The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-05
TO TEN MILLION coLoRED cITI-
zENs OF THE UNITED STATES.

GreeJlngS OF the
|. The world is engulfed in the red
ruin of war. The present titanic con-
flict is not due to the inherent devil
try of one nation or the innate good
ness of another. The accumulative
energies of society for generations
have been DANCED up by the barrier
of hatred and greed. The stored up
power is now breaking through the
barrier with cataclysmic outburst.
The social fabric is being shaken to
its very foundation. AS outcome of
the war, the re-adjustment of the So
cial structure will be more radical
than that effected by the French Re-
volution. The Transforming effect up
on the status of the Negro will be
scarcely less momentus than the
Emancipation Proclamation.
The characterization of the world,
coined as a fitting phrase, will be
translated into actuality. The Declar-
alton of independence, penned by a
slave holder, sounded the death knell
of slavery, although t~hree-quarters of
a century elapsed between promise
and fulfillment. The characterization
of the world is but a restatement of
this doctrine in terms of present day
attitude of the world. Political auto
cracy and race autocracy will be bur
led in the same grave. Hereafter, no
nation however strong, will be per-
mitted to override a weaker neighbor
| nv choA- Inrn;rorpp Cf nnNunr. and No
ace will be permitted to impose a
ruthless regime Upon the weaker
breeds of men through sheer assump-
ton of superiority. Hereafter, Eng
land will treat the East Indians; Tur-
key, the Armenians, Russia, the Jews,
and America, h9TNegroes, with a full
er measure of justice and considera-
ton than heretofore.
The peoples of all lands who are
heavy laden and o%verborne will be the
chief beneficiaries of this war. The
Negro problem is involved in the prob
lem of humanity. The whole is great
err than any of it's parts. The Negro
will share in the general momentum
imported to social welfare.
Already, he hal been admitted to
industrial opportunity in the north
with manifest reaction upon the
harsh regime in The south.
National prohiblAon, which is borne
forward on the waFe of the world war,
will immensely Improve his moral
status. Eighty 4fOnsand Negro SOL
diers have been enlisted, and seven
hundred Negroes jhave been commits
stoned as officerAin the army of the
United States. Negro has been
made assistant csbinet officer whose
Function is to adi3kt tremendously the
races relation to I've pending struggle.
The improved attitude of the white
race towards the Negro is apparent
in W. affirmative decisions rendered
by the Supreme Court of the United
States with unanimous concurrence.
The Negro will emerge from this
war with a double portion of privilege
and opportunity.
Every Negro should be loyal and
patriotic, although there are injustices
and determinations which try our
souls. If we overcome, these trials
and tribulations will work out a more
exceeding weight of advantage. But
if we allow them to overcome us, Woe
full will be our lot indeed. To stand
sulkily by in p~laintive aloofness, be-
cause of just grievances would be of
the same kind of folly as to refuse to
help extinguish a conflagration which
threatens the destruction of ones ma
tive city because he has a complaint
against the fire department. Let us
help put out the conflagration which
threatens the world, and then make
the world our lasting debtor. We must
stand shoulder to shoulder with our
white fellow citizens to fight for the
freedom of the world, outside of III
own national circle, and then we must
hold them to moral consistency of
maintaining a just and equitable reg
ime inside of that circle. Democracy
like charity, should begin at home or
at least it should prevail there. Let
us fight to the finish to the effect that
no nation shall hereafter dare attempt
W AllahO III loIlOLlol aCoNy q
scrap of paper. 1t must therefore fol,
low them, as c~orollry that no nation
will %henceforth allow it's own consti,
tuition, which is an international
treaty, to be made a scrap of paper.
The tide of democracy is sweeping
through the world like a mikhty river
The rae problem and other social
ills are butw as marshes, backwatersI
stagnant pools, estuaries which have
been shut off from free circulation
with the main current. But the
freshet of freedom is now OVERLOOKING
it's bed and purifying all the stagnant
waters in it's onward sweep to the
ocean of human liberty and brother
hood. Fortunate indeed are we to be
born forward upon its beneficent
bosom at suph a time as this