Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1919-03-01

reaching Chicago it was learned that there
were serious difficulties in our way of get
ting pass ports from the state department in
Washington. Because of this unexpected
condition, Lawyer Perry Howard of Jack
son, Miss, and Attorney j. H. Josey, Madi-
son, Wis, and myself headed direct from
Chicago to the Nations Capital, arriving
there about 1 o'clock Sunday morning.
On Monday morning the writer of this
article was in conference with eX-COngress-
man W. e. HUMPHREYS and Senator Wesley
L. Jones Of Seattle only to find that the
delegates were up against disposition up
on the part Of the state department not to
grant pass ports to any of the credited
delegates. The contention Of the delegates
and their friends with the state depart
ment continued through 81 days which was
long, tedious and expensive. Finally on the
first day of February the department issued
the following statement to all applicants
for pass ports to the Pan African Congress-
pass Ports Denied to Pan African
Meeting''
"Washin gton, Feb. l.
'Pass ports for Negroes desiring to at
tend Pan African Congress in Paris have
been refused. The state department an
nounced today that the French govern
ment did not consider the present favor
able time to hold such conference.
Notwithstanding the above statement by
the state department cabegram came
from Paris on Friday, Jan. 81, "a hours be-
fore the department gave out the statement,
that the French government had approved
the meeting Of the Pan African Congress,
and that the congress would convene in
Paris on the IL, 13, IA Of February. At
this time a meeting of the executive COM
mittee and other members of the National
Equal Rights League was held in hte City
of Washington to consider this complica-
ton Of things and the cOntributory state
ments mentioned above and thereby arrive
at some kind of conclusion as to what was
best to be done in the matter. The result
of this meeting was that some of us re-
manned on the job believing that we were
looking after the interest and welfare of
157,OOO,OOO of our race, and that it was not
the time to surrender without a tremendous
effort We found, during the next fifteen
days, the state department very mnch de-
termined not to reconsider it's action as the
following statement shows:
''Pan African Meet Denied. France says
conference will not be held-reports differ.
Washington, Feb. IA. Officials here are puz-
zled by the news from Paris that plans are
going forward there for Pan African Con-
ference to be held Feb 10Th. Acting Sec
rotary Polk said today 'The state depart
ment had been officially advised by the
French government that no such confer
ence would be held 1t was announced re-
Gently that no pass ports would be issued
for American delegates desiring to attend
the meeting and Mr.. Polk said there was
no change in. the governments attitude. "
It is strikingly strange that notwithstand
ing the above statement coming as it did
from the state department on Feb 18th, the
same day the following was given to the
world through the Associated Press:
''Negroes ask protection. Pan African
Congress will meet in Paris to seek safe
guard.
'sParis, Feb. 49, A Pan African Congress
is to assemble in Paris on Feb. 10Th for
three days. session, with the declared pur-
pose of procuring the protection Of the
natives Of Africa and the people Of Afri-
can descent in other countries. Fifty dele
T1-osL IL