The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-03-08
THE SOUTH AND HER DAMo-
CLEAN SWORD.

Perhaps it may seem strange to-
many that at present, the South is
panic-stricken over the anticipated
return of it's quota of colored troops.
And, perhaps, this fear is well
grounded, growing out of conscious
ness of guilt, with justice impending.
Now that the nation is about to
enter upon a glorious holiday, as it
were, celebrating the victorious re-
turn of the men who helped material
ly to turn the tide in the battle which
threatened to engulf Democracy, the
South cannot participate with any
degree of satisfaction, for she is mind
full of the Damoclean sword suspend
ed by frail hair above her head,
and she fears that with one false move
she may bring down upon herself the
vengeance of the Negro which, no
doubt, has been smoldering in the
hearts of many since the first lynch
ing was celebrated meath her sunny
skies; since mob violence became
sport to be INDUCED in, even by those
in authority; since the first throng of
men and women broke the bond eX-
isting between man and man as es-
tablished by God, descended to un-
fathomable depths of degradation, and
took delight in the suffering and
torture of a fellow being; since SYM
pathy and pity fled from the hearts
of men and women of the South, and
became an utter stranger to some
sections which nurtured so many of
our people on it's fruitful soil.
1t would seem that the only re-
course left the South in this crisis
is to go to our leading men and wo-
men, explain her position, her dire
fears, lay bare the terrible, gaunt
spectre that is now over-shadOwing
her dreams, and beg for assistance
She now fully realizes, for the first
time, that her outrages against the
Negro may work her utter ruin. But,
what fair promises can she offer now
to appease the God of vengeance?
What pledge can she make that will
have sufficient weight to induce these
thinking men and women who have
suffered so long to use their influence
to ward off the blow that now threat
ems her? Are these men and women
not conscious of the fact that the fair
promises of the South have always
been as chaff before the wind? Are
they not mindful of the fact that all
all that they have held most sacred,
sanctity of home, virtue, justice and
right have been outraged, even be-
fore their very eyes? Do they not
remember that the South has always
evaded the keeping of her sacred OBJ
legations by hiding under the cloak
of Southern justice?
Now it seems necessary for some
of our leading men to hold public
meetings at which addresses giving
all sorts of assurance to the white
citizens-warranted and otherwise
are made in order to allay the grave
fears of our conscious-stricken op-
pressors, guaranteeing a continuation
of faithfulness to duty, and the abid
ing by the law in the future, of men
who have been tried in the fiery fur
mace and have come forth as pure
gold.
WIN hnOMS Dul ludL MuGn OlClS
Sans black soldiers whose hearts
have responded to the rhythmic, but
stern, beat of the drum that led then
forth to bloody conflict return, they
will ask or demand the fiddler's pay
now that the South has danced anC
made merry so long at their expense
1t may be that they will seek an i'm
mediate settlement of past grievances
forcing the hand which has so Ions
creating at the game.
While many of our staunch, noble
minded citizens of color would no
favor anything that would seem radi
cal, l know that down in the yer.
depths of their hearts they would b.
glad to see those stalwart Negro sol
diers who so willingly offered III
their lives to defend those who wer
not related to us by any sanguin
ties, throw down the gauntlet to tn
South on their return, thresh out al
those questions involving their lega
rights, abolish the hideous crimes pei
petrated against their kith and kir
stamp out the agonies of black me
and women writhing at the flamin
stake, and wipe out the vicious pra'
tice of dividing the garments of tn
victims among members of the mo
as souvenirs of such memorable cell
brations.
We have petitioned the governmen
we have prayed and begged for ou
rights, all of which we have justl