The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1920-07-10

EDITORS NOTES. a new
dav dawning for the Negro? The
NEGRO Fourth Estate" thinks so and
5 hailng it, according to this writer,
a professor in Virginia Military In
stitute. He presented his views IN
2eedy's Mirror, from which this ar
icle is renrinted.)
By ROBERT T. KERLlN.
Activity of the colored press of the
country in these troublous times, the
spirit, the boldness, and the influence
# it, may well excite alarm, as it has
lone, even Sin the seats of the
mighty" There are nearly 400
Negro newspapers published in this
country, and they are prosperous as
never before. Their circulation dur
ing the war period vastly increased,
and new papers-all of the more out
spoken and able type-have subse-
1uently sprung into existence. The
,olored people are fully informed OF
this-their papers make it matter
Of rejoicing and pride. 1t is, indeed,
L sign of the times.
We are informed by this press that
a new era has come, brought to birth
by the world war; that with the new
era has appeared the new Negro: a
man who stands erect and looks the
white man in the face; man who
asks no odds, but square deal; a
man who does not cringe or fawn,
clicking the hand that smites, but
demands his rights under the constl-
tution-equal opportunities in the
Common affairs of life, equal condl-
tions, equal comforts, equal recogni-
ton for character and worth-in a
word, justice.
The world war and the Negroes part
therein are responsible for it. Not,
course, for the origin of the prln-
C pie of manhood in the Negro, but for
is swift leaping into evidence, its
sudden self-assertion in new tones.
What we fought for the Negro fully
appreciated. Why should he not have
| been able to? He was quick to apply
| hat aim to himself-for the Negro Is
1uick. President Wilson's notes and
addresses, the treaty and the league
covenant, had for the Negro the force
IF a new emancipation proclamation,
The colored press claims-and
rightly-great credit for itself IN
pushing the various war measures and
promoting the drives. Papers OF
| every kind, UNCONVENTIONAL, fraternal
secular, gave their column freely to
the situation of patriotism, appeals
! to race pride, exhortations to "go
over the top" and instruction regard
ng the various requirements OF the
government. With all this went q
strong championing of our humani'
tartan purposes in the war-the lib
Grafton of subject minority races
the righting of old wrongs, the max
ing democracy prevail.
The Negroes subscription to the
Liberty Loans, to Red Cross funds
and the whole list they quote a:
evidence of their patriotism and spir
it in the country's time of need. /
is record of which they are justly
proud. They make it the basis o.
democratic demands, quite naturally
OF the valor of their troops overseas
| they make the same argument. Those
troops fought with endurance anC
heroism at Chateau Thierry and il
| the Argonne, and mingled thei
blood with that of the white soldier
in the dust of France. Those troop
labored in the Service of Supplies a
Bordeaux and Brest without count
ing the hours, counting only the los
to our cause of any stacking on thei
part. They buried the soldier dead
the most repellent task of the war
at Belleau Wood and Romaigne. This
while lynchings were being reported
in their papers from home. Com
parison were inevitably made between
I 4
1t is this story that has embitteret
the Negro. 1t is this story that ha
| given a new potency to his news
paper.
There is no lack of evidence tina
the Negroes are going to their owl