The monitor., 1928-11-02
Survey Reveals DETECTION to Demo-
Gratis Negligible; Race "in the
Middle" in Vicious Southern
Politics.
BY Albert Anderson
Staff Correspondent for the
Associated Negro Press

Washington, d. c., Oct. 31-(By
the Associated Negro Press)
the casting of ballots in the presiden-
tial election only a week away, this
unusual campaign of 1928 keeps up
its interest and uncertainty clear I'M
til its end. The mixed issues of re-
ligion and liquor, race and color, the
effort to crack the solid south, as well
as the cry of "Tammany" or "Ku
Klux Khan" have well nigh drowned
out the old reliable political argu-
ments and eloquent slogans of the
years past and created puzzling sit
uation for many voter.
1t is this attitude which for once
makes even the Negro vote interest
ing. While white republican leaders
pretend to scott at the idea that any
appreciate number of black ballots
will be cast for Smith, the actual po-
sition of colored people this year, UNI
doubtedly has the political dopesters
guessing. Democratic activity on
scale heretofore unknown, unrest,
and admitted dissatisfaction with the
present day republican party keeps a
question mark behind the Negro I'M
til the final votes are counted.
Republicans Confident
Quiet confidence seems to reign,
however, in the republican head
quarters at the Barr building here.
Reports received by Chairman John
r. Hawkins from his workers scat
tered throughout the ''voting States"
are to the effect that whatever tend
ency there was to stray from the
fold has been checked and that
substantial majority of Negroes will
vote for Hoover and Curtis.
In the meantime, spirit of watch
full waiting is TO be felt at the Col
ored Smith for President league
headquarters In New York City,
where the youthful chairman of or
ganiZation, Julian d. Rainey, and
chief of publicity, Lester A. Walton,
Clt Oc1Nh Will bitC 1CEAiIlS tl4dL LHCg
have put forth a slashing effort and
therefore are half hopeful that re-
suits will at least be encouraging
enough to make dent in the one
party fealty of the colored hosts and
encourage the democratic moguls to
continue their efforts to proselyte
the black vote in elections to come.
Stop Activities Early
A recent survey through the east,
middle west, and border states, re-
veals, according to the intelligence
brought to DR.. John R. Hawkins, that
the situation is safe. The early dis
continuance of work in the western
branch at Chicago, as well as the
tapering off of the work in the east
would seem to bear out this attitude
of confidence. But it is no secret
that four or five weeks ago, the dem
ocrats, who had their publicity going
earlier than their rivals, and who in
most instances had organizations ac-
lively in the field before the repub-
icans got started, made noisy dis
play of strength and following which
startled old campaigners. The demo-
Gratis have been aggressive and the
general Negro discomfort furnished
fertile soil for them to plant. AS
the G. 0. P. swung into action, how
ever, the real truths about the issues
began to seep down to the voting
ocratic emblem and its southern asso-
Citations began to assert itself. The
result seems plain, therefore, that
while good start was made, the
Negro is not yet ready to vote the
democratic ticket nationally, espe-
cially with Robinson tied to it's
tail
How the States stand
Harlem will vote for the party of
it's fathers. The chief reason appears
to be that there they know Al Smith
and his entirely negligible attitude
toward Negroes too well. Tammany
has carried Harlem in the past be-
cause of organization and indiffer-
ence on the part of the republicans
who do not even attempt to register
the vote there.
In Philadelphia, quite little rip
pie has been created by Negro demo-
cratic workers. 1t has been a long
time since Pennsylvanians have been
flattered by having anybody assume
they could vote for anything but a
republican ticket, so they have treat
ed it as novelty, being naturally as
E. T. Atwell says, "jiners." When
the Ware steam roller, fired by the
petty jobs they ladle cut in Quaker
town, gets through rolling and the
Pittsburgh ward bosses pass the word
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