Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-05-03
THE DUBOIS DISCLOSURES.

DR.. w. i. b. Du Bots made some
startling disclosures here last Mon
day night during an address deliver
ell by him upon "Thc Negro and
Africa" He was the originator of
the Pan-African Congress and he sue
cccdcd i'll holding Il meeting with most
of tho elected delegates elsewhere
than in Paris, due to the fact that
tho United States of America, through
its officials, declined to issue passports
to those desiring to attend the meet
ing and this policy was adopted by
Great Britain.
AS q matter Of fact, the Pan-Afrl-
can Congress had trough shedding"
Premier Cicmcnccau, having given
permission for the holding OF tho
meeting kept his word and rs result
resolutions were adopted. But DR..
Du Bots told OF the racial discrimina-
lions in France and declared that he
had Official documents or rather
copies Of them to prove that the
French people were urged 10 treat
colored men, just az they were treat
ed In this country. They were not to
extend to them the usual court eses
and the colorcd officers were not TO
be recognized.
Returning soldiers had given US
this information many months ago,
although the fact that the official
documents to this effect had been Is
sued was not alleged, and high
officials had given the stamp of their
approval to this course OF action and
colored officers We're removed from
their position. Wo have read letters
20 this effect moro than a year ago.
What We want to know is, how could
this take place without the official
knowledge Of Secretary Baker and
Special Assistant Emmett j. Scott,
who was presumed to safeguard our
interests and see to it that our men
got Justice?
How could all of this have taken
place without the Official knowledge
OF Maj. Gen. Pershing, who it is al
legged has always been friendly to tho
colorcd troopers and who always Sc
lected them to accompany him upon
dangerous missions?
In this we see as through a glass
~ IN M at i,yn
that the best way to remedy these
was to expose them. This
may be true, but we are of the opin-
ion that it will be necessary to .go be
You'd tho point of merely exposing
these outrages. Charges should be
made and presented to the proper
officials for investigation. More than
this, congressional investigation
should be demanded and the men re
sponsible for this kind of treatment
shonJG be punished.
Cclored men gave their lives and
their liberty to uphold the flag of
this country and this country should
uGHoiN anu uClCiiu liC COiOlC 1lSu
Of this country. This brings us back
t. our original position. We went over
there looking after the dark races
in other countries without first look
ing after the interests Of the dark
races in this country. Our own men
were Inundated, reduced in rank and
otherwise maltreated, while we were
Or some of us were drafting resolu-
lions in favor Of the oppressed Of
other lands.
So far as we have been able to OBJ
serve, colorcd soldiers were treated
better in Virginia by white Virgin
ians than they were treated by their
own white officers in a foreign land
Certainly, those Of us who noted tho
attitude CT the friendly white Virgin
ians here, both male and female, will
regard with wonder and astonish-
ment the attitude Of this military
caste, both North and South that so
FAR forgot itself as to let race preju-
dice figure when the blood Of the
black man mingled with that Of the
white one in an effort to make the
world FREQ for democracy. But we