St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1948-01-02


Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity ma
tional convention in Tulsa, Okla
homR. A blizzard that blanketed
the east coast prevented Wallace
from attending the convention but
his speech was read before the
cheering audience by Or. Clark
Foreman, president Of the Southern
Conference for Human Welfare.
In a Monday night nationwide
broadcast,over the Mutual network
announcing his candidacy, Wallace
called on farmers and workers,
whites and Negroes, small busi-
nessmen and professional people to
join him in the fight against war,
privilege and discrimination"
When the old parties rot, the
people have a right 10 be heard
through n new party" he declared.
They asserted that right when the
Democratic Party was founded un-
der jefferson. They won IL again
when the Republican Party was
organised n Lineoln's day. The
people must again have an oppor-
tunity 10 speak out with their votes
in l94s."
WallSee's call for an end TO dis
elimination made in bis candidacy
speech was presented as q full
bodied program for equal rights
for the Negro people in his Tulsa
address. Declaring that Negro and
white Americans alike have besn
too tolerant Of intolerance wal
lace called for q day-to-day Of
fensive 10 demand complete jus
tice" for the Negro people.
Abolish Jim Crow
"The abolition Of Jim Grow must
have top place on the agenda Of
4 program for national defense,D
Wallace declared. "Until It IL abel
ished the words democracy and
freedom and Justice used 80 GLIB
ly to support our foreign policy
viii ring hollow throughout the
world"
Referring TO the role Of the
Roosevelt New Deal in Improving
the living conditions Of the Amer
lean Negro, Wallace added, Il
make these points only to empha-
size that whatever we white, un-
prejudiced, democratic Americans
have done; whatever the New Deal
did, has been far less than enough
-. Today we must be as stubborn
In our devotion to principle as the
abolitionists Of a century ago. The
times demand It. The defense Of
our country demands t."
Following the pattern Of his re-
cent declarations that 1913 Is a
year to come out fighting" Wal.
lace spelled out In the speech q
complete offensive ITO end Jim
Grow in America wherever II exists
North or South"
Sets Precedent. In South
In his recent tour Of the South,
Wallace set history-making prece-
dent by speaking only before I'M
segregated audiences. This was the
first time a major political figure
In America was able TO successfully
challenge Jim Crow barriers erect
ed in the south by such hate groups
as the Ku Klux Khan.
The Wallace civil rights program,
expected to be a major element in
the presidential campaign, was
launched at the Alpha convention
in a five point platform, calling
for a federal anti-lyneh law, an end
10 poll taxes, the right to vote for
every Negro American, equal and
unsegregated education, and q per-
manent FEPC.
Wallace challenged both par
ties on their failure to keep cam
paign promises for portions Of
this legislative program
Wallace concluded his speech by
pointing out that a Negro child
born today has q life expectancy Of
ten years less than that of a white
child born a few miles away be-
cause Of unequal health facilities.
In a moving pledge to the Negro
people, the newly-deelared presi-
Dental candidate promised:
II say those ten years-those
ten extra years for millions Of
Americans are what We are fight
ing for. ! say that those who stand
in the way Of the health, educa-
ton, housing and social security
programs which would erase that
gap commit murder. ] sag tha4
those who perpetuate Jim Crow an
criminals. I pledge you that l shall
fight this with everything ] have"
Temporary offices for Wallace
were set up at 20 Z. 49th street IN
NJ. vi.