Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-08-09
SAYS JOE
SIMPSON
THE MOTION COMMISSION

We wait with breathlesS suspense
the publication of the contents of the
report of the commission sent to Hal
ii by the president for the sole pur-
pose of investigating educational con-
ditions in the Island republic, and we
presume, to make recommendations
which in their opinion would alleviate
the dreadful conditions that are ex-
listing there today.
The recommendations made by the
commission is of great interest to the
thinking Negroes of this country,
members of the commission were Ne
largely because of the fact that all the
groes except one, this being fact the
Negro wants to know what Mr.. Hoover
will do in regard to the reccomenda-
tons made by the commission. The
Negro wants to know what changes are
recommended by the commission in re-
gard to the Haitian Agricultural, Col
lege, of which Carl Colvin, is acting
head, and whose resignation has been
requested by the Haitian minister Of
education, and why the Hoover admin
istration has seen fit to max this
same man who has been the cause of
so much strife and discord, the per-
manent had of tn scool and give a
raise in salary amounting to $4,000
which will make his salary $4,000 a
year before making public the contents
of the commissions report, and the
accommodations attached thereto?
The commission is being criticized
by some members of the press for their
actions while in Haiti. as we'll as their
actions on their return trip. The most
notable of these, is Mr.. George Schuy-
Ter, who in his "View and Reviews"
rips the commission up the back and
drags it over the Goals something
fierce. While the members of the COM
mission may not have carried them
selves at all times with the utmost
dignity, some of the things done by
the commission while in Haiti are the
same things that the American Negro
has been asking the white man in
America to do; consider man as
man regardless of his color or his
station in life.
In our opinion DR.. Motion acted on
purely democratic principles in giving
the commissions chauffeur a place at
the same table which the commission
ate, had ne not done this, he would
have been practicing the same policies
and practices of which the Negro COM
plains in this country; Jim-crowism
and Segregation. If the Negro prac-
tices segregation among his own race
what more does he expect from the
white man? He has as much right to
segregate us as we have to Segregate
each other.
Mr.. Schuyler concludes his discourse
anent the commission by asking "How
can one aspect such leaders whether
one is Negro or a white person? In
our opinion, Mr.. Schuyler, in his futile
attempt to discredit the commission
has brought discredit to himself, for
according the attitude expressed by
him, had he been head of the commits
sion the members of the commission
appointed under him would have had
to remove their hats when they were
in his presence, and in speaking with
him they would have had to address
him as ellis Excellency" or "His High
ness.
This is the trouble with most of
the Negro leaders today, when they
acquire position, influence or a little
wealth, they get so big and important
that those same people whom they are
supposed to serve can not get to them.
The sooner the Negro race produces
som real democratic leaders, the soon
ar the Improvement in the present con-
iitions of the Negro race.