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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1927)
The Monitor m NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS ^1S THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. it* > Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, November 4, 1927 Vol. XIIINumber 18 Whole Number 640 i Property Loss To Exceed Two Million ORGANIZATIONS FORM MERGER AND WILL OPPOSE SEGREGATION ConsOlidation of N. E. R. League and National Race Congress Affected— Miller President of New Body—Jernigan Is Vice President—Neil and Trotter, Secretaries—Segregation Denounced at Twentieth Annual Session of League-Opposition To Any Candidate With a Segregated Department Urged. Washington, D. C., Oct. 29—“Then you want every colored employee in a room with some white?” Answer: “Yes, and mixed up with them, too." Such was the pith of the colloquy between Secretary Work of the In terior Department, this afternoon, and William Monroe Trotter as the! spokesman of a delegation from the twentieth annual meeting of the Na tional Equal Rights League, at the close of its twentieth annual session consolidated with the National Race Congress, in which were Rev. W. H. Jarnigan, vice president of the Equal Rights League and Race Congress of America; M. R. Clarke, M. W. Spen cer, George A. Parker, Rev. Ran dolph, Neval H. Thomas and A. S. Pinkett of the local N. A. A. C. P., and Robert J. Nelson of the Elks Civil Liberties Commission. The Secretary tried to pooh-pooh the separation, to claim it was not for color, but kind of work, etc. Spokesman Trotter insisted Miss Gretchen McRae was excluded from the room filled with white stenog raphers in the General Land Office and placet in a room with colored men, and male employees were put in separate rooms, or rooms by them selves, that it could fairly be con sidered by anyone as segregation due (to prejudice and was injurious as strengthening segregation in all lines. The delegation agreed to send in the facts in writing. The convention was held as a mass race congress in the John Wesley A. M. E. Zion Church, 14th and Corcor an streets, from Tuesday afternoon until midnight on Friday. It was featured by four night mass meet ings of earnest oratory against se gregation and race discrimination, and for independent voting for can didates in 1928, on the basis of their announced attitude on segregation, peonage, disfranchisement and lynch ing, but with no regard to party label. The race was urged to oppose every form of segregation and race j discrimination, using trade-boycott and political reprisal in retaliation, by Prof. Neval H. Thomas, President of the Washington National A. A. C. j P., William Monroe Trotter of Bos- j ton, and Rev. Geo. F. Miller of New York, the national president who ( presided at the convention. Thomas J. Johnson of the Washing ton League, told of the famous audi ence with Secretary Work, which broke up segregation in the Pension Department, and Professor Kelly Miller and others spoke. Richard B. Moore of New York, secretary of the National Negro La bor congress, advised manly resis tance and participation in forming a new party. Thomas M. Dent, repre senting the Shriners urged fight in the courts. Robert J. Nelson of the Elks urged opposition to any candi date favored by the Ku Klux Klan, and condemned President Coolidge for not having the colored members of the national republican committee at the White House breakfast. T. H. R. Clarke outlined the race petition to congress. W. M. Trotter also op posed voting for any candidate for the presidency who had segregation in their departments. James L. Neil read the resolutions for Marcus Gar vey’s pardon and commended the Ne val Thomas audience with Secretary Work. M. W. Spencer delivered the address of welcome. The Officer* After committees representing both sides had conferred for two days, the National Race Congress proposal for consolidation was accepted, and a historic unifying of the race in its battle for civil liberty was consum mated at midnight. The officers are as follows: G. F. Miller, president; Rev. William H. Jernigan, vice-prasi dent at large; Rev. C. H. Medford, first vice-president; Rev. M. W. Spen cer, second vice-president; Rev. B. W. Swan, of Massachusetts, third vice-president; James L. Neil, record ing secretary; Rev. W. A. Taylor, as sistant recording secretary; W. M. Trotter, of Massachusetts, corre sponding secretary; Rev. J. H. Ran dolph, assistant secretary; George A. Parker, treasurer; Rev. T. S. Horton, of New York, organizer; Rev. L. B. Brooks, of South Carolina, assistant organizer; Rev. H. B. Taylor, chap lain; J. H. R. Clarke, president of the petions committee; Rev. C. J. Wilcher, of New Jersey, treasurer. National Petition Conference The new executive committee met today, and decided to seek signatures for the petition through the race press, churches and organizations, and hold a National Petition Congress here together and present the petition to congress the day it opens on De cember 5, 1927. PETITION OF AFRO-AMERICANS TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Washington, D. C., December 5, 1927. I To the Congress of the United States of America: We the undersigned citizens of the United States of America, seeking the abolition of the civil and political disabilities under which millions of American citizens live, because of African ex traction and descent, do petition your honorable body, to abolish by appropriate legislation, color segregation in interstate travel, in federal employment, in federal territory and elsewhere; to pro vide adequate educational facilities in the South for colored youth, and to give federal aid to Southern education; to end the military occupation of Haiti, as a violation of the Declaration of Independ ence, of international law, of the right of the Haitian people to maintain their independent national existence; to carry out your sworn obligations to enforce the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend ments to the Constitution, and to afford protection of life by pass age of a federal law against lynching and mob violence. NATIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUE AND CONGRESS OF AMERICA, INC., IN BEHALF OF COLORED AMERICA Name.... Address...—. Name .. Address Name --— Address... Name Address Name_—..-. . Address—...-. ' Name Address Sign and Send to—JAMES L. NEIL, Secretary, 906 Tea Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. EDITORIAL During the last city campaign it was admitted that the colored vote saved the day for the “Square Seven” slate. Had this vote been thrown to the “Citizens’ Ticket” the administration ticket would have been knocked higher than “Gilroy’s kite.” Three can didates unquestionably would have been defeated, and probably four. The “combination” would have been broken up and every one, except the most unsophisticated and trusting, knows that the successful carrying out of any political policy, city, state, or na tional, is only possible where there is a smoothly running “ma chine” or “combine.” Granted, if you please, that this ought not to be so, the fact remains that it is. “The City Hall gang,” as the outside “gang,” anxious to get in and become “The City Hall gang,” sneeringly calls the present city administration, can only successfully carry out its policy by agree ment and unified action. One bull in the political china shop may cause considerable disturbance but not seriously interfere with the machine. We believe that the “City Hall gang,” as things political go, is a pretty good gang, just about as good a one as we could get. We know that there are those who do not agree with us and who profess to believe that a new set of commissioners would make Omaha a virtually perfect city, free from all vice and evil. We do not believe this, nor have we any quarrel with those who disagree with our opinion. There are many evils from which our city should be purged and towards this needed purgation every law abiding citizen should contribute his influence, but it is no mere overnight job. We, therefore, seriously question whether a “new gang” would be any more successful in giving us a better governed city than the “old gang.” The chief point, however, that we desire to make is this: The present city administration owes its maintenance in power, as a “combine” or “machine,” if you please, to the colored vote. This they have been frank enough to admit. Despite this fact, which entitled our people to well-merited recognition in the matter of positions, this recognition has not yet been given, with one or two notable exceptions. Certain positions, definitely promised, by some of the commissioners after the election, in recognition of the support given them, are not yet forthcoming, although several months have passed. The Monitor believes that these promises were made in good faith. We hope that we are not mistaken in this. The Monitor respectfully urges the present city administration to keep faith with our people in this matter of positions, if it ex pects us to keep faith with it. Positions, not special privileges, are what the great majority of our citizens expect at your hands, gentlemen. Are we to be disappointed? AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY American Christianity in more respects than one, runs directly contrary to the teaching of its Divine Founder. Its Founder said, “All ye are brethren.” “Love as brethren, be courteous, be tender hearted, be kind, be forgiving.” In practice, Americans, white and black, reverse this. They treat, not entirely, but very largely, other men and women, and professedly Christian men and women, at that, as aliens and ene mies. Their code runs, in practice, of course, but not in theory: “Hate as enemies; be rude and discourteous; be harsh and mean; be hard-boiled and unforgiving.” The Divine Founder of Christianity enjoined self-discipline, se/f-scrutiny, se/f-examination, self-reform. The average Ameri can Christian seems to think that his chief job is reforming others. Again reversing the process of spiritual development enjoined by the Master. Would it not be well for all who profess and call themselves Christians to seriously attempt, at least, to carry out the precepts of Him whose they claim to be and Whom they claim to serve? LAND GRANT COLLEGE PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN CHICAGO CITY CLUB Orangeburg, S. C.— (By The Asso ated Negro Press)—Dr. J. S. Wilkin son, president of the South Carolina state college, and president of the As sociation of Land Grant Colleges for Negroes, announced recently that the annual meeting of the association will be held in the club rooms of the City club, 315 Plymouth Court, Chicago, Illinois, November 14, 15, and 16. This marks the first time a nation al Negro body of any kind has ever met in the club rooms of the Chicago City club and is being considered as an indication of the prestige of the association. The meeting of the pres idents in Negro colleges will be held at the same time the National Asso ciation of Land Grant Colleges and Universities of which it is a part, will meet at the Congress hotel. It was the desire of the Negro branch to hold its meeting close by in order that travelling to and from the two meetings would be facilitated. Upon request the board of directors of the City club immediately granted the use of the club rooms. The convention will bring to Chi cago more than 50 educators includ ing presidents and teachers of land grant colleges for Negroes and a pro gram for the general advancement of these institutions will be formulated. Speaking of the contribution made to the general progress of the Negro by these institutions, Dean William Pick ens, field secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, declared, “To my mind, the most useful contribution of our Negro Land Grant colleges has been to keep awake in the education al circles a consciousness of the duty and obligation of southern states to ward the higher and technical train ing of Negroes. The Land Grant col leges have perhaps had a deeper ef fect on this consciousness than any other schools for Negroes in that sec tion.” WASHINGTONIANS CHARGE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST URGES SEGREGATION Washington, D. C.— (By The Asso ciated Negro Press)—Negro Roman Catholics charged Father Cornelius J. Dacey of St. Paul’s church with at tempting to promote jim-crowism here last week when it was reported that Sunday he made the statement that “those of you who are membert or the St. Augustine and Holy Re deemer parishes should take your support to them. We do not desire you here, and it is best for you to go to your own church.” So' angered were a number of the Negro communicants that it is re ported that they left the church im mediately. In explaining his version of the affair, Father Dacey declared: “I used no terms that apply to a dis tinct race when I made the statement. It was made immediately following an appeal to the members of my own parish for their whole-hearted sup port. Members of St. Augustine and Holy Redeemer parishes are not mem bers of St. Paul’s; hence, I have no right to ask their support.” Messrs. Fred and F. N. Trusty left Wednesday evening for Denver, Colo., to visit their mother. NEGRO RESIDENTS ARE HEAVILY HIT BY RECENT TORNADO Staff Correspondent of Associated Negro Press Gives Real Story of Havoc Wrought in Residen tial District PROPERTY LOSS TWO MILLION Rehabilitation a Mammoth Task in Which Race Financial Institutions Are Seeking to Give Sub stantial Aid Editor’s Note: The St. Louis tor nado struck the Negro residents of that city a staggering blow. News dispatches failed in any adequate de gree to portray the true extent of the disaster. When a staff corres pondent of the Associated Negro Press visited the city he was amazed at the diaster, the suffering, and the losses. The leaders of the communi ty are standing resolutely by. It seems that the statement of the pres ident of the chamber of commerce minimizing the catastrophe and re fusing outside aid gave the general impression that the first reports were exaggerated. They were not. Until the story written below of the efforts being made by the Business League, and the leaders of the financial in stitutions of the city to save the citi zens from an irreparable loss, our pa pers have not had adequate knowl edge. The Associated Negro Press is gratified to be the medium of service. I St. Louis, Mo.— (By Staff Corres pondent, Associated Negro Press) — The general public, outside of the confines of the city of St. Louis and the eastern section of the state of Missouri, does not realize the havoc wrought by the tornado which struck here a few weeks ago. The general belief is that the greatest destruction was done in the residential districts inhabited by white people. A tour of the devastated area proves this belief erroneous. Beauti ful residential districts, one of the finest in the country, composed of some of the most pretentious homes owned by Negroes in the city and state, were wiped out in the few min utes that the tornado was raging. What were once the show places of the race locally, as far as residences were concerned, are now piles of brick, mortar and stone. Block after block, on Cook avenue, West Belle and Enright avenues were laid to the ground and today stand as a memory of the furious winds and a reminder of the stupendous task faced by the citizens of St. Louis in the rehabilitation of these homes. On the day of the storm, St. Louis boasted of being a “home town,” where everybody lived and ate at home. In fact, one of the most prom inent citizens of the city, Attorney Homer G. Phillips, in discussing the difference between Chicago, New York, and St. Louis, with a represen tative of the Associated Negro Press, laid particular stress upon this dif ference and attributed the lack of a large number of real cafes in St. Louis to this fact. Thousands upon returning home on that fateful day found their homes destroyed, their personal property lost, and they are today homeless, living with friends or “rooming” with those who were fortunate enough to have been removed from the storm area. While the loss of lives was to a certain extent negligible, due prob ably to the fact that the tornado i struck at one o’clock in the afternoon when children were at school and adults were out in pursuit of a liveli hood, the loss of property is enor mous. Property Lott Ettimated at $2,2500,000 A conservative estimate of the property loss to colored people occa sioned by the destructive winds and rains has been set at $2,260,000. In many cases a home represented the results of a life of saving and sacri fice. And in a few minutes the work of a lifetime was wiped out and a new start will have to be made. / ‘ It is hardly conceivable that wind and rain could have wrought the de struction which this tornado accom plished, but the ruins of buildings, large and small, stand, bearing mute testimony of the power and fury of the tornado. These ruins bear more semblance to those following a fire than that which the laymen might expect from a cyclone or tornado. Here and there are large brick buildings with the fronts tom out, another lost a corner and the win dows, and hundreds are mere pile3 of brick. On West Belle for two blocks there is not a single house which can be inhabited or which can be repaired quickly or cheaply. The same is true of the beautiful residences on Cook avenue and Enright. Home Furnishings Destroyed I Added to the plight of being ren dered homeless, is that of losing all personal property such as furniture, clothing, and the like. Those homes which were in comparison slightly damaged by the winds, were flooded by the rain which ruined everything from “cellar to attic.” The tour of the tornado area revealed stories of the home life of St. Louis in the re maining ruined property which was not yet removed. Attractive furni ture stood as it did before the storm, but utterly ruined. Coats, hats, etc., | were hanging in their appointed places, but their usefulness has been destroyed. St. Louisians are going about the task of helping the storm victims, but it is evident that the job is too big for local effort. The loss was too large; the crisis is too critical, and help is needed. How these Negro possessions are to be rehabilitated is the question which is staggering the minds of St. Louis leaders. White and Negro bus iness men alike are condemning the statement issued by President Bixby of the local chamber of commerce. Not realizing perhaps that the total loss, reaching $60,000,000, as it does, would be so great, President Bixby issued a statement to the effect that the help of outside cities and the Na tional Red Cross was not needed. The result is that these small prop erty owners instead of having a fund to give them a start, as has been true (Continued on Page Two) NEGRO INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS TO BE DISCUSSED AT DURHAM Durham, N. C.—(By The Associ ated Negro Press) — The means whereby Negroes can be in position to take advantage of the industrial awakening in the South and at the same time hold and increase his posi tion in the industries of the North will come in for much discussion at the convention which is to be held in Durham, December 7. To discuss this very important question some of the leading business men, editors, and publishers, educa tors, and welfare workers have been invited to attend the convention, and according to Dr. J. E. Shepard, who with Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, Mrs. Mary Bthune, C. C. Spaulding, W. G. Pear son, and others, is heading the move ment, a large number have accepted the invitation. The migration of the Negro to the northern industrial centers has brought about an industrial awaken ing in the south. This is evidenced by the building programs being pro jected in this direction in the south ern states. The south is taking on a new aspect and instead of being an agricultural section, it will soon be a great industrial center. Just how the Negro can share in this industrial development and how best he can be prepared to take ad vantage will be discussed and worked out at this meeting and at the same time methods of enabling him to pro mote his progress in the north will also be devised. It is known that the increased Negro population in north ern industrial centers has increased the anti-racial feeling in these sec tions and segregation and discrimin ation. Means of combatting these evils must be found and the leaders who gather at this meeting intend to do so. The whole question of Negro life in America is to be presented by experts and discussed by the leaders assembled.