St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-10-25
Alabama Votes
On Restricting of
Negro Voters
BY HAROLD n. HINTON
In the New York Tlmeh

FLORENCE, Ala.--An amend
ment 10 the State Constitution de.
signed TO restrict the registration
OF Negro voters Is the most contro-
versial matter on which the voters
Of Alabama will pass Judgment at
the general elections Nov. 5. Its
chances Of adoption appear to de-
pend on whether its opponents will
take the trouble TO 70 TO the polls
and vote against Il.
Known as the Boswell amend.
ment, named for its author, State
Representative E. c. Boswell, Of
Geneva, II would establish as
qualification for registration as a
voter in Alabama either the
ability to read and write, or 10
explain the Constitution Of the
United States. II would supplant
the present requirement Of being
able to read or write, or Of Dos
Sessing property TO the value Of
The property qualifications, as
an alternative TO hteracy, was put
In the State Constitution in 1901.
In the postwar prosperity which
Is prevailing in most Of Alabama,
1t Is no longer sufficient 10 debar
the great mass Of Negroes, since
even a tumble-down jalOpy can now
be valued ut $500.
In common with GOvernOr-elect
Eugene TalmadRe in Georgia, and
Senator Theodore G. BilbO and Rep
resentative John Rankin in Missis-
sippi, advocates Of the Boswell
amendment in Alabama interpret
recent decisions Of the United States
Supreme Court 10 foreshadow the
end Of white supremacy" in the
South unless steps are taken 10 cir
cumvent them.
A fair sample Of their arguments
Is being given by former Governor
Frank II. Dixon, who Is stumpinR
the State for the amendment. He
included the following In a speech
last week:
at is my firm belief that we
The Boswell amendment was
adopted by the l945 Legislature
with little opposition, and the
Democratic organization of the
State, under Chairman Gessner T.
McCOTvey, appears TO be commit
ted to its RdODtiOn.
GOvernoT-elect Jim Folsom has
announced his opposition to the
proposal, but the present Governor,
Chauncey Sparks, favOrs it.
Most Of the States large news
papers oppose it. Resolutions call
ing for its defeat have been
adopted by the State Republican
Convention, the Political Action
Committee and the Montgomery
Junior Chamber Of Commerce.
face the elimination of our segre-
cation laws, Of our coming laws;
that we will see our children in
mixed schools Of whites and Ne
groes, our Legislature with strong
Negro minorities, our juries Of
mixed races; many Of our city and
county governments either manned
by Negroes or largely dominated
by them, should we fail to pass the
Boswell amendment"
Other Suits Believed on Way
The immediate cause for alarm
among the proponents is an award
by the United States Supreme Court
Of $4,000 in damages against reg
istrars Of Macon County, the
population Of which is more than
80 per cent Negro, for failing TO
register Negro voters considered
eligible under existing require
ments Of the State Constitution.
Mr.. Dixon says that sixteen test
cases are being prepared by the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement Of Colored People in
jefferson County, where Negroes
constitute % per cent of the popu-
lation, and that similar suits are
being attempted in six other
counties.