought home to US. The boys left in two detachments, the lads from the outlying districts of the city going Saturday afternoon. While the First, Second, Third and Fifth ward boys made up Tuesday evening’s contingent. Both increments were sent away in a manner that left little to be desired in showing to the boys that the folks “back home” are solidly behind them in spirit and deed. In Saturday’s parade, the people of this staid old city were for once the embodiment of the melting pot. City, county and government officials, fra ternal, civic, political, military organ izations, women’s clubs and the plain citizenry all turned out and marched, as organizations, not as separate units, but as American citizens—con secrated to a common cause. An immense banner carried at the head of Saturday’s parade reflected the spirit of the occasion. Upon this banner, done in red, white and blue, the message of the Negro was blazon ed to the thousands along the line of march, the inscription read: “UNDER A COMMON FLAG, FOR A COMMON COUNTRY, AGAINST A COMMON ENEMY.” Twenty-five Thousand Say Good-bye. St. Louis, Mo.—Twenty-five thou sand persons gathered at Union Sta tion Tuesday night to bid farewell to 480 drafted Colored men who were leaving for the Government canton ment at Ft. Funston. More than five thousand had witnessed 108 leave the night before. A spirit of patriotic cheer prevailed. The big crowd was of one purpose, to encourage the boys who had been call ed upon to defend the flag, to “Make the World Safe for Democracy.” While thousands cheered, there were tears and sorrow that added pathos to the parting of hundreds of dearest rela tives and friends who were probably saying a last farewell to loved ones. There were heartrending partings which tested the mettle of young man hood and Caused weeping wives, moth ers and sisters to endure their great est sorrow. TRY TO TERRORIZE PROSPEROUS NEGROES Macon, Ga.—"Night riders” in Houston and Crawford counties are conducting a campaign of terror against Negroes who are buying an tomobiles with the proceeds of their cotton crops, according to informa tion which has reached Macon, and the situation has become so serious that Judge Mathews of the Macon circuit, has instructed the grand juries in those counties to make thorough investigations. Law-abiding Negroes have appealed to Governor Dorsey for protection, and Judge Mathews stated here Oc tober 24, that he has endorsed the ap peal. Judge Mathews states that it looks like an organized attempt to terrorize the Negroes, and he says he is go ing to do everything in his power to bring the guilty parties to justice. WATTLES TO FIX FOOD PRICES FOR NEBRASKA Upon his return from Washington, Food Administrator Wattles will is sue a price list for food commodities which will apply to the entire state. Mr. Wattles will work out these prices in co-operation with the State Wholesalers’ Committee and the State Retailers’ Committee, the latter com mittee yet to be named. This com mittee will consist of licensed retail ers of the state who do a business of more than $100,000 annually. The smaller retailers will be reached through the wholesalers. Those defying the rules of the Ad ministration will be met with a re fusal by the wholesalers to supply them with goods. “The Administration will begin pub lishing them as soon as possible,” said Mr. Wattles. "We will make them fair to retailer and consumer alike. I want to hear from people who find that the prices after we fix them have been violated by retailers.” ! NEGRO SEGREGATION ORDINANCES INVALID Washington, D. C.—Compulsory separation of the Negro and white races in residential districts is a vio lation of the constitution, the supreme court held Nov. 5, in a unanimous opinion declaring invalid the Louis ville, Ky., segregation ordinance. The measure, which prohibited persons of either race moving into blocks in which a majority of residents were of the opposite color, is similar to or dinances now in effect in St. Louis, Baltimore, Richmond and many other southern cities. Such laws, the court decided, would not prevent the amalgamation of the races, as was claimed by the Louis ville authorities, or prevent race con flicts. ATLANTA RAISES $4,000 Atlanta, Ga.—With $4,000 collected at the mammoth mass meeting at the City Auditorium recently the Colored Y. M. C. A. now has $29,000 in hand toward the $50,000 they must raise in order to secure a gift of $25,000 from Julius Roscnwald. The building is now under construction on Butler street, between Auburn and Edgewood avenues. SELIGMAN REMEMBERS NEGRO INSTITUTIONS New York.—Among the many be quests in the will of Isaac N. Selig man, Jewish banker and philanthro pist, were the following for $1,000 each: Tuskegee Normal and Indus trial Institute, Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, The Fort Valley High and Industrial School and other institu tions received smaller amounts. COLORED WOMEN REGISTER FOR SERVICE Knoxville, Tenn.—Colored women are not lacking in patriotism and as many of them are skilled in work that is particularly useful in war times, they will .register for national service. Special provision was made Saturday for the registration of those willing and fitted for clerks, nurses, attendants and general service work ers. LIEUT. PEEBLES AT CAMP DIX Camp Dijc, Wrightstown, N. J.— Nearly five thousand Colored men are here. They are a healthy looking lot and will soon be put through army staunts. Lieutenant W. W. Peebles, of Omaha, is here. Soldiers Pass Through Omaha Two Trainloads of Sable Sammies En Route to Camp Funston Spend Hour at Union Station. COLORED OFFICERS IN CHARGE Seven Hundred Men of Splendid Type in Good Condition From Hospital Corps at Des Moines. Troop trains move under secret or ders. That’s why the citizens of Oma ha were not generally informed that seven hundred Colored soldiers in charge of forty officers, all Colored, too, if you please, were to pass through Omaha last Saturday after noon. If the time of their coming had been definitely known the First Regimental Band and a large dele gation of citizens would have been on hand to welcome them. The Monitor was advised Friday night by a newspaper friend that it had been reported that a large num ber of Colored soldiers were expected to pass through Omaha “some time Saturday afternoon.” ‘Where they were coming from no one seemed to know. When they would arrive was not definitely known. This informa tion was conveyed to several of our citizens. It was nearly nocn Satur day when it was learned that they were expected about two o’clock. The band could not assemble; but several of our citizens planned to meet the trains. At 2:30 the first special carrying about 350 men steamed into the sta tion with its good-natured, well-be haved cheering crowd. This was fol lowed in a few minutes by the second section. The first tarin was in charge of Lieutenant Lee and the second in charge of Lieutenant Hickman. The troops were a detachment of the hos pital corps from Fort Des Moines, numbering seven hundred men, and forty officers. They were en'route to Camp Funston. This is the first time in American history that such a large detachment of troops has been transported from one place to another under the exclusive command of Col ored officers. The order was exem plary. The men were in excellent con dition and spirits. They were pleased with the treatment received all along the line. At Missouri Valley, la., where they had stopped for dinner, the women of the Red Cross had provided for their needs most bountifully and officers and men were at a loss for wonLs to express their gratitude. They were pleased to be met by the Omaha delegation and some of them said that if there was any possible chance for them to do so they would like to come to Omaha for Christmas. The boys mailed cards here to rela tives, sweethearts and friends. Here is what one wrot to a sweet little girl, who like thousands of oth ers is waiting and will wait for the return of her little soldier boy: “I am now in Nebraska and as yet enjoying the happiest day’s ride since I have been in the army. The people here are so friendly with all. It seems that I am near home and know all of them. The day is fine, same | as a May day, very beautiful, but you know the South wind brings refresh-, ing to each one. Keep sweet for your little soldier boy.” The following were among the forty commissioned officers on the troop trains: Lieutenants Lee, Hick man, Wilson, Punche, Langtry, War field, Carr, Brown, Wallace, Pearl, Gloucester, Miller, Bates, Jennifer and Leach. MAKES BEQUESTS TO COLORED CHARITIES Philadelphia, Pa.—In disposing of an estate of $7,500, the will of Wm. A. Wilmer, 1805 Berks street, gives the following amounts to charitable institutions: $500 to Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons, $300 each to Mercy Hospital, St. Michaels and All Angels Mission, and Bethany Mis sion, 1527 Brandywine street. FRIEND OF RACE DIES Washington, D. C.—Word has been received here of the death at Cumbria, Va., of Rev. G. M. P. King, formerly president of Wayland Seminary, of Richmond, Va. Dr. King was attend ing the fiftieth anniversary of the church of one of his pupils. He had been in ill health for many months. Dr. King had bees identified with ed ucational work for Colored people for more than fifty years.