The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-02-24
DIVISION BALKS
EFFORT TO GUST
CLEVELAND VICE
Newcomers Unwilling TO Take
Blame for Conditions in
ACTION HANGING FIRE
Some Fear Separate Schools As
Result; Say Exposure
.. Was Unwise F.
Preston News Service

Preston News Service s.,
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Feb. 23-Fol-
lowing the visit of a delegation of
ministers and welfare workers at the
Office of the Superintendent of Public
schools here on Friday afternoon two
weeks ago in an effort to have some-
thing done to check the wave of vice
conditions reaching out it's fangs into
the schools and degrading the boys
and girls her in their teens storm
of criticism has been raging from all
quarters. ~
- Newcomers Aroused. -
The masses who have recently set
tied in this city from the southern
states declaring that all the blame
for vice conditions in the city are
blamed on them; while those who have
been here, for number of years pro-
test that this movement is the first
step of movement that will result in
separate schools. Others claim that
the, delegation might have been
prompted by the best of motives, but,
they were unwise in their expression.
So thewhole situation looks as though
not much good will be accomplished
for there is such a. division of senti-
ment in the matter. -. - "a
That conditions are bad in certain
sections OF this city cannot be denied.
A remedy must be had but just how
to remedy these conditions none at
present seem to be able to point the
way. ....
Both Races Bad.
w. L. Porter, editor of the Cleve-
land Call takes the position that con-
ditions are bad here, but that equally
SO with both races. He deplores the
fact that some mistaken ideas should
have gotten out that colored women
are morally depraved either in Cleve-
land, the South, North or anywhere.
He declares that the race must put
its dependence in its women for he
says, "Our race will not make much
progress if the leaders (?) are going
to heap fire upon the heads of our
women. They are the inspiration of
of every good thought immersed in
goodness and steady advance, and in
asmuch as a chain is no stronger
than it's weakest link. nor can we
make much headway when we array
ourselves against them. Show us the
race of people rising above it's women
and we will show you a nation linger-
ing on the borderline of stagnation
and decay" --....-. ----..-.... ,s.---
Population Increased. .,>#
During the past five years Cleve-
land has more than quadrupled its
colored population by an influx Of
persons from southern states. In
fairness to all concerned it must be
remembered that conditions between
the races are bound to be somewhat
changed by the sudden addition of
forty or fifty thousand persons in a
short time from section or sections
where living conditions and environ
ments are different. Persons who
have lived in Cleveland for num-
ber of years have acquired the man
nerisms and became accustomed to
conditions here. They understood
members of the opposite race and
were fairly well understood by the
other race. The newcomers did not
understand the colored people already
here, nor were they understood and
in addition these newcomers did not
understand existing conditions. Ad-
justments were necessary and natur-
ally slow. Many of the new comers
are said to be of the worst type
from the other sections of the coun-
try. It is claimed that in time all
these conditions will become adjust
ed without the serious results often
imagined.