Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1919-01-11

lied countries will be considered at the
peace table Italy will speak for the Ital-
ians, the representatives of Serbia will
speak for Serbians the delegates of Greece
will speak for Greece, England's delegates
will speak for England and all her colonies,
the delegates of France will speak for
France and Americas representatives will
voice the demands of Americans regard
less OF race or color
How any sane person could imagine for
a moment that any particular group Of
citizens could claim special hearing at
Versailles is in inconccivable. Many mis-
guided people among our own kind are
labOring under the impression that we
should have special representatives to pre-
sent our grievances to the assembled rep
resentatives of the allied nations. Nothing
could be more absurd We have no more
right to a special hearing at this confer
ence than the Irish, the Poles, the Lithu-
anans, the Armenians or any of the
groups that make up the great cosmopol-
itan poulation of these United States
Our grievances are purely American.
The allied conference is not concerned with
the East Indian question or the Moroccan
situation, or Belgium relations with her
Congo subjects, purely local questions must
be dealt with locally. They call for local
treatment only Unfortunately for us, we
have among us many agitatOrs and Junlle
teers who for reasons largely selfish are
endeavoring to inject into the deliberations
of this world conference the claims of this
or that particular group. Many Of these
people are well meaning, though misguided,
yet to the mind Of the most ordinary lay
man it is apparent that the efforts of such
individuals are little short of assinity.
The only questions that can arise at the
peace table will be questions Of indemnity,
boundary disputes and those touching mat
ters Of international affairs. Versailles
will be no place for smal-minded dema-
gogues with personal AK to grind. The
American Negro has a grievance, but he
will find no cure for it beyond the boun-
diaries of these United States. Whatever
ills we suffer must find their panacea with
in our own borders No doubt there are
many among us who would like to have a
trip to Paris at the expense Of misguided
dupes, knowing full well that as near as
they will get the conference table will be
the outer lobby of the building in which
the delegates are assembled.
Our troubles in this country are strictly
American and no fiat of the peace con-
ference can change the American attitude
toward u.s. The cure for our maladcs
must be found in the educating, hlmaniz-
ing. Outstanding Of the American con-
science. 1t is not at the peace conference,
5000 miles away, that we need missionary
work. We must cOnfne our efforts to our
own domain. Let us call upon every in
huence that we can muster to improve the
educational system of the South to impress
upon those in charge of the machinery Of
the law the necessity Of justice and fair
play in dealing with our people.
1t is apparent to all far-seeng men
among us that we need a peace table at
home where our grievances can receive an
airing The Versailles conference will not
concern itself with America s local affairs.
The disease of which we complain being
local must receive local treatment. In at
tempting to carry our troubles beyond cnr
own national limits we are knocking at the
wrong door.-Chicago Defender.
7 Of