Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-05-20
EDiTOR DAVIS EXPLANATIONS.

1t seems that the political breach
existing between Editor Benjamin j.
Davis and National Committeeman
Henry Lincoln johnson was not
healed as result Of the recent reg
uiar Republican Convention held in
judge by the recent editorial utter
ances appearing in the Atlanta indie
pendent, which is the official mouth
piece Of that large element Of citizens
, which the versatile and brilliant
editor Davis controls.
, He returns to his mutton" so to
speak, if the issue Of that journal Of
the 18th inst. is to be taken as a
, criterion. 1t says:
In the language Of the New York
Ago, when our National Committee
man broke his speaking silence, he
made the following announcement
which Brother Harry Smith OF the
Cleveland Gazette does not rhink
consistent with tho pronunciamento
issued by the Colonel following his
attendance of the Georgia Republic
can State Convention. The Colonel
| had been silent long time and had
remained so, so long that Brother
| Moore Of the Age referred to his
; silence as "a speaking silence " And
when he broke that eloquent silence,
our National Committeeman re-
| marked:
"As Il member OF tho National
Committee, I cannot denounce the
! Administration and remain a men,
Der Of the committee as matter
OF principle. 1t is an open secret
| that I could be extended nattering
| political favors were | willing to re-
/ sign from the committee"
This announcement was sent out
through the National Negro Press
Association. And if it was not true,
| the good Colonel has never taken the
time to deny 1t, and the people Of the
| country accept this news item as the
| facts.
The Atlanta Independent contin-
ueS:
Following the state convention
/ here April 20th, our National COM
! mitteeman before leaving the state,
bought n lot Of Atlanta Journals that
made M effort to report the Repub-
! lican Convention, and largely feat
ured its report with a speech that
our National Committeeman never
made. Colonel Johnson clipped that
| part OF the report from the Journal
/ that referred to him and mailed IL
| out to a select bunch of Negro papers
throughout the country. In its re-
port tho journal said that, "Our
| National Committeeman severely
criticised President Harding, chnrg-
ing the President with having yio-
lated patronage agreements and turn
ing down his best friends-tho se
who were first to espouse his cause
and candidacy"
Mr.. Johnson never made any such
remarks. He did not assail the
President and uttered no word of
criticism OF the President or his pol
Icy. He made no charges against
the administration, and yet, he took
onis clipping from the Journal and
sent 1t broadcast throughout the
country us quoting him correctly,
and adopting this false report as
what he said as his own speech.
There is story told about a faith
er, who had castigated his son for
some OF his misdeeds. The boy was
not in as humble mood as the irntc
parent thought he should be and so
no asked the boy, "Wnat are you
thinking?" The boy made no reply.
Il know what you are thinking"
said the father. "You are thinking,
God d---n it, and I am going to
whip you some more for that"
i This seems to be the case Of Henry
Lincoln Johnson, so far as Edito,
b. j. Davis is concerned. While he
cid not assail President Harding IN
his address, he was thinking it AMI
so Editor Benjamin Davis will chas,
tise aim some moro for that.
so far as we are able to observe
we have not seen any evidence pro
duced to show that Hon. Henry Lin
} coin johnson assaulted the President
in his address before the regula,
Convention. He may have felt like
doing 1t, but until he did do it, he
cannot be held responsible. His
opinion as to the treatment Of him
: self and colleagues is self-evident
but until he openly expresses it, he
Is "foot-loose and fancy free"
But Editor Davis gives in the fol
lowing language his reasons 10,
again attacking Mr.. Johnson, al
though he does not in specific Ian
guage say so. He says:
/ But the joke Of the whole matte,
is Mr.. Johnson never uttered q wort
IN criticism Of the present admins
tration at Washington, or said on,
c word in denunciation Of tie !ilv
t white propaganda or policy in vogu
q IN our state at the suggestion Of th
President. Mr.. Johnson mad no I'm
y /; Kind word for the President, Mr.
9 Phillips or his lilywhite henchmen