Nebraska Newspapers

    The Monitor «
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~ NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
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° THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILUAMS, Editor.
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$3.00 a Year—I a a CopyOMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1927Vol. XIII—Number 17 Whole Number 639
Woman Is Shot While Protecting Baby
Moorfield Story Denounces
Washington’s Segregation
New York—Moorfield Storey,
president of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple, has written a letter to Hubert
Work, U. S. Secretary of the In
terior, warning him that colored
voters are determined to end segre
gation in the government depart
ments in Washington and that votes
will be cast against candidates re
sponsible for a segregation policy.
Mr. Storey’s letter in fulj is as fol
lows:
Dear Mr. Work:
I was very much amazed at your
reply to Mr. Thomas’ representation
in regard to the segregation of the
white and colored employees in your
department, and your suggestion that
the colored employees would not
make any fuss if the outsiders did
not interfere.
There are now upwards of twelve
million colored American citizens in
this country who have, under the
constitution and law, every right
which belongs to their white fellow
citizens. There is a systematic move
ment all over the country from white
people to deny those rights. There is
one movement to prevent their liv
ing in the same neighborhood with
white people, although the supreme
court has declared that any statute
to that effect violates the constitu
tion. Another movement is made to
exclude them from public parks,
public bathing places, theatres, res
taurants and other public places.
Still a third would keep them out of
public buildings or give them very
inferior accommodations, and in por
tions of the country they are lynched
and their property rights interfered
with, but there is no adequate at
tempt to enforce their rights in the
courts. A law which will give the
United States courts jurisdiction of
lynching has passed the House of
Representatives and would pass the
Senate if it came to a vote, but it
was defeated by filibustering.
These movements against our fel
low citizens exasperate a great many
leading Americans, and we are de
termined that these movements shall
stop. Mr. Coolidge has repeatedly
given voice to strong expressions of
sympathy addressed perhaps to Ne
gro conventions and other gatherings
of colored people, but nothing has
been done to carry out those expres
sions and the exasperation has in
creased in consequence.
From the time the Civil War end
ed through the administrations of
Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Gar
field, Cleveland, Harrison and Roose
velt there was no segregation in the
departments. Black and white stood
alike in the service of the United
States at Washington. Beginning
with Mr. Taft’s declaration that he
would not appoint a colored person
to office in any community where
colored men were not desired there
has been a steady segregation, and
the practice which was good enough
for Lincoln and Cleveland is now
abandoned by the government offi
cials in Washington. The whole
movement against the rights of the
colored people flourishes under the
example of the Republican officers
in Washington, and if we say to any
community that this segregation
shall stop and that it is unconstitu
tional, the answer can be made—
i“Why, the government officers in,
Washington are segregating, and the
President justifies it, or does nothing
to prevent it.”
It is proper that you should under
stand that this practice is very bit
terly condemned by a "reat many
American citizens, and they are de
termined that in the forthcoming
election the colored vote shall be
cast against all who favor these prac
tices, or who having the power do
nothing to stop it. This will affect
everybody who takes part in the seg
regation enforcement, and it must be
understood that the colored voters
are determined now to vote so as to
secure their rights, and to make
every one who denies them feel their
opposition.
YOU HIT TWO NEGROES
WITH ONE STONE
There was a time and not long
ago when one Negro was struck, he
was just struck, and that was all
there was to it. One man was killed
and that settled it.
How different today among our
group. You may now strike one
member of our group, and the in
significant, but at once he springs j
into prominence. Strike one of the j
group and the waves of interest will |
begin to widen until men and women
of color will be aroused in every!
state in the union.
Our most recent demonstration is
the case of Edward Glass. Our mili
tant organization has done more to
stir the blood of the group to self
defense than all other agencies com
bined. We speak unhesitatingly of
the_N. A. A. C. P. The men and wo
men who officer this organization
are a militant set. They are fear
less. They go into a matter with the
courage to back their convictions.
And they generally get results. If
Glass is taken back to Oklahoma, the
efforts of our group will have tri
umphed anyway. The country will
be taught the lesson that there is a
new power in the making, a new en
ergy is being generated, and the pow
er of our group-action must be reck
oned with.—The California Voice.
I
AWARDED $6,500 IN THE
DEATH OF HER HUSBAND
Cleveland, Ohio. — Judgment for
$6,500 was returned by a jury in fa
vor of Mrs. Cliff Mundy in a damage
suit growing out of the death of her
husband at the Ferro Foundry Com
pany, June, 1926.
Cliff Mundy died from the effects
of becoming overheated while work
ing for the Ferro Foundry company.
Mrs. Mundy in her petition blamed
the foundry for his death, due to
negligence of providing proper ven
tilation in the plant.
AIKEN LYNCHING NOT
YET DEAD ISSUE IN
SOUTH CAROLINA
New York.—The National Associa
tion for the Advancement of Colored
People, 69 Fifth avenue, receives in
timations that the lynching in Aiken,
S. C., last October, of three members
of the bowman “family is not yet a
dead issue in that state.
One correspondent of the N. A. A.
C. P. forwards an editorial from the
Columbia (S. C.) State, of October
10, which reads as follows:
Blood Brothers
“Wonder if that Aiken man who
on Saturday shot to death his infant
child and wounded the Negro woman
who was attempting to shield the in
fant was one of the ex-members of
the noble band of lynchers that about
a year ago, in behalf of law and jus
tice and in order that Anglo-Saxon
supremacy should be maintained,
did to death three helpless prisoners,
one of whom was a woman?
“The latest achievement of this ex
alted citizen would seem, indisputa
bly, to link him with that gallant
group of patriots who did so much to
focus national attention upon Aiken
in the declining months of 1926.
Certainly if he was not with them in
person he was there in spirit. His
type is drawn as needle to magnet
to the ranks of lynchers. Saturday
he was but running true to form;
that finest lynching form, when copi
ous portions of liquor have washed
away whatever slight veneer may
have been laid by rudimentary civili
zation, and left the human as un
hampered by sensibilities as the most
original of the glorious aborigines
who lived on all fours with the beasts
of the jungle.
"Yes, gallant lynchers, claim Child
Killer as your brother; Child Killer,
give the bloody hand of fellowship
and fraternity to those compatriots
who glory in the slaughter of man
acled prisoners snatched from the
palsied hands of the law of South
Carolinu.”
EDITORIAL
Do you not think that we have too many small congrega
tions of the same denominations among our group in Omaha?
Well, we do. We have been of this opinion for some time. We
believe that if the denominations to which our people in largest
numbers belong were reduced in number by wise and judicious
combinations or mergers much more effective work could be
done.
To be specific: There are some fourteen or more Baptist
congregations among our race in this city. Most of these are
small and struggling congregations, ekeing out a hand-to
mouth existence. The three or four larger congregations, like
Zion, Mt. Moriah and Pilgrim, are groaning under a heavy
burden of debt, which jeopardizes their existence. These debts
are undoubtedly a heavy tax upon the vitality of these congre
gations. The notable exception among our larger Baptist con
gregations which is not debt burdened is, we believe, Pleasant
Green. Would it not relieve the situation and make for effi
ciency if all the Negro Baptists in Omaha, on the North Side,
at least, were to unite in three or four strong congregations? It
unquestionably ought to.
We have chosen the Baptist congregations as an example,
because they excel all others in multiplication, which does not
always mean addition, but as we see it, subtraction in resources
and efficiency.
A searching of heart among the Methodists, of various
names, might also be productive of mergers which would
strengthen their work in the community, for they, too, in most
instances are struggling with debts.
Banks and business houses and firms of the same class,
frequently find that it cuts down overhead and makes for ef
ficiency by merging. The same rule applies to churches of
the same denomination, at least. The merger of different de
nominations in any given community is beset with more diffi
culties, but even here there is a growing sentiment among all
Christian folk that there are entirely too many sects among
Christians. Hence, world conferences, such as the recent one
at Lausanne, on Faith and Orders. But while these larger
mergers must necessarily wait, it does seem to us that here in
Omaha among our race, with limited resources and income, a
way ought to be found to decrease rather than to multiply the
number of our churches.
What do you think about it? Are we right, or are we
wrong? Let us hear from our readers.
URBAN LEAGUE REPORTS ON
INDUSTRY FOR SEPTEMBER
Bulletin No. 18 of the Industrial
department of the National Urban
League summarizes employment as
follows:
You could have gotten a rather ac
curate idea of the depressed state of
employment among Negroes in the
North during September by visiting
any one of the several employment
agencies of New York, Chicago and
Detroit. Southern conditions could
have been witnessed by visiting At
lanta, Jacksonville, Fla., and Winston
Salem, N. C. In each of these cities
unemployment did not abate during
September. Cleveland is a good
gaisge. Here according to analysis
by the State-City Employment ser
vice: "We are convinced that the
general public is really very much
concerned regarding the trend of em
ployment and also that most of the
people who are in position to judge
are of the opinion that no very great
improvement is in prospect before the
first of the year. A comparison with
orders received in September 1926
shows a decrease of 31.5 per cent,
which proves conclusively that our
employment situation while consider
ably improved over the summer
months, does not begin to compare
with the situation one year ago.”
The Industrial department of the Ne
gro Welfare asociation reported 443
positions filled in September as com
pared with 578 in September 1926,
a decrease of approximately 24 per
cent.
Ruioni for Unemployment
Several reasons are assigned for
the continued unemployment period,
which is displayed not alone by the
number of people out of work, but
also by the large number who are on
part time shifts—working either a
limited number of days per week.
These reasons are the slowing up in
automobile production due to uncer
tainties surrounding the long ex
pected new Ford car, the psychology
which usually accompanies national
elections, economic and trade dis
turbances between the United States
and other countries, and the ap
proaching winter months which al
ways cause a shifting within the la
bor market.
Reports from Cities
Whatever the cause is, the result is
depressing as the following reports
show:
Harrisburgh. "Men are awaiting
the resumption of full activities in
steel mills.”
Springfield, 111. “There is perhaps
not a single night but what we have
three or four^ transients in jail for
lodging.”
Tampa, Fla. “A continuation of
the inability of many to find work.
This is true of white and colored.”
New York. “All evidence points
to the fact that there is much more
unemployment prevalent at this
time.”
Fort Wayne, Ind. “A growing feel
ing among leading colored citizens
that new openings must be made.”
Advances Shown
There wer some slight gains dur
ing September, as for instance, in
Newark, where a novelty company
employed bench workers and a dress
factory employed machine operators,
thereby increasing their number of
colored help. Also in Winston-Salem,
where skilled bricklayers, cement fin
ishers and carpenters made signifi
cant gains. Incidentally, Negro un
ion hod carriers scored over open
shop workmen on a 27 story building
in Tulsa, Okla. Hotels in two cities,
one in Texas and the other in Missou
ri, decided to use colored orchestras,
In Pittsburgh, a new hotel opened
with a colored headwaiter and a crew
of 30 waiters. Here also the coal
strike caused the use of colored op
erators in mines which hitherto de
nied Negroes employment. In New
York City a large oil company with
subsidiaries in various parts of the
country has hired its first colored
clerk. In Chicago the demand con
tinues for skilled lamp shade workers
and power machine operators, fields
in which colored girls work in large
numbers.
EIGHT-YEAR TERM ASKED
FOR METHODIST BISHOPS
Chicago.—The Rock River Confer
ence of the M. E. church Monday
voted to send to the general assem
bly meeting at Kansas City next May
a memorial favoring the appointment
of bishops for a single term of eight
years instead of for life as at pres
ent. A storm of protest was evoked
by the resolution. Bishop R. E.
Jones and Bishop M. W. Clair are
the two colored M. E. bishops.
Savannah, Ga. — Georgia State
College has recently issued a pamph
let which state that thi? state leads
ull other states in the nation with a
popplation of approximately 1,200,
000 colored people, and that they pay
taxes of $47,000,000 in property.
COLORED WOMAN SHOT
TRYING TO PROTECT
WHITE BABY’S LIFE
Drink-Crazed Father Slays His Own
Baby in Arms of Servant Who
Risks Her Life in Attempt
to Save the Child
Aiken, S. C.—Adabelle Curry was
shot and perhaps fatally wounded by
Kinley Willis, a white man, here Fri
day night when she attempted to pre
vent Willis from killing his baby. The
heroic attempt was in vain as one of
the shots fired by the liquor-crazed
father snuffed out the life of the
child.
According to the report given the
police, Willis went home Friday
night under the influence of liquor.
He declared his intention to kill the
child, and Mrs. Curry, who works for
him, grabbed the child in her arms
to shield it, and attempted to es
cape. Willis overtook her and fired
twice, the first shot wounding the
woman and the second killing the
child. After the shooting, Willis ran
into the swamps near his home where
he was captured. He is being held for
the murder of the child, but his trial
is being held up pending the outcome
of Mrs. Curry’s injuries.
PIOUS PROFESSOR HITS USUAL
SNAG ON NEGRO PROBLEM
Arraigns “White Supremacy” as a
“Relic of Barbarism,” But Regards
Civil Equality as Impossible—
Is Strong for Segregation
(From the Morning Alberton)
The magnitude of the Negro prob
lem in the United States is discussed
at great length in a recent book writ
ten by Prof. Jerome Dowd of the
University of Oklahoma. For 20
years he has given himself to an in
vestigation of this racial question,
and at the end of his prodigious re
search he confesses that the Negro
problem can never be solved. How
ever, he thinks it has been greatly
mitigated and he has hopes of further
improvement largely through what
education can do for the Negro.
Amalgamation of the two races he
sets down as socially impossible and
biologically undesirable. Unfortun
ately, he maintains, certain deep in
stincts in widely differing race
groups prevent any general inter
mingling. While increase in mulat
toes throughout the United States has
been marked, it has been due mainly
to marriages of Negroes with mulat
toes and not with whites.
“Why any white person,” he says,
“should wish for a time when the
races of the world will lose all iden
tity and become a single chromatic
type passes all understanding, for it
is only by each race retaining its in
dividuality and flowering in its par
ticular habitat that the culture of the
world can receive its greatest variety
and richness of content.”
Professor Dowd dismisses proposed
colonization schemes, such as the plan
to remove the American Negroes to
Africa, as inconceivable. He does,
how’ever, point out the advantages of
segregation to the Negro. It creates
for him a world of his own where he
can fill every position in the commun-1
ity w'thout competition and restric
tion from the whites. He admits,
however, that both the southern and
northern Negroes condemn compul
sory segregation.
The writer strikes the usual snag in
a discussion of the problem when he
approaches the question of civil
equality. He regards it as impossible,
and yet white supremacy he calls a
“relic of barbarism which should be
eliminated by the progress of civiliza-j
tion.” But he admits that complete
ci\ il rights cannot be allowed the
Negro in states where he is numeri*
cally in the majority, because that
would mean black political control.
This the whites would resist, by force
if necessary.
There is nothing startling in his
summing up. He believes that the
greatest hope for the Negro lies in
the direction of a better understand
ing of the white people and a greater
inclination to co-operate with them in
a spirit of good faith and friendship.
There is nothing new in this pious
sentiment.
TWO NEGRO BANKS
OF LONGSTANDING
FORM A MERGER
Memphis Institution Takes New
Name and Becomes Strongest
In the South
Fraternal and Solvent Savings Banks
Combine Under New Name and
Become Strongest in
the South
WARD IS ELECTED PRESIDENT
Memphis, Tenn.—Merger of the
Fraternal Savings Bank and the Sol
vent Savings Bank, with a peid up
capital of $100,000 and.combined as
sets of nearly $1,600,000, making it
the largest and strongest Negro bank
in the south, was announced Satur
day by officers of both institutions.
Future name of the bank will be
the Fraternal and Solvent Bank and
Trust Company. It has opened busi
ness in the Solvent Savings Bank
building at 197 Beale Avenue, where
officers of both institutions will hold
open house until the close of bank
ing hours.
A. F. Ward, who has been presi
dent of the old Fraternal Savings
Bank since 1922, will become presi
dent of the merged institutions.
The board of directors of both
banks have been combined giving
the new institutions one of the
strongest set of Race business men
in any southern state.
The Fraternal Savings Bank was
organized and opened for business
February 10, 1910. It began with a
small paid up capital. A. F. Ward,
who had been in the banking busi
ness 22 years, beginning as a clerk
in the Alabama Penny Savings Bank
at Birmingham, entered the organi
zation of the Fraternal Bank as tell
er and has filled every position from
that to president. He came to Mem
phis from Birmingham in 1908 with
splendid letters of credit from sev
eral officers of the largest banks in
that city. Today he holds the con
fidence of all Memphis bankers.
The Solvent Savings Bank was or
ganized 23 years ago and was one
of the first institutions of its kind
in this city.
MARSHALL JOINS ATTACK
ON FLORIDA’S JURY
DISCRIMINATION
New York, N. Y.—Louis Marshall,
member of the National Legal Com
mittee and of the board of directors
of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, is to
prepare a reply brief to be filed in
the state supreme court of Florida,
challenging the state’s right to ex
ecute Abe Washington, a colored man
on the ground that deliberate wilful
exclusion of colored people from jury
service violates the fourteenth amend
ment to the Constitution and renders
the conviction void.
S. Decatur McGill, colored attor
ney of Jacksonville, Florida, is fight
ing the case. It is Mr. McGill’s pres
ent intention to carry the case to the
United States supreme court if nec
essary, on appeal. Victory would
mean an effective attack on the ex
clusion of colored men from jury ser
vice throughout the southern states.
VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT
REFUSES HIM ANNULMENT
Richmond, Va.—Claiming that hia
wife deceived him as to her color and
that he married her thinking her
white, Rosser Jamerson, white, is
asking an annulment of his marriage.
In his petition, he stated that his wife,
Mrs. Cassie Jamerson, told him that
the dark color of her skin was due to
Indian ancestry. The case was loBt
in the supreme court of appeals of ■
Virgina, and Jamerson has an
nounced that he will carry the case
to the United States supreme court.
COFFEYVILLE RIOT
CASES ARE CLOSED
New York.—According to infor
mation received by the N. A. A. C. P.
from Elisha Scott, its attorney, the
Coffeyville riot cases have been
closed.