The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-11

the second National Congress of All
Colored Americans to convene in Sep
tember
There are no words in any language
that can adequately portray the in
oreasingly appalling humiliation to
which we Colored Americans are be-
ing daily subjected in certain preju-
diced-cursed sections of this country.
Laughter in He'll and Weeping in
Heaven. =.
! The ruthless disregard for our civil,
I social and political rights; the fiendish
destruction of our hard-earned prop
erty; the shameful segregation and
humiliating demonstrations every
where enforced against us; the horri-
BILE butchery of Colored men, women
and children in both southern and
northern states, and the sleeping
apathy of the American conscience
present a picture so Internally horri-
BILE as must cause laughter in hell and
weeping in heaven.
| The fresh, warm blood of innocent
men, women and children of color,
that clods the clay in East st. Louis,
ILL.,, cries aloud to our racial leaders
and to our great masses, TO GET
/ TOGETHER.
Who Can Blame Us?
In the face of such unspeakable hor-
rors who can justly charge US with
lack of patriotism because we are
forced to pause in the midst of in
ternational strife and to raise out
| shackled hands and our unheeded cry
in defense of our own outraged man.
hood?
While Whites Cling to Prejudice.
If White Americans during such
trying times can cling with such
struggling grip to their color-phobia,
should We be blamed for striking a
blow for our own continued exist
ence? When the Caucasian, while
plunged into the very hell of war, and
death, and national and racial decay,
can find time at every turn of the
road to practice his vile color
schemes against us, it is high time
J bhaI pOOlB OpplCSOCu
ers of the nation, should call a halt
to the oppressor's rod. So heavy
grows our burden, and so gauling be-
comes our yoke that patience on our
part will soon become a crime against
ourselves.
Let coIored Come Together.
Therefore, let US come together. Let
US gather from the east and from the
west, from the north and from the
south and, with the combined wisdom
and strength of the race, let us
roundabout" and confront, and COM
bat the forces of evil that solely op-
press US. If the flag for which we
have always fought and bled can find
no way to restrain the polluted,
blood-blistered, crime-c a n k + d"
hands that continue their wicked
slaughter of our wives and children,
let us get together and find way, or
make a way, that will lead to free
dam. If, under prevailing conditions,
gether, our enemies will continue to
nang us separately.
Any person, white or Colored, who
preached that this is not the proper
time for the Negro to air his own
grievances and to speak in his own
behalf" is a dangerous ally to our
vilest oppressors. Colored and white
pacifists who, during the past have
apologised for wrongs against us that
they should have fought, constitute
one of the root-causes of our present
appalling condition in this country.
No Time to Lay Down.
So far as relates to our case at this
juncture in American history, a Ne
gro pacifict ought to be an impossible
ity, and pacifist of any other race,
claiming to be our friend, deserves to
be branded as our foe in sleeps
clothing.
One Great United Move.
All Observation-Disclosures, lodges,
business and fraternal societies
among us, throughout these United
States, are cordially invited and earn
estly urged to send one, or more, del
egates to represent them in this, the
tenth annual convention of the Ma
tional Equal Rights League. and the
Second National Congress of All Col
ored Americans. Without regard to
creed, sect. sex or party, let us come
together, and compel public attention
to our demand for "a square deal" as
citizens of this great republic Let
the entire Colored American popula
tion, in all sections of this great coun
try, be strongly represented at thi:
great Race Congress.
BYRON GTINNER