Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-10-25

a
: races must be left out of account.
Tor they sem to be traced back only
10 western Asia. From here they
seem TO have spread over the world,
put wherever they went they found
other people ahead Of them. In
India, they found the Draviilans;
In Europe, the Turanians. The
tribes speaking tho Semotic lam
guage found the Turanians in Meso-
potamia and in Egypt nearby lost
their distinctive characters by their
extensive mingling with tho blacks"
How did those black people lose
their power? Theirs is tho old, old
story of the rise and fall of nations.
Since then, the same has happened
TO white nationS--one, two, thyee
and moro. 1t is tho history of the
world. the cycle of tho ages. But
somewhere amid the dust of each
decayed kingdom there lives the
seed of a new and better birth. In
the ashes of past idols the true spirit
Of regeneration breathes.
Quoting from your booklet, Mr..
George, we read:
with the exception Of some
black upstairs who are ashamed of
their color and wish to get out Of
any recognized zone, we believe that
the colored population of Chicago,
wants to work and pay for decent
homes and is sufficiently self-rcspect-
ing to desire to live and 20 their
way in the world without intruding
where they are not wanted and the
Whites should show the same fine
sense of social discrimination. Tho
contemplate few who are not salts
fled with the opportunities and sur,
roundings among their own people
will cfrcctually be curbed by the No
gro pride of race and pressure or
public opinion"
You conclude your paragraph by
saying:
"The outstanding, sclf-rcspccting
Negroes want to 1.-Two to themselves
and it is up TO the city to see that
hey are given tho opportunity"
Sir, such sclf-ordaincd spokesman
as you make the problem between
tho races in America. You draw
your un-Christly color-lino and call
it cline sense of social discrimina-
tion." You speak of Colorcd peo-
pie "intruding where they arc not
wanted" You talk about 'Ihc CON
temptiblo few who are not satisfied
with tho opportunities and surround
ings among their own people," You
tell us about tho "pressurc Of pub
lie opinion" that, you say, will
cifcctually" curb those of us who
may seek better living quarters that
may happen to be outside Of, what
you call, our recognized zone"
You authorize yourself to diagnose
the feelings of Colored people and
prescribe and prescribe for their
needs. Don't you know that such
men as you mobilize mobs and IL
consc thom for lawlcssness? You
make 1t appear to the thoughtless
and irresponsible OF your race that
thcy have right to resent the pres
ence OF colored family in "their
block" When your diabolic dis
ciples voice their resentment with n
bomb yours is the real hand behind
the deed. Wo are told, In the Bible,
that Satan will finally be given the
worst of all punishmonts. This is
Justice. In this we sense great
moral lessen. Leaders should teacn
the truth. Tell your people tho
truth. Teach them the right phase
OF this matter. Say to them: Col
ored people have perfect right.
legal right and moral, to live wher-
ever they may choose, in Chicago.
We have no right to object to this.
we have no segregation law in this
city, and we do not intend to have
1t in practice. Our laws are fair and
we are going to be as fair as our
laws" Tell them the truth. Say to
them: "There is something radically
wrong, mentally, morally and spirit
ually, with the white citizen who Is
offended by the presence Of a decent
Colored neighbor" Sir, a stand like
this, by those Of your who are in
authority, would euro all of this
ridiculous talk about colored taw
payers, who move into their own
property, being Invaders" and Gin
ruders.' Many of your newspapers,
throughout the country, are engaged
making tho entirely legal acts of
Colored people, appear as intolcrablc
crimes to many unthinking or evil
MINDS. This wrong standard of
conduct Is harming unborn genera. B
uons OF both races in America. !
AS 10 the fine sense Of social dis
cpimination, that Is based on tho
physical characteristics of races. let !,
mo say that true social worth is
by character and Social !,
accomplishments. In this sense, the !
best Of ono race may be equal with
tho best Of another. Just as no |
race is composed Of social equals, so |
it is that all social equals do not boz !
long to any one race. Persons may
be social equals who never meet in |
tho same society; they may be equal |
in social culture and qualifications.
Things that are equal to the same
thing are equal to each other" One
social group may not care for the
society of another, yet this does not
argue social superiority either one
way or the other. While we, the
Colored people of America, are not
seeking the society of other races,