The courier-index., 1919-10-24

conditions in France do not apply even to white people in this coun- try, and certainly then they can not apply to the negroes.
 About three weeks ago in the city of Memphis there was mis- understanding between two white men. It resulted in the saying of some sharp words then there was a fight, and both men were killed. Loose talk caused the tragedy. In the lower part of Phillips counay, Arkansas, last week, there was an outbreak. It is hard to get at the fundamental causes of this collision. The community is largely colored. Somehow, the negroes got the ideas into their heads that they were being deprived of some- thing they thought they had earned, or being deprived of something they thought they had right to earn. There was collision be- tween whites and blacks. The first man killed was white man. Then white forces came in from without. The result is that number of white citizens were killed, but a much greater number of negroes were killed.
 Now if these negroes had a grievance, surely they proceeded in the wrong way to get any material relief. Just what happened at Elaine will happen anywhere in the south under similar circumstances.
 Tn killed and wounded the negro will always get the worst of the fight. Fn property losses he will suffer tore than the white man will, bekause probably every dollar that heihas earned has come from hard labor.
 This $ a time for negroes to be patient. This is also a time for them toibe cautious. Let them be- ware of 'the voices of strange teach CTS andssnew prophets. Let them get out of their heads that physi- cal force can adjust their griev- ances, if they have any.
 Let them also remember that many things in their lives are also unpleasant in the lives of white people. If their crops have not | turned out well, neither has the crop of the white man across the 1, road If sickness sweeps over the land it makes no distinction be- tween races.
 ! In the old days the levee was just as likely to break before the big house of the plantation owner as it was before the cabin of the small negro farmer.
 It is not in the minds of vast majority of the white people in this territory to mistreat the ne groes. The best and growing thought is that the negro should be well paid for his labor and that ,, it is the part of good business to give him every dollar that he earns, and to encourage him in well do , ing.
 The negro is not temporary SO iourner in this land. He may think that he can be happier in other parts of the United States than IT this region, but we believe that living conditions for him are con
 stantly improving in the south ano E, will constantly improve, If he does
 his part.
 The south, not the white people
 of the south, but the south, itself
 needs the labor of the negro. Il
 needs his capacity to produce; Il
 needs him as creator of wealth
 The negro needs the south to dc
 these things, and he can better dc these things in the south than 1T
 any other part of these United States.
 ;r The whole country is nervous The president of the United State: is suffering from nervousness There are strikes and riots into
 which the question of race does no enter.
 So thesc are times for patience and standing fast for the old way : of doing things. These are th' days for every man to study th' , ways of quietude. In these day