Evening star., 1923-12-25
Quota of Southern Delegates
Brings Criticism of Committee

| The action of the republican national
committee in refusing TO reduce the ap-
portionraent Of delegates to the ma
! tional convention from the southern
states. coupled with the attack on the
committee by Senator Hiram johnson,
alleging that the Coolidge forces plan
! ned to nominate the President through
the use of negro members Of the con-
vention continues to be subject of
| sharp controversy. Editorial opinion is
very mixed, with western and southern
and quite few eastern papers unit
| ing in their condemnation Of the new
apportionment.
"It is not wen for the republican party
| that those in charge have seen fit to
return to a system that bred scandal"
argues the Boston Globe independent
republican,. ITO carry the country the
republican party must do we'll in the
west as it learned TO it's cost in 1915.
| Just now the national committee seems
! to be doing its best 10 ALLEVIATE the
| west" The action may be victory
for the negroes Of the north" the Mil
/ 1T certainly is victory for party en-
gineers. For southern delegates in
republican convention are a perquisite
OF the administration. They are always
give up perouisitss. This is also nstu the 1e
view of the Syracuse Herald dndepend.
/ ent), which feels ''it is certain that
! President Coolidge will not suffer from
the political effects Of the hheraiized
| convention rule
| $50
The pressure from the south was too
strong. the Columbus State Journal
| Independently, feels, "and the COM
mittee did not have the courage to
refuse what was demanded. The re-
! publican national convention in 1920
] took steps to correct the situation and
1t would have impressed the country
more favorably if the national COM
mittee had had the courage to resist
the pressure. and held the ground ap-
tparently gained" The action was not
because the White House was afraid
of the negroes IN the cotton states"
the Brooklyn Eagle Undependent
democratic). asserts. These negroes
were negligible politically. But with
of their relatives, neighbors, friends,
/ have moved north and are very large
| ly voters in republican primaries. Also
| their votes on election day are cast
| and counted. To offend them needless
1 ly would be to risk both primary and
states" This is In part the op.ni ton
| o. the Springfield Republican dnde-
/ pendent). although "representato on
| that fails TO accord closely with party
| strength in the carrying of national
J elections gives undue influence to the
hopelessly minority states which help
to nominate. but never help to elect
presidents under our electoral sys-
/ tom" The New York Post Gnde-
pendentl. wonders why northern ne
rroes should care to bolster up the
Representation IN a national oonven-
/ tion of states In which negroes hard
\ iy dare vote" because, "it Is just this
| lack of power at the polls which
makes the southern negro eager for
political recognition in some quar-
ter. His only opportunity is repub-
| ifcan convention. This Is not Ideal
| democracy but 1t Is the kind We shall
! have unln we cease to think or our
selves as in any smaller category
than that of Americans, without re-
gard to race. religion or economic
| status
| "Under the rule adopted the nom
.nation will bear a taint which may
+, bring defeat at the election insists
the Chicago Tribune progressive
II