Evening star., 1948-02-05
The Political Mil
9. @. P. to Block Trumun
From carrying the Bali
Civil Liberties Bills Sponsored With
Republican Eye on Votes
Bv Gould Lincoln


President Truman's civil liberties message to
Congress, in which he advocated the passage
of antilynching, antipoll tax and PEPC legis-
lation, has stirred Southern Democrats almost
as deeply as the nomination of Alfred E. Smith
for President just 40 years ago.
Should Congress put through this legislation,
which undoubtedly will have Republican sup
port, the feeling of resentment in the South
against the Democratic President will become
so bitter in the opinion of some of the more
conservative Democratic Senators and Repre-
sentatives that many of the Southern States
would never vote for Mr.. Truman. One of two
courses would be followed. Either the plan put
forward by Gov. Wright of Mississippi-the
election of independent presidential electors
who would cast their votes for some other
Democrat than Mr.. Truman--or a Southern
Democratic ticket could be the course followed.
Either would result in losing to the Truman
ticket the electoral votes of Southern States.
Republicans are watching this latest rumpus
in the Democratic Party with interest, realizing
that the bitterness it engenders will have its
effect in the coming elections. They do not
expect any Southern State-certainly at this
point-to 60 Republican. They do believe, how
ever, that border States, like Missouri, West
Virginia, Maryland Kentucky and even Ten
nessee-which have all gone Republican In the
past-might easily be affected to an extent
that they would surely go Republican again.
Wherry Is Delighted.
Senator Wherry of Nebraska, Republican
whip of the upper house. commenting on the
Truman message, said that he was delighted
the Democratic President had finally come
around to point where he was willing to CO.
operate with the Republican Congress on legis-
lative matters.
"The Republicans" said Mr.. Wherry, "havs
written all these proposals into their party
platforms for years. They are part of our pro-
gram today. These measures will be passed
and become laws if Mr.. Truman will continue
to cooperate with the Republicans in Congress
which he now appears willing to do-and If
they are not blocked by Democratic filibusters."
1t is clear that the Republicans have no
Intention OF allowing the Democratic Presi-
dent to seize this ball and run with it, They
are thinking of the Negro vote-just as Mr..
Truman is thinking of it, This Negro vote
in Northern, Western and border States is
the prize for which President Truman is
angling. 1t is the vote which the late Frank
lin Delano Roosevelt won from the Republic
cans, first by taking care of the Negroes
with huge relief appropriations during the first
years of the great depression, and then with
his constant personal attention to them at all
times, in which he was aided by Mrs. Roosevelt.
With Roosevelt out of the picture, the Republic
cans have hoped to regain the support Of
large numbers of these Negro voters.
Henry Wallace, ever since he decided to
become candidate for the presidency on
third and independent ticket, has been max
ing great play for Negro support, too. The
with lN1Ikt daciu roI
to minimize this Wallace appeal to the Negro
voters. Once again, therefore. it appears that
Mr. wallace has caused Mr. Truman to Jump
through hoop The Presidents message on
the state of the Union, at the opening. Of the
present session Of Congress, was an earlier
case.
G. o. p. Sponsored Bills.
The Republican House passed an antipol
tax bill in the first session Of the present
Congress. 1t now awaits action by the Senate
Judiciary Committee. Senator Ives of New
York, Republican, has introduced an FEPC
measure and Senator Hawkes. of New Jersery.
Republican, an antilynching bill. Hearings on
both these measures have been under way
before the Judiciary Committee.
Plans are now on foot to get an antilynch-
ing bill before the House at a comparatively
early date and jam it through under special
rule Among the Senate Republicans there
are two schools of thought on how to proceed.
One is to introduce and seek to put through
an omnibus BILL containing the provisions OF
the antilynching, the antipoll tax and the
FEPC bills. The theory back of this is that
If there are to be tilibusters against these
legislative measures, it would be easier to go
through one filibuster than three. The school
of thought concentrates on one measure-the
antilynching bill. This bill, it is believed, has
greater backing and more appeal than the
others. But whichever course is followed.
the Southern Democrats in the Senate may
be expected to make desperate fight to pre-
vent action.