The Monitor
K National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored
Americans.
Published Every Thursday at Omaha. Nebraska by The Monitor Pub
lishing Company.
Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2. 1915. at the Postofflce at
■ Omaha. Neb., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor and Publisher.
Lucille Skaggs Edwards and Madree Penn, Associate Editors.
Fred C. Williams, Business Manager.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES, *2.00 A YEAR; *1.00 6 MONTHS; 60c 3 MONTHS
Advertising Rates. 60 cents an Inch per Issue.
Address. The Monitor. 304 Crounse Block, Omaha, Neb.
Telephone Douglas 3224.
>—— -- "
For mankind are one in spirit, and an instinct bears along,
Round the earth’s electric circle the swift flush of right or
wrong;
Whether conscious or unconscious, yet humanity’s vast
frame
Through its ocean-sundered fibres feels the gush of joy or
shame;
In the gain or loss of one race all the rest have equal claim.
—James Russell Lowell.
l__/
OMAHA LYNCHING NOT RACE RIOT
THE lynching, the disgrace of which
every worth while citizen of Oma
ha keenly feels and sincerely deplores,
was not a race riot. Thank God, it did
not come to that. Thank God that the
bloodshed of such a catastrophe was
mercifully averted. Had the mob car
ried out its threats to invade the sec
tions where law-abiding, self-respect
ing. property-owning colored people
reside to wreak vengeance upon them
for the alleged, but unproven crimes
of a few suspected lawless members
of the race, the casualties on both
sides would have been undoubtedly
high; and our city would have
been bequeathed a legacy of racial
hatred which it is horrible even to
contemplate. We are therefore pro
foundly grateful that our city was
spared the added horror of a race
riot.
All. however, who believe in law
and order, and that amity and good
will should prevail among all classes
of citizens, must be keenly alive to the
danger that threatens when an undis
criminating and adverse sentiment is
permitted to be created against any
group of people because of the wrong
doing of particular individuals of that
group. As an illustration of this, aside
from that which our own people so
obviously supplies, may be mentioned
the sentiment against people of Ger
man descent during the recent war.
Those whose Americanism and patriot
ism were beyond question were made
to feel blighting proscription. What
an easy matter it was to inflame pas
sion against the most patriotic of this
class of citizens by a sneering refer
ence to their descent or parentage.
Many of them doubtless felt as we do
that the action or crime of some mem
ber of their race might at any mo
ment endanger the life and property
of unoffending ones.
Wholesale condemnation of a group
or a class for the wrong-doing of in
dividuals is wrong and indefensible,
and it is this reprehensible thing
which causes race riots.
In one of the last conversations we
had with out heroic mayor, who is now
deservedly an international character,
he said:
•‘I have no patience with this whole
sale Indictment of a race or class, be
cause of the crimes of bad individuals.
The whole thing is wrong, eternally
wrong, and all of us must do all we
can to stop it. There are bad white
men and bad black men, and crime is
crime by whomsoever committed, and
I could never see the wisdom or sense
of the newspapers mentioning a man's
race in connection with bis commis
sion of a crime, which 1b so generally
the practice where the offender is
colored. There can be no question
that such a practice helps to stir up
and keep alive prejudice, and at this
time of all times, when all over the
world people’s nerves are unstrung
and we are facing serious situations
in our country as elsewhere. I do wish
something could be done to stop this
'i thing which all sensible men admit
is senseless, wrong and dangerous."
) These words of Mayor Ed P. Smith
should be taken seriously to heart by
all and from press, pulpit, bar and
forum there should be sounded a clar
ion note of protest until the creating
of adverse sentiment and the whole
sale Indictment of any group by the
popular# prevalent methodB are abol
ished.
• There is no need of blinking the
fact, indeed it were folly to do so,
that’ in Omaha there were all the ele
ments necessary for a sanguinary race
riot that Sunday night. Those ele
ments are still here and while it will
be by no means so easy to evoke them
as it would nave been and seemed im
minent Sunday night, nevertheless it
needs to be pointed out that all ol
us must do our full part and duty to
see to it that there is not the slight
est excuse given for any suggestion
of any race conflict. There is no rea
son for it. Even though the greatly
B
exaggerated reports of crimes by Ne
groes were true, that is no just reason
why resentment should be felt against
the law-abiding, self-respecting Ne
groes of the city. And because many
Negroes keenly resent the false accu
sation that they are responsible for
and sympathize with Negro criminals,
this is no excuse for cultivating or
holding ill-will or hatred against white
people as white people, for thousands
of them are our friends and are op
posed to Injustice.
We have had no race riot in Omaha.
For this we all should be profoundly
grateful. And all of us should show
our gratitude by so living, acting,
thinking and talking that anything like
a race riot will be an absolute im
possibility.
\ECHOES AND ASSAULT
IT has been given wide publicity that
assaults and attempted assaults by
Negroes upon white women and girls
had so inflamed the public mind that
summary vengeance was inevitable.
It Is true that there have been many
reports in the press of such crimes,
some of which when run to earth were
found to be groundless or unsubstan
tiated. The report of County Attorney
Shotwell on the status of assault
cases which was given to the press
last Saturday throw’s a rather start
ling and unexpected light upon the
situation, which should have a sober
ing effect upon those who are dis
posed to believe that Negroes are chief
offenders in the commission of this
heinous crime. It ih a matter of rec
ord that there are now' awaiting trial
in district court seventeen persons
held for this crime. Of this number
FOUR are Negroes and THIRTEEN
are WHITE MEN! One, a white man,
Alfred J. Ramsey, who was accused of
attempted assault upon a sixteen-year
old colored girl, was found not guilty
by a jury, and Jerry Dennis, a Negro,
is serving a term in the penitentiary
for attempted assault upon a young
white woman. No Negro accused of
this crime has been admitted to bail,
and only three white rnen accused
of attempted assault have been re
leased under heavy bonds.
COURTESY ON STREET CARS
SINCE the insistent demands for
women’s rights, which includes the
franchise and equal pay with men
for equal work, to all of which The
Monitor believes women are justly en.
titled, there has been a noticeable de
crease In chivalry and courtesy to
wards women. This is very noticeable
on street cars. Men are inclined to
keep their seats and let women stand.
We deplore this. And we urge upon
the men of our race, old and young,
no matter what other fellows do or do
not do. to set an example to others
in that courtesy which always marks
the gentleman and shows good breed
ing. (Jive up your seat to women on
! the street cars, all women, white or
colored. One of the things that won
favor for that splendid body of young
men who attended the officers train
j ing camp at Des Moines among all
citizens of that community was their
good conduct and courtesy on the
street cars. This may seem a little
; thing, but in the observance of it will
, be found a powerful leverage of public
j .sentiment and good will.
ONE EXCEPTION
THE Omaha Excelsior, a societj
weekly, is the only newspaper ol
any kind published in this city, so tai
j as we have seen, that in any way at
i tempts to defend or excuse the mot
| which disgraced Omaha. We are sur
I prised that Clement. Chase should in
dorse the sentiment of Senator Johr
Sharp Williams of Mississippi, whicl
is, if taken at its face value, an In
vltation to anarchy. The views ex
pressed by Mr. Chase do not compor
| with the name of his long-establishec
I publication. In his advocacy or de
fense of lynch law this publication Is
on the lowest, not the higher grounds.
We are quite convinced that sober
though will show the Excelsior the
fallacy of its reasoning. We hope so
ITRTIS RE SOUTHIN' IN CONGRESS
THE bill introduced by Congress
man Curtis of Kansas for federal
investigation of lynchings and riots is
in the hands of the judiciary commit
tee of the senate. The united senti
ment of the country should be back
of this bill. The federal government
must take action. The Monitor has
no doubt about the attitude of Senator
Norris and Congressman Jefferis to
ward this important measure. Speak
ing for our people in Nebraska, we are
unitedly for the bill and want it
passed. We look to our congressional
delegates to record their votes on the
right side.
GENERAL WOOD
GENERAL WOOD’S marked ability
and forcefulness of character was
manifested immediately upon his coin
ing to Omaha. None wiser or more
acceptable could have been placed in
charge of the situation ' HTh abso
lute fairness and impartiality was ap
parent to all and his grasp and control
of the situation disclosed traits not
only of a soldier but also a statesman.
MONITOR IN GREAT DEMAND
LAST week’s issue of The Monitor
was in great demand. Requests
were received from all parts of the
country for copies. We have received
many gratifying letters and messages
commending us for the manner in
which the situation here was covered.
All this is most gratifying.
MAYOR SMITH’S RECOVERY
THE news that has come from May
or Smith’s sick chamber is encour
aging. Before we go to press it is
believed that he will be able to go
home. His physician urges that he
take at least six weeks’ vacation to in
sure his complete recovery. We are
profoundly grateful for bis recovery.
! Flashes of
Most Anything j
The Glory of the Conquered.
THE schemers schemed and plotted,
* menv passions were inflamed rea
son and sanity went on a vacation and
for a day Omaha, fair gate city of the
west, went down in the dust con
quered. For wild, lawless hours Jus
tice was slain, Sunday, September
L'Sth, became a day when outlawry and
mob violence and lynch law reigned.
And then real Omaha, sane Omaha,
asserted herself and looked at the ruin
of her fair name and shuddered at the
havoc anarchy had made in the few
Hhort hours of her conquest.
Out of the shame and humiliation
and self-depreciation and the just flay
ing administered by her own hands
and that of others, she sets herself
the task of arising. Once for all she
will place law and order on the throne.
Today the Grand Jury will convene.
All look to see the firm, strong hand
that will create in the mind of the
law-breaker a lasting fear of the maj
j esty of the law and the sure, swift
■ punishment of an outraged justice.
It seems she has learned well her
lesson. Never again will fallacious
argument persuade her to inaction.
He that puts poison in the common
well, from which we all must drink,
may fill the graveyard with his ene
mies. but, he also digs a pit for his
own poison-eaten flesh. The law of
wind and lire is such, that fire set in
the roof of a hut will jeopardize the
walls of a castle.
Hate, fear, torture, prejudice, pro
scription will increase and not reduce
friction. American democracy Is on
: trial eBfore the civil war the nation
was swamped with fallacious argu
ment that went to any lengths to Jus
tify the iniquitous system of slavery.
Since the war a Bourbon south has
gone to any lengths to justify the
treatment accorded black Americans.
Intent upon keeping him down, she
stayed down in the mire with him, Jug
gling with the inevitable laws of the
universe. She boasted that she knew
how to handle the Negro. Her boast
was so loud and insistent that many
believed her falsehoods and winked at
her lawless methods.
But contagion spreads as contagion
will, and Omaha was conquered by
the disease.
It is Omaha’s to rise, chastened by
i her lesson. And in the glory of amis
1 take made, acknowledged and correet
| ed, so conduct herself, in this trying
hour, that she will teach other com
munities and the nation, to the end
j that the practices of men be based on
the laws of God. No problem can ever
be solved until solved on the basis of
law and order and Justice and right.
For Monitor office call Doug. 3224.
LEADING EDITORIALS
_ S*' THE DAT
A Surprise 1 ‘aha.
Gen. Leonard Wood seems to have
been something of a surprise to the
people of Omaha. The thousands of
men and women who had a part in
the murderous rioting of Sunday
night, the lynching of the accused
Negro, and the attempted lynching of
the mayor for daring to intervene, had
settled down contentedly, after public
exchange of congratulations over their
work Gen. Wood arrived, and im
mediately began collecting evidence
an ordering arrests. It was a painful
awakening for the law breakers.
There was no concealing their identity.
They had been proud and boastful
about their share in the crime. Con
firmatory evidence was at hand in the
shape of photographs showing the mob
at work; and Gen. Wood immediately
announced that every person who had
had a hand in the lynching or in
abetting the lynchers was to he arrest
ed and brought before the grand jury.
And this when the leaders of the mob,
as well as those who constituted It.
had expected to go scot free.
"Nebraska has no lack of laws pun
ishing murder, attempted murder,
arson, assault with intent to commit
bodily injury, and all the other crimes
which the mob committed; and Gen.
Wood has taken over the command of
the situation to see that the laws are
enforced. Guards patrol the streets;
soldiers are bivouacked at many
points; and army trucks, artillery" and
machine guns are at hand, for use as
needed. Gen Wood defined his policy
succinctly in the words: "Those who
attempt to interfere with the military
authorities will find themselves fight
ing the United States army.”
The most encouraging utterance
which has come from any citizen of
the mob-disgraced city is the appeal
sent out by the Rev. John Albert Wil
liams, Negro pastor of St. Philip's
Episcopal Church of Omaha, and state
president of the American Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple, urging all members of his race
everywhere to be patient and calm and
to commit no reprisals. In words that
should be long remembered, he says:
"In this crucial hour, it is our duty
In common with others, to manifest
courage, patience, self-restraint, sober
ness of thought teraperateness in
speech, and considerateness for the
rights of all, despite temptation to do
otherwise. In matters of reprisal we
must always be found upon the side;
of law and order.”
These are words of truth and sober
ness-the more commendable because
spoken in the face of danger and
under extraordinary provocation.—
Editorial Boston Herald. October 2.
* • •
Not Race War.
The disturbance at Omaha has been
referred to as a “race war." but that
Is a misnomer. It was an anarchistic
outburst. The start of the movement
which terminated in violence may
have been due to slackness of law en
forcement.
The uncertainty as to a horrible
crime being punished caused a feel
of resentment and anger in many
people. When a move was made to
ward an unlawful act which the au
thorities did not meet with decision
and firmness, the crowd which had
gathered to avenge the assault upon
the girl, was joined by the thieves
and thugs and malcontents In general
who welcomed the opportunity to give
vent to their criminal passions, and
to destroy property and kill persons,
even those not accused of any crime.
The Chicago rioting was more like
a race war, because blacks and whites
were armed and fighting each other.
The same was true in Washington.
But in Omaha, the only members of
the “inferior race" who figured in the
disturbance, aside from the prisoner
whom the officers were weakly trying
to defend, were innocent persons flee
ing from the blind rage of the mob.
Members of the "superior race,” the
race of greater Intelligence and with
thousands of years of civilization back
of them, committed the acts of vio
lence. law-defiance, pillage and arson.
The Omaha disturbance cannot bt
correctly called a race war. The
crowd who attacked the mayor and
attempted to murder him were all
whites. A colored man would have
been unsafe in that company. Those
who set fire to the court house and
' fired upon the officers were all whites.
They would not have tolerated the
presence of a member of the "inferior
i race.” It was distinctly a party for
members of the “superior race” only,
and the color line was drawn clearly.
| No black man would have been per
mitted to so much as throw a Btone
through a window of the court house,
iand the honor of putting a noose
about the neck of the chief executive
I of the city was reserved for members
of the "superior and dominant race,”
bent upon vindicating and upholding
its dominance and position of super
iority.
If a large party of colored men had
looted stores and secured arms and
marched against the mob In front of
the court house, the riot might have ;
run into a race war. But this was not
done. A few peaceable colored men
proceeding about their business in an
unoffending manner were set upon
| and beaten and were rescued only ,
with difficulty. But there was no |
clash of whites against blacks, which j
is essential of a race war. The arson. |
pillage, murder, attempted murder, at
Omaha last Sunday were all aehiev1-1
ments of the white people.—Beatrice
(Neb.) Daily Sun. October 2. 1919.
LIFT BAN ON STOKES AND MOVIES
Colonel Morris, who Is in charge or
policing Omaha by civil and military
authorities, lifted the ban on stores
and movie houses in the neighbor- J
hood of Twenty-fourth and hake
Btreets Thursday night. Sunday ball
games were permitted.
Colonel Morris said that he did not
expect further trouble, but should any
arise he said that he would have ample 4
forces to handle all situations. j
Buy a home.
~ i
Dental Hygiene and Care ot the Teeth
By Dr. W. W. Peebles
By Dr. Peebles.
PREPAREDNESS
We use the above heading because
of its very inclusive significance.
Preparedness will mean prevention:
thus if one is prepared to meet ad
versity we may rest assured that
there will be little of which to com
plain. And this statement refers not
only to preparedness as relates to the
oral cavity but holds good in all con
ditions of life.
To be prepared one must possess
one’s self of implements of defense:
and of these the tooth-brush and the
many dentifrices, powders, pastes and
mouth-washes are the ones I desire
first to center your attention upon.
No new theory is advanced when it
is stated that the mouth is the harbor
of many different germs. Some of
these germs are very virulent in their
action producing poisonous by-pro
ducts which are actively engaged in
•■.iiing down the normal structuri
the mouth. Others, not so active In
themselves but only wanting the
proper unsanita-y condition to exist
in order that they too shall begin their
work of destruction. To put the
mouth then in a good clean condition,
and to maintain that cleanliness. Is
the first necessity in the prevention of
diseases in the mouth, for it is a well
known fact that germs do not thrive
and become active in a clean area.
Then, too, it may be added that the
poisonous substances produced In un
clean mouths do not solely stay there
to cause discomfort and trouble, but
are carried down into the stomach
oftentimes causing tonsilar and bron
chial troubles on their Journey and
ending in many systematic complaints
which ultimately are the active con
tributing causes of death.
Thus, in the prevention of these
diseased conditions we tight our first
battles with the tooth-brush. Very
few conditions manifest themselveB in
the mouth which make It inadvisable
to use this weapon, but if there we r '
shall speak later of how to handle the
situation. As soon as the young ones
are able to take their nourishment un
assisted they should be supplied with
a tooth-brush and taught to brush
their teeth after each meal. A small,
soft brush should be used and the
child taught to brush Its teeth with a
short rotary stroke. The Inside of the
teeth should also be brushed, care
being exercised not to injure the
gums. The rotary motion will re
move particles from between the teeth
thus eliminating the necessity of tooth
picks. which should never be used by
the youngsters. The writer advises
any reliable tooth powder for the
children in preference to the different
pastes.
Children soon grow fond of the
taste of the paste and the pleasure of
playing with the tube and therefore
use more than is necessary, thus ac
quiring a habit of useless expense and
accomplishing no material good.
Most powders are tasteless and so
correct this extravagant practice.
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