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September 20, 1973

MEMORANDUM TO: Robert S. Strauss Chairman, Democratic National Committee WaIter E F aunt roy Member of Congress

FROM:

SUBJECT: The District of Columbia's Self-Government Effort

I. Background: As I indicated in our discussions of yesterday, there are approximately thirty (30) Congressional Districts in the South alone where blacks comprise a minimum of twenty-five (25%) percent of the electorate and where the candidacy of a black as an Independent in the Genera:. Election .would probably siphon off enough of the Democratic incumbent's black support as to assure his defeat by a reasonably strong Republican candidate. Tre success of the Nixon candidacy in attracting Southerners t.) vote Republican apparently has Republican leaders in the House th"nking that one way to pick up the twenty-five (25) seats they need to take over the majority control of the House of Representatives would be to encourage and even fund Independent candidacies of prominent blacks itl the General Elections of the many Southern Districts where Democratic incumbents require black support to win. From what I have been able to pick up from black elected officials in the South whom I have been contacting to help me in the Home Rule Drive, overtures are already being made by Republican fronts in this direction. VVhile no black candidate could win in these elections, we all know that such a candidate would insure a defeat of a Democratic incumbent Because of the fierce competition for votes that the Republican Party is organizing in the South, Democratic candidates are going to need every black vote we can get. Now I would not expect incumbent Democrats to try to strenghten their position with black voters at the expense of their

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white support base. I would not ask them, for example, to come out and support forced massive bussing. But there are some votes a Congressman can give that are cheap, that is they will pick up votes and gain credit for himself with the black electorate and not cost him anything with his white base of support. A vote for D. C. Home Rule is such a vote. II How you can help: I would appreciate your making the above mentioned points, particularly with our Southern Cemocrats in the House, through their Governors, state chairmen and by what ever other means you find useful. I wcu ld ask you to stress that what we want is support for the District Committee's position on all votes on the bill as requested by its Chairman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr., of Michigan. In addition to thi'S relatively cheap vote increasing the incumbents credibility with black voters, his vote will provide us in the Congressional Black Caucus with a valuable tool in heading off any Republican effort to buy Independent black candidacies in these Districts

FAUNTROY
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20515
September 19, 1973

The Honorable Carl Albert Speaker of the House U. S. House of Representatives U. S. Capitol, Room H-205 Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Speaker: Andrew Young and I have become increasingly concerned that the critical margin of victory that the black vote gives Democratic incumbents in the South is not tampered with by the Republicans in their drive for control of the House. As you know, the Republi' need to pick up only twenty five (25) additional seats to achieve ;ans a majority of the membership of the House and thus control of all leadership positions, power and leverage.
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The traditionally one-party South constitutes a happy hunting ground for Republicans in this era of increased black political activity there. If you will note the margins by which President Nixon won in more than twenty five (25) Districts in the South but which Congressional Districts remained Democratic only because the black vote in those Districts remained overwhelmingly Democratic, you will understand what is Hkely to be the strategy of the Republican Party in the elections in 1974 and beyond. It would be a simple thing for the Republicans, with Sammy Davis, -Jr., sleeping in the White House, to encourage with substantial offers of campaign finance assistance popular black leaders in southern Congressional Districts to run as Independents in a general election; thus siphoning off the margin of black votes by which so many of our Democratic colleagues are able to win in the South. I raise this serious possibility because of two examples with which you may be familiar. Two of our seemingly well entrenched Democratic .)lleagues, John L. McMillan of South Carolina and Earle Cabell of

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Texas, were defeated because of dramatic shifts in the black vote away from the Democratic Party. This demonstrates that blacks will leave the party if they believe it is in their interests. This is particularly true if the alternative is a black Independent. In these two instances the shifts resulted in two Republicans being added to the ledger on tre other side of the aisle and the loss of two Democratic seats on our side. I have a serious concern that the Democratic Party not lose control of the House in as much as I firmly believe that the best interest of the nation generally, and of the Distl"'ict of Columbia in particular, will be served better by Democratic leadership than by Repub Hcans.
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I am anxious to discuss my concerns in more detail with you and Tip O'Neil and to offer some suggestions as to how Andy and I and other Black Colleagues of ours, can be of assistance in nullifYing such a strategy by our Republican opponents. As my success in putting together and holding together a decisive block of black, essentially Southern delegates to the Democratic Convention last year demonstrates,. I can be of great assistance in thwarting such moves. Indeed, for the sake of the Party I must. I do hope you Tip can find time in the near future to meet with Andy and me for about fifteen (15) minutes. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Sincerely yours,

Walter E. Fauntroy Member of Congress

CC: The Honorable Thomas P. O'Neil, Jr.