Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28
ZangwiIl's Melting Pot" Can
Have No Reference to
the South

ZangWil scholarly
is mixture of profound philosophy and poetry in his mental
makeup however and he rings utterly true only when talking
writing about things with which he thoroughly familiar
Mr. Zangwl has written payas to whether it great
play critics divided-caled The Melting Pot in which he
pictures the United States great crucbe into which all
and conditions of and have been thrown
eventually he perfectly blended and plenddy balanced
evolved therefrom
The idea that of poet philosopher hence in pctur
ing it Mr. Zang engaging and interesting If not convinc
ing.
proverbay write most mpresvely of things they
know not ofindeed the children of poets imagination in
variably and inevitably he be true poet which Mr. zangw
u.s. perfect in form and substance to the poet mind
could say that of Mr. zangwi would reject
with and indignation at least of thmnot only
his ideas expressed and implied in The Melting Pot but
especially striking interview based upon that
play which carried in the Hearst papers generally
Particularly in the uhand sympatheticay if not other
WISE in the other secons-w the following statements from
Mr. Zangw culled from the body of his interview, be
sidered with doubt and fear and some impotence.
No doubt there instructive antipathy which tends
to keep the white free from black blood though this
antipathy having by large minority all
the many periods and all the many countries of their
tguity 1t equally certain that there at work forces Of
attraction as well as of repulsion that upon the
negro the Melting Pot OF America will not fail to act
"A musician like Coleridge Taylor is no despicable
product of the Melting Pot while the negroes of genius
to know-men like Henry O. Tanner whom the writer has
been privileged to know-men like Henry o. Tanner, the
painter and Paul Laurence Dunbar the poetshow the DO
tentiaites of the without white admixture and
Of this stamp capable OF attracting cultured white
wives the fusng process beginning at the top with types
like these should be far less unwecome than that which
starts with the dregs of both races
Eventually the disappear from this nation
getting with Mr. Zangwi WELL
perhapsbu he will not be assmilated into amagamated
with it racially.
Those Certain forces of attraction leading toward
blending of the blacks and whites that Mr. Zangw thinks he
observes simply are not there
The mulatto NOT symptom of racial amalgamation he
is symptom Of racial destruction Along
his way dwels obiteration
Of the United States of the South pease DESTROY
the such part of it be located therein
The South at least willing to make ample for the
to furnish him the of supporting himself happ
ness and conentment in making himself useful and desirable
BUT NOT TO HIS REMoTEsT VISION OR HOPE DOES
THE SOUTH HOLD THE IMPOSSIBLE GOAL OF SOCIAL
OR RACIAL EQUALITY!
The negro capable of many things purely negro-and
better as negro Mr. zangw admits this too when he cites
the achievements OF Henry o. Tanner and Paul Laurence Dun
bar the latter poet Hr Zangwn isto prove this
Both of these splendid specimens of the negro his best in
eectuay are ubooded without drop of white blood
their veins
Why then entirely sensible about this matter and en-
racial of these rather than having their
booded worhnes suggest to them in the breath
Mr. Zangw does the sinister and the FATALLY MISTAKEN
idea OF intermarrage with the white race?
In recent editorial in The Georgian John Temple Graves
took his clear understanding of the south
and the Nation attude nowadays toward the and
(Mr zangw may consider this curiou) the editorial
ENTHUSIASTICALLY BY BLACKS AS BY wHTTES
whites Mr.. Graves says:
The idea which long held currency in South was
that the had qualifications for living and competing
with the dominant and superior raoe-that he complicated
all OF their problems of industry and society and that the
wise thing to do to help him to another country
where after two hundred years of with this people
he might work out his destiny by their
operation but with absolute independence and in his own
right
That idea has entirely passed away Every thinking
believes that so long Republic endures the
white and the black will dwell together in the South
1t therefore both logical and humane that more ad
vanced and better developed must matter Of pol
icy and prudence help the negro and develop him along
best lines and cooperate with him every worthy measure
He must build up the negro to the hghst conceptions
of his duty TO HIMSELF AND TO THEM and establish
the understanding that since they live with him the
of nd
association
There plainly stated that he runs may read is the
sum total OF the white mans burden in this nation
1t seeks TO lift the his best stationo
make OF him. entirely within himself important even neces
sar part OF society but suggests to his mind thought of
amagamauon philosophy of kindness and consideration
and carries no hint of that refinement OF CRUELTY THAT
SUSPENDS, EVER so DIMLY, ON THE HORIZON OF THE
NEGRoS HOPES THE RAINBOW OF SOCIAL OR RACIAL
EQUALITY IN THIS COUNTRY!