w
i i The Monitor i
A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans
. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor \
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$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. AUGUST 31. 1918 Vol. IV. N \ (Whole No. 165)
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Places Matter Before
Secretary of Navy
The National Association for the Ad
'aiiceuient of Colored People Makes
Protest to Secretary Daniels
Against Discrimination on Account
of Color in Department.
( LEVER CASES OF CAMOUFLAGE
( ommon Custom Prevalent in Some
Departments to Advise Applicants
Summoned to Report That Then
Are No Vacancies.
EW YORK, Aug. 29.—The Na
tional Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, through
its secretary, John R. Shillady, makes
public a letter addressed to FI on. Jo
sephus Daniels, secretary of the navy ,
in which the Association directs the
attention of Secretary Daniels to the
case of two young Colored women,
graduates of the high and normal
schools at Washington for employ
ment in response to a recent press
item in the Washington papers in
which it was stated that women be
tween the ages of 18 and 35 years,
possessiong high school educa
tion and good health, were wanted
for immediate service, and were told
by the department that no Colored
people,could be enrolled. The Asso
ciation asks whether it is the inten
tion of the navy department, when of
fering opportunity to women for serv
ice in the department, to exclude
from such service Colored women who
may be able to meet the requirements
for the positions offered, and say
that while it would feel bound to pro
test against the restriction of employ
ment in the navy department to white
women, it would suggest that, if Col
ored people are to be excluded from
employment offered, public announce
ments so stating be made.
In making public this letter to Sec
f Salary Daniels, the Association say
that it is a common practice in the
departments at Washington, when
Colored people apply for positions to
which they have been certified, foi
them to be informed that there are
no vacancies. The Association says
that its Washington branch is prac
tically deluged with complaints of this
character. The most recent one com
ing to national headquarters at New
York is the case of a young Colored
woman who on August 13 received
from the treasury department an of
ficial notification that her name had
been certified to one of the bureaus
of the treasury by the civil service
commission for a temporary position
as clerk and requesting that she call
at the bureau at her earliest conven
ience. Reporting in less than an hour
after receiving this notice, the appli
cant was told that there were no va
cancies. The young woman in ques- ;
tion alleges that th:s is the second
time she has been treated in the j
same manner.
“In view of the great need foi |
workers in all the governmental de
partments to help win the war,” said !
Mr. Shillady, the association’s Sec- ;
retary, "the Association wonders how
the great majority of the general pub
lic, not addicted to color prejudice, I
will regard the continued denial of
opportunities to serve the government
merely because the applicants hap
pen to have dark instead of white
skins.”
DINING CAR WAITERS
ESSENTIAL. RULES BOARD
St. Louis, August ‘29.— Waiters in
-m Pullman dining cars are not non-es
sential, although waiters in restaur
ants, cafes and lunchrooms must seek
other employment or join the colors.
This order was received by the Dis
trict Appeals Board August 15, and a
decision in one case was reversed.
The only case of a Pullman waiter
to go before the District Appeals
Board in St. Louis was that of James
P. Hurst, 1724 Pendleton avenue. He
was ordered to seek essential work
but his case was reversed when the
order was received.
TO OUR READERS
t
We are Klad The Monitor
: pleaaea you. It will alao pleaae
your frienda and neiKhbora.
j Slow them your copy and Ret
them to nubscribe. Help ua
1 double our circulation thia year
h> KeltinK one of your frienda
01 neiKhbora to auharribe.
N \TlONAL RACE CONGRESS
TO MEET AT WASHINGTON
Washington, D. C., Aug. 29.—An
inti-lynching session of the National
Race Congress of America will be
held in this city beginning October
1st and ending on the thiid. The or
ganization proposes to endorse the bill
that is now before congress to make
lynching a federal crime. All phases
;f Pace interest will be discussed
by men who have made a special study
of fhe same.
Aline Bentley
Crowned Queen of Carnival 1918.
Urges National
Equal Rights
President Gunner Appeals to Colored
Americans to Assemble at Chicago
in September to Deliberate on Or
ganization by Colored Americans to
(Jet World Democracy.
Hillbum, N. Y., Aug. 1), 1918.
Dear Fellow Colored Americans:
The National Liberty Congress
which recently convened in the city
of Washington, fully accomplished its
avowed aim and object, viz: “To
press the just claims of Colored
American citizens to share in the
world democracy, and to take posi
tive measures to secure from ihe
government guarantee of the aboli
tion of enfranchisement and of all
caste disci .minations, civil and poli
ti ’al.”
Expressed in plain uncompromis
ing Fngl'sh. our just grievances
were brought squarely before the
house of i ppresentatives, and before
the Alileritan people, by said Liberty
Congress, end were made a promin
ent and permanent part of the Con
gressional Records. (June 29, 1918.)
It seems providentially fortunate
therefore, that this noteworthy
achievement on the part of the Lib
erty • ougress is to be so soon fol
lowed I v the Klevpnth Annual Con
vention of the National Koual Rights
1 vague, to he held in September, in
the < ;t v ol Chicago.
Oui league is to convene in one
of the most wide-awake political and
social tenters in the United States
• nil during a most critical period in
the world’s conflict. From this im
portant center we shall urge our
people to remain loyal to our coun
ty and to the cause of humanity.
We mean to stand by Old Glory' to
the death: we intend also to contend
to the death, if need he, for an equal
share in that same democracy for
which so many thousands of brave
Colored Americans are cheerfully
pouring out their life’s blood. To se
cure these blessings to ourselves we
must organize quickly those who are
proscribed seeking to combat (pre
script on.
Therefore, let us get together for
organization as a race to enforce our
chums io world democracy. Every
church, civic, educational, fraternal,
political and business organizations
among our people, without regard to
sect, sex oi party, are invited to be
represented in the Chicago conven
tion by one, two or several delegates
to deliberate on the organizing of
cur race for self-defense. An espe
< ial appeal is made for the quick for
mation of equal rights and democ
lary leagues or committees for the
purpose of sending delegates to this
national convention for race organi
zation for liberty.
Let every community join this Col
ored I iberty Organizing Drive. Let
us as a race get ready to enforce our
claim to World Democracy as an issue
of this world war.
Yours for democracy now,
BYRON GUNNER,
Pres. Nat’l Equal Rights League.
Government Must
Stop Discrimination
lk'plorable Case of Miss Tucker a
Sample of the Treatment Accorded
Vpplieants for Positions for Which
They Have Qualified.
Baltimore, md.—Miss a. Tuck
er, one of the efficient teachers
in the Colored public schools of this
city, was twice turned down for ap
pointment to a clerical position here
last week in the government depart
ments because she was Colored. On
being certified to the federal trades
commission for appointment by the
civil service commission, tha* depart
ment wrote her to come to Washing
ton to take a position. Af'.er going
to the expense of railroad travel to
Washington, on presenting herself,
and it was discovered she was Col
ored, she was refused the appoint
ment. he following day, the 'wMr
trade 1 card, to which she had also
been certified, wired her to come to
report for duty at Washington, Au
gust 1, at $1,000 per annum, for “per
manent” appointment. Again she re
turned to Washington, only to be brut
ally adviser! by division chiefs that
they would not take her because she
was Colored. Miss Tucker returned
to her home in Baltimore in such a
highly nervous state because of the
injustice she had encountered that she
had to take to her bed. She is a pre
possessing young woman, and one who j
had made a high average in her eivil
service examination.
GENERAL PERSHING COM
MENDS COLORED SOLDIERS
Personal Letter to Y. M. C. A. Secre
tary in France Tells Its Own Story.
American Expeditionary Forces,
Office of the Commander in Chief, j
June 27, 1918.
Mr. William Stevens,
Care Y. M. C. A.,
A. P. O. 701.
Dear Sir:
In reply to your recent letter I
wish to assure you that I place the
greatest confidence in the patriotism 1
and devotion of our Colored soldiers,
and their splendid work both in the
front line and in the service of sup
ply. It also gives me pleasure to in
form you that they have made a fine
impression on our allies by their sol
dierly bearing and exemplary conduct.
Yours very truly,
(Signed). John J. Pershing,
General U. S. Army.
OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR TO
INVESTIGATE DEWEY MOB
Dewey, Okla., Aug. 22.—Gov. Wil
Hants of Oklahoma has been appealed
to by citizens of both races through
out the state to order a rigid investi
gation into the conduct of white res
idents of the state who composed the
mob that set fire to twenty-one homes
ccupied by our people in this city
when N. Widlow, a barber, was
sought by police for beating,his wife.
The mob, after having captured Wid
low, aroused to a frenzy, set out to
destroy the settlement of our people
here. Torches were applied to even
house in town and the sky was soon
ablaze. Several thousand people
stood idly by and watched women
and children dash from the burning
dwellings. The governor has prom
ised to investigate.
The action of the mob rendered
many good citizens homeless and
destroyed thousands of dollars worth
of property for which the county and
state exact taxes. A personal letter |
from A. J. Smithemian, editor of tin
Tulsa Star, has been made nuhlic.
OFFICERS PLEASED
WITH SOLDIERS
Louisville, Ky., Aug. 29.—Officer
in charge of the Colored organia- :
tions at Camp Zachary Taylor re
nort that to a man the Colored se |
lerts have rallied to their duties and
the morale in the Colored units is ]
very high. The officers state that
their soldiers ure continually in the
best of spirits, and Son Leader
Dawson has met with an overwhelm
ing succes in organizing mass sing
ing among the Negroes.
The Y. M. (f. A. has become the
center of the gatherings at night.
These buildings for the soldiers are
always filled to their capacity.
Schools have been started for the
purpose of teaching uneducated Ne
gro soldiers. Some who could not
'•ead or write when they came to the
’oral camp are now able to write
home.
Speaks Twenty
Seven Languages
An Ahysinnian, Reputed Relative of
King Menelek. Private Soldier a
Camp Upton, Surprises Authorities
With His Polylingual Proficiency.
_
Camp Upton, N. Y.. Aug. 30.—
Among the naturalizations in the sol- ;
dier court here August 23 was Count
Ben Ossac I)e Kellscritta; a Colored
private, born in Abyssinia, who claims ;
blood relationship with the late King :
Menelik.
He. has been a citizen of Italy, be
ing bom in that section of Abyssinia
known as Italian Samoliland. A
slight regret at losing his title of
count was the only thing that marred
acceptance of American allegiance.
Kellscritta speaks twenty-seven
languages fluently and bis knowledge
was tested by naturalization inter
preters in English, French, Spanish,
German, Russian, Polish, Italian, the
Scandinavian languages, Hindu and
several Indian dialects, Greek, Arab
ic, Hebrew, Turkish, the Balkan
tongues and various dialects. He stu- ,
died for rabbinical orders at one time
and his knowledge of Hebrew is al
most perfect. Milwaukee is his home.
In view of his qualifications, the
Negro Jew will probably he used in j
the intelligence service.
HOW “OCR HOYS”
ARE IDENTIFIED
Washington, D. C., Aug. 2U.—The j
war department authorizes publica
tion of the following order from gen
eral headquarters, American Expedi
tionary Forces:
Two aluminum identification tags, :
each the size of a silver half dollar
and of suitable thickness, will be worn
by each officer and soldier of the
American forces and by all civilians
attached thereto. These tags will be
worn suspended from the neck and
underneath the clothing, by a cord
«';■ thong passer! through a small hole
n the tag, the second tag to be sus- ,
pended from the first one by a short
piece of string or tupe.
In case of officers the tags will be
stamped with the name rank, regi
ment, corps, or department of the
wearer and the letters “U. S.” either
in such form as “U. S. Infantry,” “U.
S. Air service,” “U. S. Tank Corps,” !
or simply the letters “U. S. A.” when
an officer is not a member of an or
ganization, corps, or department.
In the case of soldiers, the tags
will be stamped with the soldier’s
name and the letters “U. S. A.” on
one side and his army serial number
on the other side. . The stamping on
tags previously issued will he altered
as practicable to conform with this
order.
This is an added means of identifi
cation.
WITNESSED FIVE GREAT WARS:
DIES \T AGE OF 117 YEARS
New York, Aug. 23,-—Declaring that
he was born in 1771. William Mason,
who lived for years in the basement
at 182 West One Hundred and Thirty
fourth street, died last Thursday. In,
Bellevue Hospital at the age o* 147
years. His only companion during his
last years of life was a big St, Ber
nard dog. and neighbors claimed that
the animal possessed almost human
intellect. According to Mason, who
vp to a few weeks ago made his
rounds on crutches and did street-cor
ner preaching, he had been through
five great wars.
_ -j
ENLARGE CAMP DODGE TO
ACCOMMODATE 60,000
—
Des Moines, la., Aug. 30.—Rumors,
which appear from their sources to
have originated in authentic quarters,
are that an entire division of Colored
troops and a division of white sol
diers are to be trained at Camp Dodge
this winter. It is reported that the
camp is to be enlarged to accomo
date the 60,000 men this would bring
to Des Moines. More than 10,000
Colored men, enough to form an en
tire infantry brigade, now are at
Camp Dodge.
THREE II. S. VESSELS SUNK;
SOME OF CREWS MISSING
Washington, D. C.—Sinking of
three American vessels by foreign
submarines has been announced by
the navy department. The steamer
Lake Edon, an army chartered cargo
transport, was sunk on August 21;
the U. S. S. Westbr'dge. 8.800 tons
on August 16, and the U. S. S, Cu
bore, 7,300 tons, on August 15.
FORMER OMAHAN RECEIVES
HONOR APPOINTMENT
Washington, I). C., Aug. 29.—Mr.
Walter J. Singleton, who has been
connected with the Bureau of Insulai
Affairs, War Department, for twenty
years, has been designated to inspect
and superintend the shipment of al'
currency made by the Bureau of En
graving and Printing, Treasury De
partment, for the Philippine Govern
ment. This is a distinction won whol
ly by merit. Mr. Singleton is rated
as one of the most efficient and pains
taking officials in the federal service
and is a potent factor in many fields
of civic endeavor in addition to his
labors for the general government.
Mr. Singleton is a brother of M. F.
Singleton of Omaha, and was appoint
ed to the war department from Omaha
when Geo. D. Meiklejohn of Nebraska
was assistant secretary' of war.
L< tters From Our
Boys In France
The Monitor will be very pleased
to publish letters or extracts from
, letters from our boys who are “Some
where in France.” Let us have them.
The letters published in last week’s
issue were eagerly read and appreci
ated and The Monitor was railed up
by several and thanked for publishing
them.
Here is a letter written under date
, of July 28th by Andrew T. Reed to
: his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Reed of
; Sixteenth and Dorcas streets. Among
other things, it shows how our boys
• over there” are thinking of home.
My Dear Mother and Father:
No doubt you will be glad to hear
from me after such a lapse of time,
but the fact is I have never gotten
settled. As you see by the beginning
of my letter, I am not with Head
quarters Troop any more. I received
my commission the 19th of July, but
it was dated June 1st. 1 was assigned
to “K” Co. 368th Infantry, which was
at Camp Meade, Maryland before they
came to France. I left the Troop this
morning and arrived at my new com
pany this afternoon. The officers all
seem to be very nice at first sight.
| Clyde Brannon is in “M” company,
which is just across the way from
me. He is looking fine and sends his
i best regards to you. I hope f will
Rucceed in my new field. There is
not much that 1 can say to you. I
suppose you have received my raids
and other letters a long time ago. 1
have only received one letter from
you as yet and it was one addressed
to Camp Funston. Of course, >t takes
a long time for a letter to get here.
I hope mamma and papa are both
well and getting along fine. It won t
be long, I hope, before I again see the
good old U. S. A. and home. 1 am in
the best of health. I have a ring
made out of a piece of aluminum and
a piece of silk off of a German Zep
pelin that was shot down where I am
stationed. I suppose you eagerly look
at the papers every evening for the
news “over here.” How is little old
Omaha at this time? I suppose it is
hot as the dickens there. Give my
love to all inquiring friends and tell
them I ain trying to go as high as
they will let me go. I think of home
as much as I can under the conditions.
Well, I guess Dannie is barking and
wants to know what is in this letter.
I suppose I must close as there is not
much that I can say only pray for
me and be good and keep well until |
I return. As ever 1 close, hoping you
will write every week.
Much love and a billion kisses, As
ever, Your loving son,
ANDREW.
Address, Andrew' Thomas Reed, 2nd
Lieutenant Infantry N. A., Co. “K,” !
368th Infantry, 92nd Division, Care '
New York.
Eighty* \ Selects
Leav tomorrow
Program Will be Given at Court
House at Half Past Eight O’clock;
Headed by Band March to Depot.
CAMP LEWIS IS DESTINATION
The Rev. W. F. Butts, Pastor of Zion
Baptist Church, and Mayor Smith
Will Deliver Addresses. Ros^r of
Fourth Contingent.
Sunday morning at 9:45 Omaha's
fourth contingent of Colored draftees
will leave from the Union Station for
one of the nation's great training
camps. Eighty-one men will leave for
Camp Lewis, Washington, this being
the first contingent to be sent to the
west from the citv. The first two
contingents went to Camp Funston
and the third to Camp Pike, Ark.
Today the men will be the guests at
dinner of the Omaha Chamber of
Commerce. The program for Sun
day morning is as follows:
Court House, 8:30 sharp, “The Star
Spangled Banner,” by the Band.
Address by the Rev. W. F. Botts.
Music, Old Soldiers Quartette.
Address by Mayor Smith.
“America,” sung by audience, led
by band.
Instruction.-, by marshal.
At nine o’clock sharp the march to
the station will start in the following
order:
Platoon of police.
Band.
Delegation Chamber of Commerce.
Colored Red Cross.
White Red Cross.
Selectmen in oTder of draft boards,
1, 2, 3, D and 6.
Organizations.
Citizens. Citizens generally are re
quested to march.
Farewells must be said at the Court
House, because for the purpose of
safety, the people are not permitted
to go through the gates to the train.
Details of soldiers are on guard to
keep the crowds back. The people
are requested to march four abreast
in orderly manner and not to crowd
promiscuously or in a straggling way
in the streets. The citizens gener
ally should turn out carrying small
American flags. It adds to the ap
pearance also to decorate automobiles
with the nationa1 colors.
I m- Selects Who 1 eave Tomorrow .
This is the list of our boys who
start for Berlin tomorrow by the
way of Camp Lewis:
Will Jackson, Bennie Collier, Lesh
Neely, Marion Ekans, John Llewellyn
Campbell, Frank Williams, Leroy C.
Broomfield, Paul Muldrew, Clarence
A. Brooks. Milo Yancy. Richard Joy
ner, Enoch E. Bryce, R. J. Carter,
Homer Collins, Lucius Prater, Lewis
Hatten, William Carter, Charles M.
Wiley, Clark Rye, Arthur Jones, Geo.
Wilson, Cyrus A. Boyd, Arthur Caus
by, I esse M. Shields. Oliver Napue.
Sam Reeves, Charles Davis, Walter
Cage, James Gibson, Julius Bass, Rob
ert King, Henry Scott, Jr., John
Stoneham, Arthur Bradley, George
Benson, Will Miner, Lennie Crawford,
Alfred Green, Vern Mitchell, Herbert
R. Parks. King Pinkston, Thoma.
Knight, Charles Tatum, Otho Patton.
Elliott H. Falling, Arthur R. Watson,
Charles Howard, David A. Green,
Harry Hanger. Thomas Richardson,
Allen Martin. Archie Smith, Walter
Byers, Richard Harris, Richakd E.
Johnson, Lloyd Alien, Thomas Rou
lette, Christopher Cochran, Louis
Hihbs. Hozeal Cottrell, Benjamin F.
Kirkpatrick, Carl Woodson, Ben Har
rison. King David Smith, Richard
Dailey, Silas Lipscombe, Albert John
son, Philip Mitchell ,Amos J. McCann,
Robert Johnson, John B. Webb, Wi!
son Alston, and William Perkins.
MAJOR DAVIS MADE LIEUT.
COLONEL OF NINTH CAVALRY
Philippine Islands, Aug. 29.—Major
Ollie B. Davis, for a number of years
a member of the Ninth Cavalry, now
stationed at Camp Stotsenburg, has
been promoted to the rank of lieuten
ant-colonel.
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