i ■=■ i The Monitor i = i
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
_ X,_ _THE REV. JOHN ALBBBT WILLIAMS. Editor__
» $3.00 a Year. 10c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. SEPTEMBER 9, 1920Vol. VI. No. 11 (Whole No. 271)
KENTUCKY DEMOCRAT8
FEAR WOMEN VOTERS
Political Issue in Blue Grass State
Hinges Upon Enfranchisement of
Fair Sex, Which Adds Over '100,000
Voters to the Electorate.
1 OLORED WOMEN ARE US
CONTROL OF THE SITUATION
Sdmitted That Race Women Alone
Will Increase Normal Republican
Vote by More Than 80,000—Thou
sands of White Women Will Also
Vote for the Republican Nominee.?.
I EXINGTON, KY„ Sept. 9.—The
-Lj race issue is cropping out in Ken
tuckx politics us the fall campaign
goes on. Although the league of na
tions and Article 10 may engage the
attention of national orators and the
slush fund claims put forward by Gov
ernor Cox obscure it for a time, there
are evidences on the horizon in this
state that the issue that may over
shadow the others in prominence is
the vote of the colored women. Hie
focus of the Kentucky fight lies in the
women’s vote of 638,000. In most presi
dential elections here in former years
the vote has l»-en divided almost even
ly, although usually democratic by a
-light margin, except that Edwin P.
Morrow, rr publican nominee, carried
the state by 40,000 and won the gov
ernorship. Usually, however, a few
thousand votes have decided the vic
tor. The democrats realize their
chances for a win here this fall can he
swept aside if the republicans get
much of an “edge” on the situation.
Eighty thousand colored women will
he added to flie poll list, all of whom
are certain to vote republican. The
. question, therefore, of how Kentucky
xxill go, is up to the white women.
Democrats say to win it will he nec
essary for the white democrats to in
duce the white women to go to the
[Kills by telling the white women that
unless they vote the colored women,
who are certain to be brought out by
the republicans, will express the senti
ments of Kentucky womanhood.
Being a “border state,” Kentucky is
unlike the “..olid south” in respect tc
its Negro vote. Here it is counted and
that is, the factor that keeps Kentucky
from being normally rock-ribbed dem
ocratic. _
AMERICAN LEGION DEFEATS
MOVE TO BAR JAPANESE
San Diego, Cal., Sept. 9.—A proposal
to bur from membership Japanese who
served in the World War was voted j
down by the state convention of the j
American Legion here.
—
PEACE NOT IN SIGHT.
London, Sept. 9.—Immediate peace ^
in the RuBso-Polfsh theater of war is
not in sight, it wus declared at the
foreign office. Foreign officials said
they expected from six to eight more
weeks of lighting before peace is con
cluded.
SECRETARV BAKER HEAPS
INSI'LT ON COLORED SOLDIERS
Recent Letter Contains the Virus of
Race Hatred of True Southern
Make.
COOLIDGE FOR COLORED TROOPS
Repuldieuii Governor Is Turned llotvn
Ity Wilson’s Manikin In Recent
Decision.
Boston, Mass.. Sept. 9.—Woodrow
Wilson's administration answers the
appeal of Harding and Coolidge for a
square deal to the colored soldiers
with an insult to those hrave black
boy* who defended the flag, an insult
so flagrant that it can scarcely
believed. The recent letter written by
Secretary Baker to Governor Coolidge,
when the latter asked for the pre-war
status of colored enlisted men in the
Massachusetts National Guard is
doubly injurious because the secretary
of war Is attempting to Inoculate the
North with the deadly ruce prejudice
of the South.
But let the Boston Chronicle tell
the story, i'mler the head of “Colonel
Baker and the Colored Soldier,’’ that
paper says:
"Company I. of the 6th Massachu
setts National Guard has been in ex
istence for nearly half a century, dur
ing which time it has responded to the
calls of the government with alacrity.
During the great world war it lost
Its identity, as it formed a nucleus
around which was built a combatant
regiment of colored soldiers. Several,
or the majority of its members, cov
ered themselves with glory in the
I sanguinary engagements in which they
' participated. Colored soldiers of other
; national guards also performed ad
/
EMERY ROCHESTER SMITH
Grand Junior Deacon of Most Worshipful Grand God ice of Nebraskn and
Juriadiction A. F. & A. M.
(
mirable service in the great war of
democracy. These men fought with
the hope of practical democracy.
Well and good; the fighting ended and
the warriors returned home. They
looked forward to the time when they
Hhall again be organized and regain
their identity. Like a bolt from the
blue comes a mandate from the sec
retary of war to the effect that no
colored troops in Massachusetts lie
placed on the roster of the National
Guard as combatant troops. Enroll
them as hewers of wood and drawers
of water primarily, and if the emer
gency should arise—a breach is made
in our battle line—we will use our
colored pioneer units.
“Til a letter to Governor Coolidge,
who protested against this nefarious
and unjust ruling, the secretary ap
peals to the loyalty of the colored
people of Massachusetts to lie content
with the pioneer units as follows:
•' 'It is believed that the colored cit
izens of Massachusetts should he re
minded that it is the better part of
patriotism to volunteer for such serv
ice as may he required, rather than
to attempt to lay down conditions
which the war department must meet
before service can be expected of
them.’
“The secretary would do well to be
•loyal himself to the principles of
democracy and withdraw his heinous
mandate with regard to colored men
joining only pioneer units.”
It is indeed a curious anomaly that
the democratic administration should
attempt such reprisals ’•^gainst the
colored soldiers upon the historic and
sacred soil where Crispus Attucks
shed his blood as the first to die for
American independence, the home of
the famous 54th Massachusetts regi
ment In the Civil war, its martyred
Colonel Shaw and William Lloyd Gar
rison and Wendell Philips.
IN CONFERENCE WITH
NATION AI. COM M ITT EE
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Chicago, Sept. 9.—Last week, rep
resentatives from more than a scotq
of states which the consensus of opin
ion terms “fighting ground,” were
in Chicago at the national republican
headquarters in conference with the
leaders who are guiding the affairs
of the republican national committee.
The representatives came from the
states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Il
linois, Missouri, Michigan, West Vir
ginia, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Iowa ahd other states.
They all repoited enthusiasm in be
half of the election of the repub
lican ticket.
An advisory committee has been se
lected made up of representatives
from all the various states, and theii
duty will be to consult with the man
agers and keep the national headquar
ters informed on the sentiment in
their communities.
ORGANIZE COOPERATIVE STORE
Galveston, Texas.—A co-operative
store capitalized at $5,000 has been
perfected in 500 shares at $5 each,
and all subscribed for, in this city
The institution is headed by the Rev.
A. W. Williams, president; W. B.
Lewis, vice president, and William
Ellis and Charles Harris, secretary
and treasurer, respectively.
BIGGEST COAL LAND
DEAL EVER RECORDED
Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. 9.—What is
said to be the biggest coal land deal
ever recorded In the United States
has just been consummated In the
purchase by J. A. Paisley, president
of the Valley Camp Coal company of
the Cochran tract of 13,608 acres In
Monangahela county, West Virginia,
at approximately $500 an acre, or a
total of nearly $7,000,000.
_•
DISMISS SUIT TO STOP
SUFFRAGE PROCLAMATION
Washington, Sept. 9.—The applica
tion for an Injunction against the Is
suance of the suffrage proclamation,
filed In the supreme court of the Dis
trict of Columbia by the American
Constitutional League. has been
dismissed.
A NEGRO NEWSPAPER
| IN EVERY NEGRO HOME
Is Urged by Robert Rush Moton,
Principal of Tuskogee and President
of National Negro Business League,
in Speech Before Recent Convention.
- |
EDUCATOR PAYS TRIBUTE
TO SERVICES OF PRESS
Foremost in Fight for Right and Jus
tice—Have Advocated Business Co
operation — Persistent, Patient and
Far-Sighted Rare Newspapers Jus
tify Popular Support.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
PHILADELPHIA, PA., Sept. 9.—An
earnest plea for the support of|
Negro newspapers in America was:
made by Dr. Robert R. Moton of Tus
kogee Institute in an address delivered
before the National Negro Business
j League at Philadelphia. He said in
' part:
"We must make up our minds pret
ty clearly that we have got to stand
j behind our newspapers. These publi
I cations have fought our battles for
right and justice and they have rarely
omitted an art or overlooked,an op
portunity directed toward co-operation
in business or among business men.
“They' have urged our people to sup
I port Negro business enterprises ujd j
| have pointed out that the indispensa
ble road to progress is the opening of
I business avenues for the young men
and .young women of our race. No
group among our people has been
1 more persistent, more patient, more
far sighted, more self-sacrificing than
have the publishers of our newspapers.
“There should be at leust one Negro
newspapers in every Negro home of
this country. Without such public
support our newspapers cannot ex
i pand or render the service we expect
j of them. Besides subscriptions, Negro
business men must advertise in Negro
i papers. Advertising makes business,
both for the advertiser and for the
newspaper. The benefits are mutual;
the co-operation should lie mutual.
“In this connection 1 would like to
see a movement started among these
newspapers in an effort to secure ad
vertising of the larger kind. Let the
National League stand with the Press
Association is an effort of this kind
among the large publishers. We can
perfect an organization something like
the Southern Newspaper Publishers
Association, writh officers in the great
advertising centers like New York and
Chicago, and have earnest, honest, ag
gressive young men to present to ad
vertisers and advertising agencies the
buying power of the Negro race, and
the advertising power of the Negro
press. *
“I am confident that some such ef
fort will be productive of good and ef
fectual results. It would also give the
race a new point of contact with the
business men of the white race, as well
as effect a new appreciation of the
business men of our own race.
“Negro newspapers have given most
loyal support to the government in all
its publicity work in connection with
the war program, and from a purely
commercial angle, they have demon
strated that they can carry a message
in an effective way to the twelve mil
lion Negroes of this country.”
EUROPE’S WIDOW TO
RECEIVE COMPENSATION
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Ne York, Sept. 9.—The courts have
decided that Mrs. James Reese Eu
rope, widow of the late lieutenant
bandmaster wl o was stabbed to death
by one of the drummers of his band
in Boston, is entitled to compensation
under the state compensation act. It
was stated that the deceased lost his
life while in discharge of his duties
of making a livelihood.
Lieutenant Noble Sissle, of this
city who was an associate of Lieuten
ant Europe, has completed a biog
raphy of Europe’s life which he ex
pects to publish in a short time.
CHICAGO’S FIRST NEGRO
POLICEMAN, 67, RETIRES
Chicago, Sept. 9.—Martin Van Buren
French, 67, first anti oldest Negro po
liceman, resigned last Tuesday after
thirty-seven years’ service. He re
called his many battles with white
thugs in the Desplaines street district
when he iirst traveled post. ‘‘They
resented my color, but I guess my
work was all right, because former
Inspector Shea said 1 was the best
policeman he had." said the veteran.
HARKING REFl'SES TO
RESORT TO ARI SE
Maintains That False Appeals Are
Harmful to Any Cause, They Ha
Nol Serve Truth, Nor Meet
Requirements of National
Dignity.
Clamor and Insincerity Drag People
Into Mire.
Marion, Ohio, Sept. 9.—A determina
tion to guard against ‘‘clamor, insin
cerity and abuse" in his campaign for
the presidency was express by Sen
ator Harding Saturday in a talk to a
marine band which serenaded his res
idence during a visit here on recruit
ing duty. The nominee said he felt
it a duty to be tolerant of those who
differ with him and not to drag the
attention of the people “into the mire."
“I assume that your coming here,”
said Senator Harding, "is due in large
part to the fact that I am a candi
date for the presidency. It is because
I feel more defeply about it every day
that I want to tell you, Ame^can citi
zens, and through you as many Amer
icans as possible, my idea of the re
sponsibilities of a candidate for the
highest office the people can bestow.
Guards Against Pretense.
”1 have said to myself: ‘You owe
it to the citizens of America to pre
serv« the attitude and the mind of
one who serves as well as he can.’
As I see it, I owe it to the men and
women of America to g^ard against
all pretense. As I see it, I owe it to
them to state fully and clearly my
beliefs with all the sincerity there is
in me. t
“As I see it. I must not, as I seek
to gain votes for my party, yield to
the temptation which often comes to
men who are candidates, to make false
appeals and appeals which, though
they might be successful at the mo
ment, do not serve truth nor do not
meet the requirements of our national
dignity.’’
HOLDS HIGHEST RANK
ON ACTIVE LIST
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin O. Davis
Now Ranking Officer of Color in the
United States Army — Returned
from Philippines Detailed to Tus
kegee.
BEGAN MILITARY CAREER
IN SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
Subsequently Enlisted in Famous
Ninth Cavalry and Rose by Promo
tions and Competitive Examinations
Open to Enlisted Men to Present
High Rank.
ASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 9.—
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin 0
Davis, a colored citizen of the District
of Columbia, holds the highest rank of
any man of his race on the active list
of the army of the United States. Col
onel Charles Young, also colored, who
was graduated from the United States
Military Academy, was retired several
months ago on account of disability.
He was the only colored man who eve:
reached the grade of colonel in the
army Although retired, he is still on
duty as military attache at the United
States legation. Monrovia, Liberia.
Colonel Davis was bom in this city,
studied in the Mott school and was
graduated from the colored High
school. He began his military career
as a first lieutenant in the United
States volunteer infantry in July,
1898, and was honorably mustered out
in March, 1899. He then enlisted in
the Ninth Regular Cavalry, and in two
years was successfully promoted to
corporal and ssuadron sergeant-major.
As a result of a competitive examina
tion open to enlisted men, he was ap
pointed second lieutenant, Tenth
United States Cavalry, in February,
1901. Since then he has served with
either the Ninth or Tenth cavalry reg
iments in campaigns in the Philippines
and on the Mexican- border, except for
a short detail as inspector instructor
of the First Separate Battalion of the
District National Guard. He reached
the grade of captain in December,
1915, a temporary major in August,
1917, and a lieutenant-colonel in the
national army in May, 1918. A few
days ago he was appointed lieutenant
I colonel of cavalry. He is now at his
| home, 1830 Eleventh street, on leave
I of absence, having just returned from
: a tour of duty in the Philippines. He
has been detailed as professor of mili
tary science and tactics at the 1'usko
gee Institute, Alabama.
MAYNARD LESTER WILSON
Grand Senior Deacon of Moat Worshipful Grand Lodge of Nebraska and
Jurisdiction A. F. & A. M.