Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1928-04-28
SENATOR GLASS SPEAKS
PLAINLY

Mr.. Sidney Sutherland contributes
an article to Liberty of New York
in which he says:
Dixie has effectively nullified the
Fourteenth Amendment, Liberty dis
closed last week. Senator Walter
F. George, of Georgia, frankly ad-
mitted that, in so far as Negroes
are concerned, the South observes
the letter but violates the spirit OF
the Constitution. He saw no
analogy in the case of the Eigh-
teenth Amendment.
Senator Carter Glass, in this con-
GLIDING installment, reveals the
South's attitude on the Fifteenth
Amendment-and pays, his respects
to those arguing that the prohibi-
ton amendment should be similarly
treated.
This reminded US of the quaint
saying, ''None so blind as those that
will not see." The bootleggers OF
the North and South are multiplying
the Eighteenth Amendment and the
politicians of the South have NULL
fled the Fourteen and Fifteenth
Amendments. But what surprised
us were the statements accredited
to the brilliant Senator from Vir-
ginia, the H. Carter Glass, a
statesman of supposedly high ideals
and a devotee Of great principles.
In this language accredited to him,
he topples from he citadel of great
principles into the cess-pool of the
ordinary politician vainly eudeayor-
ing to bring consistency out of in
consistency and righteousness out of
wtong-doing, vainly pleading that
necessity demanded it. Mr.. Suther-
land says:
Dixie, accordir~ to Senator Car
ter Glass, doesn't want colored per-
sons within her borders to exercise
the right of suffrage Furthermore,
the Virginia statesman bluntly an
nounces- Dixie IS no intention of
permitting the >egro to vote. She
has her reasons.
Senator Ola. IS not agree with
Tom Brown, he gave out his
New Maxim, "T ua. is sauce for the
goose is sauce or the gander."
Having noted Jae attitude of this
statesman for nedeiy half century,
we were 10th 20 believe that he
would take an oath to pernit col
ored persons to v.te and then blunt
ly declare that he and his State
do not propose that they shall do
so.
We. take it ~ he was sick and
fretfuf and that the interviewer
caught him off his guard and that
he submitted !. interview when
he was in his worst humer. Here
is whab Mr.. S: rland says:
And it was to learn these rea-
sons that I asked for an interview
with this DISTINGUISHED representa-
tive. of Southera bought, to read
to him for his comment certain
United States supreme Court de-
cisions whicl pholding lower
courts in Dixie, We effectually ex-
tinguished through the six and a
half decades since Appomattox the
hopes of Negroes to vote in the
Southern States.
'I have here, Senator" / began,
certain verdicts handed down by
our court Of last resort in cases
affecting colored suffrage in your
part of the country"
what difference will it make
what l say about them?" the white
haired. ruddy-faced Virginian re-
torted. He was lying in bed in his
Washington hotel, suffering from an
infected foot.
"Well, certain Of your friends in
the North insist they have right
60 disregard the Eighteenth Amend
ment, since your section, of, the
country has disregarded the Foar-
teenth and Fifteenth Amendments
for nearly serenity years.
81 know what they're insisting
on up North" the fiery Southerner
snapped. "And I've never. heard
supposedly adult human beings ut
ter such monumental nonsense in
all my life! THERE'S no more re-
lation between wtat we DO down
South. with those wartime amend
ments, and what the liquor-loving
crowd would DC with the Eighteenth
Amendment, 'laH here is between
the Copernican theory and the tax
on putty in Peru But-go ahead
with your decisions"
Mr.. Sutherland continued:
Whereupon needed with the
following harvest Vi my researches
among SupreIne court opinions as
affecting the fran Use rights and
privileges of he ored citizen in
the Southern 8 Senator Glass,
propping his aea N his arms and
a rumplei pillow sponded with q
snort of acG1ia" when l told
him about what be a startling
discovery to nary reader.
The odds housand to one
that you, the would lay pre-
ciseiy those IT the Fifteenth