_i=i"ui j Thj > Monitor _
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS. %>
THE BEV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. JULY 31. 1919 Vol. V. No. 5 (Whole No. 213)
Chicago Harvests Race Hatred Propaganda
Monroe Trotter
Outwits Government
Boston Editor, Delegate to Equal
Rights League, Denied Passports to
Peace Conference and Pan-African
Congress, Finds a Way.
- •
EMPLOYED AS COOK
ON CUNARI) LINER
Distinguished Harvard Graduate and
Man of Letters Works in New York
Lunch Room to Qualify as Cook in
Order to Go to Paris and Plead for
Race.
(Special to The Monitor.)
BOSTON, Mass., July 31.—The se
cret of how William Monroe Trot
ter, fearless editor of the Boston
Guardian, got to Paris in spite of the
opposition of the, state department at
Washington, has just been made pub
lic. It will be recalled that the Equal
Rights League and Race Congress
chose delegates to attend the Pan-Af
rican congress to be held in Paris in
December or January and if possible
to secure an audience with delegates
to the peace conference for the pur
pose of inserting an equal rights pro
vision in the world covenant.
The state department refused to
grant passports to any of the dele
gates chosen, stating that France was
nposed to the holding of a Pan-Afri-j
in congress. This statement was sub-1
.•quently proven to he absolutely er
roneous. France willingly gave her
consent despite opposition not from
France, but from the United States
/ and in spite of this opposition. The
congress was held in January, but
only a few colored Americans were
able to be present because of the de
nial of passports. The state depart
ment, however, readily granted pass
ports to Irish-American delegates who
desired to present Ireland’s claims be
fore the peace conference. This was
clearly an interference in England’s
domestic policy. This action is here
cited to show how inconsistent the
.state department was in refusing
assports to Colored Americans, while
/ranting them to Irish Americans.
William Monroe Trotter did not get
to attend the Pan-African congress,
but he did get a chance to do effec
tive lobbying among delegates to the
peace conference, and put them in
possession of facts touching the treat
ment of the race in the United States
by the loud-voiced propagandists of
democracy for the world.
One day Mr. Trotter dropped out
of Boston life. No one knew where
he had gone. His whereabouts caused
anxiety. A few intimate friends
smiled and said that the public needj
not worry about Trotter, he was per- j
fectly able to take care of himself, j
Some months passed and cables j
brought back the news: “William!
Monroe Trotter, editor of the Boston
Guardian, is in Paris.” The race pa
pers, recalling his interview with
President Wilson a few weeks ago,
whom he had ardently supported dur
ing his first campaign and presumed
to question his segration policy and
non-fulfillment of pre-election prom
ises, facetiously remarked, “Trotter is
in Paris; Wilson is also there.”
The question was, "How did Trot
ter get to Paris?” This question has
just been answered by Professor Al
len W. Whaley, national organizer for
the Equal Rights league, who has re
cently opened an office at 2952 Fifth
avenue for the purpose of expanding
the work of the organization. Profes
sor Whaley has been for several years
an intimate associate of Mr. Trotter
and spoke with authority. He labeled j
Trotter as a man of deeds and told of,
the self-sacrificing spirit he displayed
in fighting for his race. Concerning
Mr. Trotter, he said:
Elected Delegate.
“Trotter was selected to represent
the league at the peace conference in
Washington last December. When he
f sought to leave this country he and
his party were refused passports byj
the state department on the ground
that the French were opposed to the
holding of the Pan-African congress
in Paris. While the delegates were
chosen to represent our people at this
conference they were primarily inter
ested in the inscribing of an equal
rights article into the world covenant.
Trotter was determined to make his
plea to the big four, passport or none.
Cooked in Lunchroom.
“He came to New York city and
lived at 237 West 37th street. Trotter
forgot he was a Harvard graduate, a
member of the Phi Beta Kappa, and
took up cooking in a lunchroom. He
worked in some of the very cheap
places at first, but finally worked his
way to some of the larger establish
ments. There was a shortage of cooks
on a trans-Atlantic liner. Trotter fi
nally saw his chance and enrolled on
one of them. As soon as he reached
France he gave up cooking and went
into diplomacy and international pol
itics. He was received by the Japa
nese delegation and received courteous
replies to his early correspondence
with Clemenceau and Lloyd George."
Mr. Trotter was the guest of honor
at a banquet tendered by admiring
friends in the A. M. E. Zion church,
New York city, Tuesday evening, July
22. Many citizens of note, including
men and women, were present to do
honor to the champion of the Equal
Rights League. There were several
fervent speeches made lauding the
courage of Mr. Trotter, who in re
sponse briefly referred to his efforts
to get to France and promising to
give details subsequently of his trip
and experiences.
OFFICERS N. W. F. W. C. VISIT
OMAHA; GUESTS OF THE O. N. E.
Mrs. J. Snowden Porter
President of the Northwestern Fed
eration of Woman’s Clubs.
Mrs. Porter with Mrs. Eliza John
son, president of the Chicago City
Federation are on an extensive toy r
through the northwest speaking in
behalf of club work for women.
On Friday evening, July 26, a pro
gram and lecture was given at St.
John’s A. M. E. church under the aus
pices of the O. N. E. club, with Miss
Darline Duvall, president, presiding.
Invocation, Rev. W. C. Williams.
Welcome address, Miss Madree
Penn.
Introduction of the speakers, Mrs.
Lenora Gray, State Federation presi
dent.
Lecture, Mrs. Johanna Snowden
Porter.
Talk, "The City Association,” Mrs.
Eliza Johnson.
Remarks, Rev. W. C. Williams, Dr.
McCracken and Mrs. Julia Hudlin.
Benediction, Rev. McCracken.
Mrs. Porter told of the need for a
new outlook and a new vision and
the great and mighty future that
would be the heritage of the north
west with women expressing them
selves at the polls. She urged the
women to aid in the work of recon
struction, to work for the ratification
of the suffrage amendment and uni
form divorce laws and child labor
laws. The tribute paid to the Colored
soldiers was a fine one. “We owe
it to these men who fought for a
new and better democracy that we
should fight for the maintenance of
the good government in behalf of
which some of them died,” said Mrs.
Porter.
Mrs. Johnson painted a very graph
ic picture of the splendid work the
organized women have done in Chi
cago.
Please remember that your subscrip
tion is due, anil be kind enough to
drop into the office and pay it prompt
ly
Monitor office, Douglas 3224.
Windy City in Grip of Race War
Twenty-Seven Reported Killed, Hundreds Wounded as Blacks and
Whites Clash—Whites Attack Provident Hospital Throwing
Patients Into Serious Condition—Trouble Starts When August
Sirauber (White) Threw Stone Knocking Colored Lad Into
Lake Michigan, Who Drowns Before Rescued—White Police
man Refused to Make Arrest—Outbreak Follows.
CHICAGO, 111., July 30.—Emanating
from the Bourbon south, the home
of mob rule and lynch law and the
mother of the Klu Klux Klan there
has come in the last few months a
distinct propaganda which has as its
design the inciting of race animosity,
discrediting the Negro soldiers and
bringing the record of the fairer north
and west down to the level of its own.
A deliberate, organized attempt has
been made and is still being made, to
inflame the passions of men and in
cite to deeds of violence. The na
tion’s capital has disgraced herself
and now America’s greatest cosmo
politan city follows as the next city
to reap the results of this propaganda.
Sunday afteinoon, July 27, was a
sweltering hot day. Thousands of Chi
caogans were seeking relief in the cool
waters of Lake Michigan when a white
hoodlum seeing a Colored lad pad
dling out into the lake picked up a
large stone and hurled it at the youth.
It knocked him into the water and he
drowned before assistance could reach
him. Onlookers immediately called
the attention of a white police of
ficer to this fact and asked that the
thrower of the stone, Augusta Straub
er, be arrested. This the officer re
fused to do. His refusal angered the
crowd, and they immediately began
to clean up the beach, hurrying to
their homes they retuined with weap
ons of all sorts. A mellee followed,
at the end of which hundreds of whites
lay wounded. Meanwhile Strauber
wras arrested by two Colored detect
ives, Middleton and Scott.
News of the Outbreak Spreads All
Over the City.
Every section of the city heard the
news; it spread like wildfire. All up
State street on nearly every corner
thousands gathered ,in tense groups
and talked in low tones over the sit
uation. Sunday night and Monday
morning early there were nearly two
dozen different fights in which over
two hundred people were injured, the
majority of whom were w'hite, scores
of police officers when they showed
a tendency to administer justice too
filled with prejudice payed the pen
alty of their zeal. Hundreds of police
reserves and four hundred mounted
policemen were called out Sunday to
quell the riot. They rendered most
effective service and were most suc
cessful in putting down disorder when
thev showed no discrimination, but
set themselves to the task of riding
down, shooting into and arresting
white offenders as well as Colored.
Chief of Police Garriety, Alcock, his
assistant, Mayor Thompson and lead
ing organzations of both races are
working zealously to restore the peace,
while 4,000 soldiers of both races are
held in reserve in the armories. The
officials are confident they can han
dle the situation without military as
sistance.
The governor, who was en route to
Nebraska, turned back at Burlington
and hastened toward Chicago.
The police list of riot fatalities rose
to 2B at 10:30 p. m., when Thomas
Joshua, Negro, was killed by a detec
tive, who fired into a crowd of riot
ers on the South Side, and when B. F.
Hardy, a Negro died at a hospital.
List of Killed Tuesday’s Report.
ATENBERG, ALEX (Negro.)
BAKER, HENRY (Negro.)
CARPEL, EUGENT (white.)
CRAWFORD, JAMES (Negro.)
DILLON, AUGUST (Negro.)
DEDRICK (white.)
GENTLE EUGENE (white.)
GILLER, EDWARD S. (white.)
HARDY, B. F. (Negro.)
HEFFERMAN, E. (white.)
JOSHUA, THOMAS (Negro.)
KAZZOURAM, C. (white.)
KLEINMARK, N. (white.)
MARKS, DAVIS (white.)
LOZZERANI, MIRRO (white.)
MILLS, JOHN (white.)
POWERS, JOSEPH (white.)
SUNDBERG, ALEX (white.)
SIMPSON, J. H. (Negro.)
WARNICK, NICK (white.)
WILLIAMS, ROBERT (Negro.)
Two unidentified white men.
Two unidentiifed Negroes.
Rioting spread outside the South
Side ColoreH district today. There
was serious fighting and shooting in
the loop early in the forenoon. The
exclusive North Side residentiaj dis
trict received a touch of disorder. '
Killings continued after daybreak,
bringing the number of dead in po
lice reports up to 25 by mid-forenoon,
and hundreds were injured. The po
lice had under investigation three oth
er reported killings.
Strike Aids Rioters.
The street car strike seemed to
aid the spread of race rioting, which
surging up from the South Side into
the loop on the heels of thousands
walking to work who ordinarily ride.
Streets ordinarily almost deserted
earl" in the day w»ere busy with pe
destrians, mostly men and boys, whose
numbers afforded rich opportunities
for racial quarrels.
Several battalions of state troops
were under arms in the armories or
parks awaiting possible call by the
city. Meanwhile the entire police
force was dealing with the riots.
Four thousand soldiers with full
war equipment stood ready today to
quell the rioting between Negroes
and whites that during two nights of
t; 01 in the south side black belt
cost the lives of at least 21 men, in
cluding one Negro policeman, and the
injury of hundreds of others, many
seriously and probably a dozen fatally.
Four of the injured ae soldiers. The
police and the coroner have been un
able to make a complete check of the
casualties, but reports last nignt
sshowed 21 killed. Of these 13 were
white.
100,000 Negroes Involved.
A hundred thousand Negroes and
an equal number of whites either
fooght in the streets and alleys or
cowered in their homes while shots
rang out. Moonted policemen gal
loped along the boulevards, patrol
wagons dashed through the streets
with prisoners and wounded, and wom
en and children screamed as men
fought with cudgels, knives and fists.
When the rioting, which started
Sunday night with the stoning and
drowning of a Negro who had drifted
on a raft into the water of a beach
used by whites, broke out afresh last
night, Mayor Thompson asked Gov
ernor Lowden for troops. The gov
ernor, who was on his way to Lincoln,
Neb., turned back at Burlington, la.,
and Acting Governor Oglesby gave
Adjutant General Dickson orders to
mobilize necessary soldiers. By mid
night four regiments were in armor
ies on the South Side, but by that
time the police had cleared the streets
and had begun collecting the dead and
injured and rounding up looters.
White’s Resentment Caused Riots.
Bark of the immediate cause of the
rioting is the resentment the whites
long had felt at the rapid influx of
Negroes, who have spread over a
large territory formerly constituting
a fine residential quarter of the South
Side. Property had decreased in value
and whites had emigrated to other
parts of the city by thousands, but
many others had clung to their homes
while the streets and one of the large
parks became thronged with Negroes.
Both parties to the contest, enraged
by stories of the cruelties of the other
during Sunday night’s melee, delib
erately armed themselves last night
and went out to stalk their prey. As
soon as darkness fell, the fighting in
various forms became fierce.
In some cases, Negroes in automo
biles dashed through the streets, fir
ing at any bevy of whites encount
ered. In other cases, Caucasians, at
tacked the buildings occupied by
Ethiopians, shooting through windows
and doors, while the inmates fired
back from barricades. Bands of both
races marched through the streets
and, meeting, fought battles that
(Continued on Page 2.)
WHAT EUROPE THINKS OF
THE WASHINGTON RIOT
(By Associated Negro Press.)
The following special from Paris by
John De Gandt, United News staff
correspondent, has unusual signifi
cance at this time:
The American Negro encountered no
color line in France. Returned to the
United States he is determined never
again to submit to race segregation in
either society, business or politics.
Two leading French newspapers—
Premier Clemenceau’s L’Homme Libre
and L’Avenir—in their editorial col
lumns tiius diagnosed the trouble
which led to the sanguinary race riots
in Washington. The Washington riots
do not represent a sporadic outbreak
in the belief of L’Homme Libre. They
are the “feelers” to test the strength
and determination of whites and
blacks and a possible forerunner to
more widespread revolt, the paper be
lieves.
“The attitude of the Negro move
ment in America,” said L’Homme
Libre, “leaves it supposable that a
general Negro upheaval may develop.
L’Avenir reviews the problem at
some length, saying:
“The American prejudice against
color is well known. There are special
hotels and restaurants for Negroes,
and in trains special cars and com
partments are set apart for them.
They are not encouraged to enter
cafes, restaurants or theaters fre
qnented by whites except as servants.
“Until now the Negro population of
the United States has accepted this
condition. But war has developed in
them the spirit of revolt. This is why:
American Negroes came to France in
thousands and mixed in our public and
national life like any one else, enter
ing cafes, where their business was
solicited, and eating at whatever res
taurants they pleased.”
ABUSED THE FRENCH NEGROES
Chamber of Deputies Discussed the
Acts of Yank M. P.'s.
(Special to The Monitor.)
Paris, July 30.—The government
was interpellated if the chamber of
deputies yesterday afternoon on tbe
rough treatment French Negro sol
diers are alleged to have received
from the American military police in
French ports. The questions were
asked by M. Boisneuf and M. Lagro
silliere, Negro deputies, from Guade
loupe and Martinique, respectively.
Jules Pams, minister o fthe interior,
replying to the Negro deputies, said
the government had applied penalties
and asked them not to insist upon a
discussion of "the very regrettable in
cidents, as France does not forget the
scivices rendered by her Negro sons.”
The minister of the interior added
that the American govemmnt had not
hesitated to express regrets.
WHITE ELEVATOR MEN RE
FUSE TO WORK WITH A NEGRO
(Special to The Monitor.)
Washington, July 30.—A score of
white elevator men employed in the
Senate Office building seived notice
July 26 they would strike on the fol
lowing Monday unless a Negro recent
ly made an elevator conductor was
discharged. The Negro appointed un
der the patronage of Senator Edge,
republican, New Jersey, was said to
he the first to have a similar place
since elevators come into use on the
senate side of the capitol.
SHOWING OF “BIRTH OF
NATION” PROHIBITED
The chief of police of this city pro
hibited the showing of “The Birth of a
Nation” photoplay, which was sched
uled to appear at the Majestic theater
on the South Side. For many years
the leaders of our race have been try
ing to convince the authorities that
those things which tend to stimulate
race animosity should not be coun
tenanced. It shows a step in the right
direction when the authorities take
prompt action in matters of this kind.
NEGRO WOMAN DIES AT 115
Olathe, Kas., July 30.—Susan
Thompson, a Negro woman known as
“Aunty Black,” who died Friday at
the county home, was said to be near
ly 115 years old. She came to John
son county sixty years ago and had
been in the home since 1879.
Jewish Migration
to the Homeland
Impatient Thousands of Jews Said to
Be Awaiting Decision League of Na
tions Fixing Political Status of
Palestine, to Which They Are Eager
to Return.
THOUSANDS PREPARING
FOR GREATER EXODUS
Technically Trained Men Expect to
Migrate in Large Numbers—Eng
land and United States Counted
Upon to Make Heavy Contributions
of Man-Power for Resettlement of
Palestine.
TVTEW YORK.—Everywhere impat
1 1 ient thousands of Jews, a total
of more than 1,000,000, are waiting
with eagerness for the League of Na
tions, which will fix the political
status of Palestine as the Jewish
homeland, so that they may proceed
to the liquidation of their assets and
go to the place where they may live
the rest of their lives in peace, and
with the satisfaction of national ex
istence.
This statement is made by the
Zionist organization of America and
based on what the organization says
are authentic reports from responsible
individuals furnished to the immigra
tion division of the organization, as
guides to that division in preparing
for organizing, regulating and absorb
ing this migration.
In the preface to a survey revealing
these conditions the immigration di
vision says, “It is a literal fact that
at the present moment a large part of
the Jewish people is possessed with an
irrepressible impulse to strike its
tents and march.”
Thousands of Applicants
Immigration committees have been
formed by the Zionist organization in
a number of countries. Thousands of
young men of every class and occupa
tion, of service to the development of
the country, have organized agricul
tural training groups and other groups
for the study of all technical and sci
entific questions which bear upon the
settlement of Palestine.
England and the United States both
expect to make man-power contribu
tions to the settlement of Palestine.
The organization in both of these
countries is preparing to furnish the
administrators, engineers, specialists
and civil servants for the task of help
ing Palestine to absorb the migration.
The American organization has re
cently reported that the roster of the
first 500 applications showed 134 oc
cupations, including all forms of
manual labor and professional and
administrative callings. Jewish farm
ers headed the list with a capital
running into several millions of dol
lars.
Boris Goldberg, chairman of the
Zionist organization of Great Russia,
reports that during the last 20 months,
under the pressure of the revolution,
the basis of the economic existence
of the Jews has been undermined.
The subsistence of 70 to 75 per cent
of the Jewish population has been
destroyed.
Exodus From Russia.
"It was only natural that, when the
news arrived of the prospect of creat
ing a Jewish homeland in Palestine,
there should have arisen an enormous
agitation for resettlement in Pales
tine,” says Mr. Goldberg. "Whole
Jewish towns and townships began to
make themselves ready to move as
soon as communications should be
opened.
“Co-operative societies are being or
ganized, experimental farms are being
established for the training of Jewish
young men, and builders, carpenters,
bricklayers, joiners, locksmiths, black
smiths, all kinds of skilled laborers,
engineers and teachers, are being
classified.”
In Odessa, preparations are under
way for handling the throngs that are
j expected to congregate as soon as
traveling is safe. Dr. Saalkind, a
member of the Jewish National Coun
cil for the Ukraine, and former presi
dent of the Jewish community of Pet
rograd, says:
“There is no risk of exaggeration in
assuming that several hundred thou
(Continued on Page 3.)