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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1924)
1 ^ The Monitor — **t9 %to A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor - - —- ■ ■■ -■ ■■■ - - ■ i.f—..i. $2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy ^ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1924 Whole Number 458 Vol. IX—No. 42 «____ _— ————— - PROPERTY RIGHTS OF RACE AFFECTED GY IFORHIA LAW Restrictive Clauses In Deeds Aimed Chiefly at Japanese Found to Affect Negroes Also RESILTS IR MUCH LITIGATION Several Suits Filed To Test Validity of Restriction Against “Use and Occupancy” of Property Ixis Angeles, Cal., April 18.—The people of California are watching with unusual interest the outcome of one or two suits now pending involving the right of land owners to write in land deeds restricting in the courts of the state which the lease or sale to “Caucasian.” And while it was or iginally intended, it is said, to affect the Japanese, yet the Negroes and all other races except the Caucasians are affected. This has precipitated a le gal fight which promises to be far reaching in its final conclusion. Many years ago it was the fash ion to say that “Land conveyed should never be leased, rented, sold or conveyed to any person not of the Caucasian race." In 1918, upon the advice of Attor ney Willis O. Tyler, Homer L. Garrott bought a home with this restriction in the deed. Immediately a suit was filed by Title Guarantee and Trust Co., to forfeit the title and the case went to the Supreme Court, Attorney Tyler defending the rights of his cli ent. A victory was won, the Supreme Court decided that restrictions against “lease or sale" to persons of the Ne gro race were void. Immediately thereafter the restric tion was reformed and made to read: “Nor shall any nerson non-Caucasian use or occupy said premises.” There after lx>s Angeles Investment Co., a millionaire corporation, sued Alfred Cary, a Negro, because he was violat ing the restriction against “use and occupancy.” When this case went to the Supreme Court, the decision in the Title Guarantee and Trust Co. v. Gar rott (183 Pag. 470) was sustained as to the lease or sale, but the Court split the difference and held that the restriction against “use and occu pancy” was good. In May of 1922, the Janns Invest ment Co., a millionaire corporation, sold a lot to J. H. Waldon, white man, and he in turn permitted Jesse Wall ing to use it. The contract contained a restriction against “use and occu pancy” by a person non-Caucasian. Jesse Walling is a Negro. A suit was filed to forfeit the title because of the violation of the re striction, and Attorney Tyler repre sented both Waldon (white) and Walling (colored) upon adverse de cision in the trial Court and appealed to the Supreme Court. As the case now stands the Su preme Court is called upon by the appeal to decide whether or not the restriction against “use and occupan cy” is valid. Following upon the heels of Janns Investment Co., v Walden et al, H. I/ettau sued W. H. Long to forfeit a title because of the restriction against “use and occupancy.” Mr. Long, a staunch race man and a mem ber of several fraternal orders, bought a five room residence at 1171 E. 41st street, and met the restriction fafte to face. The case is now pending in the Superior Court of this state. The case of Mr. Long is similar to the two other cases as they involve property rights of citizens, and it looks like a fight to the Supreme Court before justice is to be had. HEALTH FILMS SHOWN TO RACE IN NEW ORLEANS New Orleans, April 18.—“The Mes sage of Hope,” a film, shown at the Lyric theatre last week in the inter est of “Negro Health Week,” was wit nessed by thousands of race men, wo men and children, according to an an nouncement by the Anti-Tuberculosis League. I A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM RACE £ X PREJUDICE £ By Morney Williams X (For the Associated Negro Press) £ X GOD, who hast made man in Thine own likeness and % If I who dost love all whom Thou hast made, suffer us not, X because of difference in race ,color or condition, to £ separate ourselves from others, and thereby from Thee, but £ teach as the unity of Thy family and the universality of X Thy love. As Thy Son, our Savior, was born of an Hebrew x mother and ministered first to His brethren of the House v of Israel, but rejoiced in the faith of a Syro-Phocnician wo- ^ man and of a Roman soldier, and suffered His cross to be X {carried by a man of Africa, teach us, also, while loving and Y serving our own, to enter into the communion of the whole £ human family; and forbid that, from pride of birth and A hardness of heart, we should despise any for whom Christ died, or injure any in whom He lives. Amen. £ $200 FOLKLORE PRIZE IS EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN CONTESTANTS Prize Offered Annually by History and American Folklore Associations to Students At the Spring Conference of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History held in Philadelphia on the 3rd and 4th of this month there was awarded the Folklore Prize offered by the Association in coop eration with the American Folklore Society. The Committee on Award found that the best two collections had equal merit. The prize money was, therefore, divided between these two, which were submitted by Miss Herlene M. Grier, a student of Hamp ton Institute, and the St. Helena Folk lore Society of the Penn School, Frog more, South Carolina. A prize of $200 is offered jointly by these societies for the best collection of tales, riddles, proverbs, sayings, and songs, which have been heard at home by Negro students of accredited schools. The aim is to study the Ne gro mind in relation to its environ ment at various periods in the history of the race and in different parts of the world. Students desiring to compete should give their names to the head of their institution that he may forward them to the Director of the Association, who will answer all necessary inquir ies. Only stories, riddles and the like, that have been heard should be col lected; stories or riddles from books or those composed by the collector should not be included. They will not be counted. In all cases the stoiy, riddle or song should be written as heard in exactly the same language.' If they have been heard in dialect, then they should be written in dialect, if they have been heard in school English, then they, should be written in school English. When possible, music should ac company songs. Also, when possible, the name and locality of the person from whom the song or tale was heard should be given. Collections should be sent to Dr. C. G. Woodson, at 1538 Ninth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C., at any time before August 1, 1924. Collec tions may be sent in two or more parts, and competitors are advised to send the first part of their collection in the near future that they may have the opportunity of receiving sugges tions ubout methods of continuing -I SCHLAIFER BUSY DOING HIS ROAR WORK AT RACE TRACK Now Weighs 154 and Intends to Make 147 for Dave Shade in Their Fight, April 25. Shade to Weigh 150 Theodore Roosevelt Post (colored) American Legion, announce that they have clinched contracts for a battle between Dave Shade of California and New York City and Morrie (Kid) Schlaifer of Omaha. The date was originally set for Monday the 21st, but Shade was signed far Wamie Smith at Cincinnati, so the 25th, Fri day was set for the bout. A lot of squawking has emanated about the proposed match on the grounds that Shade was too good for the local lad, he beating Schlaifer twice. Another event which brought many squeals from the boys on the fight rialto was when Morrie’s manager announced that his boy would appear as a middle in this fight. Morrie is a natural, welter and if he were not too lazy to train, would make one of the best welters in the game today. However, the squeals and squawks have had their effect and Morrie is making 3 to 6 miles daily in road work at Ak-Sar-Ben Field, and has agreed to meet Shade as a welter, although the easterner will enter the ring at 150 pounds. Dandy preliminaries are promised and the cause is right, so a double reason presents itself for attending the card. Tickets are at popular prices and will go on sale tomorrow. and completing their collection during the summer vacation. The Committee on Award consists of Dr. Elsie Clews Parsons, Assistant Editor of the Journal of American Folklore, Dr. Franz Boas, Professor of Anthropology in Columbia Uni versity and a member of the Execu tive Council of the Association, and Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Editor of the Journal of Negro History. The Com mittee reserves the right to dispose of the collections sent in or parts thereof for use in scientific publica tions, with the names of contributors. The Committee also reserves the right, in case in its judgment ade quate collections of material are not sent in this year, to award part of the prize money only, the balance to be credited towards a prize fund for 1924. COLORED GIRL SECOND IN BEAUTY CONTEST (Lincoln News Service.) New York, April 18.—Dorothy Der rick, a colored girl of Flushing, Long Island, is one of the leaders in the beauty contest being conducted by the “Green Twigs”, one of the city’s oldest and most exclusive organiza tions, to determine the most beautiful girl in town. At the opening of the contest the young colored girl, who is a former Flushing high school pupil, took a position with the leaders, and yesterday she was in second place in competition with daughters of some of Flushing’s leading families. _I U. S. SENATORS STUDY D. C. RENT CONDITIONS (Preston News Service) Washington, D. C., April 18.—The housing situation in Washington as revealed by a survey made for the District Senate Committee, was con sidered by them last Thursday aft ernoon. The survey was made pri marily for the purpose of having first hand knowledge on conditions in an effort to extend the life to the District Rent Commission, which is I due to expire May 1st, under the ex isting law. The movement is spon sored by Senator Robinson of Arkan sas. William Murphy has been detained at home this week by illness. INTERRACIAL PASSES TO REWARD AT SOUTHERN HOME In Death of John J. Eagan, Good Will Movement Loses Great Leader Who Labored Faithfully in Great Cause WILLS EMPLOYEES BBSINESS Hundreds of Colored Operatives Given Share in Management and Profits of Great Industrial Concern Atlanta, Ga., April 18. — In the death of John J. Eagan, of this city, which took place on March 30, the causes of interracial good will and economic justice lost a true and pow erful friend—one whose life was de voted almost wholly to these ideals. In 1919 Mr. Eagan helped to organize the Commission on Interracial Co operation and was its chairman until his death. When the Federal Council of Churches set up a similar com mission, he was called upon*to head that as well. He was also the mov ing spirit in the local interracial com mittee of Atlanta. To these organ izations he devoted a great deal of time, and none of his altruistic in terests was nearer to his heart. Mr. Eagan was deeply interested also in the problem of Christianizing industry, and was a pioneer in this field. As the principal owner and manager of a great manufacturing enterprise in Birmingham, he intro duced profit sharing pn an extensive scale and employee representation in management. In one year profits amounting to $200,000, which would odrinarily have gone to the stockhold ers, were distributed to the employ ees, over and above their regular wages. Shortly after the war, when so many enterprises were closing down or cutting wages, Mr. Eagan refused to do either, saying that the welfare of the workers was his chief concern. He put into effect also many other projects for their ben' 'ich as rec reation facilities, t "ts, pen sions, etc. Mr. Eagan’s will, which has just been made public, is the supreme evi dence of his sincerity, and is almost without precedent. It leaves all his stock in the Birmingham concern, amounting to about $100,000, to be held by the management in perpetual trust for the employees, and provides that all the profits shall go to them. His purpose in this arrangement, as expressed in the will, is “to Insure service both to the purchasing public and to labor on the basis of the Gold en Rule.” It is especially significant that in all the benefits of Mr. Eagan’s welfare plans while living and also in the provisions of his will, the several hundred colored employees of the con cern participate fully and on equal terms. In the light of the above facts it is not surprising that the death of this great man is mourned equally by both races. His funeral was at tended by a number of representative colored leaders, and both races will participate in a memorial service soon i to be held. BOSTON BEACONS I By Arthur G. Banks (For the Associated Negro Press) White elevator operators of Boston have formed a union under the A. F. of L. from which colored operators are excluded. John D. Gainey, colored, of the First Assistant Postmaster General’s office, visited Boston during the week to look into conditions among the col ored employees, particularly as re gards opportunities for promotion. An organization meeting of the Ku Klux Klan was held in Lynn, Mass., Sunday, March 23rd. A colored of ficer was among the patrolmen on duty at the outside of the hall. In the 16th Annual High School Track Meet of the Boston High Schools, colored boys won all three places in the broad jump, calling to mind the like performance of Hub bard, Gourdin and Butler in the Na tional Championships. Paul E. Pieris, a native of Ceylon and a graduate of Cambridge Uni versity, England, now a graduate of Harvard, is considered one of Har vard’s best boxers, In the 136 pound class. I What is the Matter With Chr* ^anity Today? There is Something Wrong About It? What is it? (An address delivered by the Rev. Francis J. Grimke, D. D., pastor of the Fifteenth Street Pres%terian Church, Washington, D. C., at the Seventh Annual Convocation of the School of Religion of Howard Uni versity, Washington, D. C. It was this address which so offended cer tain Southern Senators that they withheld the appropriation for How ard University. (By the Associated Negro Press.) (Conclusion.) If that is pessimism, then the more of it we have the better, the sooner there will be change for the better. If to call present-day Christianity to an account for its lack of the spirit of Christ, in its shameful attitude on the race question, is to be a pessi mist, then let us hope that there may be pessimists springing up all over the land and in all of the churches. That is the kind of pessimism that is need ed, the kind of pessimism that has back of all the moral and reli gious reforms that have taken place in the world. In spite of what may be said, in spite of being called pessi mists, there is nothing for us to do but to go on upbraiding the church with its inconsistency, its unbrother ly, un-Christian spirit, until its ac tions conform with Its professed ideals and principles. Those are my sentiments. There is THE NEED OF TRAINED NEGROES IN INDUSTRY Today as never before the Negro needs industrial leadership. The Euro pean industrial worker is not of the type which formerly came to Ameri ca. This being true someone must take his place. The source of supply may be found in the American Ne gro. But must he be merely a sub stitute for the poorly equipped South European ? Must he be drafted into industry only in so far as his lim ited powers will allow him to go, or will he through intelligent prepara tion become so dependable thai ms advancement will be limited only by the needs of industry itself? Not only must the Negro have def inite training, but he also needs the driving force of organization. Thru lack of co-operation much ability is wasted. It frequently happens that those who could be most helpful re fuse to combine with others, with the result that the entire Negro commun ity suffers. This is particularly true of mechanics. where I expect to stand until there is a change for the better. A word now, in closing, by way of application. What can we do to help bring about such a Christianity? We may not be able to do very much, but one thing we can all do, we can en throne Jesus Christ in our own hearts; we can make up our minds to be true to him and to his principles and ideals, never mind how unpopular it may be or how unpleasant it may be made for us. We can not hope to do much toward improving tne Christianity of today if we are cow ards, if we are afraid to stand up for what we believe to be right, to be in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ. We want men, must have them, not only of convictions but men of courage who will stand up and be counted in the struggle between what is Christian and what is not. “Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne, Yet that scaffold sways the future, And behind the dim unknown Standeth God within the shadow Keeping watch above his own.” So wrote James Russell Lowell dur ing the great anti-slavery struggle in this country. (And in the effort that must be made to rescue the Chris tianity of today from the spirit, the unbrotherly, un-Christian spirit that now has possession of it, if our faitn is weak and if we are not willing to go to the scaffold if need be, not will The Negro must begin to think In terms of co-ordination and co-opera tion. In twenty-five years, if he is wise, he will be the great mainstay of productive wealth in this country. He has the power to transform this tremendous opportunity into person al advantage through organization. This is not necessary in, the North alone; it is particularly necessary in the South.—Southern Workman. SPINGARN MEDAL IS URGED FOR WOODSON Washington, D. C,, April 18.— Friends of Doctor Carter G. Wood son are urging his name as the next Spingam medalist. Dr. Woodson is editor of the Journal of Negro His tory, and through bis recent books, "The Negro In Our History,” “His tory of the Negro Church,” “A Cen tury of Negro Migration,” and “Ed ucation of Negro Prior to 1861,” has won an international reputation. At one time he was professor of history at Howard University and later resigned to give all of his time to research work. ing to suffer, we won’t be of much service. Very little can be expected in this great moral and religious cru sade that must be waged from the timorous, the half hearted, the cow ardly). Within the next few years, much, very much, will depend upon whether we are to have a better type of Christianity, a Christianity that will ring true every time and every where to the principles of Jesus Christ, or whether we are to have tne same old, narrow, prejudiced, unbro therly Christianity that we have to day. Let us hope lhat a change for the better will come, and come speed ily; and let us, one and all, make up our minds to do all that we can to hasten it. I clipped from one of our maga zines some time ago the following lines, entitled “Our Fellowship”. “Not dependent on identity of theo logical opinion, Nor on outward circumstances, nor of denominational name; But growing from a common loyalty to Jesus Christ, A common passion to serve the world, A common purpose to do justly, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with God.” That, it seems to me, furnishes a most excellent program for improving the type of our present-day Christi anity. It is for us all to catch the spirit of it and to live under its great and inspiring influence. BASEBALL, TRACK AND FOOTBALL MEN REPORT (Preston News Service) Wilberforce, O., April 18.—Wilber force Baseball candidates reported for spring training and practice last week with a squad of forty men, while more than thirty turned out for the spring football practice. The track team has been entered in the Ohio relays at Columbus on April 19, and a strong team, composed of Cap tain Sedwick and Willette as the back bone, will attempt to cop the state title. RACE LAD LEADS CLASS AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE Williainstown, Mass., April 18.—Al lison Davis, of Washington, D. C., is the valedictorian of the class of 1924, from Williams College, Williamstown, Mass. Mr. Davis was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year, and will graduate summa cum laude. He is an alumnus of Dunbar High School, 1920, and a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. EARLY REGISTRATION URGED FOR JUNE N. A. A. C. P. CONFERENCE New York, April 18. — Delegates and visitors to the 15th Annual Con ference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peo ple to be held in Philadelphia are urged to write at once to N. A. A. C. P. Headquarters, in order that hous ing arrangements may be made for them and reduced fares obtained from the railway companies. Information about the Conference may be had from Walter White, As sistant Secretary, N. A. A. C. P., at 69 Fifth avenue. Mr. White said re cently it was hoped to make the ses sions of the Conference representa tive of the entire country. Mr. White urged all who intend to come to Phil adelphia for the Conference to organ ize their local delegations and write to him at once so that reception ar rangements could be completed in Philadelphia and plans matured for the Conference Day’s outing on June 28th in Atlantic City, “The Play ground of the Nation.” The Confer ence will open on Wednesday, June 25th and continue through Tuesday, July 1st. DR. DU BOIS HONORED AT DINNER GIVEN BY WELL KNOWN NEW YORKERS New York, April 18.—Some hun dreds of prominent New Yorkers gave a dinner on Sunday night, April 13, in honor of Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, Edi tor of The Crisis, who has just re turned from the Pan-African Con gress and Africa. Among those par ticipating in the tribute of the N. A. A. C. P. leader were: Zona Gale, the novelist; Professor Franz Boas of Col umbia University; H. L.. Mencken, Editor of The American Mercury; Col. Arthur Little; Heywood Broun, ol The New York World; Robert C. Bench ley, Editor of “Life”; the playwright, Eugene O’Neill; Senator James J. Walker of New York; and George R. Lunn, Lieutenant Governor of New York State. J. E. Spingarn, Treasurer of the N. A. A. C. P., presided at the winner, which was held in the Cafe Savarin. LEDGER THOUGHT BANKRU.PT Indianapolis, Ind., April 18.—Indi anapolis Ledger, under fire by local press for its alleged supporting of Ku Klux Klan candidates, is now in the hands of a white receiver. OMAHA WESTERNS GET OFF TO GOOD START AT ST. JOE Seasons Opened at St. Joe Wednesday. The Omahans Drop First Game 7 to 6 and Win Second Contest 6 to 1 The regular Western League sea son was opened Wednesday with Oma ha playing at St. Joseph, before a record crowd of 6,500 in a new park, said to be one of the best baseball plants in the circuit. The first contest was a pitchers battle between Harry Lee, the dim inutive hurler for the Buffaloes and Haid for St. Joseph, with the Missou ri boys getting the long end of the count, 7 to 6. But not by way of alibis, what could be more appropri ate than the Josies winning their first game at home and in their new park before such a record crowd. But on the second day comes forth Barney’s boys wearing their warring garments and set for a battle to win. They did and according to “Wag” of the Bee who was present at the game, it was some game, especially until the 8th inning when Birkenstock, the Josie flinger cracked and Art Griggs chased the Omaha team around the sack for six runs. Bailey, also called Bill, the south paw, pitched superb ball for the Oma ha team and we copped the game 6 to 1. First game on the home lot will be uncorked on the 29th of April with Wichita as the visitors. A monster crowd will see the game and Mayor Jim will probably declare it an after noon holiday here. Our people should plan accordingly for that day. Burch wants you there and has gathered a real representa tive team for Omaha to make it pleas ant for the fans. A lot of remodeling and decorating has been done this spring to the park and stands, and Rhiny Mohr already has his hot dogs getting hotter and his peanuts roasted, and that spells the perfect day, and Omaha intends to win. ASST. STATE’S ATTORNEY Columbus, O., April 18.—Wilbur E. King has been reappointed assistant prosecuting attorney of Franklin County. He has served under both Republicans and Democrats for the last 14 years. ADVOCATES DOIEAD FOI LEGISLATIVE INTERESTS OF RACE National Race Congress of America Would Provide Permanent Effective Agency at Washington MTIOML BBREM IS IEEKI Several Measures Now Pending In Congress In Which Negroes Are So Vitally Interested (Lincoln News Service) Washington, April 18.—If the Na tional Race Congress of America, which convenes in this city on April 29, is successful in carrying out that part of its program which provides for the permanent establishment in Washington of an Executive Bureau to look after the legislative interests of our group, it shall have established one of the most useful and helpful agencies that has yet been organized by our thoughtful men and women. The necessity of having such an agen cy has long been apparent and has been particularly emphasized within recent years and months, when legis lative affairs vital to our welfare as citizens have been up for considera tion in Congress. But to properly function there should be placed at the head of this Executive Bureau an in telligent man with a broad vision one who is familiar with the needs of the race; who knows how to meet and to handle men of affairs; who knows legislative procedure; who knows the political game, but who is not a camp follower, a partisan cymbal-beater, or a “trimmer.” He should receive a lu crative salary, be placed in a surety bonding company, have a centrally lo cated and well equipped business of fice, that would not appeal as a loaf ing place to political highwaymen, briefless lawyers, humorous gentle men, pious preachers, plausible scoun drels, or pretty maidens, and he should have sufficient clerical help to permit him to devote his entire time and attention to the supervisory work incident to the responsible position of looking after the legislative interests of twelve million unorganized people. The National Race Congress of Amer ica should be incorporated and an ample budget should be provided thru the flotation of a reasonable amount of stock at a popular price, so that the major part of the super vising official’s time would not be spent in seeking finance with which to carry on his work. Having per fected some such an arrangement, and having a directorate composed of in telligent men of influence in the dif ferent states, there is every reason to believe that the Executive Bureau would successfully function. At the present time there are be fore Congress several measures that vitally affect our group, and upon which we had no bearing, because of our inability to realize the im portance of an organized effort. Al though we have nearly one million farmers operating farm property val ued in excess of two billion dollars, not a colored farmer nor colored far mers’ organization has asked to be heard on the subject of rural credits, notwithstanding the fact that in many sections of the country local condi tions are such as to deny their parti cipation in the full benefits of this Congressional Act. In the matter of teh Educational Bill, which seeks to wipe out illiteracy through govern mental aid to the educational systems of the various states, our side has not been presented, although democratic statesmen are bitterly opposing the measures because of the benefits it will bestow upon the several million colored children of school age in cer tain sections of the country. Nor have we been heard on the Immigra tion Bill, which means so much to the permanency of our employment in dustry and to the upbuilding of our economic status. Unless the Nation al Race Congress of America or our very effective N. A. A. C. P., which has rendered such signal service to the race and country in its advocacy of the passage of the Dyer Anti lynching Bill, establishes a permanent bureau at the nation’s capital, for the purpose of handling all such import ant matters, our progress will neces sarily be retarded. CIGARETTE COST $50 Braddock, Pa., April 18. — Caesar Taylor, 26, was fined $60 and costs for lighting a cigarette Thursday in the court room of Burgess Harvey Hunter. WANTS FUNDS FOR AEROPLANE Boston, Mass., April 18.—Lieuten ant Hubert Julian, aviator, is lec turing here in the effort to raise $8,000 with which to purchase an aeroplane to fly around the world.