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28                     THE CRISIS  
                    
water;" we plead for a spirit of co-operation to make our whole civilization what the will of God purposed in giving us a double race life on a common soil.

He touches on the helplessness of Negro women:

It is not the vicious and degraded women alone who are accosted by white men, and it distinctly is not true that a Negro woman is not annoyed until she gives evidence that she cares nothing for her honor. The more modest, the more refined she is, the more certain it is that she becomes the object of some white man's pursuit. The average white man professes to believe that no Negro woman possesses purity of character, and proceeding from that assumption, he persuades himself that he is a gentleman when he maintains a courteous bearing toward sheltered and protected white women. Toward women whose fathers, husbands and brothers happen to be Negroes, without the shelter and protection of a similar code of honor, he may act as he pleases and defy resentment.

He condemns mob violence; he believes in Negro suffrage:

The failure to take into consideration the intellectual and moral progress of the race in appreciation of their American citizenship is the bitter root from which have sprund injustice and unfairness. The Negro is willing to abide by nay test of civic fitness that applies equally to all members of a common democracy. He wishes only to be assured that his political opportunities and limitations are accorded to him in a spirit of fairness and justice. 

He calls for co-operation in social uplift and ends with these words:

Race co-operation conducted on auch a fair and equitavle basis as this will be a mighty agency in building up a nation in the fear of God and will furnish to all the world an object lesson in the eternal value of the gospel of social living. 

                      SMILES                          

THE Detroit Free Press writes: Some humorous sallies have been taken far too seriously by the mass of mankind and harm has come thereby. They have grown flat, stale, and unprofitable to the wits of the world. It is time the chestnut bells were tolled for them on stage and platform, in print and in conversation.

Take for instance those venerable stock jokes about the readiness of the Hebrew to sell things, of the Scotchman to save money and goods, of the Yankee to drive hard bargains, of the Englishman to be solemn , of the Frenchman to be flippant, and of the Negro to be improvident and thoughtless.

These are all distortions of the fact, caricatures of virtues, and they give false impressions of races and individuals. They

warp the judgement of hasty thinkers and the prejudices of those who are too busy, too idel or too incompetent to think.

The Hebrew race is still giving the world leaders in literature, science, and philosophy as ithas done for ages. And it is providing business men of such ability that every race will do well to pattern after them in enterprise, probity, and wisdom. They have theor equals, these Hebrews, in many lands and races, but they have few superiors. Why make a joke of their superiority in salesmanship?

The Scotsman's economical turn of mind has been made to serve the world well in numerous places where Scots have risen to leadership, and it gives competence to many and keeps others from the poorhouse in all quarters of the world. Why make a senseless joke out of the virtue of thrift?

If the Yankee is a good bargainer he and his country profit thereby and those who compete with him will learn to sharpen their wits and be better for it. His thriftiness is worthy of praise, not ridicule. The Englishman's "slowness" is not stupidity, but rather commendable, ingrained cautiousness. Surely to be careful, cautious, is not to provoke laughter? The Frenchman has in the fight against the German disproved the flippancy fling; his heroism is as high, as holy, as noble as any heroism the world ever has seen. And the Negro in the United States  is yeraly becoming wiser, richer, and more of a contributor to world progress. 

Can't the wits inevnt some new, really funny jokes?

The Lexington, Ky., Herals says:

Parson Elmore T. Offutt, colored, was eloquently exhorting at the Pleasant Green Hill Church two Sunday nights ago.

"I want only religious people in my congregation," he proclaimed fervently reaching the climax of sermon.

"You are a liar," shouted one Rowe Kendrick, rising up at the back of the church. "All yo' want is money. You don't worry none about religion or nothin' else."

Yesterday morning Kendrick was araigned before judge Riley on a charge of disturbing religious worship. After a discussion of the case Judge Riley decided to let Kendrick go after he ws recognized to keep the peace for one year.

It was a colored woman at one of those little southern junction points where trains are never on time. She and others had waited and waited and gone away; then they hurried back to wait some more.

"Has the train come, yet?" asked some one anxiously.

The colored woman was philosophical and sparinf of words:

"It's jes bound for to aint come," she said.

                    THE LOOKING GLASS             29
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Copyright by Underwood and Underwood, N. Y.

FRENCH AFRICAN TROOPS REST AFTER VICTORY AT DOUAUMONT.

This photograph was taken while the French African fighters were en route to the Rivera to enjoy a well earned rest following the battle of Douaumont in which they creditably aquitted themselves. The ranks of these intrepid fighters were considerably depleted in this battle which took place on October 26th and ended in a complete victory for the Allies. Note the size of these fighters in comparison with the man standing in the foreground toward the left.