Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-05-10
DIR. DU BOIS ATTACKS EAiNIETT
j. SCOTT.

DR.. w. e. b. Du Bos is back
again in the United States of Amcri-
ca and il we are to judge from some
OF the things that he has published
in the May number of the Crisis, tho
truce between him and that distin-
guishcd southerner, Emmett j. Scott
is ut an end. He makes an attack
upon him that tends to show that
the divisional lines that were so
marked before the outbreak OF the
war have again been made to appear
in Il mora intensified form although
it seemed that they had been oblitcr-
atcd. He charges Mr.. Scott with
having destroyed the prospect Of Il
complete Negro history from the pen
OF that mastery historian, DR.. w. e.
B. Du Bots with n compilation Of
facts obtained by both Of them. What
else can his comment mean? Hero it
is:
Most American Negroes do not
realize that tho imperative duty Of
the moment is to fix in history tho
status Of our Negro troops. Already
subtle influences are preparing u fatal
attack. 1t is repeated openly among
influential persons: 1.-THE black labor
crs did well-the black privates can
fight-but the Negro officer Is u fail
ure." This is not true and tho facts
exist to disprovo 1t, but they must be
marshalled with historical vision and
scientific accuracy.
He continues:
Sensing this some months ago, the
National Association for tho Advance
ment OF Colorcd People commission
ed DR.. Du Bots to prepare history
and appropriated $4,000 toward the
expense. DR.. Du Bois Immediately
sought to associate with him not
as sub0rdinatcs, but on terms of full
equality "A board of three or four
editors and n large consulting board Of
cOlored men. 1t Immediately develop
cd that corporation was impossible.
\ white man, Mr.. Il. j. Stock
bridge, of New York, had already
planned and Yves preparing 1. popular
history and had secured the co-opera
ton of Mr.. Emmett Scott ar others.
Neither he nor Mr.. Scott wished to
change thcir plans and neither would
accept cooperation, except upon terms
which we deemed impossible. Mr..
G. G. Woodson, Editor of Tho Journ
III Of Negro History, refused to CO.
operate except as Editor-in- Chief.
1t is needless to ask IL the above is
true. DR.. Du Bots is an authority.
But he states that Hon. Emmett J.
Scott did not wish TO change his
plans. This assertion would seem to
mean that with such an astute and
accurate compiler OF facts at his ell
bow so to speak, Mr.. Scott turned
away from him. If this is true and 1t
is true for the reason that DR.. Du Bots
says that it is true, what was tho
cause Of such action? Why was It
that DR.. Du Bots declined to cooper
ate with Mr.. Scott and Mr.. Scott dc
clincd to cooperate with DR.. Du Bots?
Will the colorcd people in this coun-
try never cooperate with each other?
Will they forever show to the world
that they are unable to act as a unit?
1t would seem so.
DR.. Du Bots is Disguised. His lang
mage shows that for he says:
Unity being thus plainly impossi-
bic, DR.. Du Bots disposed to drop
the project as far as no was person
ally concerned and leave the work to
others.
The Executive Officers Of the N.
a. A. G. p, however, thought it best
for Dr.. Du Bots to proceed to France
and look over the field especially
with regard to a Pan-African Con-
gress and tho facts obtainable there
concerning Negro troops.
And again:
The result Of this trip is that we
are convinced: