Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-05-24

J This is Mr.. SCOTS estimate Of DR..
Dubois. He says further:
! 1t is rather amusing. however. to
read on pages Z and s Of the samo
issue Of Tho Crisis wherein, Dir. Du-
hoiS assumes the sclf-appo'ntcd task
OF inSiuua ing my alleged neglect or
failure 10 do certain things or 'cvory
. thing III the article headed "My
H's&ion" he says: Il won't to Paris
What did do when | got
thorc? First, There Were Certain
III ngS That | Did Not DO. s >"
But it did not follow that because |
Could Not DO Everything l Could
DO Nothing"
This is turning u DR.. Dubois gun"
on Dr.. Dubois. lie clinchcs it when
he continues:
! Now Il was precisely tho same
when | came to Washington and be.
gan to labor "undcr very difficult cir
, cumstanCcS'( as DR.. Dubois states
i'll in the War Department. "rhcro
do and | soon found that 81 Could
Not DO Everything" but there were
Il number OF important things / could
do and did do for the benefit of Nc
gro soldiers in camps al home as well
Us overseas. or course no sane per-
son would ask or expect Il man hold
ing confidential position in q great
Department of the Government to re
rn1l IN ,>nl,Iin INT ,;.,J
fidcntial information but as proof of
TIC fact that complaints concerning
Negro soldiers overseas reported to
me by Negro Officers, Negro Chap
lains. and Negro ana other American
civilians did receive pr mpt action
At my hands; | submit at this time
just Il few Of the many letters which
| have received from Negro officers
who actually served overseas and from
other niCn who brought specific com
plants and grievances Of Negro SOL
dicrS overs cas- to my Office for attcn-
ton. These letters express appreciate
ion OF tho satisfactory and in most
eases. tho effective way in which I
have taken up and handled all such
complaints.
We have always been OF The opin-
ion that Mr.. Scott passed up the
complaints filed with him and that
they went to the sleeping archives"
OF the War Department. What could
he do about it? He was there us
buffer and he could not be hold
personally responsible. IIo wanted TO
resign and he could not we'll do so.
He makes another statement:
Be it remembered that American
white officers and soldiers had their
hardshIps, troubles and grievances
as wei! as the Negro troops belong
ing TO the American EYpcditionury
iorccS- some of which they had to
endure ard all OF which it was not
possible Tor even the War Depart
men1 in Washington altogether to re
move or remcdy--and yet j offer no
apologies for these conditions or hard
Ships!
Mr.. Scott should remember that
complaint Is not made OF tho hard
ships to which our colorcd troops
were subjected but on account Of dis
ordinations made on account OF
race and color. They went over there
no. go over there to feel the pangs OF
American race prejudice in the midst
OF \ people who made no discrimina-
ton on account Of race or color. lie
comes back at Dr.. Dubois when he
says further:
In order that the exact facts might
be secured regarding colorcd soldiers
overseas it will be recalled th.t it
was upon the recommendation OF tho
Negro Editors Conference held in
Washington, ID. c., June 1918 which
was pressed by me;
Mr.. Ralph w. Tyler was designated
by the Com.aittce on Public lnforma
ton to render this service. Mr.. Tyler
constantly called to the attention OF
The War Department, through me, cer
tain conditions; and in each and every
case these complaints were brought to
the attention of the proper officials
Of the War Departments.
My files evidence the fact that DR..
Dubois wro>c me repeatedly calling
to my attention complaint after com
plant concerning wrongs, grievances
etc; alleged to exist
among Negro soldiers in various
camps here in America. lie was in
formed time after time with refer
cnce to the Investigations which fol
lowed as Il result Of those complaints
and expressed in writing his satisfac
tion with the action taken in follow
ing up such complaints. Having gone
on his OMISSION" to France Dcccm--
Der 1, 1918 why did he wait five
months until the May 1919 issue Of
"The Crisis" to mention to me any
overseas complaints? I fear that the
animating impulse back tf his pres
cnt inquiries has not as yet been