Evening star., 1938-07-31

>'AA4S IA Viz L Was
to talk about the progress and problems
OF colored women. But the countess
! was too i'll to come.
Sends Invitation.
From the program she learned that
l was to talk the morning on which
she was to speak. and hearing that /
| would be in London before returning
home, she cordially invited me to come
to see her.
Naturally. was glad to make the
| acquaintance of this far-famed Eng
lish beauty, the active. generous
philanthropist and the acknowledged
society queen all in one.
The countess London residence was
IN st. James Square, just a minute S
walk from Buckingham Palace. When
reached the house l was ushered
INTO what must have been Lady War
Wlck's private library. The room was
veritable bower of flowers. 1 had
Just time to look around at the dainty
French furniture when the soft rust
ling OF garments announced the ap-
proach OF the lady l had come to see
l Will not say that she was as BEAUTIFUL
as picture or that she appeared like
vision, although it is a great
temptation to do so.
Her Welcome Cordial.
AS the Countess of Warwick ad-
Vanced toward me, she extended her
hand and gave me most cordial well
come. How kind and good you are
10 come to see me- she said Il was
greatly disappointed in not being able
to keep my first engagement with you,
but l was suddenly called away and
1 was obliged to GO The Countess
had sent me telegram stating that
she could not see me the day on which
she first invited me to call
AZ that time the Countess was as
WilloWy as a girl Is She was the
mother OF four children-a son who
was war correspondent in the Rus
sian Army. daughter who had mar
rled Lord HelmSly, small son wears
old and baby girl She showed me
the photos OF each of the children ex-
cepting the baby girl and each of
them had inherited comeliness from
their beautiful and charming mother.
The Countess assured me that she
was deeply interested in the work I
was trying to do for the women of
. my race and asked questions concern
ing 1t. She confessed that she was
unable to grasp many phases of the
race problem in the United States.
She could not understand the preiu-
dice against well-educated, cultivated
men and women of color. The more
the Countess discussed this aspect of
the problem. the more evident it be-
came that she was hopelessly groping
n the dark. In trying to get light on
the Theodore Roosevelt Booker r
Washington luncheon. which had lust
created a big sensation in the United
States, she said she had conversed
with some Americans in the hope of
discovering the reason for the criti-
clsm, abuse and censure with which
the President of the United States
had been flooded on this account.
But 1 have never been able to COM
prehend 1t ALL she confessed.
Lynching Difficult Point.
The Countess said she had heard
Englishmen discussing my article on
Lynchlng From A Negro's Point of
View which had appeared in the
June number of the 1904 North Amer
lcan Review. 1t was difficult to con-
verse on this subject with the Count
ess. for she could hardly believe that
colored men. women and even chill
dren were still being hanged burned
and shot to death in a country so
highly civilized as the United States.
I felt it my duty therefore, to tell her
Ladyship the truth-that out of every
100 colored men who have been
lynched in the United States. statis-
tics compiled by those who would not
falsify in favor of the race show that
from IS to IS have not even been
accused of what is so falsely and ma
liciously called 'the usual crime"
I found it very unpleasant to de-
scribe the contract labor system and
the convict lease system and attempt
ing to explain how such cruelty and
oppression happen to be tolerated
without stronger and more vigorous
protests than they received. I felt so
depressed and discouraged I turned
the conversation into more agreeable
channels, so that the pleasure of my
visit should not be destroyed. I took
special pains to emphasize the LOYALTY
OF the colored people to the country
in which they and their parents were
born. and this seemed to please her
ladyship very much.
Tells of Socialism Conversion.
But was eager to have the countess
tell me about her work, and she era-
clously complied with my request
You know I am a Socialist" she be-
gan. That was precisely what / did
not know. I'm Socialist" continued
the countess. because, after a long
and careful study of the conditions in
England. I am convinced that social
ism is the only thing which can help
poor pe>ple here to help themselves.
l did not reach this conclusion hastily,
and. now that am fully persuaded, it
would be difficult for me to change my
mind"
rs the Earl Of Warwick a Social
ist?" I vertured to ask. mo; he is
not. I am the only one In my family
who believes in socialism" /" she frankly