The Omaha guide., 1956-08-31
-ATTEND YOUR STATE FAIR
Negro vofe Swinging COP

Democratic since 1885, appear to be swinging to-
ward the Republican Party and are markedly criti-
cal OF Adlal Stevenson, a study in THE REPORT
Err revealed today.
It is safe to say that if Stevenson were to
run against Eisenhower tomorrow" the study re-
ports the Negro vote would show a very marked
swing away from the Democratic Party -"
In a copyrighted article, "The Negro Vote and
the Democrats" Robert Bendiner, recent winner
Of the Benjamin Franklin Magazine Award, also re-
ports that good segment of the Negro press is
moving away from the Democrats and he quotes
the editor of the Chicago Defender as predicting
"a major shift in political alignments" by Negroes
this year.
Bendiner who interviewed Negro political and
civic leaders across the country, attributes the feel
ing against Stevenson to his "graduaist" stand on
desegregation and the bitter opposition by South
ern Democrats to the Supreme Courts decision.
Bendiner points out that from 1896 through
1862, the Negro vote has run close to 80 per cent
Democratic and in close elections like the Tru-
man-DeWey campaign, could have cost the Demo-
Gratis their victory with less than a ID per cent
switch in key states like California, Ohio and Illi-
nos.
Today, he says after interviews with Negro
political and civic leaders, the swing against
Stevenson and the Democratic Party would result
in loss of votes greater than the decisive 15 per
cent difference.
However, Bendiner adds, "the saving grace,
from the Democratic viewpoint, is that the rebel
lion appears to be working down from the top and
November to be as disastrous as Republican stra-
tegists fondly hope"
He says, too that continuation Of prosperous
economy is still another factor that viii be decisive
in November.
Nevertheless, the study reveals that political
unrest among Negro voters has been swelling ever
since the first violent Southern reactions to the
Supreme Courts ban on segregation in the schools"
Leaders of the revolt include officials of the
National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, an organization theoretically nom
partisan, but which "has run in easy harness with
Ehe New Deal-Fair Deal party" Bendiner says:
Recently he reports the NAACPs Washing
ton Director, Clarence Mitchell warned that if the
Democratic Party persists in weighing itself down
with such an "albatross" as Senator James o. East
land, of Mississippi, it may have to kiss our votes
goodbye
Negro politicians across the nation told Ben
diner that most criticism is directed against Steven
son.
Everywhere l went in Negro communities, Il
found this word graduaism the red rag. =. ..
Bendner reports. "Coored leaders, Democrat and
Republican alike, seem appalled, at the staff work
that allowed Stevenson to use the hated word ;"
A New York Negro leader, Bendiner says. said
simply that Stevenson Hhas lost status among Ne
gro voters" who feel he is "pussyfooting and play
ing for Southern support Another reported that
Negro political circles regard Stevenson as a
'false-hearted lover" and that Negro party work
ers consider him "a dead duck right now"
A Philadelphia. Republican Negro worker con-
ceding that "the COP itself is not loved by the
Negroes of that city, says that Stevenson cannot
recover the Negro vote because Negroes stopped
listening to him after his pronouncement on gra-
duasm Both in Philadelphia and Baltimore, politi-
cal leaders said that Negroes will probably "turn
to the Republicans no matter what they do" They
will vote against the Democrats, not for the Re-
pubcans," Bendiner reports them saying.
Bendiner also emphasized the positive ap-
peap that President Eisenhower has for Negro
voters in his own right
"It is impossible to talk politics in a colored
gathering" he reports without hearing that the
President has contributed quite bit to the cause
of Negro advancement
He adds that most people he talked to feel the
Democrats can hold the Negro vote in line "only
If they adopt an uncompromsing plank on civil
rights, an unequivocal stand on enforcing the SUI
preme Courts ruling"
Bendiner concludes that the "szeable bloc" Of
militant and frustrated" Negroes will not vote
Democratic, adding:
"a majority of Negro votes will probably be
found in the Democratic column even in this year
of strong emotion, but all the signs are that the
days of so per cent majorities are over and done
with"