Evening star., 1944-06-26

ventions open
our presidential
campaigns. FTsnI R. Kent.
Here in Chicago, on the eve of
the Republican meeting. there are
plenty of signs that the bidding
and the bullying this time will be
upon q larger scale than before.
For example, the determination of
the Negro leaders, who are gather
ing here both as delegates and as
lobbyists, is to wiring from this con-
vention far stronger Negro equal
ity plank than any previous party
platform has contained. Obviously,
success In doing this will put them
in position to make almost irresisti-
BILE demands upon the Democratic
convention which follows next
month. The 1914 strategy of these
Negro leaders is clear. Their pur-
pose Is fixed and their power greatly
increased by the political history of
the last eight years. They were
never in, as good position and they
are smart enough to know it.
So far as the Republicans are
concerned they are going to have
very little trouble getting what they
want. The practical politicians in
that party are so eager to recapture
the Negro vote, which for genera
tions was the basic Republican as
set. and they see SO clearly that
1t now holds the balance of power
in the Northern and Border States
with the big electoral votes, that
they are willing to 60 to almost any
lengths-and without being asked.
1t wasn't necessary for Mr.. Willkie
to urge the Republicans to adopt an
unequivocal stand against racial
discrimination of all kinds, against
the poll tax, in favor of antilynch-
ing legislation and for human
rights" There isn't a Republican
politician or candidate anywhere
who isn't eager to do that.
Will Fight Quietly.
Nevertheless, the Negro leaders
are on hand to see that all this is
done at this convention-and done
right. They will not make much
noise about 1t. Their appeal will
not have to be made on the conven-
tion floor. 1t is in the closed meet
ings of the Resolutions Committee
that the real work is being done
and the plank fashioned with which
they can drive the Democrats to
more liberal" action. It is an un-
precedented state of affairs and not
entirely wholesome one. Never
before have the Negroes been In posi-
tion to play one party against the
other. Now they are in that posi-
tion and their leaders are astute
enough to work the same game
farm leaders. labor leaders, Anti
Saloon League leaders, and others
have worked in the past. The result
may be to force both parties to ex-
tremes, which will be bad for the
parties, bad for the country and, in
the end, bad for the Negroes.
Prior to 1886, the Negro vote was
95 per cent solidly Repubhcan-so
soidiy, In fact that Democratic con-
ventions never thought OF including
Negro plank in their platforms or
making bid for the Negro vote,
they just regarded it as an unshak-
able Republican possession and let
1t go at that. But since 1896, when
the slick scheme for capturing it
was put In successful operation, it
has been just as much of a Roose-
velt asset as ever 1t was Republican.
There are analysts in both parties
who cite figures to prove that with
out that asset Mr.. Roosevelt could
hardly have been elected in 1896
and certainly not in 1910. So far as
1914 is concerned, it is conceded as
vital to fourth election that the
President hold the Negro vote. It
is the largest racial group in the
country. It's voting strength is con-
centrated in the pivotal States and
it votes more nearly as a unit than
any other. Considering the circum-
stances, 1t seems that all Mr.. Roose-
welt need do to keep his Negro sup
port is convince its leaders that
he Is their true friend and that can
be done by equalling in the Demo-
cratic platform whatever bid the
Republicans make in theirs.
But it isn't as simple as that. For
eight years the New Deal politicians
have been playing double game and
thinking themselves very smart in
doing so. They have managed to
garner the Negroes in the Northern
States while still holding the solid
Democratic South, which is solidly
Democratic largely because of its
determination not to permit the
Negro to vote on equal terms with
the white man.
Charges Double Dealing.
1t will be agreed that to accom-
plish both these things required a
high degree of sickness involving
very large degree of double deal
ing. The wonder is not that it
could be done once but that it
should have been done twice. The
attempt is about to be made to do it
the third time but difficulties are
arising Both the solid South and
the Negro leaders are restive and
suspicious. In three Southern
States resentment has led to the
selection of antifourth term cleo
tors and the threat that If the
Democratic platform is unpalatable
to Southern Democrats on this sub
ject, these electors will vote for