Putnam patriot., 1922-06-23
"BIR RTHRIcHT'

DIN ftFAAsFl
 A college professor once asked the members of his class which they should prefer to be- pig satisfied, or Socrates diseautented Since college students are more often than not idealists. t is to be assumed that they indicated desire 10 emulate the great philosopher
 When Sinclair Lewis wrote Main Street he asked this same question. but his answer WAS different He found nothing but mediocrity on the nation al thorouehfare. And Hhat is more. be found no inclination to rise above the prevalent meiI5erity Stribiing. iu the newly published novel. Birth right, has discovered that Main Street also runs into tBe regions south of the Mason Dixon line | runs through every southern village. and even into the black sections of these villages.
 Peter sineF had graduated from Harvard. and he Was negro. With memories 0f his basE09d fresh in mind with visions before him of the squalor. the indifference the careless ness and inlaieate af The black men nd women RIfh whom He grew up. he -et a bIs life work their education. Tt was a very simple laea. Siner was returning to his native village in Ten nes.ee to teach ehaaf IT. planned to begin Hls work with the ordinary plb- Hc school at Hooker Bend. but af Che back of hs head. he hoped cven- tuaIy ta develop an institution after the plan of Iazkeeee or the Hauyton Institute of Virginia
 His struggles constitute the story of Che book Distra te8 by his o&n folk because he has been north and graduated from college, and treated hs the white population q merely "a HIeh toned nIaeef, he fights ou. The negro problem n ahe south, he dis- covers. iz Hat 70 much s negro prohiem as it Is.a white problem The attitude
 f the white man toward the black man tbat If master toward a beat Rockers Bend cons.ierei black men az zImHia animals. Peter had supposed faat fHe more tholEbt- ful men st least admitted the Afro American ta the common brotherhood of humanity. Bat tHeE dIi not fhis explained to hiu ths =trasedies of his race. their satf rEaRz at the hand of mob violence. fine easaalness, even the . levity vith which black men were murdered. the chrome dishonesty wiu which negroes were treated. Che con stant enactment of adverse legisla. ton against them; the cynical use oi negro women. They were all vcrmin animals they were one with the sheer and the swine iittle nearer the HI man tn form. perhaps. and. oddly } enough. one that could be bred to q human being. as testified multitui, of brown and yellow cream colored folk. but all marching away ? their forms hidden from human inter course under a shroud of black, an endless procession marching awaE God knew whither And yet theg were the Soutb's own flesh and blood
 To Peter the cure seemed simple
 Thc white south must humaniz, th. black. mol for the sake of the ne.ra but for thc sake of itself
 Bu, somehow Che south ti want ta da chs. HaH the neero
 Huts done Mam street NaH
 tryet black or white Tho problem
 s un-oieei amt Peter dee,rf- outaIWi and comes 10 Cmcaee Nt fc rsl be s ta marry Ills ,Hna eaec lad merely t#asAt hm
 p0iHlr- a some queer Way tac ult . als of che black folk are not the Ha. .ls of the white folk. perhaps ihs lAN- chat bound one=raee 3He u0t tas lass that bound another Morals sa tte training rules that keep a HraH'e Ht lt might very well be that oae moral regime E applicable t' els racr. and quite saefhsl to another ? And So Peter gave np his task, and re. . ahzcd that n spite of four years a. Harvard q negro comes out just as hc goes u a negro.
 Whether or not there. tx agreement with Che point of view and conclusions taken by the author in the telling of hts story he does. 10 mol altogether polished style. relate his tale dramat- cally The story Is an interesting story us interesting a- q Is tragic Peter is an interesting character. and his struggles with himself, and about .hc black girl whom he loves. arc pro found li Is book Well worth r,a3 lnv
 f-pcclally is f recommended ta those who beeaa- If m trtcusc a- terest in ,he hiaek fole of Africa. or the yellow ef GAttf.t. ~euctHmts forget that char ty heslH~ at home. and tha. thcr' Is T missionary problem w our own lana