Evening star., 1928-04-17
ID. A. II. Blacklist" Incident
Causes Lively Press Debate

On the eve OF the assembling in
washinton OF the Thirty-seventh Con-
tinental Congress OF the Daughters OF
the American Revolution. the MaSsa-
chusetss Daughters started an argument
in the press by its ''blacklisting" OF
numerous prominent persons as dis
qualified TO speak before patriotic or
ganizations. The propTiety of the
blacklist" has been seriously discussed.
although q humorous touch 10 the
whole affair was given by a reply from
William Alien White, one OF those
placed nuder the ban.
In support of the ID. A. II. action.
the Chattanooga Times says: AT any
rate. the u. A. r. has Il perfect right aS
an Incorporated organization To say
whom II viii listen 10. ana whose
doctrines and whose specialized the
oFies II will encourage. accept or reject.
The association viii be better for the
country in making mistake In some
OF its selections for the blacklist than
IL would be In encouraging and foster-
ing the extreme paciflst"
On the other hand. the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle declares There In TN doubt
that organizations with patriotic ideas
stultify themselves when they become
tools for the stupid partrtuteers who
stamp every peace movement as sedi~
tiouS and every broad-minded pnbllclst
as q Red. They have much To contribute
TO the cause OF true Americanism and
hurt that cause by an alliance with
extremists"
On the subject OF william Allen
White. the New York Times takes the
position Whatever the reason. II must
be rare bird whose name isn't
scratched from the bin of fare OF some
Of these sodaiitieg OF registered pure
patriots. When our too. too solid
friend. william Allen White. figures as a
Socialist on catalogue OF unsafe and
hooking critters. his hearty gutfaw
starts a nation fit OF laughter and
EXHIBITS the regiments of regulators and
shooeTs-out as the essential Joke they
are. To parody the reprover of
Lord Melbourne. let us consider every
thing and everybody banned and pro-
ce@d To bualness notably the minding
our own business"
With kindly outlook upon The whole
matter, the Philadelphia Evening Hulie-
tin asks After all, why should any
one on the outside feel any sense OF
grievance over the episode?" That pa
per adds: IF the Massachusetts Daugh~
ters find their ears atfronIed by what 10
them seem 20 be heterndox social or
political opinions. they cannot be ex-
peeted to listen 10 them, So everybody
being satisfied. with the possible ekcep~
ton of the tea gladiatofs.' whoever they
may be. the incident may be- regarded
as happily closed. unless enough Daugh~
ters should aak the ladies who prepared
the blasklist, Who gave you the right To
say 10 whom We should liateDf
IAN uneven contest" iA the verdict nf
the Kansas City Journal. which explains
that "the blaekllhted do not care whether
they ara privileged 10 address the ID, A,
r. or not. there being sn many mare
people that they can address" The
journal feels that most of them VIII
take advantage Of the gesture t0 say
things at the expense uf the oraaniaas =
ton" and that william Allen White.
for example, who II harmless aa COOS
Ing dove, win get more fun out 0f this
attempted prescription than out of any
thing that has happened Ia him since
he was chosen 10 eavnrt around as Bull
Ma0se national committeeman Of Kan
saA
Two points are emphasized by the
Duluth Herald 'IFifst, Il isn't some
thing to get angry about. but 10 laugh
at. President William II r Faunee Of
Brown University says enough about II
when he says that public laughter will
snan take care of It. Second, the pro-
test against this crawning ahaurdity
which made II public where It could be-
laughed al Game frnm within the ranks
| 0f the Daughters III the American Neso~
lutlon"
IN II mol a sin 10 disagree with an
| lnLeilnetliaI. ~ even Ia regard him ha
! unacceptable" affifna iha Ann Arhnr
| Daily Elews, whila the Des M0lneh 1'ri.
bllnerGapitai emphasizes the Kianifis
cAnca Of tia point that htha fact that