Atlanta Daily World

Voters Meeting At Wheat Street To Hear Meaning Of Withdrawals

A down-to-wire mass meeting at Wheat Street Baptist Church tonight at 8 o'clock will climax a series of mass meetings sponsored under the auspices of the Fulton Citizens Democratic Club. Attention will be directed towards county, state and congressional races at this wrap-up voter get-together.

Voters who attend the rally at Wheat Street Church tonight will hear the real meaning for the withdrawals of two candidates in the current election. Announcing their withdrawals yesterday were William C. MacRae, running for DeKalb County Commissioner and Wyman C. Lowe, a candidate for Congress.

Area voters will have their last opportunity to hear and see the candidates state their platforms before tomorrow's all important elections which will have direct bearing on Georgia's future for the next four years.

Walter H. (Chief) Aiken, president of the Fulton Citizens Democratic Club, will preside at tonight's meeting. A similar rally under the sponsorship of the Fulton County Organizing Committee will be in progress at Big Bethel A. M. E. Church.

LEADERS EXPECTED

A number of Atlanta's outstanding leaders will be in the forefront of the election eve rally at Wheat Street. In addition to Mr. Aiken, on the platform and in the audience will be Atty. Austin T. Walden, Rev. W. W. Weatherspoon, Dr. William Holmes Borders, Dr. Benjamin Joseph Johnson, Rev. D. T. George, Rev. W. M. Jackson, C. A. Scott, Dr. L. A. Pinkston, Atty. J. C. Daugherty, Rev. R. B. Shorts and J. W. Dobbs and other key citizens.

An announcement will be made as to the approval of candidates will be made at this final rally. This information will be for the enlightenment of citizens as they go to the polls Wednesday.

Leaders point out the issues are the same in the gubernatorial race as it was in 48 and 50 when the Negro vote concentrated against race and those who would exploit the race for selfish purposes.

Atty. D. L. Hollowell will preside at the voter rally at Big Bethel. Last night Charlie Gowen appeared under the auspices of the State Organizing Committee at West Hunter Baptist Church, Rev. A. F. Fisher, pastor.

This was the first time that a gubernatorial candidate has appeared at a city-wide mass meeting for Negro voters. He stated that he welcomed the support of Negroes as citizens as he will be governor of all the people of Georgia without special commitments to anyone.

He is also scheduled to appear at the Big Bethel meeting tonight.

John Wesley Dobbs sponsored a rally at Big Bethel AME Church where a plea was made for the support of Mrs. Grace Thomas. He told those present to vote the way they think as they have a right to do so, then stated that in the gubernatorial race, he will cast his vote for Mrs. Grace Wilkey Thomas.

"She is the only candidate in the race who has said she will uphold the United States Constitution," he declared.

LEAGUE ENDORSEMENT

The Atlanta Negro Voters League has endorsed Former Acting Gov. Melvin E. Thompson and tonight a last minute appeal in his behalf will be made. Simply put the Fulton County Democratic says the prime issue is that of opposition to the reactionary Talmadge regime.

M. E. Thompson, the League points out is the only candidate that can beat the machine and remove race baiting, inflammatory pronouncements and vitriolic Negro utterances from future campaigns.

The cleavage in the Talmadge ranks, according to spokesmen has been demonstrated by the Talmadge faction candidates Red Hand, Tom Linder and Marvin Griffin in the race.

A united vote in favor of Thompson, they say, would remove the race issue once and for all from state politics.

A million, two hundred thousand persons are eligible to vote in Wednesday's state and congressional elections and leaders emphasize that race vote solidarity will have an important bearing on the outcome.

MacRae, Lowe Quit Contests As Campaign Deadline Nears