Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-02-24
CONCLUSION.

DR.. Du Bois' article is written from
the standpoint of q disintereste.l
white man who studied the u. N. I. A.,
from long range and not from the
standpoint of racial leader who has
Kept his finger on the pulse-beat vi
the race that he is supposed to repre-
sent. When he characterizes the Black
Star Line and the U. N. /. A.. "only
waste in attempt" 1t indicates that
he did not realize how Negrodom,
how the black world was thrilled and
electrified when it learned that q ia
maican and New York organization
had got out Of the traditional ruts of
church. lodge, agitation and small
business into big businesa trade ana
commerce. that the Negroes industrial,
and commercial horizon was about TO
be enlarged, that new avenues Of en-
ployment were about to he opened w
to black men and black women. and
that the Negro was about to leave his
circling eddies and enter the stream
OF world commerce. 1t was the new
spirft-the spirit of initiative and ad-
venture-that Marcus Garvey and the
U. N. I. A. representative Divine
urge of progress-that was Garvey's
contribution to the spiritual inheri.
lance OF the race.
WILLIAM H. FERRIS.
The August convention of 1920,
with delegates from nearly every
State in the Union, from Cuba, Haiti.
Santo Domingo, Porto Rico. the West
Indies. Central America South Ameri-
ca Liberia. Sierra Leone, the Gold
Coast and South Africa. assembled to
put over an industrial program as We'll
as to perfect fraternal organization
and voice the black mans grievance
at the wrongs and injustices to which
he was subjected, was something new
in Negro history Thh distinguished
men of color who attended that conyen
ton, either as delegates, or visitors.
thrat crowds congested Madison SQuar
Garden the opening night and Liberty
Hall for thirty consecutive nights
and the world publicity that that con
convention received, and the crowds
ird publicity given to the conventions
OF 1921 and 1922 indicates that The
world recognized that the black r.ar 8
soul was awakened and that n new
dynamic force and impulse was operat
ing In the black mans mind
The world somehow recognized that
the spirit of progress. Of adventure
and achievement on colossal scale
was stirring in his mind. Unfortu-
nately some of the representatives OF
the U. N. 1. A., allowed the aspects
that the white press emphasized to
sidetrack them from the main line
that brought the immense hosts togeth
err.
A study of the psychology of relig-
ion and comparative study of relig-
ION indicates that any religion which
grips large masses of mankind gets 'ts
power not on account of its error out
on account Of the truth that it contains
on account Of its powerful appeal to
what Is basic and fundamental in hui
man nature. So it was with the l.. n.
1. A. 1t taught the Negro to think IN
international terms and gave him Il viz
ion OF world politics and world COM
merce. 1t enlarged his mental horizon
and the boundaries Of his mind. It lille r
ated his imagination and gave him
new ideas. And this according to DR..
Coue is something worth while. 1t
taught the Negro to think and feel
that he was a man and could play \
mans part in the affairs of men. For
this reason it will live on as an uplift
ing psychic influence.
J Five years is brief moment in the
life of an organization or corporation
If DR.. Du Bots knows of any Negro
corporation that at any time within
the brief space Of five years marshaled
as many members as the U. N i. A.
has, invested as much money in indus
trial and commercial enterprises and
gave as much employment to men and
women of color. we would be grateful
for the information.
WILLIAM H. FERRIS