l— i The Monitor i
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
_THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor_’_
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. JULY 1. 1920 Vol. VI. No. 1 (Whole No. 261)
COLORED GIRLS EMPLOYED
I' PUBLIC LIBRARY
V —
Positions HU v losed to Members
of Race No. ^ ed in Harlem—
A Sew Librar. \ •» Has Had Ex
tensive Exper. V, Milling to
Make Experiment. £
NEW' YORK, July e authori
ties of the New . % tblic Li
brary have at last const u> more
adequately adjust the Lit.ary to the
needs of this community by employing
persons who are particularly adapted
to the situation in Harlem.
The first step in adjusting the Li
brary in order that it may more ef
fectively meet the needs of the com
munity was taken in the appointment
of Miss Emetine Rose as Head Li
brarian, who will have colored work
ers to asist her. ,
Miss Ernestine Rose brings a splen
did record of service, and possesses
a unique and exceptional personality.
She served in Europe with the Army
of Occupation and has a splendid rec
ord with the American Expeditionary
Force. With the Inter-Allied Rhine
land Commission, with headquarters
at Coblenz, Germany, she served very
effectively. For many months Miss
Rose was connected with the American
Library Association, and assisted in
establishing branch libraries for the
Base Army Hospital. For more tnan
six years she has worked among the
foreign-born population, in which ca
pacity she displayed unusual ability.
The present change was decided
upon at a conferenhe held some weeks
ago with Mr. Franklin K. Hopper,
chief of the circulation staff. Miss
Sachs, Mrs. Erdmann, Miss Leal tad,
James H. Hubert, and Howard D.
Gregg of the Urban League discussed
the services of the Library, and it
was admitted by the officials that the
Library was not functioning as ef
fectively as it should. Many sugges
tions were made, chief among them
being that colored persons understood
the community better, had more sym
pathy for persons using the branch,
and hence could more effectively meet
the needs of the community. This sug
gestion was accepted, and beginning
July 1st, colored girls will enter the
service of the New York Public Li
brary; a vocation hitherto closed to all
persons of color.
TUSKEGEE TO ENTERTAIN
WOMEN’S CONVENTION
Tuskegee. Ala., July X.—The Tus
kegee Woman's Club celebrated Its
Twenty-fifth Anniversary last Sunday
night. Many important questions were
discussed. Mrij. Booker T. Washing
ton presided and addresses were de
liveerd by men prominent in the ac
tivities of the Club. The Club is mak
ing extensive preparations for 'he con
vention of the National Association of
Colored Women’s Clubs which con
venes here July 12 to the 16th. A
large attendance is expected.
Sergeant James T. Lewis a Central
High school cadet was recently promo
ted to captain and commissary of the
regiment. In June, 1918, he received
his first promotion from private t®
corporal. Ia May, 1919, a second pro
I motion was received, from corporal,
Company B, to sergeant, Company B.
A third promotion was received at
Camp Ryan, June 18, 1920. The
promotion was from sergeant, Com
[ pany D, to captain and commissary of
the regiment.
James received a gold medal from
Company D for first place in individ
ual company drill. He was one of the
three chosen to represent Company
I) in the regimental spell down.
This commission, which is the high
est yet attained in Central High by
I lx>ys of our race goes into effect Sep
tember 1, at the opening of school.
E.MIJfEM SCHOLAR
CALLED BY DEATH
Professor Eileen, Master of Seven
I-uniruageh. Who Had Modestly
Done a Great Work, Passes Away
at St. Luke’s Hospital.
New York, July 1.—Prof. J. P. Fi- '
leen of the Century School passed ,
away in the St. Luke's hospital. New j
York city, on June 1L Prof Fileen :
wag born in British Guina. He mas- !
tered Latin, French, Dutch, Greek,
German, Italian, Portuguese, General
English and Spanish and passed the 1
federal civil service examination in ,
several of the above languages. He |
was an instructor in the civil service
class of the Manhattan Y. M. C. A.
and was the former Spanish corre
spondent and general translator for
the firm of Cornwell & Spinney 80 |
I Pine street. New York city. Modest,
quiet and unassuming. Prof. Fileen
was a thorough scholar and a gentle
j man who believed in the possibili
ties of his race He trained many j
young colored men for the civil serv
1 ice and for college examinations. In
a quiet manner he lived a very use
ful life and caused his pupils to take
i a renewed interest in Negro history
and a faith In the Negro’s destiny.
FRENCH PROFESSOR URGES
RETENTION OF AFRICAN
POSSESSIONS ONLY
Paris, July 1.—A serious discussion
' of a proposal that France wipe out
; her debt to the United States by turn
ing over to that couatry certain colo
I uia 1 possessions has been aroused
| through the advocacy of such a course
by Charles Gide, professor of polit
ical economy in the University of
Paris and one of the country’s most
eminent economists.
Professor Gide says he regards such
a course as desirable, not only be
cause it would relieve France from
the necessity pf straining her re
sources to develop burdensome pos
sessions, but because the day may
come when France will not be in a
position to defend some other distant
colonies. Fraace’s colonial aspira
tions. Professor Gide declares, should
be confined to Africa.
‘‘Algeria. Morocco and Tunis, prop
erly exploited, should amply suffice
to keep us supplied with what we
need." Professor Gide said today.
Urican “Barbarians” and “Civilized
• Whites."
In Europe, African “barbarians” are
in authority over civilized whites and
there is no report of attacks upon
helpless white women. In Hayti, civ
ilized white Americans are in author
ity over semi-civilized blacks, and
| their helpless girls are said to be the
daily prey of the marines.—The Los
Angeles (Cal.) New Age.
They say the Queen of May has
left her throne and gone hunting for
votes.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, _
SENATOR WARREN 0. HARDING
Promiaent Newspaper Man Who Has
Had an Intimate Acquaintance With
Republican Nominee Tells Why He
Belteres Harding Ought to Be Ac
ceptable to Colored Voters Who Are
in a Questioning Frame of Mind.
(By >ahnm Daniel Brascher. Editor
in Chief Associated Xegro Press.)
It is a very excellent political sign
of the times to note the universal
interest with reference to Senator
Warren G. Harding, of Ohio, who Is
the Republican candidate for presi
dent of the United States.
The daily newspapers of the coun
try are very generally and generously
telling where Senator Harding stands
with reference to the League of Na
tions, Mexico, the Irish question, and
even housing the people, but the big
question of our group is: “Where do
we come In?"
The very cleverly written Repub
lican platform may be read with the
belief that we come in for a good old- j
fashioned American square deal, but j
there is little or nothing specific upon
which to attach that belief. Verily,
we are constrained to read with the 1
eyes of faith. That we have been j
brought down to this day through
this element of the Christian trium- I
virate of "Faith, Hope and Charity,'
is regarded by many as of sufficient
reason to “keep pluggin’ away,” in
the words of Paul Laurence Dunbar.
On the other hand, there is a goodly
number who have grown to be rank
materialists, and who have honorary
if not permanent residential certifi
cates from the "Show Me" state of
Missouri. It is particularly tor this
group that this information is ad
dressed.
it has bean my good fortune to
have very carefully followed the pub
lic career of Senator Harding Ifor
almost a score pi years and the things
that 1 will say will be simply to give
a clearer insight to the “man of the
hour" as I know him from our side
of the street
Senator Harding has been com
pared with James A. Garfield, Wm.
Kinley and Joseph B. Foraker. The
comparisons are npt unjust. To them
may be added with propriety charac
teristics of Abraham Lincoln and
Theodore Roosevelt. Bach of these
great men, first of all, loved America
and the people within the borders.
As a patriotic American, Senator
Harding unquestionably has no super
iors. As a matter of fact, his entire
career as a public official has been
that of one who earnestly and hon
estly seeks to serve the people, in
this respect he has been pre-eminent
ly unselfish and gratifyingly success
ful. *
Many ot us who knew Senator
Harding as Lieutenant Governor of
Ohio, and had been under the Influ
ence of his masterful oratory and his
matchless personality, exceedingly
regretted that he was not elected to
the office of governor of the “Buck
eye state."
Warren G. Harding is politically
clever, but he is not politically auto
cratic. He has never sought office,
he is one whom the office has always
sought.
He absolutely did not care to be
come a candidate for United States
senator, but his triends "shoved him”
into the primary, and he became a
contestant with the late Senator Jo
seph Benson Foraker, and his recent
manager, Harry M. Daugherty, win
ning the nomination over both of |
those well known Ohio citizens. In
the primary contest, I had the for- !
tune to be selected by the' Harding
organization to look after the inter- )
est among our. voters. Naturally
Senator Foraker shared the largest
popularity at that time, but Mr. Hard
ing secured a substantial vote.
i had frequent conferences with
Mr. Harding during that campaign,
and have advised with him frequently,
by letter and in person, since he has
been United States senator. 1 have
always found him sincere, careful,
courteous, frank and prompt In all
subjects placed before him. I am
certain that my opinion In this re
spect Is no exception to the rule.
In Ohio, Senator Harding knows
half of the people of the state by
their first name. While he has been
the leader ot the party In Ohio, he
has never sought to be a boss. He
has never sought to build up a "po
litical machine,” but he is a strong
advocate for a truly representative
organization.
Speaking of knowing people, el
most a year ago, following the riots
in Washington and Chicago, I had an
extended conference in Washington
with Senator Harding on the economic
situation as it confronts all of us.
It happened that the morning of the
day I was at the capital, a commit
tee of our representative men from
various states appeared before the
Foreign Relations Committee, of
which Senator Harding is a mem
ber. Among those present was a man
from Cleveland, Ohio, and the senator
had never before heard of him, so he
declared: ‘‘I thought I knew all the
men, but he's a new one on me.”
It is my opinion that it is only as
Americans that we may expect con
sideration from Senator Harding, if
elected president. I do not think he
will perform any specttacular acts,
nor produce any sensational state
ments dealing with us as a distinct
flass. But as Americans, both as an
essential and historic part of the na
GROUP OF COLORED BUSINESS MEN LAUNCH MERCANTILE ENTERPRISE
DtPACTMiHT 5TOEE- BuU.6
ThC. Co-OpEEATlVt WOR
Or AMtR.ioA*—
Omaha -fftt>«»3rt|T*T
Incorporate Under Name of the Co
operative Workers of Amerlea. W ith
Capital of *100,000.00.
TO HAVE SIX HUNDRED
AND TWENTY STOCKHOLDERS
Store Will Open Soon as Remodeling
Has Been Completed.
The organization of the Co-opera
tive Workers of America, a $100,000
buying and selling corporation, marks
the beginning of a new era in bus
iness for colored people in the central
west.
This company is incorporated un
der the laws of the state of Nebraska,
and has received permission from the
bureau of securities to sell $100,000
worth of its capital stock.
Tije company has purchased the
business block at 1516 and 1518 North
24th street, which the department
store will occupy.
The store will open just as soon as
the necessary remodeling has been
completed.
Only six hundred and twenty per
sons can purchase stock in the com
pany. Stock has already been re
served for /170 persons, leaving the
number of 450. No person can pur
chase more than five shares of stock
nor less than one share. The stock
Is' $100 per share, and may be pur
chased by a payment of 10 per cent
when the subscription contract Is
signed, and $10 or more per month
until the stock Is paid for.
The money paid for the stock shall
be applied on the purchase price of
the building and paid for stock which
shall be sold in the store, making due
allowance for expenses allowed by
law in companies of this character.
In this way the company will have
real value back of every certificate of
stock it issues.
One of the reasons for forming a
company of this character was not
only to get into the commercial world,
but to get in there to stay. There
will be 620 persons financially inter
ested in the enterprise, which will
mean, including their families, that
there will be 1,800 persons who will
buy from the store. The average
daily expenditure for each person
will be, for food and clothing, about
$1, or a gross income from the own
ers of the store of $1,800 per day.
This alohe assures the success of the
enterprise, but we will also sell to
the whole public, which, added to the
certain income, will make big busi
ness, near or not quite $1,000,000 per
year gross. This, of course, depends
upon efficient management.
The company is engaging a general
manager for this enterprise who has |
had fifteen years of successful experi- j
ence in the mercantile business. It is
also joining a central buying agency
in order that its stock may be pur
chased at the lowest figure obtaina
ble, which will enable it to sell at
a correspondingly reasonable one.
Another feature about this com
pany is that all employees in perma
nent grades shall be stockholders;
they will not be working for the com
pany alone, but for themselves as
well.
In so far as it has been possible to
provide against untoward contingen
cies, provision has been made, and
the officers and members of this com
pany confidently assert that the suc
cess of the enterprise is not only as
sured, but that it will surpass the
expectations of the most sanguine
persons.
Prom the very start, the store will
give employment to from thirty to
forty young women and young men.
Applications for positions will be re
ceived just as soon as it is announced
that the general manager has arrived
and assumed his duties.
The reason for organizing this com
pany is obvious. Colored people must
enter the higher forms of modern
business just as other races have been
doing for hundreds and thousands of
years and they must take the fea
tures of business organization as this
company has done in this case and
make it successful from the begin
ning.
Through a company of this charac
ter we can combine our small capital
and create something. For as has
been truthfully said many times, the
way to get clerks in stores is to com
bine your small funds and open
stores; the way to give employment
to colored young men and women is to
create something where they may be
employed; it is not enough to sit
down and lament the failure of boys
and girls to get employment in the
large stores that are already in suc
cessful operation.
In a short time branch stores will
be established in other parts of the
city and in other states and then will
come a bank of our own and other
enterprises which follow success in
the business world.
Everything that is up to date will
be a part of the store and you will
be as close to it as your telephone.
The temporary office of the -com
pany is at No. 19 Pattedson Block,
Douglas 3954, where the secretary will
be glad to see any one who wishes
further information about this under
taking.
The officers of this company are;
John W. Gordon, president; Samuel
W. Mills, treasurer; Jackson Davis,
vice president; Z. C. Snowden, secre
tary; salesmen, J. R. Lemma, Webster
4006. and Jessie Rale Moss, Webster
6349, Mrs. Alice Baskins, Harney 2902.
Walter Webber is chairman of the
board of directors.
t
tion’s development and general
achievement, I think Warren G.
Harding will give ns both cordial and
conscientious consideration, and even
handed justice. We cannot demand
more; we cannot be expected to think
of less.
PROMOTED TO FINAL INSPECTOR
Dr. Owen 3L Waller, Jr., Government
Veterinarian at Cudahy’s Receives
Merited Advancement One of Four
Colored Men in Country to Attain
This Distinction.
DR. OWEN M. WALLER, JR., gov
ernment veterinary inspector at
the Cudahy Packing company, has
just been promoted to the position of
final inspector, which carries with it
a substantial increase in salary. Only
three other colored men in the coun
try hold this position, two of whom
are in Chicago and one in Kansas
City. Dr. Waller’s promotion there
fore brings not only distinction to
himself, but also to Omaha.
Dr. Waller, who is the son of the
Rev. Owen M. Waller, M. D., of Brook
lyn, N. Y., and at one time rector of
Sv Luke’s Church, Washington, D.
C., is a graduate of Cornell Universi
ty, where he made an enviable record
in scholarship. He has been in the
government service as veterinary for
the past four years. Last August he
was sent to Cudahy’s, Omaha, and
was the first colored man to serve
as inspector here. Naturally, his po
sition was not an easy one, but his
gentlemanly demeanor, his ability and
his strict attention to duty have won
the respect of his associates and su
periors. He has worked hard and
his promotion has come as the re
ward of merit. Those who know Dr.
Waller are convinced that he will
work with the same diligence and ef
ficiency to maintain his present po
sition as he did to attain it.
EGYPTIANS DEMAND
INDEPENDENCE
London, July 1.—The inauguration
of a more reasonable policy toward
Egypt is now promised by the Eng
lish government, and it is hoped that
a friendly agreement will be arrived
at which, while guaranteeing the in
violability of the route to India, will
recognize the independence of Egypt
which Egyptians are insistently de
manding.