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The Monitor
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
GROWING —
THANK YOU
$2.00 a Year-. % Tent* a Copy
Omaha, Nebraska, July 13, 1928
Vol. XIV—No. 2
Whole Number 675
Thousands Cross ‘Color Line’ Annually
CHURCH WOMEH
TO HOLD SECOHD
RACE COHFEREHCE
Spiritual Forces Generated at Former
Meeting Demonstrated Great .
Advantages Obtained by
Conference.
INTERRACIAL PROGRESS MADE
Need Felt for Further Discussion of
Many Problems by Outstand
ing Leaders of Both
Races.
New York, N. Y.—Because the de- j
velopments of interracial work among |
church women have made such strides
the past two years and because there
are many problems which need fur
ther discussion by the white and col
ored women leaders, the second gen
eral interracial conference of church
women has been called by the church
women’s committee on race relations
of the Federal Council of Churches, |
at Eagles Mere Park, Pa., Tuesday j
and Wednesday, September 18 to 19. 1
"This conference,’ ’says Mrs. Rich
ard W. Westbrook, chairman of the
women’s committee, “comes as a logi
cal development of work done by
church women, north and south, 1
greatly stimulated as they have been !
by the spiritual forces generated at j1
the first conference held at Eagles I'
Mere in September, 1926. Since that
meeting a permanent committee, rep
resentative of churches and affiliated
organizations, such as the Y. W. C. A.,
has been developed. Local confer- .
ences have been held; a number of
local committees of white and colored
church women have been set up and j
are actively dealing with the com
munity problems involving the two j
’ , races that confront them. There are 1 j
< so many things that are now to be ^
' {liscussed by women leaders, white
nd colored, from all sections of the
;ountry, that a second conference is
' very necessary. This conference will *
provide, as did the first one, a choice *
of opportunity for understanding 1
through the fellowship of delegates.” 1
A special committee has gathered 1
suggestions from women all over the
country and is shaping those sugges
tions into a program. Some topics to
be discussed are: The present status
of the Negro in the cultural life of
America; his achievements, handi- ‘
caps and cultural opportunities in 1
America; how Sunday schools and E
other religious educational organiza- 1
tions can be used for developing 1
friendly racial attitudes; the problem 1
of interracial relations in our mission *
schools; race relations and religious 1
education; mental and moral atti- ‘
tudes involved in interracial contacts. 1
A full review of experiences of ^
church women during the past two 1
years in dealing with problems that ^
confront them in their local commun- <
ities and methods they used in deal- 1
ing with these problems will be con- *
sidered by the conference. *
Invitations have been sent out to 1
more than four hundred national, !
state and district organizations of <
church women and a number of these I
oraganizations have selected their 1
delegates who plan to attend. Among 1
some of the outstanding leaders who 1
are expected to attend and who will I
take part on the program are Mrs. 1
John Ferguson, president, Council of 1
Women for Home Missions; Mrs. C. 1
P. McGowan, chairman, Interracial 1
committee of South Carolina; Mrs.
May Leonard Woodruff, secretary,
Woman’s Missionary society of the
M. E. church; Mrs. J. W. Downs, sec
retary, Board of Missions, M. E.
church, south; Miss Caroline B. Chap
in of New Jersey, Miss Margaret P»
Mead, Mrs. Cordelia A. Winn and
Mrs. George E. Haynes of the Na
tional Board of the Y. W. C. A., Mrs. I
Charlotte Hawkins Brown, principal
of Palmer Memorial institute, Sedalia,
N. C.; Mrs. W. A. Newell, superin- i
tendent of social service, M. E. I
church, south.
_ 1
Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Mahammitt have <
as house guests, Miss Marion Small- !
wood of Washington, D. C., and their
nieces, Miss Denise Lacey of Pasa- i
dena, Cal., and Miss Jennie Black- i
well of Baltimore, Md.
Mrs. William G. Haynes and small
son returned Sunday night from
Pittsburgh, Penn, where she was call
ed two months ago by the serious ill
iess of her mother, Mrs. Belle Pul
jress. She left her monther much
mproved.
PEACE PROBLEM SOLUTION
IS RACE PROBLEM SOLVENT?
International Peace Offers the Best
Opportunity for Meeting the
American Race Problem,
Says Speaker.
Los Angeles, Cal. — International
>eace offers the best opportunity for .
neeting and solving race problems,
;ven the race problem in the United
states, declared Miss Ethelwyn Mills,
ipeaking before the 19th annual con
ference of the National Association
’or the Advancement of Colored Peo- .
)le. Miss Mills is president of the
job Angeles branch of the Women’s (
nternational League for Peace and
’’reedom. .
“It would be far easier to solve the '
■ace problem in the United States in ]
imes of permanent peace,” declared |
Hiss Mills, “than during the cata- ;
ilysm of war. 1
“The governments f, the world to- 1
lay stand bristling with suspicion of ’
inch other. The white man arro- (
-antly pushes his way through the <
irieut and the yellow peoples in turn ]
ire learning the white man’s ways of
riolence, and hurl at him their dis7 I
rust. We seem to stand only a step 1
>r two away from gigantic war, which 1
night easily involve the whole world ■
n unimaginable terror and misery.
“One of the greatest obstacles to 1
>eace is the fact that war is legal. •
t is supported by an enormous per- *
entage of all national budgets, al- ■
nost the entire code of international (
aw, by pulpit, press and platform,
t is not a makeshift but an establish
d institution.”
Miss Mills urged as a personal pro
:ram for freeing the world of war,
hat individuals free themselves from 1
irejudice and come to realize that the '
nterests of all races and nations
re equally important.
ENTERTAINS FOR EASTERN
VISITORS J
i
Mrs. C. B. Frederick was the
harming hostess at the prettiest and ^
lost elaborate affair given in Omaha (
ocial circles this season when she ,
;ave an “At Home” from 4 p. m. to
p. m. Sunday at her beautiful res
ience, 2220 Lake street, honoring
er sister-in-law, Mrs. Florence Hurt
,evel of Detroit, Mich., and little j
laughter, Nettie Mae. Sharing hon
rs with the guest of honor was Mrs. ‘
laudell Bondrant of Washington, '
). C., who is the guest of her mother,
Irs. C. W. Ricks, and Mrs. Madison
f Chicago. Seventy of the elite !
yere invited by the hostess to meet *
ter guest, and the ladies responded '
>y wearing their elegant summer af- j
ernoon gowns that gave the exqui-t
ite effect of the affable hostess’ ‘
ool and beautiful color scheme of !
link and white, a decided touch of
nidsummer grandeur which was al- <
uring. Mrs. Alfonso Wilson assisted I
he hostess in receiving. Other ‘
riends assisting throughout the par- <
ors and dining room were Mesdames
lenry Moore, Addie Holmes, Gooden 1
ticks, Georgia Brown, and M. Jack- 1
on. i
The dining table was exquisite with I
ts dainty artistic filet linen' table- 1
loth and center of a mound of gar
len flowers of pink and white, and 1
he pink tall candles lent a striking <
ffectiveness that was enjoyed by all. <
rhe cool summer menu served was 1
nost delicious. The parlor, with I
Irawn shades and soft lights, was '
leautiful. '•
- 1
Mayor Walker of New York City !
ecently laid the cornerstone of an 1
i8,000,000 home and training school i
or colored nurses, in connection with <
.incoln hospital for Negroes. “Race I
liscrimination must never have a 1
dace in the life of our city,” said 1
flayor Walker. “Every man, woman
md child coming to a city hospital
nust be assured of comfort and the
>est treatment.”
EDITORIAL
Religion is the stabilizing force not only of the individual
put of the nation. The higher the type of religion the higher
s the character of the individual and of the civilization which
t molds. Among the primitive types of mankind, be it in
Europe, Asia, Africa or America, animism has been found to
>e the prevailing religion with its superstitious cults, practices
ind codes of morals and conduct. All on a low plane, but
dearly a groping in the darkness for something higher and
setter, a stretching out of the hand, as it were, “to clasp God’s
sand in that darkness and be lifted up and strengthened.”
Giving due credit to the great ethnic religions of the world
which have influenced untold millions and all of which contain
*ays of light from that “true Light which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world,” the highest type of religion and
ruitage of all that has preceded it, is Christianity. No higher
orm of religion than this is conceivable. In it is found that per
ect union of God with man, the clasping of the hand of man, j
he child, within the Hand of God, the Father, Who lovingly
eads him ever upward and onward to purer heights of light
ind love and service. All of this is involved in that great
nystery which theologians call the Incarnation and which in
he Gospel according to St. John is eloquently expressed in
hese words: “And the Word (Logos) was made flesh and
I welt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of
he only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
This is the fact upon which Christianity is founded and
here can, therefore, be no higher or fuller revelation than this,
ts motivating power is Divine Love, infinite and eternal, and
•adiating therefrom spring the highest and closest relations
jetween God and man, between mankind throughout the world,
ind indeed between mankind and the whole creation. It de
ermines man’s rightful relation to God, to mankind and to
hings, animate and inanimate. Brotherhood, with all it in
volves, is inherent in the Christian religion. And so the hope
jf America, as that of the world, lies in the living and practice
>f the Christian religion, which teaches brotherhood and op
portunity for all.
It is adherence to the faith of our fathers, often imperfect
y expressed and perhaps narrowly interpreted, which has led
is as a race thus far on our way and if we are to fulfil our God
riven destiny in this country, it will only come through allegi
mce to the moral and spiritual standards of the Christian re
igion. There is no other panacea for the ills and evils and
thortcomings of the nation, which affect other groups as well
is our own, than not merely the profession of, but, the practice
if, the principles of the Christian religion.
‘Status of Negro Democracy’s Test,”
Declares Spingarn in Striking Address
Los Angeles, Cal.—Addressing a
nonster mass meeting in the Los
Angeles Civic auditorium, Sunday
ifternoon, July 1, of the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, Arthur B. Spingarn,
Jew York attorney and the associ
tion’s vice president, declared that
he acid test of American civilization
nd democracy centered in the status
f the Negro in the United States. In
ighting for full citizenship rights fon
he Negro, asserted Mr. Spingarn, the
Jational Association for the Ad
ancement of Colored People had
tood for fundamental Americanist
nd he challenged any patriotic or
•anization in the country, including
hose which have “blacklisted” the
Advancement association, to show a
inrallel record of patriotic achieve
nent during the past two decades.
“The acid test of American civili
ation and the democratic form of
;overnment is in their attitude to
ward and their treatment of the Ne
rro population,” said Mr. Spingarn.
'What is and should be the position
■f the least protected and the least
idvantaged group in a democracy?
“Theoretically, everybody in Amer
ca believes that all the people should
lave the equal protection of the law
ind equal opportunity for life, lib
irty and the pursuit of happiness.
Phe time has come to take stock and
ee which of the organized groups
r. America that attempts to perpet
late these American ideals, has tried
iractically to bring about a condition
vhere these ideals could be fulfilled.
“We invite a comparison of the
:elf styled patriotic groups which re
ently have set themselves as arbiters
T Americanism and have seen fit to
ind this organization wanting, with
he National Association for the Ad
ancement of Colored People. Has
iny of these groups a constructive
irogram which will bring about the
afety of the individual, larger op
>ortunity for education and training
n true Americanism, the carrying
>ut of the principles of the consti
ution of the United States, the in
rease of the wealth of the submerge
id and the making of a richer life
or all citizens?
D. A. R. and “Keyhole” Men
“The D. A. R. in its effort to per
>etuate the virtues of the Fathers
has doubtless a real place. But, alas,
that program has deteriorated into an
attempt to create a privileged class in
America, reaching its apotheosis in
the presentation of the president of
that organization at the Court of St.
James.
“The patriotic societies typified by
the Keymen of America which started
to prevent sedition and keep down
obstructionists during the war, have
developed into Keyhole Men of Amer
ica, whose chief business is to sup
press any freedom of thought and I
whose nadir is found in a blacklist
which includes as dangerous radicals
such men as Chief Justic Taft. The
Ku Klux Klan stands revealed on its
record as an organization whose aim
is the spread of hatred and whose
method is terrorism and corruption.
Record of N. A. A. C. P.
“The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People,
throughout its career of almost two
decades, has stood for procuring to
all American citizens the rights which
they are entitled to under the funda
mental laws of the United States, by
orderly processes of government and
the courts. We have stood and
fought for and won the fundamental
rights for which the pilgrim fathers
came to this country, for which the
patriotis fought in the War of the
Revolution and in defence of which
the Civil War was begun. /
“We have stood for tolerance and
the equal rights of every American
citizen. We have stood for the right
of every American child to receive
an education and by our victories at
Toms River, N. J., and in Gary, Ind.,
we have made good this stand. We
have stood for the right of every hu
man being to live a healthy life, to
be born and bred among hygieniq
conditions instead of darkness and
filth. Our segregation cases, carried
to the highest court of the land, have
prevented ghettoes, the pestilence of
the old world. We have stood, in the
celebrated Grandfather Clause and
Texas White Primary cases, for the
right of franchise and its integrity.
Our victory in the Texas White Pri
mary case has broken the first stonq
for the road that will lead to univer-.
sal suffrage in America.
“We have stood for the principle
that in America there is no need for
Mrs. L. A. Morris spent a few days
this week as the guest of Mrs. Hiram
Greenfield, a lifelong friend. Mrs.
Morris was en route to Colorado after
a four years’ stay with her daughter
in Owensboro, Ky., who is one of the
high school teachers of that town.
FIVE THOUSAND NEGROES
YEARLY CROSS COLOR LINE
industrial Proscription Forcing Thou
sands to Leave Race and Pass
for Whites, Declares
Bishop.
Los Angeles, Cal.—That five thou
sand Negroes of light color “pass”
and become to all intents and pur
poses white people, was the assertion
of Bishop J. W. Martin, of the A. M.
E. Zion church, addressing a mass
meeting of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple in its 19th annual conference
here.
"Fully five thousand Negroes of
lighter hue are forced ‘over the line’
each year, in order to get a chance to
win their daily bread at the kind of
work they love best and for which
they are best fitted,” declared Bishop
Martin.
“I know the mayor of a certain
town who is a white man now, but as
a boy he was as good a Negro as the
community had, and his brother is to
this day a good colored preacher. We
want the doors of all professions and
trades, of all skilled and unskilled
labor opened to us and we want them
opened wide enough for us to get in
without having to ‘pass.’
“An equal opportunity to spend
and to be spent along with any and
all groups in this country is the de
mand made in behalf of the Negro.
We want no special favors, but just
a chance to shoot from taw and keep
on shooting until the game is ended.”
any group to be poor and degraded.
By teaching manhood rights and by
the cultivation of the genius of the
American Negro; by finding oppor
tunity for its expression in literature
and art; by the publication of The
Crisis magazine and the impetus that
its publication and maintenance has
given to numberless other literary
godchildren; and by our insistence
upon obedience to civil rights laws,
we are bringing about a condition
where the degradation of the Negro
group as a group can no longer be
thought of as possible.
Negro Farmers and Peonage
“By fighting restrictions which
have prevented free use of opportuni
ty for larger economic development
we are helping to bring about a con
dition which has permitted untold
thousands of Negroes throughout the
country to own their own farms and
to develop them so that no longer is
it possible to think of the Negro as a
perpetually impoverished group.
“By our fight against peonage, par
ticularly in Arkansas, we have helped
to bring about a condition making it
impossible to exploit this or any other
group. Nay, more, in winning the
cases of the colored farmers in Ark
ansas, we brought about a condition
where, by mandate, the highest court
of this country proclaims that just
ice must be meted out to the verjj
lowliest and that justice will not be
satisfied with an idle gesture but that
it must be real justice.
“We have done much to remove
the shame of America, lynching and
mob murder, and to make this an
orderly country. It is conceded that
it was the fight against lynching be-;
gun and carried on by this associa
tion which made lynching a national
issue and drastically reduced the
number of these horrors so that this
year, for the first time in the 39
years during which records have been
kept, we could report the first four
months free from this blot.
“I said the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People
welcomes a comparison with any oth
er patriotic society in America. I
might say that looking back at our
record we challenge any organization
in the United States to point to a
record of achievement for such a pe-,
riod which has evinced and made for
so much genuine patriotism to our
common land.”
CLARION CALL FOR
FRIENDLY LIVING BY
TUSKEGEE PRINCIPAL
Moton Exhorts Vast Commencement
Audience to Follow Christian
Methods in Race
Relations.
AMERICA’S SUPREME CHANCE
Opportunity Is Hers to Show World
That Different Races Can Lire
Together in Peace and
Amity.
Atlanta, Ga.—“America has a su
preme opportunity to show the world
that two races radically different can
live side by side in peace and friend
ship and work out their destiny to
gether in mutual helpfulness,” said
Dr. Robert R. Moton, principal of
Tuskegee Institute, before an inter
racial commencement audience of
1,500 that packed and over-ran the
Sisters’ chapel of Spelman college.
“We have not yet learned fully how
to do it,” continued Dr. Moton, “but
thousands of sincere people of both
races are working at it honestly, and
encouraging progress is being made.”
Taking as his text the parable of
the Good Samaritan as illustrating
the second of Jesus’ great laws, “thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,”
Dr. Moton showed how the parable
applies perfectly to the inter-racial
situation in America today, and made
a powerful plea for an unselfish,
Christianlike love of humanity that
will make each race kindly, just and
helpful in its attitude toward the oth
er. Such an attitude, he insisted, ofy
fers the only hope for the solution of
the inter-racial problem. It will work
and nothing else will, he said, basing
his confidence on many striking in
cidents from his own observation and
experience.
“If I could keep only one of Jesus’
two great laws,” said Dr. Moton, “I
would choose to keep the second; for
I very much doubt if there is any way
by which a man may really love and
serve God except by loving and serv
ing his fellowmen. Whether you can
measure up to that standard even
though your neighbor be your ene
my, is the test of both your education
and your religion, for the primary
purpose of each is to prepare people
to get along together in friendly
helpfulness.” Dr. Moton spoke in
high terms of the inter-racial move
ment of the hundreds of southern
women who have gone on record in
condemnation of lynching and in be
half of a fair deal in race relations.
The occasion of Dr. Moton’s ad
dress was the joint commencement
sermon of Spelman and Morehouse
colleges, which brought out the larg
est audience assembled in the Sisters’
chapel since its dedication last spring
by its donor, John Dr. Rockefeller,
jr. Miss Florence M. Read, Spel
man’s new president, occupied the
chair and presented the speaker. The
scripture was read by Dr. John Hope,
president of Morehouse, and prayer
was offered by Dr. M. S. Davage,
president of Clark university. Sev
eral beautiful musical numbers were
rendered by the students under the
skilled direction of Prof. Kemper
Harreld.
STUDENT DROWNS IN
ATTEMPTING TO SAVE
SWIt MING COMPANION
Iowa City, la.—Miss Clyde Redd,
school nurse in Kansas City, Mo., was
drowned here July 4 when she step
ped into a hole in the Iowa river
bottom.
Lynn Collins, a colored student
from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who was
a member of the swimming party,
attempted to save Miss Redd, but lost
his own life in the river. Mr. Collins
and Miss Redd were both enrolled in
summer school courses at the Univer
sity of Iowa.
Miss Lois Watts of Fremont, Neb.,
was the house guest of her uncle and
aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Augtin Brannon,
2802 North Thirtieth street, over the
week end.
