The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-09-29
GIVES A STIRRING MESSAGE
His Final Uteranee the Delegation Be weary in well do
ng patient but progressive trust God but remember all things
that possible not always expedient"

A delegation of prominent Colored
men, upon an invitation extended by
Ex-President Theodore Roosevelt, SOL
der, statesman, hunter and traveller
and the greatest living figure in the
world today, visited him at his stop
| ping place while in this city last Mon
day at 8 p. m. at the palatial resi-
dence of Hon. l. R. Kirkwood, son-in-
law of the late Colonel VIM. R. Mel
son, founder and editor of the Kansas
City Star, and were graciously re-
ceived by both Colonel Roosevelt and
his host, Mr.. Kirkwood. After being
ushered into the magnificent reeep-
tion room of the Kirkwood residence,
Mr.. Nelson c. Crews, as the spokes-
man of the delegation, introduced the
members of the party to the ex-Presi-
dent, and after an exchange of greet
ings briefly stated their pleasure in
having this distinguished honor con-
ferred upon them of being permitted
to meet the distinguished guest, to
express their confidence in him and
to thank him for his manly and cour-
ageOus stand for the race in the re-
cent controversy with Samuel Comp
ers of the American Federation of La
Dor at the recent clash in Carnegie
Hall in New York City. Mr.. Crews
said that when Abraham Lincoln ut
tered those splendid words in which
he said Government of the people,
/! no nd hy- H.
not perish from the arth" he gave
utterance to a lofty and magnificent
sentiment, but when you, Colonel
/ Roosevelt, gave utterance to that stir
ring sentiment, "All men up and no
men down. you forever endeared
yourself to every Negro beneath what
ever flag he may live in the civilized
world. Mr.. Crews then presented DR..
VIM. H. Thomas, the scholarly and
eloquent pastor of Allen Chapel, who
| briefly but eloquently stated the diff
! ficulties under which the race has la
bored, the struggles through which it
was passing and the need of encour-
agement from strong and powerful
friends, and in conclusion, said, "Mr.
Roosevelt, give us a teXt-a theme
a message Of inspiration to carry to
our people and We shall. feel that our
mission has not been in vain" Col
onel Roosevelt seemed to be deeply
affected by the eloquent plea of DR..
Thomas, and though he gave visible
evidence of fatigue, having just re-
turned from the memorable banquet
extended him by the commercial
bodies of the city, yet he entered with
the Roosevelt vim and spirit into a
brief discussion of the conditions sur.
rounding the Colored people, told how
it was his intention if he had been
permitted to organize a brigade for
service in France to have had one
regiment of Colored men with Colonel
Young in command of that regiment
and all the officers Colored, and vehe-
mently said 81 would have ex-
pected every man from that regiment
to have measured up to the highest
possible standing, because knew
more would be expected of them than
of other elements in my regiment,
but as | was not permitted to organ
ize that brigade, l can only say to
you: Be brave, be not weary in we'll
doing, be patient but progressive;
trust in God and respect your fellows;
always remembering that all things
which are possible are not always ex-
pedient | thank you, gentlemen, for
having paid me this call, and bid you
tell your race that justice and right