f The Monitor •••••■•■■•■•=
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
S THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor __
$2.0 | Year—5c a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1925 Whole Number 515 Vol. X—No. 45
, GIVEN CARNEGIE MEDALS FOR HEROISM
WESTERNER HEADS
THE LIBERTY LIFE
INSHRARCE CO.
Dr. liousfield named as Successor of
the Lamented Gillespie, Founder
and Genial Leader of Grow
ing Business
WELL -QUALIFIED FOR BIG JOB
Has Had Colorful Career, Shown Him
self Resourceful and Energetic
»and Has Climbed from
Bot tom
Chicago, 111., May 22—(By The As
sociated Negro Press)—Training
young men for leadership is one of the
newer trends of Negro (business. It
was emphasized here last Tuesday
when in a session marked by fealty
and reveence for their late chieftain
L Frank L. Gillespie, and a determina
tion to carry on his policies, the di
rectors of Liberty Life Insurance
company named Dr. M. O. Bousfield
acting president to fill the unexpired
term. It developed that Mr. Gillespie,
■ —i——i——i ii wmi ■■■ wm»e—— ■
© a. n. r.
D" M. O. Bouspielo
genial yet dyramie leader that he
was, planned far ahead for his organi
zation. Perhaps, minorall that his(
days might be numbered, he had in^
building the organization, to which he^
drew many bright young men, care
fully schooled the man who, as first^
vice president he expressed to he his
successor.
"™ Colorful Career
Dr. Bousfield, well known in his
own right has had an active career
in business, social ami professional
circles. A graduate of the University
of Kansas and of Northwestern Uni
versity he served an interneship at
Freedman’s Hospital and began in
* Kansas City, his former home. He
was one of the first four men ap
pointed to the staff of the Old Gen- i
eral ospital of that city. In 1911 he
went to Brazil seeking new fields and j
to investigate the possibilities of the
country. After a brief stay he return
ed to America “in debt" he says and
discouraged.
Beginning anew for more than a
year he railroaded as a barber and
buffet man and during this tim ehe
became intensely interested in the
pay and working conditions of rail
road men. Firding a struggling or
ganization of them making little
headway he accepted the position of
secretary to what later became the
Railway Men’s Association.
Benevolent and Industrial
Dr. Bousfield is proud of his work
with this organization and tells with
interest of having paid the salary of
their first stenographer and the rent
for their first typewriter, giving his
office gratis for their headquarters
and carrying on their active organiza
tion work for more than four years in
which time it grew to over 200 locals
with a membership of approximately
10,000 men.
How Gillespie Found Him.
It was while he was doing this work
that Gillespie became interested in
him and his executive ability. A
growing practice forced him out of
the railroad effort shortly after the
war but when Liberty Life was devel
oped he became first vice president
and medical director, and his insur
ance training began. It is pointed out
that this definite departure from the
old individualistic method of conduct
ing racial business is one of the en
couraging signs of our growing ability
to promote co-operative organization.
Policy for the Future.
In discussing the future of Liberty
Life, Dr. Bousfield, said: "We mean
to carry on in the spirit of Gillespie.
His untimely death last week marked
the passing of a man of splendid cha
(Continued on Page Two)
TWO NEGROES WIN CAR
NEGIE MEDALS
I'niontown, Penn., and Baltimore
Heroes are Rewarded For
the Rescuing of Men
Danger.
Associated Negro Press.
Pittsburgh, Pa., May 22.—Robert
J. Royal, Uniontown, Pa., and William
W. Cagle, Baltimore, Md., were among
those included in the latest award of
Carnegie Hero Medals. They both
rescued white men from danger.
Royal is a miner. He rescued Al
bert E. Roby from a cave-in in a
I mine. While Roby and Royal were
| clearing a mine entry, which had been
J blocked by falls, a large chunk of slate
fell, striking Royal on the back tem
porarily paralyzing his legs, and also
falling on Rohy, breaking his legs and
I pinning him to the ground. Royal
j crawled fourteen feet to a point in the
I entry which had been protected by
| timbering. Upon calling to Roby and
learning that he was injured and un
able to move, Royal crawled to Roby,
| using his arms and dragging his legs.
1 He raised the chunk off Roby with
| considerable effort and held it up, us
i ing his left elbow and forearm as
braces, while Roby moved from under
it. Small pieces of slate fell, but there
was no further cave-in. Roby and
Royal then crawled to safety and
then dragged himself into a mine car
and drove a horse hitched to the car
two thousand feet for feelp. He was
disabled seven months and Roby nine
months from their injuries.
| William W. Cagle, a caulker, res
i cued Rov C. Binbrink, white, gas com
| pany foreman, from suffocation in
I January of this year. Binbrink enter
ed a manhole six feet deep and almost
I immediately was overcome by illumi
nating gas, which was leaking from a
i broken main. Cagle lowered himself (
| into the hole and lifted Binbrink and i
■ pulled him out. Cagle, feeling the
' gas effecting him, then raising his j
I hands and several men at the top |
reached into the hole and drew him
I out.
Cager received a bonus of $50.00
from his employers and $60.00 from
the city. Cagle has a wife and two,
I children, 10 and 15 years of age.
MARION COOK’S SON
WINS HONORS
! New York, N. Y., May 22— (By The j
Associated Negro Press)—Mercer
I Cook, son of Will Marion Cook, who |
I will graduate from Amherst (class,
J 1925) has just won the Simson Fellow-j
j ship of fifteen hundred dollars, which j
: entitles him to attend the Sorbonne j
in Paris, France, where he will seek a
Doctorate degree. He made Phi Beta
Kappa two weeks ago. He recently
won an oratorical prize of fifty dol-1
lars anil is entered in the big oratori- j
leal contest which will soon occur at
Amherst. He is the nephew of Hugh j
Oliver Cook, principal of the Lincoln
; High School of Kansas City, Missouri.
FARM WOMEN ORGANIZE
Washington, D. C., May 22.( Colum
bian Press Bureau)—Organization of
the Federated Farm Women of Amer
ica was completed here last week
after the delegates had beer received |
by President Coolidge and Secretary
of Agriculture Jardine. The purpose
of the organization as set forth In
the tentative draft of the constitution
is to “reestablish the peace, happi
ness and prosperity of the farm
! homes; to enlist as members grpups,
associations or individuals in a na
tional organization which shall be
strictly nonpolitical and essentially
educational and economic in charac
ter." This movement, which is ex
pected to check to some extent the
migration from farms to cities should
arouse the colored male and female
farmers and farmers’ wives to the
I necessity of organizing associations
that will improve the economic, educa
tional, and social conditions of rural
life in the district or county in which
they live. Such organizations will
have a wholesome effect and will
break the monotony peculiar to coun
try life.
WILLIAM PICKENS LEFT
A LEGACY OF’ *2.000
New York, May 22.—By will of the late
Mrs. Flora E. Avery, white, of Galesburg,
111., $2,000 was left to William Pickens,
a secretary of the N. A. A. G. P. She
accompanied the Pickens family to Europe
recently. When apprised of the bequest,
Mr. Pickens said:
“Mrs. Avery was one of the finest type of
white people, who did not believe so much
in trying to do any “charity” for colored
people as in being friends and fellowB
with them. She was without prejudice and
absolutely minus the “superiority com
plex".
■---■ .— ~
KANSAS CITY HAS
STRONG CANDIDATE TOR
FOR HEAD OF ELKDOM
Missouri Backing Theron B. Watkins
For Coveted and Important
Post of Grand Ex
alted Ruler.
IS PROGRESSIVE AND POPULAR
Kansas City, Mo., May 22—(By The
Associated Negro Press)—Theron B.
Watkins, of this city, has been entered
by a group of friends in Elkdom for
the position of Grand Exalted Ruler.
The election will occur at the annual
convention in Richmond, Virginia, in
August. The Watkins backers have
■2=^========;
■ <£y n. r.
T. B. WATKINS
entered their candidate only after a
j thorough canvass of the country, and
| in their opinion the “Show Me” can
didate has better than a fighting
! chance. There will Ibe several other
candidates, including J. Finley Wilson,
Washington, who is already serving j
! his third term, and is seeking a fourth.
There has been, for a number of years
sentiment in the convention favorable
j to one term and two at most.
T. B. Watkins is one of the most
substantial men in the country. He
! has a large personal following, and
has always been progressive in fra
ternal and business matters. Mr.
i Watkins is a native of Indiana, is 48
| years old, and “came up from the
I bottom,” in a business way, so to.
] speak. He is strongly backed by the
Midwest Lodge, of this city, and they
plan to tell the world that Elkdom is
honored by having the opportunity to
consider such a candidate. While he
is Past Exalted ruler of his home
lodge, and has been several times a
delegate to the national convention,
Mr. Watkins has never been an office
seeker, say his friends. He is pre
paring a platform, since giving his
consent to have his name used, that
promises to be one of the most mili
t ever presented by a candidate for
any office.
Mr. Ellsworth P. Pryor is serving on
the jury in District Court.
VILLARD FLAYS AMF.R
ICAN PREJUDICE AT
JOHN BROWN MEMORIAL
Lake Placid. N. Y., May 22.— (By the
Associated Negro Press.)—The John
Brown Memorial Association, led hy Dr.
J. Max Barber of Philadelphia, held its
third annual memorial service, and also
celebrated the 125th anniversary of John
Brown’s birth at the grave of the old aboli
tion hero Thursday. The outstanding fea
tures of the celebration was an address by
Oswald Garrison Villard, grandson of Wil
liam Lloyd Garrison. He took to task
officials of the United States from Presi
dent Coolidge down, who are sworn to
enforce the Constitution, before which
“every child in America must bow as if
it were a Gessler’s hat before which, once
Swiss peasants had to worship,” and yet,
who openly wink at the disfranchisement
of colored people in the South. Speaking
in the town hall at Lake Placid, Mr. Vil
lard said:
“However, one feels about John Brown,
whether one believes in his doctrine of
violence or not, there is one thing about
him which we can all join in admiring,
and that is his devotion to his cause. That
is one of the great lessons of his life. For
what he believed to be right he was will
ing to spend his life, and before that, he
was willing to give all his time, energy
and his strength. Let no man sneer at
this, particularly not at this time in our
history when the whole trend of modem
life is away from serious purposes and |
serious aims, when it seems as if the bulk j
of our people were solely interested in !
jazz, the automobile, tin; radio, baseball ;
and every other form of sport.
“We are still endeavoring to carry on a
republic half slave and half free. Na
turally, I refer, among other things, to
tht condition of the colored people for
whom John Brown gave his life. Their
disfranchisement continues and few peo
| pie lift up their voice* in protest. Through
| that disfranchisement the constitution of
the United States. ,hat every child in
I America must bow down before as if it
were a Gessler’s hat before which once
the Swiss peasants had to worship, is daily
violated. Curiously enough, the societies
for the defense of the Constitution, the
Daughters of the American Revolution and
all our other patriotic societies are silent
about this flouting of the sacred document
which contuins our fundamental laws. The
South profits by it, and Congress refuses
to act and reduce the Southern representa
tion.
“The worst offenders against the Con
stitution today are not the handful of ex
tremists who would move against it by
! extra legal measures, but the officials of
| our country from the President of the j
United Stales down, who are sworn to
uphold the Constitution ami regard it like
so many other laws, as something to be.
enforced when they see fit, and when it j
suits their purposes. The present Pres-1
iilent gives us one homily after another
as to the perfection of our institutions and
the wonderful happiness and prosperity,
lie cries, ‘peace, peace,’ and there is no
peace. He does not defend the Constitu
tion; he connives at its violation.
“I do urge whole-heartedly that the
colored people of America make of John
Brown, the moral crusader, their inspira
tion and their model, and that they devote
themselves without stint and without ipies
tion to the cause of freedom which was
but half won when Iso* surrendered, and
emancipation became a reality.”
FOURTEEN GRADUATES TO
RECEIVE DIPLOMAS
The Mme C. J. Walker College of
Beauty Culture 2426 Lake
St., to Hold Gradu
ating Exercises.
Fourteen of Omaha’s brilliant
young ladies and matrons will re
ceive Diplomas from the Mme C. J.
Walker College of Beauty Culture ati
St. John A. M. E. Church, Monday
.evening, May 25th at 8 o’clock, as
proof of their thorough knowledge of
the work. These ladies will give dem
onstrations in every line of hair and
beauty work at these exercises May
25th. Attorney F. B. Ransom, Man
ager of the Mme C. J. Walker Mfg
Co., Indianopolis, Indiana, will deliver
the graduating address and present
the Diplomas. Admission Free. The
public is invited.
PRESIDENT RECEIVES
COLORED DELEGATION
Washington. D. C., May 22.—A delega
tion representing the National Race Con
gress was received at the White House
recently. In it were Rev. W. H. Jemigan
of Washington, Rev. W. A. Byrd of Jer
sey City, N. J.. T. J. Gondall of Phila
delphia. Rev. j. Francis Robinson of Cam
bridge, Mass., and Mrs. Gabrielle Pelham
of Washington. They presented to the
j President for his consideration matters
: which they think call for executive action,
j They particularly called his attention to
segregation in the Government depart
ments. the matter of more appointments
of our men to federal offices of responsib
ility, and the problem of securing the bal
lot for the race in the South.
TOILING MOTHERS
Washington, D. C., May 22.( Colum
bian Press Bureau)—That the work
done by the mother and housekeeper
I is of great economic value to the
community no one doubts, says a re
port on “The Woman Home-Maker’’,
which also states that if the planning
and managing of the household and
the cooking, cleaning, sewing, and
nursing for the family were done by
paid service, the nation’s bill for car
ing for its people would be increased
by billions.
RICHMOND PROUD OF ITS SINGERS
Richmond, Va., May 22.— (By the Asso
ciated Negro Press.)—The citizens of this
city are exceedingly proud of the stanil I
l iken by the Richmond Treble Clef Club,
along with the other singers, in their re
fusal to carry out the musical program
scheduled for Tuesday night at the Inter
national Council of Women's convention
at Washington because of the segregation
of the race.
DO YOU WANT TO WORK?
It anted—Two young colored girls, must
be neat, to go out of town as nurse maids
and do light house work. Women with
good city references for house work. I
W ailers and waitresses, porters, buss men,
buss boys, men and women cooks, maids
and dishwashers in and out of town. If
you are experienced, come in. Alfred
Jones, Employment agent, 1314 Dodge
street. ATIantic 9547.
COLORED BOATMAN, HERO
OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER
TRAGEDY
Tom Lee, With Small Launch, Saves
Lives of Twenty-Three When
a Passenger Steamer Sinks
Memphis, Tenn.
Is Named for Carnegie Hero Medal
Award. Fund Being Raised
F'or His Benefit.
Memphis, Tenn., May 22.—The hero
of one of the worst disasters that has
ever occurred on the Mississippi Riv
er, is Tom Lee, an elderly Negro
boatman, who has spent 20 years of
his life on the Mississippi and who has
been in the employ of the Tennessee
Construction Company for a good
number of these years. Lee saved the
lives of 23 persons recently when the
government steamer, M. E. Norman,
capsized and sank off Cahoma Land
ing, about 16 miles south of Memphis,
with a loss of 22 lives. Lee, who for
merly lived in the dark obscurity of
the Mississippi swamps, and who
hardly had moderate means of exist
ence, has been named for a Carnegie
medal for heroism, and is the benefi
ciary of a fund of several thousand
dollars, which is being raised by the
white business men of Memphis.
Goes to Rescue
The Norman capsized at 5:12 p. m.
Friday while on a return trip from
Cow Island, where she had taken a
party of engineers (which included
! some of the best in the South) and
1 their friends and relatives, who were
attending the Mid-South Association
Convention, to view certain Govern
ment engineering works. Lee pass
ed the steamer in a motor boat just
before she turned over, and was about
a hiile down the river when he observ
ed her ill fate. He quickly turned his
boat and ran full speed ahead to the
Norman, which was rapidly submerg
ing, and began to rescue persons from
the swift current of the muddy Mis
sissippi as rapidly as he could get a
boat load and convey them to safety...
WORKING CONDITIONS AMONG
COLORED PEOPLE OF OMAHA
ARE STEADILY IMPROVING
The report of the commissioner for April
shows suggestive facts that will repay
careful study. The total number of ap
plicants was 416, of whom 200 were male
and 216 female. During the first five
days of April, there were 100 applicants,
40 men and 60 women; while during the
last five days of the month, from the 25th
to the 30th, the number of applicants -had
decreased to 52, 25 men and 27 women.
This would indicate that many have se- |
cured work either by personal solicitation
or with the assistance of the Welfare and
other organizations in the city of Omaha.
The number given employment through
the bureau was 139, or a little above 30%
of the number applying. Of this number,
74 were men and 65 women. The men
placed were as follows; Cooks 3, janitors
and porters 4. apt. janitors 1. handy-men
33, painters 1, bricklayers 3, teamsters 5,
truck drivers 3, dishwashers 1, window
washers 1, waiters 8, bell-boys 2, solicitors
1, paper bangers 3. The classification of
women given employment includes: Cooks
5, housemaids 31, day workers 11, wait
resses 3, hotel maids 4, dust maids 2, so
licitors 4.
Among other activities the club fosters
the Boy Scouts, Troop 79, under T. P.
Mahammitt, scoutmaster. Statistics con
cerning population and oilier matters are
obtainable at the club.
The following meetings were held at the
club during April:
April 3, American Legion Roosevelt
Post No. 30.
April 7, Nebr. Medical and Phar’cl So
ciety.
April 8, Pullman Porters Progressive As
sociation.
April 9, Business and Professional Men's I
League.
April 11, Junior Colored Commercial
Club.
April 14, Colored Commercial Club.
April 15, Pullman Porters Progressive
Association.
April 22, Nebr. Medical and Phar-cl As
sociation.
April 22, Pullman Porters Progressive
Association.
April 25, Executive Committee Colored
Commercial Club.
April 25, Jr. Colored Commercial Club.
April 29, Pullman Porters' Progressive
Association.
April 30, Executive Committee Colored
Commercial Club.
Ihe public should become better ac
quainted with the activities of the club.
R. L. WILLIAMS, Commissioner.
Colored Commercial Club.
Athens. O., May 22.—Lonnie Ridgeway,
an ex-slave, who died recently left $1,000
to the Athens Presbyterian church, white,
of which he was a member, and $1,500 to
other local churches.
f--- — ”
All Hail the Queen
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WOMEN’S PROTEST
PU DECLARES
RUBICON D
Washington Auditorium Incident Ren
ders Important Service in
March of Human
Progress
FIRES ANTI - SEGREGATION GUN
Miss Brown's Position Qualified Her
to Speak Representatively and
Effectively for Entire
Race
Staff Correspondence
Washington, D. C., May 22—(For
The Associated Negro Press)—The
incident of segregation in Washington,
during the world-wide gathering of
women, in Which Miss Hallie Q.
Brown emerged bringing lasting hon
or and prestige to the race, renders
the most important service to human
progress that has occurred within a
decade. The story of the incident—
or epoch—has been told around the
world, literally, and even Washington
is still talking.
An analysis of conditions that
brought this situation about may be
regarded as timely; a mention of the
Hallie Q. Brown background, is not
amiss. Miss Brown is one of the
most notable women of the Race. She
comes from an illustrious family, all
of whom have been an honor to the
Race. Her brother, the late Jere A.
Brown, of Cleveland, was once a mem
ber of the Ohio legislature. The fami
ly home is in Wilberforce, Ohio, where
Miss Brown’s mother lived to be al
most 100 years old. Miss Brown is
one of the first graduates of Wilber
force University and taught there for
many years. She has always been
public spirited, has traveled all over
the United States and in many parts
of Europe, where she was always hon
ored for her culture and attainments.
Miss Brown last year just closed a
j four year term as President of the
i National Association of Colored Wo
men’s Clubs. That Miss Brown was in
[ a position to speak representatively
and effectively, is unquestioned.
Segregation Began Under President
Taft.
Segregation, as a menacing institu
tion, began under President William
Howard Taft, now Chief Justice of
the United States. This fact has been
repeatedly brought out in stories of
the Associated Negro Press. The seg
regation continued, and reached its
loftiest rottenness under Woodrow
Wilson; it has somewhat abated, but
was not discontinued under President
Harding, or as is evident, has not
ceased under President Coolidge.
Washington, as capital of the nation,
should set the example for the rest of
the country, and does, very largely.
It is within easy memory of many
when there was no challenging segre
gation in Washington. The govern
ment sets the example, and all other
divisions of the city follow. Southern
democratic feeling has brought about
the present conditions, aided by rene
grade Republicans of the North.
Segregation, as a system, is so
nauseating to self-respecting people
that it stirs the deepest protest sof the
soul. New York, Chicago, and many
other cities are examples of communi
ties where there can be fair treatment
in public places without any one being
disturbed, except narrow minded
southerners. Colored America does
not accept the dictum that “it is a
white man’s country,” and proceeds
to demand justice at all times and in
all places.
A Grids is Approaching
Those with vision, and even with
conservative expression, declare here
is a crisis on in the matter of human
justice. This Wash'ngton auditorium
incident serves as a vehicle to con
vey the seriousness of the approach.
Religious prejudice is intolerable;
race prejudice is equally so. Courag
eous white men and white women, in
connection with courageous black men
and black women, must rise to the
importance of the occasion, according
to those in the know. There is no
hesitancy that President Ooolidge, a
bove all others, should set the ex
ample. By setting fcis good New
England foot down on segregation in
the departments, it is maintained, the
whole fool business could be stopped
over night. All Government employees
who practice segregation or aid it or
acquisce in it, should be discharged
instanter, it is maintained. It is fur
ther maintained that Senators or
members of Congress who are holding
office by the backing of Colored votes,
should be held to strict accountability
helping to enforce equal and exact
justice. If they fail, the ballot should
be used against them, it is declared.
(Continued on Page Two)