Meredith Not In Election Race

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31320, 16 March 1967, Page 13

Meredith Not In Election Race

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, March 14. The Negro civil rights campaigner, Mr James Meredith, yesterday blamed the Republican Party for his decision to withdraw from the election race against the deposed Negro Congressman, Mr Adam Clayton Powell.

Mr Meredith said that the Republicans were unwilling or unable to keep their commitments to help in his campaign.

Mr Powell, aged 59, was unseated from the House of Representatives for irregularities while he was chairman of the House Education and Labour Committee.

Mr Meredith, a 33-year-old civil rights worker, announced his withdrawal from the April 11 contest in a surprise statement. Later yesterday he accused the Republicans of “political expediency.” Bitter Attacks Since announcing his candidature five days ago he had been the target of bitter denunciation from many nat-

ional and Harlem Negro leaders.

Some had accused him of being the “white man’s candidate.” Mr Powell announced at Bimini in the Bahamas yesterday that he would end his self-imposed exile and return to Harlem next Sunday, in spite of the possibility he might be gaoled on charges of criminal contempt, the Associated Press reported. He has been in Bimini for months because of criminal contempt charges against him in New York. He was advised by his lawyers that he could be subject to arrest if he was found on United States soil.

However, he made a brief journey to Miami last week and signed papers qualifying for the Congressional election, returning to Bimini without any interference.