Phoenix tribune., 1919-08-09
latest NEWS
FROM CHICAGO
RIOT DISTRICT

CHICAGO, Aug 4.-What is hoped
may be an everlasting flag of truce,
has been raised by the Race War in
Chicago" 1t was a war as deadly in
scope and purposes as any ever
fought. The "Song of Hate" was
never more bitterly rendered on either
side, but while the entire community
gets the discredit, the singing on both
sides has been by the minority and
not the majority. And to continue,
the whole thing has been series of
racking discords. Many things have
been learned, and much should be
profited from it, both for Chicago and
every other city in the nation.
Every record shows the indisputable
fact that the whites, both in deaths
and wounded, Jared somewhat worse
than the Colorsd people. 1t demon
strates beyond question "do or die"
spirit on the part of the blacks, which
is by no means pleasant to contem-
plate, if subjects of racial friction are
not smoothed out.
While the battle ragged, it was a
fifty-fifty proposition absolutely, in the
districts and the so-called BLACK
Belt" No black face had a ghost of
a chance in the white district, and
by the same token no white face had
chance in the belt. There was no
discrimination on either side, in this
respect
So serious did conditions become,
that after the fourth day, the people
in the "Black Belt" found themselves
without food. Union drivers, white,
refused to go beyond the dead line,'
speaking literally, indeed At last,
a plan was worked out by which food
in great trucks was taken to certain
appointed districts by whites, and
then driven on through by Colored
chauffuers. For the first time in the
history of Chicago, Colored man
in the great business Loop District"
was an actual novelty, gazed upon
with kindness, credulity, hatred or
fear, according to the people passed.
Dozens were run, at least three mur-
dered, and a number beaten up.
Never before had the ''color of a
mans skin" played such an import
tant part in locomotion. There is an
amusingly interesting condition with
reference to this. The real light Col
ored person had both his advantages
and disadvantages. There are num-
bers of instances where light Colored
people went where they desired in
the LOOP" without molestation, but
as soon as they attempted to go into
the BELT" their lives were in peril
The patrol wagon, and big covered
motor trucks were used to transfer
hundreds of COlored workers to their
work. More than 800 men and wo-
men are employed in the main post
office. and Postmaster Carlisle threat
ened TO put in call for federal troops
III I0e HdliS Ntit ihtCiiShN" "tN
any serious extent.
The street car strike in Chicago
added to the general confusion, al
though the car men did not resort TO
violence in their efforts to reach their
demands.
The attitude of the police officers
and the public officials is one that
has caused considerable comment.
Mayor Thompson and Gov. Lowden
each we're on the job constantly, but
il is claimed by many that politics
entered nto the delay of ordering
troops into action before the fourth
day of the riot Governor Lowden
saw several Colored men chased
through the business district from
the windows of his hotel, the Black
stone on Michigan Boulevard.
From many sources II is claimed
that the police failed to give the prop
er protection to Colored people. and
that they did not arrest whites who
we're known to be "gun tOting' with
the same alacrity that they did Ne
groes. Many of the police, however.
we're courteous and vigilant.
The Colored policemen. of which
there are about 200 in Chicago, and
the Colored detectives, rendered val
liant service, and proved their ability
to cope with dangerous and delicate
situations in manner that reflects
great credit.
i There has been no criticism With
reference to the conduct of the mil
itia.
The daily newspapers have played
an important part with reference TO
the quelling of the riot There are In
Chicago six leading English speaking
i daily newspapers. All OF them de-
i voted much space to the news OF the