Evening star., 1921-06-09
Editorial Digest
The Answer to Tulsa.

civilization" of the Tulsa race riot four
points stand out: First, a demand for
organized education. federal If neces-
sary. that will counteract race-hatred;
second. a call for more vigorous law
enforcement and better policing, and
stern prosecution of the guilty. The
sane editorial stand of the Tulsa
Tribune (democratic) has apparently
done much to temper what might have
been harsh criticism in the press. IL
this attempt Ito atone" had not been
visible in the words and deeds OF the
citizens of the "disgraced" city.
The Springfield Republican dnde-
pendenO calls attention to the fact
that the republican party in its ma
tional platform urged" Congress to
consider the most effective means to
end 'lynching." and this declaration, 1t
DeneVes, Is broad enough to include u
fresh survey" Of the situation: An
thence: courage and organization" great
enough to create IAN overwhelming
public sentiment" against lynching, the
Baltimore American Crepubltcan)
thinks. is the only thing that will stop
Journal independently is in sympathy,
and the Minneapolis Journal tndePend-
ent republican, also feels that the
fundamental education of Americans
away from mob mind and action" Is
the solution. To bring this about the
New York Call (socialist summons
the whole working-class movement of
the United States" to take the initia-
tive" while. the Baltimore Sun dnde-
pendent democretic) insists that the
remedy" must be backed up by fixed
and steady determination on the part
or the people to master the race prob
| nnder-
standing
To the New York Evening Post Gn-
dependent) the question is essentially
one of efficient government and admin
istration." and if the states and local
oficials cannot handle situations grow
ing from 'the accentuation OF racial
rivalries" then IAN irresistible demand
viii arise for national action" The
Tulsa Tribune (democratic) states the
facts badly when it says the results of
spicuous and hideous fact: That there
Is an element here in Tulsa that has
not been taught to respect the law"
The st. Joseph (Mo) News Press
lindependeRD attributes the trouble
mot SO much to racial intolerance ss
ness" and the Greenville Is. c. Pied
mont fndepsndent dsmeeratie) censid-
ers those ''chiefy responsible" the city
and county officers charged with en-
forcement of the law" Had the police
and sheriff not been negligent" de-
sive republican, there would have
been no gathering At the Jail. no fight,
no riot. no murders. no destruction OF
the town by fire. With this example
before them. the South Bend Und.)
Tribune independent republiean) sug-
eests that every chief of police and
every sheriff" nov ask himself how is
my force organized to prevent a SINH
! lar orgy Of murder and arson?"
Where 'an impudent negro, a hys-
terical girl and yellow journal re-
porter can cause the murder Of thirty
OF homes there must be. says the Nor
folk Firginian- Pilot (indepepdent demo-
cratic), something fundamentally wrong
with the police system and with the
public opinion which is back of that
system" Indeed. wherever mob vio-
lence readily gains headway," observes
the Boston Transcript Gndependent re-
publican). ''it is the fault of our police
SYSTEM and while ultimately perhap ps
we can eliminate the fundamental
News independently considers thst we
| certainly ought to be able to develop
pretty generally throughout the country
type of police service which will not
only prevent race riotins from becoming
serious in most cases. but will afford us
real protection as we'll against other
kinds OF lawlessness and disorder which
We seem subject to-
The Chicago Tribune Gndependent re.
publican) goes back Of the officials and
| the system itself and lays the whole
! trouble to corrupt politics" Taking
up this statement the Indianapolis News
| independently quotes, in connection with
II. the statement Of the Governor Of
Oklahoma. who has asserted that if
either the sheriff or the chief of police
had had "the nerve" the whole thing
would not have happened The News
therefore. concludes that with strong,
clean local governments there would be
Tni little probabiiity Of general riotins;"
echoes this sentiment in the statement
that the result proves Tulsa voters
guilty of very serious lapse in the
exercise of their power of intelligent
selection
There appears to be some hope in the
situation to the New York Globe Gnde-
psndenD in the fact that with hearten-
Ing swiftness Tulsa has turned to re-
psntance." This suggests to the Globe
sas ons .s%sdy syery e dc senr made
good and every individual guilty should
attitude Of Tulsa citizens the Pittsburgh
Chronicle e-Telegraph (republican) has
repetition Of the outbreak That the
city in some measure can set herself
Alright before the world" the Harrisburg
Telegraph (republican) believes, if she
sees to il that "the guilty are sought out
TO, the last man and punished To this
the wheeling Register (democratic)
agrees. and it must be done, the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer independent demo-
cratic) asserts, il the city is to pay the
debt "she owes to the people of the
United States
Many of the southern papers seem to
feel that the north has not sufficient un-
derstanding of the negro. and while he
| is sometimes inflicted with summary
punishment there. the Memphis News
Scimitar independently asserts that sit
is aways with sense of justice, how
ever crude 1t may be-" The Raleigh
News and Observer (democratc) sug-
gests that perhaps the blacks were In
cited by what the Mobile Register dem
ocratic) calls "bolshevist propaganda
that has been carried on among negroes
quite extensively for some time
For the rest most Of the southern pa
pers hold views similar to those ex-
pressed in the north. The Oklahoma
City Oklahoman (democratic) concludes:
ut is true that strictly speaking this is
a white mans country. but the law
guarantees protection to all, and all
should have it,"
Statecraft Among Women.
Instead Of sounding the death knell
to organizations for women alone. a.
MANY nYedicted. gaining political riRht a