Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1934-08-31
"THE POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT"
By G. E., Rucker

L
umn is entirely without partisan
bias. Here, the sole endeavor is
to deal with facts only and to draw
deductions therefrom which will
place the Negro in his proper posi-
ton, politically speaking, and throw
some revealing light upon the Ne
gro as a vital factor in our politi-
cal life.
Wise political management al
ways takes cognizance of the small
groups which sometimes hold in
their hands the political destinies
of big men and big issues. Briefly,
we may say that four things only
have been expected of Negroes,
viz, the labor Of their hands, the
tax revenue from their property,
that they bear arms in time of
war and wherever and whenever
permitted, their vote on election
day. Because of a natural and in
evitable removal of Negroes from
the South into Northern sections,
and because of the constant in
crease of their numbers in these
comparatively new seats of habita-
lion for them, whether they are
conscious of it or not, they have,
as a mighty minority, come into
position Of tremendous political
significance and power. For exam
pie, in 1928 the Negro vote in tn.
doubtful states might have elected
Alfred e. Smith to the Presidency
and thereby established itself as a
factor to be recognized and
reckoned with in American politics.
But as it happened, the Negro vote
was divided and the colored people
of the country stand, politically,
just as they stood before the cleo
ton, having added nothing to their
prestige and gained nothing in
their struggle for legitimate recog-
milton in national affairs. Let it be
understood that this writer is not
contending that Negroes should
have voted solidly for the Demo
cratic nominee, but is only stating
an indisputable fact when he says
that by this minority's voting as
unit, if only for the sole reason
of demonstrating their power, they
could have elected the Democratic
nominee and thus have astounded
the nation and the world by
achieving one of the most sensa-
tional feats in the history of
American politics. If Negroes are
capable of standing together as a
unit and of resisting the force of
corruption, they now have the OPP
portunity to demand and command
political recognition they never
had before. Should they make an
effort in this direction, it will be
toward the one objective of form
ing themselves into an indestructi-
BILE political unit, without regard to
which party they will support when
the time comes.
In these latter days of new and
very strange political and sociology
cal achievements, when people en-
mass accomplish the hitherto sup
posedly impossible, this movement
of the Negroes as above outlined,
would be simple and easy of exc
cution. The time has come when
masses in groups may be led to
think alike, to act alike, and by
the power of combined individual
strength, go forward irresistibly
TO the goals ahead of them. The
most outstanding examples of such
achievement is that of the Fascist
under the marvellous leadership Of
Mussolini, of Italy, and the more
recent rise of the Nazis under the
powerful arm of Adolph Hitler, Of
Germany. In these instances, we
see an unknown individual come
out of obscurity, and as it were.
~ the magic wave of his hand, call
eorth the millions from the masses
% stand as a unit and to follow
his leadership in movements that
'et aside the traditions of thou
lands Of years, and causes the i'm
oerial rulers to sit in submission
'IpOn their thrones awaiting the
diets Of their iron will.
Therefore, it is not at all with
nut the realm Of possibilities, r.
consider the despised and sub.
iected race of Negroes in Ameri
ca, as being transferred in national