Phoenix tribune., 1919-09-20
The INTER-RAC|AL
AMBASSADOR THRILLS
AUDIENCE IN SOUTH
ORATOR AND SPOKESMAN RAISES
$4,000 FOR LINCOLN
LEAGUE
Especial to the Tribune)

Roscoe Simmons laid down a new law
to his south, as he calls it, on LaboY
day. He told the thousands to whom
he spoke that the race was the south's
friend more than the south was the
races friend, and that the race had
made the southern white man what
he was.
Roscoe Simmons is more than ever
the inter-racial ambassador
'The New Orleans Item, the big eve
ming daily, gave a fine report of the
occasion. The Item said:
"'Lincoln took the Negro out of
slavery, but he could not take slavery
out of the Negro With these words
Colonel Roscoe C. Simmons, Colored
leader, crystallized his speech at the
Colored celebration of Labor day at
Longshoreman's hall, in which he
urged the Negro to establish himself
in business, and build up his own flu
ture. instead of depending always on
the white man as an employer.
"Some $4,000 was contributed to the
various Colored locals at the meeting
towards the Lincoln league, the big
gest contribution being check for
$500 from the Colored longshoremen,
and others ranging all the way down
to $3.50, contributed by the female
domestic workers union.
Two Thousand Attend
"Some two thousand Colored men
and women crowded into the hall and
many were outside, unable to gain ad-
mission. The meeting took the place
of the usual parade, the Colored labor
leaders having deemed this a waste of
money.
1--WE are celebrating our Labor day
| in a quiet and dignified manner AL
bert Workman, president of the Long
shoremen, told the audience we are
showing our neighbors that we can
run our own affairs without fuss for
the first time. There is not single
policeman here to maintain order
ellis statement seemed to be cor
rect, no evidence of any police being
on hand, despite the proportions oil
the crowd, which remained unusually
orderly.
"The program started at II a. m.
and lasted right through to the even
ing. when Roscoe Simmons, the orator
of the day, spoke till after 6 p. m. 1t
included songs by the Colored choirs,
prayer by Rev. Joseph Moorehead and
speeches by T. P. Woodland, Sylves-
ter Pete, l.. D. Wilson, w. j. Harris
and Vincent Palao.
81 am what God made me and in
His own image said Roscoe Simmons
in his address in part. And | am OF
the opinion that God did not make any
man in his image to be another mans
slave.
"Riots Do Not Disturb"
''Riots do not disturb me, belchinf
guns do not disturb me, and ! have
my hand in Gods hand and am ready
to go. | am making the same speech
here that l made in Chicago.
"1 hear people talking about race
problems There is no race problem
The only problem is that of treating
your neighbor decently.'
The speaker went on to compare
conditions under which the Negro
. lived fifty years ago with conditions
prevailing today, in which he endeav
ored to point out the progress thai
had been made, and winding up will
an allegorical allusion.
To-day he said, 4 write my name
in the stars.
"'This is your country, you hav'
nowhere else to go, said he, aftel
!! speaking of the suggestions of Ne
groes leaving the country. We wer
born here, and many white Ameri
|, can was not.
Negro Southern Mans Friend
my name is in the constitution
and no man can rub it out, and say t
the American white man, I'm tryin
to undo myself, you undo yourself.
: The Negro is said to be the southerI
: white mans friend He is more thai
that He is his only friend. 1t is tn
Negro that has made the southern
: white man.
The speaker went on to urge tn