St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-07-18


ination of a presidential candi.
date for the Republican party.
Thus, the issue of a suitable
civil rights plank remained unre-
solved as the convention closed
after five hectic days of squad.
bling and debate in the party.
Even the nomination of Gen
Dwight D. Eisenhower for Presi.
dent has not overshadowed the
civil rights issue in the minds OF
Negro delegates, alternates and
guests and visitors.
Central figure in the split
among colored delegates was
Harold c. Burton of the 22nd dis
trict in New York City. Burton
seconded the platform approved
by the resolutions committee to
the surprise of nearly all the
1,206 delegates attending the con-
vention and nearly all the thou
sands of guests and newspaper
men looking on.
This platform contained a civil
rights plank which approved the
principle of states rights-de-
claring it was the right of states
to take basic action and that the
federal government should act
within its constitutional" limits
1t also encouraged fair employ
ment practices, but declared il
did not advocate the creation OF
another strong bureaucracy.
Bright Feature
Considered to be the bright fea-
ture of the plank was a declara-
ton calling for the end Of segre-
CATION in the nations capital
Washington, ID. c.
DOublecross:
Delegate William Brooks Jr., OF
Detroit, Mich, declared outright
Burton doublecrossed the Ne.
gro delegates, alternates and
guests and visitors"
He said this was the story OF
how Burton let his fellow dele
gates down:
On Wednesday night, July g.
Negro delegates held a caucus
after seeing what they considered
a watered down version of civil
rights in the platform. At this
meeting four delegates. all lead.
ers of the Elks, composed what
they called an amendment to the
civil rights plank. This new state
men called for compulsory action
on the topic.
Delegate Hobson Reynolds OF
Philadelphia was slated to read
the document carrying the civil
rights fight to the floor of the
convention. A technicality, how.
ever, led the delegates to approve
of reading by Burton.
Burton, it is said, originally
told the group he intended tc
move the adoption of the 194s
COP civil rights plank, then
agreed to read the caucus report
The floor battle on the plank
had been mapped out, and Negro
delegates were ready for a civil
rights battle when Burton arose
to speak He had obtained per.
mission ahead of time for five
minutes to speak on this issue.
Instead of denouncing the plat,
form civil rights proposals, Bur,
ton declared that Negro delegates
met in a caucus and found that
since five of seven states with
civil rights laws have Republican
governors, and that the proposed
planks contained means for pass.
ing compulsory legislation, he
approved the civil rights section
He then seconded the approval OF
the platform, and the civil rights
fight was dead.
Why did Burton do what he
did? II is said that about five
minutes before he was to speak
he was called from the platform
for a few minutes. During this
conference with whites, reported,
ly Sen. Irwin Ives, New York;
Gov. Alfred f. Driscoll, New
Jersey and a third Republican
liberal.
The report is that they told him
that the party's platform in its
final statement left a loophole fol
compulsory legislation in connec'
ton with fair employment prac,
tees. Under these circumstances
IT is said the whites felt il would
be better if the issue were not
brought before the house.
Under this pressure, Burton is
said 10 have agreed to merely sec
ond the motion approving the
platform.
Because Burton was the only
Negro delegate who had arranged
with the convention chairman
Rep. Joseph Martin of Massachu,
sets, no one else had the right &c
speak.
Throughout the convention
SEE: COP Delegates
Continued on page ~