The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1921-11-12

We hope the net result of the Pres
ident's speech will be good, but
THERE IS GREAT DANGER IN
SOME THINGS HE SAID.
Faith Falters, Hope FaIters."
(From the Chicago Whip ~
| Intelligence stands aghast, Patriot
ism trembles, Faith totters, Hope
falters, and the finer sensibilities of
the black men are shocked and
stunned for the sides of March, have
come. From the lips of Warren G..
Harding, Republican President of the
United States, words have fallen
whose effect are as destructive and
deadly as the poisonous germs which
flew from Pandora's Inflated box.
President Harding has brought the
| "ldes of March" upon us and accord
ing to his expressed dictum we are
| doomed eternally to be race of
slaves and scullions.
| The speech of Mr.. Harding's upon
the race issues delivered in Birmine-
ham, Ala, during the late days of
October nineteen hundred and twenty
one sealed and stamped policy which
relegates the black people Of America
to conditions which are abhorrent, re-
pugnant and disgusting to. any soul
! which yearns and burns for liberty,
absolute and unqualified. Out of a
great jargon of words and a scram-
bled melee of incoherent thought
few ideas can be culled and gar
nered. These ideas taken collectively
institute an insidious and dangerous
propaganda which leaves the black
man IN precarious condition indeed.
He said that it is "a question of
recognizing fundamental, eternal and
unacceptable differences He has en-
couched himself in infinite egotism
and has even scared into the realms
Of eternity. The black man is eter-
nally and everlastingly different from
all other people, no culture can make,
exalt him, no deeds of valour can ele,
vate him, no stroke of evolution can
raise him; according to Mr.. Harding,
neither time nor eternity nor even
God Almighty in all His Majestic
Power can wipe out the color line.
What the eternal differences are we
cannot understand. Mr.. Harding
knows no more Of what the future
holds than we. It strikes US, how
ever, that he has not formed his opin-l
ions upon scientific knowledge but
upon prejudices.
Racial amalgamation there cannot
be-this is another one of the Presi-
dents astounding assertions. Franz
Boaz, one Of the greatest anthropolo-
gists in the world, has declared that
few centuries hence a swarthy race
will be in America in place of the
whites and blacks. The amalgama-
ton Of races has gone on through
the ages and the powers and petty
prejudices of. mere man have been
unable to check it, but alas-it must
not be---Harding saysNis mustn't.
Give the black people economic and
political equality but social equality
| never, ouoth the President Thunder
GUS applause followed, black people
flew into hysterical ecstacies. The
black people being enveloped in
pathetic pail of ignorance could not
appreciate the sinister and insidious
meaning Of what the President had
just said. Whatever social equality
means it is allowed to all other peo-
ple;-it should not be denied to us. If
the denial Of social equality means the
! denial of inter-marriage of whites
and blacks, it means that white men
can seduce our daughters and sisters
and we cannot compel the scoundrels
to marry them because these thieves
Of virtue are placed upon a higher So
clal plane than the wretched, helpless
women whom they have defiled and
ruined. If social equality means in
I termingling of races and indiscrimi-
nate association, and that as Mr..
Harding sayss>is impossible, we can
expect no equality in politics and
economics.
From various sources. petitions have
been sent to the President begging
that NJ. black people be appointed into
political positions which puts white
people under their control; and no
appointments have been made as vet
which prove recognition on the basis
OF voting strength. Political equality
IS thus denied because of the ines
! capable social connection. Imagine a
black man as governor of a state or
a member Of the Presidents cabinet.
This cannot be as long as America
stamps the sign of social leprosy upon
the backs of all black men. Po-
litical equality without social equality
IS joke and means nothing.
/ How can we expect to- receive eco
nomic equality and opportunity when
social equality is denied? Nobody
wants to work side by side with his
inferior The white man will not al
low his black brother to advance be-
cause Of his intrinsic value as long as
he is regarded as a social inferior
How can we expect to become officials
IN large concerns when the social in
tolerance of America and men like
| Harding prevent it?
i It is regretted that Mr.. Harding
/ pronounced such terrible sentence
upon US. It is more regretted that
! the poor, ignorant black people saw
but darkly through what it would
mean. Ignorance is indeed curse
but cowardice and weakness is the
/ great curse Of the black people. Some
have been heard to say that President