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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1924)
nun THE MONITOR — A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS A ™E REV J°HN ALBERT WIU IAMS. Editor k $2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy °\ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1924 Whole Number 452 Vol. IX—No. 36 _L_1_'L—— V - - - - GIVE YOUR SHARE FOR THE ANTI-LYNCHING FUND BIRTH OF IATIOR”/" CUTS SHORT ITS SHOWIHG IH CITY Malta <m Mayor Who Writes to Manager of The Moon Calling HU Attention to City Ordinance. MATTER IS IANBLED QUIETLY Text of Ordinance Prohibiting Certain Public Exhibition* in the City of Omaha—Mayor’s Letter. The newspapers of last Friday car ried the advertisement of the appear ance of "The Birth of a Nation” which was to open at a local down-town movie house Saturday for an extended run. Saturday morning a delegation consisting of the Rev. W. C. Williams, * pastor of St. John’s A. M. E. Church , and chairman of the Grievance Com mittee of the Omaha branch of the N. A. A. C. P.; I)r. W. W. Peebles, com mander of the Roosevelt Post Amer ican Ijegion; Dr. Herbert Wiggins of the Medical and Dental Association and Attorney A. P. Scruggs waited f upon Mayor Dahlman and protested f against the showing of the photoplay, glorifying the Ku KIux Klan. Mayor Dahlman wrote a letter to the man ager of the theatre, which Is published herewith. Monday's papers carried an advertisement that the picture would run indefinite!}'. Tuesday’s papers carried the announcement that the pic ture would not be shown after Tues day night. Without any unnecessary publicity or noise this prejudice-breed ing film cut short its stay here. THE MAYOR’S LETTER March 1, 1924. Manager Moon Theatre, Omaha, Nebraska Dear Sir: A delegation of prominent colored citizens has just called upon me to protest against the showing of the pic ture entitled "The Birth of a Nation”, which they state is to commence show ing today at your theatre. The question of the advisability of showing this picture has arisen a num ber of times In Omaha and In other cities. This seems to have been the occasion for the passage of Ordinance No. 9024 of the City of Omaha, ef fective December 21, 1915, which or >dinance Is still in full force and effect. Under this ordinance It Is a misde meanor to show any picture which "tends to incite race riot or race hatred, or which shall represent or purport to represent any hanging, lynching, burning or placing In a A place of ignominy, any human being, the game being incited by race hatred.” The penalty provided for the viola tion of thi« ordinance lg “not less than $1.00, nor more than $100.00.” This penalty would accrue for each and every showing of the picture, be cause each showing would be a sepa rate violation thereof. The question of whether or not this particular picture violates this or dinance is, of course, a question for the courts. I am informed, however, by the committee which hag called upon me, that complaints will be filed under the ordinance for each showing of the picture, and it will thereupon become the duty of the City Prosecu tor to prosecute the proprietors of the theatre and endeavor to secure a con viction and the Imposition of a sub stantial fine. In the hope that this difficulty can be avoided without prosecution I am addressing this letter to you, in the belief that you will feel as I do—that It Is unwise and unjust to our colored citizens to show In Omaha a picture which meets with universal condemna tion among their people, and tends to ,• create a bitterness of feeling which Is opposed to that harmony which we all | desire shall reign among all citizens of this community, li Respectfully, t JAMES C. DAHT,MAN, Mayor. ORDINANCE NO. 9094 AN ORDINANCB Prohibiting Public Exhibitions In the City of Omaha, and Providing a Penalty for the Violation thereof. BH IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Omaha: Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to publicly show or exhibit in any place In the city of Omaha, any picture or series of pictures by any device known as mutescope, kinetoecope, cinemato graph, kinemacolor, penny arcade moving picture, or any vaudeville act, drama, play, theatrical song or stage or platform performance or any ad vertisement or bill board display which tends to Incite race riot or race hatred, or which shall represent or purport to represent any hanging, lynching, burning or placing in a place of ignominy, any human being, the same being incited by race hatred. Section 2. Any person, persons, firm or corporation violating any of tile provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a diedemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than one dollar nor more than one hundred dol lars. Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after flften days from its passage. Passed: December 21, 1915. JAMES C. DAHLMAN, Mayor and President of City Council. Attest: T. J. O’CONNOR, City Clerk. (Seal) I HOPE TO MAKE 125,000 INDIANS CITIZENS Washington, D. C., March 7—(By the Associated Negro Press) — The door of citizenship will be opened to approximately -25,000 American In dians by the bill favorably reported by the committee on Indian Affairs of the House of Representatives. The measure introduced by Chair man Homer P. Snyder of the House Committee on Indian Affairs and en dorsed by Commissioner Burke of the Indian Office authorizes the Secre tary of the Interior at his discretion to issue a certificate of citizenship to any non-citizen Indian bom with in the territorial limits of the United Tates who may apply for it. Upon ne issuance of the citizenship, the Dill states, “he or she shall be a citi zen of the United States.” A pro viso stipulates that the citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of the In dian to tribal and other property. Already two-thirds of the entire Indian population of the United States enjoy American citizenship, the actual number being around 200,000. The proposed act will throw down the present bars that have prevented many Indians from becoming citizens and open the wky to them by making application to the Secretary of the Interior and securing a certificate. In explaning why there are 125,000 Indians that were not citizens, Com missioner Burke said today that un der the present laws they could not achieve citizenship unless they left their reservations, separated them selves from their tribes and took upon themselves the habits and mode of living of white people. The Snyder bill, "he added, will per mit the Indians to obtain a citizen ship certificate from the Secretary of the Interior regardless of whether they reside on reservations and re gardless of their present mode of liv ing. SEEKS RIGHT TO VOTE Birmingham, Ala., March 7—fBy the Associated Negro Press)—Consid erable interest has been created here by the filing of a suit by Mrs. Cora Trotter against County Registrar I. K. Bowen, who refused to permit her to register for voting. He claimed that she did not know enough about the constitution of the United States after he had given here p piece of paper and told her to write down what she knew. Mrs. Trotter holds that she is a property owner, has paid her poll tax, a citizen of age, and there fore, entitled to vote. She is being represented in court by Attorney J. E. Robinson. She is the first colored woman in Alabama to demand the right to vote. PATTERSON RETURNS AS ASSISTANT COR PORATION COUNSEL Chicago, III., March 7—(By the As sociated Negro Press)—Major Adam E. Patterson, National Democratic leader, has been restored to hirf po sition of Assistant Corporation Coun sel by Mayor Wm. E. Dever. Attor ney Patterson who is nationally known was suspended from office recently because of charges by one Levy, cab aret owner, that Patterson had ac cepted graft money for favoring his REV. T. S. SCOTT, D. D. Who is conducting a revival at St. John’s A. M. E. Church place and then failed to deliver the protection. Because of the serious ness of the charges the Chicago Bar Association investigated the case and gave him a clean bill of health and the mayor congratulated him upon his vindication. PREDICTS GREAT GROWTH FOR NEW YORK COLORED SECTION Newr York, March 7—(By the As sociated Negro Press)—Daily papers have been paying some attention to the fact that James C. Thomas, a young assistant district attorney, who when he was unable to rent an apart ment in the section of the city where he desired to live, purchased a modern $200,000 seven story apartment house. The building is occupied by white families and is located in an exclusive section some blocks outside Harlems “black belt.” Mr. Thomas said he would make no change in the tenant list, that he did not intend to move colored families in unless those now occupying the apartments left it va cant. Mr. Thomas said he paid $30, 000 of the purchase price for the house. He made the money, he said in real estate transactions, collecting rents at night with one hand on a pistol in his pocket. He declared that Negroes were coming to New York by thousands and predicted that the Harlem "black belt” soon would ab sorb miles of flats and apartments now occupied by white families. Mr. Thomas, a Cornell graduate, was appointed an assistant federal attorney by United States District Attorney Hayward three years ago. He has a charming wife and son. COLONEL YOUNG’S BIRTHDAY, MARCH 12 JL. _ Chicago, 111., March 7—(By the As sociated Negro Press)—The birthday anniversary of the late Colonel Chas. Young, March 12th, will be cominer ated in various parts of the coun try, including New York, Washington, Wilberforce, O., Cleveland, Chicago and other points. In Chicago a spe cial program has been arranged by the National University of Music, Miss Pauline James Lee, President. "Africa, the Mother of Music” will be the theme, and the achievements of Colonel Young along musical lines, and his researches in Africa just be fore his death will be emphasized. STEVEDORES PROTEST ALL HEAVY LOADS Washington, D. C., March 7—(By the Associated Negro Press)—Import ers, distributors, and bakers of Tene riffe, Canary Islands, have been noti fied by the stevedores’ labor union that after March 1, 1924, sacks of flour weighing more than 100 kilos (220.46 lbs.) will not be discharged from vessels in the port of Santa Cruz. Flour has been generally im-1 ported from England in sacks weigh ing 120 kilos (264.55 lbs.) and in the notice published by the labor union, mention is made of the flour brought from England in these large sacks, j KLAN LIVES ON LIES, THE WORLD TOMORROW ISSUES KLAN NUMBER (N. A. A. C. P. Press Service) “The World Tomorrow” magazine is devoting its March number to the Ku Klux Klan, and among the con tributors to it are Wm. Allen White, editor of the Emporia Gazette; Wil fred Lay; and W. P. Beazell, execu tive editor of the New York World. Mr. White charges that all criti cism of the Klan is met by lying away .unfavorable facts. v< "Whenever an unpleasant story con cerning the Ku Klux Klan appears in the papers,” writes Mr. White, “the Klansmen explain it by saying that the great press associations are con trolled by Catholics and Jews. Every possible unfavorable thing to the Ku Klux Klan locally, regionally, or na tionally, is always lied away. The membership lives upon its suspicions, and over-suspiciousness in the father and mother of credulity—in due course the saturation point will be reached in the credulity of the Klans men. Thfy will wear tjiemselves stale in believing impossible things of their neighbors the Jews, the Catho lics and the Negroes.” John MePike Keresey, another con tributor to the number says that the Catholics condemn the Klan “as they would condemn any other corrupt law less, disloyal and disintegrating in fluence in American life.” Mr. Beazell describes as follows the wares offered by the salesmen of the Klan: “Do you hate, or even dislike, Ca tholics? Join the Klan! Do you hate Jews? Join the Klan!! Do you hate aliens? Join the Klan!' Do you hate some neighbor? Join the Klan! “The salesman were not so crude as to put it in this bold fashion. There has never been a time when all j concerned have not protested that it is maliciously untrue so to construe the objects of the Klan. But boil it down and see what the residuum is. It is hatred, and hatred in the cow ardly guise that finds expression only through a mask.” Mr. Beazell warns of the Klan’s political power: “There is no use blinking this fact. The Klan dominates Texas; it dom inates Oklahoma; it is powerful in Kansas and Missouri; it is powerful in Illinois. It is powerful in Ohio; it is powerful in Western and Eastern Pennsylvania, although not in the cen tral section. Its membership in New Jersey is greater in proportion to the population than in any other state, perhaps. It is negligible in New York, but strong in Connecticut. “Here is a Ku Klux Klan belt that binds an actual majority of all the people of the United States. Through this territory every endeavor has been bent toward political power, and us able political power. It is a situa tion that is worthy of the considera tion of every sincerely devoted citi zen. The Klan today numbers no more than 1,800,000 members, but they are shock troops, make no mis take about it." HARLEM POST OFFICE IS ONE OF RICHEST, HAS RACIAL SUPT. New York, March 7—(By the Asso ciated Negro Press)—College Station one of the forty-eight branch post offices in Manhattan and the Bronx, is at 140th street, near Eighth Ave nue, in the midst of the world’s larg est .racial colony. It is patronized by more foreign bom colored than any other postof fice in America. Alexander King, colored, is superintendent; an Irish man and a Jew are assistant super intendents. Out of a working force of ninety, there is a slight prepon derance of colored employes. The white clerks outnumber the colored clerks, and the colored carriers out number the white carriers, but in each instance the margin of numerical su periority is scant. | College Station is the fourth largest j postal savings deposit in the city ofi New York. It has 11,000 open ac-j counts. There is on deposit $1,300, 000.00 BUSINESS MEN TO TOUR SOUTH Chicago, 111;', piarch 7.—(By the Associated Negro Press)—A good will Educational Tour of leading cities of the South, under the personal direc tion of Prof. J. R. E. Lee, Extension Secretary of the National Urban League, has been arranged, starting from New York, on the evening of April 6th and continuing for fifteen days. The following cities will be visited: Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Va., Durham, N. C., Columbia, S. C., Savannah, Ga., Atlanta, Ga., Tusko gee Institute, Ala., Montgomery, Ala., Birmingham, Ala., Memphis, Tertn., Meund Bayou, Miss., Nashville, Tenn., Louisville, Ky., Indianapolis, Ind., Chi cago, 111., and Pittsburgh, Pa. Special Pullmans will be used for the entire journey, and will be the “home” of the tourists, except at such times when they are guests of local committees. At every place visited the business tourists will be met by committees of local citizens who will have provided local entertainment and sightseeing tours. During April the beautiful South land is in Its glory of spring climate. The grass is green, flowers are in bloom, and the sun shines bright. To those who have been passing through the seige of winter’s icy blasts, the change is quite refreshing. The Chicago party will be in direct charge of Claude A. Barnett of The Associated Negro Press and Phil A. Jones of the Chicago Defender. Chi cagoans will be active in urging at tendance to the “Silver Jubilee” of the National Negro Business League which will hold forth here in August. There will be an exchange of business contacts that will be helpful for those of New York and Chicago, as well as the South. It is expected that there will be business men from St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland and other points who will join the Chicago group. MAYOR DAHLMAN SPEAKS AT PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH MASS MEETING Chief Executive Unqualifiedly Favors Passage of Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill—Meeting in Interest of Drive Pilgrim- Baptist church, Twenty fifth and Hamilton street, Rev. W. M. Franklin, pastor, was filled Sunday afternoon for the mass meeting held under the auspices of the Omaha Branch of the N. A. A. C. P. It was in charge of the Anti-Lynching Fund ’Committee. Attorney John Adams, was master of ceremonies. Mayor Dahlman delivered the address which was an unqualified defense of the Dyer Anti-Lynching bill. The Mayor said that he was not strong on the centralization of power and believed in the localization of 'authority in state government, but when it came to the protection of life and liberty, guaranteed to every citizen in the con stitution, and states failed in this duty, the strong arm of the federal government should intervene. States had shown themselves impotent in suppressing mob violence and for that reason it had become apparent to many that such a measure as that proposed was the need of the hour. He had gone on record as favoring the bill. Musical numbers were furnished by Rufus Long, Mrs. B. S. Brown, and the Rev. Russel Taylor. Mr. Tay lor sang “Omaha” the words and mu sic of which he had composed, the audience joining heartily in the chor us. Mr. Adams made a strong appeal for contributions to the anti-lynching fund which resulted in cash contribu tions totaling $44.00 and a pledge of $10. The President called attention to the ordinance passed several years ago forbidding the showing of films, etc., which had a tendency to em bitter race relations and stated that “The Birth of a Nation” was showing at a local theatre. Mayor Dahlman read a letter which he had written the management COLORED COMMERCIAL CLUB MOVES INTO LARGER QUARTERS The Colored Commercial Club has leased a 6-room flat over the Crounse Booterie, 1514 North Twentyfourth street, for a year and moved in on the first. The Commissioner’s office and Free Labor Bureau occupies one of the front rooms. Off of this open twd large rooms, which will be used for assembly purposes. There are three other large rooms, including a kitchen. There is alpo a bath room. The place is most suitable for the ac tivities of the Club. It is the purpose of the officers and members to make it as useful to the community as pos sible. The assembly rooms will be available for meetings of small clubs and organizations, including those of women, which have as their aim! so cial betterment. This, of course, does not apply to political clubs. It is planned to gradually add features of interest] such as a reading room, re creation room and smoking rooms which will make it a popular place for all of its members. DIRECTOR OF BRANCHES NATIONAL ASSOCIATION COMING TO OMAHA SOON Robert W. Baganall Will Spend Sev eral Days Here in Interest of the National Advancement Association. Robert W. Bagnall o New York, director of branches of the N. A. A. C. P., will spend four days here in the' interest of the organization. He will be here March 19th to 23rd and will probably return for a mass meet ing April 1. Plans are being made to have him hold conferences with or ganizations and individuals and do some intensive work. It was hoped that James Weldon JohhBon, national secretsfry, could come, but he must keep in close touch with Washington In the interests of te Dyer Anti-Lynch ing Bill and so is not available. Those who heard Mr. Bagnall when he was here some months ago will be pleased to hear him again. THE ANTI-LYNCHING FUND DRTVE The committee who have been work ing very hard Jo raise $1,000 for the Anti-Lynching i’und to help put over the Dyer Bill have not met with the success hoped for. Only a few days remain as the drive closes Monday. Contributions from One Cent up have been requested in order that everybody could feel that he or she, even the children, had given something. Earn est efforts have been made to reach everybody. This accounts for the literature which has been printed and sent out. Up to the present time the total cash receipts have amounted to about $250, only one-fourth of the sum asked. It is confidently believed that offerings from churches and con tributions from individuals will rapid ly increase this amount during the closing days. If you have not already given, give something to help STOP LYNCHING. REVIVAL AT ST. JOHN’S A. M. E. CHURCH A revival which is to be of one month’s duration is being conducted at St. John’s A. M. E. church, Twenty second and Willis. It began last Mon day night and is being conducted by the Rev. T. S. Scott, D. D., pastor of Allen Temple A. M. E. Church, Chica go. He ia a< forceful, earnest and eloquent speaker. Dr. Scott is the brother of Mr. E. G. Scott of this city. METHODISTS OWE GENEROUSLY FOR CENTENARY FUND Colored Membership Numbering One Third of a Million Organized in Twenty Conferences Raises $1,451,687 DENOMINATION GETS RESILTS _ Points to Praiseworthy Record of Ed ucational and Evangelistic Work Among Race Chicago, 111., March 7—(By the As sociated Negro Press)—The Colored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in twenty confer ences in various parts of the United States, now number 350,406, and these gave to the benevolent enterprises of the denomination during four of the five-year period, the sum of $1,451, 687. This money is above and sep arate from the donations of members for the local expenses of their churches and of their conferences. The Methodists entered into the Centenary expansion movement of the denomina tion with enthusiasm, says the Year Book, and their record in giving mon ey and service is regarded as even above expectations. The fourth year of the five-year Centenary period end ed May 31, last, and the amount named above has been exceeded by nearly one-fifth since then, according to Bishop R. E. Jones, New Orleans, Louisiana. Full returns will not be available until after May 31st, next, however. The Methodist Episcopal Church is one of the oldest agencies which Das extended the hand of fellowship to the black man. Its work began imme diately after the end of the Civil War and has continued in unbroken pro gress to the present day. Now six of the ten boards of the denomination co-operate in benevolent activities in his behalf. The Board of Education for Negroes, with Dr. I. Garland Penn, and Dr. P. J. Naveety, as Correspond ing Secretaries in charge of adminis tration, supervise nineteen schools for colored. In these schools are nearly 7,000 boys and girls receiving care ful Christian education for becoming leaders in the solution of the prob lems of the ^ace in future years. These schools include ten colleges and academical institutes, five normal schools and secondary schools, two hospitals and nurses’ training schools, one first class medical college with dental and pharmaceutical depart ments, and one theological seminary. Nineteen Methodist Schools have 15,652 Graduates. There have been 15,652 of both sexes graduated from the schools of the Methodist Episcopal church and in the fifty-six years of their existence more than 206,545 young people of the race have been enrolled as students. Of the gradu ates, eleven have been elected bishops of the Methodist Episcopal church, one was an assistant .Secretary of War, another was surgeon-in-chief of a hospital, one was United States min ister to Liberia, another is assistant attorney general of the United States, and scores have become presidents of Negro colleges and principals of high schools throughout the country. Under the board of education for Negroes more than $1,102,000 has been expend ed in the past four years in improve ment and modernization of the nine teen schools. These included1 addi tional buildings, scientific laborator ies, heating plants, and other improve ments. The increased valuation of the total properties during the four years of expansion was nearly $2,000, 000, making a total of $4,131,604. In 1921-22 the Centenary gave $450,000 to the twenty Negro confer ences. PHYSICIANS AND NURSES ARE INVITED Nashville, Tenn., March 7—(By the Associated Negro Press) — Colored physicians and nurses were invited to be present at the monthly meeting of the medical staff of the Millie E. Hale hospital, white, this city. The Presi dent of Meharry Medical College and assistants were guests of honor. Remit for your paper now.