Evening star., 1946-05-23
Ickes F|ays Poll Tax
As Producer Of
5Pet. Legislators

~ Ss Nv SaStOlVI
Poll taxes which incubste IS per
cent legislators sizzled last night
under a withering fire directed by
former Secretary of the Interior
Harold L. Ickes.
Mr.. Ickes picked for the occasion
dinner meeting of the Southern
Conference for Human Welfare, with
600 admirers cheering and laughing
at his remarks in the Congressional
Room of the Statler Hotel.
Castigating the poll tax for de-
priving 100000 citizens of the
United States of their fundamental
and constitutional right to vote"
the speaker leveled barrage at the
legislators elected by the seven
States opera ting under the system.
Bilbo a Target.
He aimed his sharpest barbs at
Senator Bllbo, Democrat, of Missis-
sippi and Representatives Rankin.
obi VI 4kloSAOSlpPI dAN 1bCCSC.
Republican, of Tennessee.
Mississippi has an annual poll tax
OF 81.
In 1910, at Senator Bilbos last
election, he received 1884 votes, -
Mr.. Ickes said This represents
slightly more than per cent of
Mississippi's 1910 population of g.
1876.
"Brazilla Carroll Reece was given
In 1912 the magnificent total of
19,778 votes. This staggering plu-
rality represented over per cent
of the first districts population of
385,747.
LAS you know, this 5 per cent
congressman has recently been
elected National Committee chair
man of the Republican party. I
wonder. however, if he represents
more than per cent of the Re-
publican party. Whether he does or
not. however, the Democratic poll
takers ought to be grateful for this
official Republican recognition of
economic injustice and racial dis
elimination.
The vote for Senator Bilbo. as
quoted by Mr.. Ickes. was in the 1910
primary election.
Cites Filibuster Tactics.
Continuing the TRADE at what he
said was the expense of being called
a Communist tomorrow, Mr.. Ickes
said Ranking Rankin was swept
into Office when per cent of the
districts population voted for him
in 1912"
After noting that the House had
voted overwhelmingly to abolish the
poll tax in Federal elections, Mr..
Ickes said Senator Bilbo and his
political hill-billies will continue
their effrontery as long as the Sem
ate maintains its tail-between-legs
docility toward the filibuster.'
One of the reasons for widespread
inability to pay the poll tax is that
much profit from Southern indus
tries is 'siphoned off to nonresident
financiers and absentee owners,
causing an extra tax burden on
those least able to pay, he said.
Mr.. Ickes said that while the poll
tax has been called Negro issue,
the tax actually disfranchises seven
white men for every three Negroes
similarly affected.
The speaker observed that "a of
these per cent Congressman have
been in Congress 20 years or more"
To-day, because of their long ten
ure. poll-tax Senators are chairmen
of the Committee on Appropriations.
Foreign Relations, District of Co.
lumbia, Finance, immigration. Irri-
cation and Reclamation, Postwar
Economic Policy and Planning.
Sees Corruption in System.
Mr.. Ickes said corruption of the
poll tax had been we'll documented.
In Virginia, for example, politi-
cal machinist can buy block of
1000 poll taxes if necessary and, if
convicted for the offense, be assessed
q fine of only S."
The conference staged the meeting
in the interest of raising S25 900 for
promotional work in the Washington
Office. Lisa Sergio, radio commen-
tator, who came from New York for
the job, raised $4,000 during the eve
ming 1t was announced another
$4,000 had been pledged previously
Other speakers on the four hour
program included the Rev. DR.. Lee
c. Sheppard, pastor of the Pullen
Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh,
N, c.; the Rev. Carter Harrison.
rector of ST Johns Episcopal
Church, Hampton, Va. and DR..
Clark Foreman, national president.
Judge William H Hastie. newly
appointed Governor of the Virgin
Isla nds nresided