Evening star., 1932-04-06

Expulsion from Kentucky mining re-
gions of party of students from other
parts of the country arouses conflicting
opinions. The college tourists intended
to study the conditions among striking
miners, but the county officials pro-
fessed to believe that the visit would be
cause of unwelcome disturbance.
Supporters of the mission of the stu
dents declare that they had a consti-
tutional right, while other believe Ken
lucky was justified in checking them.
as they would be unable to throw any
light on existing conditions.
"If some element Of sympathy or as
sistance could be read into the VISIT of
the Students according to the Fort
Worth STAR Telegram, there might be a
different answer. But they did not
make the journey to contribute aid;
they went to study the types. Similar
interest is aroused when new species
makes its appearance in zoo some
where" The Star-Telegram advises:
THE visitors appear to need nothing so
urgently as an illustrated lecture on
good taste. 1t is very old maxim,
Don't stare and under no circumstances
ever point" That paper emphasizes
the feeling that there can be. nothing
in common between group of univer-
sity students and those mountaineer
families" The st. Louis Times says of
the conditions in the mine fields as re-
lated to the college group that "it is
the affair of the people of that State
and not that of lot of students on
adventure bent" The Times adds:
"Our only admiration for these troopers
attaches to their courage"
X \
"Those who come in friendly spirit"
thinks the Cincinnati Enquirer, "are
welcomed in unforgettable fashion.
There are too many people who know
the warmth of a Kentucky greeting for
any of the invaders to mislead a public
which has been there on its own ac-
count" Describing the affair as "a
college stunt" the Springfield CMasS)
Union holds that "the attitude Of the
public toward the unacademie doings
of effervescent college youth has been
tolerant and amused" The Union
voices the conviction that 1.-The only
thing they have succeeded in doing has
been to arouse determination on the
part of Kentucky officialdom and the
Kentucky citizenry to put stop to such
uncalled for and unnecessary intrusions
in the guise of sociological research
The Union emphasizes the Kentucky
"plan," which provides for an escort,
and "robs the collegiate Adventures of
even small glory and holds them up to
ridicule''
Conceding that there is no disputing
the fact that nasty situation exists
in the Kentucky coal districts" or that
riot, lawlessness, the iron fist and
many other unsavory manifestations Of
mans inhumanity to man exist" the
Columbus Ohio State Journal COM
ments: How can these things be allie
waited by groups of unofficial, prying
individuals who have nothing more than
curiosity to recommend them as guests?
To be sure, this curiosity is disguised
as interest in social welfare, but the
fact is that such visitationS only serve
to stir up more trouble. The people In
Kentucky are masters OF their own
government within wide, very wide,
limits. 1t is up to them to clear up
their own troubles. Interference only
strengthens the antagonism which ex-
lists, and unless the State or Federal
governments see At to set things Alright
in the political subdivision affected who
has any right to say anything"
y
Believing that something Is radically
wrong in this mine region" the Omaha
World Herald contends that "the Nation
is entitled to the truth--the people who
live there are entitled to the truth. The
miners are entitled to it, and the mine
operators are entitled to 1t" The
World Herald also states as to the con-
ditions: "If men and women and chill
dren are slowly starving to death: II
working conditions amount to prac- |
ticai peonage, and II there Is actual /
tyranny In the enforcement Of the law,