Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-03-01
DIR. DUBOIS AND THE PEACH
CONFERENCE

Mr.. Walter T.. White. Assistant
Secretary OF the National Association
for tho Advancement of Colorcd Poo
pic has boon kind enough to send us
communication relative to the
rather remarkable attitude Of that
distinguished American scholar, DR..
w IL. b. Dubois, who is now in Paris
II tends to clear up the situation
so to speak, and 1t also enables us to
speak with authority as to his aims
and attitude. We desire to discuss
tho points in Mr.. Whites letter and
to show wherein we differ, relative
to the position that he and the great
influential organization with which
he is connected occupy.
Mr.. White states that we stated
that DR.. Dubois docs not represent
tho AmoWcan Negro. Wc arc OF tho
opinion Mat in his letter. hc confirms
this Whom no states that lie was sent
by tho National Association for the
Advancement Of Colcred People.
That great organization which is
doing 50 much for our people in this
country il composed of white and
eolorcd people.
1t is not Il Negro organization in
any sense OF tho word. delegate
sont by it cannot, upon the basis OF
solf-actcrmination be n repre- sentative
of the co ored people Of tho United
States of America, clothed With spe-
ellie authority to represent any Of
them unless an organization SpcCili-
cullv i0egro (colorcd) from bottom
to top clothed him with tho author
ity and authorized the issuance ia
him of credentials for such Il pur,
po5o.
TO argue otherwise would be tC
stand upon tho platform laid down
by our enemies, who essay TO speak
for Us without consulting us. We bee
leave to emphasize and assert that
President Wilson and his associate
representatives at the Peace Confer
once can better set up the claim tt
represent the colorcd people Of Tho
United States than can DR.. w. r. b
Dubois and others like him, who ar'
now in Paris.
Tho reason for this is that thu
United States peace delegates repre-
sont the pcop'e Of the United States
irrespective OF race, color or prcviou
condition OF servitudc and for thi
reason they can claim title an'
assert an authority that DR.. w. T.
3. Dubois does not claim to possess
He could not possess it unless II
had received this authority direc
from tho colored people themselves
This is why we asserted that Rev. Dl
w. f. Jernigan, of Washington
tho on'y person now in Paris, so ia
as wo know, who has even the colo
people of the United States Of Amer
lea.
There are others here who have
similar color Of right, but thanks t
the Department Of State they are no
at home waiting for passports thu
will never come to them. But nj
White cnlightens us as to why d
Dubois went to Paris, France. II
went there to gather first hand m;
terial for a history Of the Negro
tho Great War, and as corrcspon
Ont Of the New York Crisis. AS !
is n historian, this seems proper. =
a writer, he has no superior in til
country and as a historian, he ran)
with the best in the land. But nett
or OF these positions relieve him
the charge Of acting in priva
capacity and not as the accredite
representative Of more than ten m
lions of co.ored people in the Unite
States Of America.
EIr. White says that as reprcse
tativc Of the National Associate
for the Advancement of Colort
People he was sent for the purpo
Of bringing al pressure possible
bear On the delegates at the pea
table in the interest Of the ore
people OF tho United States and
The world.
Is Mr.. Walter r. White correct