St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-09-26
Win Negro Votes Or
Lose Election White
Tells Ike and AdIui
Continued from page u

Continued from page u
platform on civil rights, markedly
In contrast with the woefuIly
weak and meaningless one Of the
Republicans, represented almost a
singlehanded triumph for senator
Lehman.
And then came the payoff -ap-
peasement Of the South by the
nomination of Senator Sparkman
as Stevenson's running mate.
SparlEman's Ten-Ycar Record
Defenders Of Sparkman's nom
nation back his selection on the
ground that he was instrumental
in helping to draft the civl-rights
plank at Chicago and in persuad-
ing his fellow Southerners to &C
Cept 1t and 10 refrain from filing
a minority report. There is no
question that this Is true. But
back of that act lies Sparkman's
unbroken ten-year record of hav-
ing voted against civil-riGhts
legislation sixteen out Of sixteen
times.
Democratic friends Of Senator
Sparkman also attempt defense of
his record by charging that the
Republican vice-presidential can
didate's record on civil rights is
little. II any, better than the Ala
bananas.
Senator NiNon's batting aver
age Il somewhat more favorable
but not much, particularly In
view OF the fact that he comes
from a state where politically II Is
not ineNpedient TO vote for civil
rights.
But II is not Sparkman's record
alone which today causes the Ne
gro voter to view with extreme
distaste further support OF the
Democrats. A long series of acts
Of commission or omission, es-
pecially the latter, have angered
him.
Close to 200 Federal judges, for
example, have been appointed and
confirmed during the past four
years. Only one was n Negro.
American universities, colleges
and technical schools have gradu-
ated during recent years a
steadily increasing number Of able
Negroes. In only a microscopic
fraction Of their cases has their
training opened up doors of Gov
eminent employment to them on a
scale propartionate to whites.
Furthermore, IA number Of posts
Of direct influence for good or evil
ON the lives Of Americans have
been filled with persons with anti.
Negro records ranging from poor
TO vicious.
In a brave declaration follow
ing his 1913 miracle reelection,
President Truman let II be known
that patronage would be withheld
from the anti-Negro civil-rights
Dixiecrats who bolted the Demo-
cratic party. To Negroes, this pre-
saged the beginning of a newer
day in the South, with control OF
public affairs transferred to
more liberal white and coIored Of
ficials. Their hopes were soon
dampened as ruthless pressure on
the President from the old ma
chimes forced him 10 reconsider.
More permanent and more OBJ
structive 10 Negro efforts to OBJ
tain full citizenship and to end
job and educational discrimina
ton, mob violence, disfranchisc-
ment and segregation is the dom
ination of key Senate and House
committees by Southerners under
Democratic administrations. But
as long as there was a Truman
in the White House doggedly
standing his ground in defense of
his civil rights program. Negro
voters could hold on 10 their hopes
that a less hostile Democratic
party would or could be achieved.
With Truman out 81 power. the
Negro asks himself u Democrats
like Lehman. Hubert Humphrey,
William Benton. Blair Moody. .
Franklin Roosevelt Jr., and Estes
kefauvrr may not b. shurn of
their influence as WAYNE Morse
has been by the Republican Old
Guard.
Were the records OF the Ro0ub-
lican party or its candidates ar-
probably better "u the Nrgrr and
civil rights, the dilemma o. Ne
gro voters would be relatively .
simple, Unfortunately, II isn't In .
certain respects. II is worse In .
that the excuse OF political neces- 4
s'ty which Southern senators like /.
sparkman give for their voting .
records, does not exist for North .
erners. The most meagerlv in
formed colored voter knows that .
some OF the decisions made at
Chicago would not have been
made had not the Republican civil
rights platform been the weakest
and most meaningless the COP .
has ever adopted. He also knows
that an FEPC law with enforce
GOOD COFFEE CAKES
! BARNEY'S LUNCH