Nebraska Newspapers

    fiEip The Monitor ~
\ NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
%. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
$2.00 a Year— Cent, a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1927 Vol. XIII—No. 12 Whole Number 634
CHURCHES EXERCISE INFLUENCE
OVER CONDUCT OF THE RACE
Chicago, 111.—The Living Church
News Bureau—There are more than
200,000 Negroes in Chicago and an
investigation of The Daily News has
been contributing a most interesting
series of articles dealing with the Ne
groes as an important economic, poli
tical, and social factor in the city’s
life. In speaking of his religious life
the writer, Carroll Binder, says that
the Christian Church continues to ex
ercise tremendous influence over the
conduct and thought of the urban Ne
gro, despite distractions and compet
ing agencies, which are absent in the
simpler Negro communities of the
South. A considerable political in
fluence is still enjoyed by many Ne
gro clergymen, but politicians say
that this influence is on the decline.
“It is apparent," he Bays, “that the
Church holds a large place in the life
of the average Negro. The non
church-going Negro is looked upon
with disfavor by his fellows. Church
going brings evident satisfaction to
its participants. Thousands of Ne
groes go two or three times to church
each Sunday, and one or more times
during the week. If one wishes to
attend one of the more popular
churches he must be on hand an hour
ahead of time to get a seat. The at- j
tendance in a dozen Negro churches]
could hardly be matched by as many |
white churches. Edifices which once
housed fashionable Jewish and Prot
estant congregations are now throng
ed with fervent colored worshippers."
The record and experience of our
own Church in Chicago bears out this
statement. St. Thomas’ church, at
Wabash avenue and Thirty-eighth
street on the south side, has the sec- j
ond largest membership in the dio- ]
cese, being exceeded only by St. i
Luke's church, Evanston. The Rev. I
H. J. Brown is priest in charge. Its |
communicants number 1,378. Its
services are well attended and it has
a full Catholic ritual. St. Andrew’s j
mission in Evanston, the Rev. W. J. ;
Weaver, priest in charge, is another:
SUPREME COURT
LANDS KNOCKOUT
ON “BARBER BILL”
Infamous Measure Is Contrary to
Constitutions of State and
Nation, Say Georgia
Judges
Atlanta, Ga.—The famous (or in
famous) Atlanta “barber bill,” pro- (
hibiting Negro barbers from cutting,
the hair of white children under 14 j
years of age, which was enacted by
the city council last year, has finally
received its death blow at the hands
of the supreme court of Georgia,
which recently declared tho law con
trary t» the constitutions of both the
state and the nation. The law never
went into effect, even for a day, hav
ing been held up immediately after
its passage by a court injunction ap
plied for by the Atlanta chamber of
commerce. The supreme court now
writes the concluding chapter in this
interesting case.
The measure, supposed to have
been sponsored by white barbers and
by politicians seeking to capitalize
race prejudice, was rushed through
the council without a public hearing.
In its original form it prohibited both
white and colored barbers from serv
ing persons of the opposite race. A
storm of opposition, lead by the Inter
racial Committee, the Ministers’ Al
liance, the chamber of commerce, the
daily papers, and other influential
agencies, immediately descended up
on the council and forced the repeal
of the measure. The bill was then
(' greatly modified and was again rail
roaded through the council. The
chamber of commerce, .with the back
ing of other groups opposed to the
measure, then took the case t<> the
courts, with the gratifying results in
i dicated above The case well illus
trates the apparent fact that race
prejudice is most general and intense
at the level of economic competition.
thriving work among the 8,000 Ne
groes there. The corner stone of the
new $32,000 church has just been
laid. On the west side of the city
an effort is being made to minister to
the Negroes in the mission of the
Church of the Samaritan.
Moreover, the colored people of the
city contribute generously to the sup
port of their churches, annual collec
tions and subscriptions in the city dis
trict exceeding $500,000, besides spe
cial contributions for building funds
and other expenses. Stockyard em
ployees and washerwomen give on an
average of five dollars a month to
the work of their churah, according
to the estimate of a prominent Negro
religious leader. A $20,000 rally is
not unusual. Olivet Baptist church
claims a membership of 11,000,
though the auditorium of the church
will only seat a third of that number.
Other parishes have memberships
running into the thousands. Most
Chicago Negro churches are affili
ated with nationally organized Ne
gro sects, but a number of independ
ent churches have sprung up in re
cent years, some with very large
memberships. The founding of these
churches was an effort of higher ec
clesiastical authorities to supplant a
j popular preacher, who thereupon set
up his own congregation, or it was a
split within a parish over some doc
trinal or personal issue. The Ro
man Catholic Church has a growing
work among the Negroes, an instance
being,,St. Elizabeth’s church, at For
ty-first street and Wabash avenue,
which has a flourishing men’s club
and an eleven grade parochial school
with 1,100 colored students. Even
the Christian Scientists are active
and growing among the colored peo
ple. Both the Y. M. C. A. and the
Y. W. C. A. have large and flourish
ing branches on the south side re
gion. The annual budget of the
Y. M. C. A. branch, one of the finest
and best equipped in the land, is
$108,000, all of which is raised by
the colored people.
NON AGE NERI AN VISITS
OMAHA RELATIVES
Soney Bell, Ex-Civil War Soldier,
Aged 92 Year*, Find* Niece*
After 20 Year*’
Separation
Mr. Soncy Bell, of Leavenworth,
Kansas, is visiting with his nieces,
Mrs. Opal Bell Morgan and Mrs. An
na Bell Vanoy, from whom he has
been separated for 20 years.
Mr. Bell, who is a brother of the
late Benton Bell of this city, is an old
ex-soldier of the Civil War, who was
wounded but is now very active in
his 93rd year.
He is very conversant and jolly,
is a widower and full of life. Mr.
Bell, who is retired on a pension, did
not neglect to prepare for these 93
years, for he owns much property in
his home town and has saved some
money besides. Leavenworth may
be the loser and Omaha the gainer
of a very worthy and desired citizen,
as Mr. Bell is contemplating spending
his days with his nieces here.
He is now with Mrs. Opal Bell Mor
gan, 1208 North Twenty-fifth street.
EMPLOYEE GIVEN
STOCK AS REWARD
Sacramento, Calif.—PCNB)—As a
fitting reward for his 40 years of ]
faithful service, the Kirk Geary com
pany, wholesale drug distributors of
this city recently made John Ray,
colored, stockholder of their concern
through donation of nine shares of
common stock.
Mr. Ray, 919 Front street, togeth
er with his son, Clyde, has complete
charge of the country packing de
partment, seeing after and supervis
ing the out-of-town orders for this
large drug concern whose territory
covers the entire northern half of
California; the southern half of Ore
gon and as far east as Tonopah, Ne
vada.
EDITORIAL ;
No doubt we will be considered presumptuous, perhaps im
pertinent, for volunteering advice to the Omaha Chamber of
Commerce. Nevertheless, here goes. Our suggestion is that
the Chamber of Commerce in its campaign for enlarged mem
bership, which it is about to launch, seek to include in its mem
bership representatives of all classes of our cosmopolitan citi
zenship. This, of course, means the inclusion of citizens of
the Negro race. Hitherto in all its plans and programs this
large group has never been considered. If, howover, the Cham
ber of Commerce is sincere in its desire and avowed purpose of
working for a larger and better Omaha, not only commercially
and industrially, but also socially, civicly and culturally, or, in
other words, for a broad program of constructive community
service, then it must be quite apparent that its membership
should be as thoroughly representative as possible. There are
professional and business men among the Negro citizens of
Omaha who would not only themselves be benefitted by such
contact as membership in such an organization affords but
who would also benefit the organization by their membership.
They would have something to give as well as to get. But the
paramount plank in the Chamber of Commerce platform should
be the development of a community spirit. This is what Omaha
I needs. The Chamber of Commerce can contribute much to
| wards the creation of this spirit, if it will, but its outlook must
be much broader than that of a mutual admiration society and
'it must not overlook or ignore any element of Omaha’s popula
tion.
We fully agree with the following statement contained in a
i letter sent out under the signature of Mr. C. D. Sturtevant,
chairman of the executive committee of the Chamber:
! “Omaha needs a stronger Chamber of Commerce if it is to
I carry on a broader program of community service and accom
I plish those things necessary to keep this city abreast of its
| neighbors in every phase of community welfare.”
MERITS THE WHOLE-HEARTED SUPPORT OF ALL
I _
The North Side Branch of the Young Women’s Christian
Association is an established institution in this community. It
is deserving of the fullest support and hearty and enthusiastic
co-operation of all our people who realize and appreciate the
importance of uplifting agencies for our girls and young wo
manhood. That the Y. W. C. A. is such an agency cannot be
denied. Its purpose is thus clearly defined:
“To associate young women.in personal loyalty to Jesus
Christ as Saviour and Lord.
“To promote growth in Christian character and service
through physical, social, mental and spiritual training.
“To become a social force for the extension of the Kingdom
of God.” . , J
Admittedly then, its purpose and ideals are high, and such
association of young women cannot but prove most beneficial
and helpful to any group or any community.
The North Side Branch has done good work and is capable
of doing a greater and better work if it be more largely and
generously Supported. It is not beginning to get the support
it deserves. There should be a much larger membership and
more should avail themselves of the educational and recrea
tional privileges offered.
The spirit of unfeigned and sincere goodfellowship which
exists between the Central Branch and the North Side Branch
is, in our opinion, a social asset to our community of inestimable
value. It is more far-reaching in its influence for mutual re
spect and understanding than is appreciated. We heard one
of the most prominent white woman say in a public meeting:
“I have had the honor and privilege of meeting and working
with some of the finest and best women it has ever been my
pleasure to meet and they are colored women. They are wo
men of excellent character, culture and high ideals and we
owe to these people to deal fairly and justly with them. 1 his
noble woman had caught a vision.
It came through the contact afforded by these two branches
of the Y. W. C. A. The colored women, too—because it must
be admitted that there is prejudice on both sides—have also
I caught a vision of nobleness of character and real Christian
worth upon the part of their white sisters by this contact.
Participation in a common program has made for understand
ing and friendship, which will mean much in the future by the
removal of blighting prejudice. x .
It is to be hoped that our people will rally to the support ol
the North Side Branch as it is renewing its activities and make
it the power for social uplift that it should be in the community.
It is a welfare agency for the whole community and as such
merits the whole-hearted support of all.
ROSCOE CONKLING BRUCE
LANDS WELL-PAYING JOB
New York City—Roscoe Conkling
Bruce, former superintendent of our
schools at the nation’s capitol and
only son of Hon. Blanche K. Bruce
(deceased), U. S. senator from Mis
sissippi and registrar of the U. S.
treasury, many years ago, is in the
employ of the Rockefeller Founda
tion. He is in charge of its large
new tenement of 641 apartments
which will house over 2,000 persons
of color and which occupies an entire
city block between E. 156 and 167th
streets, facing 7th avenue, this city.
Mr. Bruce’s salary is $12,000. His
wife, who is associated with him in
the work, as legal advisor, draws a
salary of $3,600. Already there are
5,000 applications for the apart
ments. Mr. Bruce obtained the posi
tion ir. open competition, part of
which was the preparation of a thesis
covering every possible situation
which might arise in the administra
tion of such work.
NEWSPAPER IN INDIA
COMMENTS ON N. A. A. C. P.
ANNUAL REPORT
New York, N. Y.—The National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, 69 Fifth avenue, has
received a clipping from “United In
dia and Indian States” published in
Delhi, India, containing the follow
ing editorial comment:
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, hav
ing its head office at 69 Fifth avenue,
New York, is doing splendid work in
behalf of the Negro. Its seventeenth
annual report shows how the year
1926 has been for the association a
year of legal victories. The associ
ation makes full use of the courts to
affirm and defend the Negro’s funda
mental rights in America. It also
acts in cases where Negroes are
threatened with mob violence. The
report records show how the associ
ation frustrated the attemps made to
drive colored people from their
homes.
N. A. A. C. P. BRANCHES
FIGHT EXTRADITION
New York City, Sept. 16—The San
Francisco and Oakland, California,
branches of the National Assocition
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ople, are fighting an attempt to ex
tradite a Negro from the state of
California to Oklahoma, on the
ground that he will be denied a fair
trial and possibly lynched in the lat
ter state.
The colored man, whose extradition
from California is being opposed, is
Edward Glass, who escaped from an
Oklahoma posse after shooting a po
lice officer while defending his home
at Sapulpa.
The fight is being led by Edward
D. Mabson, a young attorney and a
member of the executive committee
of the San Francisco branch of the
N. A. A. C. P. At Mr. Mabson’s re
quest, the national office of the N.
A. A. C. P. telegraphed to Governor
C. C. Young of California, asking for
a 30-day delay in proceedings in or
der to permit the northern California
branch of the N. A. A. C. P. to pre
sent its facts and arguments. The
national office also sent the Califor
nia governor a list of the 89 lynch
ings in the state of Oklahoma from
1889 to date. It also sent detailed
reports on six recent cases in which
northern governors had declined to
permit extradition into states where
there was reason to fear mob vio
lence.
Mr. Mabson reports that a delega
tion of colored citizens was on hand
at the hearing presided over by the
governor’s secretary and that coloi d
taxpayers have opposed the support
of the extradition proceedings by the
I district attorney’s office of Alameda
! county.
WOUNDED SEVEN TIMES
Portland, Ore. — Joseph White,
born in Philadelphia 55 years ago,
claims participation in (more cam
paigns than any living American sol
dier. Joe’s father and brother were
in the Civil War and he enlisted at
Governor’s Island at the age of 11.
He served 16 years in the Ninth and
Tenth Calvary and the same number
of years in the 24th and 25th Infan
try. Sergeant White’s ribbons tell
of his campaigns. One represents the
war in Cuba where he went to San
Juan hill with Roosevelt; one, serv
ice in Indian wars; another, is a
medal of honor; still another repre
sents the distinguished service medal
—for service in foreign wars; in the
Philippines and abroad in the World
War. During his 32 years of service
before retirement, he was wounded
seven times.
STUDENT GETS $100
WALKER SCHOLARSHIP
The Madam C. J. Walker company
has sent through the National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of Col
ored People a check for $100 made
payable to C. Lemley Taylor who is
to study at Columbia university in
New York. This scholarship was
awarded to the Little Rock, Arkansas,
branch of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, who in turn selected Mr.
Taylor, also of Little Rock for the
recipient.
This is the last award of the kind
which the company will make until
after their huge building program in
Indianapolis has been achieved. It
is hoped that these scholarship awards
will be resumed when the company
shall have dedicated its new building,
and been relieved of the added bur
den of the expansion of its business.
NO RACE COPS FOR
MEMPHIS, SAYS MAYOR
Memphis, Tenn. — “Memphis will !
have no Negro policemen,” is the
statement of Mayor Rowlette Payne.
“There is no use in mincing words.”
The mayor stated that there will be
no Negro policemen, no Negro fire
men, nor removal of restrictions ad
mitting Negroes to white parks of
Memphis as long as he has a voice in
the city government.
NEW JERSEY HAS
WELL-GOVERNED
NEGRO DOROUGH
Lawnside, “New Jersey’s Ebony Gar
den of Eden,” Has Three Thou
sand Inhabitants and No
Crime Wave
Lawnside, N. J.— (ANP)—Lawn
side, New Jersey, has been incorpor
ated as a borough for a year. It is
a town in New Jersey governed by
Negroes.
In a lengthy article appearing re
cently in the Herald-Tribune of New
York, it is referred to as “New Jer
sey’s Ebony Garden of Eden.” Prac
tically little or no crime prevails at
Lawnside, but on the other hand there
is much economy on the part of its
inhabitants, who number 8,000 and
only 40 whites.
A study of the report made public
shows that while municipal revenues
failed to equal administrative expen
ditures of $5,625 for the year, ex
penses were held down through the
public spirit of the mayor, who serves
without pay, and the collector, the
auditor, and the solicitor and the
clerk, who each receive only $250 a
year.
No DUorder
The mayor, whose name is given as
James Hemming, is said to make his
living as a steam roller pilot. The
fire department is composed of vol
unteers, serving, of course, without
pay, and we are not told what sort
of fire-fighting apparatus is used in
Lawnside.
This is what is said of the police
force: “The policemen support them
selves by doing odd jobbs. When
trouble breaks out they rush home,
don their ornate uniforms and hurry
to the scene of disorder. The police
evidently have a fat job, with little
to do. The president of the town
council says there are “four boot
leggers in Lawnside,” but not one ar
rest was made for drunkenness by
the volunteer policemen. During the
year the report shows that there were
no arrests made for murder, robbery
or other felony.
Lawnside boasts of a very good
hotel; there is an eight-room school
house for the 248 pupils; there is a
public park, a swimming pool and a
bathing pond, and best of all, ninety
per cent of the colored people in
Lawnside own their own homes.”
GEORGIA PURITY LAW WAITS
BECAUSE LEGISLATURE HAS
NOT $300,000 TO ENFORCE IT
Atlanta, Ga.—The racial integrity
bill, passed by the last legislature and
signed by Governor Hardman, can
not be put into effect because its op
eration would cost $300,000 and no
appropriation was made for the pur
pose, state health officials said re
cently.
The measure provides for the im
mediate registration of every man,
woman and child in the state; and a
card index of their racial descent for
reference when application is made
for marriage license. It prohibits the
issuance of marriage licenses until
the records at the board of health
office have been checked.
The bill is aimed at preventing in
ter-marriage between colored and
white persons.
BAPTIST DELEGATES VISIT
COLORADO’S NEGRO TOWN
Fort Collins, Colo. — (PCNB)—
Upon the invitation of O. F. Jackson,
^olored private secretary to Governor
Adams, more than 500 western and
southwestern delegates to the Na
tional Negro Baptist Convention vis
jited the colored town of Dearfield,
!on Tuesday, September 13.
RETIRES AFTER FIFTY
YEARS OF SERVICE
Louisville, Ky.— (ANP)—Prof. W.
H. Perry, who for 50 years has been
a principal in Louisville public
schools, has been retired on pension.
His son, Prof. W. H. Perry, jr., was
appointed as principal in his place
over the largest public school in the
city.