The Monitor A National Weakly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored A marl nana __ Pnblla'ied Every Thursday at Omaha, Nebraska, by The Monitor Pub lishing Company. __ Entered as Second-Class Mall Matter July 2. 1915. at th« **ostofflce at Omaha, Neb., under the Act of March I. 1979._ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Edltc. George H, W. Bullock, Business Manager and Associate Editor. W. W. MOSELY, Associate Editor, Lincoln, Neb. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, $2.00 A YEAR: $1.25 6 MONTHS: 75c 3 MONTHS Advertising Rates Furnished Upon Application. ] Address, The Monitor, Kaffir Block, Omaha, Meb. * Telephone Douglas 3224. y FIRST IN SERVICE I -Poet's Jngic i)oofc I 1 - i “EVEN I NTO ME" i r 5 His clothing was tattered and soiled and torn, X, V Kis attitude wistful, and wholly forlorn, X B And I caught the “break” in his voice as he 'aid: “I’m hungry, kind lady—pleas'- gw - c some b; ad.” g I gave him some food—the best that I had, g | 5 With a cup of hot coffee—I felt truly glad m ' jj That I had it to give. Be he beggar or thief, ft The gain was all mine in thus giving relief ft! g To one of God’s children. In whatever guise K i 8 He sends them, be ready to cheer—sympathize— X C For hath Fe not said: Unto Me ye have done The same that ye have unto this lowly one?” % “THE GREAT ADVENTURE” £ I am standing in the shadow! and the clouds are hanging low-- X 8 I can feel the chill of twilight creeping on: X Yet when I lift my weary eyes, '* To scan the brooding, grieving skies, £ I know that after darkness comes the dawn. ft 8 I am standing in the shadow! Though life’s sun is sinking fast, I will not take one backward glance the while. With Faith and Hope to guide and strengthen, ft I can watch the shadow lengthen, ft y And I’ll meet “The great adventure” with a smile. ft >• —MRS. J. HAMMOND. X GREAT MISFORTUNE 'T'HE Cooperative Store, a $10<>,000 corporation, owned and operated by the colored people of this city, closed its doors a few months ago, probably never to open them again for business. It is sincerely regretted by us all that this once promising enter prise could not continue. Ihe Moni tor shares equally, with all colored Omahans, in the regrets resulting from this failure. It had been our fondest hope that it would live, and we never lost the opportunity either through our columns or by mouth to say a good word on its behalf. Its closing came as a surprise, knowing as we do its wisely conceived plan of organisation. Their plan was to dis tribute their $100,000 of capital stock among at least 600 families, thereby virtually obligating this number to trade with them by reason of their in vestment. They calculated that in 600 families there would be about 1800 persons who would have to be supplied in food, clothing, etc., etc., which would amount to, at the most conservative estimate $1.00 per day. This would total $1800 per day upon which the company could certainly de pend from its own members. This was reasonable and wise. Citizens rallied to it with great enthusiasm and sub scribed freely of their money. Des pite, however, this enormous support and its splendid articles of incorpor ation it has completely failed and, this failure will not be felt alone by the smaller number immediately connect ed with it, but the entire Colored Citi zenry of Omaha. It will be a long time before we can hope to regain the position and prestige furnished us by this organization. Now that it ha§i failed, people have inquired how, and why. We are not in position to give all facts as to this, but it is quite ap parent that its failure resulted from one or more of three things, namely, dishonesty, mismanagement or lack of cooperation. We are thoroughly convinced, how ever, that mismanagement as a result of incompetence and inexperience ii large business affairs did more than anvthing else in bringing about this misfortune. Lack of proper and whole hearted cooperation from within and without the concern no doubt, contrib uted its share, 1 he Monitor believes that bad management due to inexper ience, and the lack of the proper exer cise of prudence on the part of the of ficials were the biggest contributing factors in the failure. We believe the Board of Directors were honest in se lecting from among them, those whom they intrusted with the business de tails of the store, and experienced their own sad disappointment in find ing that the best they had were not large enough to fill the position. Much money was wasted in this costly ex periment, and it is too late now to re count the mistakes. This project is closed and it is for us to profit by their mistakes in our future ventures. This will have its serious and effect ive reaction. We must be prepared to meet it with a more united front and wise conduct. We must still keep try ing in the commercial field, undis mayed by failures, just as white peo ple do. They do not give up because of one or more failures. Neither should we. We have still another big chance right here in Omaha to prove ourselves to be of the right bus iness. We have the Kaffir Chemical Laboratories—, a $500,000 Drug and Phamaceutical Corporation, which as striking contrast to the Cooperative Store has stemmed the tide of this fi nancial crisis and is at present able to stand on its feet, still intact. This has been made possible through wise management and conservative spend ing. Thev have suffered severely, it is true, from the lack of proper finan cinl support, but have skillfully and wisely avoided committing any great number of indiscretions. With our united support, this could easily be come one of the biggest money mak ing concerns in the country. It has assets amounting to nearly $750,000 on hand, in the form of raw material, manufactured products and equipment including a great plant. It onh needs sufficient capital with which to put its goods on the market. We ought to get behind this enterprise and set to it that success can be had by us in the business world. We can demon strate the fact that all big colored businesses are not doomed to fail. Let’s sav, “It shall not fail, and it will not fail.” BOOK CHAT By Mary White Ovington (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association for The Advancement of Colored People) ‘The Upward Path," Compiled By Marion T. Pritchard and Mary White Ovington. Introduction by Robert R. Moton. Published by Harcourt, Brace & Howe, New York City. Price $1.35. Postage Eight Cents. w E ARE beginning to look about and decide what we shall get for the children at Christmas. If they like books I believe there is nothing they will enjoy more than “The Up ward Path.’’ The compilers of this book brought together stories and biographies, bits of travel and short essays, peoms and folk lore tales and last of all charm ing illustrations, all by colored people. Here in this single volume is a record of Negro literary achievement. And while the book is for children^ every one who likes to read will be enter tained by it. “I have received ‘The Upward Path,’ ” a friend said to me the other day, “and have finished the first story over which I confess I cried. This opening piece being Paul Laumece Dubar’s “Boy and the Ravonet,’’ is the gem among the short stories, but it has many good seconds. There is a football tale by Walter F. White, entitled, “Victory,” two school-day stories by Lillian B. Witten, and one of the most charming little fairy tales of today, Angelina Grimke’s “Land of Laughter” from her play “Rachel.” We ail like to read of the brave deeds of other men, and the colored child must feel a peculiar thrill when he or she learns of the great colored soldiers and explorers. As Matthew Henson journeys with Peary' to the North Pole, we learn that they took n measurement of distance over which they came. “With my proven ability' in guaging distances, Commander Peary was ready' to take the reckon ing as I made it and he did not resort to solar observations until we were within a hand’s grasp of the Pole.’ And what a wonderful thing to have the black man and the white man to gether at the spot where the Araeri can flag was set marking the loca tion of the North Pole! One of the great African explor ers of our time is the Rev. William Henry Sheppard. Mr. Sheppard we-t to Africa as a missionary from the Presbyterian Church and was instru mental in exposing the Congo atroc ities. For this he gained the dis pleasure of the Belgian government and came near losing his life. His story of his journeys in the Congo was printed bv the Presbyterian Mis sionary Society and might have been lost to the masses of colored readers ; had it not been for the “Upward Path” where his wonderful description of the Kingdom of Lukenga is now given prominence. One learns that*in this forbidden land of Lukegna, guarded against outside influence, there was a kindly, intelligent gov ernment that encouraged handicraft, cleanliness and moral living. Mr. Sheppard’s story also of animal life 1 in Africa is in the "Upward Path’ and gives us a good idea of what the traveler mav expect who goes into equatorial Africa. ' Among the biographies is a sketch cf Beniamin Bannecker and another of Paul Cuffee; the first admired bv President Jefferson, the second a friend of President Madison. “There were giants in those days,” and it is good to read of these early day fig ures in American Negro history. The book abounds in good poetry suitable for recitation at public gath I erings. There is a little poem by Cordelia Ray of the Month, which would make a pretty recitation for twelve children, each costumed to rep resent a month and each reciting a verse. The book has one delightful bit of farce, “Travels with a Georgia Mule” by James Weldon Johnson, whose ser ious work in his two great poems, “Fifty Years,” and "Black and Un known Bards,” are t-Jao in the book. But you must handle “The Upward Path” to appreciate it, and to see the charming illustrations by Laura Wheeler that makes this collection a lovely gift book for any child. Again, do not forget it for Christmas. ALLEN CHAPEL A. M. E. CHl'RCfl 5233 South Twentyfifth Street 0. J. Burckhardt, pastor You will be made welcome at all our services. Sunday school 9:30 preaching 11 a. m.; Mr. Rayford’s class meeting 12:30; Allen League 7 p. m. Sermon on “Dancing” by the pastor at 7:30, who wants all the young and old people in the city who dance to come early so they can get a seat to hear they have a right to dance. Last Sunday was a great day. The Rev. W. S. Metcalfe preached * wonderful sermon for us. CAMP EIRE GIRLS MEET The Ocowasin Camp Fire group, I which consists of twenty girls from j the high school and university, held j a reunion meeting Thursday, December ! 1, at the home of their guardian, Mrs. I L. N. Peoples, at the Maywood Apart ments. The girls planned a Christmas party to be given December 21, at Hil crest, the home of the Misses Ruth and Florence Jones. Did It Seem That Long? Santa Crus News—“She was sixty nine years of age and she had been married for more than n century."— Boat on Transcript. Oitizen or Sroeria. (Prepared by the National Geographic Society, Washington, D. C.) A sled drawn over the deep snow by terrified horses, a driver wildly heat ing them, and a puck of ferocious wolves breaking in pursuit from a dark pine forest—this Is a picture that has given many a person a faulty idea of the Siberia of today. An American woman who had laughed at an Englishman when lie complained that during his ten days In New York city he had not seen a single Indian asked upon her arrival In Vladivostok if there was nny dan ger from wolves In the city. As a matter of fact, one may spend h con siderable time In Siberia and cover large areas without seeing a wolf, or a pine tree, arid what little snow he will see will probably not he more than a few Inches deep, though there are sections where It Is quite deep. And one may meet thousands of people without seeing either exile or criminal. One is not likely to he disillusioned about the climate. The American sol dier said. “Siberia has two seasons —July and winter." This Is nearly true, for there Is practically no spring; the foliage does not appear until June* July Is as warm as the winter Is cold. The brief fall Is beautiful Indeed, and there is something very thrilling about the Intense cold of the winter, when the temperature goes to 60 and 70 de grees below zero In some sections. Everybody dresses nnd prepares for tlie cold, and on the whole It Is pos sible to he more comfortable In the steady winter of Siberia than In the changeable American winter. Beautiful Wild Flowers. Siberia's wild flowers—a feature which does not fit Into the picture of a frozen wuste— are worthy a volume In themselves. There Is a wild rose Uiat blooms hugely on big, sturdy bushes. Then there is the mauve and gold of the “Mary and John,” that Is loved most by the Siberians. This lovely flower is named after the Vir gin Mary and the loved disciple. Siberia is, above all, an oriental country. Out there the traveler sees every phantasmagoria associated with the East. Oriental sunsets, equal to any and Inferior 10 uone, thrill the senses with splendors of color rang ing from volcanoes of rubles to the myriad mysteries of the kaleidoscope. Then one sees all the peoples of the Orient—Chinese, Japanese, Tartars, Manchus. Koreans—men und women of every color and condition. For the most part the Russians have Russianized the country. Even so, one could easily believe tlie Tower of Babel incident to have occurred In Si beria, for one hears so many lan guages and sees so many different na tional customs. Chinese “sampans” and Japanese “dambes" ride the road stead of Vladivostok along with Rus sian craft and American motorboats, and on the highways and caravan routes camels and oxen are passed by modern automobiles, mostly of Ameri can'make. Nativa Life Fascinating. One gets wonderfully attached to Siberian life. There Is something charming and fascinating about It. The natives, in spite of the scourges of typhus and cholera, In spite of the hunger and cold which they have ex perienced so frequently during the last afx years, are devoted to their home land ; yet apparently they are Indiffer ent to the rich opportunities of their country. Siberia Is a land of rich agricultural potentialities. In spite of the short ness of the summer season, and even American table* have been served with Siberian cheese and butter. But the most alluring opportunities of the Mon try are presented In Us mineral wealth- gold and silver and precious stones. There Is so much in Silierla that re minds an American of our "Wild West" of earlier days, whether It lie lawlessness, freedom, opportunity, a place to live life over again, great dis- j lances, vastness and gloriousness of scenery, or barrenness such as Is seen on the Gobi desert, where the camels graze. And there are many features that may he described In typical American superlatives. Vladivostok has the fin est harbor In the world; the rail road connecting Vladivostok with Pe frograd Is the longest In the world— thus the Siberians rave, and not alto gether madly. Hut they cannot rave about their roads. The Russian word, "doroga," meaning “rood." literally means “had road," and It would he redundancy to speak of a had *‘do roga." If merely means a place where you may get through. Cities Handsome but Dirty. The cities of the Russian "Wild East" are not very populous, but each one boasts of sufficient beautiful churches, government and private edi fices to give It a noble aspect. First is Vladivostok, a combination of Gotham and Chicago. At the other end of the country Is Omsk, the capital. In he- j tween and top and bottom ure Tomsk, Ekaterinburg, Chellablnsk, Chita, I Xubarosk, Irkutsk, Durbin and Nik- , olsk. One of the most objectionable leal tires about these lieuutiful cities : Is their filth and the attendant odorB. Tomsk has an unusually beautiful cathedral und a great university that lias produced more than one famous name, Metchnlkoff, the great bacteri ologist, being one of them. Vladivostok, the largest und most In teresting city of eastern Siberia, owes much to Russia's loss of Port Arthur, for that misfortune increased the tsar's interest in ttie more northerly seaport until he hud mHde It worthy of Its name, "Ruler of the East." The , one disadvantage of Vladivostok Is that Its harbor is frozen during sev eral months of the year. In spite of this drawback, Vladivostok probably possesses the second finest harbor in the world, and it Is elulmed that from a mllltury standpoint the city was sec ond only to the Dardanelles. The city spreads out at the foot of many hills and rises Into u beautiful and sudden spectacle us one's steamer makes a turn in the approach from the sea. A cathedral with many gold en domes occupies a place of vantage, i and everywhere rise huge stone and brick barracks, nlostly white, with an occasional pile in red brick for con trast. All around the city are barracks, barracks everywhere. It Is said that there are sufficient barracks in and around Valadlvostok to house an army of half a million men. These barracks are "substantially built and provide protection against the heat of July as well as the cold of winter. The outstanding characteristics of the Siberian Russian are his phys ical strength and stamina and his gentleness of nature. Most peo ple will lie surprised at the second part of that statement, on ac count of what has been published about the Bolshevist cruelties. It Is true that the peasant went from the extreme of an absolute monarchy to the most fantastic socialism the world has known. Nevertheless he is gentle and forgiving by nature. Of course. Silierla did nut taste the full bitterness of Red Bolshevism. The extreme elements were present, bu' they never had full swing. Red Bol shevism In Silierlu never was i*-»rc than “pink,” and that pink Is b»*f Cl, lug paler every day. - Victrolas or Graphonolas | The Latest in Ali Kinds of Music | i! The Q Street Pharmacy f 86th & Q St*. Market 0260 | J J Prices and Terms Always to Suit $1.00 Down and $1.00 per week | | AT THE NEW IDiamonDi «$* _24th & LAKE STREETS_ t f — ♦> SATURDAY A X WILLIAM FAIRBANKS % V in V “The Western Adventurer” V T ❖ V SUNDAY ♦♦♦ * HERBERT RAWLINSON % in ‘ A A “THE MILLIONAIRE” V A also y ♦ Thomas Schanchie V y in * V A Western Feature ♦% also v A ♦♦♦ Good Cornedv » A ' y X WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY *♦* A SI,000.000 Dollar Production V f “THE FALL OF BABYLON” * V A ‘X^x^x-x- x-W' ♦!•♦>•>*> x* •x**x~!**>*r*‘X» •>•>*:* -x* •>•:• *>‘X* •> *.xv «>*x- •: A *J« | Reid—Duffy Pharmacy j | I I 24th and Lake Sts. • V | Free Delivery Webster;0659 * y I •X*<“XM'!~X**X~X“X*