Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-02-22
THE TROUBLE IN fAKiS.

The following Associated Press dis
patch from Paris, France VIII prove
interesting reading to all who hay,
watched tho situat on.
: Paris. February IA pan-Atrican
coHsless IS to assemble i'll Paris Ecp
rlnry 70 for II three day Scs6 on, with
tho declared purpose of securing inc
protection of the natives OF Africa
and the people of African descent III
other countr. cs.
FIFTY DELEGATES will attend repre-
scnting the United States, the west
Indies, South and Central America
Africa, Great Britain, Portnsa,'
France, Liberia and Abyssinia, with
Negro populations aggregatmg 49,
100000.
Nearly all of the organizations in
ieros.od in the welfare OF tho Amcrl-
can races. rs we'll as all tho colony
holding nations, will he represented
II "a reported the congress has lcen
called by a committee consisting or
Dlaise Diagnc, French deputy from
the Sengal; DR.. w. e. b. Du 80 s.
an American authority OH the Negro
question. and l. T.. Fredcricks, or
Now Guinea. Among the delegates
who aro coming are the Secretary OF
State Of Liberia md Tortullan Gull
baud. OF Havana.
Tho call for the congress states
that the time had como for the inter
ests onj welfare Of the Negro 10 be
come oriiculatc instead OF his rely ng
upon philnnthroDac effort, and that
there can be no stable league or ma
tons unless tho Negroes interests are
c-guarded.
II Is peculiar that the announce
mem of this conference is coincidcht
with the departure Of the distinguish
ed President Of the United States
Hon. Woodrow w lSon. Before he
left Paris, the Department OF Sta'a
had officially announced that the
meeting would not be regarded AZ
opportunc at tn $ time. THIS was
eou,valcnt TO saying that 1T would
not he hold. It was to have met Feb
ruary 18TH, 1919, but it did not con-
venc, 1t has been called by com
mittce composed of DR.. w. E. Is.
Du Bots, Blaise Diagnc and l. f..
Frrdcricks. DR.. Du Bois has already
announced that his interests apply
primarily to tho rights and privileges
OF the black people N the German
colonies.
But this call affects colored people
n the United States as well as else
where. Dr.. Du Bois and Col. Roscoe
Conklin Simmons wen; over there
az Journalists and not as deiegat 8.
The former represents the New York
Crisis and the latter, the Chicago De
fender. by what scheme Of reason
ing, the delegates, who were elected
by representative Afro-Amcrican
organization are forced to remain in
tn g country. while those not elected
are there representing their inter-
csts is a mystery to us. At the last
moment Rev. DR.. w. II. Jernigan
was permitted to go. 1t Is barely pos
siblc that he will arrive in Paris in
time for the scheduled meeting.
So far as We have been able to OBJ
serve, he is the only repr sentative
colored citizen, who succeeded In get
ting across the ocean. DR.. w. E. Is.
Du Bots is certainly qualified in
every way to represent us and he
can lay facts before the Pan-African
League that will make the peace dele
gates over there "sit up and take no.
tice." but will he do this In the face
OF an Administration that has been
so kind to him and endeavored to
create for him the office OF captain.
a position that his good friends"
made 1t impossible for HIM to &C
cept?
We are wondering too just what
part Japan had In caua ng the French
Government to recons der its deter
mination not to regard with favor
the holding Of the Pan-Afr:can Con
ference. Premier Clemenceau first per
mitted the meeting. then he evident
ly did not permit it and now co-inci
dent with the departure of President
Wilson and his "army" Of attendants
and associates proceeds to permit
the meeting to be held. Why are the
delegates in this country denied the
privilege Of attending the sessions
and why was DR.. w. H. Jernigan