The northwestern bulletin., 1923-03-31
French Premier
uphoIds Colonial
Troops in Speech
Says Black Troops Were Re-
movedBecause of the Many
Lies Told About Them
tBy the Associated Negro Press)

BY the Associated Negro Press)
Washington, d. c., Mar. 31-Com-
parsons are odious, indeed they are.
But there come times when they en-
phasize a forcible lesson. The time
is now, and that is that.
Germany, ever since the armistice,
has been engaging in propaganda
about the BLACK Troops on the
Rhine" Knowing the American psy-
chology on the color question, their
hair raising stories about the French
colonial troops mixing up with Ger
man women was bound to excite
trend of sympathy in America. Hid
eous cartoons, and even faxed NOV
ing pictures were made and used.
The moving pictures were so out
rageous that the Germans repudiated
them. and suppressed them.
With the occupation of the Ruhr
district by the French, the BLACK
troops" subject again came to the
front. 1t sparkled with wide posi-
bilities. France, great. generous,
glorious France. saw the other side.
Already German and British propa-
ganda is flooding the country i'm
pugning the motives Of the French
and seeking to discredit the nation of
Liberty. Equality. and Justice" in
the eyes of the American people.
With Colored America, however,
there is not chance in a billion.
France is the one outstanding ma
tion Of the great powers Of the world
to whose policy of human fairness
Colored america subscribes. Under
the folds of her glorious flag thous-
ands of our boys were brigaded dur
ing the World War. at a time when
even the divisions of our own nation
carried the virus of hateful preju-
dice to the battlefields. They did not
miss it.
Premier Poncaire Speaks
So, M. Candace, q Colored men,
Der of the Chamber of Deputies,
which corresponds to the American
Senate, and in which latter place
100000 Colored Americans, pay
ing taxes on billions, have only an
occasional look from the gallery,
wrote to Premier Poincare asking
whether the abrupt withdrawal from
the Ruhr district of division includ-
ing Colored troops from Gaudeloupe
and Martinique was in consequence
of the abominable campaign led by
Germany against our Colored troops,
despite their loyalty and indisputable
attestations in their favor following
a profound investigation by such
American officers as General Allen"
(Read that inquiry of NJ. Candace
over again.
Scores u. s. Officials
Now, in America the Honorable
Secretary of State occupies a posi-
tion similar to the Premier of France
N. Poincare, q former President of
France. Did the Premier dodge the
question? Did he clothe it in dup
lomatic language of ambiguity?
Comparisons are odious. But, could
you imagine an American Secretary
of State facing the issue with the
boldness and fairness of Premier
Poincare? Hear his exact words.
France" Premier Poincare re-
plies, "has always considered the
colonies an integral part Of the in
diyisible motherland. She makes no
distinctions between the races living
under the shelter of her flag. In
several Of her old possessions she
mas even accorded the native popuis-
tions all the prerogatives of the
French nationality, for example. in
the Antilles, and 1t is unnecessary for
me to tell you that in the eyes of
the government of the republic there
are not two classes or categories of
citizens. We are too highly conscious
Of human dignity to establish such
unjust and artificial distinctions.
Feared German Lies
"If the government has preferred
not to employ black troops for
the Ruhr occupation, 1t is certainly
not because it has ceased to resent
the abominable calumnies but be-
cause 1t is thought wiser to furnish
no pretext at present for propaganda
which we shall continue to fight
whenever 1t appears, but which un-
fortunately has penetrated even
among friendly peoples. Moreover.
the welcome given the colonial troops
in all French towns avenges them
sufficiently for the German lies"
An mt fof ndinp Am arican aaid this