Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-02-28
Of Two Thousand in Vicinity Most
Are Permanent Residents.
MANY ARE HERE IN WINTER ONLY
Keen Ambition to Own Stores Ruling
Trait of the Race.
WORK HARD AND LIVE FRUGALLY
Fair Proportion Have Taken steps to
Become Naturalised Citizens and
Few Have Married
American Girls.

Race madness of one kind or another mas
been breaking out at many places In
the country that the ebulliuon at South
Omaha last Sunday evening can hardly be
regarded as an extraordinary affair, ex-
cept for it's suddenness California and
British Columbia have had explosions OF
Japophobia and Hinduphobia. and China
phobia, too. All of these outbursts have
been charaotertlsticaily denominated under
the comprehensive head orientophobia, or
the white mans fight for the right of oc-
cidental precedence and control. Negro
phobia is common to many parts of the
country and spasmodic eruptlons are re-
ported here and there almost every week
arising in every case almost from racial
antipathy, which sleeps so lightly that a
touch arouses It.
Greeks and kindred races have not been
free at any time since they began coming
to this country in large numbers from at
tacks by banded men OF other races; but
the attacking bands have never really had
any more definite organization than they
had at South Omaha. They have simply
been mobs, moved By temporary emotion
based on smaller ~ larger causes And
they have usually died out as quickly as
they arose. The ultimate result has never
been to the lasting disadvantage of the at
tackled parties
Laborers Called TO Work.
In this connection 1t may he noted as a
redeeming incident of the South Omaha
affair that the idle Greek laborers who
were wintering in these two cities have
been called to outside work earlier than
they otherwise might have been by the
railroads particularly. This week several
AUawa -.1 -.
gone of their own volition, to places where
there is demand for common labor by
gangs that can live in boardfng cars
Thus many crowded out OF the packing
houses for expediency's sake will find
work readily elsewhere
Development OF the Greek colony in
Omaha and South Omaha has covered a
space Of only about six years j. Zees.
proprietor of a wholesale and retail con-
fectionery store on South Sixteenth street,
Is among the early arrivals from the his
toric land. He is authority for the state
ment that there are at presenter we're
before the rioting at South Omaha-about
1000 Greeks in the two cities Many of
these do not make their homes here all
the year round; some Of them, In fact,
only about three months in the year
These are the railroad laborers who are
out along the lines laborng nine months
in the year.
Two classes Of Greeks are found In this
vicinity as elsewhere in the country. One
| class Is known as free Greeks" These
come from the domain ruled over by King
George. The other class is made up of
men of Greek blood who come from the
provinces under Turkish rule, such as
Macedonia, Smyrna and others. These
latter are very much I'm the minority and
are generally engaged in common labor.
Greeks money Makers"
As money makers many OF the Greeks
display surprising capacity. They work
hard at anything that offers until they
have accumulated small capital. Then
they invest in business, modestly at first
as n rule but they do not hesitate to take
chances from which men of other nations
would recoil Having picked out business
location that appeals to his Judgment a
Greek win pay almost any price asked to
secure a lease. and he will go to the limit
OF his resources and credit to flt It up in
attractive fashion. Application. persistent
and untiring. Is one great characteristic of
Greeks in business. Their employees are
generally Of their own race. especially the
boys and men. There ara some American
girls employed in confectionery and sim
liar stores owned by Greeks, however. and
It is a fact worthy OF notice that about
forty members Of the Greek colony here
| abouts have married Americas girls.
Probably 100 boys and girls OF Greek
parentage attend the public and parochial
schools OF Omaha and South Omaha. In
(Continued on Fourth PaRA)