LIBERIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF MAY 1955

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01172R000300060022-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 10, 2006
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: April 26, 1955
• Content Type: MEMO

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OCI No. 3380/55 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Copy No. OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
26 April 1955
TO: Deputy Director (Intelligence)
SUBJECT: Liberian presidential elections of May 1955
1. Offices to be filled: Presidency and vice presidency
for a four-year term.
2. Parties or factions participating:
True Whig Party: The party of the ruling oligarchy of
Americo-Liberians--a minority group of descendents of
American slaves returned to Liberia. It has maintained
itself in power since 1877 by tight control of its own
small group and by restriction of the full participation
of the numerically superior indigenous tribes. The par-
ty's orientation is determined by President Tubman, the
present standard bearer. He is working for the rapid
economic, educational, and social development of the
country, for the assimilation of the native peoples in-
to the political and social affairs of the country, and
for the increased importance of Liberia in African and
international affairs.
Independent True Whig Party: An opposition group of
able but disgruntled Americo-Liberians, former members
of the True Whig Party. They have some support among
the tribal peoples. The group's primary aim appears to
be to unseat Tubman rather than to differ in basic poli-
cy. The Independents charge the Tubman administration
with maladministration, dictatorial rule, inefficiency,
extravagance, and corruption. They are critical of Tub-
man's policy of assimilation of the tribal peoples, and
the fact that Lebanese merchants, to the detriment of
Liberians, are allowed to trade in the interior. They
also charge that Tubman is selling out the country to
foreign interests by his "open door" policy for foreign
investors.
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3. Outstanding personalities: President William V. S. Tub-
man, 60,leader of the True Whig Party, and president
since 1943. He and Vice President William R. Tolbert
are seeking a third term. Tubman is pro-American.
Edwin Barclay, 72, the presidential candidate of the
Independent True Whigs, was president from 1931-1943.
He "hand-picked" Tubman as his successor, but has bitter-
ly criticized him in recent years. Barclay is a decided
nationalist and, though pro-American, has always been
,associated with the viewpoint that Liberia should exer-
cise extreme caution in granting concessions to foreign-
ers.
No opposition vice president has been selected. Impor-
tant personalities among the Independents are: S. David
Coleman, former secretary of the interior, Nete-Sie
Brownell, former attorney general under Barclay, and
Didwo Twe, Kru tribal leader currently in voluntary ex-
ile in Sierra Leone following his indictment for sedition
as a result of his activities in the 1951 presidential
elections.
4. Present Party Strengths: The True Whig Party is in com-
plete control of the government, including total member-
ship of the upper and lower houses of the legislature.
Party control extends throughout the country as a result
of the president's power to appoint all county, district,
and provincial officers as well as the paramount chiefs
of the hinterland tribes.
The strength of the Independent True Whig Party is un-
known because this is the party's first test. It is com-
posed of the followers of Barclay, Coleman, and Brownell,
the remnants of the 1951 opposition party--the Reformation
Party--and has some tribal support from the traditionally
antigovernment Kru tribe, as well as from the Grebo people.
5. Principal issues: There do not appear to be any sharp
differences in basic policy. Opposition groups have tra-
ditionally formed around election time in an effort to
unseat the incumbents and attain office themselves. De-
spite Barclay's charges, his supporters maintain that he
is not opposed to the assimilation of the native peoples
or categorically opposed to granting foreign concessions.
There has been no criticism of Tubman's foreign policy
or pro-American position.
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Tubman stands on his record of having avoided external
and internal strife, and of having increased the coun-
try's prosperity and participation in world affairs. He
pledges greater economic, educational, and social develop-
ment and plans to enlarge foreign investment, to strength-
en defense, and to continue Liberia's association with
other free nations.
6. Principal factors influencing the outcome: The incum-
bent True Whig Party will control the ballot box in this
election. There is evidence that previous elections have
been manipulated. The suffrage is restricted; the elec-
torate has never exceeded 275,000 though the population
is estimated to be between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000. The
party gets both support and funds from the Americo-
Liberians who are dependent on the government for jobs.
All government employees are required to contribute at
least one month's salary to the party, thus permitting
it to build a large "war chest." Tubman is popular and
a skillful politician, and he has heretofore successfully
"salved" opposition groups and dissidents' within his own
party. He has also been able to bring in-the hinterland
vote through his control and careful cultivation of the
chiefs.
7. Background: Opposition parties are formed just prior to
a presidential election and then fade rapidly following
their defeat at the polls. No effective opposition move-
ment has yet been organized among the tribes. In the 1951
presidential elections, Tubman ran unopposed following
the disqualification of the Reformation Party, which
failed to fulfill certain election rules. Reformation
Party leaders and supporters were subsequently arrested
and tried for sedition for their activities prior to the
election.
8. Informed opinion on outcome: Some inroads have reportedly
been made by the Barclay group, but all American observers
are agreed that Tubman will be re-elected.
9. Significance for US security interests; There is no di-
rect security significance. Even in the unlikely event
that Barclay should become president, it would not en-
danger American interests or the existing friendly
Liberian-American relations.
HUNTINGTON D. SHELDON
Assistant Director,
Current Intelligence
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