Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1934-09-21
Political Spotlight
By C. E. Fucker

Strange things happen In poll
tics and it is true more so than
ever this year. A few weeks ago
when New Dealer Burke snatched
Nebraska's Senatorial nomination
from old timer Democrat Bryant
Postmaster General Farley wired
warmest congratulations; a few
weeks later Socialist Sinclair be.
came the Democratic nominee fol
Governor of California, Boss Far
ley wired no congratulations bu'
instead, scratched his head am
iryly admitted, eff Sinclair is n
choice of the Party, there is moth
ing else we can do but congratu
late him, since the Democratic par
ty has never failed to support its
nominee" The reason, Upton Sin
clair is Socialist running on a
Socialistic platform, endorsing the
Democratic New Deal. Further, to
complicate the situation and add tC
Franklin Roosevelt's discomfort at
this evident raid upon the Demo
cratic party of California, Nominee
Sinclair wired him for an inter
view. The President hedged, had
his Secretary announce that poll
tics would be discussed with no
candidate, welcomed Sinclair as
anyone else to Hyde Park with
something to discuss.
The Negro is all. too familiar
with this type of diplomacy. For
many years after Negroes were
given the right to vote by the Fed
eral Constitution, they were in a
large measure unprepareA to do
their own political thinking. Nat
urally, without thinking, they were
almost without exception devout
supporters of the Republican par
ty. Not until recently have the
leaders of the Democratic party
even thought of the Negro vote as
a matter of any Importance, not
seeking nor desiring Negro sup
port. On the other hand, the Re-
publican party has expected and
has accepted Negro support as a
simple matter of fact.
The writer is of the unbiased
opinion that in the present politi-
al condition in America, Negroes,
as such, are under no great obliga-
lions to either the Republican or
the Democratic parties. Hereto
fore, if anything, he has been but
a political pawn in the game of
national politics. For his loyalty
20, and support of the Republican
party, he has received but scant
recognition and reward. If he has
Jailed to receive sincere and ade-
Iuate recognition for the Republi-
IAN party for his faithful support
If that party since the day of it's
birth, he certainly is under no OBJ
legation to the Democratic party
who, in the South, never felt any
need of Negro support and while
needing it in the North, dared not
make any open overtures for it
lest by so doing it offend Southern
Democrats to its greater disadvan
,tage. 1t is most difficult to con-
ceive of the Negroes finding any
satisfactory political reason for
supporting either party.
Out of the mass Of dissatisfied
New Dealers, Insurgent Republi-
cans, conservative Democrats, am
bilious Progressives, Socialists and
Farmer-Laberites will come the
formation of new political party,
democratic in practice as well as
in precepts appealing to all classes
of voters, regardless of section, or
race, seomprehensively humani-
tartan and sfational in its appeal
Intelligent, thinking Negroes
would not find it difficult to identi-
fly themselves with such a politi4
cal group. 1~'