Newspaper Page Text
Why The Citizens Democratic Party
>' ■ JEB
-MH
fllw
mHkBmß9r
' * S< - ^fck. .-
S „, ■,-<■•.
*
By DR. RALPH MARK GILBERT
(A Guest Editorial)
It will behoove our Negro citi
zens to examine well the political
picture presented to us in this
local election. Above everything
else, each Negro voter should in
telligently evaluate the issues in
volved, and with a minimum of
extraneous influence, vote their
•own convictions. Certainly we
should not permit ourselves to- be
swayed by the selfish interests
of those who wish to make of
our people their own political
pawns, and who speak to us
with sugary phrases, using the
language that they know will ap
peal to us. Let us examine the
facts in the case, and then vote.
In the first place, let us ad
vocate political solidarity amongst
our people. It is vitally necessary
that we should show a solid front.
In Savannah, we are in the enviable
position of being the balance
of power, which makes both groups
who are running for office, bid for
our vote. If the vote of the Negro
is' split, it ceases to be the balance
of power, and that neutralizes its
effectiveness. The counter-argu
ment, to the effect that if one
party or the other wins, then
that party that w r e supported and
perhaps lost, would not be able
to keep its pledge, being out of
office, and the winning party
which we failed to support, would
owe us nothing because we would
have no influence with them,
may be answered by the fact
that such an argument fails to
take into consideration the fact
that this is simply the law of
politics. “To the victor belongs
the spoils.” That is simply the
gamble we must. take. The thing
to do is take a stand, one ride
or the other, and do all in cur
power to make our side win. If ar
side. wins, we have double m
fluence. If our side loses, we are
just where we are now. If we
play that game of “Good G' J,
good Devil,” then we are inef
fective either way. We are still
just where we are now.
We have our organization, which
is strictly the expression of ths
iank pud file of Negro ..citizens
in this community, in the Citizens
Democratic Club, with John G.
McGlockton as its President. This
group, through regular organi
zational channels, is representa
tive of the vast majority of the
Negroes of this city. It starts
out in no campaign pledged to
any particular group, but seeks
to ascertain where each group
stands. In any particular election
this group will advocate, and go
down the lin^ for whatever candi
dates or party offers the most
so our people, and who investi-
Endorse the C. P. L
gabion shows to give greatest
evidence cf sincerity of th^ir
pledge. The leadership of this
group have proven their sincerity
and honesty, and no man is able
successfully to challenge this fact.
None of our leaders in this organi
zation have anything personally to
gain by their recommendations,
and they: seek toehold, our people
together .purely and only because
of the , benefits - that . the race
can expect from such solidarity.
Now the white,,man done
his work well on some of the
members of our race, and because
of this fact, he has made two
predictions regarding Negroes and
their present rights' of the fran
chise. First, that it would be
easy enough for them, by their
time honored techniques, to split
the Negroes up by getting^them
into a fight amongst themselves.
Secondly, that what they could
not succeed In doing by this first
method, they could accomplish by
buying off enough Negroes in
key places to accomplish their
purpose. And will you please bear
in mind that by buying off, we
mean with more than w?th mere
money. Racketeers, for instance,
are not interested in a financial
brihe as such, but are interested
more in receiving an immunity to
punishment for pursuing their
i illegal ends.
We do not look with favor
upon ‘the establishment of this so
called “COLORED G. I. PARTY.”
or Club, or whatever it is. In
the first place, we do not need
any white- men to call our people
together to organize as into sort
of movement. The G. I. Party
is strictly . a white organization,
and I object to a “colored contin
gent” thereto. When Billy Sun
day and Sam Jones were going
strong, we had a. lot of Negro
ministers who called themselves,
“The Black Billy Sunday,” or
“The Black Sam Jones.” It's time
we out grew that. We don’t have
to be a ‘^tilack somebody else.”
We are Negroes. Let’s be that,
which is quite sufficient, —not a
black, white-something-or-other.
The Citizens Democratic Club
undoubtedly is going down the line
for the C. P. L. ticket this time,
just as we did in July. This does
not mean that we are the colored
contingent qf the 0. P.. L. group.
The next election might see the
Citizens' Democratic Party sup
porting some other group. When
you see the Citizens Democratic
Club give ; their support to the
C. P. L. in these two elections
(the one last July and the one in
the present instance) it is because
we gave the. factors due consid
eration, and because the facts
show this So he the best course
fir cut people to pursue.
It has been publicized that some
sixty-odd cfodr ministers have
endorsed the G. L Party. I
seriously doubt the correctness of
this number.• But be that .as At
may, I think we need not be too
much distrubed Over this publicity.
Once upon a time- -this -would have
meant mere than it does today.
I think that we preachers had just
as well not deceive ourselves. We
no longer do all of the thinking
for the people whom we pastor.
Once we represented, the only
leadership that our people had.
This is no longer, true: today.
Walter White is the national lead
er of the NAACP, our strongest
militant organization, and he is
not a preacher. Phillip Randolph
is our strongest, labor leader, and
he is' not ev^h' a chruchman, let
THE HERALD
along being a preacher. William
Dawson of. Chicago is right now
our most influential politician, and
he is not a preacher. My brethren,
the situation has very decidedly
changed. Let us not delude our
selves with ’the opinion that any
of us have our congregations and
their votes in our vest pockets,
and that we can deliver them to
any group we please. Our people
will vote any way they choose,
and not the way their ministers
dictate. There are new pharaohs
arisen now, that ^now not Joseph;
Some of our brethren have
openly expressed the feeling that
they do not wish to follow Mc-
Glockton because he is. a lay
man. In the field of politics, the
layman is in his legitimate field
of leadership. It is not wise that
preachers, who are carrying the
Word of God, be so much a part
and parcel of political chicanery,
as to be the leader of a political
movement. Let us recognize the
fact that in the field of politics
and civic endeavor... we preachers
must win our spurs/ by our con
tinued active interest, and on an
equal footing with laymen. We
have no right to assume that we .
are political leaders, simply and,
only because we are pastoring,
churches. Let’s stop saying that,
il my folks are going to vote the;
way 1 tell them to!" After De
cember 10th, some of us are go
ing to be very much fooled, it
seems to . me. ■ . ■
I think also, in this connec
tion, that the people have a right
to know the answer to this ques
tion: “Why is it that some of
our pastors are so much interest
ed in civic affairs now, during
this political campaign, when they
have shown such little interest In
the" civic and community affairs
of our people prior to this? Just
what is “the milk in the cocoa
nut” now? For six years we’ve
had •an organisation here known
as the NAACP. How much in
terest did they show in this? We
now have the Hub. which repre
sents a cross-section of the Ne
gro life of the- community, and
the average Negro preacher is
very conspicuous for his absence
from that body. How many of
them helped in the establishment
of a Y. M. C. A. in Savannah?
How active are they right now in
the Christmas Seal Sale for the
Tuberculosis Association? In
what movement for general civic
betterment have they shown a
wholehearted interest ? There
have been some exceptions, but
the rule has been that our preach
ers have done very little lead
ing for general community good.
Why this sudden outburst of
atomic energy?
It seems also that we should be
very grateful, as ministers, of
our civic alliances. There are
men who are engaged in very
questionable enterprises, who for
selfish reasons wish to see a cer
tain political machine perpetuat-
ed. As a Christian minister, do
you wish to be in alliance with
men of that type? Can you con
vince your people that this sort of
an alliance is unselfish on your
part ?
To all of our people, we insist
that you look for a reason behind
whatever reason may be _ stated
publicly. We’ve got to look be
yond the limited advantages that
may be secured on election day,
to the administration that wall be
in office for two years after that
time. The issues Of- this cam-
paign are far too important to be •
tampered with just out of loyaltj
vo the men who are supposed to
lead us in their own field. Our
people and their interests are
far too important for us to tamp
er with them at this vital time. .
We challenge the right of our
ministry to lead our people poli
tically. or. no other grounds for a
right to such leadership than the
mere fact that they are pastors.
Now don’t misunderstand me.
This had nothing to do with their
right to lead - their institutions
within the frame-work of their
particular organization. It does
not seem that as citizens, that
they do not have the same rights
to participate into the political
framework as tiny other citizens.
What I do contend, however, is
that they have no right to assume
that they should dictate the votes
of the people whom they pastor,
simply and only because they
are pastoring those people, and
any pastor who assumes anything
differently is betraying the loyalty
of the people whom he serves as
religious leader.
This g-es also for any other
of our leaders, irrespective of
their field of operation. And some
of these men, both ministers and
laymen, have been guilty of gul
libly swallowing down a lot of
bare statements and false prom
ises made to them by their so
called GI Party.
First i> the claim that the. CPL
Party “sol i the Negroes out.” The
only evidence they have presented
was that some members of the
CPL went to the State Democratic
Convention, which met in Macon.
But this is just as true of the
G. I. Party; some of their men
also were present there. The fact
is. there really was no Conven
tion in Macon, but simply a
Talmadge dominated mob. The
whole thing was packed and stage
managed.'Tto hear some of our
people talk, you would think that
the CPL of Savannah controlled
and ran .the State Democratic
Convention in Macon, when not
a single CPL man was in official
attendance at this meeting. The
CPL never did endorse Talmadge
for Governor. The fact is ,a major
ity of the white people of Sa
vannah in both camps, voted for
Governor-Elect Talmadge. But
it is an undisputed fact the Ad
ministration ticket did send the
word down the line at the last
moment that Talmadge had their
support. This was never done by
the CPL. The CPL officially is
interested solely in local politics,
striving to correct the abuses
of the old city administration.
It is not difficult, either, to see
that this .-' -caikd GI Party is
really the old city administration.
This group of machine politicians
was so soundly beaten at the
polls in July, that they did not
dare seek political preferment
from the public in their own
right. Their best bet is to take
half a load, since they could
not hope fcr a whole loaf. Does
anyone imagine that this group
which has held power for two
decades, is now lying dobmant?
By no stretch of your inagination
could you picture them being
in the CPL Camp. Where, then,
do you find them? There is only
one, place for them to go, and
that is to this allegedly new group.
Why is it that this group of men
were not interested in the over
throw of the local machine in
July? If they are so much against
Thursday, December 5, 194®
the abuses of the past, why didn’t
they set their organization into
action before the CPL got-going?
The answer is simple. The CPL
won its initial victory, and then,
this same group of machine poli
ticians chose another name, and
some other personnel, but with,
the same principles they have
held for the past twenty years.
That, plus very elaborate promis
es.- This bait will not lure our
people, however, because they are
asking. “If you will do so much,
for Negroes after December 10th,
why- have you done none of these
things for the past- twenty years? -
Of course we want Negro police
men: certainly we want justice
in the courts; surely there should
be a Negro policewoman (or mat
ron") at the City Barracks; of
course we want to be taken into
the councils of the city administra
tion; of a truth we want better
and more expertly supervised re
creational facilities; yes, we want
equal pay for equal work done.
Why is it that some politicians
are just awakening to those facts
at this la tefay? Why is it tl .t
some of our Negro pseudo-lead •
ers are just awakening to thG
peed? Where were they when some
of us were sticking our necks
out. fighting for just th o e
things ?
There are some men in Savannah
who were our friends when we
could not vote. Those are the
men we stand with now. This
is the acid test. Where were you,
when we needed a friend, and had
nothing with which to reward
you? And to some of these loud
mouthed members of our race
who are helping these machine
politicians to deceive our people
we would ask, “Where were yri
when our race needed a voice to
defend them, when voteless aid
powerless, somebody had to vorc^
theip wrongs and plead their
cause? And if this ballot is taken
from us by Eugene Talmadge,
where will you be then? When
we were fighting in the courts
of Georgia for this right of
franchise that you now enjoy arid
bellow and roar so much about
today, where were you then when
the sweat and blood was being
poured into the thick of the fight ?
What contribution did you make
to get this franchise. Whom did
you persuade to give money to
the cause? How much did you
i give yourself?”
Lgly rumors are flying about,
a whispering campaign by some
iof these black Quislings, to the
i effect that McGlockton. Baker,
; and Gilbert, sold out their peo
■ pie. I challenge them to come
; into the open and make these
, statements. They know they have
i not a single fact upon which they
। can substantiate any such gahrges
and I promise the public of
vannah chat the day one of theta
darts to make this charge in the
open, and connect their name or
names with it. that day one mord
. Benedict Arnold will be a candir
• date for the State Penitentiary.
Long before there was a CPL
Party or a so-called GI Party,
i long before we ever had a group
; of white men who would challenge
our cause, long before we had any
assurance that Negroes could
vote, it was McGlockton, Baker,
and Gilbert, who went after getr
ting our people to the Court House
to register. Just recollect a bit.
This might be a bit of unpleasant
history for some of these men,
Continued from Page 12
