Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-02-08
A PECULIAR SITUATION.

IL there has boon any doubt rs to
tho attitude Of that dis :ngu shed
editor and scholar. DR.. w. q. b. Du-
Bois rcla I've to tho Peace Confer
encc, it has been diss:patcd and OK
planned by tho following communica
ton sent out by tho National Asso-
ciat on for tho Advancement Of Col
orod People:
Tho National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People,
through "a Secretary, John II.
Shillady, makes public cablegram
received Crom DR.. w. E. Burghardt
Du Bo.S. DR.. Du Bots is now in
PARIS representing tho National AS
sou alton especially for The purpose OF
calling a Pan African Congress in
that CITY In order to Impress upon
Tho peace delegates tho international
iaation OF tho former German colJn-
les in Africa. a memorandum pro
pared by DR.. Du 30 s somo weeks
ago has already been placed i'll tho
hands of Colonel House OF the Amori
Gan delegation. Dispatches from Par.s
show that President Wilson has al
ready proposed Observation-Disclosures
as tho solution OF the problem OF
tho former German African colon .os.
The cablegrnm follows:
"Clemcncom permits Pan African
Conference February IL. IS, IA. North
South America. West Indies, Africa,
represented. Two of our delegates.
Hal i Liberia sit in Peace Confer
ence."
There Is another bit of interest
ing information coming from Wash
ington, 81. C. Hore 1t is:
Washing on. d. c., January 81
Persons seeking TO go to Versailles,
Franco at the expense Of the public
received Il slap in the face when a
great number Of nDpl: cations for pass
ports were turned down recently by
tho Department OF State. 1t was de
ciarcd that his move was made In
order 10 check organiZatio ions from
operating 6 gantic graft schemes that
would be aimed at the publ C pocket
book. The fact that the 'dclcgates'
to tho peace conference from local
organ Zations were not accredited re
personalities. and would not be per-
mitted to enter the peace conference
hall were Other arguments offered.
''The government should take stops
to stop the Wholesale robbery so-call-
cd charitable org lniZations are per
petrat ng on the public by the cx-
tortion OF huge sums OF money to
send delegates to the peace confer
ence. A lot Of persons are already
on Their way to France to have a
good tine in Paris at the expense Of
the poor people here" said a repre-
sentative Of the State Department In
an interv ew with our correspondent.
every organization wants a seat at
the peace table. They do not seem to
understand the meaning Of the con
ference" he continued.
1t was further cited that the
churches throughout tho country had
fallen vic ms to the schemes of ser
eral org lniZations who are seek ng
to gain funds to send men and women
abroad. Political pressure g being
used TO secure passports. and senators
and representa- YES are flooded with
requests TO use influence with the
State Department to that end. How
over ii il declared that the StGte Dc
partmcnt has pigeon -holcd over 500
aDDlirat' onS for PASSPORTS and hat
no d scriminG ion was being used II
Turning down persons seeking a
good tine abroad" Several VIII tie
ORGANIZATIONS have been denied pass
ports. -, I
When we called attention in these
columns that 1t would he necessary
to consult President Wilson and as
certain whether or not pass ports
would he granted the delegates elect
to go TO France we were condemn
ed by some female cnthus asts in Bos
ton, who scEt us private letters alleg-
ing that wo were untrue to rhc race
and reflected upon that veteran agi-
tator, Editor william Monroe Trot,
ter. 1t did not affect us one way or
thc other. inasmuch as we do not take
orders from either Boston or Wash
ington and act according to the die
tates OF our own conscience. The
cO1orcd people, who support the
Planet support us and they believe