Evening star., 1948-07-11
DistrictProgressives
Organize Party for
Wallace Campaign

day when the Progressive Party O.
the District was formally set up a
a convention which adopted al
"anti-fascist, anti-monopoly" plat
form attacking both major parties
About lS0 persons, in an all-day
session at the Hotel 2400, electeo
delegates and alternates to the Ma
tional Progressive Party convention
in Philadelphia July 1925.
They chose Clark Foreman, presi
dent of the Southern Conference fol
Human Welfare, as District chair
man. Dr. Joseph L. johnson, dear
of the Howard University Medica
School, as executive chairman anc
national committeeman, and Harr,
Lamberton, former UNRRA official
as another executive vice chairman
Platform Agreed On.
A platform covering foreign ane
National as we'll as District isSue
was agreed to after numerous addi
tions. Similarly, in vigorous bu
orderly discussion, the convention
members insisted on secret ballo
in voting not only on the nom
mating committees slate of 16 Ma
tional convention delegates and
alternates but on several other!
named from the floor.
Besides the two executive vict
chairmen they selected the follow.
ing vice chairmen:
Richard Bancroft, former head 0.
the Cafeteria Workers Union here
Mrs. Leslie Douglas. daughter Of
Henry A. Wallace; Mrs. Gertrude
Evans, Mrs. RoSalie Gerber, Mrs
Helen Gray, Rev. T. Ewell Hopkins
Henry t. Hunt, Mrs. Eugenia B
Hyde. William Johnson, Belforo
Lawson, Walter NARROW, Charles
Payne. Mrs. Gertrude Rodman
Henry Thomas and DIR. Irving
Wink.
A District committee Of 40 men,
berS also was elected.
Mr.. Wallace and Senator Taylor
OF Idaho, who is to run as vice
presidential candidate on the ticket
scheduled for nomination at the
Philadelphia convention, sent mes
sages to the District convention.
Predicts Pride, Not Shame"
"The people cry out against the
shackles of the Taft Hartley Act
the gag of loyalty orders and against
the talk and threats of war" Mr.
Wallace telegraphed.
Senator Taylor wrote that the
new party will create view from
Capitol Hill that will bring pride
not shame, to the American people. ,
DR.. John T. E. Camper of Balti-
more, the keynote speaker, and Stet-
son Kennedy, who got evidence
against the Ku Klux Klan by join
ing it and writing a book called
Southern Exposure, Swere princi-
pal speakers.
Mr.. Kennedy donned a xxx robe
and mask to emphasize an assertion
that Southern Democratic leaders
will bolt that party this year "un-
less they get Klan civil rights"
He urged election of Mr.. Wallace
as the best means of wiping Out
"faScism. whether in the form ol
the Khan or in parliamentary rule
that perpertS democracy" He re-
ferred to Gen. Eisenhower as "ar
esteemed questionmark in uniform
behind whom widely diverse groups
tried to unite.
= DR.. Camper, a Howard University
medical school graduate who is a
Wallace candidate for Congress In
Maryland, accused Republican and
Democratic parties as having "be-
trayed as we'll as failed" the Amer
ican people.
Suffrage PIankS Recalled.
He charged that President Tru-
man and Republicans gave only lin
service to civil rights programs. He
denounced both major parties for
not keeping 1914 platform pledges to
give suffrage to the District.
The platform. drafted by a COM
mittee headed by Attorney Joseph
Forer. advocated suffrage and Con-
greSSlonal representation for Dis
trlct citizens. abolition of racial
discrimination. cessation of police
brutality" particularly against Neg
roeS. opposition to sales tax.
strengthening of the rent control
law and a full scale housing pro-
gram. lower public utilities rates,
and a District as well as a Federal
bonus for veterans.
On National issues the platform
proposed pay raises for Federal en-
ployees, revocation of the loyalty
program, full recognition of the
right OF Government workers to
join unions, repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act, enactment of a com
plete" civil rights program, and re-
peal of all forms Of compulsory
military training.
Favor End to Cold War.
In foreign affairs, the platform
urged an END to the cold war
against Soviet Union" an end to
our support of reactionary govern
ments as in Greece, Turkey. Spain,
Iran, China. Argentina, Portugal.
and South Africa: world disarma-
ment through the United Nations.
and support of the State of Israel
through the United Nations.
Platform additions voted on floor
motions included those for Govern
ment financial aid for share crop
perS. naturalization of war NUM-
tions and armament plants: investi-
cation of meat prices and the meat
packers monopoly: opposition to
ANY measures taken by the United
States to restore to power any
former FaSciSts and monopoliSts in
Germany, Italy and Japan; social
security coverage for Government
workers and larger benefit pay
ments; and imposition of Federal
controls to prevent imitation.
Another amendment stated: AT
tacks on civil liberties, labor and
freedom of political action ore
being conducted under bipartisan
leadership in hysterical Hitlerian
fashion under the guise of a drive
against Communism. We condemn
such attacks regardless of thei1
origin"
The motion for creation of the
Progressive Party of the District was