The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-12-27
"WATcHMAN, WHAT OF THE
MIGHTY"

"WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE
NlGHT7"
The earth is filled with darkness,
and the people, in faith unbounded
with anxious faces. listening ears, and
uplifted hands, turn to the Tower of
Hope and ask with cautious breath
Awatchman, What OF The Night?"
The people, the particular people
are the $4,000, 900 men, ONE and
children of our grand and glorious
group: the Tower is the American Ma
tion, our country. and the Waterman,
lf you please, is The Associated Ne
gro Press, the unflinching and unfail-
ing eyes Of the race.
What Of the night? Indeed, a fit
ting question at such an hour as this,
and the truth must be told, whether
1t be signs of sunshine or storm. The
truth must be told, of good or i'll, of
weal or woe, the truth, and nothing
but the truth.
Darkest Africa" was dark 800
years ago. even though a fcw thou
sand years before the pinnacle Of
civilization. for all time, was reached
there. Then came the Dutch trading
vessel, and tore crCm their native lana
800 human beings and, after a rough
voyage those ebony hued Children OF
the SUM- we're bumper at jamestown,
IN Virginia, and about the same time
another vessel, the "Mayflower" land
ed it's occupants on Plymouth Rock in
New England. The pilgrim Fathers
bad the unconQuerable flame of Lib
erty burning in their soul; the Ebony
Fathers had the same flame burning,
put It was kept snuffed out for $50
years. Then came Abraham Lincoln,
the great War of Sections, a new
birth Of freedom" and an era of Pro
sress. Prosperity and real Human De.
Yelopment. The sufferers of the Lost
Cause" of the South were filled with
hatred and revenge, even as the Ger
mans are so filled today. They played
the sullen. sneaking. hypocritical part
for a while, and awaited the day of
opportunity to throttle and hold back,
I'm their place their protectors,
their saviOrs, and friends, our people.
They succeeded, in part, for the while,
but right like truth, crushed to earth
will rise again
s. =
So. today, we are "born again
There is "a new heaven and a new
earth" a New North and a New South,
q new Black and a New White-A
&rew American, Everywhere.
The white South was Jared into
reason by the earthquake of mighty
events-the War, the Migration, the
economic Loss. The white South is
8 tenacious follower Of custom, and
changes its mind very slowly, but
once changed. whether right or wrong
ts doubtless. There are those Of the
white South today who are seeing
Right. and they are telling out the
truth with a yigor and boldness that
atartles even portions of the North
They are not admitting all the truth
nut they have seen the Handwriting
on the WALL and if there is q chance
10 save themselves, they are gOinl
"a do it.
Is it too late? Africa, the land o
our fathers, the worlds richest ant
most wonderful continent, the eterna
Iand of CODtending forces, is calling
her children home, France, Brazil, Ar
.Eentine and Mexico, are stretching
out the hand of welcome, the ]practica.
North has made way for $50, 900 sons
and daughters Of the fathers, in thC
last three years. and the end, by the
hest authority - observation, whit
End black press-is not yet. But tbs
white South fat with the richness o.
o double Democratic administration
srd ACKNOWLEDGMENT, has conceded
n point. and is making a truly seri
n effort. in many places, or another
Il has been conceded that our chill
dren must have better schools, anC
auch publications as the Houston Post
Atlanta Constitution and Columbia
State, are fighting Lynch Law" witt
Characteristic southern vigor.
The White South will not concedC
roting. the white North will. Thu
white Democratic administration il
Washington has been reminded b.
James Weldon Johnson, of New York
that the Department of Justice usel
The wrong word when it was claimet
that we are against the government,
suggesting that it would be fitting t
say. we are against the Administra
tion." DR.. George c. Hall of Chicago
recently stated that the white SoutI
uses the term social equality" bot
with malicious and unfounded intent
Dr. Hall said, walking on the sam
sidewalk. riding in the same car o
train, eating in the same restaurant
all mean social equality in the South.
What next great truth will the whit
South concede?
The white North, what about it
The vision is plain.
The Chicago Tribune, The New Yor
Times, and papers of similar policy
with their sinister cultured manne
Of vailed propaganda Of race hatred