The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-03-19
rur RfcrNT HAND-sHAKING EPISODE

N u.1,ncb the Students of the Park county high school, in
ID mam as well +, he representatives of that town, have been
commena.d IN Bozeman for the splendid letter of civic
e. aaon they sent asst week to Prof. j. A. Woodland, principal
y GELATIN county high school, signed by Carl Inskeep. rep
+mg the Par unity basketball team; A. B. Riley, represent
- Alumni; Dan Allen, representing the citizens of Livings-
IL md Dick Ettlnger, representing the student body, and which
d ~ Is recognize as a proper step in the direction of cementing
E. friendship and good feeling between the two towns that is
e - Of more general emulation, discussion of the black-versus-
H. b~adshaking episode that took place during the recent state
wb school basketball tournament in this city will not down"
f. b. Bmouos ghost, The subject has a way of bobbing up serenely,
q9E abprwse, and on the slightest provocation, in street discus
-s or home conversations.
That public opinion on the matter is sharply divided can be
hill acertaned by anyone who will take the trouble to breach
k srbiect in public. Those who favor racial and social equality
Participants in high school sports bitterly criticize Carl Inskeep,
ke Livingston team, for refusing to shake hands with the col
Ind member of the Lewistown team during the progress of the
Mhme between the two Quints in the college gym.
Those who favor the principle of white supremacy, and who
h. f course, u%nalterably opposed to the assimilation, or even the
oMa mtemnglng, of the white with the black and yellow races
rs kf United States-no matter what is done in foreign countries
hFu tend that as the one sole and only object of the tournament
S h h playing of a series of basketball games to determine SUI
&y in skill, science and agility in that branch of high school
a NJ the feat Of handshaking was not at all the issue; and that
n" eA p was well within his rights of personal privilege in refus-
w . acknowledge racial equality by an act that had nothing
haever to do with the actual playing of the game.
Frankly and firmly, taking the stand of the white citizens
IA american birth, who advocate the principle of White Supreme
PIE Courier has no hesitancy in vOicing the opinion that when
IEhre man publicly shakes hands with a member of either the
-MI OF yellow race, he both recognizes and acknowledges racial
20 FccaI equality, whether the occasion happens to be a hand
Ns@ng contest or a basketball contest. Even had the occasion
purely a high school handshaking contest, instituted for the
nI pr e Oh determining which of the participants were the better
graceful or more enduring handshaker, Inskeep would still
= = On well within his personal rights, as an American citizen
- 10 participate in the game, or even enroll on the team.
4 ne sole and only object of the tourney was to determine
Du supremacy between the various teams, then no one cal
Wt mSkeep put up a fine, manly and s~portsmanlike gam
/" ue opposing team, on which there happened to be on
| toward whom he exercised his personal privilege of no
y acknowledging as his social or racial equal. However
WHO are IN *For Of the preliminary handshaking custom i
mn Oh MI an activity, should not vince at being Gale
-" FAVOR It's practice in all others. For instance, every tim
~ Id SHINES Your shoes, or shovels the snow from you
u ueH'eIS load Of coal, or mixes you a lemon pop, or sell
0Uog why should not the rules of the game demand tn
P"SmanShu of a good, old-fashioned handshake? Their
e " objection, for it is pretty nearly a safe bet that ever
mail IN Oafatn cOunty-and there are quite a numbe
V oil respect as honorable, law-abiding citizens-is as goo
hM, - d human being, in his own place and sphere, as tn
~NeY shooter from Fergus county.
why no5 extend the inter-racial handshaking pleasantr