St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-05-14
The Other Side of the Storyal: IKE

y a.
Elsewhere on this page reprint an editorial from the
April 10 Pittsburgh COURIER which sets forth the case ior
the Republican administration far the question OF treat
men Of Much Of what the editorial points
out However the editorial ignores certain factors
which are also pertinent to honest appraisal OF he merit Oh
the two political parties the question Oh American negro
rights
What the COURIER ignored Is the patent fact that the
Eisenhower administration any other Republican national
to this date received the bulk OF its support
from the northern and border states Politically the COZ has
never any obligation to the South 1t is therefore IN
better position implement democracy as Tar as te
Negro than the Democratic party which has had 70
depend to extent the traditionally Solid South
Presdent Eisenhower whether he realizes il not by his
hirb type appointments repairing the damage done to the
Republican by years indifference and misrepresentation
Negro support by the party leadership the doP had t
blind and devoted support Of from the early
70s until the late 2os and lost definitely when the Negro
voters turned TO Roosevelt in 1882.
This indifference and Eve have the Negro vote in our
pocket attitude by Republicans the reason why
paper like the COURIER deserted the COP in 1882
is granted the sake of argument that the Roosevelt
and Truman administrations were short ON choice poca
pums for Negro adherens both of the Democratic ad
mnistraons by their civil rights advocacy dared to identity
the rights Of the Negro with the democratic ideal In
daring this position members of the Roosevelt cabinet
and President Truman himself had to defy very important
part of party of the Solid South In contrast Mr.
Eisenhower does not outspoken antNegro antciv
rights bloc in his party.
When Eisenhower takes the high road and insists
no discrimination Navy installations civilian EN-.
ployees he faces retaliation from his own party and he
under no great political obligations to the South
The Northern and still the chief aren't
tects Democratic party civil rights proposals They set
the no discrimination stage which Mr. Eisenhower very
wisely has moved the center specifically IN those areas where
the executive has the power to make changes
The COP has made much towards the ending OF
Jim conditions in Washington, d. c. the nations capital
OF made mention of the fact that the ground
work for the change laid during the Truman administers
ton In the Supreme Court decision unfolding law
against discrimination by public places in the captat
Truman attorney general who first had the department OF
justice solicitor appear friend of the court in support of the
law Our Senator Hubert H. Humphrey Immediately upon
entering Senate and talked d. hotels about the
inconsistency Of the racial bars hotels and other public
commodations in the capital of our democratic nation
In the school segregation before the Supreme Court
the Eisenhower administration through Attorney General Her
Brownels office took definite position against public
school segregation support of precedent which had been
by the Truman administration
Congress especially in the Northern Demo
Gratis chief sound civil rights whereas
the Northern Republicans Of the odd Guard variety have
used the prejudice of the southern Democratic
block legislation the liberal faction of the Democratic party
supported This coalition of conservative Northern Republicans
aud conservative Diiecratmiudcd Democrats still exists This
coalition is responsible for defeat Of every effort pass
civil rights legislation in Congresthe passage of which has
far importance the rank and file of American Negroes
than appointment to high office by either political party
Admitting the handicap which Democratic administration
has had with its party in giving the Negro square deal
there many things which both the Roosevelt
administrations could have done in this regard which they did
do III the Eisenhower administration clean up
discriminatory practices in Federal where the chief ex
ecutive has the do and continues appoint
office American Negroes OF integrity and standing persons
who not primarily political hacks it will go long way
toward rebuilding Negro confidence in the Republican party
especially those Negroes who independent voters
a group which larger than many imagine.