The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-12-16
DIAGNn LOSES PLEA RoR snm.



Paris, Dec. IA Before the Cham
ber Of Deputies this afternoon Dep
uty Diagne, Battling Skis fellow
countryman from Senegal, made his
protest against disqualification of
the black fighter and his depIiya
ton by the Boxing Federation Of
the title OF champion. The Deputy's
motion to reduce appropriation,
was defeated by a large majority,
but lie himself had no little success
and there is no doubt that he has
helped greatly the cause Of his
countryman.
Right from the start the speaker
declared that an attempt had been
made to deprive Sikh Of his rights.
The referee did not want to give
the decision, and eveer since cam
paign has been going on against
him. He was accused Of having
celebrated his victory too freely
in the cafes Of the city.
"That means nothing more than
he has too quickly become accus-
toned to the hibits of your civiliza-
tion.r said the Negro Deputy. when
the white man does 1t nobody pro-
tests
Sikh was accused OF seandalous
behavior and OF having struck a
refereee in boxing match. the
speaker went on, "but was that
sufficient ground TO take from him
not only his title but the means of
livelihood of a man 23 years old?
his defender said, adding, warning
w:
These men, who are as French
as you are. though they are of diff
ferent color, have a right to the
same justice as you. When Sikh
was asked to make profitable tour
in Germany, he remembered that he
was still a Frenchman and refused.
That showed his real character"
Diagne continued. and the speaker
warned hi scolleagues against stirr-
ing up in French Africa the idea
that there was a different sort of
Justice in France for white and
black, when both had CALAMITY
fought TO defend the nation. The
decision of the Boxing Federation,
whereby Sikh was robbed Of his
title, would have grave consequences
among the black masses of Africa,
Diagne declared, adding that the
people of Africa would have no OBJ
lection to Sikh losing HIS title fair
lily in combat, but certainly would
protest the tactics whereby he was
robbed of his title to save the face
Of white prestige. no white boxer
being thought good enough to have
a chance with the battler from
Senegal
In spite of M. Giagne's warning
the Chamber refused the invitation
of the Minister of War to serve as
a tribune of appeal against the
Boxing Federation and M. Diagne's
motion was defeated 40S to 1876.
Sikh Is finding champions among
many notable Parisians. Mile. Leu
glen, for Nuisance, has come out
against The Boxing Federation for
unjustly depriving Sikh Of his title,
declaring that she was very strong
iy of the opinion that a champion
should never be deprived of his
title because Of conduct not af-
fecting the sport of which he is
champion"
Even in the columns of the
Temps, the French official organ,
Sikh finds champion in the person
of Paul Souday, one of the most
eloquent writer's of the French
press. ON the question Of principle,
says Souday, it seems to him that
Sikh and his defender in the Cham
Der Of Deputies have a good deal
of right on their side:
Whether Sikh has or has not
done the things he is accused Of
1T If incontestable that he flat
tened out Georges Carpenter. What
could any good conduct certificate
add to the power of muscles ha
showed then? Such point of view
as that OF the federation is really
rather strange and rather unsDorts-
man like"