Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-01-18

dictcd, several weeks ago. Our
! people OF this country, evidently can
not depend upon Dubois. James
; weldon Johnson, field secretary of
! INC N. A. n C. p, i'll discussing the
, memorandum said:
: After all, the N. A. A, c.. p. is
primarily interested in assuring the
/ Negro here the fullest political and
economic freedom--that freedom to
! which every American citizen is cnti-
tied. We are Interested in the Afri-
. can democracy. because that too
means the liberation OF the Negroes
and the elevation of the Negro in the
public mind"
"Too bad neither Dubois nor his
N. A. A. G. p. 'memorandum' seem
to fully agree with Secretary John
sons views We are now more or
less impatiently awaiting some pub
lie statement from Dr.. Robert II.
Motion, who Is also in Paris 'on a
secret mission appointed by tho
War Department in compliance with
tho wishes OF President Wilson.
'1f the N. A. A. C. ,. is primarily
interested in assuring the Negro here
the fullest political and economic
frccdom---that freedom to which
every American citizen is cntitlei,'
it certainly does not show it in tho
N. a. a. G. P.--DuBois 'memoran-
dunn All of which only makes
clearer the absolute necessity of our
people sending their ablest and best
men only, as delegates to the Worlds
Peace Conference, whether they are
permit ted to take part In its delib-
crations, or not"
Does Editor Smith mean to init
mate that DR.. Dubois In France is
acting under orders and that Field
Secretary James Weldon Johnson, in
New York Is acting and speaking In
accordance with the dictates Of his
own conscience? Editor Smith shows
plainly that so far as the two ON Gals
Of tho National Association for the
OF Colored People is
''the wings don't flapt
together"
We sec 1t published that both DR.. !
r. r. Motion ana DR.. w. %. b. Dubois
have presented n memorandum to
the Peace Conference, asking for
certain things on behalf OF the Col
orcd People Of this country, while the
delegates elected in this country have
not boon heard to mako n similar
1nasmuch as It is officially reported
that DR.. Motion was appointed by
President Wilson and evidently DR.
II n, 10
supplemented by the
OF the N. A. A. G.. p. to
do tho same thing, while the other
delegates" have not rs yet been +,
accorded hearing, we would like to |
know where the sclf-dctermination +,
for the colorcd people of this, country
comes in.
1t may ho somewhat unfortunate
that the various bodies OF colorcd
people as represented by tho National
Race Congress and National Equal
Rights League did not soc fit to in
clude DR.. r. II. Motion and DR.. w. u.
B. Dubois in the list of delegates
elected. Certainly, neither body
could have found any better material
FOR the purpose, but mono OF them
saw fit to follow the lead OF tho
distinguished President of the United
States and name them
We regret that this is SC for they
could have been sent under instruc-
lions and We might have been able
to accomplish much moro than we
shall accomplish through the present
mode OF procedure. 1t seems to
Indicate too, that we arc divided both
in our purpose and in our sentiment.
AS the matter now appears to us,
DR.. Motion and DR.. Dubois are over
III France looking after the interests
OF the black people Of Africa without
paying any attention whatsoever to
the handicapS and denial Of rights
and privileges to the colored people
Of this country.
The people of Ireland are relative
ly in the same position as the
colcred people of this country. But
the Irish elected representatives to
tho Peace Conference and there is
no question as to their representing
the dominant element in that coun-
try. AS to the colored folks here,
they are now represented by the two
distinguished coloreG leaders, who
take orders from the present Admin
istration and who make no plea or
claim that we arc not accorded all
OF our rights and privileges under
the law and that we are denied the
right of self determination in the
affairs Of this country.
But then, Editor Harry C. Smith
is taking "a dig" at the N. A. A. G.
=. and we presume that he knows his
business. BE that as it may, he has
called attention to Il very interesting
situation. Now that the damage is
done, who will propose a corrective