The Denver star., 1915-05-29
COURAGE OF MAJOR MOTION.
Energetic Hampton Institute Official
Tells How to Better Conditions.

Tells How to Better Conditions.
Robert r. Motion. commandant OF ca
dets at the Hampton (Va.) Institute
and president of the Negro Organiza-
ton Society of Virginia, said recently
before the Portsmouth (Val meeting
Of the Virginia conference of chnri-
ties and corrections that Il successful
attempt has been made to fc,ierittp Il
the orga niZationS maintained anon.
the colored people in Virginia for the
purpose of social betterment The
motto of the Organization Society ri
Virginia is Better Homes. Beti,i
Farms, Better Schools. Better Health.
Though only three years old in ac
tive work. the society has succeeded
In a remarkable way i'll bringing Il"
gether churches. Sunday schools. So
cret societies. name legion in N.r
ginia-social and literary organizations
women's clubs. farmers conferences
and teachers associations.
Major Motions Portsmouth sDce-'h
was in part as follows:
The cordial spirit in which thes. :.
CARNATIONS have accepted the concerted
movement for race progress has been
source of qualification to all who have
been working with it. More significant.
however, than the cordial attitude of the
colored people Is the splendid way in which
the white people of Virginia, including the
press, pulpit. educators and social work
ers generally have backed us up in what We
have been trying to do. In the 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 courty boards of health have
done everything possible to make the
cleanup campaigns successful.
To the white people OF Virginia there is
an untold value in having clean surround
ings for the Negro people-surroundioSs
that are clean physically and morally. II
is absolute1v 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
parcnt. Segregation usually means the
lack Of attention on the part Of public o.
ficiaIs for Negro sections Segregation
stands for poor sanitation, poor lighting.
poorly kept streets streets neglected by
street cleaners, dives OF vice and crime
located in Negro residential sections with
the knowledge and consent of the police.
themselves.
The white people of Virginia who have
in their hands the making and the exc
cutting of laws should see to it. for their
own self interest il 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
gle cleanup week it has inspired 10000
Negroes to clean up their premises. 1t
has helped in the erection of model schools
in fourteen communities.
Major Moton's words made such q
strong appeal to DIR. J. T. Mastin. sec
retary of the state board Of charities at
Richmond. Va. that DIR. Mastin asked
! for summary to he printed In the Of
| ncial 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 it difficult to realize
I that the Negro is making progress so
fast that he is passing from the stage
of mere dependence.