)"/ • . V
HTHE MONITOR
\0 A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
%4/ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy ^ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1923 Whole Number 409 VOL. VIII—No. 44
THE DUBOIS PLAYERS
GIVE “THE PRICE”
TO BIG AUDIEHCE
Local Dramatic Club Scores Great
Thespian Triumph in Latest
Production of Famous
Play
THE CAST WELL BALANCED
Leading Roles Ably Impersonated
\nd Minor Ones Not Overlooked.
Artistic and Financial
Success
The Dubois Players scored a great
Thespian triumph in its splendid pre
sentation last Thursday night at the
Brandeis theatre of the famous drama
"The Price,” or to call it by its real
name, "The Ironmaster,” by Prich
ard, a play that was included in the
repoitoire of the late Sarah Bem
k hardt. It was therefore an ambitious
f undertaking for amateurs to attempt
such a heavy production. That it
was well staged, intelligently inter
preted and artistically presented is
generally conceded. The production
was most creditable from every point
of view, and showed the result of pa
| tient, diligent, protracted and pains
' taking work. Individually and col
lectively it was a well-finished piece
of acting. Stage settings and ef
fects, and the costuming were all in
harmony with the demands of the
drama. No detail was overlooked.
The characters were well chosen, the
role assumed being particularly ad
apted t<> the one impersonating it.
The cast was so well balanced anil
• each one did so well that it is difficult
to single out for special commenda
tion any individual character, save
that some had more difficult roles
( than others. For u finished produc
tion, however, a minor part must be
as well presented as a major one, and
this was done by the Dubois Players.
There was a little crudeness here and
there, but no outstanding blemishes.
The two most exacting roles were
those of Phillippe Derblay, the Iron
M. ter. and Claire re Beaulieu, the
proud daughter of Marqueise de Beau
proud daughter of Marqueis de Beau
lieu, who married him through pique,
but subsequently learned to love him.
These were highly emotional roles
which could easily be overdone. An
drew T. Reed’s impersonation of Der
k blay was admirable; and Ada Hill
Smith as the haughty Claire, played
the part exceptionally well. Mrs.
Fannie Watts-Russell as the dignified
Marquise de lleaulieau looked and
acted the role to perfection. C. F.u
gerie Reed’s impersonation of Mon
V sieur Bachelin, the lawyer and trust
er] friend of the Beaulieux and Der
bla\ was excellent. Mrs. Eddie Lou
Robinson admirably interpreted with
becoming poise the character of So
phie, niece of the marquiese and wife
of Baron de P efont, scientist, which
wa,. well Liken by Dr. John Andrew
Singleton. The role of Monsieur Mou
linet, newly rich, anl of Athenais. his
socially ambitious daughter, were
made to order for John A. Smith and
Mrs. Ray Middleton Jones, so well
were they presented, altho the im
personation of Athenais was a little
Mm blaze. As Susanne, the sixteen
year old sister of Derblay, Ruth Kil
ling-worth looked and acted the part,
and O. C. Winn, as Octave de Beau
lieu, Susanne’s youthful lover, was a
decided success, with the one fault
that he spoke too rapidly. John Otis
Wood made a good Gaston, Due de
Blingy, an adventurer, but he was
too blustering in the first scene, a
fault which he overcame in his sub
sequent acts. James C. Jewell made
a good footman. Brigite and Captain
de Pontac, were minor parts Avell tak
en by Cecelia Wilson-Jewell and Ed
ward Turner.
At the close of the third act Mrs.
Jewell, under whose management the
play was given, graciously thanked
the audience for their patronage and
all others for appreciated co-opera
tion and gave information concern
ing the Old Folks’ Home and the
aims and ideals of the Dubois Play
ers.
An appreciative audience of more
than 800 witnessed the play. The
players were coached by Andrew T.
Reed. The management and mem
bers of the Dubois Dramatic Club are
to l>e congratulated upon their excel
lent work and artistic production and
the people of Omaha should feel
highly gratified at this manifestation
of histrionic ability upon the part of
our group in the city.
The play was a financial as well as
an artistic success. The total re
ceipts'were $1,100.50; total expenses
$420.80, making the net receipt*
$680.20.
CHAMPIONSHIP
TRACK MEET AT'
HAMPTON, MAY 19
Gourdin, World Record Holder For
Running Broad Jump and Other
Athletes Coming
By Gideon E. Smith
Acting Physical Director, Hampton
Hampton, Va., May 11.—Edward
0. Gourdin, world’s record holder of
the running broad jump—26 feet and
3 inches—will take part in the sec
ond annual championship track and
field meet, which will lie held on the
Armstrong Field, Hampton Institute,
on Saturday May 19, beginning at
one o’clock in the afternoon. Ar
rangements are being made to bring
other prominent athletic stars to
Hampton on May 29.
Last year the following schools
took part: Howard University; Vir
ginia Union University; Virginia Nor
mal and Industrial Institute; St. Paul
Normal and Industrial School; Bor
dentown Manual Training School of
New Jersey; Princess Anne Academy
of Maryland; Dunbar High School,
Junior Higli School, and Armstrong
High School, all of Washington, D.
C.jHuntington High School, of New
port News, Va.; Booker T. Washing
ton High School pf Norfolk, Va.; and
Norcum High School, of Portsmouth,
Va. All of these institutions are ex
pected to be represented this year.
The following schools have stated
their wilingness to enter teams for
this second meet: Lincoln University
of Pennsylvania; Livingstone College
of Salisbury, N. C.; Wilberforce Uni
versity of Wilberforce, O.; Knoxville
College of Knoxville, Tenn.; St. Aug
ustine School of Raleigh, N. C.; and
Harrison High School of Roanoake,
Va.
ELAINE FARMERS'
TRIAL POST PON EH
BY PROSECUTION
Arkansas Men, Twice Convicted and
Sentenced to Heath, May
Yet Win Their
Freedom.
Marianna, Ark., May 11.—Trial of
six of the farmers who were twice con
victed and sentenced to death for their
part in the Elaine idols in October,
1919, was continued in Circuit Court
here last Saturday until the October
term on request of the prosecuting at
torney who announced that witnesses
on whose testimony the defendants
were formerly convicted, had sub
sequently repudiated their statements,
and that unless the state could find
other witnesses to present evidence of
a damaging character he would rec
ommend the dismissal of the cases in
October.
Defense attorneys announced that
early next week they would institute
habeas corpus proceedings in behalf
of their clients before the State Su
preme Court.
Six other defendants are confined
in Little Rock awaiting trial in the
United States Court, following a prior
verdict of guilty and sentence to death,
which was later reversed and remand
ed by the United States Supreme
Court.
Five white persons and an undeter
mined number of colored people were
killed in the Elaine riots in Phillips
county. The case of the six who were
to go on trial here was transferred
to this (Lee) county on change of
venue.
SPIIAUUE TIKE COMPANY
INCREASES SALES FORCE
Two additions to the sales organiza
tion of the Sprague Tire & Rubber
Company were made this week, ac
cording to an announcement given out
by E. II. Sprague. W. Karl Thurber, a
tire man of many years experience,
Joins the organization as service sta
tion merchandising manager and J. E.
Wenzel becomes Denver distributor.
Thurber will have complete charge
of the merchandising of Sprague free
tires stations in the United States and
will maintain his headquarters at the
factory in Omaha. He recently came
to Omaha from Chicago where he has
been connected with one of thqjiargest
tire companies in the business.
Wenzel hag an organization already
perfected in Denver and several care
of Sprague tires have already been
distributed.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank our many friends
for their kindness shown us during
the illness and death of our father,
Mr. Kvans Corneal; also for the
beautiful floral offerings.
Mrs. O. L. Howard,
Mrs. Richard Young,
Ben F. Corneal.
Lincoln, Nebr., May 8.
DR. SCOTT PICTURES
SOUTHERN CONDITIONS
Replies in Detail to Heated Commun
ication of Official of North Carolina
Pine Assobiation. Makes Plea for
Release of Colored People From an
Economic Slavery.
Washington, D. C., May 12.—As a of the North Carolina Pine .Associa
result of the telegram sent by Dr. tion, Inc., of Norfolk, Va., objecting
Emmett J. Scott, Secretary-Treasurer to Dr. Scott’s statement that the col
of Howard University, to Honorable ored people of the South are in po
Elbert H. Gary, Chairman of the sition to supply any labor shortage in
Board of Directors of the United ! the large industrial plants of the
States Steel Corporation, a heated United States.
communication wa ssent him by Mr. ' To Mr. Gibbs’ lette1- Dr. Scott has
Johp M. Gibbs, Secretary-Treasurer i sent the fololwing reply:
EMMETT J. SCOTT
Secretary-Treasurer of Howard Univ errsity, whose telegram to Gary,
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United States Steel Trust Cor
poration opposing repeal of immigra tion laws and advocating employment
of Negro labor, has created nation-w ide comment.
Letter
Washington, D. C., April 24.
Mr. John M. Gibbs,
Secretary-Treasurer,
The North Carolina Pine Association,
1203 Natl. Bank of Commerce Bidg.,
Norfolk, Va.,
iDear Sir:
I write to acknowledge receipt of
vour letter of April 19th. I fear from
the tenor of your communication that
you must not have read my complete
telegram but only a portion thereof.
I therefore send you herewith a copy
,of said telegram that you may more
fully inform yourself of just what
I said to Judge Gary.
Refutes Suggestion That He is Not
Familiar With Southern Con
ditions
Evidently you rest under the mis
apprehension that I am, as you state,
“unfamiliar with Southern condi
tions.” You probably are not in
formed of the fact that I am a South
erner who has spent most of his life
in the South, having been born in
Texas, where for a number of years
I conducted a newspaper, and of my
having served for 22 years in the
heart of the Black Belt of the South
as Secretary to the late Booker T.
Washington of the Tuskegee Normal
and Industrial Institute. I also serv
ed for twenty-one years as secretary
of the National Negro Business
league. I am therefore venturing to
suggest that I have a fairly accurate
knowledge of Southern conditions.
The Carnegie Endowment for In
ternational Peace commisioned me to
make a study of the whole program
of Negro migration during the war.
The conclusions of the study are set
forth in a publication widely distrib
uted by that organization. I would
venture to call the conclusions of that
study to your attention.
Describes Southern Situation
I approached the study of Negro
migration in no spirit of hostility. I
did approach it, however, with the
very definite feeling that the South
owes to the colored people a squarei
deal than it has been giving them.
The horrible stories of peonage, the
lynching crime, the lack of educa
tional opportunities, the residential
and labor segregation laws, the Jim
Crow car system, the destruction of
political ^privileges and the curtail
ment of civil rights, are all matters
which stimulate the migration of col
ored people from the South.
I now come to that part of your
letter in which you attempt to show
that there is a shortage of labor in
the South. I am assuming that you
are referring to Negro' labor. If
there is such a shortage in the South,
the reasons therefore must be appar
ent to you. Even when a 50 per cent
increase in wages has just been made
for Negro labor, I wonder if one cir
cumstanced like yourself, is not ac
quainted with the fact that even when
From Nebraska to Arkansas and Back
. Experiences and Observations of the Editor on Trip to Southland
Where He Saw Many Things of Interest
SOME PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
There was some disappointment
expressed that this series was inter
rupted last week. It is gratifying to
learn that readers find such pleasure
in the perusal of these informal and
sketchy articles. My fear was that
they might become wearisome; but
it seems not, judging from the many
favorable comments received. I have
enough notes to continue the series
to an almost indefinite length, but I
assure you I have no intention of per
mitting them to run on like Tenny
son’s brook. Do you recall the lines
to which 1 refer? They are these:
"Men may come and men may go.
But I go on forever.”
This literary brook will dry up, per
haps, when summer heat comes on.
Little Rock has many interesting
public institutions devoted to the in
terests of our group. There are
churches of all denominations, from
‘Holy Rollers” to "High Fliers;”
qchools, public and denominational;
hospitals, private, semi-public and
fraternal; a Y. W. C. A., and doubt
less others of which I did not leam.
Many of the church buildings are
attractive, well-kept edifices, filling
one with pride to see them as indices
of a vigorous religious life and sub
stantial prosperity. Some, however,
of these buildings, have a shabby,
run-down-at-the-heel appearance. This
is true of some of the larger build
ings which from their size would in
dicate that they have large congrega
tions who ought to have the ability to
keep up their property. An alert,
progressive congregation can always
be told by the appearance of their
church property. Whenever I see
•
tumble-down, rani-shackle, poorly
cared for church property, I size up
the members as ram-shackle, sloven
ly people, no matter how much re
ligious “fervor” or “rousements,"
they may manifest.
My space does not permit partic
ularization of the various churches
which I saw, but suffice it to say that
many of them were a great credit
and would indicate vigorous religious
life and becoming pride, progress and
self-respect.
The Gibbs High School is a sub
stantially built brick building; but its
inadequacy to take care of the chil
dren is indicated by many small
frame buildings scattered around the
grounds a* annexes. In the location
of this school I noted the disposition
so prevalent in the South of make
shifts, anything will do for the Ne
gro citizens. This, as I see it, is the
logical outcome of the prevalent dual
system, founded upon the belief that
the Negr is innately an inferior race
and the determination never to let
him improve this status. The school
building is located in a hollow, or
gully, instead of upon higher ground.
When a site was being chosen it could
have been chosen more advantageous
ly, topographically, and it would have
been if it had been a school for white
children. The approach to the school
is by no means attractive. There is
no comparison between the beauty
and attractiveness of the High School
for white children and this for col
ored children. I was advised that the
principal of Gibbs high, a Mr. Gilliam
whom I did not have the pleasure of
meeting, is an excellent man and a
successful educator, witlran efficient
corps of teachers. Good enough. But
the Negroes of Little Rock pay
enough in taxes to see to it that they
have letter school property than the
school board is giving them.
In striking contrast with the “bot
tom land" site of the Gibbs High
school is the “high-land” site of Phil
ander Smith College, the excellent
educational institution founded by
the Methodist Episcopal church in
1877. This college is well located, has
good buildings, attractive and well
appointed grounds. Dr. J. M. Co* is
the president. It has a faculty of
twenty and an enrollment of about
bOO students. The same can be said
of the site and buildings of Arkansas
Baptist College, of which Dr. Joseph
A. Booker is president. This school
has a faculty and student body of
about the same size as Philander
Smith. If these denominational schools
can be located on high, sanitary and
sightly ground, there is no reason
why the public schools should be
located on poorly drained low ground.
Here is a hint to the progressive citi
zens of Little Rock to get busy with
their board of education and get Gibbs
out of that hole.
The eager, happy faces of the stu
dents in these schools and colleges
show that the work of education is
going steadily on. Illiteracy Is being
rapidly reduced. Self-rerspect is be
ing cultivated. Initiative, independ
ence, self-reliance are emerging. In
telligence, honesty, industry, up
rightness bring their reward.
Three (or is it four?) hospitals are
ojmratpi by our group in Little Rock.
I^et me see. There is the Bush Memo
rial, that's one; the Fraternal, that’s
two, and the Royal Circle of Friends
(Continued on Page Four)
this increase has been made it bears
no adequate relation to the amount
offered in other sections of the coun
try.
I must not fail to emphasize the
fact that the Negro is no longer will
ing to accept the intolerable condi
tions to which I have referred and a
lowered wage at one and the same
time. It is a matter of common know
ledge that the vagrancy laws of the
South are used to intimidate Negro
laborers and to force them to Work
under intolerable conditions. It is
equally a matter of common know
ledge that as a result of his refusal
to work under the oppressed econom
ic conditions of the South he has ev
en suffered himself to be placed in
prison. If unwilingness to work un
der these dehumanizing and restrict
ive conditions is to be interpreted as
a shortage of labor, then, if there is
not a shortage of labor in the lum
ber plants and other industries of
the South, there should be such a
shortage.
Colored People Should Leave Those
Sections Where They are Oppressed
I very definitely feel that it is the
duty of colored people wherever op
portunity offers to leave those sec
tions where lynching and peonage are
practiced upon them with impunity.
I know quite definitely the difficul
ties the black men are likely to meet
in some of the Northern sections, but
these difficulties are inconsequential
when compared with the privileges
of a free and untrammelled citizen
ship.
I am sorry that you are disposed to
consider the ambition on the part of
colored people to seek their fullest
development and the enjoyment of
the fullest American citizenship as j
being unworthy. I should very much
dislike to feel that the South, the j
natural habitat of the Negro, as you j
say, is going to assume a permanent
feeling of hostility toward the Negro !
in these fundamental directions. If I
it does, migration northward will
continue.
Monitor—FOUR—Carter . .
Colored Men Support Statement That i
Situation Has Been Correctly
Interpreted
Dozens of letters and telegrams!
have reached me from all parts of
the South—from as far south as Lake
Charles, Louisiana, for instance, and
from points in Mississippi, Georgia,
Alabama, and Virginia, from colored
men advising that my telegram to
Judge Gary correctly interprets the
situation in their sections just as I
described them.
These communications very defi
nitely indicate that these colored
Americans seeking a higher wage
and release from the economic slav
ery which holds them in many parts
of the South to a one-crop system are
ready and willing to supply the labor
shortage in American industrial
plants where conditions are more to
their satisfaction, if plans are taken
on a large and important scale to
transfer them to the centers where
their services are needed.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) Emmett J. Scott.
Nation-wide discussion of Dr.
Scott’s telegram has ensued. North
ern and Southern newspapers, daily
and weekly, colored and white, are
giving wide publicity to the sugges
tions contained in his telegram to
Judge Gary.
ALABAMA 'LAKES
DRASTIC STAND
AGAINST MOBS
Montgomery, Ala., May 11.—(Asso
ciated Negro Press).—That sentiment
in the South is growing against lynch
ing, is manifested by the code which
has just been recommended of Ala
bama, which states among other
things, “any number of persons as
sembled for any unlawful purpose and
intending to injure any person by
violence and without authority of law
shall be regarded as a mob, and any
act of violence exercised by such mob
upon the body of any person shall,
when such act results in the death of
the injured person, constitute the
crime of lynching; and any person
who participates in or actively aides
or abets such lynching shall, on con
viction, suffer death or be imprisoned
in the penitentiary for life.”
J. J. Mayfield, Code Commissioner
of Alabama, informs the Associated
Negro Press that "The Constitution of
Alabama provides that if any sheriff
allows any prisoner to be taken from
his custody or the jail in consequence
of his fault or neglect, it shall be the
ground of impeachment and that he
shall be impeached before the Supreme
Court of the State without the right of
Jury trial.”
Mrs. Venus Parker is reported 111
at her home with pneumonia.
COLORED DOCTORS'
AHD HORSES WILL
DIRECT'HOSPITAL
Effort to Supply Government Hospit
al For Negro Ex-Service Men
With White Staff Meets
Defeat
PRESIDENT HARDING ACTS
Advises National Advancement Asso
’ ciation That Entire Personnel •
Will Belong to
Race
New York, May 11.—President
Harding has broken the silence on
the Tuskegee Hospital situation lo
inforf the National Association for
Advancement of Colored People, that
the institution on Tuskegee grounds
for the care of colored veterans of
the world war, is to be manned en
tirely by colored personnel, including
colored doctors and nurses. This de
cision ends the fear that prevailed
for some time that an attempt would
be made through the Veterans’ Bu
reau to man the colored hospital with
white doctors and nurses, leaving
only menial labor for colored people.
The letter of Mr. Christian, direct
ed to the Association, containing the
good news is as follows:
“THE WHITE HOUSE”
WASHINGTON
April 28, l'JZ3.
“My Dear Mr. Seligmann:
“Your communication of April 19
has been submitted to the President
and he directs me to make reply and
say that the task of selecting and
completing the colored staff for the
management and administration of
Tuskegee Hospital is well under way.
It is the plan of the Director of the
Veterans’ Bureau, with the approval
of the President, to man this institu
tion completely with a colored per
sinnel. It is not an easy; matter to
perfect such an organization under
the limitations of the Civil Service,
but the program is being worked out
in a most pleasing and gratifying
way. The Tuskegee experiment is
going to afford the trained repre
sentatives of the colored race to give
proof of their capacity and efficiency
in a highfy important public service.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Geo. B. Christian,
Secretary to the President.
The letter sent from Mr. Christian
follows two appeals sent to President
Harding by the N. A. A. C. P., both
pointing out that the effect of de
priving colored doctors and nurses of
the opportunity to treat colored war
vjeterans in a hospital designed for
them exclusively and built upon
ground given to the government by
Tuskegee Institute would be most un
fortunate. •
EX-SERVICE MEN INVITED
TO BOOSTER MEETING
Prominent Speakers Will Be Present
to Give Valuable Information
Concerning the
Bonus.
Theodore Roosevelt Post, American
Legion, will have a booster meeting
at South’s restaurant, 2420 North
Twenty-fourth street, Saturday, May
10th, at 8 p. m. All ex-service men
are requested to be present. Legion
men, prominently connected with the
state headquarters, will be present to
give valuable information concerning
the bonus and other matters of ex- .
treme importance to all ex-Bervice
men.
No ex-service man in Omaha can
afford to be absent from this meeting.
Our post needs to awaken to the needs
of our men and it can only do so by
every man coming out and taking an
active part. This means much to you
and me. Will you come out and see
what we are doing and help along the
cause? The colored people of Ne
braska are looking to Roosevelt poet
to give them the assurance of hope
and inspiration which is badly needed.
As you did your part in the war, will
you, ex-service men, do your part in
peace? We can help you, we want
to help you. Please come out, Satur
day, May 19th.
South’s is the place.
R. C. Long, Adj.
W. W. PBEBIJ08, Post Commander.
Miss Frances Smith entertained at
a delightful dancing party at Hane
com Park paviUion Tuesday night in
honor of her birthday anniversary.
The younger set report a moat en
joyable evening. j