Richmond planet., 1918-01-19
The NEGRO WAR AIMS
PLAINLY STATED
lhy Dr. Walter $. Buchanan.D

The year nineteen hundred and scy
cntccn leaves record that we cannot
we'll forget. Tho lights and shadows
are marked ann abiding. Death has
claimed many of our good friends.
among others Senator Foraker, Frank
Is. Sanborn. H. l.. Morchousc. Hollis
Burke Frisscll; our own Bishop Wal
tcrs. John +. Bush. NJ. w. Gilbert,
and B. II. Hudson. We thank God for
their labOrs and wo trust Him ,yr
their reward. The Atlanta fire, East
81. Louis and Houston hathe in blood
and shame tho sinking of nineteen
and seventeen. But thank God tho
other side Of the shield is more beau
tiful to look upon.
During nineteen and seventeen 500
OF our young people have graduated
from college and 5000 from high
school. In the state Of New York rs.
600 colorcd women have been given
the ballot a Negro has been sent to
the New York State legislature. and
another put on the Board OF Educa
ton of New York City We have
nearly 1000 black army Officers and
emmett Scott advisor to the Secre
tary OF War! But best Of all, pcrhaps
Is tho segregation decision handed
down recently by tho Supreme Court
OF the United States which declares
1t unconstitutional to segregatc citi.
@enS in residential districts based on
race. color. or previous condition OF
Scryitudc
WIN these good things to look up
on. we face tho year nineteen and
olghteen with greater faith in our
country and with renewed hone in
'he ultimate triumph Of Justice.
hut with all these things and more
TO reflect upon. the thought upDcr.
most In our minds as the New Year
oawns is tho Groat World War and
"hat Will como OF it. We grew imn,.
tleht with the whjto people roccntIv
because we thought they were NOT
gong TO let us take part In this war
out we found later that thcv wcro
only giving us 4 chance TO gather our
crops ana wind up our business ho.
f"rc they called our boys to trainino
camps '"'''' p
we are glad to fight our countrv's
patl!eS We bear no malice for tho
wrongs we have suffered and wo
want our Chief Executive to kror,
,"''' ailhouGh we are gathered in hJs
''"' zen Hllllon strong, with Offend
"a McNlro at our back and German
'ohSplrators In our midst. wn win
,'''' 'ol'hFlNo with our countrv's
iooS nor llit trcachcrous hand On
IN" contrary Wc shall fight s;lc NV
H'"" Win our faircr comrades in
'ie very 'front.' line trenches-whcrc
"'' iiiH inc moment Of our country's
peril "hltc soldier and black soId;.
c''~"lth no thought save that OF our
,Hlrrca homo and common countrv
II wash out all racial animositv In
'hr hlood or our heroic dead.
we could not do otherwise FOR
l,o'l court Square in Boston. where
'riSpns AttuckS charged the British
rro"" on through Wagner and Fort
IHlo" to the block houses of San
Juan Hill, and even to the recent
MeNlcan death trap at Corrlzo1
where some ono blundcrcG" and thn
part or the bravo black soldier was
Dut to do and do, wo have shown a
s'rohg and uniform Patriotism. which
must In time win the honest opd
cnnnl protection of the flag we have
dled to save. 1t must bo 80,
FOR right is right. since God Is God.
Ahu r'ght the day will win:
10 doubt would be dsloyaIty,
70 faltcr would DO sin"
Iho leading nations engaged in
thia war state their war aims from
timo to time. England Russ'a. Ger.
! many. the United Statos.--all have
stated their aims. But each of theso
countries Ia but larger group com
posed Of smaller Industrial, politi.