The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-29
TO TEN MILLION coLoRED cITl.
ZENS OE The UNITED STATES.

TO TEN MILLION COLOREO ClTl-
zENS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Greetings of the Seasons:
The world is engulfed in the red
ruin of war. The present titanic con-
flict is not due to the inherent devil
try of one nation or the innate good
ness of another. The accumulative
energies of society for generations
have been damned up by the barrier
of hatred and greed. The stored up
power is now breaking through the
barrier with cataclysmic outburst.
The social fabric is being shaken to
its very foundation. AS outcome of
the war, the REIMBURSEMENT of the So
cial structure will be more radical
than that effected by the French Re
volution. The Transforming effect up
on the status of the Negro will be
scarcely less momentus than the
Emancipation Proclamation.
The characterization of the world,
coined as a fitting phrase, will be
translated into aGtuality. The Declar-
alton of independence, penned by a
slave holder, sounded the death knell
of slavery, although th%ree-quarters of
a century elapsed between promise
and fulfillment. iThe characterization
of the world is but a restatement of
this doctrine in terms of present day
attitude of the world. Political auto
crazy and race autocracy will be bur-
led in the same grave. Hereafter, no
,,+;a, I1urorpr r+r,,r ,-ilI hA Non
mitted to override a weaker neighboT
by sheer dominance of power; and no
race will be permitted to impose a
ruthless regime = upon the weaker
breeds of men through sheer assump'
ton of superiority. Hereafter, Eng
land will treat the East Indians; Tur-
key, the Armenians, Russia, the Jews,
and America, the Negroes, with a full
er measure of Justice and considera-
ton than heretofore.
The peoples of all lands who are
heavy laden and o%verborne will be the
chief beneficiaries of this war. The
Negro problem is involved in the prob.
lem of humanity. The whole is great.
er than any of its parts. The Negro
will share in the general momentum
imported to social welfare.
Already, he has been admitted to
industrial opportunity in the north
with manifest reaction upon the
harsh regime in the south.
National prohibition, which is borne
forward on the wave of the world war
will immensely improve his moral
status. Eighty thousand Negro sol
diers have been enlisted, and seven
hundred Negroes have been commits.
stoned as officers in the army of the
United States. A Negro has been
made assistant cabinet officer whose
: function is to adjust tremendously the
races relation to the pending struggle
The improved attitude of the white
} race towards the Negro is apparent
} in two affirmative decisions rendered
! by the Supreme Court of the United
; States with unanimous concurrence
; The Negro will emerge from this
{ war with a double portion of privilege
s and opportunity.
s Every Negro should be loyal an(
s patriotic, although there are injustice!
s and determinations which try oul
s souls. If we overcome, these trials
( and tribulations will work out a nor
! exceeding weight of advantage. Blu
! if we allow them to overcome us, woe
; full will be our lot indeed. To stanC
sulkily by in plaintive aloofness, be
cause of just grievances would be o
J tho cor, Lid g fo1Ixr ~, 81 ,of,,no !,
help extinguish a conflagration which
threatens the destruction of ones ma
tive city because he has a complain
= against the fire department. Let III
help put out the conflagration whicl
threatens the world, and then max,
the world our lasting debtor. We mus
stand shoulder to shoulder with GU
white fellow citizens to fight for tn,
freedom of the world. outside of gu
own national circle, and then we mus
hold them TO moral consistency O
maintaining a just and equitable reg
ime inside of that circle. Democrat,
like charity, should begin at home o
at least it should prevail there. LIE
us fight to the finish to the effect tina
no nation shall hereafter dare attemp
to make an international treaty
scrap of paper. It must therefore TO
low them, as corollry that no natio
will henceforth allow it's OWL const
tuition, which is al ~intra-nations
treaty, to be made a scrap of paper.
The tide of democracy is sweepin
through the world like a mikhty rive
The race problem and other socis