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\ A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
y THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
*2.00 a Year—5c a Copy \ OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1924 Whole Number 483 Vol. X—No. 15
IT IS '.'OUR DUTY TO REGISTER AND VOTE
- *
GRANDSON OF WM.
LLOYD GARRISON IS
AN OMAHA VISITOR
Oswald Garrison Villard, Editor of
The Nation, and a Founder of
the N. A. A. P. C. Will
Speak Here Saturday.
RACE SHOULD PAY HIM HONOR
Has Been a Consistent, Fearless and
Uncompromising Champion
of Justice and
Right.
Oswald Garrison Villard, editor of
The Nation, an influential national
weekly that has always been friendly
to the. Negro, and former editor in
chief of the New York Evening Post,
was in Omaha Wednesday night for
a conference with local La Follette
leaders. He came to Omaha from
Lincoln where he addressed students
of the University of Nebraska on
“Journalism.”
Mr. Villard, who is a grandson of
tne great William Lloyd Garrison,
the famous abolitionist, and inherits
his traditions of justice and fair-play
for all classes of humanity, is one of
the founders and moving spirits of
the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People ami was
for a number of years treasurer of
that organization. He is an enthu
siastic supporter of I-a Follette.
Mr. Villard will return to Omaha
Saturday morning and luncheon will
be given in his honor and he will
speak Saturday night to answer Gen.
Charles W. Dawes, republican vice
presidential condidate, who speaks
here Friday night, on public owner
ship of railroads, constitutional rights
of courts and General Dawes' charge
that La Follette is a socialist, accord
ing to a statement furnished the
press by the Rev. J. L. Beebe, a prom
inent La Follette leader.
Mr. Villard’s championship of the
rights of our race, both on the ros
trum and in his newspapers, merits
any honor that may be shown him by
members of our group while he is in
our city. As many as possible should
hear his address even though they
may not agree with his political views.
It is planned to have Mr. Villard
hold a conference with officers and
members of the local branch of the
N. A. A. C. P. and such others who
may be able to attend at the Colored
Commercial club Saturday morning.
MILLION DOLLARS TO
T USK EGEE-H A M PI ON
(By the Associattd Negro Press)
New York, N. Y., Oct. 10—Con
vinced after two years of investigation
into the needs and worth of the two
leading institutions for the education
of Negroes in the South, Hampton and
Tuskegee, the Rockefeller General
Education Board has pledged the
schools of Armstrong and Washing
ton the huge sum of one million dol
lars, to become effective as soon as
the trustees of the two schools raise a
like amount.
It is understood that this money
will become a part of the Hampton
Tuskegee Endowment Fund, the an
nouncement of the gift coming from
the committee in charge of that work.
Clarence H. Kelsey, president of the
Title Guarantee and Trust Company,
is chairman of the fund committee.
President Moton of Tuskegee, a
member of Hampton’s board of trus
tees and a member of the executive
committee of the Endowment P'und,
regards the gift of the education
board as one of the greatest boons
Negro education has ever received
and highly fitting in his period during
; which Negroes are making their
greatest progress, educationally.
The Rockefeller General Education
Board was founded by John D. Rocke
feller in 1902, in co-operation with
some of the leading educators and
public men of the nation, and incor
porated by act of congress in 1908.
The charter sets forth the general od
ject of the corporation as “the proma
tion of education within the United
States of America, without distinc
tion of race, sex or creed.
NATIVES CROWD ON
FRENCH STEAMERS
Paris, France, Oct. 10.—Every
steamer arriving from Africa brings
a cargo of immigrants.
Men who came here during the war
from Africa and earning big wages
returned to tell their friends about it, ]
and now thousands are moving north
ward to find a home in this country.
At the African port natives fight to
| get on the ships.
REGISTER, so you can vote.
L
PRISON BETTER THAN LIBERTY
Columbia, S. C., Oct. 10.—(By the
Associated Negro Press.)—A short
while ago Gov. Thomas McLeod grant
ed a pardon to 75-year-old Henry Se
revln, an inmate since 1895 of the
state penitentiary. This week Serevin
found his way back to the jpil, com
plaining that he could not make i‘.
He had no people and no friends. Jail
with its bed and bread was better
than freedom and hardships. The gov
ernor has revoked the pardon of the
aged man so that he may spend the
rest of days under s’ate care.
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
COMMITTEE FIELD AGENT
HERE FOR CONFERENCE
Homer Phillips of St. Louis, field
agent of the National Republican
Committee, is here to hold a confer
ence with local race leaders on the
political situation. This conference
will be held Saturday night at the
Coolidge-Dawes headquarters in the
Jewell building. Mr. Phillips will also
visit Lincoln for a similar purpose.
He is very enthusiastic over the out
look for the election of the> national
Republican ticket.
“However friendly many Negroes
may feel towards Mr. Davis, the dem
ocratic candidate, personally,” said
Mr. Phillips, “they cannot overlook
the record and attitude of the Demo
cratic party towards our people. Un
til the Democratic party gives signs
of genuine repentance, which it has
not yet done, it can never get the
vote of our people. I find that the
vast majority of our people are will
ing to trust Coolidge and take their
chances with the Republican party.”
“How about La Follette?” he was
asked.
“He stands no show of election,”
said Mr. Phillips, “and he knows it.
Why, then should we throw away our
votes on him and by so doing possibly
elect Davis? That’s the scheme. It
is Coolidge or Davis and the La Fol
lette forces are seeking to defeat
Coolidge and elect not La Follette,
which they know to be impossible, but
Davis."
TACKLE ILLITERACY
IN PHILADELPHIA
(By the Associattd Negro Press)
Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 10—Repre
sentatives of churches, schools, civic
organizations and community welfare
movements met in the offices of the
Armstrong association here and for
mulated plans whereby an attack may
be made on the stronghold of illiteracy
among Negroes in the city.
This action was impelled by the re
sult of a census undertaken by the
Chamber of Commerce of this city in
which the illiterate population of the
city was carded by races and groups.
Each group was then asked to con
duct a campaign among its members.
Under the direction of the Arm
strong association A. L. Manly, di
rector, work will be undertaken im
mediately in the Seventh ward, which,
according to the census, contains 777
persons above the compulsory school
age whd can neither read nor write.
These people will be visited and
urged to attend evening schools.
HOWARD CHALLENGES
LEWIS TO DEBATE
Washington, I). C., Oct. 10.—Point
ing out to William H. Lewis of Boston,
assistant attorney general of the Uni
ted Stated, under the Taft administra
tion, that it would have been better
for him to have fought out his differ
ences within the Republican .party
than by bolting to the Democratic par
ty, Perry Howar d,special assistant to
the attorney general, in an open let
ter, challenges him to defend his po
sition in a joint debate to be in charge
of Fred C. Morton of New York and
Wn . C. Matthews of Boston.'
COLLECT MILLIONS FOR INDIAN
(By the Associattd Negro Press)
Washington, D. C., Oct. 10—Rev
enues collected by the Bureau of In
lian Affairs for the Indians under the
guardianship of the government
reached the huge sum of $32,861,768
during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1924, according to information made
public at the Interior Department.
The largest part of the money came
from royalties and bonuses on oil
leases on Indian lands, proceeds from
the sale of timber on Indian reserva
tions and reimbursements accounts
with Indians for live stock, farming
implements anti other equipment.
ROBERT NELSON BOLTS PARTY
Wilmington, Oct. 10.—Robert J.
Nelson, former Republican leader and
newspaper editor, has come out for
John W. Davis.
PROGRESS OF SEGHO
ASTOUNDS SOUTH AFRICAN
“Nothing Like It Abroad,” He Nays—
Educational Opportunities Given
the Credit by Itev. A. A.
Kidwell.
Atlanta, Ga., October 10.—“To a
visitor from South Africa, the pro
gress of the American Negro is posi
tively astounding,” says Rev. A. A.
Kidwell, prominent religious leader
from Johannesburg, who has Just
rounded out an extensive tour in this
country, making a special study of
Negro education. “1 have been par
ticularly pleased,” he continued,
‘with the educational progress of the
race in this country. In South Africa
it is popularly supposed that the edu
cated Negro is a failure. Here I find
that just the reverse is true. The
American people seem to recognize
that education affects the Negro Just
as it does anybody else, making him
more capable, more efficient, a bet
ter citizen, and an asset to society.
Your system of public education is
based on that theory, and the mul
titudes of educated, progressive Ne
groes whom I have found throughout
the country prove that the theory is
correct.
“I have been deeply impressed also,
and even astonished,” said Dr. Kid
well, "at the economic competence
which American Negroes are achiev
ing and their success in agriculture,
industry and business. Your big insur
ance companies, banks, real estate
corporations, construction companies
and the like have no parallel any
where else in the world, so far as I
know, and certainly not in South
Africa.”
Dr. Kidwell is superintendent of
many churches and schools in British
South Africa and is deeply interested
in promoting the welfare of the na
tives. His observations of the favor
able effects of public education and
economic opportunity for the race in |
America he hopes to use to good ad
vantage on hfs return, in the effort
to bring about a more liberal attitude 1
toward the native population. He |
frankly admits that the relations of
the races in South Africa are much j
more difficult than here and that the
natives labor under limitations and
handicaps far more severe than any- j
thing to which the race is subjected
in this country.
Dr. Kidwell s|>ent several hours
looking Into the work of the Inter
racial Commission, and expressed the
opinion that its principles and nieth- ,
odg ought to be applied around the
world wherever there is interracial
friction.
—
HI.AN PROFITS REVEALED
Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 10.—(By the
Associated Negro Press)—Suit has
been filed here against the Ku Klux i
Klun by H. H. Bullard and R. J).
Denise to recover $24,9.r>3..riO said to be s
due them as commission for members ■
brought to the klan. Bullard and
Denise were promised for each
member they secured.
HALF OF ALABAMA
WHITE YOUTHS ILLITERATE
Birmingham, Ala., Octo. 10.— (By
the Associated Negro Press.)—Accord
ing to figures secured by Bishop Wil
liam G. McDowell, coadjutor of the
Episcopal church in this state, half
of the white youth of the state is Il
literate.
MRS. BRUCE HONORED
AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Boston, Mass., Oct. 10—Mrs. Clara
B. Bruce, wife of Rosc'oe Bruce, for
mer superintendent of Negro schools
in the District of Columbia, has been
honored recently with election to the
editorial board of the Boston Univer
sity I .aw Review. Mrs. Bruce is a law
student in the university. Only twen
ty-four from the whole school are ap
pointed, 12 seniors and 12 juniors.
One other woman was appointed, a
senior.
•
UNCLE WIGGILY’S TRICKS
BOOK CHAT
By MARY WHITE OVINGTON,
Chairman, Board of Directors of the
N. A. A. C. P.
“The Fire In the Flint”. By Walter
F. White. Published by Alfred A.
Knopf, 730 Fifth Avenue, New York
City. Price $2.50. By mail $2.60.
Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote
in a letter to Barrie, “If you are go
ing to make a book end badly, it
must end badly from the beginning.”
Unless needs must, we have no right
to pain our readers. Mr. White,
whether he ever read it or not, has
followed this excellent advice. His
book ends tragically and it is no ac
cident but the certain course of fate.
With the first chapter when Dr. Ken
neth Harper, colored, opens his office
in Central City, Georgia, and, a smile
upon his face, fondles his instruments
and wipes imaginary spots from his
glass shelves, we know that danger is
ahead of him. With all his good in
tentions to stick to his business and
not to get into contact with the
whites, he can not live In safety in
Central City. His ability will be his
ruin. This ignorant, bigoted South
ern Main Street will strangle or burn
anyone who brings it a new thought,
and what thought, so new or so abhor
rent as the idea that a Negro can
ever be the equal of a white man ?
Kenneth’s good-natured smile and his
pleasant philosophy will not save him,
and hie brother Boh, who better un
derstands Central City, will also be
caught up and sacrificed to that prej
udice that the mob reveres.
There is a master of detail in the
book that gives it great power. Minor
characters, as well as those of the
two HarperB, stand out with distinct
ness. Mr. White's women do not live,
hut old Judge Stevenson, chewing his
cigar to a pulp whie he gives his
kindly advice, and the Reverend Wil
son who talks diaitfcL the better to
get on with his neighbors, are espe
cially well drawn. There Is extra
ordinary restraint in telling the story
especially considering all that Mr.
White knows of lynchings, not only
dirough his investigations, but when,
is a little hoy he stood armed by his
’ather’s side in his home, while the
nob in the Atlanta riots rushed down
lis street. It was the veriest chance
hat left him alive later to write this
lovel.. His theme moves irrestibly
zowards its inevitable end. The last
lage is a master piece. After for
hree hundred pages following the
•areers of Kenneth and his brother,
ifter growing to admire and love
hem and see their nobility of pur
iose, we read the Associated Press
•eport of their deaths, one a rapist,
he other insane. And we close the
100k, realizing that such has been the
ylng misrepresentation regarding the
s'egro that has been sent out to the
iress for the last fifty years.
The hook is interesting from the
tart and has brought forth a chorus
if praise from the reviewers. It has
leld their attention and it has con
vinced them of its truth. Most note
worthy of tlie many reviews have been
hose from the Southerners. Some of
he papers have handed the book over
o Southerners purposely, and their
iraise is best evidence of the verity
)f the work. Tin Evening Post re
viewer, a Southerner, puts it very
lear the top of the race novels and
nost significant, believes that there
s “much power for good in such a
look”. But most noteworthy is the
review by the ex-soldier, Lawrence
stallings, of Macon, Georgia, whose
war play “What Price Glory?” is
creating such a furor in New York.
Mr. Stallings is intensely moved ae
lie writes his review. He feels the
passion in “The Fire in the Flint”,
md while he whh brought up to be
lieve In the Associated Press view
point he gives much honest praise to
Mr. White’s work. I quote two things
that he says:
“It is a hopeless story told with
scrupulous at‘ention to detail and car
rying with it the best portrait of the
small Southern town that I know any
NATIONAL FUEL COMPANY
TO MULTIPLY CAPITAL
Immediate Increase to Quarter Mil
lion Dollars—Extensive Expan
sion of Business Is
Planned.
Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 10.—The National
Fuel Corporation, of this city, one of
the big enterprises of which the race
is Justly proud, is now undergoing re
organization, preparatory to exten
sive development of its properties and
expansion of its business. The author
ized capital is to be increased from
$100,000 to $500,000, and $150,000 of
the additional stock is to be placed on
the market at once. So far the com
pany has been financed and controlled
wholly by Negroes and the additional
stock, in ten dollar shares, will be
offered only to colored people.
National Fuel was organized in 1921
and is engaged both in mining and
marketing coal. It owns 129 acres
of fine coal land in Roane county,
Tennessee, containing two rich veins
of high grade coal, each a mile long,
and from four to sixty feet thick.
' Close to a million tons of coal are
available above the level of the pres
ent workings and probably twice as
much more below.
The additional capital will be used
to further develop the mine and to
open up new markets for the increased
output. A yard is now maintained
in this city and another is soon to
be opened in Chicago.
The company was organized by
Prof. W. A. Bell, who continues as
Its general manager and directing
spirit. He is an alumnus of Paine
College and of Columbia University,
former president of Howard College,
Birmingham, and Dran of Paine Col
lege, and a man of high character and
ability. It is the purpose of the man
agement to make of National Fuel a
demonstration of the Negro’s business
ability and financial competence.
GRAND CHAPTER
ORDER EASTERN STAR
HOLDS SESSION HERE
The annual session of Amaranthus
Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern
Star of the Jurisdiction of Nebraska,
opened here Wednesday morning in
Masonic Hall at 10 o’cclock and was
called to order by the Worthy Grand
Matron, Mrs. Kate Wilson of Omaha.
Three sessions were held daily. Wed
nesday night there was an open meet
ing and reception in St. John’s A. M.
E. church at which an interesting pro
gram of addresses and music was
given. Mrs. James G. Jewell was
mistress of ceremonies. Among the
speakers were Mayor Dahlman, Mrs.
Elizabeth Woods of Lincoln, who res
ponded in weH chosen words to the
mayor’s address of welcome; Mrs. L.
E. Britt; Rev. Jno. Albert Williams;
Mrs. Maggie Ransom and Mrs. Kate
Wilson. Mrs. Craig gave a reading
and musical numbers were rendered
by the choir, Mrs. Eleese Turner, Miss
Hazel Roulette and Mrs. Paas. Re
freshments were served 'by the recep
tion committee.
Thursday morning the Chapter of
Sorrows was held and was in charge
of Ruth Chapter. Election of officers
Friday afternoon was followed by a
public installation, the introduction
of Grand Master Charles W’. Dicker
son and a recption at Dreamland hall
tonight will close the session.
James Hieronymous came in from
Cody, Neb., Wednesday morning for
medical attention and will return to
Cody Sunday. He and Mrs. Hierony
mous expect to return to Omaha about
the middle of November.
thing of—and I know something of
the small Southern town, too.
“As a first, novel “The File in the
Flint'’ is a significant book. As any
novel it is well worth while, it is
so timely. Few novels have been
needed more.”
We all seed it, and we shall all
read it. Of that I feel sure.
LIQUOR UNDER CHURCH
Chester, S. C., October 10.—(By the
Associated Negro Press)—When mem
bers of the congregation of Pleasant
View church came to attend an even
ing service they spied fruit jars un
der the building filled yLh a sort of
brown liquor. They immediately be
came apprehensive and got word to
the sheriff. He came, took the jars
out and found them to be “moon
shine” left under the church by a
bootlegger for one of his customers.
COHEN AGAIN CENTER
OF CONTROVERSY IN
SUNNY SOUTHLAND
His Citizenship Is Attacked from an
Unusual Angle Involving the
Validity of Fourteenth
Amendment
SUCCESS IS DISFRANCHISEMENT
New Orleans, October 10.—An at
tack on the validity of the fourteenth
amendment from a new angle was
filed in federal district court here
Tuesday by H. Edwin Bolte, in the
form of a petition seeking to enjoin
Walter L. Cohen, comptroller of cus
toms of the port of New Orleans, from
exercising the duties of that office.
The action, if successful, would have
the effect of disfranchising every Ne
gro in the United States.
The petition charges that Cohen
“falsely alleged himself to be a citizen
of the United States” when he took
the oath of office. It asserts that the
defendant is not a citizen of this coun
try, but is “a person of African blood
and descent and is inherently incap
able of being a citizen of the United
States.”
Cohen, a leading republican politi
cian of Louisiana, has been a storm
center ever since his nomination to
the post by the late President Hard
ing. The senate refused confirmation
on the ground that he was personally
obnoxious to the Louisiana members
of the body. President Harding then
issued a recess appointment and he
served several months without pay.
President Coolidge later sent his nom
ination back to the senate and again
confirmation was denied on the same
grounds as before. Upon reconsider
ation, however, the nomination final
ly was confirmed.
PLANS FOR COMMUNITY
CHEST DRIVE COMPLETED
Campaign for Funds for Omaha's 30
Welfare and Charity Organiza
tions Will De Waged in
November
* i
Plans for the second annual drive
af the Omaha Community Chest have
been completed and the work of rais
ing money, by which the thirty or
ganizations receive their financial
support, although not definitely de
cided, will probably be held in the
middle of November.
The work conducted by these or
ganizations during the past year has
met with the approval of the Noon
Day Clubs and other civic bodies.
Unless other chari'able institutions
should decide to enter, the amount to
be asked for will be four hundred and
two thousand lollars, the same as last
year.
An intensive advertising campaign
consisting of posters, folders and
other means by which the people of
Omaha may become acquainted with
the work which is being done, is now
under way.
In order that the utmost economy
may be observed, no aid.other than
the regular forces will be employed.
The campaign will be under the di
rection of F. D. Preston, Community
Chest director, and Roy Leavitt, work
ing in conjunction yith the various
bodies of the organization.
Rev. J. E. Farley, new pastor at
the Refuge Baptist church, was a vis
itor at Mt. Zion Baptist church last
Tuesday eve and spoke encouragingly
of Lincoln and its people.
CONFERENCE MARES
SEVERAL CHANGES
IN PASTORATES
Two Omalm I’ulpits May Be Supplied
With New Ministers as Pastor
of St. John’s Leaves and
Bethel’s May.
Bf'Rf KHAIIDT STAYS AT ALLEN
The Nebraska Methodist Conference
Closed Its Enthusiastie and
Successful Sessions
Sunday.
By the appointments read at the.
closing session of what members
claim was one of the most enthu
siastic and successful ever held by the
connection Sunday night at St. John’s
A. M. E. church, Twenty-second and
Willis avenue, many changes were
made in pastorates. One Omaha pul
pit and perhaps two will be supplied
with new men. The Rev. W. C. Wil
liams, pastor of St. John’s, after seven
years’ service, which exceeds by two
years the maximum term allowed in
the same pastorate by the A. M. E.
church, has been transferred to the
Southwest Missouri conference which
will be in session at Kansas City,
Mo., next week at which time assign
ments will be made to churches in
that conference. The Rev. John Flip
pin of New Jersey comes to St. John’s.
The Rev. Frederick Divers, who has
been pastor of Bethel where he has
done acceptable work for the past
two years, has been temporarily re
assigned and may be sent to some
other field, but the desire df his con
gregation to have him remain will
doubtless be given due consideration.
The Rev. o. J. Burckhardt who has
served acceptably at Allen Chapel on
the South Side has been reappointed
to that charge.
The conference over Which Bishop
A. J. Carey presided was formally
opened last Wednesday and had a full
ind varied program throughout its
five days’ session. A large number
if clerical and lay delegates were in
ittendance, as well as a number of
listinguished visitors from other con
'erences, among these being Bishop
ind Mrs. Gaines of Baltimore, Md.;
he Rev. Messrs. S. A. Maloney, C. M.
Williams, C. M. Tanner and W. W.
.ucas of Chicago; the Rev. J. B.
lacobs of Kansas City and the Rev.
. S. Wilson and A. W. Ward of Chi
cago. Among prominent visiting lay
nen were, Oscar DePriest and W. W.
i'isher of Chicago.
Among some of the outstanding fea
ures of the conference was Friday
light’s session devoted to the cause of
Religious Education at which time
ixcellent addresses were made by A.
r. Carey, Jr., who won the $1,000
irize for the best essay and oration
>n the American Constitution in a na
ion-wide contest in which 28,000 com
leted; Bishop Carey and Dr. W. W.
.ucas of Chicago; the ordination serv
ces Sunday morning at which Bishop
laines preached an inspiring sermon
ind the closing session of Sunday
light.
Saturday night was devoted to citi
’.enship and the political situation.
Dr. L. E. Britt introduced John Adams
is master of ceremonies. Speeches
were made by Bishop Carey, Messers.
VV. W. Fisher and Oscar DePriest.—
Resolutions were passed endorsing
Ihe candidacy of Coolidge and Dawes
and reaffirming confidence in the re
publican party.
ALICE NELSON DUNBAR
SUPPORTS J. W. DAVIS
New York, Oct. 10.—Alice Dun
bar Nelson, wife of Robt. J. Nelson,
prominent Negro of Deleware, and a
writer of note and distinction, has an
nounced that she will support the can
didacy of John W. Davis for Presi
dent. She will also make speeches in
his behalf. Mrs. Nelson’s first hus
band was the late Paul Lawrence Dun
bar, poet.
Mrs. Nelson is an author and a
speaker and contributes to the lead
ing periodicals and magazines. She
was associate editor of the Wilming
ton Advocate from 1920 to 1923. In
1920 she was head of the work of
colored Republican women in the state
of Delaware and on the National
Speakers’ Bureau. She was also a
member of the Republican State Com
mittee! of Delaware in 1922 and was
elected last April to the Republican
State convention.
Mrs. Nelson has been won over to
teh cause of Mr. Davis because of his
friendly record on the Negro question.
Bennie Moton’s Kansas City Orches
tra at Dreamland hall Saturday night,
October 11.—Adv.
/