Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-05-31
DR.. Dubois continues:

'hs pbSci'o'iou nc NAY WISH 10
make.
Dr.. Dubois continues:
What did Dr.. Motion do? He rushed
around as fast as possible. He took
with him and had at his elbow every
moment that evil genius of the Ne
gro race, Thomas Jesse Jones Il white
man. DR.. Motion took no time to in
Test!gatc or inquire. He made q few
speeches Of which ono is reported by
Il nearer as follows:
The address delivered by Dr.. Mo.
ton to the men consisted Of one or
two jokes Dy Il colorcd preacher, the
assurance that the people - home
were proud of them aud tho manner
in which they should act upon their
return to the United States, dwelling
almost entirely upon the phrase mot
to be arrogant" After he had spok--
eli to the men the Major informed
the officers that Dr. Motion desired to
hold a secret conference with them.
All officers congrcgatcd in the office.
After being presented to tho officers
DR.. Notion stated that he had been
sent to Franco by President Wilson
and Mr.. Baker for the purpose OF
speaking to the colorcd troops. Hc
also stated that he had just left Paris
where he had been in conference with
President Wilson and had asked the
President his views as to the prac-
teal application Of democracy toward
Tho colored man in the United States
but ending by saying: Il was very
much pleased with his reply; but gen
tlcmen l cannot quote the President. ="
After DR.. Motion finished his talk
no opportunity was given to the Off
GERS to inform him OF the conditions
that had existed in France and he
did not seek any information relative
to same from any of the officers after
the conference ended.
We do not believe that DR.. Motion
needed any information rs TO the con-
ditions existing in Franco. Ho already
know about those conditions. Ho was
over there to induce the colorcd men
to submit TO those conditions there
and to give no trouble about those
conditions when they arrived OH this
side of the Atlantic. What is the use
Of Disgusting what was : plainly cv1--
dent to every one who can read bc
tween the lines? France is one OF the
froest countries in tho world. Colored
men arc recognized according to their
worth and color Is no bar TO their ad-
try. These colorcd men had come i'll
contact with these conditions and had
"seen y new light" both socially and
politically and they were chatting UNI
der the yoke that hold them under
restraint. DR.. Motion, known to be
ono OF tho most influential colored
men in this country and many of tho
.colorod soldiers having been students
at Hampton Institute and Tuskcgee
, Institute, those fal-seeing white men
at Washington saw In him tho
medium through which the complain
ing colorcd troops could be reached.
If tho War Department gavo Dr..
Motion, Mr.. Thomas Jesse Jones as
companion, what else could ho do,
but accept him? Evidently the task
assigned the distinguished Virginian
was distasteful to him for Dr.. Dubois
says that he rushed around as fast rs
possible. We are Of tho opinion that
had we accepted the appointment
which we would not have accepted,
We would have done the Same thing
When YOU have an unpleasant duty to
perform, the best thing TO do is to
perform it as quickly as possible and
"be done with it," DR.. Motion did this
very thing for DR.. Dubois says that
he did.
We repeat why should Dr.. Motion
give the officers an opportunity to i'll
form him Of conditions in France
This information was already on*file
in the Hon. Emmett j. SCOTS office
in Washington and Mr.. Scott and DR..
Motion We're the ones 10 whom had been
assigned the task of bringing these
conditions to the attention Of Sec
rotary Baker, who was really the
President Of the United States. 1t is
also apparent that had these com
plants been voiced to civilian, these
officers would have been liable to dis
ciplinary measures by that Negro hat
ing combine in the War Department.
Our purpose is not to excuse DR..
Motion. but to show that tho remedy
Scott claims that lie had brought
these matters to the attention of the
Secretary Of War and that he had
gone so far as to threaten to resign
from the position he held. AS he is
a gentleman Of high character and
unqestioned veracity, who will Ques-