The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-12
JUSTICE.
By Chas. A. Starks.

By Chas. A. Starks.
We have waited a number of days
and read all we could of the various
comments upon a recent execution
that took place in Texas. The White
dailies used their space in backing
up and clarifying the Supreme Mar
tial edict. A few of the Northern ones
pointed out the severity of said pun
ishment but also cautioned us against
losing the intended wholesome lesson.
Southern comment breathed with the
expected glee that goes with morbid
satisfaction. Whereas, the Negro
Press has been noticeably silent.
Even that paper which industriously
boasts as being the Worlds Greatest
Weekly" contented itself with giving
over it's news and editorial functions
to the Associated Press dope. This
is singular in a paper that really and
truly approaches our ideal of a great
fighting, constructive policy for the
Race. And so the Negro constituent,
looking with woe-smitten eyes for
some place to lay his head, wanders
up and down the columns of his own
papers looking for the soothing and
comforting word in vain.
All admit that this is no time for
rabid expression upon tender sub
jects. Still we are Americans; we
are answering to the call of the emer-
gencies of War. This being true it
is only natural that we display every
now and then a little temper and con-
Germ about our own. 1t takes this to
be an American, and we are Ameri-
cans We have a soul, even "The
Soul of Black Folk" You ask me
how that soul feels under these
strained circumstances. l know but
l won't tell, I'm afraid! Yes, you are
no drawer than l.. Why don't you
tell? You know. 1t takes courage
as well as patience ITO be a Negro
in a day like this" Courage to &C
knowledge that you are a Negro with
a heart and a soull
Justice! We are not complaining
about not getting it. oh, no, we are
rather getting too much of it. We
want our White Brother to share this
good thing with us and we are there
fore, willing that he get a little JUS
tice himself. Yes, give him a little,
he deserves it very much.
Up there in East st. Louis; after
burning our men, women and chill
dren, investigation and trials develops
the fact that out of about twenty con-
victions for rioting over thirteen or
more are Negroes. 1t is just as
though you are punished for the In
science of not being lynched. If Gus
tice) overlooks you at the Burning
party it will pay it's respect to you
through the fine machinery of politi-
cal intrigue and juggling of the law.
But at Houston it was different. 1t
was not the Negro who was offered
upon the unfortunate altar of wrath,
but punishment came swift and firm
to the perpetrators, making us to be-
lieye' that in view of its usually slow
working processes, Justice really has
a turn to swing curiously now and
then, where the detectives are Black.
But the Negro accepts as Good as
possible the inevitable Judgment, but
may be pardoned if he fails to &C
quiesce in any claims of its infalli
bility at this time.
We may affirm that whatsoever is
just OF unjust, or the things that hurt
us, we may with sincerity say thai
there is still among US no Anarchists
no Dynamiters, no Pro-Germans, M
Food prisoners, no persons practicins