The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-10-21
NATIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS
LEAGUES ANNUAL Meeting
Militant Race Organization Issues
Ringing Appeal For Justice.

Washington. - The National Equal
Rights league at its ninth annual meet
Ing. held In this city in connection
with the national citizens rights con-
gress from Oct. 4 to 6, adopted the fol.
lowing declaration and appeal to the
country:
The National Equal Rights league
appeals to the voters Of the United
States to sustain in each and every
state Of our country the principles of
equality of citizenship, equality of op
portunity in federal civil service EN-
ployment. equality Of protection In the
administration of justice. equality of
freedom in the use of the ballot and
equality and fair play In industrial
pursuits.
Equality of human rights in this
country should not he destroyed by the
continued enforcement Of unreasonable
human tyranny at the south.
Work In the civil service should be
equally open to all without the applica
ton of methods that result In race dis
criIaination. race segregation and race
: humiliation in work or wages to any
citizen. We warn the voters Of the
country against the power Of the labor
anfonss which have grown both fUrmi.
dable and dangerous within the last
few years. For more than thirty years
these organizations have done what
they could to starve all persons not
members of the labor unions and have
also excluded colOred laborers there
from.
A vote for any candidate for state or
national Office who favOrs race segre-
CATION means a vote for the destruction
Of equality of citizenship In the north.
east and west, as well as in the south
Such a vote means the complete chok
ing of equal opportunity in life's strug,
giles. 1t means the establishment Of a
rigid caste system directly adverse to
100000 and applied to industrial
pursuits and operated SO as to exclude
and prevent the class under the ban
Of southern race prejudice from par
ticipation in gainful occupations. 1t
means an Endorsement Of the present
propaganda Of race segregation and
race humiliation in the executive de-
partments Of the government.
Our government is founded upon the
principle of equal freedom and exact
justice to all men, but we now have
just the opposite to equal freedom and
exact Justice to ten millions Of loyal
colored American citizens. We have
been told that the race segregation In
work and wages, race humiliation and
race insult In the executive depart
ments Of the government were inaugu-
rated by subOrdinates. yet they have
not been disturbed.
Owing to the alarming extension of
color caste, reaching even the right Of
domicile and invading the federal gov
ernment, we. as Americans, declare
our opposition to the whole policy OF
race separation. for color In public and
semipublic institutions. whether for
education, recreation or what not, In
places open to the public for accommo-
dation or resort. as undemOcratic and
un-American. increasing and perpet-
uating race prejudice and constituting
essentially a denial of equality OF
rights and destined to make Of colorei
Americans social and civic outcasts.
DR.. William A. Sinclair. Pennsylva-
mia: Joseph ii. Stewart. Washington;
Reverdy G. Ransom. New Jersey
Thomas Walker, Washington; Isaac B.
Allen. New York; Rev. J. Edward
Kent, Maryland; Mrs. Ida D. Wills
Barnett, Illinois, and r. T. Morris.
Massachusetts,. committee on declara.
ton.