Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-10-20

SASSJJ 4NS" 4OIhS OulO anu fSuu-
sylvania-the potential Negro vote
in 1914 is larger than the margin
of victory in the 1910 campaign.
The Negro press holds a power
full position among its four million
readers; no other single factor does
more to mold the opinions of Amer
ica's Is million colored citizens.
For this reason, its editorial atti-
tude is being closely watched by
campaign strategists.
Knowing this, and realizing that
the combination of circumstances
existing today may never again be
duplicated, most Negro papers are
playing their cards close to the
chest. They are aware that be-
tween now and November 7, they
and the Negro people are in the
auctioneer's position - calling for
the highest bidder. And this time,
unlike what has sometimes hap
pened in the past, the "taking bid"
will not be in terms of money.
The Chicago Defender, one of the
Big Three Negro papers, expressed
this editorial view on July Is:
Yes, the Negro vote in 1914 is
for sale-but for a high price. No
more will a measly dollar or two
dollar bill on street corner buy
our ballots. Today we can be
bought only with postwar jobs and
ballot rights. Today we cast our
ballots for the men and the party
that will give US the genuine pOliti-
cal emancipation that we won only
in part in 1865. Today we strike
for full freedom.
Negroes have had a long ex-
perience of the futility and impo-
tence which go with being Gin the
bag" For nearly 70 years they
adhered to the belief of Frederick
Douglas, an ex-slave who rose to
leadership and fame in a ceaseless
fight for betterment of the Ne
gro's plight, that "the Republican
Party is the ship, all else is sea-"
They saw themselves gradually
eased out of first-class passage into
second class, then to Storage, and
finally dumped into the sea as Re-
publican moneyed interests more
and more courted the bourbons of
the South for economic, if not po-
litical, reasons.
Once in the sea, the Negroes
chung to the Roosevelt raft. They
did so in '32, '36 and 40. But de-
spite remarkable gains, mostly in
the first eight years, Negroes began
to see the entrenched Southern bloc
of the party being increasingly ap-
peased on racial issues.
A factor which contributed to the
growing dissatisfaction of Negro
papers with the Democratic Party
was the defeat of Henry A. Wallace
as vice-president nominee. Even
papers committed to the support of
the party expressed displeasure
over his rejection.
The Michigan Chronicle, pub
lished in Detroit, said in its issue
of July 20:
The tragic rejection of Henry
Wallace to appease the reactiOnary
elements within the Democratic
Party comes at time when acts of
appeasement are most revolving.
-. 1t will be difficult for them to
explain away the conviction of
many millions of Americans today
that in repudiating Henry Wallace,
the Democratic Party repudiated
the liberal platform upon which he
staked his political life. Unless the
Democratic high command immedi-
ately begins to repair the damage
done at Chicago in selling out
Henry Wallace, this convention may
well become the Turning point in
the political fortunes of the Demo-
cratic Party. -.
An analysis Of the editorials and
a poll of 10 of the larger Negro
papers, with calculations ranging
from 10000 to more than 100000
weekly, indicate many of them have,
not decided yet on which side they
will cast their weight. A few of
them are committed; others show
leanings toward one man or the
other. Before November z, how
ever, practically every one of these
papers will have taken a definite
stand. For whom that will be, de-
ponds on the interim developments
and on how those developments are
interpreted.
1t is fairly safe to say that of
these 10 papers, 9 will be for Roose-
welt, z for Dewey, 1 will be indie
pendent, and will remain in doubt,
as follows:
For Roosevelt: Chicago Bee, Chi
cago Defender, Michigan Chronicle,
st. Louis Argus, Peoples Voice
IN. ", Oklahoma Black Dispatch,
Atlanta Daily World, Houston In
former, and Norfolk Journal and
Guide.
For Dewey: Kansas City Call,
st. Louis American, Afro-American
(Baltimore), Amsterdam Star
News New York;, Cleveland Call
Post, Philadelphia Tribune, and
Pittsburgh Courier.
Independent: Louisville De-
fender.
In doubt: Indianapolis Recorder.