The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-10-27
Comes Out For Political,
Economical and Educa-
tional Advantages
Based On a Pride of
Race But Never On An
Aspiration For Social
Equality

Birmingham, Ala, Oct. 27.-The
right of the American negro to broad
er political, economic and educational
advantages, based on a pride of race
but never on an aspiration for social
equality, was championed by Presi
dent Harding here today in a plainly
worded enunciation of his views on
the whole American race problem.
These are some of the principles on
which the President appealed to the
nation. to lay aside old prejudices
and old antagonisms and give support
TO a constructive policy of racial rela-
tionship:
POLITICALLY and economically there
need be no occasion for great and
permanent differentiation, provided on
both sides there be recognition of
the absolute divergence in things So
cial and racial"
II would say let the black man vote
when he is fit to vote; prohibit the
white man voting when he is unfit
to vote
81 wish that both the tradition of
a Solidly Democratic south and the
tradition of a solidly Republican black
race might be broken up.
81 would insist on equal educational
possibilities for both.
Men of both races might as well
stand uncompromisingly against ev-
cry suggestion of social equality. This
is not a question of social equality
but a question of recognizing funda-
mental, eternal, inescapable differ
ence"
Racial amalgamation there cannot
be. Partnership of the races in de-
velopng the highest aims of all hui
mainly there must be if humanity is
to achieve the ends which we have
sent for it."
THE black man should seek to be
and he should be encouraged to be
the best possible black man and not
the best possible imitation of the
white man"
The Presidents address which
brought him from Washington on his
first extended trip into the south
since his inauguration, was delivered
at semi-centennial celebration of
the founding of Birmingham. 1t was
devoted almost entirely to the race
question, although Mr.. Harding took
occasion to praise the south for its
industrial recovery and to renew his
faith in the world leadership of a re-
united nation. He said in part:
1.-The world war brought us to full
recognition that the race problem is
national rather than merely sectional.
There are no authentic statistics, but
it is common knowledge that the
world war was marked by great mi
grafton of colored people to the north
and west. They were attracted by
the demand for labor and the higher
wages offered. 1t has brought the
question of race closer to the north
and west and believe it has served
to modify somewhat the views of
those sections on this question. 1t
has made the south realize it's indus
trial dependence on the labor of the
black man and made the north real
ize the difficulties OF the community
in which the two greatly differing
races live side by side I should say
it has been responsible for a larger
charity on both sides, a beginning OF
better understanding, and in the light
OF that better understanding perhaps
we shall be able to consider this prob
lem together as problem of all sec
tions and of both races in whose So
luton the best intelligence of both
must be enlisted
I'VE would be wise to recognize it
as wider yet. Whoever will 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 on this ques-
tion by Dr.. j. d. LLuLggard, pre-
scented in recent Edinburg review,
must realize that our race problem
here in the United States is only a
phrase of race issue that the whole
world confronts. Surely we will gain
nothing by blinking at the facts; by
refusing to give thought to them.
That is not the American way of APP
preaching such issues. Mr.. Luggard.
in his recent essay, after surveying
the worlds problem of races, con-
cludes thus:
Herein, then, is the true concep-
ton of INTERROGATION of color-com-
plete uniformity in ideals, absolute
equality in the paths of conduct and
culture; equal opportunity for those
W nv oiliNe, equal dulHlTdIlOH LOT
those who achieve, in matters social
and racial separate path each pur-
suing his own inherited traditions,
preserving his own race purity and
race pride, equality in things spirit
ual; agreed divergence the physi-
cal and material.
Here, it has seemed to me, is sug-
gestion of the true way out. Polite
ally and economically there need be
differentiation, for limitations of the
individuals opportunity, provided tina
no occasion for great and permanent
individuals opportunity, provided
that on both sides there shall be rec
ignition of the absolute divergence
in things social and racial. When II
suggest the possibility of economic
equality between the races l mean it
in precisely the same way and to the
same extent that l would mean it if |
spoke of equality of opportunity. as
between members Of the same race.
In each case l would mean equality