The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-17
RACE PREJUDICE
Article BY John spargo in Interna-
tionaI MAGAZINE.

IN the July issue OF the lnterndtlOn-
al is an article by John Spargo of Old
Bennington on race prejudice. The
articles is as follows. ).
"A good deal of racial antagonism
is due to economic competition, or
the fear of it, rather than to race pre-
judice per sc, This is notably so in
the case OF many of the outbreaks Of
antisemitism. Fear and hatred of
the Jew are often engineered by his
superiority as trader.
ut would be very foolish, however,
to ascribe all manifestations OF race
prejudice and antagonism to econo-
mic competition or the fear OF 1t.
Such antipathy and prejudice as are
manifested by many white people
against the yellow and black races
of the earth have their roots in some
thing deeper than economic interests.
There is real problem of race
prejudice confronting the American
people. The prejudice OF the Caucas-
ian agains the Negro is fact. | am
very much afraid that II is on the In
crease-intensiiied possibly, by econ
omic competition.
'All race prejudice is, in some OF
its manifestations at least, injurious
to the welfare of the community in
which it exists Whether antisemi-
tism takes the form of a pogrom, as
in Russia, or social ostracism and ex-
Iclusion from summer resorts and
hotels, as in America, ii is indubitab-
lily injurious and anti-social. And
whether prejudice against the Negro
takes the form of lynching where
white man would get a legal trial
with right to defend himself, or ex
lclusion from theatres, hotels and
similar places, it is likewise injuri.
Gus to the community because il is
lanti-social.
Il do not know that anyone to
; whom serious attention need be paid
would contend that the existence OF
race prejudice in nation presuppos-
es the inherent superiority OF the
dominant race. The makers of pog-
roms are certainly not inherently
superior TO their victims! Often ii
seems to me, the inherent superiori-
ty" has belonged to the subject race.
THAT the white race Is, upon the
whole, superior TO the negro race
seems to me self-evident. The fact
that individual negroes dislike
the word, but no substitute seems
quite suitable-rise high above the
level of attainment reached by the
average white man in no way invali'
; dates that generalization. would
not claim that this superiority OF the
white man is inherent" 1t must be
remembered that the Afro-American
has associated with the civilization OF
the white man less than three hun
dred years. Less than half century
of that time has he been a citizen
His accomplishments, considered in
the light OF his limited opportunities
are so marvellous that we may well
hesitate before we declare the white
man to be inherently superior.
Neither miscegenation, deporta
ton nor segregation seems to me &c
be a feasible solution of the so-called
negro problem" in this country.
I'D Miscegenation upon the whole
sale scale essential to the oblitera
ltion OF the distinctive characteristics
of each race. and the development OF
new, mongrel, race, is unthinkabe
, Personally, am satisfied that misce
genation would be good for neither
race, but harmful to both.
"(2) Deportation of the negro is
In my judgment, FOOLS fantasy
} There are three conclusive reasons
why il cannot be regarded as a solu
ton OF the. problem. First 1t is ply
sically impossible. Surprising that
a suitable land could be found, IL the
. negroes were given freedom of choice
In the matter II Is certain that sc
many would elect to stay here as tC
leave a large negro population still
with us. Obviously that would no
L solve the problem, though 1t nigh
mitigate 1t somewhat. If. on the 9th
er hand, an attempt should be made
to deport them by force bitter anI
disastrous race war would inevtabl!
/ result Second: deportation would b,
l economically ruinous. Not onl.
II would the cost OF securing the neces
i sary territory preparing it for the re
y ception OF the deported negroes. AM
the cost of the transportation involv
a staggering sum, but the Withdrawal
i OF all the negro labor from the coun
4 try would precipitate an economi
cataclysm from which il would TAX
us centuries TO recover Incidental
I also, II would destroy most II not al
I OF our cultural movements and In
4 sttutions by compelling ali the men
bers OF the white race to do the wor
| now done by the less highly deyeloI
I ed negro race. Third. deportation
4 would be morally outrageous Tn
4 negro was brought here by fore,
1 against his will. by the white mar
rransplanted to this soil he ha
L tiourished. The negro OF today ha
4 rs much right TO claim America n
his land as any white man. lie an
\ his ancestors for generations wer
L born here They have fought to d,
4 fend the country and they have col
Il tributed their labor TO its develoI
ment. BY what right, then, shall III
white man force him TO leave III
II Hand? What code of ethics will just
\ fy the son of German immigrants, III
y Russian jew or the Italian only a fey
l years In the oountry-saying to tn
L negro you must leave this land.
II Is white mans country"
I "(3) Segregation is no more fea'
l ible than deportation, II by that teri
Is meant the massing OF all the nei
4 roes in the matt n In given sectio
4 of the country. II is open to III
\ same ethical objection as deportation
TT IL equally as impracticable. or nea
lily so. What States shall we seleC
II for the purpose? How shall We dii
II pose OF the present white occupants
Shall we. In effect deport the white
i to make room for the blacksg
ii MIhn NuilhhrnM .nl of all nnurn lnhn