i The Monitor i\EE~i
A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
-—-- -
$150 a Year. 5c a Copy_ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 17, 1917 Vol. III. No. 20 (Who. No. 123)
Segregation Law
Declared Invalid
United States Supreme Court Ren
ders Important and Far-Reach
ing Decision in Louisville Case.
OTHER CITIES ARE AFFECTED
The Court Hold's That Passage of Seg
regation Ordinance Runs Counter
to Limitations of the Federal
Constitution.
Washington, D. C.—Segregation
was given a black eye by the United
States Supreme Court Monday, No
vember t> when the highest tribunal
in the land handed down a decision
holding that the Louisville segrega
tion ordinance, designed to keep the
Negro citizens in restricted districts,
was invalid and in direct violation of
the Constitution of the United States.
The decision is far-reaching and
renders inoperative the obnoxious seg
regation ordinances passed in Balti
more, St. Louis, Richmond and other
cit.es. As has been contended all
along by noted lawyers, an attempt
to compel citizens of the United States
to live :n proscribed districts is un
constitutional.
. The decision of the United States
Supreme Court is a most important
one to the Negroes of the United
States, and they have won the great
est legal victory since the adverse
ruling of the Supreme Court some
years ago ;n the Grandfather Clause
case.
The opinion was rendered by Just
ice Day, all the Justices of the United
States Supreme Court concurring.
The Louisville ordinance, which
became effective May 11, 1914, was
passed, according to the lawmakers
of that city, to “prevent conflict and
ill-feeling between the white and
Colored races in the city of Louis
ville, and to preserve the public
peace and promote the general wel
fare by making reasonable pro
visions requiring, as far as practica
ble, the use of separate blocks for
residence, places of abode, and places
of assembly by white and Colored, re
spectively,’’
The Colored citizens who fought
the measure contended that the or
dinance would compel members of
the race to live in quarters where
they would be thrown into close touch
with and subject to contamination by
disagreeable and worthless neighbors,
and that the measure prevented them
from moving into desirable and
healthy neighborhoods, confining them
to unhealthy and crowded localities.
Justice Day’s Opinion.
Justice Day in his opinion said in
part:
"The authority of the state to pass
laws in the exercise of the police
power, having for their object the pro
motion of the public health, safety and
welfare, is very broad and has been
affirmed in numerous and recent de
cisions of this court. But it is equally
well established that the police power,
broad as it is, cannot justify the pas
sage of a law or ordinance which runs
counter to the limitations of the fed
eral constitution.
“That there exists a serious and dif
ficult problem arising flom a feeling
of ra”e hostility which the law is
powerless to control and to which it
must give a measure of consideration,
may be freely admitted. But its solu
tion cannot be promoted by depriving
citizens of their constitutional rights
and privileges. The right which the
ordinance annulled was the civil right
of a white man to dispose of his prop
city if he saw fit to do so to a person
of color and of a Colored person to
make such disposition to a white per
son.
“We think this attempt to present
the alienation of the property in ques
tion to a person of color was not a
legitimate exercise of the police power
of the state, and is in direct violation
of the constitution.”
The Newr York World, under the
caption, “Negro Quarters and Negro
KightB,” comments on the decision as
follows:
“In nearly every case where south
ern and western municipalities have
undertaken by ordinance to separate
the habitations of whites and blacks
there has been a pretense of subject
ing both races to restrictions in the
matter of owning, occupying or trans
ferring real estate in certain districts.
This was done by clever lawyers who
wanted it to appear that the regula
tion was not discriminating; but it
was well known that the purpose was
to confine the Negro to certain quar
ters and to deny him the right to ac
quire or use a residence elsewhere.
“It must have been easy, therefore,
for the supreme court of the United
States, in deciding one of these cases,
to hold unanimously that, as the police
power had been exercised m this in
stance in violation of property rights
guaranteed by the constitution to
whites as well as blacks, it was in con
flict with the fourteenth amendment,
which speaks of life, liberty and prop
erty.
“Yet the same court has decided
over and over again that states and
municipalities may separate whites
from blacks in railroad stations and
t rains, street cars, schools and ceme
teries, and the same fourteenth
amendment is just as insistent upon
‘the equal protection of the laws’ as it
is upon any property right whatso
ever.”
Moorfield Storey, the eminent Bos
ton law'yer, who is national president
of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, took
an active part in fighting the segrega
tion ordinances, making the principal
aiguments against the constitutional
ity of the obnoxious measuer.
MONITOR CORRESPONDENT
INVADES OKLAHOMA,
Tulsa, Okla., Nov. 14, 1917.
To the Readers of The Monitor:
Found Coffeyville an interesting and
lively little border town. Met any num
ber of interesting and progressive
business and professional men of the
race who are going to do big things in
the near future. Watch the advertis
ing columns of The Monitor and you
will be able to get in on the ground
floor. Coffeyville could furnish a num
ber of interesting episodes, but they
are too lengthy to be enumerated just
now.
Parsons was my next point, and I
v as surprised to find in this large and
business community only one race pro
fessional man, Dr. Bouser, and he is
slated to leave soon, having been com
missioned in the medical reserve corps.
You will find the race men engaged in
all lines of business and being well
supported by this most progressive
and prosperous community.
Independence was the next point
visited and it impressed me as offer
ing much to the race in the way of
business opportunities, but they seem
slow to take advantage of it. Inde
pendence is growing rapidly and in
the last ten years has doubled in size.
Saturday morning found me disem
barking at Nowata, Okla., my first
•stop in that state. This city has a
, very progressive and learned gentle
man in the person of Prof. J. Oscar
| Spencer, who is at the head of the No
I wata High school for our race.
Sunday and monday were spent at
1 Claremore, the Carlsbad of Oklahoma.
Met our popular tonsorial artist, Mr.
Jeter Thompson.
Tuesday found me rushing into
Tulsa to catch up with my mail and
j then write to you.
Until n?xt week I remain corre
I spondingly yours,
FRED C. WILLIAMS,
Traveling Representative of The
Monitor.
CHANGE OF STANDARDS
FROM WAR, SAYS WATTLES
"This war is not without its bless
ings and the compensations are going
to be many,” said Food Administrator
Wattles in a forceful address to the
teachers aof Nebraska during their
snnuul convention in Omaha last week.
"A change of standards is one of
the big compensations, and through
the elimination of waste and the es
tablishment of habits of economy by
education a nation-wide reform will
be begun, which will be lasting in na
ture.
“The sanctity of our religion, the
security of our homes, the purity and
justice of our laws, our prosperity,
our honor and our lives are at stake.
It is time for patriots to attack, a time
for action and a time for every one
who loves our institutions to defend
them against all enemies."
FOUND GUILTY OF
SECOND DEGREE MURDER
Wichita, Kan.—After a few hours of
debating the jury brought in a verdict
of guilty of murder in the second de
gree November 1 against Hugh Har
ris, charged with the murder of Mrs.
I ula Coleman, Colored. His attorneys
built a defense upon the fact that Mrs.
Coleman insulted Harris’ wife and
that Harris was temporarily insane on
July 20, when the shooting occurred.
Mrs. Coleman died three days later.
Sentence will be given later by Judge
Bird of the district court.
• . ■ ■ , __
A Patriotic Message Which
All Americans Should Read
House of Bishops of Episcopal Church, in Special Session, Issue
Notable Pastoral Letter on Present Crisis to Be Read
to Congregations of that Faith.
rPHE House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church held a special
A session in Chicago in October. The pastoral letter issued by
that influential body and ordered to be lead in all congregations
of that faith is such a notable document and contains such a
definite, wholesome, much-needed message for all Americans at
this time, irrespective of religious beliefs, that we take the liberty
of publishing it in full for Monitor readers:
Brethren of the Clergy and Laity:
Our nation is at war in behalf of justice, liberty, and hu
manity. When these are in danger, the Church’s station is at the
front. When the nation has with solemn deliberation entered
war, voices which have spoken of neutrality, non-resistance, or
pacifism are silenced. We hate war, and shrink from its horrors,
but we who enjoy the privileges of civil liberty won by the blood
of our fathers, must when they are endangered, defend them at
the cost of our blood. In the overthrow of injustice and inhu
manity is the only hope of permanent peace. Loyalty demands of
every citizen unconditional consecration to the service of the na
tion.
We thank God that from their homes and parish churches
have gone the boys and men of the Church, eager to do their duty
wherever the nation sends them. We watch them with pride as
they are mustered into the army and navy. As the nation is pre
paring to enter the awful conflict, we your Bishops remind you of
certain definite duties and opportunities.
1. A nation fighiing to keep the world safe for democracy
must in character and action be true to democracy. Racial strife,
class antagonism, impurity, and internperance, wreck civil liberty.
Before we can conquer injustice and inhumanity in others, we
must first overcome them in ourselves. Our guilt in these re
spects we must acknowledge with shame. We expect of our sol
diers and sailors concentration of thought and action, self-dis
cipline, courage and serenity under stress.
We can demand no less of ourselves- In humility and sin
cerity we must live by the principles for which we fight. Na
tional character gives thrust and force to the national army. The
war with all its suffering and loss may prove a blessing if it
rouses us from the indifference to religion, to spiritual concerns,
and moral issues which threaten our very life.
At the source and foundation of the character of this people
are Christ and His Church. If the force of aims is necessary to
put down wilful disregard of the lights and decencies of human
life, it is only by the persistent teaching of Christian principles
that these can be preserved for ourselves or for the world. We
need plain teaching of the Christian religion with its insistence
on the claims of God and the claims of our fellow'men, and on
God’s present gifts of grace by Ilis spirit through His Church
and sacraments to enable us to live up to the example and pre
cepts of His incarnate Son, our Lord.
2. The President has well said that this is a war not of
i armies but of jjeoples. Every man, woman and child has a place
: and is enlisted in the cause. The army and navy at the front, w'e
; close beside and behind them; though they be in France and we
i in America, we are one with them, bound together in a common
I cause. Hence, everything that we are and that we do will unite
• in their support. Every man on the fighting line, in hospital, or
i on lonely guard duty, must feel behind and with him the heart,
sympathy and action of the people. To express this, we must not
only work for the Red Cross, and give generously in money and
| comfort; we must also be ready to pay heavy taxes cheerfully and
! buy Liberty bonds. It is upon the people’s substance that the
j armies move.
Failures in efficiency there are and will be. Let us withhold
criticism until we are sure it is justified. Rivalry for position or
: lame has no right place in war or in organized beneficence. Force
depends on united action
3. Next to the character and consecration of the people the
fighting power of a nation is in the possession of the staples of
life, in food and clothing. Upon the economy, simple habits and
self-restraint of Christian people the nation has a right to call
with confidence. Every housekeeper and child, every man, wheth
er traveling or at home, has a duty so to save food and clothing,
money and everything, as to provide for our allies and for our
selves. Covetousness and the seeking of selfish gain in the coun
try’s time of need should be frowned upon as no less disgraceful
than cowardice or rebellion.
4. The war department is working out a great and we be
lieve a beneficent warfare. Military discipline used to cut the
armies off as much as possible from home and natural associa
tions. Men in abnormal conditions become abnormal. A soldier
is still a man. Confident that the normal man is the best fighter,
the government is doing everything in its power consistent with
military efficiency to keep the soldiers and sailors in touch with
society and home, to encourage right associations with the women
and girls in the neighborhood of the camps, and to build up the
men physically and morally through recreation and social and re
ligious influences.
While we trust the general high character and awakened
moral sense of our soldiers, every of ficer of the Church and every
citizen should see to it that his town is clean enough for the sol
diers to roam in and the officials and people should do their part
to protect the girls of the neighborhood as well as the men and
boys who have come from distant homes. Grateful for the action
of the President and Congress in restricting the manufacture and
sale of liquor, we urge ail to support the authorities in enforcing
the law, and to set a personal example of abstinence.
5. The War Commission of the Church has been created to
marshal the spiritual forces of the Church for efficient action.
We want the Church to follow our boys and men with sym
pathetic interest, and to offer them its Sacraments and pastoral
care. Re-enforcing the commissioned chaplains, voluntary chap
lains of our communion, welcomed by the authorities, will keep
close to the camps and naval stations both in this country and in
France, and give guidance and spiritual leadership to the men.
Strong laymen also, members of the Brotherhood of St. An
drew and others engaged for that special work by the commis
sion, will as secretaries of the Y. M. C. A. keep in touch with
Churchmen. Chaplains will be equipped, the names of Churchmen
in the national service will be listed, literature will be sent, and
duplication of work and of appeals for help will be avoided by co
(Contlnued on seoond Mil
6,000 MEN AND 96
OFFICERS AT CAMP MEADE
Camp Meade, Md., Nov. 2.—More
than 6,000 Colored men including the
Maryland quota, those from Tennes
see, the District of Columbia and east
ern Pennsylvania, are now here to re
ceive training for army service. They
are quartered near Admiral Station
and seem happy.
As each group of men arrived at
camp they were given a cold shower
bath, assigned to cots in the barracks
and given the following articles for
their mess kits: One pan to eat out
of, a knife, fork and spoon.
The men have to undergo the reg
ular medical examination of the army.
It will be some time before all receive
uniforms, and broomsticks and varied
sorts of suits will be familiar scenes
at drills.
Every effoft will be made to look
after the moral welfare of the men.
Ninety-six Colored officers are at
the camp. Lieutenant Clyde G. Bran
nan of Fremont, Neb., is here.
ELECTED TO LEGISLATURE
E. A. Johnson First Colored Man to
Serve in New York.
New York, Nov. 8.—For the first
time in the history of New York state
there will be a Colored member of the
legislature, Edward A. Johnson having
been elected thereto from the Nine
teenth assembly district Tuesday.
Johnson ran in the Harlem district,
where there are thousands of Colored
voters, defeating his democratic rival
by 338 votes.
James C. Thomas, jr., who ran for
the Board of Aldermen from the
Twenty-sixth district, was defeated.
Both of the men were enthusiastically
backed by the Negro Civic League, of
which John M. Royall is president.
Mr. Johnson is a lawyer and former
ly resided in Raleigh, N. C. He served
as a member of the city council in
llaleigh. He also served as dean of
the law school at Shaw university. Mr.
Johnson is the author of a school his
tory of the Negro race.
NEBRASKA RESPONDS TO
LIBERTY LOAN APPEAL
Nebraska’s response to the Liberty
loan was a magnificent tribute to the
patriotism of the state. Unofficial fig
ures show' that about $35,000,000 was
subscribed, with thirty-one counties
buying their quota or going over the
minimum allotment.
Eight counties responded with less
than half their quota, butt he official
returns may raise them a trifle.
Omaha subscribed about $10,750,000
and Lancaster county $3,500,000, mak
ing about $21,000,000 for the state.
Omaha’s figures showed $11,390,200
subscribed through the Omaha banks,
but this amount included the subscrip
| tions of the Union Pacific and Bur
! lington railroads, two-thirds of which
goes to the general state credit.
XMAS PACKAGES FOR
NEBRASKA’S COLORED BOYS
The women of the Crispus Attucks
I Auxiliary are planning a house to
j house canvass among our people dur
ing the coming week, to raise funds to
provide Christmas boxes for Nebras
I lea’s Colored drafted men at Camp
j l-’unston and Omaha’s five commis
sioned officers. About $100 will be
needed for this work and the ladies
will endeavor to reach every Negro in
the city. Let every one respond to
this call. Help to make this Christ
mas merry for every mother’s son
Whom we saw so proudly march away
a few weeks ago. Any amount will be
gratefully received. Any one so de
siring may send subscriptions to Mrs.
Isaac Bailey, 2816 Pratt street.
DR. CABANISS APPOINTED
HEAD OF Y. M. C. A. WORK
AT CAMP MEADE
Washington, D. C., Oct. 28.—Dr.
George D. Cabaniss has been appoint
ed head of the Y. M. C. A. work at
Camp Meade, Admiral, Md. He is
eminently fitted for this most import
ant w'ork and has the respect and love
of the thousands of men with whom he
has worked in the years of his Chris
tian activity and his duties as a phy
s>cian.
COOPER BACK TO THE COUNCIL
Philadelphia, Nov. 8.—Richard A
Cooper was re-elected to the commor
council from the Seventh ward Tues
day. He has served several terms.
This is our country and we will al
do our full duty to preserve, defent
and protect it.
I
Colored Contingent
Livens Things Up
They Are Showing More Pep and En
thusiasm Than Any Others Thus
Far, and Keep Soldiers
Laughing.
BY DAVID E. DEXTER,
Staff Correspondent Kansas City Post.
Camp Funston, Kan., Oct. 31.—Big
Bert Williams and McIntyre and
Heath have been pulling a laugh occa
sionally with their footlight capers,
but theirs is “funeral stuff” compared
to the stunts put on by the Negroes
of the drafted army now in this camp.
There are hundreds of Bert Williamses
here, with a big show going on all the
time. And it’s all free.
Even the glum-faced pessimists who
predicted evil with the coming of the
Negroes are admitting that thus far
the Negroes have shown more pep and
enthusiasm than any contingent that
has arrived. There have been more
hearty, wholesome laughs in camp
since yesterday morning than there
have been for a week, and the Negroes
aren’t doing all the laughing, either.
Each arriving train brings in a few
of the Negroes, cheering, singing,
playing instruments that range from
a bass horn to a banjo. Yesterday a
special train arrived with'580 of them
from Missouri points.
Big Negro Leads Contingent.
There were big, fat Negroes; little
skinny ones; short, fat ones; dandies
with silk socks and red, white and
blue caps, and the work-a-day kind
with patches on their trousers. One
big black from Macon, Mo., fully 6
feet 6 inches tall, wore a bright red
uniform of a minstrel show' of bygone
days and proudly led his quota up to
the receiving station. Bowipg and
scraping he handed the papers to Lieu
tenant Walter L. Schmitz, receiving
officer.
Many of them brought razors, car
ried in sheathes at their hips, and de
clared they “didn’t need 'no other
weepon.”
A little fat Negro from southern
Missouri had a big, fat ’possum, which
w’ill be his company’s mascot—until
Thanksgiving day. Then he’ll be din
ner.
Musical Instruments, But No Clothes.
Some of the Negroes didn’t even
have coats to keep off the cold wind,
but clutched tightly to a comet, a gui
tar or a banjo.
Colonel E. M. Bigelow, who has been
taking charge of the Negro troops as
they arrive, is leaving it to the medical
officers to say whether or not the
Negroes shall take cold baths imme
diately on their arrival. Negroes are
very susceptible to pneumonia and as
there is no warm water now it is prob
able the cold shower will be post
poned for a w'hile. The men are being
issued clothing as far as it is possible
and although not every one is being
given a uniform, all are being given
good, warm clothing and overcoats.
Plenty of bed clothing also is being is
sued.
The Negroes will be assigned to the
Ninety-second Division, to be com
manded by Brigadier General C. C.
Ballou. They are being quartered in
barracks formerly occupied by depot
brigade troops that were sent to other
training camps to fill out National
Guard organizations.
Musical Midway Noisy.
“Musical Midway,” the place has
been designated unofficially by the
men of the Eighty-ninth Division, be
cause of the noise that bursts forth
there each night. Already a dozen or
chestras have been organized; there
are a score of “porter quartets,” to
say nothing of banjoists and soloists
who seek to outdo each other. There’d
be about 100 bands in the Ninety-sec
ond Division if the men of that unit
had their say.
Although organization is scarcely
under way, the Negroes are learning
the “one-two-three-four” stuff in
great style. They keep time beauti
fully; they’re strong on rythm, but
they are juts a bit inclined to put in a
frncy dance step now and then.
When the commander of one com
pany asked if there were any men who
had had experience in waiting tables
all but nine stepped forward.
The biting cold weather experienced
here the last few days'is only putting
vim and vigor into the men of the
Eighty-ninth Division, who can now
take an eight-mire hike in the morn
ing, come back and put an hour in at
steady drilling without the least ef
fort. They are a ruddy, healthy look
ing aggregation of men, a different
sort than came down here a few weeks
ago.