The Omaha guide., 1940-04-06

sos Omaha National Bank Building,
Omaha, Nebraska.
My lear MI. Reed:
voters and the Anticipating Bill. I an yer glad to give you ts
make any use Of it you see fit. NA
I have always been in favor Of the Federal ant1,lynehins Law and Aao
it % ass always s@' Sen 5sa aea ez Southern seT D 0s n e1sss - fi li ssssr. ' Tss@s
the Senate in continuous session t1enty-fo@s hours day a and night
a aiA fin "i pe course is II S % vts a e co 4 re' rule Il shieA ' is t. s sas a econ
opi WI" I am m o opposed e% % c el ossS 'i Il the : senate nay OF D sse n 7 ss a9s t him
T fhis e snesi ot Of rec sfr ee5n o9 aeSss be sa ss ted. 's sssgto a. Of a course a%s F sssss:..a.
amy Sen n nntGou n1So1 f ds Is sa nvOnYe r IN ene a. sa.rgnen 1 a sc IN
mont. cloture shuts off ainor1ties and makes them bow TO aaior,sios.
country, our constitutional rights have completely disintsgratod.
in the Senate in casesO of clean III Justification where every other
t tsss ss . ' afasr i 's sa@, ny ny P sSa i e .ras. s n yAa have s' 1nsisise,S S' 1as
s s9o tess a of they nsg0 'n ne9ss ssn in ss " ag III ia sse't tar tao5r Of par .sa
have urged them not t. overlook this fundamental fact, no natter hr
piece of Legislation.
a premature psass Te" effort fos 'a aa I sds@ eo stop stop t ss' as sB se' BY yls sss s sr ss' o ssH f
cleture ana I voted against the application of cloture at that time
n nnd under those circumstances for the reasons indicated above.
OF # a &c. sH. a.s that at, !, a. .a5 ct g go ss, ,ea, with the nss,% s9si .sg sat%. lss4' 1sstS
against cloture because no effort hal been made to hold the Senate in
= . sa as sssssSs ' I aano as ss that q ! :sa,a a'ssss1l' s hs'e eoati IN oDsSyS
the he debate and 'e force s e a p@s. But this his sss : never asSsrn d ON .6' There re "s .
reason r excuse FOR clOture under the circumstances.
"a: 'sisa is sssAs ? n senate ssl lsaa u nay gain one = Issue
shsn ief comes to wi" final 10 Battle tn .aS Of e ehe se' l. sn a fiyhSnaesr l 7 viii IL 's Support
the Administration leadership If 1t will attempt to break the filibuster
by continuous sessions of the Senate. I will personally help maintain
a quorum For this purpose. If this method fails t. bring q vote
after there has been a full, free, fair Opportunity for complete de-
This whole thing is enormously exaggerated In It's Importance because
ne cr1ne O. lynching las almost Disappeared. I believe there we're
only three 1ynchings n the whole country Last year 1.-TWO Negroes INC
ne wh1te). Ne hav probably made greater progress II stopping this
crime than any other single crimeo n the calendar. Yet I agree that
the psychological Issue involved will never be conclusive1y settled
until a Federal stamp # disapprova1 Is put upon lynching, and I am
continuing o join in this effort. But 7 think our colored citizens
are 1l1-adv1sed II they make their political decisions solely IN the
basis IF this oe Issue. They had better look beyond this limited
sympathy with the rights of the colored race. I have q few credentials
Of NY own at this point. The most notable case involving Negro rights
which has been in the Senate in the Last forty years arose in connection
with theconHrmation OF Judge Parker # North Carolina, to the Supreme
Court by President Hoover. Our oo1ored citizenship was up In m
against the appointment from coast to coast because Judge Parker
brightly n wrongly vas charged with racial prejudice In some Of his
earlier statements and decisions. I inquired inot the matter closely.
7 came to the conclusion that it would be unwiset to put a nan upon
the Supreme bench VIC the great colored citizenship sector Of the
States would eve trust. Judge Parker's confirmation was
vote. Our colored friends ave short memories If they have forgotten
that incident.
It may be useful for you to. know in this connection that my maternal
grandfather Dr.. Aaron T. Hendrick, at Clyde, New York, ran the
northern New York ndepot" for the underground railroad" throughout
Abraham Lincoln. This is ancient history but it still has
oe Significance.
7 amvery glad to give you this detailed report n I hope you may find
it useful. Thanks again for all that you arr doing.
Good luck!
With warm personal regards and best wishes,