The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-06-19
COURAGE OF MAJOR MOTION.

8UOSOOSto OumpeOu auSetSuSO OnN0sai
Tells How to Better Conditions.
Robert r. Motion, commandant Of ca
dets at the Hampton Va.) institute
and president of the Negro Organiza-
tion Society of Virginia, said recently
before the Portsmouth Va.) meeting
Of the Virginia conference Of chart
ties and corrections that a successful
attempt has been made to federate all
the organizations maintained among
the colored people In Virginia for the
purpose Of social betterment. The
motto Of the Organization Society of
Virginia IL Better Homes, Better
Farms, Better Schools, Better Health"
Though only three years old in &C.
tive work, the society has succeeded
In q remarkable way In bringing TO-
gether churches, Sunday schools, &C.
crst societies-a name legion In vir-
ginia-social and literary organizations,
women's clubs, farmers conferences
and teachers associations.
Major Moton's Portsmouth speech
was in part as follows:
Tho cordial spirit in which these or
ganizations have accepted the concerted
movement for race progress has been q
source Of qualification to all who have
been working with It. More significant,
however, than the cordial attitude Of the
oolored people Ia the splendid way In which
the white people Of Virginia, including the
press. pulpit educators and social work.
have been trying to do. In til two clean
up movements which the Negro Organiz-
ing society has inaugurated throughout
Virginia the white people In many towns
and communities took the lead. The state,
city and county boards Of health have
done everything possible to make the
cleanup campaigns successful.
To the white people Of Virginia there Is
IN untold value In having clean surround
that are clean physically and morally. II
10 absolutely necessary that Negroes
should be clean and healthy in order that
the white people. by whose side they live
and whom they serve, should be healthy
The evils Of segregation have become APP
parent. Segregation usually means the
lack Of attention on the part Of public Of
dcials for Negro sections. Segregation
stands for poor sanitation. poor lighting,
poorly kept streets. streets neglected by
street cleaners. dives Of vice and criros
located In Negro residential sections with
the knowledge and consent Of the police,
while the Negroes are powerless to help
themselves.
The white people Of Virginia who have
In thsir hands the making and the exc
cutting Of laws should see to II, for their
own self interest II for no other reason,
that the Negro sections are clean and
healthy and, above all, clean morally. The
best people Of Virginia, for the sake Of
humanity, want the Negro to be clean and
healthy. They want the Negro to be clean
for citizenship In its most. useful sense.
The Negro Organization society has been
able to get colored people to build sani-
tary toilets in ten counties. During sin
gis cleanup week It has inspired 10000
Negroes to clean up their premises It
has helped In the erection Of model schools
In fourteen communities.
Major Motions words made such
strong appeal to Dr.. ]. T. Mastin, sec
retary Of the state board Of charities at
Richmond, Va, that Dr.. Mastin asked
for Q summary to be printed In the Of
lcial proceedings of the Virginia Con-
ference of Charities and Correction.
Southern men and women are coming
TO appreciate the Justice In the opposi-
ton to legal segregation. They are
now ready and willing to hear race
leaders, who, though frank In their
criticism, are willing to be patient with
those who find Il difficult to realize
that the Negro II making progress 20
fast that he IL passing from the stage
Of mere dependence.