The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-26
VOTES FOR The FIT
Harding Declares U. S. Should
Have No Race Problem.
Calls on South to Lay Aside
Old Prejudice.
WOULD BREAK SOLID LINES
Does Not Favor Solid Black Re-
publican Unit.
Would Keep Both Races From
Polls When Unfit.
CBy the Associated Press.)

Birmingham. Ala. Oct. 26.-The
right of the American negro to
broader political, economic and edu-
cational advantages based on a pride
of race but never on an aspiration for
social equality, was championed by
President Harding here today in a
plainly worded enunciation of his
views on the whole American race
problem.
These are some of the principles on
which the president appealed to the
nation to LAY aside old prejudices and
a constructive policy of racial relation
ship.
Let Only the Fit Vote.
POLITICALLY and economically there
need be no occasion for great and
permanent differentiation, provided on
both sides there shall be recognition
of the absolute divergence in things
social and racial.
Il would say let the black man vote
when he is fit to vote; prohibit the
white man voting when he is unfit to
vote
81 wish that both the tradition of a
soHdly Democratic south and the ira
dition of a solidly Republican blGck
race might be broken up.
'I would insist upon equal educA-
tiona1 opportunities for both. Men Of
both raoes may well stand uncom-
promisingly against every suggestion
of social equality. This is not a ques-
ton of social equality, but a question
of recognizing a fundamental, eternal,
inesca pable difference.
Races Cannot Amalgamate.
Racial amaIgamation there cannot
be. Partnership of the races in de-
veloping the highest aims of all hu-
manity there must be if humanity is to
achieve the ends which were set for it.
THE black man should seek to be,
and he should be encouraged to be.
the best possible black man and not
the best possible imitation of white
man"
The presidents address, which
brought him from Washington on his
first extended trip into the south since
his Inauguration. was delivered at a
semi celebration of the
founding of the city of Birmingham.
1t was devoted almost exclusively to
the race question, altho Mr.. Harding
also took occasion to praise the south
for its industrial recovery and to re-
new his faith in the world leadership
of a reunited nation.
He said in part:
'The world war brought us to full recog-
milton that the race problem is national
rather than merely sectional. There are no
authentic statistics but it. is common
knowledge that the world war was marked
the north and west They were attracted
by the demand for labor and the higher
wages offered. 1t has brought the ques-
ton of race closer to north and west and
1 believe it has served to modify somewhat
the views of those sections on this question
1t has made the south realize its industrial
dependence on the labor of the black man
and made the north realize. the difficulties
of the community in which two greatly
differing races are brought to live side by
side. 1 should say that it has been re-
sponsible for larger charity on both
sides. a beginning of better understanding
and in the light of that better understand
ing perhaps we shall be able to consider
this problem together as a problem of all
sections and of both races in whose solu-
tiOn the best intelligence of both must be
enlisted.
Indeed, we will be wise to recognize il
as wider yet. Whoever will take the time
to read and ponder Mr.. Lothrop Stoddard's
book on the rising tide of color or. say. the
thoughtful review of some recent literature
on the question which Mr.. f. d. Lugard
presented in a recent Edinburgh review
must realize that our race problem here in
the United States is only a phase of a race
issue that the whole world confronts. Sure
'ly we shall gain nothing by blinking the
facts by refusing to give thoughts to them
That is not the American way of approach
ing such issues.
Mr.. Lugard in his recent essay after
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