The Kansas City sun., July 14, 1917, Image 1

About The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924

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VOLUME IX. NUMBER 46. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, SATURDAY, JULY U, 1917. PRICE, 5c.
fC G Negtoes Send $111,33 to Refugees
ROOSEVELT-GOMPERS ROW.
Carnegie Hall In Uproar as Colonel
Accuses Labor Leader of Justifying
Murder In East St. Louis Race Riots
Exclaims Later: "I Wish I Could
Get My Hands on Him.
Starting most auspiciously with a
public welcome amazing In its spon
taneity and evident sincerity, the
greeting of Now York City to the Rus
sian War Mission yesterday ended In
hostilities between Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt and Samuel Gompers, Pres
ident of the American Federation of
Labor.
Before an audience that -filled Car
negie Hall to overflowing, at the mass
mooting which marked the end of tha
days' program, these two men for a
few minutes went at each other in a
way that caused the eyes of the vis
itors to open In astonishment, the
crowd to gasp, then takes sides and fi
nally become thoroughly disorderly,
and the members of the Mayor's Re
ception Committee to look very much
embarrassed.
Mayor Finally Restores Order.
The end of what would otherwise
have been a perfect day was saved by
Mayor Mitchel, who succeeded In get
ting order out of chaos after a little,
and by reminding the audience that
the purpose of the gathering was the
welcoming of the Russians, enabling
the new Russian Ambassador to
make the speech he had prepared,
while Mr. Roosevelt rind Mr. Gompers,
sitting just behind him, glared at each
other.
When the meeting was over friends
had to keep the two men- apart. The
Colonel seemed the more eager for a
meeting. Said he, as Police Inspec
tors Myers and Dillon escorted him to
his automobile:
"I wish I could get my hands on
him!" And, then again: "I can scarce
ly keep my hands off him!'.'
He seemed anxious to go back from
the Fifty-sixth Street entrance look
ing for Mr. Gompers. Theodore Ros
seau and others, however, prevented
this, and the Colonel drove away.
Then Mr. Gompers, much more cool,
came out with Hugh Frayne and Tim
othy Healy.
Should Put a Stop tc Murder Before
We Talk "of Justice.
The Mayor had Introduced Mr.
Roosevelt as the chief speaker with
glowing phrases and the crowd had
yelled for "Teddy" as usual. With his
manuscript in his hand the Colonel
had at once departed from his pre
pared text and brought In the recent
race riots in East St. Louis. Ho said
that before this country began to tall;
of liberty and justice to others It
.should see that everything was In or
der In Its own house. He reiterated
much he said at Forest Hills on July 4.
He touched on the "appallng brutal
ity" of the East St. Louis affair and
said that to let such things go unpun
ished would leave a stain on the name
of America,
"Before we congratulate "others on
having drawn the mote from their
eye," he said, "we should see that the
beam has been withdrawn from our
own eye. So much for this brief eu
lody of my fellow citizens. Now for
the business of the evening."
When Mr. Roosevelt had concluded
his pre'pared speech the Mayor intro
duced Mr. Gompers, and the latter
told a little story to the effect that
had ho his own way he would say,
"-'Them's my sentiments," and sit
down. Then he turned at onco to the
East St. Louis matter and said he
would yield to none In express do
testation of acts of violence.
"Exercise of Tyrannic Power."
"I wish I had brought with me,"
he went on, "a telegram I received
just this evening from tho Secrotary
of the Federation of Labor In .Illinois
explaining the whole matter. It was
not only tho labor men In East St.
Louis, but a member of the Chamber
of Commerce there ns well, who
warned those who were bringing the
colored men from the South that they
were to be brought there to under
mine tho white workers. Yet thou
sands were brought In and had not a
place In which to lay their heads. The
whole thing was an exercise of tyran
nic power like that which existed In
old Russia."
There was prolonged applause at
-this and ' Colonel Roosevelt looked
thoughtful. Mr. Gompers went hack
to the Declaration of Independence
said that all the ideals of America
had not been realized by any means
and that "there Is too much Injustice
hero," and then slowly worked to tho
war and his congratulations to the en
voys of new Russia. Ho was warmly
applauded and up to tho moment he
sat down tho peace had not been dis
turbed. But when Mayor Mitchel arose to
present Ambassador Bakhmetleff, Col.
Roosevelt jumped up and determined
ly stalked toward the front of the
platform.
"Mr. Mayor, may I say one word?"
he asked.
"Col. Roosevelt wants to say a
word more," said the Mayor and the
crowd cheered. Waiting for silence,
the Colonel, speaking through his
teeth as usual when desiring to be
emphatic, said:
"I am not willing that a meeting
called to commemorate the birth of
democracy in Russia shall even seem
to have' expressed or to have accept
ed apologies for the brutal infamies
Jmposed on colored people."
Shakes His Fist at Gompers.
At once a great shout greeted tho
Colonel. Tho crowd roared Its ap
proval. "Justice, with me, Is not a mere
word," went on the Colonel, bringing
up his right arm and punching the
atmosphere. "It Is to be translated
into living acts. If we by explana
tion" Here the Colonel turned about and
faced Mr. Gompers, shaking his fist
at him In a most menacing way
" by explanation, silence or eva
sion apologize for murdering helpless
women and children, then how can we
praise the people of Russia? I have
heard very much tho same excuse
given by tho Russian autocracy for
the programs against tho Jews."
The hall was In an uproar. "Good
boy, Teddy," shouted a score and
there was a chorus of "Boos" Indicat
ing that the crowd was not all with
the Colonel. (
"Shall we by silence acquiesce In
this apology for men, women and
children of our own country. I am
a democrat of the democrats, and I
will do everything for the laboring
man except that which is wrong, and
that I won't do for any man or any
cause."
Again the Colonel turned and faced
Mr. Gompers and shook his fist Mr.
Gompers, white-faced, started to
rise, thought better of It and sat
down. The Colonel continued to talk
directly at him.
"I don't care a snap of my fingers
for the head of the strongest organ
ization in Illinois," ho went on. "This
happened In a Northern State where
the whites outnumber the blacks
twenty to one, and If the white men
there cannot protect their rights with
their votes against an insignificant
minority, and have to resort to the
murder of women and children, then
the State that gave Abraham Lincoln
to the Presidency must bow its head
In shame."
Wildly enthusiastic shouts greeted
this. Mr. Gompers got up. A large
crowd yelled as he cried to the
Colonel:
"You ought to investigate first,
then make your charges."
Won't Allow Him to Justify Murder.
Evidently In a passion the Colonel
stalked across to the labor leader,
who sat down. The Colonel stood
over him, shaking his fist down Into
his face.
"Murder, Is murder," ho shouted,
"and I'll not allow you or any one
else to justify it."
Something else was said between
the two and the Colonel continued to
shako his fist at Gompers. The yell
ing of tho crowd made what was
said quite inaudible. "Bravo Teddy!"
shouted some; "Answer him," cried
others at Gompers. The Colonel
stalked back to the center of tho
stage. '
"I will go to any extreme which is
necessary to bring justice to the la
boring man and assure him his proper
place," ho said. Tho Gompers adher
ents in tho crowd saw their chance.
"You never did I You never did!"
cried fully a hundred men.
The Colonel went on:
"But when there is murder I will
put it down, and I will never submit
to an apology for it; I never will!
"Wo are gathering here to greet
and congratulate these men who come
to us from a Datlon that has gained
itB freedom. On such an evening J
will never sit motionless while, direct
ly or indirectly, apology is made for
the murder of tho helpless. I never
will!"
And with that the Colonel took his
seat, perfectly white In the face.
Mr. President, Why
L J
"Before I speak of justice and liberty to Russia we should do justice within
an appalling outbreak of savagery in
real provocation, and, whether there
the name of America.
"It behooves us to express our deep condemnation of acts that give lie to our words. It is our duty to demand
that the governmental representatives whose' business It Is shall use with ruthless sternness every instrumentality at
their command to punish murder, whether committed by whites against blacks or blacks against whites.
"When we applaud the birth of democracy In another people, the spirit which insists on treating each man on
the basis of his rights as.a man, refusing to deny to the humblest the rights that are his, when we present such a
greeting to the representatives of a foreign nation, it behooves us to express our deep condemnation of acts that give
the He to our words within our own country.
"It behooves us to say that It is Impossible that there should be a justification for mob violence, for brutality and
murder In this democracy." Theodore Roosevelt at the Carnegie Hall meeting to welcome the Russian high commis
sion to the United States.
LOYAL NEGROES
Noble Hearted Kansas Cltians Send
Financial Aid to Our Stricken
People In East St. Louis.
On last Sunday the editor, acting on
a suggestion of Mrs. John Lange, con
sulted with several of our citizens as
to the advisability of trying to send
some financial aid to the organization
in St. Louis, Mo., that is caring for the
refugees of East St. Louis, and meet
ing their approval the matter was put
up to Dr. Thomas, tho pastor of Allen
Chapel, who readily consented to the
proposition. The- editor, assisted by
Mr, Joe E. Herriford, W. C. Hueston
and C. II. Calloway, raised a collec
tion at Allen Chapel Sunday morning
totaling $52.30, which was immediate
ly telegraphed to Dr. William H.
Peck, former pastor of Allen Chapel
and chairman of the finance commit
tee of St. Louis. Tho editor was ex
tended an invitation Sunday night tp
present the matter to tho splendid
people of Ebenezer A. M. E. church
by its popular pastor. Dr. W. C. Wil
liams and after the presentation a
collection of $42.03 was raised and
also telegraphed to committee. In
addition several other persona and or
ganizations sent contributions to the
Sun office which were forwarded to
Dr. Peck making a total of J 111.33
raised and sent to him', minus cost of
Not Make America Safe for Democracy?
By MORRIS
the race riots in East St. Louis, race riots which, as far as we can see, had no
was provocation or not. waaed with such appalling brutality as to leave a stain on
I telegrams. The list of contributors
i is as follows:
Allen Chapel, $52.o0; Ebenezer A.
, M. E. Church, $42.0:!; Civic Study
j Club and Mrs. John. Lange. $12.00;
! Hon. C. A. Franklin, $1.00; Dr. M. II.
(Lambright, $1.00; Dr. J, Edward
; Perry, $1.00; Dr. William .1. Thomp-
kins, $1.00; Hon. L. A. Knox, $1.00.
The following telegram was sent:
Rev. Wm. H. Peck, St. Louis, Mo.
Historic Allen Chapel, Ebenezer
and the following well known citizens
hereto attached extend to our unfor
tunate people in East Louis their
deepest sympathy and bid them be of
good cheer for God Is not jdead.
The following reply was received:
Nelson C. Crews,
Editor Kansas City Sun.
Telegrams and monies wired, re
ceived, God bless the good people of
Allen, and Ebenezer in particular, and
Kansas City in general.
W. H. PECK,
J. T. CASTON,
A. W. LLOYD,
A. E. M ALONE,
W. II. HOFFMAN,
Committee.
All persons desiring to contribute
to the Relief Fund can have their
contributions recorded and forwarded
through the Sun to the proper com
mittee, as the following letter re
ceived yesterday from Dr. Peck shows
that the real work of assistance has
only begun:
from N-YMcui
our own household. There has been
Mr. Nelson C. Crews,
1S03 East ISth St.,
Kansas City, Mo.
My Dear Brother Crews: I can't
express to you our gratitude for the
liberal offering you have sent the
Committee on Financo from Kansas
City. Kansas City has been the only
Place, outside of St. Louis, that has
I up to tho present, contributed to this
fund.
Our work of relief is just beginning,
as tomorrow morning the city of St.
Louis discontinues the relief they
have been giving to 15,000 refugees
from the mob of East St. Louis. The
situation Is clearing up, however. Em
ployment has been found for all of
these Negroes in St. Louis, who de
sired work, ranging from $2.00 to
$2.25 per day.
Many inducements were held out to
them to return South, but we find but
few saw fit to accept this invitation.
Some have gone to Northern cities
and possibly 7,000 of them are at
present in St. Louis. Some have re
turned to East St. Louts, but we have
advised all not to return to East St.
Louis until conditions are safe. -At
present there is no guarantee of any
safety for our people on tho streets of
East St. Louis.
This situation is without a parallel
In the history of our country. In fact,
if our people had a fighting chance we
would say go back, but there is no
semblance of a fighting chance for
these honest, industrious and helpless
IF WE WERE ORGANIZED INTO AN
INDUSTRIAL UNION THE MAS
SACRE OF E. ST. LOUIS COULD
NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
The Capitalists Are Useing Southern Negroes to
Break Mrikes. This is Causing a Very
Bitter Feeling Against the Entire Race.
By RUCKEIl
This article was not written for
those who do not think; the dull and
unthoughtful need not read.
Our program arises out of the ac
tual conditions of contemporary life,
It is not the fine-3pun web of a dream
ers' Imagination.
Civilization has grown up and ex-1
panded all around us; It has swal-l
lowed us, but we have not swallowed
it; it has not Included us, only in a
very limited degree. During slavery
we were a very important part of the
industrial system of this country.
There is a working class struggle In
every civilized country in the world,
but no country is confronted with such
a perplexing problem as we have in
this. In the other countries the work
ing class is divided into two parts.
tlfose who belong to labor organlza-'
tions, and, those who, for some rea
son, refuse to join; the Negro, in most
cases, is rejected from any affiliation
with tho A. F. of L. in this country,
and being unorganized, makes him an
easy victim, a target for organized la
bor and the well organized employers
of labor. The only kind of work we ,
are permitted to do is something that
carries withlt no promotion, we start
at the bottom and remain there, no
matter how much we learn or know
about the job. We should know how
to operate every branch of industry
needed to run a city or government.
If we do not know this, which is im
possible without experience, we are
not absorbing the white man's civili
zation as we should; nor can we ever
know under the present state of af
fairs. Workers, we must organize! There
is a nation wide conspiracy to use
Southern Negroes to break strikes.
Negroes who have come from the
Southland.
We are, as an association, trying to
assist in securing evidence to bring
about convictions for the riot of Julv
2d. We are going to employ the best
or legal and detective talent. We
realize this will cost money, but we
are golne to see it throueh.
I would appreciate you sending me
the address of the Masonic lodges of
.Missouri and jurisdiction, so that an
appeal may be made to them to 'aelp
in mis matter.
Again thanking you for taking the
initiative irom outside sources in this
matter, I am,
Very truly yours,
W. H. PECK.
NEGRO LAWYER TAKES LIFE.
Failure to Get Army Commission
Caused Veteran to Kill Hlmse'lf.
Muskogee, Ok., July 9. Brooding
because he failed to trot a nlace as an
officer in the army, W. Scott Brown,
a well known Necro lawver of Mus
kogee, today shot and killed himself.
Brown was a Snanlsh-American vet.
eran and served as lieutenant in the
Tenth Illinois Immunes. Brown had
passed the examination, but the papers
were missent and arrived at Des
Moines, la., after the full ouota had
been selected.
The Metropolitan Street Railroad is
preparing to give a big outing to nil
Its Colored employes and their
families for a whole day and night at
beautiful Lincoln Electric Park. Free
transportation will be given each man
for his family, free admission to tho
Park and all the concessions ns well
as tho refreshments will bo paid for
by the company. This Is in keeping
with this company's policy toward Its
white, employes and without doubt
will be highly appreciated by the i?00
or more Colored employes and their
families.
SMITH.
The ZVZ million members of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, and their
sympathizers, will not stand for Ne
groes to take their places. We, as a
race, should not be the ones to suffer
In this struggle, capital against labor,
neither the capitalist or the A. F. of
L. has been fair to us. Out of every
100 of us, 95 are workers, 80 per cent
work for the white man. The white
man employes us because he can get
us cheaper, not because he likes us
better.
There Is 200 billion dollars worth of
wealth in the United States. We
have created more of it, in proportion
to population, than any other people,
and we have less to show for it than
any other people.
Watch this paper for date of a big
meeting of colored workers. Don't
miss it.
A REAL GOVERNOR
Jefferson City, July 6. Many tele
grams and letters are coming to Gov
ernor Gardner protesting against the
riots in East St. Louis. All are based
on the belief of those who sent them
that East St. Louis is a part of Mis
souri. "We do not do business that way,"
the governor said In expressing his
vexation over tho communications.
"All human beings in this state are
treated alike, and will bo treated alike
as long as I am chief executive of tho
state. I am told that even some
Eastern newspaper writers have been
referring to this state as 'poor old Mis
souri,' on tho theory that East SL
Louis Is in Missouri. They ought to
post themselves on geography."
"BOSH"
CITY WON'T USE NEGRO BAND.
Battery B Musicians Now Anxious fop
Contract They Refused.
The park board decided vesterdav
to dispense with the services of tha
Negro band engaged to give concerts
in the Negro parks because its leader,
W. G. Melford, is on employe of the
street cleaning department Tho
city charter makes it a misdemeanor
ror an officer or employe of the city
to bo directly or indirectly connected
with city contracts.
upon learning of tho decision of th
board, Battery B band, which refused,
to give concerts In tho narka nalmn.
lzed by whites becauso the negro band
is non-union, sent word that it would
abide by its contract and give tho
nrst concert in Swope Park next Sunday.