The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-08
THE BEGINNING OF DEMOCRACY.
Bv w. e. Griffin.

The United States entered the war
for the purpose of Making the world
safe for democracy The underlying
idea seems to be that world democ-
racy has been attacked. and that the
Intervention of the strong arm Of the
United States is necessary to prevent
the overthrow or submergence OF that
great ideal.
Now the United States is a nation
which never has tolerated democracy.
Its social structure was for two hun
dred years impregnated with slavery.
Since the slaves were set free there
has been steadily maintained a sys-
TEN Of racial caste. In fact the Amer
lean system OF racial caste is the most
cherished institution in the United
States which is considered to be abso-
lutely sacred. 1t takes precedence
over religion, law and politics; and
any man who opposes it is denounced
as enemy of the public veal.
In view Of the above, many are sur
prised at the new role the United
States has announced her intention to
play. Nevertheless they are hoping
that tn announced purposes of enter
ing the war are not merely a matter
of fine ~phraseology, but that there
exists a real purpose to do genuine
constructive work towards furthering
the broad and humane principles of
democracy. And it is pleasing to note
that there are already some signs that
the spirit of real democracy is begin
ming to manifest itself. From these
signs there rs hope that democracy
may yet become a reality in the
United States.
Two events of recent occurrence are
of no little democratic import. The
one is national in it's scope, the other
local. The first is the decision recent
ly handed down by the Supreme Court
of the United States affecting the le-
gality of ordinances passed in certain
cities enforcing the segregation of the
races. The decision of the court is
sweeping and unequivocal. There IA
no disposition to hedge or evade the
great legal and moral issues involved.
The court declared once and for all
that such ordinances are in abroga-
ton and ~contravention of the consti-
tutional rights of citizens. This far
reaching decision affords hope that
the Negro race may yet come into the
full possession and of its civil and po-
litical rights.
The event of local importance was
a meeting which took place in Kansas
City a few weeks ago. This meeting
was promulgated by the officials of
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company,
and was devoted to- a discussion of
the social welfare of the Negro race.
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany should take the lead in arguing
for better social conditions for the
Negro is a fact of paramount import
ance and of the utmost significance,
In its larger aspect it means that the
best white brains of the country are
beginning to see that bettering the
social conditions of Negroes, by paying
better wages, providing better hous
ing conditions, and providing larger
opportunities for wholesome. recrea.
ton, is not merely a matter Of philan-
thropy, but is good business as well.
In the case of the Metropolitan, it
protects their risks, but in a larger
sense it protects all society, since the
economic and social life of the white
man is inevitably bound up with the
economic and social life of the Negro.
This recognition of the unity of the
social order, and of the %inter-depen'
dence of the welfare of social groups
is the very essence of democracy. Sc
it is plasing to note that while we
are fighting abroad for democracy
there are some signs of the beginning
at least of democracy at home.
I'M n