The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-10-25
ASSOCIATED Negro Press.)

The interview which follows recent
1y appeared in the New York World.
1t is an outstanding contention for the
fundamental rights of the Negro peo-
pie Doctor Scott makes it clear just
what the Negro is expecting to come
out of present efforts to establish tri-
umphant democracy throughout the
world. His appeal for fair play is of
a character emitting his views to
widespread publicity and approval.
"An apology from the Colored peo-
pie would not solve nor simplify this
problem, even if l were authorized to
make it. And l am not so authorized.
We make no claim to perfection; we
confess our share of responsibility.
But the Negro masses have made it
plain to their leaders that no discus
sion of the present-day race conflicts
in America will have their approval
which assumes that the blacks are
more to blame than the whites"
Not the voice of Booker T. Wash
ington, but much of his spirit is heard
in that utterance. Emmett j. Scott
was private secretary to the great
chief at Tuskegee Institute for eigh-
teen years, and spent total of twen-
ty-two years at the center of Afro
American culture. During the war
with Germany, DR.. Scott served as a
special assistant to the Secretary OF
War, a post which he resigned June
80, of this year, to become Secretary
Treasurer of Howard University.
Germany was beaten, peace had re-
turned.
Two weeks later battles were raging
in the streets of Washington. No one
denies that white mobs began the new
Civil War And no one denies that
the blacks retaliated. The shadows
of the White House and of Howard
University, miles apart, became cen
ters of conflict. The Police Depart
ment abdicated. Grinning citizens
went out to see the fun and were
brought home with the more innocent
dead. Federal troops finally recap
tured Washington from the enemy,
who retreated westward over the AL
leghanies and fell upon Chicago. 1t
was then that l found Dr. Scott in
mis- office at the university and asked
him if he thought the white and Col
ored people of the United States were
civilized enough to live together with
cunt making their common flag the
symbol of chronic massacres.
"If our ideals and professions are
not moonshine and hypocrisy, then
peaceable solution will certainly be
found" DR.. Scott began. 81 confess
there is much in the record to dis
courage optimism. During 1917 and
1918 the Colored people of America
gave a demonstration of patriotic 10y
atty, efficiency and courage unex-
celled by any other element of our
population. Democracy was at stake,
yet during those critical years 100
Colored men and women were lynched
in the United States, more than ever
before during a like period. That
was discouraging,"
Then DR.. Scott smiled at happy
recollection.
'In the great victory parade in At
lanta an old Colored man was perhaps
tht proudest marcher in line. He bore
aloft banner attesting that eleven of
his sons were serving in the Army of
the United States, 1t must have been
hard blow for him to learn that he
had been topped by another old man
of his race from Louisiana, who gave
thirteen boys to the fighting forces.
But this must have hurt him still
more"
Dr. Scott held up a Georgia news
paper. 1t contained the story of two
young Colored women who, being pur-
sued by two delirious white youths,
sought shelter behind the locked doors
of neighbor's home. The white men
beat on the door to break it down.
An old Negro came out armed with a
gun, and ordered the assailants away.
The white men attacked him. The
old defender of womanhood shot one
of the men. A white mob sent the
Colored man to a horrible death by
lynching.
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