The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-06-18


basis for such, so, neither can one
understand any lesser social pheno-
mena without understanding the
economic basis in which its causes
find root, and out of which it springs.
The Tulsa race riot of two weeks
ago is a case in point. The riot did
not "just happen. There were very
clear and definite causes for that
outburst of savagery; causes which
in the main now reveal themselves as
economic in character. Not difference
of color, nor creed nor race can ac-
count for it.
To attempt to separate the Negro
race from the economic development
of the United States in the early
period of its settlement would be a
witless procedure. The entire "civili-
zation" of the far greater portion OF
this country was at that time based
and grounded upon the slavery of the
Negro. To understand the early pc
riod of this country's development one
must not fail to reckon with the foun-
dation upon which its economic, civil
and moral superstructure was built
chattel slavery.
Ten million inhabitants of coun-
try even of the extent of the United
States, bound together by ties of race,
historical development and similarity
of economic and social status, cannot
be readily divorced from any calcula-
tion of social forces Of that country.
And it would be entirely erroneous to
attempt such on the basis of the
larger freedom granted the Negro
since the Civil War. His changed re-
lation to his masters and to the white
society is an almost fictitious one, es-
pecially in the South where his great
est numbers still live and labor. The
Negro race is linked up with unbreak-
able bonds (economicy with the white
civilization. The labor of these mil
lions is still peremptorily necessary in
the realms of King Cotton and even
in various basic industries of the
North.
White capitalist society is as clear
ly in conspiracy against the Negro
here as is any pogrom ridden Eastern
nation against the Jews. Here the
lynching bee and the race riot, there
the pogrom. The causes are the same
as are too the results. The American
Negro, and we must not forget that
he is a truly American as are any of
the whites, more so than many OF
them, who attempts to raise himself
and family into a higher plane of life
and social position is always damned
and often doomed, by the white So
ciety which dominates the country
The Negro who is content to remain
a "nigger"-and a vassal Of the
whites is held in the veriest contempt
but let him simulate the human as,
pirations of the white race for the
larger life and then to this contempt
of the whites is added a blood thirsty
desire for vengeance which, at an!
moment may break upon his head.
Upon such shifty foundation rest
ed the lives and liberties of thousand
of Negro men, women and children
at Tulsa when the White Vengeanc
swept their homes and many Of then
as well, out Of existence in a whirl
wind Of fury.
The main purpose and object of al
white aggressions upon the Negr
are to KEEP HIM DOWN, dow
under the feet of the white rulers, tn
whites laws, the white politicians, tn
white masters. Any thing which wi
reduce the Negro to this place an
keep him there as dirt beneath tn
feet of his masters-is good in tn
eyes of white civilization. As long 9
the Negro will consent to stay dow
the bloodthirstines of the whites ma
be appeased by only an occasions
sacrificial offering Of black man
woman.
The magnet Of industrial develo
ment drew many thousands Of Me-
roes into the Northern and Westel
parts Of the country during the wa
Postwar conditions favored the r
tention Of them north Of the Mas,
and Dixon line. The opening Of ,
fields and the high prices for colt
were active agencies in attractil
large numbers Of them to the Sout
west. High wages, high cotton pric,
luck in the oil gamble made many
them comparatively we'll to do. n
groes established themselves in bu
ness competing with white firm
Negro newspapers were establish,
negro organizations grew. They $
tied down in that section as an
tablished portion Of the inhabitan
Business interests establish
current thot upon any public matt
whether II is the floating Of a to-
d;aros,n4ed % per cent Iibertv In