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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1927)
The Monitor \ \ NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS ^ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. § —%■ ' ' ■■ * ■■ ■— ..■ ~~ ■ ■■'■■■ ■ - ■■■■■■ ■= $2.00 a Year—5 Cent& . Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1927 Vol. XII—No. 43Whole Number 613 BUFFALOES FIRST GAME WEDNESDAY . II I * ■" I I _ .. I - ——^gg-M— JOHNSON REPLIES TO SLUR ON NEGROES IN CHICAGO ELECTION Advancement Association Secretary Remonstrates Against Unjust Statements in Post Editorial New York, April 22—The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has replied to an edi torial slur cast upon Negroes in the recent Chicago election and a letter by James Weldon Johnson, secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was published in the New York Evening Post for Wednesday, April 13th. The N. A. A. C. P. letter was written in reply to a lengthy editorial in which the following paragraph occurs: “The Negro majority of 66,000 votes, had it gone to Dever instead of to Thompson, would have turned the election. The Negroes were brought to Chicago during the war, were welcomed by Thompson, were given the organized vice privileges and are bound to Thompson, body and soul. Chicago, like Indianapolis and other northern cities, is learn ing what Negro control means and why the south has kept these voters from the ballot box. May the day never come when Harlem runs New York.” To this the N. A. A. C. P. replied as follows: To the Editor of the Evening Post: Sir—Permit me a remonstrance on certain statements in your editorial of April 6th on the Chicago election. You attribute Thompson’s victory to the Negro vote, more than intimating that vote went to Thompson because the Negroes were given the organized vice privileges, then go on to justify the south in its treatment of the Negro. “This is unworthy of the tradition of the Evening Post as well as ques tionable in its presentation of fact. Granted that 66,000 Negroes did vote for Thompson, are they any more reprehensible than any of the 450,000 whites who did the same thing? Is it not true that raids in the colored section just before the election, with the arrest and de tention of some 1,000 colored peo ple, resulted in juBt two being de tained by the magistrates? And would not such action provoke the resentment of any group of citizens no matter what color? Is it not true furthermore, that Mayor Dever ig nored the colored citizens in the mat ter of appointments to office and in other ways? “I am neither justifying nor con demning the election of Thompson, but your attribution of his election to wicked colored people repaying their benefactor for indulging them in vice is simply grotesque. If the Negroes ‘were brought to Chicago during the war,’ as you intimate, it was to do the work needed while this country was at war and European im migration was temporarily stopped; and if Mayor Thompson ‘welcomed’ them, that is surely not to his dis credit, and it is surely not calculated to make the people he welcomed vote against him. JAMES WELDON JOHNSON. COURTS UPHOLD FREEDOM OF PRESS Baltimore, Md.—The freedom of the press was upheld by the Maryland Court of Appeals and the $100,000 suit entered against Baltimore Afro American in June, 1924, by the Citi zens and Southern Bank of Phila delphia dismissed. The Afro-American published court procedings of a suit whereupon the Philadelphia bank declared it was damaged to the extent of $100,000 but the courts ruled that under the laws of Pennsylvania and Maryland all court procedings are privileged communications and that newspapers may print such without liability for damages unless proved that the pub lication is inspired by malice. JUST HUMAN BEINGS WILLING TO SHARE IN COMMUNITY LIFE Mr*. Cordelia Winn, National Secre tary for Colored Work, Speak* on Statu* and Aspiration* of Race * ADDRESS IS WELL RECEIVED Mrs. Cordelia A. Winn, of New York, secretary of Colored Work in Cities, National Board Y. W. C. A., arrived in the city early Monday morning and spent three very busy days in the interest of the North Side Branch, leaving for St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday night. Wednesday noon Mrs. Winn was one of the speakers at the luncheon and program meeting held at the Central branch, the other, speaker being Miss Florence McCabe, super intendent of the Visiting Nurse as sociation. This meeting was in the interest of social work. A large num ber of women from the North Side Branch attended. Miss McCabe illustrated her inter esting and instructive address on “Social Agencies of the City” by lan tern slides. She told how beginning with the health problem of the ex pectant mother, the Visiting Nurse association renders imperatively needed service among the poor, the needy and ignorant and co-operates with other agencies in character building and putting people upon their feet, helpin—not pauperizing. Mrs. Winn briefly, but most graph ically, sketched some of the major1 achievements of the Negro race in ] art, sculpture, music, literature and science, as the basis of her principal thesis, that the Negro is a human be ing, not differing from other human I beings, with like aspirations and ideals. He is just the same as any-: body else and does not want to be denied the rights and privileges ac-; corded to others, nor is he asking any special privileges, but simply to be treated as a human being, making j his contribution to the common citi-; zenship of the community of which he is a part. Contacts are needed between races in order that there may be acquaintance and understand ing. The Y. W. C. A. is, according to the speaker, one of the most help ful agencies in the world, for making these helpful contacts between wom en of all races and women’s influ ence in molding sentiment is most powerful. Mrs. Winn’s address was most fa vorably received. - I TO BANQUET BISHOP CAREY ! The business and professional men ] of Omaha will tender a banquet to Bishop Carey, who has recntly been appointed a member of Mayor “Bill” Thompson’s cabinet, Thursday night, April 28th, upon his visit to this city. LESS THAN ONE-THIRD WHITE New York City—Less than one third of the world’s population is white, according to Prof. H. Wil liams, who lectured, recently, before the Geographical Society of Man chester, England. Mr. Williams said there were about 1,900,000,000 in the world of whom 600,000,000 were white, 700,000,000 yellow, 400,000,000 brown and 200,000,000 black. Mr. White pointed out that the whites dominated about nine tenth of the earth’s land surface and that this could not last. RACE CANDIDATE FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION RECEIVES LARGE VOTE Kansas City, Kansas—The Rev. H. B. Bronson, pastor of Metropoli tan Baptist Temple, this city, polled s6,000 votes in the race for a posi tion on the board of education, at the election recently. The three can didates elected, all members of the old board, all polled more than 10, 000 votes. Rev. Mr. Bronson’s vote was almost solidly colored and indi cates Negroes were almost a unit in voting for him. EDITORI A L Two weeks hence, or to be exact, Tuesday May 3rd, the citi zens of Omaha are to elect seven commissioners to conduct the affairs of this important and growing city. Two slates are in the field, one headed by Mayor James C. Dahlman, who has faithfully filled this office for eighteen years. This is called “Thd" Square Seven.” The other is headed by Dan B. Butler, who has served the city with equal fidelity as councilman and commissioner for many years. This is known as “The Citizen’s Ticket” or the “Civic Alliance Slate.” The fight is a clearly drawn one between these two slates. It is not a question now of independent candidates, but which slate will best serve the interests of Omaha. This question is not a difficult one to answer. “The Square Seven” is composed of six commissioners of experience, who have given Omaha a good administration; not a perfect ad ministration, for that is humtmly impossible; not an administra tion in which there is nothing to be criticized, for then the mil lenium would have come, but taken all in all, a good, business like, progressive administration. These six are Dahlman, Hum mel, Noyes, Koutsky, Hopkins, asd Dunn. Each one of these men in his respective department has done well. This is ad mitted. To these six has been added John T. Marcell, who has served acceptably in an appointive public office on the South Side and is highly spoken of by those who know him and is popular with our people for his fairness. “The Square Seven” slate presents men of proven experience in public affairs. The Civic Alliance ticket contains some excellent men who have had good business training and have been quite success ful in their respective callings, but aside from Dan Butler and John A. Bruce, none has had any experience in matters of city government. Why substitute inexperienced men for men of experience? Why experiment when there is no need for it? Who on this slate has better qualifications, or even as good qualifications, for the jobs which they seek as, say, Hummel, Dunn, Dahlman, Noyes, Koutsky or Hopkins? Name them, if you can. Then, too, what new or advanced policy do they advocate for the betterment of the city? None, that we have up to the present time heard of. What constructive program have they to offer which would justify their election? None, as we see it. The only thing in our judgment that would justify a change would be a clearly defined, well-planned constructive program for civic improvement and betterment. The present admini stration can point to duty performed and to public service well done. -T We do not believe that our people have received all the rep resentation to which we are justly entitled under the present administration, but it is only fair to say, that it is about as much as we have ever been given, perhaps a little more in one or two departments, and that is largely our own fault because we have not been insistent in our demands for more. This, too, we be lieve is true, dealing with this aspect of the case, that we will fare much better under the return of the present commissioners, than we would by the election of others. They have proven themselves to be, upon the whole, fair-minded men. The Monitor at this time simply desires to call its readers’ Attention, dispassionately, to a candid consideration of the qualifications of the candidates of the two slates bidding for their votes, from the standpoint of experience and public ser vice faithfully done. Viewed from this standpoint alone, to say nftthing of anything else, preference should be given to the “Square Seven.” A Special Invitation Is Ex tended to Negro Citizens to Attend Season’s Opener Through the efforts of Rhynie Mohr, business manager of the Omaha Western League Buffaloes, and Dick Wood, of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, great plans are being made for the opening of the Western League championship race at Omaha next Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Fred Luderus’ Oklahoma City Indians will assist the Oma hans in prying off the lid that has been sealed on "pro” ball since last September. A big parade with several bands in line is one of the fea tures preceding the contest, while at the park, Mayor Dahlman, General Duncan, Walter Head and other local business men will attend to the opening ceremonies. And today, Ira Jones, city recreational director, is dis tributing 1,000 tickets to school children for the opening game. The kids are attending as guests of Mr. Burch and Mr. Mohr. Mr. Burch and Mr. Mohr are making an especial effort this year to grab the trophy for the largest opening day at tendance and readers of The Monitor are invited to attend the game and assist in putting Omaha to the front. We have what appears to be a great team this year. Burch has neither spared money nor effort in gathering a fast team together, and with last year’s "rookie rule” gone, much better baseball can be expected. Omaha fans will like "Stormy” Davis, a home-run hitter of no mean ability. Out of six games already played, “Stormy” has hit four circuit drives. He is a distance hitter of the "Nick” Cullop type and will make it very unpleasant for visiting pitchers this season. Plan now on attending the opening game next Wednesday and as many other games as possible, it will be worth your time. OMAHA Rabbitt, rf Hollohan, 2b Davis, If Harvel, cf Strong, lb Segrist, 3b James, ss Meyers, c Thomas, p OKLA. CITY Feigert, If Burrus, cf Felber, rf Huffman, lb Groft, c Moore, 3b Saltzgaver, 2b Brower, as Lahai, p NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS BEST OF SOUTHERN STATES, SAYS CRISIS New York, AprU 22—The May Crisis publishes the third of the stud ies financed by the Garland fund of public school systems in southern states with especial reference to the education of Negro children. The present report, on North Carolina, shows that state to be more advanced in the educational opportunities it offers colored children than any of the other southern states. Although North Carolina “is one hundred years ahead of Georgia,” it is not modern yet, as witness the experience of one colored man in 1922 in Columbus county: “He had tried to have a Negro school in the Chadbourne district where they had no Negro school for 57 years. The Negroes were requir ed to give outside of their taxation $250 for a schoolhouse. This amount was raised gradually until at last they actually paid $1,630. He became a marked man for his persistence. And in addition he successfully stopped a white man from profiteering to the extent of seven dollars a ton in selling lime to Negro farmers. Neigh bors complained because his wife did not ‘take in washing’ and the Ku Klux Klan began to pay him atten tion. A mob took him one night out into the woods and horsewhipped him.” The survey of North Carolina’s provisions for educating colored chil dren is to be concluded in the June Crisis. The May Crisis also contains an article by Walter White. “The Su preme Court and the N. A. A. C. P.” telling of the two victories won be fore the highest tribunal of the land in a space of seven days; an account of Paul Johnson, a Negro electrician, who is manufacturing 45 different articles ranging from a bulb to a $1,000 spectro-sun solarum; “Dra matis Personae,” including pictures of Josephine Baker and others; poems, stories and the usual Crisis departments. BOMBING IN NEW ORLEANS RESUMED New Orleans, La.—Windows and door glasses were shattered and plas ter cracked in the rooms of two Louisiana avenue homes recently by a bomb thrown in the front yard of Rudolph St' wart, 2534 Louisiana avenue. No injuries were reported and the bomb throwers were able to escape unseen. The bomb throwing follows a simi lar attack upon New Orleans homes of Negroes after a lull of several months. The previous attacks occur red during August and September of 1926. Six of them were reported to the police within a few weeks. No cause could be ascribed at the time. ft>i * MAINE DEFEATS MARRIAGE BILL New York—One more state has re buked the Ku Klux Klan by defeat ing the bill which would prohibit intermarriage of white and colored people. This state is Maine and Mil ton R. Geary of Bangor reports to the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People that the Judiciary committee of the Maine legislature did not even vote on it. The order was passed that the bill “ought not to pass” and it was promptly dropped. BOY STRIKES GROUND AND OIL OOZES UP Lebanon, Tenn.—According to the Bible, Moses struck a rock and water gushed up, but a colored lad, whose name could not be learned, went the Biblical sage one better her Thurs day when he struck the ground here recently and oil gushed forth. The lad was walking through a swampy area of the farm owned by Herschel Wilson, eight miles from here, and punched in the ground with a stick. He noticed a dark fluid qozing out of the earth which smelled of kerosene. He immediately reported the matter to the farm owner and vanished. A subsequent investigation and analysis proved the fluid to be oil. TRACE ANCESTRY OF NEGRO IN RHODE ISLAND 235 YEARS New York—The assertion has oft en been made that Negroes cannot trace back their ancestry over a long period of time, is contradicted by a report recently sent to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, showing that one col ored family in Rhode Island can trace unbroken ancestry for about 235 years to about 1692. The record has been recognized by the courts of Rhode Island in a re cent case involving inheritance and shows that Mrs. Lucy A. Niles, whose family name was Sambo, is descended from Samuel and Eunice Sambo, who lived in the late 1600’s. The family name of Sambo is the only one on record in the state of Rhode Island, according to the report sent to the N. A. A. C. P. SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVES, WHITES MEET IN DUTCH CHURCH CONFERENCE New York—A report of the Coun cil of the Dutch Reformed churches, at Cape Town, South Africa, in which natives and Europeans met to confer on the Hertzog bills, has been received by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The report, published in “The Friend,” organ of the Society of Friends, states that 30 Bantu and 60 European delegates attended. Davidson Jabavu, a native leader, took a prominent part in the dis cussions. The conference declared itself in favor of native land ownership and lease-farming; against the economic exploitation of the native; recognized the close inter-relation of the races; and approved the development of native councils and the giving of ad ditional representation in Parliament. 30 PROFESSORS, 40 STUDENTS VISIT N.A.A.C.P. IN NEW YORK New York—Thirty professors and 40 students from colleges and uni versities in nearby states visited the offices of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peo ple, on an informational tour con ducted by the Fellowship of Recon ciliation, it has been announced. The colleges represented included institu tions in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, among them being Co lumbia university, Trinity college, University of Pennsylvania and Lan caster college. The visitors were ad dressed by Robert W. Bagnall, direct or branches, and following the dis cussion a number of southern stu dents expressed themselves as seeing the race problem in a new light. A JAPANESE VIEWS CHRISTIAN AMERICA “Here I have seen literally millions of Christians in perfectly good stand ing in the Church take something of a pleasure in speaking unkindly of their richer neighbors. I have seen more millions of them entirely happy in revising the Sermon on the Mount to read: ‘Lots of men can serve two masters. Ye can serve God and Mammon.’ I have seen still more millions of equally excellent Chris tians take the name of God in vain— and in the jolliest manner imaginable. “Here I have heard (although, of course, I don’t believe a word of it) that the greatest city in this Christian America has smashed the world rec ord for crime and that its expensively paved streets are buried under the fragments of the Ten Command ments. “I have seen that old-fashioned thing—which we Japanese still think a good deal of—called parental con trol become a lost art among the Christian people in this country. “These and a few other things have had their effect upon me, of course. I am wondering if Christian ity in Christendom is dry-rotting. They have bewildered me not a little and made me a trifle weary in my joints as I tried to make my painful way along the straight and narrow path.’’—Aduchi Kimosuke.