The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-27
THE NEGRO AND THE WAR;
ev H. r. Jones Alb, Principal Of lincoln High SchooH'

without Americas aid. these section or
tho American continent would nave
shared the fate OF Africa and parts or
China, for they could not have with
stood alone the ravages OF European
domination and exploitation. CUBA the
Philippine Island. San Domingo. HaEu.
and Liberia. despite criticism. tcstlileo
as eloquent witnesses to the fuitlllmchl
OF the American doctrine of national de-
vc,opment without external pressure.
grant that selfiShness and greed have
animated some individuals. business III
eercsts and public officials in dealing
with these sections OF colored peoples
but on whole. the American govern
ment has consistently commended tor the
rirht OF these peoples 20 shape their
own political destiny. AT this hour Ire
land Is attempting 10 tram" conSutu-
tional charter. Undoubtedly foreign
criticism has made II clear To Grea'
Britain that she must be consistent ri
home as we'll as abroad in her claims 10
be fighting for Worldwide democracy.
This same external pressure has also
forced Great Britain to recognize the
need cf and promise more liberal treat
ment toward India And here IN Amer
lea there. is no Insistcnt demand that the
nation clear her conscience before she
can fight for the worlds good. III Ia III
this spirit that LeSlie's Weekly or Octo-
Der 18th, proclaims that The United
States cannot stand before the world
as the champion Of freedom and demo-
cracy and continue to burn men allVe or
lynch them without fair trial. NO Nc.
gro need think that the statement OF
Frederic Harrison. passed unnoticed
when he stated that Engl:shmcn resent
cd American criticism Of EnGlands at
wi cnhicrI nhHDleS WhHn
America WAS guilty Of tnistreatinC tho
Negro. Nor has the repeated complain
IF r. C. Wells. the English noFsl:St.
gone unheavd. when he reminds US mat
Africa is one Of the prime roots OF inc
world wax. and that only BY just treat
mcat to her and 10 other colorcd peoples
could tn. Allies lay any reasonable
claims to be fighting FOR international
Justice Turning 20 the Negroes struggle
for freedom we find that II represented
the combined efforts OF honest and cour-
aseous white and black men. In vie"
Of these facts then humanity has just
claim upon the services OF the Negro as
w.ll rs uron ;he services Of other races
and social groups And l contend that
wherever injustice IL practIccd on any
section OF the world the Negroes duty IS
clear. he cannot escape it, lie must
throw his whole weight against It.
In the second place. Americas future
is indivIsible We cannot no more sepa-
rate the future life Of the nation by
races than ne can separate the elements
81 the atmosphere. AS the rain falls on
the just and the unjust. so do the re-
SuonsIhiiisleS Of national welfare fall on
the favored and uutarorcd classes
There are only three possible ways out
OF this war: Germany may win. or the
in a draw. /? Germany wins then she
would exact an indemnity from tho
United States along With the other
Allies. for monetary. physical. and
material outlay. Then they United
states would call upon whites and Ne
grocs alike to pay this Indemnity. Again.
ii Germany had succeeded in her plans
10 invade the United States with the aid
Of Mexico and Japan. does any Negro