The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-08-18
SAYS U. s. NOT
LAND OF LIBERTY
SPEAKER URGES NEGROES
TO GET GRIP ON INDUSTRIES
Boston Post, Aug. 13.)

Boston Post, Aug. 49,
An enthusiastic mass meeting to
protest the East st. Louis race riots
and alleged discrimination in the draft
was held yesterday afternoon at the
Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church
in Cambridge.
Archibald H. Grimke of Washing
ton, D. c., representing the National
Association for the Advancement Of
Colored People, declared that under
existing conditions the hymn "Ameri-
ca" does not stand for true conditions
in this country.
Not Fair and Free.
After the people present at the meet.
ing had sung America" Mr.. Grimke
declared:
This is no land of liberty, such as
you have just suggested in that hymn.
It is not a fair land to the colOred
race!
in spite of the East st. Louis mas
sacres they say that America is fair
and free! Why, they speak of Ger
man barbarism in Europe How about
the American barbarism over here?
If, after 800 years of suffering and op-
preston in this country, you believe
that it is free, you are not believing
right. You are believing lies?"
The speaker vigorously attacked
what he alleged was the partiality
shown in the draft and in the enlist
ments for foreign service. He eulog.
lied the attainments of the black race
| on the field of battle. s:-s.. -, =.
why. this government, in keeping
the Negro troops on this side for
| guarding bridges and public buildings,
is cutting off it's best fighting stock in
America! l say this without partiality.
1t is a fact!
IF Belgium had not cut the hands
from the blacks in the Congo those
same hands would have saved Belgium
from the Germans" continued Mr..
Grimke. He continued by stating that
the law of eternal justice would one
day vindicate the black man, but he
feared terrible times were coming be-
fore the day arrived.
Urged to Hang Back.
The speaker urged the Negroes to
hang back now until the government
calls for their help in the war. He
suggested that in event of the call not
coming, then there would be hardy
race of young black people to perpet-
uate their species while the whites
would only have a war-crippled> stock.
| Go into the industries" urged the
speaker, land firmly get grip there.
Then, once you have got that grip,
never relinquish it,"
The next speaker was the Rev. John
L., Davis of Portsmouth, N. H., who
said in part:
Il tremble not only for America, but
for the whole world when the black
man wakes up! The fight between the
Anglo-Saxon and the black race will
be frightful. My only hope is that the
colored people will not be pushed too
hard against the wall"
Another speaker was Edward Ever
ett Brown, who denounced the practice
of lynching and called for popular opin-
ion to force the government to make
lynching a federal crime with capital
punishment.
| Irish as Example.
Mr. Brown said the Negro race must
take their example from the Irish,
who, although fighting for Britain, still
kept the idea of liberty firm in their
bosoms. He likened the East st. Louis
troubles to the Indian massacres Of
colonial days and declared that the
treatment Of the black race in both
North and South for the last two de-
cades was a burning, lasting disgrace
to the American people.
| Our young men and women will not
much longer stand to be used as the
football Of the American people," said
Mr.. Brown.
The Middlesex Civic League, under
whose auspices the meeting was held,
then formally adopted a resolution
which is in part as follows:
Resolution Adopted.
BE it resolved, That we demand
that every constituted authority In the
United States get busy to blot out this
abominable race prejudice which is
eating out the vitals of law and order
in this country, and that this country
be made safe for the black man while
1t is making the world safe for democ-
racy.
BE II further resolved, That the
Middlesex County Civic League and
the colored citizens here assembled
extend to the council Of Cambridge
their profound and desp:elt thanks