New Gentry

Long years ago, there were in the South two "mountains of conceit" with a "valley of humility" in between. The mountains were Virginia and South Carolina; the valley was North Carolina.

Now, North Carolina has risen into a mountain of industrial pride, where cotton is transformed into sheets and pillowcases, where tobacco is fed into billions of cigaret papers, where skyscrapers in Winston-Salem and Greensboro grow fast. Virginia retains much of its old aristocracy. Industry progresses along with female academies. South Carolina seems to have become the "valley." Charleston, which many times defied the nation, is now content with a less vigorous aristocracy. But the real change in South Carolina has come back of the tidewater where famed Ben Tillman led a revolt of the agrarians and the "poor whites" 30 years ago. They seized both the political and industrial reins of the state. These "new" South Carolinians are described as trying to be both boosters and oldtime Southern gentlemen. The result shows itself in blatherskite politicians like its Senator Cole Blease.* This new gentry is composed of many who believe that, if they join the Ku Klux Klan and goad the Negroes, they are thereby keeping alive the traditions of the Old South. They are quite different from the old Southern gentleman "who knew how to handle the Negro."

Last month in Aiken, S. C., a band of the new gentry lynched three Negroes, Demon and Clarence Lowman and their sister Bertha, with a refinement of tactics (TIME, Oct. 18). They hauled their prey out of jail one night, took them out of town, told them to run, shot them in the face and chest as they turned to look. In 200 parked cars the gentry stepped on their starters, satisfied.

Meanwhile, in the offices of the New York World, Executive Editor Herbert Bayard Swope read the despatches. It was a good news story, duly featured. Then a week later, he heard rumors that there was more to be found in Aiken than what came in the despatches. His dynamic brain developed action. He called for one of his ablest, muckraking reporters, Oliver H. P. Garrett, said: "Garrett, go to South Carolina. . . ." The World must still crusade. Reporter Garrett went; and for the last fortnight the World's columns have bristled with his stories.

It seems that the sheriff of Aiken, one Nollie Robinson, and the jailer had not fought the lynchers who had come for the three Negroes (as originally reported), but had, according to testimony of other prisoners, helped take the Negroes out of jail. The unearthing of this story was attributed to Walter White, Negro, of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The exuberant journalism of Editor Swope pushed the issue to the doorstep of Governor Thomas G. McLeod. The World reporter gave it wide publicity and helped bring about an investigation of Sheriff Robinson's alleged offense. A few of the South Carolina newspapers took up the cry of the World against the Sheriff, but the new gentry and their press flayed the World for sensational meddling. Said the Yorkville (S. C.) Enquirer:

"So The New York World, which believes that Negroes in the South are strung up every day or two, despatches one of its staff men, Oliver H. P. Garrett, who is evidently quite a 'nigger lover'. . . . It is plain anybody can see he is trying to make maudlin sentiment for the colored folks who were killed by irate citizens when the South Carolina Court failed to do its duty.

"The New York World has a number of Negro newspaper reporters on its staff; 'but. the managing editor of the World evidently decided he had best not send any of these to South Carolina to look into the Lowman mess. The presumption is that the reporter Oliver H. P. Garrett at least has a white skin."

None knows better than Editor Swope how to provoke. He is the greatest of news-crusaders.

* Who last week announced that he, a Democrat, would vote to seat slush-tainted Senator-elect William S. Vare, a Repubican.