.... S --
Growing. j Lifting
Thank You! Lift, Too!
A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans
THE BEV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
_ ______
$1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy \ _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, JANUARY 19, 1818_Vol. III. No, 29 (Whole No, 132)
. Houston Makes
Good Impression
Monitor Representative Finds Race
Progressive and Business Conditions
Favorable in Texas Metropolis; In
terviews Editor of Chronicle.
Houston, Tex., Jan. 12.
To the Readers of The Monitor:
I salute you! Having been in Hous
ton for a week and at Camp Logan
quite often I have become rather mili
tary, you see.
Houston, the pride of southern
Texas, a city of 125,000, 40,000 of
which is claimed by the race, is sit
uated fifty miles north of Galveston
on Buffalo bayou, at the head of deep
water navigation. Ships from all over
the world, landing at her docks, make
her a very important commercial and
shipping point, also a large railway
center.
Many Home Owners.
t The race is doing wonders here.
Sixty per cent own or are buying their
homes; they are well employed, earn
ing a good wage, some few holding
good positions, and a large number in
business of all kinds. They are located
in all parts of the city. San Felipe
street, the main thoroughfare of the
Fourth ward, where most of the race
live, I would liken unto our North
Twenty-fourth street.
Dowling and McKinney streets,
where you wall find more in business,
in the select residential district, re
minds me of west Famam and Dewey
avenue. The Fifth ward, where they
are also very thickly settled, reminds
one of our own South Side.
Home of American Mutual.
Houston is also the home of the
American Mutual Benefit association,
which is an institution that the race is
proud of, proving it by their support.
A visit to their offices will make any
race man feel proud to meet the large
number of departmental heads, with
their numerous assistants, busily en
gaged in checking accounts and oper
ating typewriters, makes one wonder
if this is real. Yes, it is, and all of
this is happening 'way down south in
Texas. But it proves the race’s ability
to adapt itself to any condition and
take advantage of the least oppor
tunity offered.
Meets J. Vance Lewis.
Here I met J. Vance Lewis, lawyer,
lecturer and traveler, and I guess most
of you readers are acquainted with
him. He was glad to meet The Moni
tor and its representative, and with
true Southern hospitality welcomed us
to both his office and his home.
Herbert’s Hospitality.
Mr. Phil Herbert, proprietor of the
Herbert Pharmacy, made every pro
vision for our pleasure and conveni
ence during my stay, I being his guest,
with rooms provided at the Oriental
hotel. I made my headquarters in his
store, where I met most of the busi
ness and professional men, also many
prominent citizens, for every one when
downtown pays Phil a visit, even the
soldiers from Camp Ixigan, especially
the line officers, who can be found
around the stove in Phil’s back room
every evening, because it is cold here,
Houston having been visited by a
snowstorm, the first in twenty-three
years.
Did I visit the cantonment?
Why, certainly, and I am going to
tell you all about it.
Camp Logan.
Camp Logan, as it is called, is lo
cated about five miles northwest of the
city and is easily accessible for ve ■
•* - hides over several w'ell paved boule
vards and a single line of street rail
way.
The Eighth Illinois, as it was form
erly known, has grown in importance,
being now known as the 370th Infan
cy, U. S. A., in command of Colonel
Franklin A. Denison, Lieutenant Col
onel Johnson, Major W'hite of the med
ical corps, Major Stokes of the First
battalion, Major Hunt of the Second
battalion, Major Duncan of the Third
battalion, Captain Gywnn of the ma
chine gun corps, assisted by First
Lieutenant Lylbum Jackson, a former
member of the Chicago police depart
ment and well known in Omaha; also
Second Lieutenants Phillips and
Browning. By the way, Phillips is a
graduate civil engineer and expects to
be commissioned in the engineer corps
when organized.
“The Old Eighth,” as we will still
call them, came here on October 23.
excepting G company, which came
August 1 and did guard and police
duty during that most unfor
tunate incident of August 23.
The Eighth Illinois has an enviable
reputation, being known as the best
disciplined and drilled regiment at the
camp, ^ g attached to the Thirty
third 'J; >n, under command of
Major G t George Bell, jr. They
are houst Ҥ large tents, furnished
with wooc *oors and half walls,;
small cam] -* es and cots for six
men.
The base hospital, commissaries and
mess halls are located in large, well
built wooden structures.
Interviews Editor Chronicle.
After visiting the camp, where I con
versed with any number of the offi
cers, I decided to call on Mr. Kepple,
managing editor of the Chronicle, one
of Houston's big dailies: secured an in
troduction and an appointment
through the Rev. William H. Green, a
prominent worker of the race. I came
away from Mr. Kepple’s office with a
better impression of Houston, Tex.,
and the South.
Among other things said he called
my attention to the fact that had not
Houston possessed some good-think
ing, clean, law'-abiding citizens of both
races the incident of August 23 might
not have been confined to the angered
and mutinous members of the Twenty
fourth Infantry, U. S. A., and the local
police, a fact which we will all recog
nize.
Next week 1 promise you some more
interesting facts concerning the race
in Houston and at Camp Logan. Until :
then I am correspondingly yours,
FRED C. WILLIAMS,
Traveling Representative of
The Monitor.
U. S. Food
Administration
Kansas Farmers’ Association Urges
Co-operation in Food Con
servation.
Topeka, Kan.—The Sunflower State
Agricultural association, composed of |
the Colored farmers of Kansas, held a
I meeting recently in the Topeka Indus
trial and Educational Institute here,
and by unanimous vote declared sup
port to the United States food admin
istration, urging full co-operation of
the Kansas farmers and other mem
bers of the race to the government in
its gigantic task of fighting for world- ;
wide freedom.
President William fi. Carter of the
association told the farmers that it
was their task to help win the war.
“We are a part of this great country,” !
said President Carter, “and it is up to 1
us to respond to every call made by j
our President through any department j
of the government. All the world in
sists that food must play an important
and essential part.
"Since it is food, then food we are1
going to have and the farmers of Kan
sas intend to see that it is furnished.
These young men are going into the j
: fields—those who do not go into the j
trenches—and become producers as i
well as consumers. They will produce
more than they consume, for they real- ;
ize that there are our sons and broth
ers in the trenches and on the battle- ;
fields who must be fed.”
Poultry, farm and industrial dis- .
plays attracted the attention of many !
who attended the conference. Women
showed by demonstrations how they !
could help win the war and how easy ]
it is to observe the meatless and j
wheatless days and still remain happy. ;
"Poultry raising must be given spe
cial attention this spring,” declared J.
G. Grove, the ‘Negro Potato King,’
from Edwardsville, Kan., “because
poultry and eggs must to a consider
able degree take the place of meat on
; meatless days. There is a great de
mand for poultry at present, and it
; will be still greater in the future.”
—
MOB BURNS MAN FOB
MURDER OF GIRL
- |
Hazelhurst, Miss., Jan. 16.—A mob
1 took Sam Edwards, a Negro, accused
I of killing 17-year-old Vera Willis,]
i from jail here early today and burned
' him to death.
Oil was poured on the Negro’s ]
! clothing by the mob, said to include
j the father of the girl.
A battering ram was used to break
| in the jail door and Edwards is said
! to have confessed. The mutilated
] body of Vera Willis was found in the
j woods near here.
j COLORED MECH ANICS QUIT
WHEN SIGN GOES UP
Pittsburgh, Pa.—Twenty-five Color
] ed mechanics, who have been employ
j ed here in the plant of the Pittsburgh
Model Engine company, walked out
after giving thirty-six hours’ notice
when an objectionable “Jim Crow”
sign, recently placed in the plant, was
not removed.
THE NEGROES’ GREAT DAY
An Instructive, Outspoken and Strikingly Significant and Sug
gestive Editorial, Recently Published in the Evening
News of San Jose, California.
A LI, San Jose citizens are fully aware of the significance of New
^ Year’s day, but many of them probably failed to realize that
the day marks an anniverasry of one of the greatest events in the
history of the country—the freeing of the Negroes by the going
into effect of Abraham Lincoln’s famous emancipation proclama
tion fifty-years ago.
\Ve are prone to get in the habit either of ignoring such an
niversaries, or, if we do remember them, of simply smugly re
membering that a great event occurred so many years ago, and of
feeling that the event was sufficient to itself, and achieved in en
tirety the task that was to be perfoimed. But in truth, there was
never a great deed or event yet which did not leave an aftermath
of more deeds and duties to be done. The Declaration of Independ
ence left us the task of establishing a genuine democracy, and of
really making all men “free and equal.” The adoption of woman
suffrage leaves upon us the great task of emancipating woman
economically and mentally, as well as politically. And just so, the
emancipation proclamation left with us the great task of freeing
the Negro socially and economically, as well as politically.
The white race has not by any means fully discharged itself
of its duty to the Negro race. The issuance of the emancipation
proclamation merely started the great task of making up to the
Negro race for all the wrongs that the white race has committed.
We went over to Africa and ran down the Negroes as if they
were wild animals. We put them in chains and crammed them
into the noisome holds of slave ships, where they died by the hun
dreds. We brought them over to this country and put them to
work in the blazing sun of the Southern states. When it was our
whim to do so, we beat them. Our rapacious young men treated
the girls of their race as the legitimate prey ol desire. When the
Negroes attempted to run away we dragged them back and treat
ed them with barbarous cruelty.
Then came the civil war, and we made them free politically—
theoretically free. As a matter of fact, technical tricks of law
exclude the vast majority of the Negroes in the Southern states
from voting. We have never yet made a strong enough effort to
educate and civilize the Negro, and when he acts like a brute and
attacks our women, we too act like brutes and bum him at the
stake We forget the countless Negro women who have been at
tacked by white men. We forget that the only possible chance of
elevating the Negro race is to take the path of education and sys
tematically to train the Negroes in the ways of civilization and
modern democratic culture.
It is of these crimes committed by us in the past against the
Negro, and it is of these duties which we now owe to the Negro,
that we should think when we are considering the fifty-fifth an
niversary of the going into effect of the emancipation proclama
tion. We should not congratulate ourselves on having permitted
one of our great men to do a great thing more than half a century
ago, but should rather highly resolve that we ourselves will do
great things in the present and future to carry on the work start
ed by the issuance of that now world-famous proclamation.
COLORED LABORERS
ASK FOR RAISE
Beaumont, Tex., Jan. 10.—The Col
ored Shipyard Laborers’ union, at a
meeting Friday night, voted to ask
employers for an increase in wages. A
minimum of 40 cents an hour for an
eight-hour day, time and a half for
overtime and double time for Sundays
and holidays will be sought. Similar
action was taken by the white labor
ers' union Thursday night.
There are approximately 1,200 com
mon laborers employed in the six local
shipbuilding plants.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, TO
HAVE COLORED Y. M. C. A.
Columbus, O., Jan. 7.—The contract
for the "Spring street branch V. M. C.
A. new building, which is to be erect
ed at the comer of Fifth and Spring
streets, this city, for the Colored
youths of the city, was let Saturday,
January 6, to Charles W. Schneider &
Son of Columbus. The building is to
be completed September 1, and while
the contractor is a white man the en
tire work is to be done by Colored
artisans. This building will cost, in
eluding equipment and site, when com
pleted, $115,000.
NO DARKNESS HERE
Private Ray Barbee and Miss Sa
vannah Day were married at the resi
dence of Rev. F. L. Lights Tuesday
night.—News Item, Houston Observer.
It was most fitting that Ray and
Miss Day should be united by the Rev.
Mr. Lights. No room for darkness
here.
Father Williams: Allow the opera
tor to suggest that the coming ray
beam should be named Daylight.—Bob
Allen.
Ed Waters, the other linotype man,
suggests that if it be a son it should
be named Sunlight.
OFFICERS’ WIVES ORGANIZE
Spouses of Negro Officers at Camp
Form Association; Will Co-operate
in Benefit Affairs for the Soldiers.
Des Moines, la. — Fifteen wives
of the Negro officers who are
stationed at Camp Dodge met re
cently at the residence of Mrs. S. L.
Birt and organized themselves into a
club to be known as the Officers’
Wives’ Association of the 366th Infan
try, National Army.
The following were elected officers:
Mrs. G. S. Norman of Atlanta, Ga.,
president; Mrs. M. E. Everett of Dal
las, Tex., vice president; Mis. F. S.
Blocker of Atlanta, Ga., secretary:
Mrs. C. W. Allen of Iowa Falls, la.,
assistant secretary; Mrs. W. H. Clark
of Huntsville, Ala., treasurer, and
M rs. J. W. Bundrant of Minneapolis,
Minn., musical director.
The purpose of the organization is
to bring together all the wives of
Negro officers now stationed at Camp
Dodge, or who in tin- future may go
there, for active co-operation in mat
ters of benefit to the officers and sol
diers at the camp and for helpful in
fluence in the community.
LOUISVILLE ASKING
FOR POLICEMEN
Louisville, Ky.—leading Colored
citizens are making a hard fight to
get the new republican administration
to appoint Colored men on the police
force. This city has never had a Col
ored policeman and politicians of both
parties have dodged the issue for
years.
RECOMMENDED FOR
C O M,M I S S I O N S
Houston, Tex.—Forty-seven non
commissioned officers of the ,370th
Infantry have been recommended fo>
commissioners and have had their
physical examinations.
I .
i SCARCITY OF LABOR
BECOMES ALARMING
Head of Steel Corporation Would
Have Government Import
Orientals.
—
Chicago, Jan. 5.—A plea to solve
the labor problem of the United States
by the importation of Orientals was
made here tonight in an address by
Elbert H. Gary, chairman of the board
of the United States Steel corporation,
at a dinner given by the Commercial
club.
“To the extent needed, the United
States should immediately, under
proper conditions and reasonable re
strictions, draw from the islands of
the sea and from Oriental countries
enough men, including soldiers and
sailors, to meet every emergency,” he
said. “There would be no difficulty
in obtaining in a short period large
numbers of strong, healthy, intelli
gent, loyal men for civil or even mili
tary duty, and the number could be in
creased from time to time as required.
“All who are acquainted with tin
facts know that we need more men
and that we can get them if we are so
disposed. If legislation is required
congress should act without delay.”
Garner Balks at
“Social Equality”
Protests Reaching Washington of
Efforts to Compel Intermingling
of Whites and Blacks.
NEGROES AND WHITES SAID
TO BE MIXED AT HOSPITALS
Texas Congressman Promises to Raise
Rumpus Unless Conditions Are
Changed.
By W. S. Gard, Correspondent, Hous
ton Post Bureau, 401 Kellogg Build
ing.
Washington, Jan. 11, 1918.
Protest against seeming efforts to
establish social equality between
white and black soldiers in the Na
tional Army are reaching Washing
ton. Strong appeal from camps in
Texas have reached Congressman
Gamer and he is arranging to take ;
the matter up with the war depart
ment.
Notice that Negro soldiers are to
enter the officers’ training camps at
San Antonio has brought further pro
test against the fever to properly seg
regate the race in southern army
camps.
Congressman Gamer said Friday
though it has been reported to him
from reliable sources that Negroes
and white soldiers are mixed indis
criminatelyin the same hospital wards
in Texas camps and that convalescent
soldiers eat at the hospital tables
with Negro soldiers. Gamer said: “I
have been in complete sympathy with
all that has been done toward raising
an army and with the administration’s
management of difficult problems, but
I can see no reason for attempting to
set up and force social equality be
tween the white and black races in the
army training camps. I am going to
take the matter up with the war de
partment, and unless something is
done speedily to relieve this situation
I am going to raise a rumpus and I
think the people in Texas know what
that word means.’’
DAN DESDUNES KNOWS
A GOOD THING
Dan Desdunes, the popular leader
of the First Regimental Band, knows
good things besides music. He is
buying a Thrift Stamp every day and
says he is going to keep it up. This
means that Dan is saving 25 cents a
day. He exchanges every sixteen
Thrift Stamps with the additional 12
cents necessary for a War Savings
j Stamp which pays 4% per cent in
terest.
Everybody who follows Dan Des
dunes’ example will not only help lick
the Kaiser, but will save a neat little
sum of money.
Buy War Savings Stamps.
| Pay your debts.
Charged With
Clever Swindle
Federal Officers Arrest J. A. Fields.
Who Is Alleged to Have Duped
Working Women Out of Several
Hundred Dollars.
In the arrest Wednesday or J. A.
Fields, a Colored man, who lives at
4428 South Twenty-fourth street, this
city, the federal officers allege that
they have unearthed one of the clever
est swindling games ever reported to
the postoffice authorities in these
parts. It is estimated that Fields
cleaned up about $2,000 in the last
thirty days by his scheme.
“Fields & Dooley” was the name
under which Fields chose to operate.
William Dooley is the stepfather of
Fields and lives with hir t.
Offered Women Light Work.
Fields inserted advertisements in
many newspapers, including the Chi
cago Daily News and Detroit Free
Press.
The advertisements asked for wo
men to work two hours an evening
and promised salaries of from $15 to
$18 per week.
Answers came by the hundreds.
Mail carriers were amazed at the
number of letters which went to the
little shack on the South Side and
Postoffice Inspector Coble got to
working on the case.
Fields’ first letter to those answer
ing his advertisement advised the
prospective victims that all that was
required at first was that they should
secure a “certificate of compensa
tion,” for which a fee of $1 was neces
sary, besides 37 cents postage.
Believe 5,000 Bit.
It went on to say that “it is one of
Nebraska’s most rigid laws that you
must have this certificate before we
can take you into our employ. It may
seem insignificant, but if it is disre
garded the government might make it
rather nasty for us.” So the women
sent the $1.37. It is the opinion of
postal authorities that at least 5,000
of them answered the advertisement.
One of the further baits said to
have been held out by Fields was the
promise of sick benefits without cost.
“If you are taken sick while in our
employ,” he wrote, “we will pay you
$7 per week until you are well, and
will hold your job for you in the
meantime.”
To Sell Basketball Game.
The “job,” by the way, was stated
to be the selling of the “ "Varsity Bas
ketball Game.” No one but Fields
knew what this game was, for when
he was arrested he didn’t have even a
model or sample or it. But he said he
could construct one in a few minutes
from cardboard.
He wrote his victims that they
should sell these games at $1 each,
collecting 25 cents in advance, and
that when the games were delivered
and paid for he would send them 25
cents more, making their commission
50 per cent on the sales.
Fake References.
He offered as references what he
stated were “two Omaha business
firms.” One of these was Alexander
& Payne, 1834 North Twenty-fifth
street; the other was Powell &
Charles, 5635 South Thirty-third
street.
Neither of these firms exists. There
is no such number as 1834 North
Twenty-fifth street. The house at 5635
South Thirty-third street is occupied
by a lone Negro named Wiggins, who
had been instructed by Fields to turn
over to the latter any mail he might
receive in the Fields & Dooley printed
envelopes.
Fields went further than this to
protect his “references,” say the pos
tal authorities. He called at the post
office here, presented himself as con
nected with Alexander & Payne, and
directed that any mail received for
that firm at the North Twenty-fifth
street address be forwarded to his
home.
MAYOR VAN LEAR STOPS
“THE BIRTH OF A NATION"
Minneapolis, Minn.—Thomas Van
Lear, mayor of this city, has oi-dered
! the manager of a Lake street theater
not to show the film, “The Birth of a
Nation,” because it may create a feel
ing against the Negro citizen or incite
a riot. The mayor is taking a step in
the right direction. The supreme court
of Minnesota has decided it “a vicious
film” and if it is shown we expect Mr.
| Van Lear to revoke the license. His
power to do so has been sustained by
the supreme court of this state.—The
Twin City Star. ,