The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1920-02-14
MUST DEMAND AND FIGHT
FOR RIGHTS

PAYS TAXES, OBEYS LAW, SHEDS
BLOOD FOR COUNTRY so MUST
HAVE RIGHTS, SAYS coLoRED
SCHOOL TEACHER At WASH
lNGTON-MUsT WIN REsTAU-
RANT, RARRER-sHoP, HOTEL.
TRAVEL RIGHTS OR BE INFE.
RlOR-aNFERtORITY INVITES
LYNCHING.
washington Star, Washington D. c.
The colored man has been in this
country as long as the Anglo-Saxon
white man. He has helped in propor-
ton to his numbers to make it the
great and powerful nation that it is.
He pays taxes, he obeys laws, he sheds
blood to defend it. Yet he is denied
his civil rights almost everywhere in
the land. He does not enjoy the lib
erty he has earned. The crisis has
come in the United States. He must
demand his rights. He must fight for
them. He must appeal for aid to the
millions of white men in American
who love justice enough to give him
his due.
Foregoing is the gist of speech en-
titled "Agitation the Social Lever of
the World" made by Neville H. Thorn
as, teacher of Greek and Roman his
tory in Dunbar High School, at meet
ing in Plymouth Congregational
Church.
Discusses Presidents Attitude.
The attitude of President Wilson to-
ward the civil status of the colored
man citizen was sharply criticized by
the speaker, who described Postmas-
ter General Burleson as the ignorant
autocrat of the Post Office Department
said to have some interest in a peon-
age farm in Texas" and who excoriat-
ed Attorney General Palmer and Sec
rotary of the Navy Daniels.
Discrimination is being practiced
against the Colored man in America
today by everybody from President
Wilson down." said Mr. Thomas. eve
have got to agitate without thought of
personal sacrifice in order to win JUS
tice. Remember, freemen throughout
history have won no rights without
fighting for them.
Underlying Cause of Lynching
'The business of lynching in this
country has got to be stopped, and it
is going to be stopped. We must win
the rights to patronize the best res
taurants, theatres and hotels and to
enjoy the best transportation conven-
fences. Until we do we bear the stamp
of inferior beings. And when you are
considered an inferior man you invite
lynchings."
Quotes Palmer.
Reading from Senate document No
1853, communication sent to the Cap.
itol by the Attorney General on the
subject of negro radicalism'' the
speaker criticised that official for con.
sidering as lawless those colored PEG.
pie who agitate, and for failing to
prosecute the lawless mobs that lynch
colored people.
Remember the Attorney General is
your servant and mine. He wants to
keep the colored man from hollering
when he is kicked.
1--WE have found a cure for mob
violence against us. It is armed re,
sistance. BY that do not mean armed
aggression, but self-defense We will
meet mob law with the same vigor our
black heroes displayed in storming the
heights near Metz in the great war;
Every man must make his home his
castle and defend it with his life
It is the duty of the northern to
teach his southern brother to demand
and secure the free use of the vote,
Mr.. Thomas asserted. The colored
man of the south must be able to en-
joy the best Of accommodations.
Sees Attempt at Suppression.
1.-THE Attorney General and the Sen
ate cannot suppress 100000 people
determined to get their civil rights"
he went on to say. The declaration
was rewarded with hearty applause.
Every time the authorities repress
one man who agitates they make
thousand converts to the cause. They
are deporting men for agitation, but
they are not deporting their ideas.
can't be suppressed with
force, but it can be met successfully
with true democracy"
The speaker repeatedly paid CRATE
full tribute to the French people for
their attitude of fraternity toward the
colored American soldier He said
America is the only one or twenty
seven nations represented at the peace
table that draws the color line
"The Cruelest Autocracy."
'While Wilson preached democracy
there" he declared, "our 300-odd rep
in the peace conference
knew that in America the colored citi-
zen was suffering under the cruelest
autocracy that ever cursed the world"
In conclusion the speaker bitterly
assailed race segregation in the gov
departments. The exclusion
from the government navy and mill
tary academies was a target for red
not rhetoric. Eyes, despite President
bombast on democracy" he
finished, 1--WE have none here"
S. M. Kendrick, deacon in the
I, hr;l \