,z:s,, i t'he Monitor i '"z
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COIAIRED AMERICANS.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. NOVEMBER 16. 1918 Vol. IV. No. 20 (Whole No. 176)
Soldiers Overseas
“Making Good”
French and American Commanders
Praise Their Coolness and Courage
Under Severest “Baptisms of Fire.”
COMMANDERS WELL PLEASED
Snappy at Drilling and Expert in
Field Maneuvers—“My Oldest Vet
erans Could Do It No Better,” Said
a Noted French General.
YY/^TH the American Armies in
YY France. — Colored troops from
America already have established
themselves in Europe as being cool j
and reliable fighters in the front line.
Both America and French commands
sav so, and if the Germans over dis
covered who jt was that held part of
the line through Argonne forest
when the bodies failed to get through
some time ago, the German command
has a decidedly high respect for Amer
ican Colored infantry.
. ' , Up and down the line, after the test'
of a year’s service, you hear no doubts
expressed regarding the Colored in
fantry. The Colored doughboys have
made good in the line as well as be
hind. They have proven themselves
cod and brave soldiers in the trenches
and gentlemen when back at rest in
French towns. You are continually
running into units of these Colored
chaps as you travel up and down the
line from Switzerland to Flanders.
Pull Off Some Snappy Drilling
Down in a little town some miles
back of Verdun the correspondent en
countered a large unit of these Color
ed chaps, all from Chicago or there
abouts. They had just come back to
rest, after a long period in the Ar
gonne forest trenches. Like their pre
decessors, a Negro unit from New
York, they had made a great hit with
the French officers in high command
of the sector. Unlike the New York
y Negroes, these Chicago boys had cn
/ countered no big fighting, and they
werc disappointed at being taken from
the trenches before doing big fight
ing.
The French officers explained that
.good soldiers can be recognized just
as well when they are holding ‘.he line
as when they are fighting, but the
Colored doughboys were still disap
pointed. Finally the French general
of the army came down to review the
Negro outfit. Down by the creek they
went through some of the snappiest
exercise ever seen, and the French
general was delighted. When the re
view as it had been planned was fin
ished the general turned to the Amer
ican colonel:
“If I were an American general
what would I do now?” asked the
Frenchman.
“Most anything,” replied the colonel.
--—•—
“These boys will do anything you
wish.”
“Well, suppose the Germans were
across '.he creek,” replied the general,
“I’d like to have this nearest company
attack them.”
Difficult Field Maneuver Skillfully
Executed.
The captain of the nearest company |
was given the order, and he marched
his iftcn acrcss the meadow, where
they suddenly disappeared. Pretty
soon a whis'le sounded, and the com
pany was up and running toward the
crcck. Only a minute and then they
dropped, waiting, then running, al
ways skirmishing in the latest ap
proved French fashion.
When they dropped it was with two
skirmish lines in advance and two sup
port lines leading off to the rear, witii
each man dropping over the legs of
the chap in front of him. Tin derbies
and packs covered the upper portions
of their bodies.
After a bit of a flank movement by
a couple of platoons the supposed
German positions along the creek
were stormed and taken. The French
gertral was deligh t'd beyond words
for p irmment. Finally he said: “My
oldest veterans could do it no better,
even if they were warned i.t was on
the program, and‘your boys did that
extemporaneously.” The general re
membered the review, and a few days
later these Colored chaps from Chi
cago received a fine letter from him,
congratulating them on their esprit de
corps and their work.
French Like Colored Americans
It was interesting to see how these
Colored boys mixed with the French
inhabitants of the village with whom
the Americans were billited. The
French folk like the Colored boys and
felt highly honored at the way the
latter learned French. The Colored
Americans are getting extremely
fluent, and it fits entirely with their
scheme of things to use all French
forms of politeness.
Down the battle line a large unit of
Colored troops was encountered at
serious business. It was going into
the line, taking over a hilly and im
portant sector formerly held by
French troops. It was the first taste
of the trenches or of the front for the
hoys in this unit. These men were
mostly from the South. They had been
trained in the middle west and some
more in France, but never had been
on duty under shell fire.
Yet on this dark night, while the
Germans bombarded, these thousands
of Colored doughboys, chiefly under
direction of Colored officers, though
some were white, took over a difficult
and long sector without a. mishap and
with lees noise than usual, so the
French officers said. They have held
that long sector for some time now,
and there has been no slip, from the
farthest outpost to the rear supply
truck.
/ .
V /COLONEL CHAHI.ES YOUNG, who last week was restored to active serv
ant ice in the United States army and ordered to report at (.'amp Grant. It
will be remembered that Colonel Young, who wa» sixth in line for brigadier
general, was retired nearly two years ago, just before 250 brigadier generals
were appointed by the President. Knowing the tremendous opposition the
South was raising against giving commissions to Negroes, Colonel Young's
retirement and the circumstances surrounding it aroused great indignation
among our people. The Monitor expressed its opinion fearlessly and unre
servedly at that time and has had no reason to change it since then.
ROSCOK CONKLING SIMMONS, famous orator, who spoke last Friday
night in Calvary iiaptist Church and who is in demand all over the I'nited
States. He has spoken before hundreds of thousands in all parts of the coun
try in the last few months.
Simmons Captivates
Large Audience
Calvary* Baptist Church Crowded to
Its Fullest Capacity to Receive In
spiring Message of Gifted Orator.
OPTIMISM IS HIS KEYNOTE
Commends Religion to Race; Urges
loyalty, Patience and Duty; Makes
Skillful Thrusts at Undemocratic
Practices Countenanced in America.
FRESH from another one of his fo
rensic triumphs which he scored
before an audience of nearly 4,000
people, more than two-thirds of whom
were white, in the Auditorium at Des
Moines, Iowa, Thursday night, and at
which meeting the governor of Iowa
presided, Colonel Roscoe Conkling
Simmons, one of America’s most fa
mous orators, who,has spoken before
hundreds of thousands in all sections
of this country, came to Omaha Fri
day night and delivered one of his
brilliant addresses before a capacity
audience in Calvary Baptist church, a
beautiful and costly pressed brick edi
fice of which a Colored Baptist con
gregation, the united one of Mount
Moriah and Pilgrim’s Rest, are soon
to take possession. For more than two
hours, and then his captivated au
dience was reluctant to let him stop,
Colonel Simmons with the witchery of
his speech amused, entertained and in
structed the large audience which wel
comed him. Scintilating wit, droll,
side-splitting humor, tear-compelling
pathos were all used by a master of
the art in driving home facts and
truths of which the entire nation needs
to be reminded and which every in- I
dividual should take to himself. Sim- i
mens excoriates individual, racial and j
national faults with such skillful
pusses of his rapier that he cuts and
leaves no wound. This is the secret of
his success in talking as no other man
cun or lias talked to Southern white
audiences numbering thousands, who
have applauded him to the echo.
Colonel Simmons spoke under the
auspices of Mount Moriah and Pil
grim’s Rest Baptist churches. It was
after 5 o’clock when he arrived in
Omaha and he was taken immediately
io the handsome home of Dr. and Mrs.
I.. E. Britt on Maple street, where he
was a dinner guest. He was escorted
to Calvary Baptist church shortly
after 8 o’clock, where he gave his lec
ture, and then left the city, much to
his regree, on a late train to fill an
other engagement. Standing room in
the church was at a premium before
the lecture began.
The Rev. William Franklin, pastor
of Pilgrim’s Rest church, was chair
man of the meeting. Seated with him
and the distinguished speaker on the
platform were several of the minis
ters of the city and prominent laymen.
The Liberty Chorus, composed of
lwenty young ladies, under the direc
tion of Miss Fay Templeton, sang sev
eral selections, which were well re
ceived. The Rev. W. F. Botts, pastor
of Zion Baptist church, gave the invo
cation. The chairman then introduced
the Rev. M. H. Wilkinson as the one
who would introduce the man who was
to introduce the speaker. The Rev.
Mr. Wilkinson briefly but admirably
discharged this duty, in which he said
this is the day of big churches, big
guns and big men; but the greatest
need is for big men, mentally and
morally. It was his pleasure to intro
duce as the introducer of the speaker
a big man, physically and mentally,
who would introduce a man small of
stature but big in intellect. He then
presented the Rev. Mr. Anderson, pas
tor of Calvary Baptist church, who
said, in part:
“While my reverend brother was
.-.peaking so eulogistically of me I was
feeling around for sprouting wings,
but failed to find any. It is a pleasure
to be in this service and to bid you
welcome. It is a significant gathering
tonight. I hope that in the coming
years this church may prove a source
of inspiration and spiritual blessing.”
He told of his friendship for the race
end his admiration for the noble traits
of character which it had alw'ays
manifested. It gave him pleasure to
introduce one who was doing such
plendid service, Roscoe Conkling
Summons.
Colonel Simmons graciously thank
ed the Liberty Chorus for its music
rnd urged his audience not to be
ashamed of those plaintive melodies
which our fathers and mothers sang.
Megro music, plantation melodies, our
lolksongs constitute America’s native
music. Yet many of our people are
ashamed of these folksongs. Colored
folks are trying to sing white folks’
msuir and white folks are trying to
ing black folks’ music, and in doing
this both get out of tune. “Don’t be
ashamed of Negro music,” said the>
speaker, for H was these songs of our
fathers and prayers of our mothers
which have helped to make us what
we are. And right here t want to say
that I believe firmly in the Christian
religion and in the church. I desire to
gc on record as saying that no man,
white or black, is civilized unless he
belongs to the church. IJe may not be
better than the other fellow, but by
allying himself with the church he in
dicates that he wants to be something.
I believe in building and owning good
churches. Where you see a shack
church you find a shack people. Beau
tify and keep up your church prop
erty and all your property. Make
(Continued on Page 5)
NEGRO TROOPERS
BRING DOWN HUN
More Than 100 Bullets Hit Enemy
Plane—Pilot Killed.
With the American Army in e.
—Our Colored troops proved Si "
markmanship recently by bri 2j
down a boche plaine, which had r.
them with machine gun fire, in
than 15 seconds. More than ah ^
dred bullets penetrated the aeroplai
The Germans appeared over th
quaint old town of S':. Die and swoopef.
down to an altitude of less than 150
feet. He was forced to rise to clear
the tower of the Hotel de Ville, but
again glided down and turned his ma
chine gun on the principal street, de
spite the fact that many civilians,
men, women and children, were on the
sidewalks. One civilian was wounded.
Two Colored military policemen
promptly unloaded their revolvers at
the Hun. He climbed out of their
range and passed over the city, slid
;nd down again when he discovered
a company of Negro infantry on the
hike, resting under some trees.
He turned loose his machine gun
again. The company commander or
dered his men to open fire. The
boche plane burst into flames and
fell in a field a few hundred yards
away. The pilot was killed.
THREE ELECTED TO
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
West Virginia Rivals Record of Every
State Since Reconstruction Days
in Recent' Election.
Charleston, W. Va., Nov. 9.—Result
ing from Tuesday’s election three Col
ored men will have seats in the lower
house when West Virginia’s legisla
ture convenes next January, rivaling
the record of any state since the days
of reconstruction.
The successful candidates, nomi
nal ed in primaries and elected on the
republican ticket, are: J. V. Coleman
of Fayette county, formerly postmas
ter at Kimberly, now engaged in the
production of coal; H. J. Capehart of
McDowell county, an attorney-at-law,
and T. G. Nutter, former grand exalt
ed ruler of the Elks, at present grand
chancellor of the Knights of Pythias.
Mr, Nutter is also an attorney.
Doth Fayette and McDowell coun
ties have had Colored legislators be
foie, the former three and the latter
ore; but at no time has there been
more than one Colored representative
in the legislature.
The nomination and election of
these men is considered remarkable
for the fact that in none of the coun
ties which they represent is there a
majority of Colored voters, the per
cent in McDowell being 34, Fayette 22
and Kanawha 10.
SOUTHERN NEGROES
OVERSUBSCRIBE QUOTA
• _______
In Pleasant Rivalry Between White
and Colored Citizens in Raising War
Work Community Fund the Race
Scores; One County Gives §14,000.
New York, Nov. 12.—When the
United War Work campaign opened
Monday of this week and the hun
dreds of thousands of solicitors in
every city, town and rural district in
the United States started to raise the
millions needed for the fund, certain
true-blue American citizens were able
to sit back and watch the rest of the
country dig down in its pockets, their
quotas in some instances doubled,
tripled and even quadrupled. These
true-blue citizens are none other than
Georgia and North Carolina Negroes.
With a friendly competition on in
these states between Colored and
white people as to which will first sub
scribe tiheir allotments R. H. King,
campaign director for the Southeast
er! Army department, has wired Dr.
John H. Mott, head of the Y. M. C. A.,
that in one county Negroes already
have raised $3,250 in cash. Their share
of the quota is $3,000. The white citi
zens in consequence have been given a
new quota of their own.
A county in North Carolina fur
nishes the piece de resistance, how
ever. Here the quota for the entire
county was $14,000. The Colored citi
•'.'■r.s imagined this sum was their
shn-e find hence have cheerfully and
pro ,,11 y raised the full sum that both
races had been asked for.
EXHIBITS GIANT SQUASH
Charleston, W. Va.—Attorney C. E.
Kimbrough is exhibiting a sixty-seven
pound squash in the window of a
South Charleston bank, the product of
his war garden.
Man Murdered
Monday Night
Frank Stewart’s Body Found With
Ugly Wound in Head Lying in Pool
of Blood in Dining Room of Home.
ROBBERY EVIDENTLY MOTIVE
rime Commit ted by Some One Fami
* ’iar With Premises, Habits and Af
*£, *irs of the Victim; Alleged Mur
rer Arrested.
RANK STEWART, 40 years of
age, was murdered some time
Monday night at his home, 2112 Nich
olas street, the motive for the crime
evidently being robbery. The crime
was committed by some one familiar
with Setwart’s premises, habits and
affairs. As far as known at the time
The Monitor goes to press, the last
person who saw him alive was I. Mus
kovitz, who runs a grocery at 2118
Nicholas street. Mr. Muskovitz told
The Monitor that Stewart was in his
store about 8 o’clock Monday night
and bought a bottle of milk. The police
have several persons under surveil
lance and have arrested Harry McNeil,
.whom it is alleged was with Stewart
at a late hour Monday night.
Mrs. G. Kaplan, who lives directly
i opposite the Stewart home, saw two
i men and a woman at the door about 10
o’clock that night. A woman by the
name of Lulu Bell, who was one of
those who found Stewart’s body, told
Chief Briggs that she and a man
known as “Baltimore” were at the
door about 10 o’clock Monday night,
but could not get in.
Stewart’s body was found about 11
o’clock Tuesday' morning by Lulu Bell
of 212 North Twenty-eighth street,
Rev. Joe Washington of 1619 North
Twenty-fourth street and a milkman
whose name The Monitor did not
learn. It seems that the Bell woman
had been to the house twice that
morning. When she came about 11
o’clock she went across to G. Kaplan’s,
who deals in junk and second-hand
cars, which he keeps in a lot adjoin
ing the Stewart place, and asked him
to unlock the gate of his yard so that
they could get to Stewart’s back door
because she thought he might be dead.
Mr. Kaplan opened the gate and
| Lulu Bell, who had asked the milkman
and the Rev. Joe Washington to go
with her, entered the house by the
back door, which they found unlocked,
and in the middle room, used as a
dining room and bedroom, found
Stewart’s body, fully- dressed, except
his coat, ly'ing on the floor in a pool
of blood which had oozed from an ugly
wound in his head, apparently made
by some blunt instrument. His pock
ets were turned inside out and his
gold watch and chain had evidently
been snatched from his vest, for the
chain bar was still in the his button
hole. The lamp was burning on the
table. His trunk, which stood in the
same room in which it is said he kept
a good amount of money, was open,
j The room showed no evidence of any'
I fight or struggle.
Diligent search by Chief Briggs and
his officers, who were promptly on
the scene, and subsequently by Police
Officer J. N. Thomas and The Monitor
reporter, failed to reveal the weapon
used or any clue to the murderer or
murderers.
Stewart, who had been arrested sev
eral times on the charge of bootleg
ging, but was never convicted because
the detectives could not locate the
stock of liquor which be was supposed
to have kept on hand, is known to have
always carried about his person and
premises a considerable sum of money.
Evidently this was known by the per
son or persons who committed the
crime. When the body was found it
was rigid, showing that death had en
sued several hours before, which would
indicate that the murder was com
mitted somewhere around midnight
Monday.
COLONEL YOUNG RECALLED
TO ARMY DUTY
Washington, D. C., Nov. 14.—An
nouncement is made by Emmett J.
Scott, special assistant, that the sec
retary of war has directed as neces
sary in the military service that Col
onel Charles Young proceed to Camp
Grant, Rockford, Illinois, and report
in person to the commanding general
of that camp for assignment to duty
in connection with the Colored devel
opment battalions at Camp Grant.
Knew She’d Bought One.
Wife—I attended 'lie mnmmoth sale
today. Hub—WIuto are you going to
keep 'he dnfr - "j