Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-03-12
BY
Rusch
Toledo
CIO


of the government the pres
sure they have always man.
aged to bear on the legisla-
tive branch.
If the southern block in
tended to bolt the democratic
party, they would, of course,
have to have an alternate
course. A little review of the
development of the major
political parties in this coun-
try will establish the fact,
that the present connive of the
southern democrats is SIM
ply an attempt to impose
southern political philosophy
on the party as whole.
Let us look at the record.
In 1900 the Democratic Re-
publican party founded upon
the political philosophy of
Thomas Jefferson, defeated
the Federalist party which
supported John Adams, the
End President.
The new party soon split in
to two factions, called reSpec-
lively the National Repubil-
cans and the Democratic Re-
publicans. The National Re-
publican Party disintegrated
and the Democratic Republi-
can Party dropped the name
Republican and became SIM
ply the Democratic Party.
OPPOSITION
In opposition to the poll
cies of Andrew jackson, a
rival political party called the
Wings was developed. This
party fell to pieces because it
could not agree upon a pro-
gram regarding the great is
sue of slavery. In 1851 the Re-
publican Party founded upon
the political philosophy of
Abraham Lincoln came into
being. The Republicans held
control following this except
during the Wilson, Roosevelt
and Truman eras.
Shortly after the civil war
there took place in the south
a political revolution against
the domination of the Repub-
lican Party. There followed a
reorganization of the govern
ment of the southern states
which abridged, through state
laws, the civil liberties pro-
vided to the former slaves
through federal constitutional
amendments.
For 80 years the southern
reactionaries have prevented
civil liberties from having
real meaning in the south.
Through their representatives
in Congress, they quite sue
cessfully prevented the fed
eral government from inter-
fering.
PARADOX
Meanwhile the Republican
Party, although often sponsor
ing a reactionary economic
program, remained committed
to the protection and extern
sion of civil liberties. This
was necessary to attract the
negro vote, and to justify the
existance of the party to the
low income groups to whom
the party had little or nothing
to offer.
When President Truman
recently recommended his
civil rights proposals, the
southern block made a lot of
noise and threatened to Sc
cede from the Democratic
Party. This is a hollow threat
for several reasons.
They can't bolt to the Re-
publicans because the Repub-
licans cannot afford to COM
promise the only convincing
plank in their whole program.
They can't support Wallace
because his views are no more
acceptable than Truman's.
When Clare Hoffman of
Michigan said he hoped "the
Republicans would nominate
a candidate acceptable to the
southern democrats" he was
stating an impossible wish.
When Robert Taft accused
President Truman of lifting
his civil rights proposals out
of the Republican platform"
he, and not Hoffman, was ex-
pressing the only official view
the Republicans can afford to
eSpouse.
The southern revolt will
fold up and the southern
Democrats will remain in the
party because they have no.
where else to go. However,
they will continue to make
common cause with the reac-
tionary wing of the Republi-
can party for the purpose of
sabotaging progressive legis-
lation.
1t is the responsibility of all
of us to insure the defeat of
all candidates who oppose the