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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 1924)
The Monitor . m A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OP COLORED AMERICANS S. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Edita* „,, » , . — . , _ |KjM iY Sc b Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1924 Whole Number 475 VoL X—No. 7 Serves Six Months In Marines Robert Church’s Nephew, Supposed White, Enlists in Arm of Service Which Bars Negroes SILVER ANNIVERSARY RATIONAL NEGRO BRSINESS LEAGRE Program of Commercial Progress to He Presented at Annual Meeting in the City of Chicago DOCTOR MOTON WILL PRESIDE Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, Aug. 16—“Negro progress during the past twenty-five years has been a most re markable example of American in genuity and a demonstration of Amer ican opportunity,” says Dr. Robert R. Moton, principal of Tuskegee Insti tute, Alabama, and President of the National Negro Business League, in announcing the twenty-fifth anniver sary of the League, an organization founded by the late Booker T. Wash ington. “In 1900 when the League was or ganized there were twenty thousand business enterprises conducted by Ne groes; now there are sixty-five thou sand,” says the Tuskegee principal. “Negro success In business may be most accurately measured by the oper ation of banks which requires the highest standards of Judgment, ana lysis and integrity. Therd were two Negro banks in the country when the League was founded, while in 1921 there are seventy-four.” The National Negro Business league will celebrate its twenty-fifth anniver sary In Chicago, August 20, 21 and 22, at which timea new economic program for the Negro wil be undertaken through the work of the League. “We shall,” says Dr. Moton, “present a program of business development based upon twenty-five years of the League’s work fn stimulating and en couraging the commercial advance ment of the race. “First, the League is going to ‘sell’ the Negro business man to America; Second, through a milllon-dollar cor poration recently organized, the Na tional Negro Finance Corporation, the League will undertake to secure stand ing for the securities of the reputable Negro enterprises. Third, the League will assemble and make available for its members expert and specialized information on business problems. Fourth, field workers will carry the message of co-operation and efficiency to the various comunitieg where Ne gro business men and women are or ganized. ST. LOUIS ELECTS CITY COMMITTEEMAN (By The Associated Negro Press) St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 15.—The out standing feature of Tuesday’s primary was the election of Robert T. Scott to the republican city committee from the Sixxth ward. Scott got 1493 votes, William L. Tamme, Jr., son of the recorder of deeds, 1327, and Rob ert Walker 282. Scott is the first Ne gro to ever be elected to the republican city committee in St. Louis. His ward has a majority of Negroes. Three colored women were elected to the republican wonan's city com mittee: Mrs. Cassie Harris in the Fifth ward, Mrs. Elizabeth Gamble in the Sixth ward, and Mrs. George Cal lian in the Twenty-third. These wo men had white women opponents ex cept Mrs. Harris who was unopposed. Walthall M. Moor*', who served one term in the state legislature and is the only Negro in Missouri who ever had this honor, led in the contest in the Third district in which four were nominated, a nomination in St. Louis being tatamount to election. Mr. Scott’s victory has deep moral signif icance. His campaign was made with strong Negro support, including most worth while Negroes of the party and showed what the race can do in get ting what it wants when it has the power and knows how to exercise it. SHOOTS “WHITE" NEGRO (By The Associated Negro Press) Birmingham, Ala., Aug. 16.—Monsy Gilreath is so light in color that he can “pass”. Therefore, when Lucius Hill saw him in the park with two colored women he thought he was white. Hill decided that a white man should not sit out in a Birmingham park with these ladies unmolested. He threw a brick at Gilreath’s head which didn’t connect. Gilreath retal iated with two pistol bullets which did connect. Hill will recover. Gilreath tgave himself up and proved that he is colored. Hill has apologised for bis mistake. • ••••••••••••a • YOUR VOTES NEEDED * • _ * * The Negro vote will be in * * greater request during the • * coming election than ever be- * * fore. It will be concededly the * * determining factor in ten states. * * Neither party makes a compell- * * ing appeal. * * The Negro has been a repub- * * lican by tradition and inertia. * * He adheres to his ancient alle- * * giance because he lacks politi- * * cal energy and enterprise to * * break away. In nineteen twelve * * he divided his vote in compar- * * able numbers between Roose- • * velt, Wilson and Taft, but soon • * drifted back to his first love. • * No one can tell how this vote * * will be distributed in the pres- * * ent campaign. But whoever * * gets it will have to go after it * * vigorously.—Kelly Miller. * * »••«*******•• NEGROES BACK THEIR FRIEND FOR SENATE (By The Associated Negro Press) Newark, N. J., Aug. 15.—In the spirited fight between Walter E. Edge, present incumbent, and Hamil ton F. Kean, for the last eight years republican national committeeman from New Jersey, for election to the United States Senate, opportunity is being given to observe the effect of the Negro’s vote in the state where a blunt issue as between friends and enemies is presented. The political leaders of the state, Walter G. Alexander, Isaac Nutter and others, have joined solidly in the sup port of Mr. Kean. Their efforts are being directed toward lining up the electorate. They point to a long list of oversights and evidences of preju dice on the part of Mr. Edge, who has wmmmSlm KjMmMmMMttNMMMMWt) « W* made promises and neglected to ful fill them, and hold up Kean as the kind of a man who has consistently treated the Negro fairly, with nothing to expect from them. It is now learned that Kean has been a silent power. Being the prin cipal financial backer of the repub lican party, it was Kean who fought for Henry Lincoln Johnson in Chicago four years ago and it was he who, with Hilles of New York made the fight this year for Johnson and Howard at Cleveland. The contingent of the re publican party represented by Kean is now waiting for the Negroes to name a candidate for the assembly, whereas the Edge faction has refused to name one. Besides having shown himself politically on the square he has contributed quietly to various Ne gro institutions. Negro support is being organized |>y the colored republican state committee, of which Isaac Nutter is chainnan. Mrs. H. Blanche Harris, chairwoman and Mrs. Mary Green, secretary. JAIL HAITIAN LEADER (By The Associated Negro Press) New York, Aug. 15.—According to information received by Joseph Mir ault, New Pork correspondent of the "Courier Haiten” Jolibois Fils, na tionalist Haitian leader, has been thrown into jail again by the United States marines for having denounced in the press the America seizure of Haitian institutions and the expulsion therefrom of natives. General Russell, in charge of Amer ican interests in the islands, claims to be carrying out orders from Washing ton. Telegrams have been sent |o President Coolidge and Secretary of State Hughes acquainting them with the treatment accorded Fils and other Haitians. DISASTERS NUMEROUS IN FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR American Red Cross Lists the Many Occasions That Have Required Its Assistance. Washington.—The first half of 1924 ■hows a record of more disasters drawing upon the relief of the Ameri can Red Cross than any similar period In its history, according to statistics compiled at national headquarters and announced there. Assistance to the victims from Red Cross funds, it was stated, has been extended in not less than 35 localities. Floods, tornadoes, explosions, fires and epidemics in the United States and earthquakes in foreign lands called for $200,000 direct from the national Red Cross treasury, while Red Cross chap ters and individuals contributed to re-* lief work much more than that amount. In addition to these major operations there were numerous smaller disasters In which relief was given by the local Red Cross chapter without assistance from national headquarters. The Red Cross is still carrying out an extensive work of relief and recon struction among the victims of the Lo rain (Ohio) tornado of June 28, where nearly $500,000 already has been raised, and more is in sight, for the re-establlsliment of the stricken terri tory and Its people. Forty trained Red Cross workers have been cover ing the entire tornado area and at tending to every emergency need of the people who survived. The disaster in Ohio caused the most widespread destruction of any listed by the Red Cross this year, although other calamities of the half year have recorded greater death lists. Relief activities of the Red Cross were almost wholly confined to the United States, except for earth quakes in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia and relief of famine suf ferers in Aibunia. The list of disasters from January 1 to June 30, where human suffering was relieved by the Red Cross, Is as follows: Tornadoes—South Carolina, Chat ham county, N. C.; Martin county, N. O.; Harris county, Oa.; Meriwether county, Ga.; Tunica, Miss.; eastern Oklahoma and Lorain, Ohio; Shawnee, Okla.; Mississippi; Marlon county, Ala.; Cascade county, Mont. Cloudburst—Carter county, Tenn. Windstorms—Dickinson, N. D., and sections of South Dakota, also in Min nesota. Floods—Crosby, Minn. (mine); Cumberland, Md.; Belle Fouche, S. D.; Bitter Creek, Wyo.; Harpers Ferry, W. Va. Explosions — Pekin, 111. (starch works) ; Johnson City, III.; Welch, W. Va., (mine); Benwood, W. Va., (mine). Fires—LlndonvlUe, Vt.; Montpelier, VL; Kalama, Wash. The Red Cross also extended assist ance in funds and trained workers at a serious typhoid epidemic In Lin coln Memorial university, Tennessee, and during the Arizona quarantine against the foot-and-mouth disease. The North Carolina and Ohio torna does called out the Mobile disaster relief unit recently organized by the American Red cross, which responded at once with trained disaster relief administrators and workers and ap plied relief Immediately where calls were most urgent. Another noteworthy phase of this year’s disaster record Is the fact that localities not commonly subject to nature's wrath have been visited by calamity.. Most of the disasters oc curred east of the Mississippi. Educated Rooster That Makes Up the Family “Bingham," trained rooster, owned by W. E. Harwell, Jr., son of one of the city officials of Atlanta, Qa., Is regard ed as one of the most unusual roosters In the world. “Bingham” waits for the cook to open the back door each morning, when he enters the house and calls the family. When the family goes automobile riding the rooster perches himself alongside of the driver. He eats at the table from his own plate. “Bingham” Js here shown with the baby member of the family, acting as a nurse, another duty the bird per forms well. COLORED VODTH BELIEVED WHITE BETS IH MARINES Is Discharged When Racial Identity Is Discovered After Serving ' . Six Months IN ,. Service DIFFERENT REASONS ARE GIVEN — Released Upon Mother’s Request One Statement Claims; “Passed For White,” Says Another. Washington, D. C., Aug. 15.—The first known colored youth who has ( ever become a member of the United States Marine Corps has teen ordered discharged after 6 months of service. Ralph Norman Wright, son of James Wright, retired letter carrier of Mem phis, Tenn., and almost white in color, ran away from home and enlisted at St. Louis six months ago. He gave his color as white and nothing unusual was discovered about the new “devil dog.” He was ordered to Paris Island, S. C., and later *o the Panama Canal. Recently the mother of the boy ap plied to the marine corps for his dis charge on the grounds that he enlisted while under age, and a law recently enacted by Congress provides that in such cases the discharge is mandatory. On Wuy Home. The discharge has teen ordered and the enlisted man is now on his way' back from the Canal Zone on a gov ernment transport. This is the version of the matter given by marine corps officers. From other sources, the story is heard dif ferently. It IS repuiieu Uldl ill wine nuuiuci the fact that Wright is a Negro be came known in the marine corps where there is an unwritten law against men of his race, and an arrangement was fixed up for his discharge because of internal dissatisfaction. Church Gets Busy. It is said that Robert Church, a mil lionaire and republican politician of Memphis, who is an uncle of the mar ine, has protested against his nephew being discharged on account of his color and has taken the motter up with Secretary of the Navy Wilbur. Gen. I,e Jeaune, commander of the marine corps, .denied today that he had a pro test about the discharge of the youth, but on the contrary had bad a request from his people to get him out of the service for the reasons stated. There is no bar to Negroes entering other branches of the armed forces of the! government, but it is an un written law that the Negro shall not be permitted in the marine corps. Navy Head Talks The first knowledge, it was said, that the navy department had that he was suppose*! to be colored was that gleaned from newspaper reports con cerning his discharge Marine corps officials presumed that he was white. His photograph show's no traces of Negroid features. “The question of his color has not come up," said Brigadier General Lo gan Feland, acting commandant of the United States marine corps. “The fact is that his mother applied for his discharge because he is under age,” he stated, “and ue to the recent Act of Congress, under these circum stances, he must be discharged.” Passing for White. “Passing for white” is a very com mon anil profitable thing among col ored folks who are very fair. Kelly Miller astonished official Washington by declaring sometime ago he knew several hundred persons in Washing ton alone who were white or colored as they desired. In this way thousands of Negroes known in their home city as colored migrate elsewhere and go over to the white race entirely. During the war the colored part of Washington knew that a colored naval officer visited his family there. Yet the l'ecords show no officers in the U. S. navy to be colored, and the un written law in the navy bars Negroes from all ranks above gunner’s mate. Another officer in the U. S. navy is a Baltimore boy and son of a one-time Baltimore pastor. RECEIVES CERTIFICATE Miss Ruth Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Jones, a student at the University of Omaha, hag received her first grade certificate from the primary teachers’ course. Mies Jones made a good record at Central high from which she graduated In June, 1920, and also at the university. PRINCE MAKES A FIND IN ANCIENT GREEK TOMB •waden’s Royal Heir Diecovere Object* of Art More Than 3,000 Yeare Old. Stockholm.—The discovery of 260 gold ornaments that were ancient heir looms even in the time of Homer, th* opening of a Greek tomb that had not been disturbed for more than 3,000 years, and the discovery that the so called saddle roof was not unknown In the architecture of that early day, are some of the Important results just re ported here of the Swedish archeologi cal expedition, headed by Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, which Is excavat ing the ancient city of Aslne, Greece. The latest discovery of the Swedish experts came somewhat as a surprise when, after having explored a tomb as big as a house and finding nothing of unusual Interest, they turned to a tomb less than five feet wide. This proved to be a treasure trove, dating about 1160 B. C., In the Mycenaean, or pre Hellenic period. It contained numerous earthenwar* vases of rare design and decoration, eight beautiful bronze urns and other vessels, of which one was 20 Inches high. One of the smaller bronze urns con tained four necklaces of gold and Iri descent glass beads, and curiously enough the strings were sufficiently well preserved to show the arrange ment of the beads, so that the neck laces can now be restored to their ex act appearance 3,000 years ago. The necklaces contained 060 beads and other ornaments, of which 250 were of gold. The great tomb nearby, which con tained few treasures. Is nevertheless of great archeological val„e, since It Is built In the form of a house and It* top, hewn Into Ae rock. Is the exact shape of the familiar “saddle roof,” with sloping sides and gables at both ends, thus proving that this architec tural detail was known In Greece more than 1,000 years B. C. The Swedish expedition has been at work In the excavation of Asne for more than two years and has already unearthed and classified more than 600,000 treasures and fragments of value, some of which date hack as far as 2,500 years B. C. Yet the experts say that the work has only Just begun, and that still more Important discov eries may be expected In the near fu ture. All the portable finds of the crovp prince's expedition are being studied In the University of Lund, Sweden, to which they have been shipped by special permission of the Greek gov ernment. As soon as the examination has been completed by archeological expert* the finds will be returned to Greece. German Baron Shot in Duel With Russian Berlin.—Baron von Seldlltz Is In a Berlin hospital with a bullet In his knee, and the German capital’s old set Is busy discussing a duel which Von Sekllltz Is alleged to have fought In reactionary Mecklenburg with Baron von Elsen, a Russian from Lat via. The duel Is said to have grown out of a quarrel In a Berlin cafe. The combatants did not risk fighting in Prussia because of the strict antlduel lng law, but went with their seconds to a wooded estate In Mecklenburg. The pistol of Von Seldlltz Is alleged to have failed to go off when the sig nal to fire was given, and there la much speculation as to whether there was foul play In the duel. Von Seldlltz, who Is about fifty years old, comes from a military fam ily. He was In the United States for some years and returned to Germany to serve in the World war. In which be fought with distinction. He Is a so cial favorite In the Berlin diplomatic circles, In which former Crown Prince Frederick William moves. Use Block and Fall to Bury 600<Pound Woman Ansonla, Conn.—Mrs. Catherine Bris tol, forty-nine years old, whose fu neral was held here Sunday, weighed In excess of 600 pounds and was buried In a coffin weighing 430 pounds, the largest ever used In the state, accord ing to the undertaker who supervised the burial. The woman’s death occurred on the third story of a Main street building and a block and fall was used In low ering the coffin from the rooms. Ten men acting as pallbearers car ried the coffin from a hearse to the grave, a distance of 100 feet. They were obliged twice to put It down for rest during the short Journey. Mrs. Bristol's death, physicians say, was caused by her increasing weight. She had been unable to leave her home far three years. Helen Byers, the three-year-old grand child of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Par ker, 2010 Paill street, who haB been ill, is much better. **•••»«•♦*»••« • NO GRAVEYARD CAMPAIGN * * _ * * No longer can the republican * * party say to the Negro voter: * * “You have been bought and * * paid for." No longer can he be • * frightened away from Davis * * and Bryan by the immemorial * * scare-crow of democratic an tag- * * onism to the black man’s rights. * * Forgetting the things that are • * past we must press forward to * * the future. • * The Negro politician will not * * be allowed to conduct his cam- • * paign in a grave yard, rattling * * the dry bonesj of Stevens and * * Sumner and Grant. The Negro * * wants to know “which way is * * your musket apinting today.”— * * Kelly Miller. • ************** MEMORIAL TABLET FOR NOTED NEGROES Philadelphia, Aug. 15.—As a part of the Sesqui-Centennial Exposition celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to be held in this city in 1926, a memorial tablet will be erected. On this tablet will be the names of 150 leading Ne groes who have contributed something substantial to the growth of our coun try since its founding. This list will be headed by Richard Allen, founder ef the African Methodist church, Ab salom Jones, founder of St. Thomas’ Episcopal church, Philadelphia; James Barrett, Lott Carey, John Leisle and others who contributed to the founding of the Negro church. Frederick Doug lass John M. Langston, B. K. Bruce, Hiram Revels and others in the polit ical field; Phyllis Wheatley, Paul Law rence Dunbar and others in the liter ary field. The list will also contain tho business men, artists, famous wo men and others. This list will be pre sented to the Sesqui-Centennial com mittee for final approval. Rev. H. P. Anderson, pastor of Beth el church, who is chairman of the com mittee getting out the tablet, is asking for nominations of the great men of the race in order that the tablet may represent the best regardless of de nomination or section of the country that the Negro has produced as it will stand for all time as a monument in the city of Brotherly Love. Henry O. Tanner, the most famous Negro artist and the son of Bishop Tanner of the African Methodist Epis copal church, will model the panel for the tablet, which will be cast in bronze, the cost of which will be about $10,000, which will be borne by the church as its contribution to the race. ROOSEVELT POST OF AMERICAN LEGION STEADILY GROWING Roosevelt Post of the American I.*gion is steadily growing in mem bership and in good works. It has done excellent work in helping ex service men register for the bonus, as well as giving substantial aid to de seiwing persons. By no means has the post confined its activities to ex-serv ice men, it has shown a deep inter est in the Boy Scouts. Last week it contributed $20 to help Boy Scouts take advantage of the annual two weeks’ Qutlng at Camp Gifford. The Post to increase its funds as well as furnish recreation for its members and friends will give a ball at Jewell hall, Twenty-fourth and Grant streets, on the night of “Defense Day”, Sep tember 12. The Post meets each Fri day night at the Colored Commercial Club, 1514% North Twenty-fourth street, and extends a cordial welcome to all ex-service men to come out and get acquainted. BOYS SCOUTS GO TO CAMP Fifty-one Boy Scouts from Troops 23, 79 and the City Mission, left today for a ten days’ outing at Camp Gif ford. Scoutmasters Dr. Craig Morris, T. P. Mahammitt and Assistant Scout Masters W. G. Haynes, B. B. Cowan and Malcolm Scott are doing excellent work with the Boy Scouts which is a fine organization. Sunday will be visitors’ day and parents and friends of the boys should avail themselves of the privilege of visiting Camp Gifford, which can be reached by convenient train or auto. EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP THE DEACON The services Sunday will be as fol fows: Holy communion 7:30 a. m.; Church school at 10; sung eucharist with sermon at 11 o’clock. No evening service during August. Morning prayer Is said daily at 9 o’clock. CLARENCE WHITE TARES MISIC CHAIR IN SOHTNERR SCHOOL Famous Violinist and Composer Will Head Important Department at West Virginia Collegiate Institute. IS WELL QUALIFIED FOB WORK Charleston, W. Va, Aug. 15.—Clar ence Cameron White, noted violinist, has accepted work in the department of music of the West Virginia Collegi ate Institute, one of the most progres sive of the tax supported institutions of the country. Mr. White was born in Clarksville, Tenn. He was reared and educated at Oberlin, Ohio, where he also received his early musical training at the Ober lin Conservatory of Music. After the completion of his study there he went to Washington, D. C., where he was teacher of the violin in the Washing ton Conservatory of Music and in the public schools. In 1908 Mr. White went abroad for further study and be came a private pupil of M. Zachare witzh, the famous Russian violinist, and also a pupil in composition of the late Coleridge Taylor. After three years study abroad, Mr. White re turned to America and located in Bos ton, where he divided his time be tween teaching, concert work and composition. " Popular among his compositions are “Bandana Sketches”, including “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” “Lament,” “On the Bayou” and “Cabin Song." For the violin and piano Mr. White has just issued the following “Twi light,” “Caprice” and “Valse Co quette.” The coming of Mr. White to the West Virginia Institute is the result of winter conferences between James S. Larkin, president of the West Vir ginia State Board of Control; George M. Ford, state superintendent of schools; W. W. Saunders, supervisor of colored schools and President John W. Davis. A plan coming out of these conferences has crystalized to form in connection with the institution a school of music which will help to pre serve the beauty of the Negro’s past contribution to musical art and also to awaken and energize possibilities in the Negro for new endeavors in music. To this task Mr. White will lend his efforts in the college of West Virginia. RECORD CROWD HEARS MORRIS (By The Associated Negro Press) Los Angeles, Cal., Aug. 15.—Five thousand persons jammed the commo dious auditorium of the First Metho dist church (white) Sunday night, August 3rd, two thousand Negros packed the big radio rooms to suffo cation, another thousand stood in the vestibule, while it is conservatively estimated that more than three thous and others were turned away, when Charles Satchell Morris, Jr., famous orator delivered his celebrated address on “The Briyht Side of a Dark Sub ject.” The great throng, one of the largest in the history of the First church, accorded the spokesman a tre mendous ovation. At the same time that Mr. Morris appeared before the Los Angeles au dience, he was speaking to a quarter of a million people in various parts of the country' over the radio installed upon (he platform. His eloquent plea for inter-racial amity and good-will was thus carried over the entire na tion. The orator discussed his theme from three phases- (1,) What the white man is doing for the black man. (2) What the white man and the black man are doing for each other. (3) What the black man is doing for himself. The great church auditorium was packed at 6:3Q p. m. Negro jubilee choral of 200 voices sang. Rev. Ed ward Ellsworth Helms, pastor, pre sided. INDICT MEMBERS OF ILLINOIS MOB (By The Associated Negro Press) Cairo, 111., Aug. 16.—Nine members of the mob which sought to lynch three suspects of the murder of a young white woman have been indicted by the Pulaski Circuit Court grand jury. If convicted after trial they are sub ject to penalties of one year m prison or a $1000 fine. Two of the suspects Hess Connors, 22, and Fred Hale> 19, were tried and found guilty. Connors was given a death sentece ad Hale life imprisonment