The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-09-03
NEGRO WOMAN In POLITICS.

NEGRO WOMAN In POLITICS.
Her Obstacles and Her Great Prob
lens.
A feature of the recent convention
in Reading of the Pennsylvania Stat,
Federation of Negro Women's Clubs
was paper by Mrs. Helen c. Smith
of Wilker-Burre, on THE Negro Wo
man in Politics" 1t was pre-
sentation Of an interesting subjec
and the reader was frequently in
turrupted with applause. The papel
| follows:
"The Negro woman in politics mus
fight If she would conquer, must have
courage to bear the pain of her in
heritance, to endure the toll, the Sc
quence of that heritage of bondage
American slavery, which there wa!
never a more degrading type in The
history of the world.
THE question may be raised: Why
refer to slavery at this time? The
answer is; Because the status o.
the Negro woman today, either
by the authority of the federal gov
eminent, cannot be considered with
out reference to her previous con
dition of servitude and the manner
of her emancipation
Being a chattel of the white man
as much so as his horse or dog
in many instances even the posses
sion of a soul denied her, controlled
physically, morally and mentally by
her master, she was truly a broker
and empty vessel made meet for hel
masters will. Broken, that it nigh
flow through her unhindered by any
aspiration inherited or acquired
Empty, that she might be filled witt
the falIacies and heresies of the per
nicious system that built up a civ
| ilization upon the degradation of thu
Negro.
Her Interest In the Laws.
eff the Negro were free by thu
violation of the Southern white, hel
difficulties would be materially min
imized. But it is not a blessing
voluntarily bestowed The condition
is the result of force hence the rage
of the master class pursued him, IL
still pursuing him through their pos
terity. Through the subsidy of the
press they have created adverse pub.
lie opinion, which permeates church
and state and every avenue of pri
vate life. 1t it were not for this
her problem would not be different
from that of any other of the race:
that compose our body polite. i
would simply follow that being giveI
the franchise, she would engage
herself in the fight for the attain
ment of those rights that have beer
denied women and for ideals in gov
eminent as women conceive then
from their point of view. She would
be and will be interested in strik
ing from our statutes the adverse
laws of property rights as they effec
married women in many of oul
states, in annulling the law tha
deprives a mother of control of hel
children and vests that right in the
father alone. She would be and will
be interested in better regulation o.
child and female labor.
"Tho other woman, no matter hel
nationality, will be concerned in bet
ter factory laws. The Negro woman
will not only throw her influence
there but must maneuver so thai
the Negro child or adult who, through
necessity, desires to work in mil
or factory, shall have the same priv
lilege of taking a position as any
other applicant. There was a time
when every home was small fac
| tory. The women spun and wovt
and made the necessary garments fol
their households, machinery TOOK
that employment from them and cen
tered it in the factory. Men form
erly made the shoes and all the i'm
pliments of labor. Machinery has
! displaced hand labor and mills are
the result. naturally, the Negro haC
large pat in these home indus,
tries. Now, white labor bars him
from the factory and the mill, de-
priv ing him of the God-given right
to make a living. This being the
right case, the Negro woman through
politics must make place in the
world Of labor for her sons ano
daughters
A Great Problem.
"She would be and will be in
terested in serving on juries, in be.
ing elected to and serving in office
but being a Negro she must over
come color prejudice. She would
and will use her influence for what
ever is for the advancement Of the
whole United States. All this she
would do and will do the same as
any other woman, but she must dc
more-the other women is free to take
up what she will but the Negro wo-
man must fight discrimination on &C
count of color. In the North she
must not rest until Negroes enjoy
fully their civil rights Here she
can make herself felt through. the
b6 lot.
"Tn the South and West the prob
lem is greater, for in many instances
the Negro woman Will not be allowed
the privilege &C the franchise. But
IL we know anything Of women, we
know they will not sit supinely by;
they will contend for their right be-
cause the mother heart In them will
be fearful for her children.
North, South, East, West, the
Negro women must unite one with
the other, take FOR their slogan,
1.-THE Whole is no Better Than the
Part and cease not the strife until
the Negro has equal educational IA
cilities, equal public service whether
In places of amusement. refreBhment