The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1938-09-30

COLUMBUS, O. - Councilman
Lawrence o. Payne Of Cleveland, in
a special statement issued here to-
day, said If the new Negro is to jus
tify his cain for a place in the poll
tical sun, if his leaders are to lead
the people out of the wilderness Of
unemployment, he then must cham
pion the cause of new type of Of
flee seekers.
In his statement, he flayed Charles
Sawyer AS man without synlpa-
thetic understanding of the Negro
or his problems. The full text OF
his statement follows:
with both party conventions out
Of the way, the 1888 campaign can
now be said to be officially on. We
enter another campaign with Negro
candidates on only one ticket (the
Republican,. Despite the geeat
friendship Governor Martin Il. Davey
showed for us, the Democratic party
in Ohio, is still anti-Negro. Now
with Dayey completely out of the
picture, there is not single person
left in the Democratic party of in
fluence, who has ever exhibited one
iota Of friendship for the Negro.
'sThe Democratic candidate for
Governor, Charles Sawyer, IS an un.-
known quantity. The Democratic
party in Hamilton County with which
he has worked all his political life,
is downright hostile to Negroes, be-
ing similar in this respect to the
Gongwer faction Of the party IN Guy
ahoga County. The only recognition
Negro Democrats in Hamilton Coun--
ty have received, has been the recog-
milton Martin l.. Davey has person
ally doled out. National Committee
Nman, Sawyer has done nothing to
give the Negro voters a voice or a
place in the Democratic Party.
Lets take Cuyahoga County as
an example. This county IS known
as the most liberal in the state i'll
respect to the rights and recognition
of Negroes. We have more reeogni--
tion in this county, than III any other
i'm the state. On the Democratic
side however, the party has ne1e.
nominated Negro for public office
In wards like IL, II and 18th III tho
City Of Cleveland, they have named
white ward leaders for white voters
and coiored ward leaders for coloree
voters. This segregation is carried out
despite the fact that the law provide.
for only one ward leader in eacl
ward. While on the other hand, th,
Republicans have accorded the Negro
complete equality in both elective
offices and appointive positions
"A more careful scrutiny inst
Charles Sawyer, reveals that he is ;
high official in the Union Contra
Life Insurance Company Of Cineln-
natl. This company refuses to ar
cept policies on Negroes, and has re
fused to make mortgage loans O
property owned by Negroes. iii
marriage brought him into the grea
Proctor & Gamble soap Interest
Despite the thousands Of person
employed by the firm in Cincinnati
they have consistently maintained
policy of not hiring Negroes.
During the primary campaign
Sawyer persistently refused to max
any statement giving a positive de
claration of his views regarding Ne
groes. One release was made fo
him by Arthur L. Limbach. In tn
statement, Mr.. Limbach said: Saw
yer has no part in setting the em
ployment policies Of any compan
with. which he is connected. Th
part OF the statement was III answt
to the charge that Proctor q Gamb
didn't employ Negroes. Politician
like other people, are known by q
company they keep. II Mr.. Sawy'
is connected with firms that refu'
to employ Negroes, it is certain
reasonable to say that he agrees wi
such segregated policy.
ssThe only morsel Of hope that ~
Limbach could give to Negroes dul
ing the primary. was this general az
indefinite statement: Sawyer h
repeatedly shown his friendship I
the Negroes of Ohio by deelaril