The Omaha guide., 1935-03-23
AN OPEN LETTER TO
PRES. ROOSEVELT

Mr.. President. your first term is half over. This is a good time
to take inventory. Nst now, when your administrator ii $500
passed its halfway mark, you are the object Of all eyes and the source
Of almost every question. People r. asking: AF. President
Aow?
Along with ether Americans, your colored consituenc- IS
asking the same questions other citizens II asking. When
0 went before the people a S a candidate, your program fair
" bristled with the things in which the Common people
then interested, and they ar interested in those same things
nDday. You spoke of the man farthest down. You referred
to the common people a 5 the owners OF ils great country
You talked of a square deal for everybody. You said that the
resources Of this great country belonged to the people
You have spert two years of religious devotion to your ideals
and program. You have stood steadfast, almost immovable, to the
tune of popular applause. To use a popular phrase, your batting
average has been high, amest as high as you expected to MAKE II.
You have the American people following your lead with confidence and
with pride.
If YOUR ucces during the first hail of your administra-
lion is any encouragement to you, let that encouragement
stimulate you for the trials ahead-and iaere will be man.
during the next half of your first terM of Office Pressure is
being brought to bear to destroy your influence. Much OF the
pressure is hidden in strategic places within your admrnistra-
tive fenAy. Dotted here and there, determined to contribute
TO your failure, are persons employing the advantages Of the
office they hold in order to bring about tie complete failure OF
the Roosevelt administration 1t is altogether possible that you
know who these persons are. If, MIR. President, by any chance
you know who these men are, accept the advice of Hiram
Johnson, who said, long ago, that his only mistake was tenn
PORTING with his enemy. Mr.. Presid- 1T, it is just possible
that you are IabCrng under the impression that your kind
attitude toward certain nen you have allowed to remain in
Office will convert chose men to your cause and make disciples
of them. MIR. President, 1u ere never so mistaken in all
your life. NO amount OF KIND treatmCn O"aru LneSe men
win ever convert them to your cause. they are against you
and your parry. They ar against 3our liberal attitude to-
ward the common man. They are againss Jour program for
relief and reform. They n against your known attitude to-
ward the "iAtle fellow" No amount of indulgence of these
men by you will alter their attitude because, with chem, their
convictions constitute their religion. You cannot change the
leOpards spots.
The colored people of this country voted for you; and they did
it in the face of every conceivable argument against you and your
party. They were accused Of ingratitude to Lincoln and yet they
voted for you. They were told that John Garner, if made President
of the Senate, would destroy the last vestige Of constitutional pro-
lection now enjoyed by Negroes. And yet, they voted for you. They
were told that the South would be in the saddle, if you were elected,
and that Negroes would be lynched by the wholesale and trampled
under foot like 50 many worms. And yet, Nj. President, they voted
for you. The colored people Of this country voted for you, not SO much
to punish the Republican party for its neglect and exploitation of
them, as for the purpose of giving your party an opportunity to trans
late the principles Of Jefferson into action They expected you to
make Jefersonian democracy articulate. They still believe that you
can do all of these things if you have the courage to do them. They
believe that !cu can charge abe attitude of some Of the men you
ave IN your adm-nlstrauon; u, Il you cannot change their attitude,
you can get other men. The Negroes of the pivotal States voted the
Democratic Ticket with the expectation that your partys apprecia-
ton would be reflected in a better attitude toward their brothers in
the South In many instances, a better attitude has been reflected
in the South, but there is still room for Improvement. For example,
the inequalities pract4ced against Negroes in the South by some of the
so-called Relief Agencies require your personal attention. Another
example may be found in the AAA. Sharecroppers are not getting
the benefit of the New Deal, in many instances. Many tenants, con-
trary to ctntracts between cotton planters and the government. have
cen dism-ssed : tenants ad re-employed as day laborers. Your
Mr.. Chester Davis, administrator of the AAA, should be requested to
pay a visit to the White House. In the matter Of the Housing Ad-
ministration policy, Mr.. Mofetts attitude toward the colored citizens
should be remodeled. Mr.. President, the Negroes Of the pivotal States
who voted the Democratic ticket must not be discouraged by nen in
your administration who cannot see eye to eye with you. The pivotal
States voters are expecting an improved condition in the South and
they expect to see it reflected by a more tolerant attitude exhibited
by men appointed by you to carry out your policies. This is only a
TAR and reasonable return to expect for support already given.
The Democratic party can remain in power with the con-
sent and assistance of the Negro voter of this country only
If its attitude toward the coored citizens justifes their con-
hnued support. The radical departure Of the coored citizen
from the Republican party in 1882 was just as human and nat
ural as it was radical. Just as the Negro changed his party
affiliations in 1892, a s an experiment, just SO he can resort
to other experiments if he finds he has made a political mis-
take.
IL the Negro changes again, you may attribute that change to
some OF the men who are now safely ensconced in strategic positions
In the various departments of government Be not deceived. You
are gong to De told in 1886 that your administration was an "emer-
gency administration" only. You are going to be told that the emer-
gency is over and that there is no further need for Franklin +. Roose-
eveit and his policies. Your political enemies are now forming and
shaping every conceivable weapon with which to attack ~ admin
lstrauon IN 1886. Mr.. President, you cannot employ a more effective
weapon IN behalf OF a continued Democratic government in this conn
Try a complete ferrelng out of enemies Of your policy who are
today enjoying high government positions, to say nothing Of vour
executive confidence.