St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-03-14
Humphrey Makes
Position On kefuuver
Clear In Interview
BY CECIL Il. NEWMAN

Minneapolis, Minnesota SEN
ator Hubert II. Humphrey urged
the Democratic party to reaffirm
its civil rights platform at the
coming Democratic convention at
the Civil Rights Leadership con-
vention held on Feb. II at the
Statler hotel in Washington, d.
c.
On his last trip to Minneapolis,
in an exclusive interview, he
told this correspondent that he
could not support Senator Estes
Kefauver for president unless he
drastically changed his views on
civil rights.
In his speech to the conference
Humphrey declared:
TN newspaper headlines our
politicians fill the air with cries
for unity in this time of emer-
gency. Some of the leaders of my
political party are now urging
harmony" their yardstick for
harmony is to gloss over or re-
treat from the proclaimed plat
form outlining our detectives in
the field of civil rights legislation.
This is not harmony. This is cap
itulation, surrender"
II is the opinion of some obser-
vers on the local and national
political scene that Humphreys
speech has spiked the rumors that
he was deserving the civil rights
fight.
These rumOrs were started
when Humphrey was quoted as
stating that he would support Ke-
fauver for president.
During his interview with this
reporter, Humphrey very emphati-
cally stated that Il have repeated
ly told Senator Kefauver that I
could not support him unless he
came out in strong support Of
such measures as FEPC with en-
forcement powers"
1t is believed that Humphreys
influence on the thinking of the
caused him to state recently that
he would, if nominated support
the Democratic platform.
II Is assumed that he meant he
would support n strong civil
rights platform, II the party plat.
form contained such a plank.
Whether he would fight to have
civil rights included in the party
platform is not known.
Humphrey also made 1t clear
that if Truman wanted the Demo-
cratic nomination, he would sup
port the President at the Demo-
cratic convention that will be
held in Chicago this July
He also stated that "Kefauver's
failure to declare Cstrong civil
rights stand himself, will negate
his campaign for the nomination
and the presidency.
In an attempt to split the Ne
gro vote, Humphreys critics have
ignored his friendliness toward
the candidacy of Adlai Stevenson,
Illinois governor, but instead have
concentrated on his friendliness
for Kefauver, who recently voted
against removing segregation in
the armed forces.
In his Washington speech, Hum
phrey predicted that the Demo-
cratic party would be a "dwind.
ling political minority" II II COM
promised its stand on civil rights.
He said that he planned to pre-
sent to the Democratic party a
plank that would strengthen the
civil rights plank in the party
platform.
The plan calls for:
. The establishing of a major
ity rule cloture rule instead of the
present two-thirds rule which is
the primary reason that any civil
rights legislation has been block
ed in the senate;
. Establishing permanent
Commission on Civil Rights;
"a joint Congressional COM
mittee on Civil rights;
. The elevation of the existing
and weak civil rights unit of the
Department of Justice to the sta
tus of assistant to the Attorney
General.
We cannot rest on evolution
alone, particularly in a period
when revolution which sweeps
vast areas OF the world II is i'm
perative that America under
stands this revolution which
sweeps Asia and Africa is a vio-
lent demand for equality. II
America fails to recognize this ap-
parent political fact it has then
failed to equip itself with the
philosophy and the mind for world
leadership" Humphrey declared.
Humphrey said, Americas
foreign policy was weak because
il has failed ito declare by pub
lie law and public policy to our
selves and the whole world not
only our desire for equality but
our willingness to practice IT here
and abroad"