Evening star., 1929-06-24

newspaper comment on "the De
Priest incident" the presence of the
wife Of the colored Representative from
Illinois at a White House tea, reflects
vigorous sectional disagreements. South
ern editors almost without exception
condemn what they regard as an ILL.,
considered arousing of the racial equal
ity issue. Elsewhere the tea Is gener-
ally regarded as an official affair and
no cause for the tempest it has stirred
up, although there Is no denying that
IL has been made o factor In the ma
tional political situation.
THAT Mrs. Hoover had q perfect right
to do this no one will deny" comedies
the Admission. Ala. Star. "She is mis-
tress of the White House and IN many
respects one of the most admirable
women who have attained to that high
station--a woman Of broad culture, a
fine mind. of domestic habits and Of
fine character in every respect. But
that very fact makes her defiance of the
deplorahle."' Speaking for the South,
the Star charges that there Is much
hypocrisy on this question of social
equality In the North that comes to the
surface every time IL Is put to the test"
and adds: Booker Washington, al
though himself entertained at the
White House. decried social equality
among the races. and the most reliable
thinkers among the Negroes accept
his philosophy. Hence it is that we feel
that Mrs. Hoover has done q real in
justice to a dependent people whom she
probably sincerely wants to help"
The Chattanooga Times says the af-
fair at which Booker T. Washington
was entertained by President Roosevelt
twas perhaps as much business as q
social affair. II not more so." That
paper continues: presidents hold many
. conference in the White House dining
room. But there was nothing in the
nature Of conference about the enter
tainment Of the wife Of Chicago's Con-
gresham. It was purely q social affair
one Of those occasions the success of
which depends so largely upon con-
geniality and mutual recognition as
social equals on the part Of the par
ticipants."
I'VE shall have to leave It," says the
Charleston Evening Post. ito the Helms
and the BleaseS to rave about the In
clusion Of colored Coneressman's wife
among the guests Of Mrs. Hoover at an
ofacial White House tea. That's the
worst Of It," The Lynchhurg Advance
Nnds evidence that ''the occupant OF the
White House is completely out Of SYM
pathy with Southern social views,
despite the Tact ynat ne was the bene-
dciary Of o political upheaval In the
South" The Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch
sees an end Of ''the farcicai attempt to
convince the people Of Virginia and
other states that the national Republi-
can party Is lily white" The Char
lotte News thinks that introduction of
the racial issue so suddenly and so un-
expectedly by the Hoover family proves
nothing quite so much as that our
most popular idols have feet that are
made Of clay"
Assuming that President and Mrs.
Hoover could not have been unmindful
of the disapnroval they would provoke
among Southerners." the Asheville
Times Offers the opinion: There VIII
be plenty OF discussion, but no social
revolution in the United States viii
follow. Social lines are not very iex-
ible. even among those of the same
race The Birmingham News remarks:
s.Just W1lA4 t11A. epElEency q THAT snducea.
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