The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-07
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

BlQ NObCAo NdlA bl4Al Vic AAb
tional election in doubtful States
Hence, politicians are scurrying
about trying to devise ways and
means to make the Negro vote safe
for Hoover or Smith, as the case
may be.
Republicans have reason to fear
a revolt at the polls in some north
ern cities where Negroes in the past
have voted with almost automatic -
regularity for G. o. P. candidates.
These changed conditions are said
to be due to younger radicals of the
race, who are preaching to their
fellows that the Republican party
long has exploited them by taking
their votes without doing anything
in return to justify the boasts of
"Lincoln's party"
Quick to take advantage or this
discomfort, Democrats are going
out for the first time with an al
most nationwide organization to
catch these racial ballots.
s. According to campaign strategists
on both sides, there are three fronts
in this battle: Industrial centers OF
the North, such as New York, Chi
cago and Indianapolis, border
States, including Missouri and its
St. Louis color belt, and, of less i'm
portance because Of so-called olsen
franchising laws, certain southern
States, such as North Carolina,
where election returns conceivably
may be close,
The Republican and Democratic
| problem in the industrial areas OF
the North is both political and eco
nomic. To meet racial discomfort
this year, they find they must
pledge not only adequate political
representation, but also protection
for the welfare of the Negro work
ers who are becoming "class con-
scious"
Unfortunately for the politicians,
however, they find that the very
propaganda required to capture the
Negro vote is the kind that will lose
white votes in the doubtful border
and southern States.
TN the North, Republicans are try
Il ing to sell their ticket on the
basis of being the traditional party
of the Negro, committed to cham
pioning his equality Of rights.
But with Hoover trying to crash
the border States and lead the G. o.
P. into the Solid South for the first
time, Republicans find their worst
obstacle the Democratic warning to
whites to beware of the Negroes
party"
This situation is becoming no less
embarrassing to the Democrats. In
the North they want the valuable
Negro voters to forget that the
party in Congress is dominated by
Southern whites. In the South
they want the whites to forget the
Democratic appeal being made to
Negro voters above the Mason Dix
on line.
Smiths aids are working Harlem,
the New York City belt. Organiza-
tons include Colored Democracy,
led by F. @. Morton, a Negro
municipal employee, and the Smith.
for President Colored eLague. The
latter body, under the national
Democratic committee, is said to be
active in many States.
In Chicago Republicans hope to
hold the Negro vote by allowing a
/ Negro to succeed the late Martin B.
Madden in Congress. Direct political
representation by q Negro congress-
man generally is recognized by
politicians 10 be the most effective
manner Of keeping the colored vote
in line" provided this end can not
be achieved less extensively" Not
to be outdone in this the Democrats
have broken precendent by backing
a Negro for the congressional seat
from the Twelfth Missouri District
in st. Louis.
This young man is Joseph l..
.McClemore, formerly an employe at
the national capitol. He is running
against Representative G. Dyer,
author Of the anti-lynching bill and
popularity known as "the Negroes
best friend in Washington"
n n
THERE has been no Negro in the
Il national House Of Representa-
tives since George w. Murray Of
South Carolina, who served from
1893 to 1895. The last Negro Sen
ator was Blanche K. Bruce Of Mis-
sissippi, who sat in the upper House
from 1875 to 1881. Including the
Carpet Bag" days following the
Civil War, there have been twenty
colored Representatives and two
Senators.
Both Hoover and Smith are being
attacked openly and in whispering
campaign for their alleged bids for
Negro votes. Senator Blease, Demo-
crate of South Carolina and others
| charge Hoover with sponsoring an
order while Secretary of Commerce
permitting about fifty Negro census
office employees to work in rooms
with white clerks.
Official announcement that this
order followed a general Admins
tration policy in Government de-
partments laid down before the
campaign has not silenced the at
| tack.
From a different direction Sen
ator George Norris, Progressive-Re-
publican of Nebraska, and others
attack the Republican party for
alleged buying and selling and
trading and trafficking in (Negro)
delegates from the solid South" in
connection with the national con-