Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-09-28

the situation and report. povs <. W. Patterson, w. B Brown,ea w 5. Terrell, A. H. Hill, A. T. Stayons m . '. M Elliott, H. w. Savage, Tawver. 5. G. C. Price, and Dr. H. L. Jordan '
 The committee met on the 1norn;n, ,r of Sept. 18th in the office of 6 G aryee, and prepared the following Op- eil hetter Tn reply to the Chamber of commerce ,lTl1 and to the Public: Vt
 we representatives of the twelve mliilon negroes of the United States ana especially those of this section of ene country, to which the article men tloned has special reference. fee, tha+ we owe 1t as a duty to ourselves to the nation of which we form 2 conc+; / tuent part, and more particularly to the women of our race. with whon, the anove mentioned article has to do to set forth what We believe to he not only our true relation to tb;s country and nation, but also to mailo a clear declaration of the feeling of the race with regard to our condition treatment, and continued misrenres, entatlon bv the public press.
 we do say that the sentiment ey- pressed in the article under consid- efatlon, not only is misleadinIo hut tends to dampen and chill lovaltv and patriotism on the part of the ne0ro 1t IS alleged that negro women in hundreds of caes are refusing to worlS because they are able to live iron, allotments paid them by the govern ment. s''N S'o'ei IT.
 Tn reply, we would state. that we are In position to meet this assertion With a flat denial, taking coalitions as a whole. ''0'''' t'' It IS quite possible that there may De D few isolated cases, where women nave declined to work for wages of fered (having their own household affairs to look after); but we are of opinion that the above statement will not stand the test of thcronoh investigation.
 The committee has knowledge of several cases where women have ouit domestic service and gone to work in the mills because they can get from ten to twelve dollars a week. Again many have quit domestic service to % to the cottcn fields, because they can get from a dollar to a dollar and a half a hundred; whereas in domestic service, they get only two dollars and nalf, or three dollars week.
 We are of opinion that the cases are rare where any have positively refused to work for reasonable wages and are idlers. 'S7N''
 
 The Chamber of Commerce SUD- gests an appeal to Secretary of War Baker to have the work or fight' or- der made to apply to women-meanLe ng of course Negro women
 Loyalty Can't Be Questioned.
 The loyalty of the negro woman 'annot be questioned.
 The negro boy has taken his gun ana IS now fighting side by side with he Ameican white boy at the front And Gf it comes to that), the negro IS also ready to take her place y the side of her sex of the other ace in order to win the war.
 The women of this race protest lgalnst being classed as parasites. or placed in the class of idlers and hackers. We can do no better at this 'oint than quote the language of a prominent Southern white woman in
 symposium on: "The Path of Labor To those who have glimpsed some hing of their struggle, the fight of l ;hristian colored women for the pur- ty and safety of colored girls is one f the most moving things to be ound in America. Who can help them ut the Christian white woman? And omen belong together; God has ap- olnted it so.
 A Common Standard.
 There is no standard but com- lon standard no security but a com- 1cn security no night but common ght. The colored women stand