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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1918)
The monitor ▲ Weakly Newspaper devoted to the civic, sociei and religious interests of the Colored People of Nebraska and the West, with the desire to con tribute something to the general good and upbuilding of the community and of the race. Published Every Saturday. Entered u Second-Class Mail Matter July >, 1916. at the Post Office at Omaha, Neb., under the act of March 3, 1179 __ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor and Publisher. Lucille Skaggs Edwards and William Garnett Haynes, Associate Edltora George Wells Parker, Contributing Editor. John D. Crawford, Business Manager. Fred C. Williams, Traveling Representative SUBSCRIPTION RATES, $1.80 PER YEAR Advertising Rates, 80 cents an Inch per Issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. Telephone Webster 4243. ASH-WEDNESDAY AND LENT Next Wednesday, February 13, is Ash-Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a penitential season of forty days’ duration—forty-six, to be exact, be cause the Sundays are not counted— observed by millions of Christians, real and nominal, throughout the world. Its wide observance is significant. Its per sistence through the centuries chal lenges attention. Religious seasons, customs and observances which have stood the test of centuries and proven spiritually helpful to mankind, persist only because they answer some real need in human nature. Now, Lent is one of those religious seasons which has stood the test of centuries and has been found spirit ually helpful to numberless millions. It must, therefore, answer to some real need in the souls of men. What is the need which it supplies—what the call to which it answers ? Let us see if we cannot learn what are some of the needs of every rational human soul which it supplies. First, then, is there not the great need of Knowledge—knowledge of God, knowledge of self, knowledge of others and knowledge of the relation ships existing between these three ? W’hat is necessary for the attainment of this knowledge? Is it not quiet, stillness, opportunity of retirement for awhile from the ordinary cares and duties of the average life? “Be still, then, and know that I am God,” and in knowing God one learns truly to know one’s self. This season of retirement and penitence, if you please,—for self examination, which is a necessary ele ment of self-knowledge, will so reveal one’s shortcomings of what he really ought to be and wants to be that peni tence must follow,—answers to the soul’s cry for the opportunity to know itself. Then next self-knowdedge reveals other needs, if improvement would re sult. One of these is self-discipline, which strengthens the will and leads on to self-control. Self-knowledge, self-discipline, self control, may be obtained and have been obtained through the observance oi Lent. This explains why this season, despite its misuse and abuse, has such a strong grip upon the hearts of mil lions. Surely this year of all years, when men’s hearts are failing them because of fear and of the things that are com ing upon earth, Lent should be ob served with prevailing power and help fulness by all who believe in the power of the Christian religion to save and uplift mankind. Ash-Wednesday and Lent, 1918! The world has never seen its like before. Will it ever behold its like again? May it lead the war-distracted world through penitence to peace. THE COMPENSATIONS OF BEING COLORED If people should ask me, as they ask Bert Williams, “Would you not give anything to be white?” I should an swer as Mr. Williams answered, “Em phatically no!” As a Colored man I am relieved of great responsibilities, not because I am unwilling to assume them, but because they are denied me. I have no voice in the destiny of this democracy. I, too, have brain, ideals and strength, but I sun not permitted to help in making the pattern. As a Colored man I am without the pale. I am a looker-on. I can see the follies and faults of the white race, and though sometimes I myself am seared and burned, it treats itself worse than it treats mine. For me to become a success is a real triumph over great obstacles. No white man has any good reason for being a failure. My race is bom with an innate sense of humor. I resent injustice, but in justice cannot make life any the les3 interesting. I do not expect perfection in an imperfect world. Grief weighs lightly. I never lose my soul in the race for dollars. Climbing the dizzying heights of the social ladder is not my ambition. Eating my heart out because of fail ures is never a chapter in my exist ence. The white man is forever seeking happiness. Mine I find in myself, my home, my family, my friends, and in my labor. The most of my work is known as menial work, but the blessing of it is there is so much of it to do. The field is never over-crowded. I never want. A white man is nearly always afraid of his job. My race never begs. Poverty with mine is never a problem. Sometimes [ may be hungry, but the world never knows. I have too much pride. And the greatest compensation of all is that I come of a happy race. My blood is as old as human kind and it learned the lesson ages ago that all things are transient. Mine shall come into its own again. All I need do is wait, and I wait contented. DETECTIVE FRANK ROONEY All who knew him sincerely regret the death of Detective Frank Rooney, who was shot by robbers last week. Gentlemanly and kind-hearted, while fearless in the discharge of his duty, he had made a host of friends, whose sympathy goes out to his bereaved family. KINDNESS Cultivate kindness. Never nourish bitterness. Kindness eventually wins where harshness and bitterness fail. | Kindness always brings a glow of [ warmth around the heart which every j one should envy. Cultivate kindness. I You can if you will. _ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY My Dear Mr. -Magney: As you are well aware, two serious crimes shocked the community in the closing days of August, 1917. On Sat urday night, August 25, Mrs. Ander son, an aged woman, was murdered at Fortieth and Decatur streets. On Sat urday afternoon, August 26, Mrs. Claude L. Nethaway was murdered at Florence. For some unaccountable rea son investigation of the first crime seems to have been overshadowed to the point of forgetfulness by investi gation and prosecution of the Neth away mystery. Will it not now be possible for you to order a renewed i and thorough investigation of the An derson murder mystery? That case should be investigated so that, if pos sible, the person or persons guilty of the crime should be discovered, con victed and punished. Respectfully yours, JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. FOOD SPEAKERS SAY WAR IS “JUST PLAIN MURDER” ! “What we saw was not warfare; | : just plain murder. Direct attempts ! ; on the lives of non-combatants.” That is part of the message the Federal I Food representatives are bringing j back to this country and will give to Nebraskans the week of February 25 to March 2. Roscoe Mitchell, Everett Colby, Dr. R. L. Wilbur and John Barry are the speakers who are assigned to this state and who will tell Nebraskans just what the conditions are “over there.” The tour of these men will be the first wherein the first hand messages and the personal observations of con ditions will be given. They will tell of the American troops in Europe, of their condition and their hopes. They will tell of food conditions “over there.” In short, their messages will be gripping, real live stories of condi tions that have never got past the censors. The Nebraska itinerary will be an nounced shortly and these speakers will visit as many cities and towns in the state as is possible during the week. Get the church-going habit! Don't be a religious slacker. Der kaiser is still talking on divine right. Isn’t it too bad that he can’t I have a heart-to-heart talk with ex I Czar Nick? Quite a solar plexus jolt when Secre tary Baker answered Senator Cham j berlain and told him that we already j have considerably more than 500,000 men at the front, wasn’t it? Reckon ! the next guy will watch his step before he tries to shy a collection of decrepit vegetables at the administration. Of course the ground-hog saw his shadow! Why the heck didn't the weather man plug the hole so he could n’t get out ? Who cares anything about the short age of coal—in the summertime? Would you like to give the editor a real BIG SURPRISE? Then come across with your subscription. A writer in the Kansas City Star says that the Colored cantonment at Funston is a regular minstrel show. So I are all the others. The white canton i ments are the ones that are hunting | grief and finding heaps of it. After last week’s bandit stunt there j will be no way in the world to prove to j the effete east that Omaha isn’t still a j hangout for cowboys and ferocious In dians. Why is it that everybody must wear a muzzle except Teddy Roosevelt! Give it up, Gracie; give it up. The Monitor’s blind traveling repre sentative is doing things down South, j The wise gazook who said he couldn’t is hibernating under a snowdrift. Have you heard any news from the j western front lately? ' Thanking you for letting us give you an eyeful, we will now rest up by play j ing a few games of coon-can. SKITS OF SOLOMON Over the Telephone Mrs. Conversational Goop gets cen j tral after a minute’s wait. “Hello! Did you have a good nap?" “Number, please ?” “If you don’t give better service I shall report you!” “Number, please ? ” “Mudriver 41144,” in voice that ! gives central the earache. “Hello! Is Edith there?” “Just a minute and I’ll call her.” (The expression of serene patience.^ “Some one on the line—get off!” “You needn’t be so rough. I didn't know YOU were on the line.” “Shut up! 1 hate party lines any way." "They still give out straight lines at the telephone office, don’t they?” “Dry up.” “Already dry. Nebraska is a dry state, isn’t it?” “What impudence!" “I want to get acquainted. You have such a lovely temper.” “I shall report you.” “This is the fortieth time you’ve made this threat. I am greatly trou bled.” “Hello! Edith is out. Won’t you leave your number?” Butting-in Party—“Please do.” Bang! All for today. BUY THRIFT STAMPS AT THE WARDEN HOTEL Now is the time for every Colored person, young or old, to start saving. The chance of a lifetime never offered before. Twenty-five cents will start a savings account now, with the United States behind it. Buy your thrift stamps at the War den hotel, Sixteenth and Cuming streets. Charles H. Warden has been appointed an agent by the government; to sell these stamps, so buy them from one of the race and making a showing. RETAILERS ARE BENEFITTED BY FARMERS BUYING AUTOS At the recent convention of Retail ers, Clarke G. Powell, Manager of the Omaha Auto Show', February 25 to March 2, pointed out to merchants how their business has been benefited by j the large number of autos purchased by farmers. The farmer and his wife keep in closer contact with their lo cal trading centers, which helps the merchant compete with mail order houses. The retailers were urged to come to the Omaha Show and bring their families. "Last year three thousand dealers from Nebraska, Western Iowa and South Dakota attended the Omaha show," explained Mr. Powell, “and brought some of their customers with them. Of the thousands of dollars’ worth of automobiles purchased, the Omaha distributors got only a small margin. Most of the money went to the local dealers, and the local retail ers got part of it, to say nothing of the advantages they derive from hav ing automobile-owning customers." Com Dodger. Two cups commeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons fat, 1% cups boiling water. Pour the boiling water over the other materials. Beat well. When cool, form into thin cakes and bake .30 minutes in a hot oven. Makes 14 bis cuits. These crisp little biscuits are good with butter or gravy. Eat them with your meat and vegetables. Our Women and, Children Condacttd by Lucille Skaggs Edwards THE WHITE IN OI R FLAG There is a menace to the white in that flag which we avoid speaking of and yet it must be faced. White means purity. It means clean bodies, clean minds, clean morals. It means, above all, honor to womanhood. Yet, during the first eighteen months of European war England had more men incapaci tated by venereal disease, contracted in mobilization camps, than by all the fighting at the front. Our own mobili zation camps along the Mexican border were ringed round by dives unspeak able. Whole companies—yes. almost whole regiments—took inoculation for diseases I shall not name. Do you know what that means ? It means the transformation of gallant boys and men into walking pestilences, into piti ful lepers, many of whom will carry through life the terror of their sins and even transmit to further genera tions the seeds of blindness and in sanity. Do I startle you when I tell you plainly that it is estimated that among the soldiers in Europe there are today 700,000 syphilitics? And your boy or mine is going to hazard his life for his country. Must he also lose his soul ? The nation has listened to the appeals we sent in last winter. Protected zones have been instituted. It is to the credit of the United States that the government has done this and it is to the great credit of the Y. M. C. A., and the chaplains of the army and navy, that every effort is being made to stimulate and strengthen our boyr against temptation; but, when all is said and done, it is up to the boy him self, up to the father and mother w'ho gave him clean birth, up to the prin ciples of conduct that were drilled into him in youth, up to the standards of character which were exemplified by his father and mother and comrades at home. We pray for them that they may be clean and that means that WE must be clean. We honor the flag. It is only as white as you and I are pure and white. I would propose a new hymn mpdeled on "God Save the King”: "God save our boys and men Send them safe home again; God save our men! Make them victorious, Clean, strong, and glorious; Flag floating over us, Strengthen our men!” —Rev. George Craig Stewait, D. D., in Purity Magazine. Liberty Drug Co. ' EVERYBODY’S DRUG STORE B. Robinson, Manager 1901 No. 21th St. Webster 386 Omaha, Neb. I AI AUfl DeLUXE ICE ; ALA MU cream garden Open Every Evening Cabaret En tertainment Special Dance Every Monday and Thursday Evening. De Luxe Matinee Every Sunday Afternoon KILLINGSWORTH BROS. Webster 2861 Proprietors Phones: Office, Douglas 7812; Residence, Web. 6231. Office Hours: 10 to 12 a. m.; 3 to 5 p. m.; 7 to 8 p. m. Dr. L. E. Britt PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Office, 109 South 11th St. (Over People’s Drug Store.) Res., 2319 Maple St., Omaha. —---! i ^Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Let Us Help Put a e; | Victrola | = in Your Home EE EE By Arranging Very Easy Terms for Payment 1 Come Today | = And test the machines in our sound-proof rooms, hear the = — music you love best, by the world’s greatest entertainers. == 5E discover our great capacity to serve you and our willing- jjE = ness to assist you to the realization of your musical ideals. = Read the Special Offers Below — Style IV—With 24 selections of your own EE choosing on twelve 10-inch Double = == Records...-. $29.00 == = Style IX—With 24 selections of your own EE choosing on twelve 10-inch Double -EE — Records. $66.50 =r EE Style X—With 24 selections of your own = — choosing on twelve 10-inch Double == EE Records ..... . $94.00 =S ==■ Style XI—With 24 selections of your own j= = choosing on twelve 10-inch Double == EE Records. $119.00 j|E EE Style XIV—With 24 selections of your own E = choosing on twelve 10-inch Double = Records . . . $174.00 = = Style XVI—With 24 selections of your own = choosing on twelve 10-inch Double = — Records $224.00 = | Orchard & Wilhelm Co. | 414-416-418 South Sixteenth Street. ^lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllffi The Knights and Daughters of Tabor BANQUET AT TABOREAN HALL Twenty-fourth and Patrick Avenue "Tuesday, February 12th TICKETS, 25 CENTS - The Warden Hotel On Sixteenth Street at Cuming. STEAM HEATED ROOMS—HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER—BATHS By Day tor One.. 50c, 75c, $1.00 By Day for Two.$1.00, $1.25. $1 50 By Week. $2.00 to $4.50 BILLIARD PARLOR IN CONNECTION FOR GENTLEMEN WHO CAPF EASY WALKING DISTANCE TO HEART OF CITY Douglas 6332. Charles H. Warden, Proprietor. -BUY THRIFT STAMPS VALENTINES! Why Not a Dozen “ ~~ “ TT1 > One for the really important PHOTOGRAPHS party—the rest a surprise for I ^ your family and friends. • ■ ■ ...-. The Butters Studio l3M„.N.rr”" 3‘ Particular Dentistry Best 22K gold crowns... $4.00 and $5.00 Gold fillings ....$2.00 and up Casted gold inlays....$5.00 and up Heavy 22K bridgework....$5.00 and $6.00 per tooth Porcelain crowns . $5.00 Full upper or lower plates, best material. $10.00 Silver fillings - $1.00 Temporary fillings...$ .50 Extractions .......$ .50 and up Clarence H. Singleton, D. D. S. 109 South 14th Street (Over Peoples’ Drug Store) Office Hours, 9 A. M. to 12 M. 1 P. M. to 7 P. M, Phone Douglas 7812 4 t.. . ... ■ ...... 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