Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1917-11-03
WATCH AS WELL AS PRAY
(By Ida Wells Barnett)


Rhode Island has just had silent pro-
test by parade, in Providence, on October
H. The race should be very glad to know
that 1000 people made protest against the
awful race riot of East st. Louis. These
silent parades of Rhode Island, New York,
New Jersey and the women's prayer meet
ing of Washington, D. c., together with the
meetings Of protest in other parts of the
country are very fine start for beginning
an effort to do something to put stop to
these outrages. But the danger lies in stop
ping there, in thinking that they have done
all they could when they have marched and
prayed and passed resolutions. l would
not, for moment, minimize these effects OF
such splendid beginning, but l do want
the Race to realize that we must put stop
to these beginnings. It is almost the same
as if our soldier boys had contented them
selves with enlisting to fight for their coun-
try and feeling that they had done their
duty in defending their country when they
had taken part in a great parade with flags
flying and bands playing. But we all know
that unless these parades are followed up
by hard work in the trenches, all the firing
of guns by every conceivable active physi-
cal movement possible, the war will not be
won.
BY our parades, and protests, and pray
ers, the Negro has succeeded in securing the
Congressional Investigation Of those out
RACES but not dollar has been raised with
which to keep someone on guard to take
note Of the doings Of this Investigation
Committee Every one knows that even in
the case Of an individual on trial his friends
must give him their moral support and that
he must employ counsel to see that his in
terests are looked after. Nothing of this
kind has yet been done. The 100000 of
Negroes in the United States have not
raised a dollar to have somebody on guard
at the Congressional Investigation, neither
have we had anybody present at the trials
of the fifteen Negroes who have been SEN
fenced The papers Of the country inform
ed us last week that Dr. Bundy has been
extradited from Ohio into Illinois and that
he has been placed on trial. We also note
that the authorities there have been very
anxious to get crack at Bundy as the al
legged leader of the body of armed colored
men who shot two police officers who after
ward died. AS Race matter in the three
months we have had to get ready for it;
we should have engaged the finest criminal
lawyer to be had and had on the ground to
protect the Race s interests Dr. Bundy has
written here for help and from no source
is it forthcoming. Please make it clear to
our people that the situation now needs
dollars; that the first step of our effort,
prayers, protests and passing resolutions
has passed, and that we are now entering
upon the second stage when dollars will
win the battle. I am leaving today for
Belleville, Illinois, as representative of the
National Equal Rights League as well as
the Negro Fellowship League. IF I could
only get some money to take with me from
these members Of the Race who are protest
ing against this treatment, in order that I
might fight this case Of DR.. Dundy's Fifty
cents apiece from each protestor would fur
nish sufficient with which to fight, as it is
l am going empty handed. Can the Broad
AK get me some money with which to labor
to defend the Race s interests in this trial?
If so, let me hear from the country at my
home address,