Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-01-24
THE REPUBLICANS Or
DEMOCRATS WHICH?
I.ucinn Is. Watkins Fayors Trial
of the Socialist Party.

The American Negro who has the
heart TO write an editorial eulogiz-
ing Charles H.. Murphy and Tainmany
Hall must be al interesting subject
for a psychological study.
Mr.. William Bridges in his maya
zine, The Challenge, December Jan
nary number under the caption IA
Negro Tragedy in the New York cleo
ton, "talks screamingly about the
tragedy enacted by HIS race when it
did not vote the Democratic ticket in
the last election.
l endorse most OF what Mr.. Bridg-
cs says in dcnouncing the Republican
party but cannot sense his expressed
approval Of the Democratic brand of
democracy--even here in New York.
I am sure that most persons think
it entirely fitting and commcndablc
that tho Negro voters supported
their own Republican and race nomi
nee. However, even this is OF but
local impot when compared
with the political issue OF the hour.
I The fact is that both the Republican
and Democratic parties have ceased
to represent the interests Of the Lin
coln-born laboring masses Of Amcri
ca. Between these two parties as
they are today, there is little chance
that the Negro or any other common
voter can make n right or n wrong
i. clloice, The eternal shame Is that
1.-THE common people persist in yot
/ ing against their own interest. Could
a they see beyond the subtle scrpcnts
OF plutocracy and autocrncy they
would do the same thing and vote
thoir own peoples ticket. I believe
that the Socialists of America deserve
n fair trial The Republicans and
The democrats have both gone TO
seed. Vainly have voted for them;
they have proved themselves unfit
as the exponcnts Of true democracy.
The Socialists maintain that they
. have the solutions for the industrial
and economic questions Of tho day.
They talk straight on the Negro prob
lem. Why not give them trial and
q chance to provo what tho ysay?
THE SOCIALIST AND TIE NEGRO
Mr.. John M. Work, in his book, en-
F.. titled: What's So and What Isn't
wrote the following chapter on "The
Race Problem"
What are We Socialists going to do
with the Negro? We are going to give
him justice along with the rest. The
prejudices against the Negro is by no
means confined to the South. 1t Is
just as strong in tho North rs 1t Is
in tho South. The only reason It does
not show itself rs much in the North
is because the Negroes are fewer in
body Is prejudiced against the Ne
gro. There are exceptions. The
blacks are prejudiced against the
whites as much as the white against
the blacks. And they certainly have
good reason to bo. This prejudice be
tween the races Is fostred and in
creased by economic friction. The Ne
gro naturally hates the whites because
they quietly and persistently keep
him down. A white man hates q Ne
gro who completes with him In
business. Under the present
system the higher education Of the
Negro aggravates this condition A
white workingman hates a Negro who
completes with him for a job. Under
the present system the Industrial edu
cation Or theNegro aggravates this
condition. Negroes are sometimes used
by the capitalists as strike breakers.
This OF course aggravates race preju
dice to the point inflammation.
When Negro victim OF manifold
economic injustice assaults white
woman. this again fans race preju-
dice into flame.
RACE PREJUDICE DEPLORABLE
"This race prejudice is deplorab'c.
1T is q badge OF mediOcrity. 1t shows
that in spite OF our marvellous ad-
4 vancement we are not developed az
1 far from the beast as we might be.
! TO a highly developed person, race
8preiudice is q stranger. In a condi-
4 lion OF universal enlightenment. race
4 pseJudice could not exist. Neyerthe-
4 less, this race prejudice Is a fact.
! And facts must always be taken into
account. The whites brought the Ne
Agroes here for economic reasons. The
i Negroes tame against their will. The
whites should never forget that fact.
However, neither the present genera
stson OF whites not the present gener
A,ation Of blacks is to blame for the OK
istence OF the race problem. We are
ID all here Let's solve the problem In
~ wey that will do Justice to us ell.