WHY TELL IS SUPPORTING
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY
OF GOV. THOMAS E. DEWEY
It so happens that this first issue of TELL is being pub
lished concurrently with the opening of the Presidential
Campaign of 1948.
This national event is of such momentous importance that
any new publication should and must, at the beginning, de
clare its political faith.
Unhesitatingly, we do so.
We are here seeking to make plain the fact that our editor
ial purpose concerns the interests of American citizens, and
not alone a race or group.
After prolonged study of the platforms of the.two major
political parties, whose claims are at this time being pre
sented to the American people, we are led to feel, and be
lieve, that the future of our country will be more completely
assured by the election of the candidates nominated by the
Republican Party at its convention in Philadelphia last June.
Because of our blood and tradition, we are called upon,
by force of circumstances, to review the records of political
parties as they relate to us, in the light of their performance,
rather than by their professions. The record of the Republi
can Party, over the years, indisputably more than stands out,
when compared with that of the Democratic Party.
Throughout its long history, the record shows that the
Republican Party has unswervingly stood by its principles
as announced when founded in 1854.
It dedicated itself to the freedom of the individual, and the
safeguard of his inalienable rights. Steadfastly, it has re
mained devoted to basic American principles—free initia
tive, free enterprise, and the dignity of the average man.
In these principles colored men and women believe with
all their hearts and souls. They have borne denial of these
basic rights more largely than any other segment of the
American population.
The oligarchial Democratic Party has denied these basic
rights to the 8,000,000 colored people of the South; also it
has sought to extend their prejudices and bigotries to the
North.
m
These oligarchies have opposed all natural legislation that
would improve their lot.
As has been well said: “The Republican Party having
broken the slave bonds of the Negro and made him a free
man; having bound up the deep wounds of a nation divided
against itself—the Party has continued to proceed on a pro
gram of adherence to the principles of Constitutional gov
ernment.”
It is not necessary to review at greater length the historic
past of the Republican Party during the 94 years of its
existence. It has a background of profound significance when
compared with the dismal record of the Democratic Party as
it relates to the Negro citizenship of the nation.
Most certainly, it is a Democratic record which cannot
be depended upon to assure Negro citizens of the sincerity
of any of its protestations.
A case in point: As late as July, 1948, when the Demo
cratic National Convention met in Philadelphia, despite Pres
ident Truman’s claims as being the only blown-in-the-bottle
champion of Negro Civil Rights, he accepted the watered
down plank insisted upon by the Dixiecrats, a meaningless
declaration.
And so, down the river went a compromise so watery as
to mean nothing at all.
It was only the fact that this watered-down plank was
beaten by a resolution from the floor that Mr. Truman’s
candidacy offers opportunity for him to still prate of sup
porting civil rights at all.
When the Republican Party nominated Governor Thomas
E. Dewey of New York, and Governor Earl Warren of Cali
fornia, as its candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presi
dency of the United States, a deep sense of relief and an
assurance of security, spread over the country. Here at last
the men and opportunity have met to end the confusions
and the chaos which now depress the country.
With Thomas E. Dewey, the standard bearer of his Party,
generally acknowledged to be “the greatest public adminis
trator of our generation,” and as one who is famous for
getting things done, victory is “just around the corner,” to
be realized on Tuesday, November 2nd.
We support Thomas E. Dewey for the principles he es
pouses, and because he has confidence in the common sense
of the American people, and because they have confidence
in him.
He knows the aspirations of the American people, and
seeks to give them the kind of government they need and
want.
We have sought in this our first issue to give the reasons
for our support of Thomas E. Dewey for President of the
United States. We have declared our political faith, and
have cited the record as confirming our faith. It is a devastat
ing recital of the reasons which impel TELL to support
him.
We hope and trust our readers will join us in the Great
Victory Parade.
A Comparison Of
Professions And Practices
Assistant Campaign Manager Analyzes the
Principles at Stake.
■ " .. .1 1 ' ...- 1 ■ ...
By VAL J. WASHINGTON
The Republican Presidential
campaign will be conducted among
Negro voters on the record of the
two major parties and their can
didates, Val J. Washington, As
sistant Republican Campaign Man
ager, declares.
As the campaign moves along,
he said, President Truman’s pro
fessions will be compared with his
practices, and over and against
Democrat sham and double-dealing
will be set, the record of Governor
Thomas E. Dewey of New York,
and Governor Earl Warren of
California.
“The Republican Party has the
best platform, the best candidates,
and the best record.” Mr. Washing
ton said. “Negro voters realize
that their welfare as well as the
welfare of the American people as
a whole can best be served by the
election of a Republican President
and a Republican Congress.
SOUTH DOMINATES
DEMOCRAT PARTY
“The Democrat Party is still the
party of the South. If anyone has
any doubt about this, all he needs
to do is look at the membership
of important Congressional Com
mittees.
“By virtue of their seniority,
Senators from poll-tax States will
be the chairmen of nearly all im
portant Senate committees if the
Democrats should gain control of
the Senate in November.
“McKellar of Tennessee will be
the Chairman of the Appropria
tions Committee; Olin D. Johnston
of South Carolina, the ‘Mayor* of
Washington by virtue of being the
chairman of the District of Colum
bia Committee; Tom Connally of
Texas, chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee, and McClel
lan of Arkansas, chairman of the
Committee on Expenditures in the
Executive Department.
TRIES MANY TRICKS
“The Southern Democrats were
against Wallace in 1944. He was
for ‘Civil Rights.’ Truman op
posed Wallace and thus got the
Southern Democrat vote and be
came Vice President. He kicked
Wallace out of the Cabinet and now
is for ‘Civil Rights’ to get our
vote.
“He knows .McKellar of Tennes
see, Johnston of South Carolina,
Connally of Texas, and McClellan
of Arkansas are guardians of
White Supremacy for all un-recon
structed rebels of the South. He
is for any trick or device that
some sharp practice adviser tells
him will trap some votes.
POWERS NOT BEING USED
“Complaint is made that the
President was unable to do any
thing because of a Republican Con
gress. What can he dp on Civil
Rights with a Southern Democrat
Congress ?
“He has power now to abolish
segregation and discrimination in
the Armed Forces. Does he do it?
No. He says he is going to ap
point a committee to study ways
and means to put ‘equal’ oppor
tunities in the Armed Forces.
“We know about ‘separate but
equal’ opportunties as practiced all
these years in transportation and
schools. Anyway, this committee
will not report until after the elec
tion. Another trick to trap some
votes!
“The Sham battle between Tru
man and the Dixiecrats goes merr
ily on. While they throw rotten
eggs and overripe tomatoes at
Wallace, the product of the ma
chine of Kansas City throws jobs
and more jobs to the Dixiecrats
and they continue to contribute to
his campaign.
DEMOCRAT JOHNSTON’S
HOSTILITIES
“If you want to know who a
man is go to his home and see how
he lives—Truman from Missouri,
Barkley from Kentucky, vs Dewey
from New York and Warren from
California. The philosophy of Jim
Crow Missouri and Kentucky
against fair New York and Cali
fornia. Which one voter?
“Does anyone believe that,
under the Chairmanship of Olin
D. Johnston of South Carolina,
there would be any possibility of ,
getting any civil rights legislation
for the District of Columbia
enacted ?
“When Johnston was the Gov
ernor of South Carolina, he called
a special session of the General
Assembly for the specific purpose
of repealing all existing statutes
which contained any reference di
rectly or indirectly to primary elec
tions within the State so that the
Democrat Party of South Carolina
could adopt rules to exclude Ne
groes from voting in Democrat
primaries in that State.
CHAMPIONS WHITE
SUPREMACY
“In his message to the Legisla
ture, Governor (now Senator)
Johnston said:
‘After these statutes are re
pealed in my opinion, we will
have done everything within our
power to guarantee white su
premacy in our primaries of our
Comments
“We relieve that man has arisen
out of nature and that he is raised
above nature by his moral and
spiritual ideals. Is it reasonable,
then, to imagine that the universe
has at last produced its supreme
creation only to fling it away as
some capricious child does a toy?”
“If life, which has been so labo
riously built up, s» studiously pre
pared for, so long heralded, which
is capable of such high tasks, which
‘rounded into a separate whole,’
can love and pray, and trust, is
destined to destruction—then is
the whole rationality of nature
impeached.” /
—Spiritual Voices in Mftdem *
Literature, by Dr. .Trevor
Davies.
State insofar as legislation if
concerned. Should 4sSrilS prove
inadequate. South Carolinians
will use necessary methods
to retaiu vhite supremacy in our
primaries and to safeguard the
homes and happiness of our
people. |
‘White supremacy will be
maintained in our primaries. Let
the chips fall where they may.’
BRUTALITY RECALLED
“If the beating and slashing of
the Rev. Archie Ware, pastor of
our Baptist churches and moder
ator ofitle Savannah Valley Bap
tist Association, for voting in the
Couth Carolina Democrat primary
in AugUsi is not directly traceable
to the statement of Senator Johns
ton in his mesage to the Legisla
ture wflb he was Governor, it cer
tainly can be attributed to the
spirit of that message.
“Of course, it is a violation of
the Civil Rights Statute, enacted
by a Republican Congress specifi
cally to protect Negroes in the en
joyment of their civil rights, for
two ojr more persons to conspire
to injure;, oppress, threaten or in
timidate any citizen in the free
exercise or enjoyment of any right
or privilege secured to him by the
Constitution or laws of the United
States.
“The right to vote and to have
that vote counted is one of the
right* protected by the existing
Civil jfhts Statute.
NTIONS QUESTIONED
: Federal Bureau of Inves
investigates the brutal
of the Rev. Mr. Ware and
out the members of the
ere is no certainty ,that the
ment of Justic ; u-ill vigor
prosecute them.
Up Truman Administration
has ,k Jfl;y never had any inten
tion riming anything about civil
rights. President Truman’s ap
pointment of a Civil Rights Com
mittee and his special message to
Congress calling for civil rights %
legislation were simply buck-pass
ing devices to win Negro votes.
DEWEY A MAN OF ACTION
“Governor Dewey, on the other
tiand, took the leadership in hav
ing the New York State Legisla
ture enact the Ives-Quinn Law
igainst discrimination in employ
ment and in creating a State Uni
versity system which bans discrim
ination on account of color or creed
in the admission of students.
“Governor Dewey’s record as
sures vigorous prosecution of all
violations of civil rights under
existing Federal Civil Rights
Statutes.
“With Governor Dewey and Gov
ernor Warren, Negroes can make
?reat progress toward the goal of
:ull American citizenship.”
TELL'S COVER
October 3. If48 j
Maxine Laughlin Lewis cre
ated the sophisticated cover,
“Goddess of the Leaves” for
Tell using as her materials, a
background of suede with glazed
fabric for buildings and leaves
and newspaper for the figures.
TELL
Published weekly by TELL, INC., Bal
;imore, Maryland. B. Dogan Hughes, E.
Oliver* Hood, editors and publishers. Copy
right, 1948. Reproduction expressly for
bidden.