\ \
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.
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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.
