Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-03-23
SOLDIERS COMFORT
COMMITTEE Is ACTIVE.

w aSIlh!StolI L cl'i utsF! Lo."-T MOI
only has the National Cclorcd Soldi-
crs Comfort Committee become the
recognized race medium for furnish
ing relief % ncrGy dependents Of Col
orcd soldiers in the army, but judg
ing from the large humble" of letters
received by il daily from colorcd peo
pie Throughout, the country for adj.
vice. il has become Il sort Of race
clearing house. filling peculiarly
needed want. Among The many II
.cr!; mlkiuG inQa:rics are many from
co'or,t women, wives au1 mothers
oi coluled &oF'icrs inQuiring about
delayed ellntmcnts OF sucn portion
of their soldier kinsmcn's allotment
made 10 them. and with which the
NntiunaQ Colored Soldiers Comfor,
Committee HAS nothing to do. Some
mothers have written to the Commit
tee asking for advice as to where
their sons arc now. they having re
ccivcd no letter from them i'll months
some write asking if thc committee
cannot have their incorrigiblc. i'm
PROV dent, and "worthlrsS' son draft
Oh into the army; some wives tell
Of worthless husbands who ito not
provide for tncm and heir children
whom thcy want the cGmmlttGc to
have drafted, and So on, on various
subjects. about wh:c they desire 10
be enlightened. CUlorcd people are
writing to the Committee. Onc South
western coorra farmer wrote The
Committee urging il 10 take up with
Congress. and have passed Il BIZ re
ducing the rcnt?l of farm land, say
ing TIA with the present high rcnta.
OF farm and culured farmers cannot
make even sufficient to exist on. TO
III these queries !he Committee re
spends promptly and checrfully Civ
ing the writer's the benefit Of what
ever knowledge il may have on tho
matter inquired about. The greater
number OF letters, however. contain
rrmittanccs Of money from men and
women who are interested in doing
their bit, by the needy dependents OF
Colorcd soldiers. The preponderance
OF .ncsr rcmittanccS however. come
from our Colorcd women. clearly
showing that women are the ones most
touched by sorrows call and the ones
who respond more quickly TO neccs
Sily's appeal. The fact that a Big, coun
Try vide organization to Succor tn"
needy Of the race has beer establish
cd Nhat is ional, non
political, and not in opposition to
the many splendid race ceremonial
and ritual fraternitieS, but which is
TO merely collect the pennies and d.:
tribu C them in dollar aggregates to
the worthy needy" of the race has
appealed to all and so the National
Colored Soldiers Comfort Committee
unwittingly, has become the races
national clearing house however, its
one aim is to collect funds from the
race and dispense same to the urgent
needy.
Wnen one stops to reflect that
this now big interstate organization
has been builded with a secondhand
desk, borrowed secondhand type
writer, occupying about square foot
in an office room. plus the uncompen
stated energy of the man who has u;-
rected it it only proves that with co
operation what wonderful opptrtuni
ii there are for the race. The I'LL
innate object of this national body
is to become as its incorporation will
permit. big strong Colored Founda-
ton Society, to dispense charity to
the needy. and to Colorei: worthy
charitable institutions, and TO aid col
ored business enterprises. 1t has
been figured out that the $4,000 900
when raised can become a fund out
or which mcritorious colored business
enterprise can he loaned money at 4
percent. the interest money thus com
ing in being sufficient to take care
or urgent and nccessitous charitable
aud. Thus the money coming from
the race in small contributions would
be returned to it, and making colorcd
business enterprises strong, provide
employment for young colored men
and women. The plan is not simply
utopian--it is practicable, and it is
needed. Colored business enterprises.
and colored farmers might achieve
much, and especially the latter. If they
could secure moderate loans at q rate
Bof interest that is not practically con
fiscatory.