Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-05
ON THE POLICE FORCE.

Editor Every Evening: In the columns
Of the same paper and On the same front
pngc where il recorded the account Of The
proposed trip of President Wilson and
his conveys TO n world peace conference,
made possible by the valor, bravery and
the supreme sacrifice ot black Americans
as well as white Americans Is found
another article whose caption contains
these CONSPICUOUS words: Negroes Are
Kept of Police tufce hy commissioners
In the name of our hoasted democracy,
VIC ask why2 Well, If we arc 10 base our
conclusions upon what evidence we have
IN hand, the only reason worth publish
ing is. Negroes were once on the local
police force. but were later dismissed he
cause of inclliricncN But ~ thus just
reason for refusing Negro appllcants9 IL
1t nj nll logical It may hold rs an argu-
mont II there have never been any m
efficient white policemen But u tins the
case? Records Of this city rs we'll ~ the
records Of other cities will answer, no
Why then are the applications at our
men rcjectcd2 The ideals of our Federal
Constitution are too high and lofty to
indulge an answer just here. We leave
it rs an open question, let every Atneri-
can citizen who is at all converaant with
supply ms own answer
Fellow citizens The fundamental
principles OF our government arc liberty.
equality and Justice. \ liberty That docs
not conflict with the rights and prcr0ga
tives of others Equality not ot the IN
trinsic worth Of every individual as such.
because no man rcgaullres ui rice. IS the
equal of another until hv conhecrai,on
dedication and dcvclomncut III those IT.
nate God gwen powers ~ fiacs - ~.
other man level. hut equality at oppar
tunity and equality before the laW and
justice whose foundation - the t,oiiien
Rule. These ARE the nalicn9ble rights
guaranteed every cltizen at this, olif great
republic II We H. citizens, these are ~"
rights for whyh W. +hall humtly but nrr-
sistently contend until we our ehldron.
or our grando&lIdre shall finally =
come the bcncH,larlns of genuine
democracy.
We have not We are not. We Will not
ask tor any special favars. We only ask
for fair play aud man cbanfe %
We ask for less3
approximately three hundred thousand
black mon. truc to the traditions oi their
fathers answered the call If l'neie sam
and uuhcsitatlngly )otncd III the FRAY
WilitN %AtHliifA tih fttft ~ aifIAtttttf tEtt~
feat IN tho greatest war recorded IN fh,,
annnl4 Of history. The bodies ol mang of
thns,, black boys he buried today hcneath
the sands ol France, whdc thlr npnnr
sacrifice has written victory N golden let
tors upon old GLORY tnteycr
The demoblll7atton II American troops
has already begun and IN the near future
our boys wlll turn thcIf faces bomeRard
Must these tmcncau black men Nhe have
mingled thclr blood with Amctmau white
men. trenchncn aud I.nglnhrnen fa plant
democracy throughout lie world he com
PEELED % face again on thcIr return L. thi-
country discrimination segregation and
oppression God forhld
w take special palns 20 thank Gen
l. PuScy NnkrrshaTn. president ai tire
Board Of Police Commissioner. for his
manly stand for Justice and righteotanc.s.
lie may ,comc Il social martvr for ms
lulty ideals and conscientious dceds, but
the Sccd of every great reform have h"cfi
martvrdom And Whcu hc pleaded the
cause of 1900 Negroes of Wilmington
hc pleaded the cause of l00O000 Nc-
grocS IN thls country. the eause Of hu-
manity the world over and above all the
cause Of HIM 0t whom the Apostle Peter
sand "Of = truth perceive that God Is no
re-pcetur ol persons Eut IN every natton
BE- that foarcth HIM and ~erkcth
righteousness Is accepted with HIM
S,gned by
! | kine, president o Colared Minis
tcrial mon q Wilmington and pastor oi
E1Ion Church Charles II Colhourn.
Eacmfer state Central Committee: Edgar
Starl,ug. quartz rnaS,er-g, metal Of Odd
Fellow. Conwcil Pantnn, II u, mem
or ot BOARD Of Fdueatlon John . Hop
Nlns, mcmlncr Cir. Council, Ferdinand
1rsty, pr -Idcnt Of MONDAY Cluh. Il y.
Arnett. pastor Rig Rcthel hutch and
president Of y. \. T. {. T., J v Bond
pastor Of Mt Joy NJ L church J II
Pell, pastor 4 NJ T 'hureh, II Clay
Steven. VI ID, past exalted ruler Of Fiks
John I. Hubert, rep OF Alason-.