Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-30
A Phony Contest

The SenateS current f1libuSter seems to
be as phony as the poll tax issue itself.
In the years in which this question has
been tossed back and forth, one has come
to expect certain amount of thunder
and lightning from the Southern Senators
as they 90 into their oratorical act in
opposition to the poll tax repeater. In the
past they have at least been spectacular,
but this year the debate is merely dull.
Up to this time the Senators have sounded
like tired lawyers arguing an unintereStlng
case in a hot courtroom on summer
afternoon Perhaps they know that this
flibuster is just for the record; that the
chips are not down in the special session
and that they have nothing to fear.
If the Southern Senators are merely
going through the motions, however, they
are guilty of no greater sin than their
Republican colleagues and the President.
For it seems only too clear that with them
this anti-poll tax campaign is political
matter. a crusade with no conviction
behind it.
1t may be, as the Republicans say, that
the poll tax repeater was called up because
there was nothing else on the calendar
ready for action. But one would have to
live in a political dream world not to be
satisfied that the COP Senators are pri-
marily interested in Selling this opportu-
nitv to embarrass the Democrats, to dis
play once again before the Negro voters OF
the North and East the hopeless division
within the Democratic ranks over this
threadbare issue For the Presidents part,
it is only fair to say that he asked for It,.
Had he limited his special session pro-
posals to imitation and housing he might
find an excuse now for righteous indigna-
ton But when he dragged in the civil
rights program, even though he did not
give it first place on his agenda, he was
playing politics and he will have to take
the consequences.
Perhaps the day will come when the
Negro voters will refuse to rise to the lure
of this phony poll tax issue. For 1t Is an
issue which has been inflated by the poll
ticians out of all relation to Its true i'm
portance. 1t, Is very doubtful that 4
nominal poll tax actually keeps any one
from voting who really wants to vote. In
Louisiana, for instance, which has no poll
tax, the percentage of people voting Is
SllldllCl Glldl1 Ill VIZ SAllld Va ASAoS, "AASA -
the poll tax Is in effect. Furthermore, as
has been shown by the way in which New
Hampshire applies its poll tax, the legis-
lation now before the Congress would out
law this tax in name but not in fact.
The basic objection to these recurrent
congressional f1urries over the poll tax,
however, arises from the fact that the
matter is one which should be left to the
States Aside from the grave doubt as
to the constitutionality of congressional
action, the record shows clearly that the
poll tax is on its way out in the South.
Only seven States still have It, and senti-
ment against it Is rising in Virginia and
Tennessee. The forward looking people Of
the South will seek sound solutions Of
problems like the poll tax and lynching
If they are left alone. When politicians
at the national level pounce on these
issues for partisan political ends they are
merely playing into the hands of the white
supremacy bigots in the South, and one
of these days the intelligent Negro voters
are going to realize it.