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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1923)
\ \ The Monitor A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor 12.00 a Year. 5c a Copy V OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1923 Whole Number 420 Vol. IX—No. 4 ^ * ■ .— WHITE AMERICANS CARRY PREJUDICES • TO FOREIGN LANDS Attempt to Impose Their Silly Practices Upon Foreigners Who Indignantly Resent Them FRANCE ISSOES STATEMENT Will Follew Her Usual Custom and Protect Black Citizens Against Discrimination Urged By Tourists Paris, July 19.—Following incidents wherein American tourists in Paris have taken offense at the presence of Negroes in cafes or on sightseeing cars, Premier Poincare, under pre* esure from Negro members of the chamber of deputies, ,has agreed to request the American government, through the ambassador at Washing ton, to endeavor to explain to Ameri cans touring France that France’s Ne gro citizens enjoy the same rights as the whites in every respect and will be protected by law against discrimi naton. The government intends to issue an ; official statement to the French peo- j pie and to visiting foreigners on the subject, particularly with a view to preventing unpleasant incidents. As the number of Negroes in France i is insignificant and the French peo- j pie have no race prejudices it is! feared that in case of a dispute in | some public place between a French i Negro and an American the crowd .would side with the Negro. The French people will lie warned that they must not discriminate against the Negroes, however much the visiting American may protest. A cafe proprietor who recently forced the departure of a Negro cus- j tomer at the request of an American j customer will be punished by the po- j lice closing his establishment for eight J days. Diagne has called attention to the j fact that several black Frenchmen, j college-bred gentlemen, "who exposed j their lives for the defence of France,” , have recently been subjected to indig- I nities at the behest of American tour- : ists. | “While we do not approve of their treatment of their blajk compatriots in the United States, that is a matter with which we have no right to inter fere. We have no such custom here. A Frenchman is a Frenchman, and good taste would dictate that these Americans respect the customs of our country.” CHURCH LEADERS RISE TO TUSKEC.EE’S DEFENSE Threatened Interference with Institu tion Would be Lasting Disgrace Say Methodists South. Lake Junalaska, N. C., July 27. (Special)—The Social Service Com-, mission of the Methodist Episcopal ' Church South, in annual session here i last week, gave out a statement ex pressing apreciation of Tuskegee In stitute and declaring that any inter ference with the institution would be a “lasting disgrace to Southern civ ilization." The statement whch was given wide publicity by the Associated Press, was as follows: “Inasmuch as there has come to us through reliable newspaper reports and private sources of undoubted re liability information that the inter ests of the great institution for col ored people at Tuskegee, Ala., are seriously menaced by threats of or ganized interference, "Resolved, that this Commission put on record our appreciation of the in calculable value of that institution for the training of our colored fellow citizens, and declare our unalterable conviction that any invasion of its rights or interference with the orderly pursuit of its lawful and benevolent labors would be a calamity to the in stitution and a lasting disgrace to our Southern civilization. The acton of the Commission . of which Bishop James Cannon, Jr., is chairman, was called forth by the re cent parade of the Ku Klux Klan at Tuskegee and by other efforts to in timidate the Institute, because of its supposed attitude in teh controversy relative to the new government hos pital for colored veterans. The statement is considered very significant as representing the leader ship of one of the greatest Southern denominations, with a membership of 2,500,000. It indicates the prevailing attitude of tht best people of the .South toward Tuskegee and other Ne . gro institutions. ELECTROCUTED FOR CRIME ‘ Columbus, S. C., July 27.—George Allen, slayer of Cecil Hale, a white man from Anderson county, was elec trocuted at the state prison here. The execution was witnessed by the widow of the victim. ' ‘ r“ "" ' ROMAN C. \ MC SPEAK \ VVORS \ TAL PRIESTS Races are Converted Normally and Most Successfully Only Under Leadership of Their Own URGENT CALL FOR WORKERS New York City, July 27.—Right Reverend John E. Burke, director general of the Catholic Board of Mis sion work among colored people, preached a sermon here at the ordina tion of Father Joseph A. John, re cently elevated to the priesthood at St. Benedicts Church. The director said that no nation or race had ever been converted except by its own leaders. “Gratitude and thanksgiving,” he said, “are in our Hfarts toifay. You all know that I have been for years and years a staunch advocate of the necessity of colored priests in the United States. “We who are working among the eleven million colored people in the United States are planting the seeds. Thank God we can already see con soling results. I believe the harvest is to come from the colored priests in the United States. We need colored priests. We need colored Sisters, and thanks be to God, they are coming. Obstacles must be overcome, and prejudices must die.” Declaring that “the white race has not the monopoly of the benefits of the Redepmtion—the grace of God can work in the soul of a black man as efficaciously as it can in the sou! of a white man,” he urged all present to “agitate in prayer for colored vo cations. Agitate among yourselves that the idea may spread. Agitate by co-operating with those who have taken up pthe work of educating young colored men and girls for the priesthood and Sisterhood. s FINANCIAL DRIVE FOR OLD FOLKS HOME IS NOW UNDER WAY Enthusiastic Meeting Endorses Cam paign (or Funds for Purrhasing Yew Building for Worthy In stitution—Let’s All Help! Last Sunday afternoon a mass meet ing was held at Zion Baptist church to open the campaign for funds for the new Old Folks Horne which the Negro Women’s Christian Association is pur-i chasing at 922 North Twenty-f'*th street. Owing largely to the intense heat the attendance was not large, numbering leas than 100 persons. What the mealing lacked in numbers was] made up by the enthusiasm which pre-! vailed. M. F. Singleton presided. Sev-j era) of the local ministers present; made brief addresses commending the movement and pledging their support. I Those who did this were the Rev.; Messrs. Botts, Divers, Talyor, Burck hardt, Adams, W. C. Williams and John Albert Wiliams. Mrs. Martha Taylor Smith, president of thesHome, i spoke briefly of the organization, wort and plans of this commendable char-j ity and Mrs. James G. Jewell outlined the well-planned drive. Pledges ag gregating $260 were made, a portion of which was paid in cash. The total cost of the property which consists of a beautiful, well-built, mod ern twelve-room residence Is $8,000. Upon this a payment of $500 has been made giving the Association an option which expires August 22, by whieh time $2,50(h more is to be paid. This Special Financial Drive which began July 22 and ends August 22 is to se cure at least this amount. With Oma ha's colored jiopulation which numbers fully 14,000, there is no reason wby the whole $8,000 should be raised with in the thirty days set. The plan is to get every member of the race tn this community to give something if It is only 25 cents towards this worthy cause. Let those who can give large contributions, and let those who ctn only give small ones do that and the money will be raised. $10,000 BRIDAL GIFT Chicago, July,27.—Mrs. Nora Doug lass-Holt who will be married to Jos eph L. Ilay at Bethlehem, Pa., July 29th will receive $10,000 worth of pre ferred, Class A., securities of the United States Steel Corporation as a gift from the groom. Mrs. Holt’s first husbanil was a uccessful business man of Chicago, owning the majority of the stock in the Liberty Life Insurance Company. Ray is often referred to as “the right-hand man” of Charles Schwab, the Steel king; , > 809,886 IN CUBA Havana, Cuba, July 27.—The re port of the dirtceor of the national i census, made public today, gives Cuba a population of 3,123,040; 1,193,936 are whites and 809,886 colored. Added to these were 118,084 immigrants. There were 722,000 colored people in Cuba in 1919. SAY KU KLUX KLAN USED HOSPITAL SHEET!; New York City, July 27.—Accord ing to reports reaching here from var ious sources it is charged that sheets from the store-room of the Veterans' Hospital at Tuskegee, Ala., were used as uniforms in a Ku Klux Klan anti Negro demonstration there on July 3. It is further charged that the white persons connected with the Hospital entertained the members of the Klan paraders at supper in the Hospital after the demonstration. These .charges were made by the N. A. A. C. P. following an investigation by spec ial agents from that association. According to the report submitted by the investigators the sheets after ward were found to hear dust and automobile grease, and other evidence to show to what use they had been put. — “GET WORD TO ALL THE HOYS TH AT WE WANT THEM TO ( OWE" - | The Omaha Elks who are planning for a monster picnic for all Omaha bovs between the ages of 6 to 16 at Elmwood Park, Saturday, August 4, ure anxious to have all boys know that they are wanted and welcome. Mr. C. M. Kixa. of the Merchants' National Hank, who is treasurer of the Omaha Lodge, and like the rest of the com mittee, working like beavers under thej chairmanship of Dr. Ford, said to The Monitor, Monday, "Get word to all the boys you can that we want them to j come.” Ijist year 6,000 bovs were1 guests of the Omaha Elks. This year' they want 20,OIK). RESUMES FORMER BUSINESS — Mr. J. Bernstein, former proprietor of the popular Department Store, 1X05 North Twenty-fourth street, who a few months ago sold out his business, has repurchased It and is doing business at the old stand where he will be pleaaed to renew acquaintance with his many old custotuprs and a large number of new oneH. He is one of the few North Twenty-fourth street mer chants who believe In advertising in our newspapers. The Residence the N. W. C. A. is Itaisliiir Funds to Buy for Old Folks’ Home. FORMER FLOGGERS FIND FIERCE FORMS FOR FORCING FEAR I’mtul HoihI Itoases Forbidden I))’ Law to Klo»r Prisoners Resort to Other Methods of , Torture. “SWEAT BOX” REPLACES LASH Punishment of White Tnfortunates Differs from That of Blacks Who Are Exitosed to Mosquitoes. Cocoa, Fla., July 27.—Bosses of con vict labor gangs, denied the right to use the lash since the death of Mar tin Tabert caused the Florida legisla ture to pass an anti-whipping law, have obtained new expedients to en force obedience from their charges. The "sweat box" is the new method of torture for white prisoners who are striped road’ workers, while the Negro convicts, on the same sort of work, are given an even more cruel type of punishment. Convict guards from all parts of the state are reported to have complained to the state authorities that since Governor Hardee signed the anti whipping act, it has been almost im possible to force convicts to labor on •he roads. They contend that, lacking the whip, they are unable to subdue1 the insubornation among road gangs! all over the state. Alt a convict camp on a state road which is being pushed through the „"dm-bordered swamps and the live oau hummocks of Brevard county, there were seven sweat boxes” and all of them were occupied at some time or other. Pietuf'e a plain wooden box, made out of rough pine lumber. It is Just high enough for a medium sized man, and not wide enough to permit a man to sit down or bend over. A fraction of an inch separates one’s head from the roof, perhaps there is not even this much space. The roof itself is the crowning touch. It is made of galvan ized iron. There are no windows in the box, and the only fresh air, when - -— - the door is closed, is that which seeps through the cracks and crevices. The “sweat box” is trundled out un der the broiling sun, and the recal citrant convict is made to enter it. A pint bottle of water and a portion of bread is placed on the Moor. The in mate can reach it, if at all, only by the most trying efforts. When a man is released his clothes usually drip with perspiration and his face, bloated and red, shows the agonies he has under gone. In the Negro catniw the disobedient, convicts are given short shrift. When a convict says he is unable to work— and illness is not accepted as an ex cuse either from whites or blacks—he is stripped to the waist, handcuffed to a pine tree, and so placed that his bare 1 back receives the full force of the sun’s rays. Swarms of mosquitoes and other insects abound during the summer, months along the flat, swampy lands of the east coast, and the Negro is the! prey to these insects. Not a man is said to have been able to stand the' torture for more than a half hour, j With the abolition of the convict | lease system, however, it is expected1 that not nearly so many arrests, as occurred in the past, will be made for petty offenses and consequently only desperate and unruly convicts will have to undergo the tortures of the “sweat box” and tho bare back mos quito sessions. YE DIAMOND SHOPPE People who are interested in fine j jewelry at reasonable prices will find It to their advantage to visit Ye Dia mond Shoppe at 1508 Douglas street, of which U. B. Gross is the genial proprietor ond 1. W. Pope, the cour teous manager. SELLING SILK HOSIERY Birney B. Cowan has taken the agency for real silk hosiery from a well-known eastern mill and will be pleased to show hid goods which are of a superior make and at reasonable prices to prospective purchasers. Per rons who have purchased these goods speak in high terms of them. LARGE SHORTAGE OF WELL QUALIFIED MEN FOR MINISTRP Annual Demand For Pastors For Work Among Race in United States Requires Over 1500 Men FEW ARE COLLEGE TRAINED Washington, D. C., July 27.—The demand for colored ministers of the Gospel in the United States is 1,500 a year, according to statistics col lected today by Howard University under the supervision of the Depart ment of the Interior. Last year less than 100 colored men graduated from any kind of training school in the country for preachers and of this number less than 10 were colloge graduates. TK6 average training of the other 90 for the colored ministry was about one and one-half years of grade school work. There are about 50,000 colored churches of all denominations in the U. S. Shortage of preachers is il lustrated by the fact that there is one' white minister to every 389 white; people, most of the latter being grad uated from theological institutions. Howard University is one of the few colleges in the country maintaining a school of religion for colored peo ple, the number of graduates averag ing between 5 and 10 a year. At the present time this school of religion receives no appropriations from the, Government. — RACE FIRM OPENS GROCERY STORE ON NO. TWENTY-FOURTH Crowder and Wilson is the name of a new business venture by members of oHr race on North Twenty-fourth street. These gentlemen have opened a small, but neatly-kept and well stocked grocery store at 1803 North Twenty-fourth street, Just north of Grace. The firm guarantees prompt delivery and assures The Monitor that it is their intention to do all within their power to give satisfaction and build up a good trade. Mr. Wilson is formerly from Little Rock, Ark., but has resided here for the past six years. Mr. Crowder is from Mound Bayou, .Miss. Help this race firm grow. GOES TO GALLOWS WITH SMILE ON LIPS1 _ i Texarkana, Tex., July 27.—Sol Johnson, slayer of G. W. Landers, white, aged storekeeper, on the out skirts of Texarkana, was hanged in ■ide the Bowie county jail at Boston. Johnson went to the gallows unas sisted and with a smile on his lips. WORRIED SELF TO DEATH Washington, July 27.—Because she studied hard but received marks so low that there was little likelihood of her being appointed a teacher in the local schools, Miss Audrey C. Wooden, 933 R street, June graduate of the Normal School, is said to have wor ried herself to death. Dr. S. S. Thompson's certificate of death states that she died of acute dilation of the heart caused by worry. FIELD SECRETARY VISITS CITY Mrs. E. E. Whitefield of Washing ton, D. C., Field Secretary of the Woman’s National Baptist conven tion, arrived in Omaha Sunday morn ing, July 22. She spoke at Zion Bap tist church at 11 a. m., St. John’s A. M. E. Sunday School, Bethel Baptist So. Side at 3 o’clock and Pilgrim in the evening. She also spoke at Pleas ant Green Baptist church Tuesday ev ening, leaving for Cheydnne early Wednesday. She is a very excellent and forceful speaker. THANKS—THE MONITOR New York, July 14, 1923. Rev. John Albert Williams, Editor, The Monitor, P. O. Box 1204. Omaha, Nebr. Dear Mr. Williams: We have Been and deeply appreciat ed your editorial in The Monitor of July 6th on “The Elaine Victory”, and this is Just to send your our sincere thanks for the valuable work you are doing for the Association In The Mon itor. i Faithfully yours, HERBERT J. SELIGMANN, Director of Publicity. PAY THE COLLECTOR. Arthur B. McCaw, a Central High school student, is earning money to help pay his way through school and go to college by collecting for The Monitor. He is being paid a commis sion for collecting. That’s the way he earns his money. He is working hard. Please pay him promptly, whenever you promise to do so. Don’t keep him running back for the small amount you owe. And don’t put him off by saying, “You’ll see the Editor.” COLOR CLAUSE TO RE STRICKEN FROM MARRIAGEJNEASURE Objectionable Provision Which in Effect Would Encourage Concubinage Meets Defeat WOMEII 1E<B II OPfOtlTIM Federation of Colored Women’s Club* Again Demonstrate Their Efficiency and Ability Washington, D. C., July 27.—The . active and organized protests of the colored men and women of the coun try, backed by numerous other organi zations have won the day in the fight to eliminate the color clause from the proposed national marriage and di vorce bill. Leri by the federation ox Loioreci Women’s Club, groups of women from all over the country began piling up letters of protest upon the desk of Senator Capper, the junior member from Kansas, who is said to havei ex pressed his amazement at the effective working of their organization and to have predicted “that if similar effi ciency were exercised in the same un selfish way” most any legislation de sired by the colored people could be secured. The bill which Senator Capper in troduced last session was prepared by an attorney for the American Fed eration of Women’s Clubs, white, and contained the following objectionable clause: “No license to marry wil be issued where applicants are members of dif ferent races that is to say no marriage between members of the white and black races or of the white and yellow races, shall be valid.” While Southern sentiment supported the clause, the bill it is said was pre pared by a woman attorney in In diana, the State which first sponsored the measure. Senator Capper will re-introduce the bill at the coming session of Con gress, but during the recess of Con gress he has been able to get a line on the reaction from the various sources so that amendments will likely be proposed to meet the majority of opinion as he finds it. There is con siderable sentiment among members of Congress in favor of some such measures to eliminate conflicts in marriage and divorce laws of differ ent states which now lead to many marital entanglements and much em barrassment especially in property distribution. In a letter to friends here this week Senator Capper takes the position that it is needless to go out of his way to offend the Negro population of the country in declaring the social line since marriage between whites and blacks is not forbidden in most of the States. OPENS PRINTING SHOP Herman J. Ford has opened a print ing shop at 1423 North Twenty Fourth street. Mr. Ford is a native of Houston, Texas, and learned his trade at Tus kegee Institute. He has been in the printing business for many years. Mr. Ford came to Omaha last Octob er to become foreman of the States man Printing company, with which he recently severed his connection. He has purchased a nice home on Ohio street as indication of being a permanent resident of our city. He and a nice family, and is a decided ad dition to our community. COLORED LABOR HELPS AROUND PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, July 27.—There ig a decline in the demand for labor in this city which may benefit the farms nearby. When building contractom put out signs now stating laborers are wanted, the full quota is readily available. Many applicants are being turned away. Most of them are Ne groes from the south.