Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-05-07


tary OF Labor and in communica.
ton sent to the press or the country
rrder date of April &c. 1921, he says:
''rhe Socallcd Division Of Negro
Economics has been abolished by the
Secretary of Labor largely because
there Is no such thing az scEregatinh
The economies of Negro wagcearn-
erS from those OF any other race. 1t
is Fundamentally un-American to ere.
ate classes or 70 recognize classes.
Our laws do not distinguish between
white men and Negroes or any other
class or classes.
This is high ground ana we are
wondering If this statesman will live
up to the principles. which he has
cnunciated. This Is why DR.. George T..
Haynes and his bureau flourishcd
under Democratic Administration
and went out Of Office under a Repub.
lean one. Col. Giles Is. jackson of
this city was primarily responsible
for the establishment of this Bureau
and then he had the "timc Of his
life" in attempting to keep the sad
die" so to speak. The logic OF the sit.
untion Is that II an administration In
tends to create or TO recognize class
and racial distinc.io then It should
establish bureaus to maintain and
make more emphatic It's position In
this matter. Tho position taken by the
honorable Secretary Is all right. We
re.echo his ringing announcement that
1T is fundamentally unAmcricnn to
create classes or to recognize classes.
Our laws DO not distinguish between.
white men and Negroes or any other
Class or cluSScs.'
Win Secretary Davis live up 20
these principles? We believe that he
Will. Under this flag, objectional race
signs will disappear and racial dis.
elimination from above will disap.
pear, resting only upon the voluntary
action OF the white and colored EN-.
Eloyees of the Department. In giving
expression to these declarations OF
principles, the distinguished states.
man Is In line with the position Of
Editor William Monroe Trotter OF
Boston, Rev. w. r. Jcrnigan OF Wash.
ington, DR.. w. p. u. Du Bols Of New
York and the host OF leaders ussociat
ed with ohem.
On the other hand, this position
antagonizes in n measure that occu.
pied by DR.. r. r. Notion Hon. Emmett
J. Scott and the army" of leaders as.
sociated with them. Not that they
would taka direct iesuc with the dts
tinguished. Secretary, but they take
the position of Grover Cleveland. that
1t is n condition and not theory
that confronts us. Personally, we are
with Secretary Davis If no will
faithfully and religiously live up to
the principles enuncinted.
1t begins to look as though we arc
about to enjoy the sunlight of il new
day, where eternal right principles
will be recognized and where the
temporary expedients of today will
lie cast aside. This creating OF "tim
crow bureaus and departments has
done some good, but TO our mind has
done more harm.
The sign. Bureau OF Negro Eco.
lr'mics" prejudiced our case In Wash.
iagton whenever 1t was noted that
this discriminating lettering was
recognized and established by n nat.
ional Administration We AFRO Amcri.
can citizens OF African descent. VIC
are Americans first and Africans. Afro
Americans 9olorcd people or Negroes
afterwards.
We simply bow to the expedient.
for the time being for the reason tina,
we cannot get anything better; but
v'o do not like thoan. We believe that
President Harding is the directing
force In this Government al the pres
ont time and that the position of this
department is in keeping with the
wishes OF the Chief Executive. But
Secretary Davis too recognizes that
"it is a condition ana no. Il theory
that confronts u.s." when he says:
1t Is recognized that there is Il
race distinc ion and sometimes il is
very convenient to have the assistance
OF Il representative of race in deal.
ing with the members of that race. So
Tar as labor matters are concerned
the race distinction becomes more
pronounced In the field of cohesive
bargaining when troubles between
employers and employees threaten.
For that reason a member of the Ne.
gro race has been appointed COM
missioner OF cancellations who has
been detailed to serve wherever the
Secretary may feel the need of race
representation and ~ advise the Sec
re AIRY.