The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-28
HARDINC'SSPEECH
ON RACE EQUALITY
ROILSDEMOCRATS
Southern Senators Call
1t unfortunate" " ell
Timed" "A Blow"

President Harding's plea in the
heart of the South for political
equality to the negro aroused
Southern Democrats of the Senate,
who denounced II yesterday in in
terviews. No reference to the
Presidents Birmingham speech was
made in the Senate debates, how
ever.
Criticism of the Presidents ad-
dress cana chiefly from Senators
Watson of Georgia. Harrison of
Mississippi. Hefiin of Alabama and
McKellar of Tennessee. who pro-
nounced It '.ill-conceived." '"unfor-
tunate" and "a blow to white civil
ization." Republican leaders gen.
erally praised the Presidents posi-
tion, although few wished to be
quoted on the subject, among them
Senator's Calder. of New York, and
Spencer. of Missouri.
"a Great Pity.v Says watson.
'If the published reports of the
Presidents speech 1t Birmingham
are correct" said Senator Watson,
II very much regret that he made
IL. 1t is an unfortunate thing
when the President of the United
States accepts an invitation to
speak in such Southern States as
Georgia and Alabama and then
finds 1t necessary to lecture their
people about the treatment of the
negro. AS the President is a ma
i've of Ohio he cannot possibly
understand our situation in the
South, where the population is al
mosr equally white and black. 1t
is therefore great pity that 4
Northern man holding the highest
Office on earth should go down in
the South and plant there fatal
germs in the minds of the black
race.
Does the governor OF Alabama.
who indorsed the Presidents la
mentable speech. think that Ala
bana should have a negro governor
instead of a white man like him.
self? Would he like to see the
Supreme Court OF Alabama filled
with negro judges? Would he like
to see negro bosses placed over
white boys and white girls? Would
President Harding be glad II his
successor in the White House were
to be black man? Would the
President like to see his Cabinet
filled with negroes?
I'VE are not going to permit so
cial or political equality of the kind
the President advocates. because
we know it would mean the de-
struction of the civilization which
our ancestors handed down to u.s."
"a Blow" Says Harrison.
Senator Harrison. of Mississippi.
characterized the Presidents pro-
posal OF racial political equality as
unfortunate, and added:
Il believe in giving the negro
every right under the law to which
Nc is entitled. but to encourage the
hegrO who. in some States, as in
my own. exceeds the white popula-
tion. to strive through every ppliti-.
cal avenue to be placed upon an
equality with the whites is a blow
to the white. civilization of this
country that will take years to
combat"
-Not Called For, Says Mcclellan.
1T is unfortunate" said Senator
McKellar, of Tennessee, that the
President should have seen fit to
discuss in the very heart of the
black belt the race question on his
first trip South after his election
10 the Presidency. There was no
demand for discussion of the
racial question at this time. The
address will necessarily start a
racial controversy at time in our
history when we ought to give all
our time and attention to a dis
cussion and disposition of the eco
nomic questions of vital concern to
all our people. President Harding
cannot make the negro equal to the
white man either economically or
politically. If he has mapped out
this task for himself he will be dis
appointed. however much he may
desire to do so. No man can do
the impossible God Almighty has
heretofore organized and directed
this work. and doubt IL He will
allow any man to interfere and take
charge of 1t at this late day.
The speech, in my judgment. was
ill-conceived. ill-timed, ill-placed,
and can serve no useful purposes.
Many win contend that 1t violates
the amenities. Its only effect will
be to arouse racial discussions and
racial prejudices that had better
been left dormant"
Lincoln" said Senator Helm, OF