Introduction
The Journal of politics,
05/1948, Letnik:
10, Številka:
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Journal Article
Recenzirano
The war and post-war periods in the South have witnessed many social, economic and political changes. The present collection of articles represents an effort on the part of a group of scholars with ...academic or official connections in the South to assess these changes. Following introductory essays on the social and economic evolution during the past decade, which have been prepared by two distinguished southern professors, the articles on the political developments follow.
Southern Governors Ewing, Cortez A. M.
The Journal of politics,
05/1948, Letnik:
10, Številka:
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In this study, the South is defined as comprising the eleven secession states and Oklahoma. There are good reasons for including Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri, but there ...are equally valid ones for excluding them. The principal cause for omitting them from the traditional South is that their politics feature few legal limitations upon political participation. As a result, three of these states (Delaware, West Virginia, and Missouri) are in the upper quartile of the forty-eight states in exercise of the franchise, while Kentucky ranks twentieth, and Maryland thirty-first among the states. Also, in the five Border states—all of Southern traditions—there are strong Republican oppositions which, in times of Democratic debilitation, come to power in the state capitals. On December 1, 1947, there were Republican governors in Delaware, and Kentucky, while one of the national senators from West Virginia, and both from Missouri, were of that party. On the other hand none of the strictly Southern states has a strong Republican tradition. Each of the forty-six men who filled the gubernatorial office in the twelve Southern states from 1938 to 1948 won his office as a member of the Democratic Party.
Foreign Policy and the South Irish, Marian D.
The Journal of politics,
05/1948, Letnik:
10, Številka:
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In the decade 1938-48 the South enjoyed an extraordinarily strategic advantage in the implementation of its traditional interest in foreign affairs. As Secretary of State, Cordell Hull from ...Tennessee, and subsequently James Byrnes from South Carolina were in the most influential administrative position to make national and southern policy nearly coincidental in international relations. Likewise in Congress, as long as there was a Democratic majority, the chairmanships of the key committees were held principally by southern leaders. In the Senate: George from Georgia and Connally from Texas in turn headed the Foreign Eelations Committee 1941-46; Sheppard of Texas and Reynolds of North Carolina were chairmen of the Military Affairs Committee respectively 1938-41 and 1942-44. In the House: Vinson of Georgia was Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, and May of Kentucky, Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, 1938-46; Sam McReynolds of Tennessee headed the Foreign Affairs Committee 1941-46.
The Supreme Court and the South Swisher, Carl Brent
The Journal of politics,
05/1948, Letnik:
10, Številka:
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Journal Article
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The work of the Supreme Court does not lend itself well to territorial division. The Court does not concern itself with the South as such or with any other region of the country. Even though the ...statement may have an element of triteness, the task of the Court is the equal application of equal laws. Without regional differentiation it interprets and applies the Constitution and federal statutes in the cases and controversies which are brought before it.
Regional literature, including political literature, is prolific in the South. But to survey those political writings by themselves would place southern theory out of perspective. After all, it is ...more important to know that southern thought is in the general political current of American thought than it is to know what are the peculiarities of southern political thought. Comparably, it is more important to know that political thought in the United States is a part of the general current of thought of western civilization than it is to know what are the distinctive currents of American thought. This last statement as to the general content of American thought will doubtless not be acceptable to Col. R. R. McCormick and the Chicago Tribune. Equally, the statement as to southern thought will probably not be acceptable to those who lay greatest emphasis upon the southern tradition, such as those of the authors of I'll Take My Stand, who, like Allen Tate, still emphasize the uniqueness as well as the continuity of the southern tradition. The position taken herein is that of Francis W. Coker when he asked the question, “Are There Distinctive Political Traditions for the South?” The answer is, yes—there are distinctive traditions but these are not unique.
The state legislative picture in the South is on many counts like the legislative picture in the East or Middle West or Far West. The southern state lawmaking body is much like that of other sections ...in composition, process, product, and esteem or disesteem. Of the forty-seven bicameral state legislatures, the South has neither the one with the largest nor the one with the smallest membership in upper or lower house. As in most other states, the biennial regular session prevails in this region, with the exception of South Carolina's annual session. Similarly prevalent in the South and the nation is the conglomerate committee system with its diffusion of responsibilities, prestige, and favors. State constitutional restrictions on legislative power are not peculiarly excessive in the South.
It has been just ten years since President Roosevelt labeled the South “the Nation's No. 1 economic problem.” About the same time his Conference on Economic Conditions in the South issued its famous ...report describing the problem and giving some analysis of its causes. Those dramatic events did much to focus national attention on the southern economy and to stimulate thought, research, and plans aimed at alleviating the problem.
Constitutional development by amendment or revision should have taken a fair share of the time and attention of lawmakers and voters in the South during the past decade. A new constitution has been ...adopted in Georgia. Plans are being made for constitutional revision in Louisiana. Advocates of revision have continued their bitter siege against the constitutions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Numerous amendments have won popular approval in Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. A few proposals have been adopted in Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Social Change in the South Odum, Howard W.
The Journal of politics,
05/1948, Letnik:
10, Številka:
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Journal Article
Recenzirano
This discussion of the changing South undertakes to present those major recent changes which are clearly observable and, to a considerable extent, measurable. The theme, “Social Change in the South,“ ...finds its setting not only in the framework of a changing America but in the changing structure of modern society everywhere. It therefore is not only a theme of perennial interest, but of peculiar importance at this time in America's reconversion program of the future.
