davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

The Presidents letter was sent to
DR.. Robert r. Motion at Chicago.
President. of. the National Negro
Business League. It's text follows:
White House.
Washington, Aug. IA, 1924.
Ny dear Mr.. Motion: The approach
ing annual convention of the Nation
al Negro Business League is of par
ticular interest and note, because it
will mark the quarter centennial of
this organization. In addressing to
you for the convention my felicita-
ions and good wishes on this occa-
bion, wish particularly to pay tri-
butte to. the leagues founder and your
distinguished predecessor, the late
Booker T. Washington. His vision
Il the problems of the colored people
yas indeed that of seer, and your
Pague is one of the monuments to
is life work.
Only few weeks ago l had the
leasUrc, at the Commencement of
oward University, of reviewing
riefiy and inadequately the material
violence of the progress of the col
red people. 1 shall not now re-
pitulate what was then said, but
wish to tell you of the deep i'm
ession that was made upon me by
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
A PECULIAR PREDICAMENT.

According to the prevailing mode,
all standards of excellence attach to
the white race. The high stations
in our social scheme are held by
them. The Negro is relegated to
the lower levels of service and dig
nifty We get in the habit of look
ing for noble qualities in one color
and ignoble ones in the other. Othel-
10 is the only conspicuous hero Of
off color, that the white man has
ever portrayed in modern literature
and even he was endowed with fatal
weakness. In modern literature one
no where finds hero of unmistak-
able Negro blood who holds excel.
lence to the end. Even when given
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
FLESHLY IDOLATRY.

but the more carnally minded por-
ton of the European race, which is
now dominant in the material affairs
of the world, has lapsed into a flesh
ly idolatry. They have made craven
image of whiteness and bow down
and worship it with a reverence sur
passing that rendered to any other
God. The decree of color has the
strongest controlling sanction. 1t is
more blessed to be white than to De
right All ideals of beauty and good
ness are made in this mold. White
and black have been made connota-
tive of opposite ethical qualities, OF
good and bad. The artistic and moral
emotions have become adjusted to
the unity of color and quality.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

racial self-woship by prohibiting
idolatry Thou shalt not make un'
to thee any craven image or likeness;
thou shalt not bow down myself to
them nor serve them" This COM
mandment saves Hebraism from
idolatry, frees it from narrow racial
isolation, and raises it to the highest
reaches of the warnings of the hui
man spirit for all peoples and for
all times.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

wrought out by the colored people
for themselves; so I believe their
full political rights will be won thru
the inevitable logic of their position
and rightfulness of their claims.
Very truly yours,
CALVIN COOLIDGE.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
COLORED ANGELS.

I have seen colored angels painted
on the walls of Negro churches, and
an involuntary shudder has come
over me, because of the unconscious
absorption of the white mans mode
of portraying heavenly things as
proper and normal. l recall seeing
in a magazine the Chinese pictorial
Interpretation of the escapades of
the ,Prodigal Son. The trusant son
the loving father were typical China
men with pig eyes, pig tails and pig
mented hue. 1t at first struck me
as travesty; but the Chinese art
ist was simply true to the artistic
genius of his race. He could not
paint on an alien model. No Meth
odist artist can paint John the Bap-
list baptising in the River Jordan.
No Catholic can do justice to the
portrayal of Martin Luther.
&, r. eS%ese ss,; -, ~
AN IMPOSSIBLE PROPOSITION.
A polochrome world can never &C
cept a monochrome art. 1t is essen
tial to eliminate artistic portrayal Of
heavenly characters, else each phys
ical variety will have it's own type,
and will not fail to bow down and
worship it. The Negro is pitiably
beftted in the world sby which he is
surrounded. His standards are bor-
rowed, and too often prove to be a
misfit. He is naively unconscious
of his predicament. l never witness
Negro dramatic cast performing a
play intending to harmonic color
and quality without a feeling of
mixed revolt and pity. A Negro the
atrical troupe where the lighter hued
women and the darker-colored men
are contrasted to ridicule, belittle
and burlesque the race suggests the
unconscious degradation of the mi
micry of alien art.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
AT THE NEGATIVE POLE.

The Christian religion is interpret
ed in terms of flesh and blood. The
Negro is placed at the negative pole.
His color must be apologized for
when it is not belittled. The. poet.
Cowper felt that he was compliment
ing the Negro to concede that,
"Fleecy locks and dark complexion
cannot forfeit natures claim" Two
apologetic negatives never yet made
an emphatic affirmative.
Marcus Garvey, finding his race
confounded by such a color scheme
calculated to humiliate and degrade
its spirit, utters an emphatic revolt
which seems grotesque and bizarre
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

, good start he is always made to
break down in the midst of his ca
reer. The high qualities of the lady
or the gentleman must not be exhib-
tied in that color.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
A DEvoUT WISH.

And yet I devoutly wish that more
members of the Negro blood might
command high places and achieve
great deeds. 1t brings respect to
the race and makes it easier for the
Negro to respect himself. 1t is ira
gedy to have white men monopolize
what few high stations Negro life
affords. 1t adds nothing to the glory
of the white race, but leaves the
Negro poor indeed. In 'the normal
state of things every race will pro-
duce illustrious names in about the
same relative numbers. There is no
inherent relation between race and
excellence or color and noble quality.
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the
Kingdom of lGod. Just as we deem
it a sin for the white race to bow
down and worship white God, just
so it is no less for the Negro to bow
down and worship black one.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
.+sg*%<++*+%+.t**@+s*$%.

Have the Plane; sent to your ID.
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Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
THAT v1ND1CTIvE ALTERN ALIVE

The remedy does not consist in the
vindictive alternative of Marcus
Garvey. There cannot be two stand
ards in one civilization; neither can
we have two Gods, one white and
one black. We should have to have,
not only God for white and black,
but one for every hue and shade
between. The Episcopalian defni-
ton of God is that He, lis being
without body parts or passion" The
true God can have no race, no color,
no national prefermenta. He is
father alike to all of His children of
every cline and hue.
have on my mantel busts of
Plato and Shakespeare. But to me
the race and nationality count for
naught; their intellect for every
thing. I care nothing for race:
color or superficial aspect of the
author of the Sermon on the Mount.
Religion appeals to the soul and not
to the skin. Science and philosophy
are color blind A Christianity that
reckons with color is no Christianity
at all. The Negroes only salvation is
to stress the ,essentials3in science, art
and religion Let those who will,
revel in superfcialities.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

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Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

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Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
RACIAL APPRECIATION LACKING

The Negro is great patron of the
moving picture, where he witnesses
all noble qualities attributed to white
men and women; while his own type
never rises above the buffoon Or the
good and faithful servant. Unless
he is careful to distinguish between
the essential of quality and the nom
essentials of color, he will find that
modern art steals away his racial
self-respect ere he is aware.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30
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Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-30

AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
HarGSsing Hughes

To prove that an official of the United States
government utilized his Office to the interests
of special group Of capitalists is like carrying
coal to Newcastle. The evidence is abundant
and so easily accessible, the performance has been
so frequent of late that it longer creates even
a ripple on the muddy political waters.
But the case involving the help rendered by
Secretary of State Hughes in getting the Ship
ping Board to turn over the steamer Martha
Washington to the italian government should
draw more fire from the workingmen, who still
have illusions left about the character of the gov
ernment, than the ordinary exposure of this sort.
Hughes is supposed to symbolic the acme of
self-sacriice and political purity in Coolidges
cabinet Unlike DENLY he was not boiled in Tea
pot Oil. Mr.. Hughes was never a member of the
"Ohio gang" of which Harry Daugherty was the
sachem Prior to this charge made in the House
Committee investigating the Shipping Board no
one would even dare to nsinuate that Hughes was
getting away with the kind Of loot Mellon is said
to have cleaned up in illicit whiskey permit with
drawals In intimate Washington circles the report
has long been current to the effect that Hughes
was being restrained by Coolidge from resigning
on account of the cabinet post being source of
economic liability to him.
The nervousness that has seized the Secretary
of State at the charge of the House Committee
makes it clear that tho Hughess political gar
ments may not have been soiled in the last oil
mess, they certainly were dipped in some Italian
gold for services rendered in turning the
steamer in dispute. 1t is especially interesting
to find that the former chief justice of the su-
preme court, supposedly the most virile guardian
Of the law and the highest impersonation of cap
italist legal ethics and spirit should be the very
agent to drive the Shipping board into the COM
mission of crime against the State. According
to the law of the land the Shipping Board has no
right legally to transfer any ships to foreign
government The Board did this undoubtedly
under the notion that the word of SO eminent a
legal authority would be sufficient camOuflage
to hide the violation of the statute involving the
safety of the state.
The secretary of state is badly harassed when
lie is caught red-handed guilty of perpetrating a
crime against the state. The time for getting rid
of the government is rotten ripe when its sup
posedly purest officials are the recipients of pelf
and the outstanding agents of the plunderers of
the wealth of the country.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
Re-electing Hooper

Ben Hooper has just been reelected chairman
of the Railroad Labor Board. This announcement
should spur on organized Labor and the farmers
to demand that the board be abolished Immediate
ly. The choice of Hooper to succeed himself as the
head of this government agency against the rail
way workers is in itself challenge to the railway
workers in particular and to all other working
men in general to get rid of this strikebreaking
agency.
This is the same Mr.. Hooper under whose regime
the overwhelming majority of decisions involving
wage disputes or working conditions were rem
dered against the workers This is the same Hooper
who inspired and organized the open shop cam
paign of the railway capitalists against the shop
crafts in the national strike of 1922. 1t was the
selfstyled lover of the public Ben Hooper, who an
swered the strike of the rail hands with the ukase
providing for the protection of strikebreakers by
''every branch and department of the government
state and national" And when the workers sue
ceeded in tieing up the railways they had never
been tied up before and in forcing the bankers
controlling them to run to Harding for aid, the
same strikebreaker Hooper declared that to yield
to the railway workers "would be an outrage upon
public decency and would hasten the enthrOne-
ment of anarchy in this country"
IL is precisely Sucn pOllcy WHICH MI. uOOptr
will pursue as head of the Railway Labor Board.
His reelection as chairman will only whet his
anti-worker appetite and he will swing the club
against the workers more freely.
The poor farmers and the workers in general
are also vitality interested in getting rid Of this
piece of dangerous strikebreaking machinery.
What is being done to the railway workers will
be done to the Miners the seamen and other organ
izations of labor that dare challenge the right of
the employing class to exploit the working class.
For the workingmen to tolerate the existence of
the Railroad Labor Board means for them to in
vite the foisting of similar boards the employees
in other industries and the entering wedge to the
end Of the right to strike. Besides, the operation
of the Board is tied up organically with the con-
tinuance of the vicious Esh-Cummins Act under
which the farmers are compelled to pay almost so
per cent more in freight rates than they did prior
to the war;
A blow struck against this strikebreaking board
will be a blow struck against the capitalist rail
way law robbing the masses and enriching the
exploiters.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

of the country has been down and out Almost
half of the population of the country has been in
the throes of an economic crisis for the past five
years. 1t was obvious to every observer that the
building and railway needs would be met in time.
The ravages of the boil evil could not be dis
counted in anaysizing the trend of the textile
market. The increasing competition met by
American farmers in the world market is not the
fault of Congress.
All this talk of Congress being to blame for the
impending industrial crisis is just that much
balderdash. Such arrant nonsense is not found
in the financial papers read by the big bankers
and manufacturers. 1t is handed out only to the
to mislead them and hide the basic causes
of the crisis. We believe that Congress is to be
blamed, but it is to be blamed for a crime far
more serious than that levelled at some recalci-
trant legislators by the hired press. We charge
congress with being an organic part of the ma
chinery of government owned and controlled by
the capitalist class and employed by it to maintain
and perpetuate the present system of exploitation
which alone is responsible for the constantly re-
curing industrial crisis bringing in their wake
misery and suffering for the great masses engaged
in agriculture and industry.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
Blaming 1t On Congress

The signs of serious industrial depression are
multiplying. The textile industry is shot to
pieces Bituminous mining is at low ebb. The
production of steel is falling rapidly that there
is being considered substantial pricecutting
campaign to stave off the shutdown of more fur
naces The automobile industry, which only a
month ago was the banner industry, is now oper-
ating at 20 per cent below capacity in many cen
ters. Even the building industry, which for some
time has maintained steady pace of increased
contracts is slowing up considerably
This state of affairs is being capitalized by the
employing class in many ways First of all, there
is increasing evidence of preparation for ma
tional wage-cutting campaign In the shoe and
steel industries the workers have already had
their pay slashed in several cases. The press of
the bosses, as usual, is paving the way for such
inroads on the meagre wages of the workers.
Then the same capitalist press is attempting to
convince the working masses that Congress is re-
sponsible for bad business. The fact that the
House dared repudate Coolidge on the bonus
question and the disaster that has overcome the
milionaires' Mellon tax scheme are cited as hav-
ing had harmful effects on business.
To the extent that there is an iota of honesty
in these statements of the kept editors, they be.
tray an ignorance Of the most elementary rudi
ments of economies We have never lost any love
on Congress. But to blame the puppet show on
Capitol Hill for the collapse of the steel industry
for the depression threatening the building indus
try or the bottom falling out of the textile indus
try is the height of asininity. This condition
which industry is assuming depends on and arises
out of far more fundamental factors.
For sometime, agriculture, tn eleading industry
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
Whose Press Is 1t?

We are indebted to Mr.. James O'Shaugnessy,
executive Secretary of the American Association
of Advertising Agencies, for the statement that
this year will the expenditure of at least $780,,
100000 for advertising. This is the sum that will
be spent thru this organization. 1t is estimated
as being only eighty per cent of the total sum of
money that will be spent by the owners of COM
modities to advertise their wares. In other words,
close to half billion dollars will be spent by the
owning class in advertising.
There is little dispute about the fact that the
vast bulk of this money will be invested in news
paper advertising This mean the advertisers will
be welding a more powerful influence on the
molding of the minds of the workers and farmers
than ever before. When Wallace's Farmer gets
several millions of dollars of advertising annually
it will know how to and where to stand on farm
legislation, on railway freight rates. and on the
demands of striking workers.
The railroads alone have spent in the last few
years more than $500, 100000 on advertising Most
Of this huge sum was expended in subsidizing
daiies and weeklies the country over. With the
railway interests as with all other capitalist in
terests, advertising is as much a medium of in
surance against working class encroachment on
their vested privileges as matter of business The
disclosures Of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, when the New Haven was under fire revealed
startling information about the extent to which
the big banking and manufacturing interests are
ready to 90 to make public opinion.
In Mr.. O'Shaughnessy's testimony there is to be
found much food for thought and action by the
workers and the dispossessed farmers. They are
the ones who in the last resort, make it possible
for the big employing class groups to own and
control the papers. The very press that the work
ing and farming masses directly and indirectly
support is in fact, in the daily struggles of the
workers, the mortal foe of these masses
Indeed the need for press committed solely to
serving the interests Of the working and farming
classes is more necessary than ever.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
I'VE" and Russia

The disclosures made by THE DAILY WORK
Err, completely fastening the State and War
Departments of "our" government objectionable
guilt for a series of crimes against the Workers
and Peasants Soviet Republic of Russia, part
icularly timely now.
Today there is no more insolent and determined
enemy of the First Workers and Farmers Soviet
Republic than the United States. The revelations
of THE DAILY WORKER coming at time
when the trent toward the resumption of normal
relations with the Russian government is rapidly
acceerating it's pace everywhere in Europe and
Asia, only serve to prove beyond shadow Of a
doubt that it has been the plan and desire of our
capitalist class alone and not the charges made
against the Soviet Republic that is responsible for
the continued strained relations.
France, the hotbed of European intrigue, mon
archist and capitalist, against the welfare of So
Wet Russia is about to make complete change
of policy. Poincare is being sent to the scrap
heap by the opposition deuge of the last election.
Japan is again seeking to negotiate with the So
Wet Government Belgium is making concrete
cteps to resume friendly relations. Germany is
preparing to make adequate amends to the Rus
sian Republic for the outrageous raid on the So
Wet COMMERCIAL mission. In England the negOtia-
tions are now in the committee stage. Judging
by the lack of adverse publicity in the press it is
Sdle IO sudte uhtC ltnSlpc PrOSrcsS 10 Ociib n"uc
by the negotiators.
Everybody is moving forward except the Amer
lean capitalist government. Messers Hughes and
Weeks are still busy forging documents about the
Soviet Governments plan to hoist the red flag
over the White House, The evidence uncovered
by THE DAILY WORKER affords irrefutable
proof that the United States Government is max
ing these charges only to hide its own infamous
crimes against Soviet Russia. The evidence un-
earthed by us convicts the State and War Depart
ments of preparing the basest attack not only
against the Russian masses but even more so
against the American workers and farmers
Now that the drift toward Russian recognition
is becoming so marked and that the American
government has been shown up in its true light
as being responsible for small part of the
misery upon the Soviet Republic by its foreign
and domestic apitalstmonarchst enemies it is
doubty imperative for the workers and farmers
of this country to clean house politically and to
achieve the immediate resumption of peaceful re
lations with the Workers and farmers Soviet Re
public Of Russia.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19
Conviction Makes Him Sick.

WASHINGTON, May 1S.-Repre-
sentative Langley, Kentucky, who suf-
fered slight stroke Of apoplexy at
his home here, was reported by his
physicians today to be out Of danger.
Langley was stricken following his re-
turn to Washington from his trial in
Kentucky, at which he was convicted
of conspiracy to violate the liquor
law
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

Premier Grabski, of Poland, announced that
owing to the condition of affairs in Europe, his
country had decided to begin payment on the
debt of $157 100000 which Poland owes to the
United States. The defeat of Poincare in the re
cent French elections robs Poland of one of its
best friends.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

Spanish toreador, failing to kill his bull at
the proper moment, badly maued that he
is not expected to live. The news despatch does
not say whether he was injured by the bull or the
fight fans who attended the spectacle.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

Wealth hath its drawbacks as well as poverty.
A rich English ship owner died Of shock on learn
ing that he made over four million dollars on sew
eral cargoes. We did not hear that any of the
men who manned his ships died for the same
reason.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

DO you want to help the DAILY
WoRkER7 Then get new sub
scriber.
The daily worker., 1924-05-19

JOIN THE WORKERS PARTY.