Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1947-03-01
Governor TO Ask Revision OF Election
Laws In Extraordinary Session; Leaders
To Call Meeting In Mapping Action
BY James Rundles
(Special Staff Writer)

Prominent negro ledueIS VI Ih0
state met here this week to map
out plans of legal counter action
following Governor Wright's an
nouncement that Especial session
of the legislature would consider
revision of the election laws, here
March 4th. Immediately following
the Governors announcements, a
group of negro leaders stated to
a representative of the Jackson
Advocate eve have sufficient
funds to litigate any statute con-
ceivd to dfranchis us; Ours is
the fight for true Democracy. We
Shall not lose" 1t was further
revealed here that a Special COM
mittee had been formed following
the appearance in a local daily
paper of an article in which Gov
ernor Wright addressed an offic-
ial document to the Governor of
Georgia. The assumption being
that the document regarded issues
involved in the recently passed
Georgia White Primary measure.
Governor Wright's decision to
convene the legislature here next
Tuesday followed a lengthy con-
sideration from every angle dat
ing back to December 10, when he
first announced he was seriously
considering emergencies in need
of legislative correction. At that
time, major issues were changes
in the primary election laws and
proposed repeal of the black mar
ket liquor tax.
On January 8, he announced a
seriesof conferences with the state
legislators to sound out their views
regarding the necessity for the
January 13 in Brookhaven, cover
ed the South Mississippi region,
the central section, including the
Jackson area, extended into the
Delta and was concluded on JAN
uary % in New Albany.
At the close of the tour it was
announced that a majority Of the
legislators had not voted in favor
of the session. Tabulations show
ed that go or three les than maj
ority of the 189 members had vot-
ed in favor of the special assembly
but consideration was given to
the fact that a number of the
members had not attended the
meetings and that large proper
ton of those actually voting had
favored the call.
A week later, Governor Wright |
announced he had found means Of
providing partial relief to all the
emergencies except the one deal
ing with the election laws. This
announcement was made on JAN
uary 81 and there was consider
able sentiment over the state in
favor of some action to strengthen
white supremacy laws.
Governor Wright said he had
called on the best legal minds in
the state for suggestions thao
mikht offer solution to the pro-
blems negroes attempting to
vote, which has increased con-
siderably since the close of the
war.
1t was estimated that 5000 ne
of the number believed eligible for
groes voted in the primary cleo
ton last summer and on the basis
the 1947 election was estimated at
close to 5000.
Governor Wright has made COM
ment relative to legislation passed
by South Carolina and more re-
Gently Georgia in their repeal of
all state laws, leaving the matter
to the Democratic party leaders
who can deride against allowing
the negroes to vote without violat-
ing state laws.
Mississippis system Of prevent
ing registrations by negro voters
has ben considered in need of adj
justment since announcement OF
opinion by Attorney Greek L. Rice
at recent hearing which stated
that Circuit Clerks have no au-
fhorffv tn compe1 Drnsnective re-