The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-09-28
August .. lols.
Hon. Woodrow Wilson,
Prssident of the ln,ts,d states.
The White Hou-e.
Wssh,ousnn m A.

II
Prssident oi the unitsd states.
The White Hou-e.
Washington. ID. &.
Mr.. Prssidsnt:
i am taking the liberty of intrudinr
this letter upon JON because ! frrl tina,
the issuss involved are .. important A.
any questions now prr~.ing upon your
busy attention. The whole civilized
world has been shocked si the recent o~
currences in Memphis and East -. LOUIS.
Thee outbreaks call attention Anew o.
the Irritating rare problem of which they
sre but eruptiv~ symptom. which break
forth ever and anon with vs-uv,sn yin-
ience. For fully . generation American
ssasesmanship has striven % avoid, ignore
or forget the pe'plexing race problem
Hut this persisssnt issue will not down al
our bidding. anil cannot he shunt.,i iron,
public attention by other lu.--tion- how
ever momentous or vital they may Sem
10 be.
j know that ! AIN taking unwarrant..l
liberties with tile ceremonial proprietie-
in writing such letter o. the President
ot the United States at the prrsent tin,-
10 may rem TO partake of the splrit oi
heckiing alter tire manner of the -uiirA-
s'sts. Nothing 10 further from my Ipnr-
pose. No right minded American uonIi
wish tnss.dd one featierweiyht to tin.
burden that nov 90 heavily tsxs-- the
mind sad body OF the Prr-ident of tie
United 5esses who lAbors under a. heav,
load - human nature is capable ct
sustaining. Every cilizen should .tr,y.
~ tighten rather than to sggrsvate TIM,
burden. 10 10, nevertheless, true that
any supPrsssed and sgxrievei class must
run thwsrt the established code %. pro-
csdure in order that their c~s- may re-
ceive . inst hearing. Ceremonial co.i.-
were enacted by sho~- who are the b-ne-
tciaries Of existing order whieh they
wish ca perpetnate and make unchange
able They would estop ali social anil
moral reform The ardent -ufirsg,=ts
nnd it necr~ssry u ruthls--ly violate th..
traditional and drrorous modes of pro
cedure IA ORDER to promote tlI- reform
which they have 1T heart. Ga one 90.
casion Jon feit forced to terminals. an
interview with = committee Oi sufiragi-t-
becsuse they persisted IN cross amin
ing the President II the United state.
There are lO.UD.sp loyal citizen. of
African d~srent in tte Unit.-i states
They are vigorously excluded from -
vOice IA tiie government 10y which the,
ere controlled. They have no regularly
constituted organ through winch o. pre-
sent their csse TO the powers that be
They have no seat nor voice Ia the coun-
cil Of the nation. The late Doctor B,s.k
or I. Washington ws- the srcept,-I
spokesman and ms.iistpr II tllr rare. tut
| lac has nO Emerson. Under lormer AL.
ministrstions there ~s- = small sppoint-
i've official class Of Negroes. Though,
derislvsly de-gnst~d ~ tile Black Cab
met. they were on tl,e inside oi ths
circle Of governmental control u winch
they had ready scc~ss in presenting th.
clsirns Of the race. But under the exac-
ton Of partisan exisencir- even ti,--.
have bs~n excluded from pfiieIAl .-,-ition
under your administration. several
weeks sgO . Delegation 81 colore-f men
from the st@t~ Of Maryland -ought All
interview with you concerning the hor-
ribie crime Of East ~ Louis. You we're
good enough " Writ senator France that
you were Too busy with other pr---iny
Issue- W grant the request oG an inter
view. The failure Of al other methods
u my only excu-e for rr-ortlng D. An
open letter ~ means II reaching YOU
and, through you, the nation ~ larry.
concerning the just grievance of IO.OD.
vpD loyal American citizens.
The Negro fssls that he is not regard
81 - . constituent part Of American do
mocrscy Ia 70 the fundamental creed 81
democracy that no people are sood
enough 10 govern any other people With.
out their consent and participation. The
English are not good enough D. govern.
the Irish. The ku--ians are not gooI
enough ~ govern the Finn-. The Ger
mans are not good enough n govern the
BelgisDs. The Belgisns are not good
enough 70 govern the people Of the Con
20. Men are not considered good enough
10 govern women. The white people of
this country are not good enough %
govern the Negro.
Thee periodic outbreaks Of avIe--ne--
ere Dot the ontgro~th of the di-fsvor
and despite in which the race y held Iy
public opinion. The evil y % Widespread
that toe rep~d, lies in the hands Of the
national government
Resolutions pending before both hons--
of OonGTuw iook tosard Investigation of