The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-11-21
By JOHN WOOD

The skeleton Of an Intellectual
Back to Africa Movement be-
lieved to have been safely locked
in the closet with the deportation
of the lateeMarcus Carney and &C.
casionally ratified by the anti
American Congressman Theodore
Bilbo OF the lynch state of Missis-
sippi, strained at the hinges again
last week when vice president Hen
ry A. Wallace issued warrants for
-the-a#Fest- absentee Senators fer
a quorum for the discussion of the
measure TO abolish poll taxes in
eight states The eight Senators:
Wall Doxey, Mississippi Democrat;
Burnet R. Maybank, South Caro-
lima Democrat; W. Lee sO'Daniel,
Texas Democrat; Kenneth Nickel
lar, Tennessee Democrat; Richard
B Russell, Georgia Democrat; Lis
ter Hill, Alabama Democrat; John
H Overton, Louisiana, Democrat,
and Berkeley Bunker, Nevada,
Democrat, apparently realizing that
the death knell was being sounded
for the undemocratic poll tax
which prohibits millions of Negroes
and poor whites from taking part in
elections in southern states threat
ened TO filibuster for thirty days if
necessary to prevent passage Of
the bill.
The arrest Of the peoples choice
(sic) OF eight states not only paved
the way for the possible passage Of
the Pepper anti-poll tax bill but
also opened new avenues for the
distribution. OF Hitler's propaganda
in America by his most active anti
American propaganda agent, Sen.
ator Theodore Bilbo.
Not content with voicing the SEN
tin.ent of the favored few whites
of his backward state, the derangeo
Bilbo insulted TIE intelligence Of
the Senate and the Negro by stat
ing that intelligent Negroes Of the
state of Mississippi are opposed to
/ the Pepper bill. When asked if
this mythical Negro intelligentsia
could have misunderstood the bills
provisions, Bilbo. who has openly
advocated a repatriation movement,
along with Congressman James
1 Byrnes, now Director of Economic
Sterilization, answered: NO sir,
they are intelligent people. They
understand thoroughly They know
what this bill is and if the Sena.
tor from Florida (meaning Pepper
! were as intelligent as the average
citizen Of Mississippi, he would
know too" The Mississippi Negro.
hater continued with "the Negro
intelligentsia. the educated, cultur.
ed Negroes resent the Pepper bill
and are opposed to it."
Bilbo. in whose poll tax state
three Negroes were lynched re.
Gently, had the temerity to proclaim
himself a friend of the Negro race
H ? even declared that Negroes have
held prayer meetings. to pray fol
his election as governor of Missis'
sippi. And the poll tax Senator
added 10 his record Of longstandinl
"a record Of cons tent agitation
for the resettlement Of the Negro ii
Africa. Said Bilbo:
ANY Negro who is race Conscious
IS willing to be resettled in Yves
Africa and have his own country
| am glad to see American force!
take West Africa Perhaps they'll
get 1t in shape for a repatriation
move when this war is over It's ;
rich land and a better climate thar
the United States"
Mr.. Byrnes' Record
Bilbo, like James Byrnes, is afraiC
white supremacy is in danger, TO
like Byrnes, Bilbo has long beef
an advocate Of the return Of thu
Negro TO West Africa, and lik,