The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-17
NEGROES LOOK
TO COMMUNISM
FOR EQUALITY
Communists Offer Only
Race Problem Solution
Especial to The Daily workerl

The Negroes of Cleveland,
along with those of other parts
of the country, are rapidly
awakening to the fact that their
support of the republican party
is the worst political policy the
Negro race can pursue.
The colored voters are COM
ing to realize that the benefits
of their republicanism are en-
tirely one-sided.
The gratitude felt by the Negroes
20 the republican party for their re-
lease from chattel slavery is not paid
back by any feeling of gratitude on
the part Of the republican politicians
who get the support of the colored
voters. The republican politicians
merely utilize the Negro vote for the
benefit of themselves and their CAPT
falistic hackers and masters. OF
course a few republican party tools
among the Negroes are fed at the po-
litioal pie-counter for their work in
keeping their brothers lined up in the
grand old party, but these Negroes
are among the worst enemies of their
race.
Republican "Gerrymanderlng."
One of the political tricks to exploit
3he Negro vote is to 'gerrymander"
the election districts For the benefit
of the new voters, we will state that
to "gerrymander" is to fix the boun-
diaries of the election districts in
such a manner as to include enuf
territory In which the ruling party is
strong, to overcome other territory in
which 1t Is weak or doubtful. Gerry
wandering" results in election dis
tricts Of the most fantastic and un-
reasonable shapes. One of the best
Cor worst) examples to be found any
where is the 22nd congressional dis
trict in Ohio, including Cuyahoga
county outside Of Cleveland; Lake and
Geauga counties, and part of the east
side OF Cleveland.
The western boundary of this 22nd
district was fixed by the republican
controlled Ohio legislature, so as to
take in most of the colored population
Of Cleveland. The western boundary
is Lakeview Ave. from the lake to
Wade Park Ave, and e. 140th st.
from Woodland Ave, South, but in
stead Of the line going straight across
between these corners, it is carried
West along Wade Park, and other
streets clear to E. S0th St., then East
along Scoville, Quincy and Woodland
to E. 14Oth. The boundary of this
strip is so irregular that it turns 20
street corners in proceeding from
Lakeview and Wade Park to Wood
land and E. 10th Such a crazy
quilt method of districting is solely
for the purpose of insuring republi-
can control Of the Negro votes, which
are considered by the republican
politicians to be permanently in
their vest pocket.
After Election Forget Promise.
In return for keeping Theodore Bur.
ton in congress from the 22nd dis
trict many years, what have the Ne
gro voters secured? Has Burton
fought for anti-lynching laws, or other
laws to prevent discrimination against
the colored people? Have the Negroes
escaped widespread unemployment or
have they been able to get wage in
creases by the efforts of Old Man Bur
ton? OF course not; in voting for
Burton they do not advance their in
terests as Negroes and as workers,
but merely express their habits and
traditions. But to the credit of the
Negro workers, they are fast coming
to the realization that the only road
to salvation lies along the road of
self-dependence and not upon pretend.
ed friends" among the politicians and
capitalists whose real aim is to ex.
plot them.
Rally to Communism.
The Workers Party and the DAILY
WORKER have found among the
Cleveland Negroes a lively interest
in Communism as the solution for the
race problem. The stand of the
Workers Party as expressed in its
program, gets to the very root Of
what is class problem more deeply
than race problem. The program
states:
THE NEGRO WORKER
L The Negro workers of this country
kare exploited and oppressed more
lruthlessly than any other group. The
history Of the Southern Negro is the
history Of brutal terrorism, of perse.
cution and murder.
During the war tens Of thousands
OF Southern Negroes we're brot to the
industrial centers of the North to
supply the needs OF the employers for
cheap labor. In the Northern indus.
trial cities the Negro has found the
same bitter discrimination as in the
South. The attack upon the Negroes
Of East 81 Toufs Illinofa the riot in