The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-11-03
PRESS ON BIRMINGHAM SPEECH


ances with a good deal of interes as
we have some decided views on the
good taste of the President in select
ing his theme under all of the cir
cumstances.
Here are a few comments "a sort
of digest from various newspapers
in this section Of the subject and all
of them are Interesting. Tha, first is
from the Mobile Register:
The address of. the President in Bir-
mingham on the race question has
aroused widely divergent expression
of opinion throughout the South.
Some unqualifedly condemn the de-
cision to touch on the question at all,
regardless of what the President ac-
tually had to say. Some have taken
issue with the views expressed, while
others have accepted the same views
as coinciding III the main with those
of the South This difference of opfn-
ion among Southern editors is princi-
pally due to a difference in the inter
probation placed upon the Presidents
phraseology. The speech, because Of
it's subject matter, has been subjected
to more than usually searching
scrutiny, with the result that editors,
like lawyers, disagree.
The view of the first group is fair
1y represented by the Selma Times
Journal in the following sentences:
president Harding in his impolitic
Birmingham speech has stirred up a
hornets nest and done violence to
the scuth's cherished tradition Of
white supremacy by proclaiming po-
litical equality as the goal Of the new
dispensation. Why the President
should have displayed such obliquity
of judgment as to introduce such a
subject on such an occasion is one of
those things that may be classed as
past finding out. The proprieties Of
the occasion ought to have dissanded
him from brandishing such deaths
head at the feast. Some Soptherner
should have told him that political
equality does not obtain here because
the white man feels that he is stand
ing for the integrity OF the social or
der and the inviolability of the insti-
buttons of the civilization which he
has labored so long to build, and that
II will not obtain until that fundamen-
tai fear is removed from the heart and
the conscience of those who founded
and have preserved that civilization"
In much the same strain the Nash
Vile Banner remarks that the Presi-
dent accepted " courtesy from Bir-
mingham and then made the subject
OF his address sort OF scolding on
that perennial source of annoyance,
the race question. This was in de-
gree inept and assuredly net in good
taste. The Banner the reason for dis
approval Of discussion Of the sub
iect as follows 1T initiates the South
to be lectured on its alleged Threat
ment of the Negroes. A dread of some
attempted return to reconstruction
conditions Is produced when the mat
tor is agltated and the race line be
comes more taut with no possible
20 d to the Negroes" The Banner
does not note the passage where the
President admits the superior know.
ledge and experience of the Southern
people with this question and where
he asks the cooperation of the South
In helping TO solve what he believes IS
no longer a national problem because
of the great migrations of the Negroes
to the North and West, The Banner
also says that 'if thS President had
been invited to Los Angeles or Seat
tie to make an address on similar oc-
evasion he would not have lectured
the Pacific Coast people on their
growing antipathy TO Orlentals.' How
ever, there are some who believe that
In the race problem as the President
views It he includes also the problem
of the orientals who are already resi-
dents and citizens. The fact that he,
discussed the race problem in Biz
mlngham Is reason TO believe that on
tho Pacific Coast he would have dis
cussed the Oriental problem.
The Memphis Commercial.Appeal
expresses the opinion Of a wide group
81 southern opinion when Il declares
that there Is no race problem In the
south Nobody is talking about social
equality of the races. A sensible Ne
rro does not want,so0ial equality with
the white men and sane white men
know that such thing IS impossible.
The best thought in the South wants
the Negro 20 be protected In life, lib
orty and property. lie must have his
right 10 4 JOS , He sho0ld be permit
ted to keep what ne honestly earns
Enasmuch IA this Is the condition Tor
which che President speaks, II ! graf
1 fRsafssss able En as