The New York herald., 1921-10-28

ing and rejecting. 1t was not mat
ter for cheering but for study. II
was wonderfully courageous speech.
II would have been so easy for the
President to have come here and con-
fined himself to few glittering
banalities that would have pleased ev-
erybody and offended no one. But he
came with message. a message OF
vital Importance to the South, the Ma
ton and the world. 1t gave the South
a wholly new vision OF the clear headed,
thoughtful courage Of the man. His ad-
dress made profound impression and
1t Will do vast deal OF good IN the
years that are to come"
Birmingh"m Age Heralds president
Harding offered practica common
sense solution Of the race problem HIS
views coincide with the best thought IN
this part Of the country and will be cor
daily approved. He spoke on the broad
grounds OF humanity and an equality OF
opportunity. but he drew sharp DIS
tinction between economic and social
recognition 1t Is significant that MI
Harding expressed the wish that the
negro might cease to be a pawn In the
game of national politics. that Just as
he would like to see the South cease
to be entirely of one party. he also does
not want the colored people to be soiioiy
Republican.
"It cannot be denied that politics has
had much to do with aggravating the
race question in the South. The cry OF
black domination has served dema-
gogues ever since the civil war, ana
continues to do so. That is due largely
to the fact that negroes have been
closely identified with the attempts of
the Republican party to gain foothold
In the South and have been used time
and again by politicians for their own
selfish ends"
Birminghrm Posts ut was tactless
address and a violation Of the proprie-
ties of the circumstances Of the Presi-
dents visit to Birmingham"
Little Rock Dolly Newss ''Would 1t
not have been better for the President
to have taken counsel with the people or
Alabama, rather than to have given ut
terances in public address that make
the ignorant and vicious Of both races
more vicious?"
Admission stars ''The worst treatment
the negro gets in the South. to be per-
fectly plain, Is the treatment accorded
him by the Republican party In the
South. which demands his vote. makes
him a political asset and then abandons
him."
st. Louis Globe Democrats "Mr. Har-
ding has put his finger On the key to
the solution of the race problem. Teach
the negro to think for himself and act for
himself as a negro with a rightful pride
in his race and he will justify his right
to existence and to place in the worlds
affairs. but on the other hand the negro
should learn that party solidarity stands
In the way Of his advancement. particu-
larry in the South. and he should cease to
consider attachment to the Republican
party as a racial obligation"
New Orleans Times Picayunes I'm %
far as his purpose is to plead for Inn
provement Of the negro's condition, for
better understanding Of the racial prob
lems, to strike down the poisonous agtta-
tion for social equality and race ANAL
gamation,' the President may be sure OF
the approval OF constructive minded men
and women, but his references to the
political phases Of the problem and his
insinuation, perhaps unmeant, that the
South may be keeping its colored popu-
lation a vast reservoir Of ignorance
write him deficient in true understand
ing of the question and perhaps littla
lacking in the larger charity for which
he pleads. With every year that passes
the South is offering the negro larger
opportunities, both for education OF the
right sort and for bettering his material
conditions. The burden has been heavy
and we have had great way to 60
while our progress has been hampered
at times from the outside"