Omaha daily bee., 1921-10-27
LET the Negro Vote,"
Says President Harding
CONTINUED from Page onsJ

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 OF this question. which Mr..
+. d. Lugard presented in q recent
Edinburg review, must realize that
our race problem here in the United
States is only a phase OF race is
sue that the whole world conironts.
Surely we shall gain nothing by
blinking the facts, by refusing to
give thought to them. That is not
the American way OF approaching
such issues.
Mr.. Lugard, in his recent essay,
after surveying the worlds problem
OF races. concludes thus:
Here then is the true concep-
ton OF the inter-relation OF color
complete uniformity in ideals, abso-
lutte equality in the paths OF know
ledge and culture, equal opportunity
for those who strive, equal admira-
ton for those who achieve, in
matters social and racial separate
path, each pursuing his own
inherited traditions, preserving his
own race purity and race pride;
equality in things spiritual; agreed
divergence in the psysical and ma
terial.'
True Way Out"
Here il has seemed 70 me is sug-
gestion of the way out. Polit-
ically and economically there need
be no occasion for great and perma-
nent differentiation, for limitations
OF the individuals opportunity, pro-
vided that on both sides there shall
be recognition of the absolute di-
vergence in things social and racial.
Men OF both races may well
stand uncompromisingly against
every suggestion of social equality.
Indeed, it would be helpful to have
that word equality eliminated from
this consideration; to have it ac-
cepted on both sides that this is not
question OF social equality, but
question of recognizing fundamen-
tai, eternal and inescapable differ
ence.
Take the political aspect. ]
would say let the black man vote
when he is fit to vote; prohibit the
white man voting when he is unfit
to vote. Especially would l appeal
to the self-respect of the colored
race. | would inculcate in it the
wish to improve itself as a distinct
race, with a heredity, set of tra-
ditions, an array of aspirations all
its own.
Equal Opportunities.
"On the other hand, I would in
sist upon equal educational oppor-
tunity for both. This does not mean
that both would become equally
educated within a generation or two
generations or 10 generations. But
there must be such education among
the colored people as will enable
them to develop their own leaders,
capable of understanding and SYM
pathizing with such a differentia-
ton between the races as have sug-
gested. Racial amalgamation there
can not be. Partnership of the races
in developing the highest aims of all
humanity there must be if humanity.
not only here, but everywhere, are
TO achieve the ends set forth
II say you people of the south,
both white and black. that the time
has passed when you are entitled
to assume that this problem of races
is peculiarly and particularly your
problem. More and more it is be-
coming a problem of the north;
more and more it is the problem of
Africa. of South America, of the
Pacific, of the South seas. of the
world.
Oneness as Americans"
"The one thing we must sedu-
lously avoid is the development Of
group and class organizations in this
country. There have been times
when we heard too much about the
labor vote, the business vote, the
Irish vote, the Scandinavian vote,
the Italian vote, and so on. But the
demagogues who would array class
against class and group against
group have fortunately found little
to reward their efforts. That IS be-
cause, despite the demagogues, the
idea of our oneness as Americans
has risen superior to every appeal
to mere class and group.
"And so / would wish it might be
in this matter of our national prob
lem of races. Just as / do not wish
the south to be politically entirely
one party; just as l believe that is
bad for the south, and for the rest
of the country as we'll, so do not
want the colored people to be en-
tirely of one party. I wish that both
the tradition of a solidly democratic
south and the tradition of solidly
black race might be brok-
en- up. Neither political sectionalism
nor any system of rigid groupings
of the people will in the long run
prosper our country.
With such convictions, one must
urge the people of the south to take
advantage of their superior under
standing of this problem and to as
sumo an attitude toward it that will
deserve the confidence of the colored
people. Likewise, l plead with my
own political party to lay aside every
program that looks to lining up the
black man as mere political
adjunct.
Every consideration, it seems to
me, brings us back at least, to the
question of education. I have no
sympathy with the half-baked al
truism that would overstock US with
doctors and lawyers of whatever
color. and leave us in need of people,
fit and willing to do the manual
work of work-a-day world. But I