Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-01-05
OOIORED FOLKS DAXED

Ten millions Of American citizens
are dazcd at the outcome Of the Texas
courtmart:al. 1t came at so critical
| an hour. Sad was so tragic.
Even admitting that the testimony
| IN the principal cases was overwhelm
| ing as to the guilt of the accused, and
conscious also that positive and rigor
Gus punishment must be E,eted out to
| the Offenders in order that the discip
limo In tho army might DO preserved,
further that because wo are in q state
or war 1t is imperative that very
harsh punishment must be imposed
as dcterrent-stilf, all things con
sidered. thinking Negroes are appall-
cd at the spectacle in Texas.
An even larger number OF Negro
citizens are almost tcrrorizcd, In
! view OF tho extensive call TO arms
, the rumors of discrimination in the
! army and the consciousness Of tho
! extreme hardships and risk Of army
service, which make up the mental at
, utnde FOR viewing this new affair.
we all know we'll that men may not
murder ana mutiny under cover Of
the military and government uniform
ana we know that the same penalties
Tor crimes extend to attaches OF tho
national service as to civilian OFFEND
crs, and we recall the bloody riot at
houston, with all its narrowing dc
tails OF disgrace and death.
Complete details Of the inyestiga,
ton by the courtmartial the facts ad
duccG and the findings resulting from
that inquiry, will not bring anything
now to the thinking Negroes-we
Know al that In advance OF the publ
cation.
We do not seek to justify isolated
and disconnected murder on tho basis
or extreme provocation at the outset.
We know tho law and the right.
The law Of the land Is alright, if
only the administration Of 1t shall be
pure and undefiled and impartial.
The Kaleidoscope Of Waco, Caters
vile, Atlanta and East st. Louis Its
through the mind ITO abstacle unbiased
Judgment and to compl,cate considera
ton OF the divers problems that BATTLE
us.
We wish our people to remain loyal
we wish them to exhibit warm en-
thusiasm we wish them to conserve
and to fight. But who can gainsay
that the fighting should be for some
worthy purpose?-for some positive
and definite end?
Were not the soldier rioters at Hous
ton fighting for a freedom (from in
suit and persecution) and for the in
stitution of democracy (the kind
which looses the bonds from mems
bodies and souls) at home?
Were they not driven senseless-to
the point OF violating their oaths, over
riding tie law and even to disgracing
themselvcs--by continued abuse and
insult and imposition, and assault
and murder and lynching and burning
at the stake,--crimes which daily
blacken and besmear tho pages of
American civilization which tho law.
unsupported by public opinion has
shown itself powerless to check and
ayenge?
Has not Texas been the stage on
which most Of the bloody dramas of
human carnage been enacted? Did
not the very air smell of burning
flesh from Waco's city square?
Has the Negro race not suffered
enough to cause him at times to for
get honor and duty and even to pre-
fer and covet death itself?
AS unsoldierly and as sordid as NAV
nave been Their crime OF mutiny and
riot, 1t must DO observed and remark
cd how very solIlerly, how bravely
and gamcly the thirteen victims met
their death. Their bearing and behavi
or in the hour of death can have but
one interpretation; they had been
goaded and misnsed to the point Of
unreason and abandon.
me law has been avenged, the dis
clpline or the army OF tho United
States has been upheld, the great sac
riflce has shown how tragic may be
THE consequences OF the meanness and
prejudice of Negro hating, ignorant
white men, for with these the trouble
began.
Surely. mans inhumanity to man
makes countless thousands mourn"
Savannah Tribune.)