Evening star., 1938-07-13

Magazine, III lU
recent survey of the Presidents status,
disclosed that he Is now chiefly de-
pendent for support on Negroes and
"reliefers." The National Association
for the Advancement Of the Colored
People, acknowledged spearhead Of the
colored political movement. has three
separate grudges against Cotton Ed"
It increasingly resents his demonstra-
tive "walkout" on colored partici-
pants in the Democratic National
Convention at Philadelphia in 1896.
The first occasion was when a Negro
clergyman was about to open pro-
ceedings with prayer. Soon afterward
Smiths white supremacy" gorge rose
afresh, when Representative Arthur
w. Mitchell, Democrat. Of Illinois, the
only colored member Of Congress, took
the rostrum to second Roosevelt's re-
nomination. That time Cotton Ed"
walked out and stayed out. He could
not stomach such symbols OF the
Democrats success in weaving the
Negro vote from its traditional Re-
publican allegiance.
Negro peeve No. 2 concerns remarks
attributed to Senator Smith. when he
saw the famous photograph Of Mrs.
Roosevelt being escorted at Howard
University by couple of colored
r. o. T. G. officers. Widespread use
of that picture was made in the South
by some OF the Presidents opponents.
Cotton Eds" allegedly disparaging
comments on it got back to the White
House. They not only aroused indigna-
ton there, but made the blood Of all
the colored folks boil. Negro hatred
Of Smith reached its zenith last
winter during his activity in the anti-
lynching bill filibuster. For all these
reasons, Washington politicians hear.
Executive Secretary Walter White of
the N. A. A. c. p, Elder Michaux, the
Happy Am I" evangelist who is also
close to the New Deal high command,
and colored leaders generally are
putting the heat on the Democratic
national management to smash Smith
in the August primary. That it will
be able to do so is highly problematical.
In the three-cornered race among
the Senator, Gov. Olin Johnston and
State Senator Edgar Brown, Cotton
Ed" is accorded, at this writing. the
inside track. Just before adjournment
of Congress, as indicative Of what
Jim Farley thinks Of purges and their
intended victims, he sent Smith, along
with Senator George Of Georgia, on
whom the Indian sign was also
placed, a cordially autographed photo
graph Of the Postmaster General.
When the history Of the Justice
Cardozo's elevation to the Supreme
Court is written, it will disclose that
President Hoover made the appoint
ment primarily on the strong demand
of Senator Borah. Soon afterward
Cardozo and the Idahoan became
neighbors in the same apartment
house on Connecticut avenue. Once,
when this observer was visiting the
great liberal jurist, Cordozo jokingly
remarked that If his floor ever gave
way he'd probably land on Borah's
head. It was on the same occasion
that the Justice reminisced plaintively
about his work in the Nsw York
State Court Of Appeals, lamenting
that his new duties in the Supreme
Court required him to concentrate on
relatively technical and cold phases
of the law rather than on purely
humanitarian aspects which often
occupied him at Albany. It will
probably never be told with authority.
but Cardozo's closest friends in Wash
ington knew he was deeply mortified
by the Roosevelt Supreme Court plan.
1t was almost with an uncanny vision
Of that strange interlude that Car
dozo spoke before the New York
State Bar Association, while he was
under consideration for the Supreme