New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-04
Whites Prepare for Posi-
bic Rebellion When
War Comes
Pro-Teuton Schools
Basis of Propaganda
Kaiser's Agents Tempt the
Blacks with Offers of
Social Equality

che imperial German government nave
b,c, fomcu,rr revolt under the pre-
.srcc OF spreading Kultur. They have
been usidiously working 10 bring
about a rising Of the negroes against
the whites.
The facts arc difficult Of access, and
Tor obvious reasons are discussed most
eusrdcdly by those who know them
bcst A Southcrner hates TO talk Of
trouble with the negro. He prefers 20
prepare silently 20 meet Il. and that rs
what now going on in the South,
from North Carolina to the Gulf
Negroes Loyalty Factor
80 one knows how serious the sltu-
a.on is. The Southorner counts hesv-
!'y on the loyalty OF a great majority
OF the blacks and fears a. the worst
local demonstrations by such lswiess
and reckless elements OF the negro
population as the German agents have
been able to reach. Many well known
negroes arc working earnestly 20 coun-
teract or "backfre" the German prop
uganda. The Kaiser's apostles OF kul-
tur have probably much mlsconceived
the. negro character.
They could easily underestimate 1t.
loyalty and mistake kind Of chronic
discomfort for a spirit of rebellion.
Nevertheless, the colored population
has recently been showing symptoms Of
unusual ill-temper, and there are some
minded Souther. 2:ea who are pre-
pared before the thing is over 20 see
return Of conditions similar to those
@ reconstruction days.
Rebellion Is German object
But what the German agents have
l,eu working to bria~ bout Is a black
rebellion through the Soutn--a rising
OF the negroes 10 overthrow white dom
nation. The idea Of this thing is said
fr~t 90 have been brOached % this coUn-
t.y at conference of German agents,
MEXICAN reyolutionists and negro agl-
:stor, iu san Diego. Cal, iu AnI!. 1878.
The plan developed az this meeting was
mat iu the event Of war between Ger
many and the United States the AmeIi-
can negroes should rise free them
selves of the white mans bond. selZc
Texas and turn it into black republic.
MeNcan and japanese were 10 nave
equal rights with the negro. This plot
IS fcferred 20 by the negroes. who
know Of II as the "plan Of San Diego. ~
II 's hard 20 keep this story ln
drawing. one is afraid first Of max
-ne 10 so sensational a. 20 create
unnecessary alarm. and then, IN the ct-
fort 20 avoid that effect, one is M dan
ger OF leaving too much 70 be taken for
granted. Also. there is sectional
prejudice 20 be avoided.
German Schools" Resented
Naturally. the discovery OF so dir
boUcal German propaganda has pro-
d.ccd lot OF feeling against the Ger
man schools" of the South. OF these
there arc "a large number. some are
lutheran and some are private. They
have done. first and last, no doubt,
very crediNble work. but they have
been inevitably German. and are nov
open 90 the suspicion Of having pro-
NOTED. assisted and connived at the
work Of the German agents. Whether
that be true or not. the apostles o'
Nltur have worked very effectively
in ways not directly involving the
schools.
Take. for example. TWO that ~are
known 10 have been travelling about
.his part Of the South representing
Themselves as German doctors. They
are now in refuge al Elm Grove, a
nearby negro settlement, which is
thought 70 be the chief seeding ground
for the propaganda Of sedlton.
Negroes Control 5000 Acres
This district covers more than 5000
acres. an Of which the negroes own.
Almost the only white people who ever
venture into il are Sheriff Stafford and
his deputies.
The origin Of this negro principalitv
is interesting Back in the ffties most
Of what is now the Elm Grove settle
mcnt was iHcluding in the plantation
OF the Wadlington family, which worked
It's acres with hundreds Of slaves. Wad- I
lington Hall, the big house" was one
OF the show places Of the country.
But i'm the lean days Of the recon
stfuction the plantations owners were
compelled 20 sell am acre here and an
acre there TO the more thrifty negroes.
Thus the great estate was dislntegrated
and negroes became masters whose par
ents were slaves. The old plantation
manor still stands. q melancholy wreck
Of It's former grandeur. populated by d
colony Of negroes.
Negroes Minds Infamed
The German agents. whom. ID rs re-
ported. the negroes in Elm Grove have
how socrttcd. have been travelling
through the heart of the Brown sum.
nit district. fifteen miles northeast OF
greensboro, the richest tobacco produc'
ing section in America. Posing as
iiueraut doctors. they have been IN
hsming the minds Of the blacks and
urging them 90 strike against the
united States the moment the white
mans back is turned ia war against
Germany.
Absolute social equality has been one
Of the rewards which the German
agents have dangled before the eyes
OF the black man. The negroes have
been told that il they will espouse the
cause Of Germany the United states
VII be conquered by the Kaiser e
armies and the colored race VIII ther F
oe placed ON d par with the white man
Swetly, unCstentatiOu3ly, the lead .
eg. citizens Of Greensboro are iayinS
'neir plsns for defence. Little groups