Evening star., 1938-01-08
More About Lynching Bill
Measure Seen Move to Control Colored Vote and Aid
Those Who Seek Government Capitalization.

licans, voted the Republican ticket.
But in 1882 came change. In that
year many Negroes voted Democratic.
After the Roosevelt administration
was in power and began its policy Of
aid or jobs for the unemployed, the
Negroes in the Northern cities were
large beneficiaries Of that policy. BY
the 1885 election, practically the entire
Negro population of Northern cities
had passed over to the Democrats.
This accession of strength was and Is
enormously important. The Negro
vote is more or less concentrated in
cities in pivotal States" such as New
York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Mis-
souri,. In some and perhaps all these
States the Negro vote is ordinarily
large enough to make the margin that
decides which party shall carry the
State. The Democratic party organ
ization, dominated by Northern lead
ers, holds it an important policy to
keep the Negro vote.
Southerners Oppose.
So now 1t is the Democrats-not al
the Democrats, just the Northern
ones-who propose and support the
anti-lynching measure. The South
ern Democrats oppose it.
The attitude of the Republicans has
not yet been revealed At this writing
only one Republican, Senator Borah
OF Idaho. has taken part in the de-
bate. He opposes the measure,
strongly. 1t is commonly supposed
that practically all the other IS Re-
publicans in the Senate will support
the measure. If they do SO, it will be
in the spirit of tradition, rather than
out of consideration for existing con-
ditions.
The problem before the Republicans
Is, as often. partly one of statesman
snip, partly one OF politics. AS re-
spects national craftsmanship, Senator
Borah holds convinchgly that the
anti-lynching bill would be 50 long a
step by the Federal Government in
derogation Of State rights as to be
fundamental change in the American
conception of government. This en-
argement of Federal power, this re-
ductlon Of State rights, comes at a
time when preservation of the form of
government is the most important
current public question Those who
wish to bring about a centralized
authoritarian government at Wash
lngton would be greatly helped by
enactment of the anti-lynching bill.
Tor as precedent this measure would
open the door to permit the Federal
Government to Go practically what
1t likes, wherever it likes.
From the point of view of politics
the problem before the Republicans
Is the close to million Negro voters
IN Northern cities. Have the Repub-
hcans any chance of getting these
votes back? If SO, will this chance
be helped by the Republicans sup
porting the anti-lynching measure?
Or will the Republicans be merely
helping the national Democratic Or
ganization pay its debt to the Negroes
who helped them win the last two
presidential elections?
With perhaps three Republican Sem
ators the question can be political in
the personal sense. Senators Davis
OF Pennsylvania, Vandenberg of Mich
lgan and Capper of Kansas come from
States In which there is a considera BILE
Negro population. The other Repub-
Acan Senators, such as those from
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire,
massachusetts,, North Dakota, Idaho,
oregon and California, are free to
look upon the question as national.