The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1944-05-12
! CHERRY TREE
Where with our Little Hatchst We tell
the truth about many things. Sometimes
profoundly. sometimes Aippantly, ssns-
times rscklessly.
THE

6~/</<<<<<<<A/<<H <<HN<<HA~A<H~NNO
One of the remarkable facts about
current life in America is the deep
and bitter hatred of the President in
some sections of the South.
There is an unreasoning character
about this opposition that somehow
battles analysis. 1t aims itself at any
one who supports the President.
A representative of candidate op-
posing a Roosevelt supporter said
"we're trying to elect white man."
Perhaps that remark illustrates the
whole feeling. And this candidate, op-
posing the Roosevelt supporter, has
made not single statement of prin-
ciple or policy on any important
issue.
The situation deserves more atten-
tion and study that it is getting.
Opposition to the President on pol
icy is understandable. Opposition out
of unreasoning hate is not under
standable, unless and until the reason
can be dug up. Up to now that reason
| isn't in evidence.
You can get variety of reasons,
which implies that perhaps none of
the ones you get is the real one.
You hear that it's the race issue
Negroes. You hear that it's bureauc-
racy. You hear that it's the fourth
| term.
You do NOT hear that it's because
the war isn't going well. In fact, you
come to the conclusion that the cam
paign is leaving the war out entirely
and that somehow the war is some
thing apart and aloof and running
along all by itself.
| But one thing you can find. You
can find most of the big business
in the hate group, hating away with
full head of purple steam.
1t is quite clear that in some sec
tions you can build more hostility on
hate than you can build on reason.
One radio commentator whose
words go coast to coast has sought to
make it appear that the Montgomery
| Ward case may become cause cele-
bre, bringing dire loss of votes to the
President and his friends, but among
the ordinary folks that case doesn't
seem to arouse much interest.
The Supreme Court decision giving
Negroes the right to vote in the Texas
Democratic primaries is given as the
cause of some of the hate.
But you have to look beyond such
matters. The hate began long before
the Supreme Court got around to it's
decision in the Texas case.
The South is doing and will do a
lot of voting AGAINST the President,
rather than FOR something or some
one. Hate is very negative thing
and never was it more SO than today.
Perhaps wartime restrictions con-
tribute something to the hate. But
they are not the seed, although they
perhaps part of the soil in which
the seed grew so Justify.
There doesn't seem to be any diff
ference in degree between the hates
held by men and the hates held by
women.
If the man of the family hates
Roosevelt it is most unusual for the
women to hold different view.
There is one distinguishable factor.
The older they are the harder and
better they hate. 1t cannot be that
hate has about it some rejuvenating
elixir. No, more likely it is corrosive.
After the hot flame subsidies, the pos
SCISSOR Of the hate may find that more.
has been burned up than can be ra-
placed. That, however, is for the
| scientists to find out
| The hard fact is that there is a
surprising hate in this campaign. for
the equal Of which you have to go
back many decades in our political
| life.
What is to come of it we do not
know. What may be it's effect on the
we cannot forsee. What was the tap
root cause Of it may some day be
known and when that day comes the
revelation should prove interesting ~
and it may be that it will prove shock
| ing.-CAfW.