The daily worker., 1926-02-25
DUBOIS.-DODGES
REAL SOLUTION
OF RACE ISSUE
Negro Editor Speaks at
Chicago Forum
ey c. o,eRIEN ROBINSON.


opera forum held in the Olympic The
ater listened to William E. Burghardt
Dubois, editor-of the Crisis, an author
ity Of a sort on the problems of the
Negroes in America.
The address of Dubois in the main
was quietly delivered in the form of a
general description of the Negro in
America and the darker races of the
world; their problem as race and
their attitude to such problems. Du-
bois was true to his reputation for
evasiveness and reticence in answer
ing questions that came from the floor
after his speech. In some instances
he struck at the truth by use of re-
partee-repartee in place Of an honest
answer that might not have been
over-conducive to popularity, but very
conductive to approaching a real So
luton of the race problem.
Avoids Discussing Solution.
The absolute absence of the slight
est approach to a solution" so dis
tinctly characterized Dubois address
that it was embodied in a question
from the floor. Dubois evaded by
stating that this would necessitate an
other speech. We don't think the So
phistry got over.
Dubois expressed an international
interest in common with the darker
races Of the world. In this he stated
that the league of nations would go
only as far in the solution Of race
problems as English, French and Anne
rican Imperialism would permit it to
go.
Dodges Workers Class Unity.
In answer to a question regarding
the advisability of white and Negro
workers uniting to destroy their mu-
tual enemy, the capitalist" Dubois
made an answer quite characteristic
of his evasiveness of real solution of
problems. He believed that if the
Negro and white workers united there
would be no. necessity Of destroying
capitalists. He declared he believed
in that state in human society where
men of all races would meet in a
spirit of brotherhood" Dubois did
not explain that that state in human
society where all men of all races
would meet in a spirit of brotherhood
could only be realized under a Com
munist society-altho he did indirect.
ly intimate that the race problem in
Soviet Russia had been solved.
Feeble start at Problem.
There was one feature which did
make a stab, feeble as it may have
been, at the real solution of the race
problem, Dubois seemed to realize
the significance of the position that
the working class held in the question
of race hatreds. When forced by a
question, he acknowledged that race
hatred made the Negro and white
workers both more easily exploited,
hence it is profitable for the exploit
ing class to promote race hatred
thru the press, etc.
Dubois stated in his main address
that the race problem with the white
people was nothing more than a ques-
tion of whether or not my (white)
daughter shall marry a black man"
In this regard Dubois stated that the
answer mol" to proposal of such
marriage would eliminate the diff
Guilty in such cases as were individ-
ually undesirable.
The greatest error was in Dubois
placing this as the paramount issue
when it is only a reaction to the main
issue-purely economic.
Confused Idea on Imperialism.
The attitude of Dubois in regard to
imperialism as related to the race
problem has become confused as that
Of one perhaps influenced by peculiar
personal interests promoted thru the
defense Of certain national imperial
ism in preference to certain others.
His reference to world Imperialism"
in his address conveyed the impress
sion that he recognizes the darker
races of the world as victims OF i'm
perialism. He spoke Of China and
the imperialistic forces that compelled
China to use opium; those forces that
have absolutely stifled any indepen-
dent action that China might wish to
take to become elevated" Dubois
also mentioned the fact that Christian
missionaries introduced "imperialistic
civilization"-and opium-into China.
Represents Degree Of Progress.
The entire speech was much better
than any the other leaders Of the
American Negroes generally popular
lied would have made. While not en-
dorsing the stand of Dubois, we can
not evade the fact that he represents
a degree Of progress in the approach
TO the race problem by race "leaders."