Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-01-21
GREAT SUMNER
CELEBRATION
~
Association For Advancement Of
Co|ored People Lauds Him.
GRAFTON BY Or. We. B. OU BOIs


Meeting House Of the Ethical Culture
Society In New York the Scene Of
Many Distinguished Persons Gather
cd to Commemorate Hundredth An
niversary Of Noble American.
BY N. BARNETT DODsON.
The speakers at the Charles Sumner
celebration held in the meeting house
Of the Society For Ethical Culture in
New York under the auspices Of the
National Association For the Advance
ment of Colored People were Mrs.
Fanny Garrison Willard, Hon. Moore
field Story. DR.. Stephen s. Wise and
DR.. ". E. B. Du Bois. DR.. John Love
Joy Elliott presided.
DR.. Du Bois, whose subject was
"Charles Sumner and Peace" spoke in
part as follows:
My thesis tonight is simple. From the
life Of Charles Sumner and from his
teaching wish to emphasize the truth Of
these statements:
War is cruelty and waste.
The greatest cause of war today Is race
prejudice.
Only in the abatement of race prejudice
can we hope to eliminate war.
To many minds 1t must seem almost
accidental that Charles Sumner was at
once the advocate of world peace and of
the abolition Of human slavery. and yet
the connection between the two is perhaps
more evident today than 1t was in his
time. for 1t cannot be disputed that the
present flaming of hatred and contempt
for certain races Of men is not only an
Irresistible invitation to private lawless-
ness and public vengeance. but 1t lies be-
hind nine-tenths Of that international an
archy which we call war.
1t would be possible to imagine that
from the humanitarian ideal of the free
dom of particular race Charles Summer
would easily drift to the larger ideal of
human peace for all the world. but this
historically was not the method Of his
mental development. On the contrary, 1t
was from an early and firm conviction OF
the horror of war and the practicability
Of peace that Mr.. Sumner by natural,
even II not fully conscious. logic came to
apply tine larger principle to the social
war of man on men which we call slav-
cry.
Charles Sumner began his public life by
what he himself aptly called a declara-
ton Of war on war. His first great speech
by which the world learned to listen to
him was one of the completest arguments
against war ever made, an argument
which 1t will not be out Of place to sketch
here again in swift outline. 1t was done
In l84o on July 4. the birthday of the ma
ton. and 1t opened with the voice Of the
fathers of the nation to their children:
Cease to vaunt what you do and what
has been done for you. Learn to walk
meekly and to think humbly. Cultivate
habits Of self sacrifice. Never aim at
what Is not right. persuaded that with
out this every possession and all knowl-
edge will become an evil and shame.
And may these wCtds OF ours be ever In
your minds! Strive to increase the in
heritance we have bequeathed to you,
bearing In mind always that II we excel
you In virtue such q victory will be to us
q modification. while defeat will bring
happiness. In this way you may conquer
US. Nothing is more shameful for man
than a claim to esteem not on his own
merits. but on the fame Of his ancestors
The glory Of the fathers Is doubtless to
their children a most precious treasure.
but to enjoy II without transmission to
the next generation and without addition
u tho extreme Of ignominy."
With this beginning Sumner asked:
'sDs-t q national honor and Siory7 =