Race Issue Looms Over U.S. Election

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27924, 22 March 1956, Page 13

Race Issue Looms Over U.S. Election

I Specially written tor the N.Z.P.A.) [By FRANK OLIVER) (Rec. S p.m.) NEW YORK, March 2(1. As the major parties jockey for position in this election year the main issues begin to emerge. The Republicans have on their side that always potent argument of prosperity over practically the entire country, amt on it they rely mainly for re-election. It ’is becoming clear (hat the Democrats will adopt, or have forced on them, four main issues—the farm problem, defence, foreign affairs and segregation.

The first three they willingly adopt The fourth is being forced on them, and it may prove a vital issue. Discontent on the farms is all too real, and the party.in power is getting the blame. The rapid advance of the Soviet in the field of new weapons makes the Administration’s defence measures a very debatable subject. Deterioration of the world situation naturally focuses criticism on Mr Dulles especially, and the Administration generally. And the segregation issue has aroused passions with which the Democrats especially must deal if it is not to react against them. After the decision by the Supreme Court it was thought that the segregation of the races was a thing which would gradually, even slowly, be dealt with and disposed of by evolutionary processes, but since then legal actions have resulted in further decision making desegregation more imperative,and immediate, and practically the whole outh is passionate and in revolt about it. Of the 17 Southern States, only five are carrying out integration in schools, seven are sharply divided or delaying integration, and five are bitterly resisting it. There are threats even of the forma-

tion of a third party in the South which, if carried out. would destroy the Democratic Party as it has been known in this century. Few believe the threat will be carried out. but its mere existence poses a problem for the Democratic Party as a whole. In the South, to begin with, the Democrats are in bad odour, because the majority of the Supreme Court deciding the segregation issue were Democratic appointees. The South also feels that Democrats in the Northern and Western Stales do not understand their race problems, and they are bitter towards those states where the liberal wing of the Democratic Party flourishes.

The negroes of the South are giving the Republican Administration credit for the desegregation decision and because of that, as well as because the Southern States are Democrat-con-trolled. insist that they will vote Republican in the coming elections. All in all. these factors make it a little uncertain whether the Democratic “Solid South” will remain solid this time, and without a Solid South the Democrats can scarcely win the Presidency. States’ Rights What is also involved in the South is that perennial issue of states’ rights. The segregation issue has again demonstrated what most Americans and all foreigners are apt to forget, that there are 48 sovereign States within the United States. Any State wants, all States want, maximum control of their affairs, and the Southern States feel keenly that their racial problems are domestic to each State and resent what they consider outside interference.

To the outsider and the foreigner they appear without knowing it to be struggling against the hard fact that they are part of an integrated federation in which the constitutional rights and privileges to the citizen must apply equally to all Fires of passion and hatred have been lit through the South in recent months that will take much quenching,

and which are likely to have profound effects in this year s elections. Foreign affairs now loom as a major issue. It is generally agreed that in spite of the Administration’s soothing assurances about world affairs their deterioration continues. There is rising criticism that Mr Dulles spends too much time travelling instead of sitting at his desk framing policy on the basis of Ambassadorial reports.

There is criticism that he is trying to be Secretary of State and 25 ambassadors as well, and that the United States is fumbling along, not speaking as firmly and decisively on vital matters as its position of the world’s strongest nation demands and dictates that it should. Any hope that foreign affairs can be kept out of the election has evaporated. As one wit has written, the Republican Chairman would like to keep Ike’s health out of politics. Mr Dulles would like to keep foreign affairs out of politics, the Defence Department would like to keep the armament programme out of politics, the Secretary of Agriculture would like to keep the farm problem out of politics, and Governor Knight of California, would like to keep the election out of politics. So why not see if the country can keep politics out of politics? In any event, the Democrats are bound to take up foreign affairs as a vital issue, for the next President will have to deal with a world situation which current events in every are* of serious importance are now shaping. If Mr Adlai Stevenson, whose chances of nomination remain good, does not make a clear, forceful, record of warning against the obviously growing dangers he would, if elected, be held responsible fcr the troubles that seem to be coming to a head.