Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-03-15

SOLDIERS RESENT PRINCIPAL
MOTIONS ADVICE.
(By Ralph w. Tylor.)

(By Ralph WI. Tylor.)
Now York, March 9.---As the Col
orcd soldiers return from France,
landing at tho port here. it Is noted
that. without exception, they resent
Principal Motions advice to them to
return "modest,y and unassumingly."
Thoy regard that advice as Il gratuit-
Gus insult.
Had these Colorcd soldiers Of ours
conducted themselves riotously over
in Franco it would not have been
ccnsurablc for Principal Motion of
Tuskegco to have accepted that
special mission" to France to coun
sol that our soldiers who fought so
bravoly and endured so much, to
complaccntly accept on their return,
jim Grow cars, denial Of rights and
privileges as n reward for their dye
ing tho battlcticlds of France with
their blood that foreign countries
might have democracy.
IT may he that PRINCIPAL Motion
was misQuotcd in Paris and American
newspapers but the fact that more
than three years have elapsed since
the newspapers reported the veiicd
criticism Of his wife for preSuminE
to take passage on Il sleeping car in
the South, without denying the news
paper statement, the consensus of
opinion among Colorcd people is that
he did make the statement accredited
to him.
When returning from battleiiclds,
upon which they fought 50 bravcly
and yaliantly. our boys conducted
Themselves "modcstly and unassum-
ingly," as every true soldier does.
Whom returning with prisoners, after
a daylight raid into German trenches.
they returned "modestly and unas-
sumngly." They wore never boast
full, never offensive. but, as they have
Il right to DO, thoy are proud of their
record in Francc,-they arc brave
and courageous.
Stripped OF all verbiage, to the
returning Colorod soldiers, Principal
Motions advice appears as advice that
they should return servile, that they
should forget thor crosses of honor
and their losses OF brave comrades
who fol on crimsoned battlefelis
and accept Southern autocracy in the
United States in place Of tho demo-
cracy they enjoyed in Franco.
Getting down to the core OF tho
thing find that not only tho Colorcd
soldiers and their relatives regard
Principal Motions unfortunate advice
as II gratuitous insult, but they are
suspicious that Principal Motion is
attempting to WilsoniZc tho race
commit 1t to an administration whose
policy for six years has boon to segre-
gate the racc--turn back the hands
on our dial OF progress. A lamcntc'
Colored Bishop, moth-like, once few
about tho Wilson candle and regret
fully, was sinGed.
Principal Motion ought to profit kr
tho experience OF others. One thing
suro, ho, II hc would, cannot commit
our bravo returning Colored soldiers
nor their ton millions OF kinsmon, to
the democracy OF tho present national
administration-a democracy that
donics to or brave, valored-Oarred,
battle-scarred returning Colored he
roes rights and privileges specifically
bestowed by tho Constitution.
The returning Colored soldiers,
those 100000 overseas lighters, re-
sent find. Principal Motions implied
advice, to accept without complaint.
and as matter OF course, Jim Crow
cars, segregation and damnable lis
elimination. Republican United
States Senators served notice upon
President Wilson that they would not
adopt his draft Of Il Constitution fol
II League OF Nations.
Colored heroes from France, and
their kinsmen. just as effectively, are
serving notice On President Wilson
Co!orcd special" emissary, Principal
Motion, that they want the rights and
privileges their services and blood
purchased on the battiefields OF
France, and not q SoutherniZcd
democracy.
Personally. Principal Motion is q
delightful gentleman He has merely
made an unfortunate error which
Colored soldiers can forgive but
forget.