Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-09-07

tablishing tho Bureau was arrived at
| and when tho regular July meeting
of the Board took place, the priority
OF tho governments claim on Dr..
Dubois was recognized, but doubt
was expressed as to the ACCESSIBILITY
OF his continuing in charge of The
Crisis"
The action Of tho Board of Direc-
tors of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colorcd People
upset the arrangement. BY refusing
to continue him as editor OF The
Crisis, while he was Patriotically
serving the United States Govern
mcnt in particular and his people in
general, one thousand dollars in
| salary allowance event q glimmer-
ing" and the plans OF the gentlemen
cited disappeared in thin air.
From what source could the one
thousand dollars in salary be Sc
cured? The authorities of the War
Department had no funds from which
they could legally supplement this
amount.
1t developed, too, that this Depart
mcnt and this position was evidently
to be created for DR.. w. Il. b. Dubois
ana FOR no one else. He was the
man wanted and no ono else. AS
| controlling the editorial opinion OF
the leading publication of colored
| people in this country, tho War De-
partmcnt and the Administration
would have in its hands weapon OF
uncomfortable benefit in its propagan-
| da and dissemination OF information
| among the citizens OF color Of the
United States of America.
The man or men, who originated
| tho plan were far-seeing diplomats
and they should be commended for
their foresight and condemned for
their failure to secure the accom-
plishment of their object. But there
was another Glitch" in the arrange
ments, which may be we'll included
in this same chapter.
Here is what the distinguished DR..
Dubois says:
"A puzzlng dilemma between de-
votion to his life work and duty to
his country in time of war WAS thus
forced upon DIR. Dubois. His final
conclusion, painful as il had to be,
was to accept the commission. When
thousands are giving their lives to
their country, how could no long
hesitate in risEing far less?
"rhis delicate situation was fur
Their complicated by vague rumors
which led friends of tho Association
with moro zeal than thought to
charge the Government with attempt
cd bribery and DR.. Dubois with
being Il traitor Some who dis
agreed with the July editorials OF
The Crisis saw in them further
knowing that those editorials wcrc
written two weeks before DR.. Dubois
had the slightest intimation that his
services were to be asked, and wcro
in print before he reached Washing
tom"
Then comes tho third chapter. 1t
reads:
"Finally. tho General Staff, after
carefully considering tho matter
from all angles, has decided not to
establish the proposed bureau AT
present as its broad scope might
lead beyond the proper limits Of
military activity"
We have concluded to have one
division marked "Finis" 1t is the
final word Of DR.. w. T.. b. Dubois,
the leading citizen OF color in this
country today. IIc concludes as
follows:
"llcrc the matter rests. 1t is
dcplorablc that this splendid and
statCsmanlike plan has been aban-
donCd and equally unfortunate that
any question as to It's dcsirability
should have ever arisen among black
folk. The personal side of it is OF
less consequence and has left DR..
Du Bots IN unrufflcd serenity. No
one who essays to teach the multi
tude can long escape crucifXion."
There is this difference in the at
titude OF the authorities Of the War
Department and the statement Of DR..
uBois. The former say that it has
been decided not to establish the
bureau Eat present" and the latter
says that it has been decided to
abandon the establishment Of tho
bureau.
DR.. Dubois says that he is left in
unruffled serenity and then concludes
the editorial utterances with the re-
mark, "No one who essays to teach
the multitude can long escape cru
Can a cruciied man be left in Gun
ruffled serenity" We would also
like to know IL tho distinguished
DhilOS ODher scholar and economist