The monitor
A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social 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 aa Second-Class Mail Matter July J. 1916. at the Post Office at
Omaha. Neb., under the act of March 3, 1879.
I -—
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor and Publisher.
Lucille Skaggs Edwards and William Garnett Haynes, Associate Edltora
George Wells Parker, Contributing Editor. Bert Patrick, Business
Manager. Fred C. Williams, Traveling Representative
SUBSCRIPTION RATES. $2.00 A YEAR: $1.00 6 MONTHS: (50c 3 MONTHS
Advertising Rates, 50 cents an Inch per Issue.
Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street. Omaha
Telephone Webster 4243.
OI R BOYS
Last Monday morning more than
two hundred of our boys left their
homes as soldiers of Uncle Sam. There
were smiles and cheers and there were
tears, too. The smiles and cheers
were the outward expressions of sin
cere pride, but the tears were the
symbols of love. It seemed a holiday
event, but it was no holiday. It was
the first grim truth that has come
to us of what this great world war
means. A few months and they will
be over there midst shot and shell
ana blood, helping to lift the stand
ards of the allies against the double
eagle of the central powers. And
they shall be lifted, too. The sane
world has decreed that militarism
must be forever crushed and have
called upon all men, black and white,
and red and yellow and rprown, to
crush it. Theirs will be glory and
for many—death. Our hearts go with
them and also our love. Through all
the days and the long silent nights
our hearts shall be with them, or
wills seething across the world to
help them and our prayers to aid
them. Our one paramount hope will
be that they all come back to us safe
and sound and happy. That they will
come back heroes is conceded. May
God bless them and keep them and
bring them back—OUR BOYS.
-.
“CONTEND WHILE YOU WAIT" |
Under the above caption The Cleve
land Gazette makes an important ob
servation with which we most heart
ily -agree. It would be delightful if
we could only pursue the even tenor
of our way and wait patiently for
every problem and difficulty to work
itself out. Unfortunately we are
called upon to do our part in helping
to make things come out right. We
agree with what the Gazette so well
says in the following editorial:
“All things come to him who will
but wait,” quotes Editor J. H. Murphy
of the Baltimore (Md.) Afro-Ameri
can, last week, in speaking of the
war department’s recent belated au
thorization of the enrolling of our
nurses for service in this country and
probably “overseas.”
Yes, Brother Murphy, al’ things
do come to him who will but wait,
but fights for them in a proper way
while he waits. That is how we
gained the “nurse” concession,
Secretary Baker’s public state
ment that local draft boards must
stop discriminating against our
draftees and the president’s splendid
plea against mob violence and lynch
rnurder. All this came as a direct re
sult of our great Washington, D. C.,
Race Conference’s resolutions and
“•bill of particulars,” lodged with the
administration in June of this year.
Yes, wait, but only because you have
to, and be sure to contend in a proper
way for what you are entitled to while
you wait.
AN AUGUST CONCEPTION
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, poet and
essayist, writing some 75 years ago,
said:
“The possible destiny of the United
States of America as a nation of a
hundred million of free men, stretch
ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
living under the laws of Alfred and
speaking the language of Shakes
peare and Milton, is an august con
ception.”
The United States is now a nation
of a hundred million and more,
stretching from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and reaching out east takes
in Hawaii and the Philippines, in the
north Alaska, and in the south the
Panama canal. But grander than its
physical is its moral greatness. Its
fairness and justice, its courage and
power, its maintenance of right and
freedom cover the world.
The destiny the United States is
now fulfilling is a more august con
ception than even the imagination of
the author of Kubla Khan conceived
of less than a century ago.
SAVING AND SERVING
By economizing in consumption and
with the resultant saving purchasing
the government’s war securities the
American citizen performs a double
duty. The citizen and the govern
ment can not use the same labor and
material; if the citizen uses it, the
material and the labor cannot be used
by the government. If the citizen
economize in consumption, so much
material and labor and transportation
space is left free for government uses.
And when the saving effected is lent
to the government more money is thus
placed at the disposal of the govern
ment.
The more the people save the more
money, labor and materials are left
for the winning of the war, the great
er and more complete the support
given to our fighting men.
RACE PRESS COMMENT
ON PRESIDENT’S APPEAL
A Timely Blow for Democracy.
The proclamation is a timely blow
for democracy. And while it does
not emphasize lynching of Negroes,
those who read can but see that the
president is determined to let the
country know that lynching in any
form, and of anyr human being, is
decidedly rnad for this country. The
proclamation will give the law-abiding
citizens of every community the op
portunity to strike the monster evil,
if they desire. They know no\C the
official attitude of our chief executive,
and there is no excuse for further
evidences of laxity on the part pf of
ficials of any community where lynch
ings are attempted.—Pittsburg Cour
ier.
Great Pronouncement for Justice.
This is the greatest pronouncement
for the cause of human justice that
has been bom out of the labor pangs
of the mighty conflict. Issued under
conditions more romantic or sentimen
tal than the president’s study it might
be expected to rank with Lincoln’s
immortal Gettysburg speech. Ac
cepted and practised it will accom
plish the work so well begun by the
spirit released at Gettysburg.—In
dianapolis Ledger.
May Not Kail on Deaf Kars.
That this appeal may not fall on
deaf ears, but speedily prove itself,
to the delight of all .liberty-loving
Americans, enabling us to take our
part in this universal democracy for
which we are fighting, is the prayer
rfbove all others to which we say a
very loud AMEN!—The Colorado
Statesman.
Great Anti-Lynch-Murder Plea.
President Woodrow Wilson has
done what no other president has
ever done—he has made a strong plea
against mob violence and lyneh-mur
der that ought to, and undoubtedly
will, have a salutary influence against
America’s long-standing and greatest
shame and disgrace. It is true that
it took a time and a condition, made
by a world war, such as this country
has never before known, to bring this
to pass, but that even they forced
the making of such a strong plea
by a southern democratic president,
surrounded in the two other co-ordi
nated branches of the government hy
men of the same political faith and
place of residence, is what surprises
all, even the most sanguine members
of that great Race Conference that
brought it about. President Wilson’s
pronouncement against lynching is
one of the finest state papers he has
issued and it is undoubtedly one of the
most important. A grateful people
thoroughly appreciate it, too.—The
Cleveland Gazette.
! -
Will Lessen Antagonistic Feeling.
This act of the president’s will do
much toward lessening the antagon
I istic feeling that has found place in
the breasts of twelve million Ameri
can citizens. Wre appreciate the deli
cate position he has been in since
taking the chair. Before his first
election he gave promise of being a
i big, broad, independent-thinking man,
; one who would be president of all, not
a part of the people. Perhaps he
was too weak to withstand the hound
j ing of the wolves surrounding him,
I for he failed signally when opportun
| ity offered to throw out the lifeline
| to those who needed it most. But it
is never too late to make amends,
1 and we are inclined to believe our
president intends from now on to do
all in his power to make amends for
his tardiness in seeing that justice is
meted out to ali citizens alike. We
congratulate President Wilson, not
because he is doing his duty, but be
cause he is the first man occupying
the highest office in our land since
Lincoln who not only has realized that
no country can long survive that
makes of one citizen a man, of the
other a vassal, but has had the back
bone to publicly denounce this evil.
Perhaps, after all, we are on the eve
of true democracy. Who knows?—
The Chicago Defender.
Will Strengthen Morale of Race.
We are glad that the president, at
this time, issued such a statement,
because it will strengthen the morale
of the Colored people throughout the
country', and at the same time, the
leaders of our race will be better
prepared to carry the message of
hope, encouragement and inspiration
to the twelve millions of true hearted
Americans.—St. Louis Argus.
Why We Are Fighting Germany
By George Wells Parker
Last week, out of mere curiosity, 1 !
asked twenty different men in all
walks of life, "Why Are We Fight- i
ing Germany?” and 1 must confess |
that I received twenty dissimilar an
swers and ont one seemed to give ;
me a clear and concise explanation
of just why we want to crush Ger- j
man autocracy and why it is inimi- '
cal to the liberties of mankind. Seven
told me that the United States is ■
fighting fur an id' L ' ,vi w
mind this answer is farthest away 1
from the truth than any. Today we
are fighting for as real a reality as i
ever carried a nation into war and
it is my purpose to establish this fact
clearly and to justify the mighty ef
fort we are making today to utterly
wipe German militarism from the face
of the earth.
Writers may place the cause of this
war at any date they may see fit,
but if we are to really understand the
menace of German autocracy, we must
g» back to the Declaration of Inde
pendence. It may roe, as Emerson
said, that the shot fired at Concord
was the “shot heard 'round thp world,”
but this, from the Declaration of In
dependence, was in reality the clarion
note that called the world to wakeful
ness.
“That, to secure these rights, gov
ernments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed; that, when
ever any form of government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the
right of the people to alter or to abol
ish it, and to institute new' govern
ment, laying its foundation on such
principles, and organizing its powers
in such form, as to them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and
happiness.”
When the Declaration of Independ
ence reached Europe, it was the above
statement that struck terror to the
thrones of Europe. The volatile
Frenchman caught the spirit first and
the terrible French revolution was
the immediate result. Revolutions
also began in Spain and Italy and
discontent became rife in Germany.
So nearly did the people of these coun
tries come into their own that in 1822
the autocracies of Europe called a |
meeting at Verona, Italy, and drafted
the secret treaty which has since be
come one of the most famous docu
ments of -ceret diplomacy. The first
article of this famous treaty not onl) :
establishes the puipose of monarchy,
hut reflects fear of the nations made
party to the treaty. Here is Article 1
I exactly as it appears in the treaty: i
Article 1. The high contracting
powers being convinced that the sys- j
tern of representative government is
equally as incompatible with the mon- ]
archial principles as the maxim of the
sovereignty of the people with the
divine right, engage mutually, in the ^
most solemn manner to use all ef- j
forts to put an end to the system j
of representative governments, in ,
whatever country it may exist in Eu- :
rope, and to prevent its being intro
duced in those countries where it is
not yet known. (Full face is my own.)
Four countries signed this treat> ;
France, who had returned to mon
archy temporarily, signed through
Chateaubriand; Austria through Met
temach; Prussia through Berustet,
and Russia through Nesselrode. Eng
land refused to sign. Just at this
time momentous events were taking
place in Spain. A revolution was on
and England was assisting the rev
olutionists to overthrow the monarchy.
The revolution came suddenly to an
end by the Spanish people accepting
Ferdinand VII in face of an army of
100,000 soldiers sent by the Holy Al
liance, the same alliance that had
drafted the secret treaty at Verona.
And right here one sho.uld never for
get the part played by England. Find
ing herself unarnle to complete the
revolution, England at once recog
nized the independence of all the
Spanish colonies, and Canning, who
was the prime minister, notified Mon
roe of the secret treaty and its prob
able consequences and in reality
caused him to issue the famous Mon
roe doctrine.
This temporary triumph of the Holy
Alliance, however, was no easy
triumph. The spirit of liberty once
aroused is not easily crushed. In the
war of 1813, Frederick William III
of Prussia, was obliged to promise
self government to the Germans be
fore they would fight, but after the
war broke his word as was usual with
all German rulers. Coincident with
the third French revolution (1848)
came a general uprising and demand
upon the part of the Germans for a
democratic government “as in Eng
land," and at this time the Prussian
parliament came into existence and re
mained so until 1861. But during all
this time the conflicts between the
German people and king were con
stant and finally the king actually
wrote out his abdication. It was at
this point that Bismarck appeared
upon the scene as the Iron Chancel
lor. He demanded that the king tear
up his abdication and promised to re
store absolutism to the Hohenzollems.
To accomplish this he undertook, with
out legislative sanction, the wars of
1864, 1866 an.) J870.
Bismarck did as he promised and
when the present emperor came to the
throne he found autocracy established
firmly. It has been his fool efforts
to perpetuate it in the face of t.hi
rising tide of socialism and genera’,
discontent that caused the world war
William II would carry Europe back
to the dark ages when Europe her
self demanded that popular govern
ment was the right of the governed.
This, then, is the real cause of the
world war and as recent as cause*
may seem, the real cause is that im
mortal declaration written roy Thomas
Jefferson and adopted July' 4, 1776.
I trust I have made this chain of
circumstances clear. There is much
more to be written, but space and
time do not permit. To assure one’s
self of the real meaning of Prussian
militarism, one has but to take these
facts and follow them in detail and
the whole purpose of Hohenzoliernism
will become clear. To destroy' this
is the purpose of the allied nations
and I say again that there is nothing
ideal about it. If human liberty is
a real thing, then we fight for a
REALITY, the greatest REALITY
THAT HAS EVER CALLED TO THE
HEARTS OF MEN.
SKITS OF SOLOMON
The Circus
A circus is a composite aggrega
tion of everything under the sun from
clowns and elephants to popcorn and
, I
pink lemonade, and especially de
signed to prove how many cullud peo
ple there are in one community. Al
most anything else can happen and
the cullud population is simply sprink
led around in spots, but let a circus
come to town and every cullud man,
woman and kid from forty miles
around will be on the grounds inter
viewing the monkeys, sideshows and
bands. As a rule the above spoken
of shady population doesn't care two
whoops in Gehenna about the circus
parade. What it yearns for and runs
to is the circus grounds where the
crowds and dust and noise mix up
promiscuously. Whenever a fircus
hits town it generally means rain,
but rain has no effect upon cullud
folks. Neither would hail and snow i
and fire. The circus has for them
a siren call and when the call comes
—they go. The pork chops on tho
stove may 'nurn up for all they care.
Pork chops may be high and come
seldom, but circuses come seldomer
and that is the sum and substance
of Sam’s philosophy. Just now the
churches are crying because of the
lack of members, but as to Colored
members there is one way to bring
them back. Tell them that away off
yonder where the streets are of gold
and the gates are pearly, that there is
one perpetual circus with multitudes
of clowns and bands and circus tents
and the churches will remain forever
crowded.
A PRAYER
Father, protect our boys in brown
Who march from hamlet, field and
town;
Each one a replica of Thee,
Each bears a cross to Calvary.
Be with them on the bloody field:
Be Thou their armor and their shield.
Whisper to those so sorely tried
"Hold firm, thy Comrade stands
beside.”
When far from friends and mother
care
Be with them there—be with them
there.
“No greater love hath man than this,”
Be unto them the love they miss.
Father, behold how straight they
stand,
These boys of our beloved land!
Oh, bring them safely home again,.
This is our fervent prayer—amen.
EAT CORN
SAVE
VHEAT
---S
Encouraging News is Coining
Daily From Our Boys Over
There.
STAND BEHIND THEM!
Buy War Savings Stamps
P
Thomas Kilpatrick & Co.
v__1 N
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Reasons Why the Alamo Barber Shop
is the Leading Shop of the City
ISergt.-Major E. W. Killingsworth
At 0. T. Camp Pike, Ark.
Six Chairs
K. C. Price
At Home on the Job
-
(First, we are giving the people what they want. Second, the man
agement has used discretion in getting the best barbers obtainable. The
Alamo barber shop hasn’t waited to see what others could do, but has
fj stepped in the lead and given to the public things unheard of in Colored
shops in this city.
The Alamo barber shop was the first to hail the public attention
to a leading and rest room. The shower bath, which no shop is com
plete without, would never have been given to the Colored population
had it not been for the Alamo barber shop. To avoid confusion over who
may happen to lie next we use the number system. No matter how high
or low everyone is dealt with justly when their turn comes. A system
adopted by the Alamo barber shop. Experience has taught the manage
ment that a fatigued barber is not the best barber; to keep the barbers
fresh and in good trim at all times the shop is provided with stools so
arranged to the height of the barber, it is convenient to rest at w'ill while
at w'ork. Never before known in the history of the city. We lead, others
I follow. We advertise and don’t knock.
We will be glad to have the most fastidious give the place a thorough
inspection and see if this is true. The Alamo barber shop has done more
to further the barber business and bring to the people their very needs,
than all the shops put together have ever done.
\
Killingsworth & Price, Props.
C. B. MAYO, Foreman.
| Phone Webster 5784 2416 North 24th Street