Nebraska Newspapers

    The monitor
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, THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1921. Vol. VII. No. 8. Whole Nrf. 320.
MAU PRINCE IS
AN OMAHA VISITOR
Dominic Joseph Cleasent, Son of Chief Cleasent, Ruler of the
Meko Tribe, Island of Yule, British New Guinea, An Intelli
gent, Interesting Young Man of Twenty-seven Years of Age
Spending a Few Days Here En Route to Rome Where he Will
Complete Studies for the Priesthood.
LEARNED LINGUIST AND IS WELL-INFORMED
Speaks Nine Malayan Languages and Converses Fluently in Eng
lish. Is Sanskrit Scholar of IXistinction. Has Travelled Ex
tensively. Bears Credentials From Leading Roman Catholic
Dignitaries. Cannot Understand American Attitude Towards
Her Colored Citizens.
The editor of The Monitor enjoyed
a delighful two hour#' visit and in
terview Tuesday night with a modest,
unassuming young man whom the av
erage observer would consider an or
dinary colored American or Negro. He
is small of stature, of rather dark
brown complexion, with the usual full
ness of lips, not very pronounced,
which characterize the negroid races.
He would easily he taken for one of
our own race. But you would be mis
taken as to his racial identity. He Is
not an ordinary colored man, as the
term goes, altlio he is colored, but
Is a prince. Yes, a real live prince..
His name is Dominic Joseph Cleasent,
(pronounced thlesent 1, son of the rul
er of the Meko tribe, on the Island of
Yu la, British New Guinea.
"The people here spell my name
Gleason.'’ said Dominic, “but the right
spelling Is as I have given It to you,”
“Oh, I see,’’ ventured the editor,:
“Gleason Is an Irish name, and your
friends are determned to make an
Irishman out of you."
The prince laughed and said, “I don't
know as to that, but among many of
my best friends are Irishmen, and they
have been very kind to me.”
Dominic is a devout Roman Catholic.
So are all his people. He is on his
wav to Rome to complete his studies
for the prleBthooo, which he considers
a higher dignity than that of a secular
prince. He has been doing missionary
work among his people and has been
of great service as an interpreter. He
will be the first native priest to work
among his people. He bears creden
rials from high dignitaries of the Hom
an Catholic church, which testify as to
his scholarship and character. Accord
ing to these he attended institutions of
learning in India, Constantinople and
Abysinnia. Prince Dominic is a San
skrit scholar, and speaks the following
Maylaylan languages: Melamesian,
Polynesian, Papuan, Javanese, Mag
adhim, Dravidian, Malayakam, Kola
sian and Koita. He converses well
in English, altho with a decided for
eign accent which tells you at once he
is “some kind of a black foreigner.”
Prince Dominic came to the United
States first in 1918 and studied at the
Catholic Apostolic Mission House, at
Washington, D. C. There is where
he learned English. Monsignor D
j, Kennedy and Vicar General O’Con
nell took a deep interest In him. One
would almost believe, however, that
his patron saint, altho he has not yet
been canonized, Is Archbishop Mar
ty, whom he knew in the Philippines
and with whom he is stopping while
In the city. His face beamed with
delight every time Archbishop Har
ty's name was mentioned.
This Maylayan prince is a close ob
server and well-informed as to world
affairs and particularly in racial mat
ters tn the United States. He says
that people try to make him bellevt
that his people are different from peo
ples of African blood.
“Perhaps so,” says Dominic, “but
I can’t see the difference. It seem*
to me we ar all alike. I see no differ
'•nee between Amercan Negroes and
my own people. Many of us look alike
the same complexion—same general
features. But they Bay we are 'differ
ent. There is one thing that seems to
me wrong and that is the way the
t’nited States treats her colored people
or Negroes. I am a foreigner. 1 can
get accommodation anywhere. I’ve had
no trouble yet. If United States gets
Into war site could not compel me to
go to her defense; but among the first
ones she drafts and to help defend her
are her Negro subjects. They honor
me, a foreigner, highly and ley’ll give
me bread, where they won’t give you
even water. Funny she thinks more of
foreigners than of her own people who
defend her, am 1 not right?
“.Yes, you are right,” was the edi
tor’s reply, "These are inconsistencies
which It Is exceedingly difficult to un
derstand. Perhaps some day we Amer
icans will realize how foolish and In
consistent we are along these lines."
Continuing lie said, ”1 took a well
dressed, intelligent Negro friend with
me into a care where I took my meals.
They would not serve us. 1 asked why,
since they served me. They replied,
they could serve me, but could not
serve Negroes. And yet, my friend was
better looking than I ain, much fairer,
by a good deal, neat and well educated.
It makes me laugh. They would serve
me a foreigner without any objection,
and yel they would not serve my friend
a native Negro American. Isn’t that
stupid, roolish and oh, so funny.”
“Yes, Dominic, It is foolish, ridicu
lous, funny and tragically pathetic.”
The young Maylayan thinks highly
of the National Associaton for the
Advancement of Colored People, with
whose work he is quite conversant
but does not think much of the Gar
vey movement of which also he has
made a study.
He told us much of the customs of
his country and people, and In turn
asked uis many questions, showing
the keeness and alertness of his mind.
We were well pleased with this ear
nst-minded young man from the
brown folk of the orient.
We bade him adieu saying, “Domin
us voblscum.” To which he prompt
ly replied, “Et cum spirtu tuo.”
FELLOW TOWNSMEN PAY FIT
TRIBUTE TO AGED CITIZEN
Colored and White Friends of the Lute
Uncle Mike Minton Jo,n Hands in
Funeral Obsequies of An Upright
‘ Man, Who Had Passed the Century
Mark.
WHEELOCK.Tex., Aug. 17.—Here in
the center of the ’black belt” of Texas,
the white neighbors of the late “Uncle
Mike Hinton, a Negro, paid remark
able tribute to the upright life that he
had led, by attending his funeral and
officiating at the obsequies. The ser
vices at the grave were conducted
jointly by white and Negro clergy. The
pallbearers on one side of the bier
were prominent white men of the com
munity and on the other side they
were Negroes. White and colored men
worked side by side in shoveling the
earth into the grave after the casket
had been lowered.
Hinton was a remarkable man in
more respects than one. In the first
place he was 116 years old at the time
r>f his death. For eighty years he had
lived here and during all that period
he was leader of the people of his own
race, always advising them to do right
0 ; the marriage of James A. Pugh,
eldest son of James Pugh, his owner in
1836, Mike and his sister were given
as a wedding present to the young
couple. Mike continued to follow the
fortunes of his owner from Mississippi
to Louisiana and Texas as the faith
ful, devoted and trusted body servant
of Major James A. Pugh until by Lin
coln’s proclamation he with other
Pugh Negroes were set free at Wheel
ock.
VtM On* Thing That Raally Counts.
No man can afford to work for mon
ey alone, fflmply accumulating wealth
add* nothing permanent to human wel
fare. Wealth la only a means to an
and. It ta the purpose of life that
counts most.—Grit.
ODDFELLOWS ORGANIZE
TRUST COMPANY
ST. JOSEPH. Mo.. Aug. 18.—'The
Odd Felows of the State of Missouri
wrote a bright new promise on 1’ie
pages of the future, when they decid
ed in their annual session just held
here, to adopt three measures propos
ed by their grand master, W. C. Hue
ston. On Tuesday delegates from all
over Missouri, together with ladies
from the various Households of Ruth.
First. Give three scholarships of
a value of $200 each, in Lincoln Uni
versity at Jefferson City, Mo., to de
serving Missouri youth.
Second. They voted to establish a
committee on Crime and Penal Insti
tutions whose duty it would be to
cooperate with any other similar a
gencies designed to prevent the in
justices perpetrated upon Negroes
both by lawless mobs and in the name
of the law.
Third. They voted to promote a
trust company which by gathering up
the savings of the race, both those in
side the lodges and households and
those oustide, and thereby furnish a
better backing for Negro business.
LIBERIAN BISHOP VISITS
PHILADELPHIA
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Aug. 17 —
The Rt. Rev. Theophilus Momolu Gar
diner, suffragan bishop of the Protes
tant Episcopal Church in Liberia, Af
rica, visited Philadelphia, as the guest
of the rector, wardens and vestry of
the church of St. John the Divine,
57th and Pearl Streets, Philadelphia.
The bishop arrived at the West Phil
adelphia station about 5 p m. Satur
day and was met by the rector of the
parish, Rev. J. Da Costa Harewood.
Early Sunday morning he adminis
tered the the Holy Communion to a
goodly number of the communicants
of St. John the Divine and preached to
a crowded church at the 11 a. m. ser
vice.
In the Pro-Cathedral, the bishop
preached at 5 p. m. Ten priests, in
cluding the Rev. Dr. Richardson, the
dean were present at this service. Im
mediately after the bishop and clergy
were entertained by the Rev. Dr. Rich
ardson.
At the Hotel Dale, Broad and Cath
arine strets, the vestry of the Church,
of St. John the Divine entertained.
THE MASONIC GRAND LODGE OPENS SESSIONS
Large Number of Delegates And Visitors Are in Attendance.
Omaha is Largfcly Represented. Grand Master Hunter De
livers Annual Address Replete With Sound Advice and Wise
Counsel. Lincolnites Extend Bountiful Hospitality.
(Special to The Monitor)
LINCOLN, NEB., An*. IT.—The I’lsitte Valley. Seotts Bluff.
Third Annual communication of the
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ne
braska, and its Jurisdiction, A. C. &
A. M. opened here today under good
auspices. At 10 a. m. Charles W. Dick
erson, D. G. M., of Omaha, called to
order the I,odge of Master Masons.
In due course of time the Grand Mar
shall escorted the M. W. Grandmast
er Nathaniel Hunter of Omaha, to the
At the arternoon session Grandmas
ter Hunter read his annual address
which was a strong document, full of
excellent counsel and sane advice and
showing the affairs of the craft to be
in excellent
GraimIiiiaster's Address
Tiie address began by reminding
the members of their obligations to
Almightv God upon whom they were
NATHANIEL HUNTER
Grand Master
Grand East, and he formally opened
the Grand Lodge which Immediately
took In hand the dispatch of the reg
ular routine business. Committees on
credentials, rules and order of busi-i
ness and other important matters I
were appointed.
The roll call showed delegate*
present from all the lodges in the
jurisdicton. The lodges represented
were Rough Ashler, Excelsior, Rescue
*
always to rely for help and wisdom
and in Invoking His blessing upon the
order. Passing on the spirit of unreBt
and disquietude prevalent throughout
the world today and the regrettable
trife between men, indicated in the la
bor world and ruclal strife were not
ed. The address counselled that all
memheis of our group Bhould be Belf
reetrained and law-abiding. It noted
the spirit manifested in demanding
L B. SMITH
Secretary of Foreign Correspondence, one of the best informed
Masons in Nebraska
and Omaha, Omaha; Lebanon, Lin
coln; Marvin, Hastings; True Amer
ican, Orand Island; Alliance; and
constitutional rights. Members of the
craft were urged to do all in their
power to see to It that human rights
were safe guarded without regard to
race, color or creed. Home buying
and thrift were advised. The address
then dealt specifically with the growth
of the craft and official matters, show
ing the fraternity to be harmonious,
prosperous and progressive.
Officer's will be elected at Thursday
session and the Grand Lodge will
close with a large social function, in
cluding' a reception and ball, Friday
night.
The people of Lincoln have spared
no pains in providing hospitality for
the Grand Lodge.
FRANCE PLANS INCREASE
IN HER BLACK TROOPS
Each Army Division WILL Contain
Two W'hite And One Colored Regi
ment. 300,000 Under Arms. This
Number of Africans Now Included
In Peace-Time Army.
(By the Associated Negro Press)
PARIS, Fiance, Aug. 17.—France
is planning to increase the number of
colored soldiers in her army. The
present head of the French general
staff has a project to make every divi
sion in the army consist of two regi
ments of white troops and one of col
ored troops, even in the time of peace.
The practicability of the plan has
been proved, it is thought, by the
sendees rendered to France during the
World War by its colonial troops. Al
together the French colonies furnish
ed 221,00(1 working men and 545,000
combatants. The valor of the latter
is attested by the fact that 20 per cent
of them were killed. At^the time of
the armistice there were under arms
eighty-three battalions of Algerian
and Tunisian riflemen, twelve battal
ions of Moroccans, ninety-two of West
African's, seventeen from Indo-China.
ten from Madagascar, one from Soma
liland and one from the French Pacific
islands, a total of 216 battalions.
The project now under consideration
wuld include 300,000 colonials In
Frane’s peace-time army. It must be
recalled that eighteenth-century ideas
of democracy and equality still persist
very largely in France, with the result
that there is practically no prejudice
against Arabs and very little agaiqst
blacks or Mongolians, although curi
ously enough there is more against
the latter than against the former.
One serious question, however, is
whether such troops as the Senegal
ese could ever really become acclim
ated to the clammy rigors of a French
winter.
MAJOR MOTON WRITES
INSTRUCTIVE ARTICLE
FOR ENGLISH PAPER
London Times Editorializes On Contri
bution From Pen of Principal of
Tuskegee Commenting Upon the Re
markable Spirit of Restraint Shown
In Face of Recent Happenings in the
United StateH.
TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, Ala.,
Aug. 17.—In the American number of
the London Times, published July 4th,
was an article written by Dr. Robert
R. Moton, principal of Tuskegee Insti
tute. In this article Dr. Moton pointed
out the progress which the Negro had
made and what he contributed toward
the development of America. Con
cerning the article, the editor of the
Times commented as follows;
“Nothing in all the number, however
more deserves to be read with atten
tion than Dr. Moton’s essay on “The
Negro of Today. Dr. Moton, himself
a fullblooded Negro, as Mr. Booker T.
Washington’s successor as principal of
the Tuskegee Institute. He is recog
nized as the leader of Negro thought
in the United States and as the first
champion of Negro progress, his in
fluence being constantly exerted a
gainst all those who are preaching
race hatred and revolt. It has to be
remembered that there have recently
occurred in the United States many
things calculated to excite the anger of
the Negro; conspicuously the terrible
murders and outrages in the State of
Georgia and the Oklahoma race riots.
That Dr. Moton can at such a moment
write with the moderation, gentleness
and charity which he shows, is a great
achievement and no small testimpny to
the character of the man. The story
whic he tells is a remarkable one; but
still more remarkable is the spirit in
which he tells it, so that his argument
stands out luminously persuasive
against the daik background of pre
sent passions. We are confident that
in writing this article Dr. Moton will
be found to have done a real service
to the Negro cause.”
GRANTED BOXER’S LICENSE
LINCOLN, Nebr., Aug. 18.—Lee
Anderson, Sam Langford and Ed
“Bearcat” Wright have been granted
boxer’s licenses by the department of
public welfare.
MOB VICTIMS FILE
BIG DAMAGE SMITS
Claims Totalling. Approximately $4,000,000, Representing Losses
of 1,500 Residents During June Riot Have Been Lodged
Against the City. Bankers Advise That Claims Are Collect
able. Strong Legal Talent Has Been Employed to Vigorously
Push Fight.
CITIZENS REFISE TO SURRENDER PROPERTY
Funds Are Being Collected to Help Rebuild Homes and Business
Houses in Devastated District. Owners Unwilling to Remove
to New Black District Designated by Zoning Committee Out
side the Corporate Limits. Site Unsanitary and Undesirable.
TULSA, Okia., August 11.—Suits
involving damage claim approximating
$4,000,000 are soon to be filed against
the city by 1,500 residents who lost
property during the race riot June 1,
according to a statement made by Rev.
C. Dearman, 1810 Cherokee street,
Baptist preacher and medical research
scientist.
Colored and white lawyers, both in
Tulsa and in cities as far distant as
Chicago have been employed by the
victims, according to Dearman, who
stated that societies all over the Unit
ed States are raising money to fight
the iases and have promised to bear 1
the entire burden of the legal proceed
ings.
“We have been advised by the presi
dents of two Tulsa banks that our j
claims are just and that we can re
cover from the city,’’ Dearman said.
“The 12,000,000 Negroes in the United
States are back of us and we have hir
ed the best attorneys that we could
findf'' The claims of about 1,500 per
sons who lost homes and personal
property during the race riot have
been filed with lawyers and they have
the suits ready to file now. We figure j
that he total loss to us is about $4,- i
000,000.
“We are not going to sell our pro
perty for an industrial section or for t
any other purpose until settlement is (
made with us for our loses. The
colored citizens are all dissatisfied :
with the way things are going. C. F. j
Gabe, colored sanitary inspector, and ;
others, specially favored by the city
have ben allowed to put up buildings
in the burned district. It looks like
partiality to us and what we want is {
for everybody to be treated alike. We ;
don’t think the time is ripe now for
the union station. We want a settle
ment before we are willing to talk
about selling our property.
This statement made by Dear
man before the Recoustrtuction Com
mittee took drastic action Friday af
ternoon ordering the fire marshal and
building inspector to prevent the fur
ther building of temporary houses in
the restricted fire area except under
tne supervision of the Red Cross.
Maurice Willows, Red Cross secretary,
stated that only tents with floors in
them would be constructed under his
supervision. Scores of frame buildings
have been erected in the devastated
area in the last few weeks despite the
fire zone regulations
Aeording to Damian there were be
tween 17,000 and 20,000 Negros in Tul
sa before the riot. He said that 6,000
had left Tulsa and that there still are
about 8,000 living in servants quarters
in the south side and about 3,500 liv
ing in the old colored district.
City Turns Down Claims
A proposal has been made by the
colored residents for presentation to
the Reconstruction Commitee that
the business men of Tulsa form a cor
poration with $4,000,000 subscribed as
capital stock and pay off the claims.
Their plan is for this corporation to
then file a friendly suit against the
city to recover the money paid out for
th damag claims.e
Mrs. Frank Seaman, city auditor,
said that property claims totalling
more than $4,000,000 already have
been filed. These claims have been
formally disallowd by the city com
mission, acting on instructions from
City Attorney Duncan.
ANTI-LYNCHING BILL
DIES IN MISSOURI
ST. LOUIS. Mo., Aug. 18.—The ex
tra session of the Fifty-first General
Assembly of the Missouri legislature
closed early Sunday morning, July 31
after a heated debate during the clos
‘ng hours.
The Anti-Lynching. Bill
The House Bill which was introduc
ed by Walthall M. Moore, colored
member, was left on the informal cal
endar of the house, after the bill had
been amended so as to make it non
effective by the enemies of the bill.
In the mean while a similar bill was
introduced in the senate by Senator
Anderson of St. Louis. The Senate
being a smaller body, it was thought
that the bill would surely pass that
body in time for it to go back to the
House as a “Senate Bill” and as such,
would have little or no trouble the sec
ond tipie.
In keeping with his promise, Sen
ator Blodgett of St. Louis had a pub
lic hearing on the bill before the Sen
ate Committee on Criminal Jurispru
dence of which he was chairman.
This Committee made a favorable re
port on the bill, but Mi-. Anderson who
introduced the bill never called the
bill for consideration. Thus the anti
lynching bill “died” in the Senate for
lack of someone to call it un for con
sideration.
Mr. Moore Worked Hard
Hon. Walthall M. Moore who was
the author of the anti-lynching bill
worked hard for its passage. He de
fended the bill before the House with
great eloquence and ability. But there
seemed to have been an organize^
movement to defeat the bill.
BUILDS AEROPLANE;
NOT PERMITTED TO
MAKE TRIAL FLIGHT
NEW ORLEANS, La., Aug. 17.—
After spending months in the assembl
ing of every part of an aeroplane with
his own hands George Fisher, mechan
ic, war prevented from making a trial
flight, because he had no license.
Tuesday evening he laid the entire
matter before Mayor McShane, after
some officious policeman had stopped
him from making an exhibition flight
Monday at the Fair Grounds. It was
to have been his initial flight in the
I plane. Everything was ready. The
motor was whirring and crowds look
ed on. Just aa he was set to go, the
arm of the law interferred.
WELL KNOWN 0MAHAN
DIES IN CALIFORNIA
Mr. Albert Chisley who for many
years was the well-known and popular
proprietor of a barber shop at Twen
ty-fourth and Hamilton streets this
city, died Monday, August 8th at the
residence of his brother in Los Ange
les, Cal. The funeral was held Friday
August 12, from Wesley M. E. Church,
Dr. A. P. Shaw, the pastor officiating.
During his brief residence in Los An
geles whither he had gone for his
health he had made many friends. In
his illness he was lovingly cared for by
his brother’s famly, who were assisted
by his brethren of the Oddfellows and
sisters of the Household of Ruth.
HOTEL EMPLOYEES DEFY
THREATS OF DIXIE BAND
TEXARKANA, Tex., Aug. 17.—The
proprietors of three of the leading ho
tels here Thursday received warnings
signed “Ku Klux Klan,” reading as
follows:
“Get rid of all Negro helpers. This
means business.”
Employes af two of the hotels im
mediately quit, but the force of the
third hotel hurled defiance at the Klan
and told thm to do their worst, and
continued to work. Thus far, nothing
more has been done.
WILLIAM PICKENS
Field Secretary N. A. A. C. P.
Who Spoke at Grove M. E.
Church, Wednesday
Night