Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1920)
l —-■ i The Monitor i ^ i A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS. _____THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Bdttf_ N; <2 00 a Year. 5c a Copy _ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, APRIL 8, 1920 Vol. V. No. 40 (Whole No. 249) Kentucky Lynches Despite Recent Law CLAIM LOWPENITES ARE LILY WHITES KENTUCKY LYNCHES IN FACE OF RECENT LAW -“r Which Automatical!. \ noves Peace Officer YY ho Surren Prisoner to Mob—New Law Not . <ve Until Ninety Days After Ad, % lent of Legislature. - \ GOVERNOR MORROW % HAS SIGNED .Makes Penalty for Lynching Death or Life Imprisonment—Enactment of Remedial Measure Secured After Long Fight — Amendment Passed Unanimously—Will Such a Law Be Enforced., jVjTAY YORK, April 8.— The Na ’ tional Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People, 70 Fifth avenue, New York, has made public the following statement regarding the signing by the governor of Kentucky of a bill to punish mob violence: In view of the lynching on March 29 of Grant Smith, a colored man, at Millersburg, Ky., by a mob which \ overpowered the sheriff and the po lice chief as they were taking their prisoner to jail, it is interesting to note that only one week prior to this occurrence Governor Edwin P. Mor row of Kentucky signed a bill provid ing for the punishment of lynchers and for the removal of the peace of ficer who surrenders his prisoner. The bill was signed in the presence of a committee of colored citizens headed by Dr. E. E. Underwood, president of the Frankfort branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to whom the gold pen used by the governor was presented. The bill makes the penalty for lynching death or life imprisonment, and that for attempted lynching con finement in the penitentiary for not less than two years nor more than fp twenty-one years. . The fight to secure a lynching law in Kentucky began with the legisla ture of two years ago, when a bill was passed submitting to the people a constitutional amendment to make it possible to effect the automatic re moval of any peace officer who per mitted a mob to secure a prisoner in his custody. The bill submitting the amendment was championed by a committee of colored citizens, who succeeded in securing its passage without a single dissenting vote in j either branch of the legislature. As to whether or not this law will be enforced will be shown by action taken by Kentucky authorities to bring to trial the lynchers of Smith. The association has learned, just as this statement was being prepared, that the anti-lynching statute does not become effective until 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature, . due to its failure to include an emer gency clause. ONE REASON WHY WE CANNOT BE DEMOCRATS Montgomery, Ala., April 1.—Negro voters will not be allowed to par ticipate In the Alabama democratic primary May 11, under a ruling made today by W. D. Nesbitt, chairman of the state democratic executive com mittee. This will not prevent Negro voting in the general election in No vember. BRAITH WAITE, EMINENT CRITIC, NAMED FOR HALL OF FAME (By Associated Negro Press) New York, N. Y„ April 8—The April number of Vanity Fair has nom inated William Stanley Braithvvaite, the Boston critic and poet, for a place in the American Hall of Fame. The recommendation is accompanied with a fine portrait of Mr. Braithwaite. EX-SLAVE IS DEAD, WORTH $150, OOP. HAD $2 CAPITAL FIFTY YEARS AGO. Kansas City, Mo., March 30.—Wil | Ham Price, 81, former Virginia slave, died here Tuesday, leaving a fortune estimated at $150,000. His total cap ital was $2 when he came to Wyan dotte county fifty years ago. I RAISING MAINTENANCE FUND FOR Y. W. C. A. (By Associated Negro Press) Washington, D. C., April 8—Collec tion of funds to make up the required sum of $25,000 for maintenance of the Y. W. C. A. building for the colored branch of that service will continue this week, the subject of Y. W. C. A. work having been given special atten tion in many churches. The building at Ninth and Rhode Island avenue is going up rapidly, funds for the con struction having been appropriated by the war work council of the asso ciation during 1018. KENTUCKY MOB BURNS PRISONER (By.Associated Negro Press) Paris, Ky., April 8—Grant Smith, charged with criminal assault, was re moved from the county jail by fifty men, who rushed Smith out of towm. The mob announced it would hang the accused from a bridge at Millersburg, nine miles from here. Later, a re port from Maysville stated that a mob which captured Smith from officials at Paris, was burning him at Blue lick, Fleming county. The man was arrested in Pontiac, Mich., charged with assaulting a 14-year-old girl and was brought here for safekeeping. EXPLAINS SHORTAGE OF NEWS PRINT PAPER Montreal, April 8.—Jason Rogers, publisher of the New York Olobe, who has come to Montreal to investi gate the causes of the serious news print shortage in the United States, said recently that it was due in large part to the fact tiiat empty freight cars for the movement of the paper were not being returned to Canada from the United States. "The situation is desperate," said Mr. Rogers. "Unless the empty cars are returned the mills must stop making paper. As they are getting badly choked and cannot store fur ther supplies." REVIVE INTI-JEW MOVEMENT. Speeches and Handbills Agitate Popu lation of Berlin. Berlin—A sudden and widespread revival of the anti-Semitic movement made itself felt when at intervals throughout the day leaflets were dis tributed protesting against the pres ence of Jews in public offices, and at tempting to Inflame the public mind by cartoons picturing the German people as starving in a cage, while well fed and prosperous Jewish mer chants look on and are made to say: "Don’t feed the animals.” Prominent Jewish residents are outspoken in ex pressing their serious apprehensions over the recurrence of the movement at this time. The Baltic troops, which made such a sanguinary departure from the city, are accused of taking a leading part in the agitation, and numerous incit ing handbills are attributed to them. Among the anti Semitic street speak ers were Baltic officers and enlisted men. COLORED JAMAICAN TEACHER AT LONDON UNIVERSITY London, England, April 8.-—Dr. M. L. Moody, M. D„ L. R. C. P., and a native of Jamaica, who has a large practice here, has been elected bac teriologist and lecturer on biology at tlie university. BERLIN CENSUS GIVES 8.S01 JiS.I. Washington, April 8.—The city of Berlin with adjacent districts now In cludes 3,801,235 inhabitants, accord ing to recent issues of the Berlin press, which published results of the census started October 8, 1919. WOMAN 118 DIES Natchez. Miss., Aprl 8.—Mrs. Lydia Robinson, 118 years old, died here at her home. One of her great grandchildren <s fifty years old. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELAYING IMPORTANT WORK AMONG YOUNG WOMANHOOD? People of Community and Country Anxious to Know Why the Promised Work of the Young Women’s Christian Associa tion for Which the National Council Made a Liberal Appro priation Several Months Ago Has Not Been Started Here MONITOR (JIVES FACTS AND PLACES BLAME UPON SHOULDERS OF ADVISORY BOARD Committee of Women Had Selected and Decided Upon Desirable Property, Offered at a Bargain, on Edge of Colored Resi dence District, Which Selection Was Approved by National Officer, But Which Board Advised Against When Objection Was Raised on Grounds of Color—Cannot F ind Suitable Place T AST September steps were taken to establish a branch of the Y. W. C. A. in Omaha for colored girls. A splendid site was offered at a bargain. It was the beautiful 'artificial stone residence of Mr. and Mrs. Max Burkenrod at Nineteenth and Burdette streets, with ample ground for development and ex pansion as the work might grow and necessity require. The Y. W. C. A. committee, headed by Mrs. Charles Offutt, was enthusiastic over the place. Mrs. Cordelia Wynn, special worker from the national office in New York came to the city, inspect ed the property and recommended its purchase. The sum of $5,000 was appropriated by the national board co inaugurate this much needed work in Omaha, a portion of which sum was to be used in making a pay ment on this property. The deal was virtually closed. One of the women of the committee telephoned Mrs. Burkenrod, advising her to consid er the place sold and complimenting her upon the fact that her home was going to be used for such a worthy purpose. The Monitor believes this good woman and the entire com mittee was absolutely sincere. It seems, however, that they have an advisory committee of mere men. F. D. Wead and other real estate men, we believe, are on this committee. These good women submitted the proposi tion to these gentlemen. They ad mitted that the property was a great bargain and admirably adapted for the noble purpose the women had in mind—but, objections had been raised against locating an institution, even though such a worthy one as a Y. W. C. A., to be used by colored people in that vicinity, which, they said, if the committee failed to heed would handicap them in securing funds for their work among the business men. The Monitor knows who raised the objection. One was Charles L. Saunders, who has frequently re ceived a large vote of our people for state senator, who owns the lot next door and some property in the block above; and the other was a woman in the adjacent block whose brother, an other ardent republican, is an influ *ntial member of the Real Estate Ex change. Be it known that colored people already own and occupy prop erty within a stone’s throw of this very comer; so it is not “ an exclu sive white neighborhood” which col ored people are trying to Invade. It is by no means a pretentious neigh borhood, but one occupied by modest well-kept homes and an increasing Jewish population, another well de fined group of splendid American citizens, who, like our own, when they settle in a neighborhood, give point to the words of the Psalmist, “One shall chase a thousand and ten put ten thousand to flight.” But the voice of the advisory committee pre vailed. They undertook to help the women find a suitable place, preferably—In keeping within the proposed so-called “zoning system” or “colonization scheme,” or enforced “segregation policy.” which certain individuals are working overtime to put across— "somewhere on Twenty-fourth street Bouth of lyflke,” or “west of Twenty fourth street.” In this nuest thev have been unsuccessful as there Is no desirable property available with in the limits set. Eventually a place at Twenty-fifth and Maple was con sidered desirable. The price asked for this property, two recently re modelled and stauecoed frame build ings. with no ground for expansion or development, was $h,000, Just $2,000 or $3,000 less than the Burken rod property which could not ne built today for $30,000. In replying to a letter from Mrs. Wynn, in which she regretted that the work had not been started here, the editor of The Monitor gave the exact facts in the case and told why the work was being held up, stating that in his Judgment that the un Christian and un-democratic spirit which was objecting to the location of the much needed branch at a strategic point, which within a few ye. vwlll be In the heart of a de sirable colored residential district, ought not to be submitted to and that unless the work could be started un der favorable circumstances and in an advantageous locality, it were bet ter to postpone it. In the meanwhile Miss Frankie B. Watkins had been appointed by the national council as Y. W. C. A. worker here and has been on the ground for some months. Her hands are tied because no place has as yet been pro vided for her to begin her work. The ardor and enthusiasm of the com mittee of colored women who were anxious to go to work in October last has cooled. The sum of $5,000 awaits proper investment in helping our young womanhood in Omaha un der the inspiration and guidance of that splendid organization, the Y. W. C. A., which has proven its helpful ness by more than a half century of constructive work. The Monitor deems it wise and timely to give these facts to the pub lic, which show just why the much needed work of the Y. W. C. A., for which a liberal appropriation was made by the national council last September, has not been begun here. The Monitor is responsible for call ing the local committee's attention to the splendid Burkenrod property which all admitted was well suited for the purpose desired. After a six months’ search nothing has been found in any way to equal it. Had prejudice not thwarted it the Y. W. C. A. would have been well housed long before this and demonstrated Its helpfulness lo our young woman hood. The Monitor places the blame for holding up the work of the Y. W. C. A among our people not upon the frail shoulders of the Christian wom en who were anxious and are still anxious to have it go forward but upon the broad shoulders of their ad visory committee and back of the ad visory committee upon those of the Real Estate Exchange or of its com mittee in the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, who believe that our citi zens should be limited as to resi dence to certain well-defined dis tricts, which as a proposition is subversive of our constitutional rights to which no self-respecting American citizen can voluntarily subscribe and which as working principle, because of Its subversion of constitutional rights is imnracticable. SUPREME COURT RENDERS FIFTY-FIFTY DECISION Affirms Death Sentence in Case of Six Condemned for Murder in Riots, Remand Six. (By Associated Negro Press) Little Rock, Ark., April 8—The Ar kansas supreme court recently af fii-med the death sentence imposed on six of twelve men condemned for mur der in connection with the Elaine race riots last October and reversed the other six and remanded their cases for new trials. These twelve were sen tenced in less than ten minutes. RAUF LARS STAR IN DIAMOND MEDAL MEET New York—A crowd of over 3,000 enthusiastic, excited fans witnessed the Diamond Medal meet held in the Twenty-second Regiment Armory Monday night and saw such stars as Pete White, Roy Morse, Clarence Sherman and other race men romp away with coveted trophies. The main event, the Major Cobb Memorial trophy, was won by Pete White in the fast time of 10 2-5 sec onds. Roy Morse came third. Although this was the main event of the evening all the contests proved close and editing, and the general impression was that if given their chance our contenders would give all others a run for their money. PRIVATE CARS TO NATIONAL WOMEN’S CON VENTION IN TUSKEGEE — To the Members of the National Asso ciation of Colored Women's Clubs— Dear Co-Workers: Plans are about completed tot transportation to Tuskegee, to our convention July 12-16. We are hop ing to have 1,000 women in session at this meeting and have made it pos sible for you to get there with all con venience and comfort. Private cars will leave from New York, Philadel phia, St. Louis, Chicago and Pitts burgh. These cars will be kept in Tuskegee during the session. The committee consists of: For New York, Mrs. Mary B. Talbert, 521 Mich igan avenue, Buffalo, N. Y.; for Ohio, Miss Anna V. Hughes, 298 North 22d St., Columbus, O.; for Illinois, Mrs. Irene Goins, 2942 Prairie avenue, Chi cago, 111., and Mrs. L. E. Jameson, 922 Monson St., Peoria, 111; for Philadel phia, Mrs. Ruth L. Bennett, 1614 W. Second St., Chester, Pa.; for Louis ville, Mrs. Georgia A. Nugent, 845 So. 6th St., Louisville, Ky.; for St. Louis, Mrs. Victoria Clay Haley, 209 North Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo.; for New' England, Miss Roberta J. Dun bar, 58 Winter St., Providence, R. I.; for Baltimore, Miss Ida R. Cummings, 1234 Druid Hill Ave., Baltimore, Md.; for Washington, D. C., Miss Nannie H. Burroughs, Lincoln Heights, Wash ington, D. C. The following are the approximate rates for the return trip, including railroad fare, Pullman charge and taxes; these rates are subject to a little change as railroad conditions are unsettled at this time. Sufficient notice will be given of any change in rates. From Louisville, $33; from Pittsburgh, $70; from Chicago, $59.22; from St. Louis, 51.18; from New York, $73.90; from Philadelphia, $68.50; from Washington, $59.00. All other points can estimate their rates by comparison with the point nearest them mentioned above. Fur ther information can be secured from any of the committee. Reservations must be made as soon as possible so the chairman will be able to inform the railroad of the number of cars de sired. Each car will accommodate forty and the rates mentioned above are on the forty basis. All money must be in the hands of the railroad one month before the date of the con vention, as they will require this much time to assure us perfect arrange ments directly to Tuskegee. Any further information can be se cured from the national chairman on transportation, Mrs. Daisy E. Lamp kin, 2619 Webster Avenue, Pitts burgh, Pa. THE LOWDENITES ARE LILY WHITES Virginia Supporters of the Illinois Governor Eliminate the Brother In Black From Convention and Select Delegate by Steam Roller Methods DELEGATE FRANKLY FOR WHITE SUPREMACY Organization Formed to Contest the Lowden Delegate and to Forward the Candidacy of Dr. Ferguson— Another State Convention to be Called — (By Associated Negro Press) RICHMOND, Va., April 8.—Lowden forces, in their eagerness to grab the delegation from Virginia, proclaimed a Lily White organization and rode rough-shod over the colored voters in this state. As a result there is extreme bitter ness in the hearts of the colored re publicans of Virginia. They were to tally ignored bv the Lowden machine when delegates were chosen to repre sent the Richmond district at the state national convention. An or ganization to contest the choice of Lowden-Lily White delegates has been perfected. J. F. Brady clerk of the United States district court, was the choice of the white steam roll er* convention for national delegate. Brady announced his views on the local polifcal situation by saying that in his opinion no powerfhl republican organization could be unquestioned. He deprecated the lively interest in politics taken by the colored man, and said that it was not for the best interests of the party. ‘‘I am not a candidate for na tional delegate, have no intention of being a candidate and wolud not serve if I were nominated,” Brady said on the eve of his election. “But,” he continued, “I do believe we need men of the highest character in the party, and that it cannot be made a strong force here under any other con ditions than that it be an entirely white organization. It is only to this end that I am personally interested.” Colored Man Selected. Nevertheless Brady was elected. The resentment of the colored voters was not slow in expressing itself. A permanent political organization was formed forthwith, and steps taken to further the candidacy of Dr. D. A. Ferguson, colored, to represent the district at Chicago in June. A mass meeting followed and Henry L. John son went on from Washington to ad dress the indignant colored men. He was formerly recorder of deeds of the District of Columbia. Every man attending the meeting exhibited his poll tax as proof that he is a quali fied voter. It was maintained at a second meeting that fair play had been denied those present at the first mass meeting when the delegates were chosen. A cordon of police had been drawn up in front of the court house, and Bcores of Negroes seeking ad mission were told that they could not enter. Edgar Allen, formerly post master at Richmond, said he stood for justice to white and colored men alike, regardless of those who might term him a "Nigger lovei;.” ADVOCATING WALLER FOR DISTRICT DELEGATE Former Washington Rector Wood En thusiast—Being Urged by New York Voters. New York, N. Y., April 8—A large number of the colored voters, ad mirers of General Leonard Wood In the Seventh district, are planning to run Dr. Waller, a Wood enthusiast, for delegate to the national conven tion. There are more than 1,000 Negro voters in this district. The possible candidate is a well-educated man. He is a graduate of Trinity college. Oxford, England, and of the General Theological Seminary New York. He was pastor for some time of St. Luke’s P. E. church, Washing ton, D. C. Patronize The Monitor advertisers. Register at Court House" Friday-Last Chance j \ ; \ i