The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-09-22
BY Kelly Miller

/ one time wrote an essay which
was printed In the Boston Tran
script and which gained wide cur
rency on Negro Radicals and Con
servatives". That was nearly a
generation ago. Since then times
have changed and definitions have
changed with them. In those days
DR.. Dubois was considered our
arch radical and Booker T. Wash
ington our counterbalancing con-
sentative. | was considered the
daysman balancing midway be-
tween the two. Since then the
world has moved rapidly towards
the left. Robert X. Motion. the leg
aztec of Booker +. Washington. Is
still our outstanding conservative,
| in that he holds fast TO the things
which have been proved to be good
by experience and Is wary OF new
and experimental doctrine. Dubois
has drifted to the Right so that
now thesonly difference between
him and Motion is what Lord Ma
tAulte u0tU W toli
without distinction. | will adj
here to my original position OF
proving all things and holding fast
TO what Is good.
Since the World War there
sprung up a group of irrespon-
sible radicals who revel I'm doc
trinaire theories without any politi
cal, social or moral responsibility.
DR. Washington and his spiritual
descendant, X. X. Motion felt or
feels a keen sense of responsible
ity for the present weight and
pressure OF the race problem. Mr..
Washington used to say that his
soul sustained a pressure of ten
thousand pounds TO the square
inch. DR.. Dubois arrogated to him
self the sole proprietorship of the
propaganda which combatted all
that Booker Washington stood for.
II Booker Washington was the
thesis, Dubois was the antithesis.
He took his task seriously. but
our modern day Negro radicals
show lackadaisical indifference
to the awful possibilities of the
drastic doctrine which they re-
lease They ridicule or condemn the
church, the state and the present
social order. and leave the poor
Negro at the mercy OF whatever
disaster the outcome may hold for
him. When Langston Hughes says
Good bye Christ" he may as well
say farewell to common sense and
human hope. The radical Negro is
atheistical. and believes neither in
God nor man. He Is the product
| OF Northern Universities where |
he takes in undigested things. CD |
Negro Colleges. from whose re-
ligious and moral moorings set by |
the missionaries and philanthropy
lists he has abruptly broken, (3) |
foreign reinforcement; have
somewhere defined Negro radical
as an over educated West Indian
~t,iso~S----- :@'- prhera 10 ono pc
culiarity about the radical West
Indian. they are as meek as Moses
and as submissive as n lamb while
In their native country. but eros
sing the seas seems TO fill them
with the spirit OF irresponsible
revolt. (4 The self-educatcd
variety George s. SCHUYLER. Is the
most cynical and causiic of that
group. AS a whole. they are inc
briated with the first effects OF a
little learning which has always
been dangerous thing Chatting
under severe restraints. they kick
against the pricks for the sake of
exercising their heels.
In order to be genuine radical
one must be economically self
sustaining or economically indlf-
ferent. Socrates. Jesus Christ,
John the Baptist ,5ohn Brown and
Mahatma Gandhi spruned the al
lurements of wealth and powder.
But our would be Negro radicals
never disdain to be thrifty. have
often said that William Monroe
Trotter was the only Negro
know who willingly and OF set pur-
pose made a material sacrifice for
the cause. The others are on the
make. No man on pay roll can be.
q radical. He must needs suboNli-
nate his conscience to his Job. A
pay roll man must gauge his radi-
calism by his rations. Society has
built up and approved certain
values and vested interests. II
employs orthodox agents TO safe
guard and maintain these sane
toned values. Now the radical Is
ut times necessary. else there
would be no progress. But he must
deny himself and take up his cross
and he willing to carry Il all the
wav TO Golgotha.
We hear much about freedom OF