The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-31
Our Danger Is Greatest

South.
II is an undeserved, resented blow for
two very definite reasons.
First. the proposals in general are an
assault at the highest level on the way
of life under which the southern states
have flourished since their founding. And
these customs awe been maintained
through the desire of the majority, the
cardinal principle for a true democracy.
Second, while the committee may nave
presented some good points, It's over-all
recommendations threaten lrreparaole
harm to interracial relations. The dealings
between all races are better today than
ever and economic opportunities Tor all
greater than at any time in the Souths
long history.
It is only natural thet the committee
demand for the greatest upheaval the
region has ever known is alarming TO
every right thinking southerner, 1rregafo-
less of race. The Presidents group was
most impractical in numerous instances
and the greatest of these was its disregard
for state rights. Because of this, whatever
merit there may be in it's report is BACKED
out by the unjustified proposals.
The committee, to put it in the vernacu-
lar, simply jumped overheard.
True, it concerned itself with the civil
rights of minorities but it ignored the
rights of the majority as far as the South,
the one section which WOULD be affected
most, is concerned. Should the harsh sug-
g~estions become Federal law. we would
A.. oroo+ocf lap,ooo To cl1r
good interracial dealings we've ever
known.
Some newspapers, such as the Nashville
Banner, lave asserted the recommended
tons Originated in the left wing of i'm
ported politics" and that if President Tru-
man adopted them as a plank in his own
platform che would have to crowd Henry
Wallace off of it."
If this is a political maneuver, it will
eventually become the greatest mistake
President Truman has made in his White
House career. We shall be sympathetic
enough at the present to believe that 1t
is not. But if it is converted into a BID
for the northern. vote while abusing the
South, then don't be surprised to see some
Dixie states 60 Republican in November,
1913, for the first time since the Hoover
victory over Al Smith.
That is the picture from a national
standpoint.
For the time being, the recommended
tons should be dismissed as wholly i'm
Or actical and not the answer to our racial
problems. The fact that the majority OF
the committees members were persons
far removed from the daily life of the
South may be one excuse for their severity.
Blu from a North Carolina standpoint,
the report is even more serious. In fact,
our state has ample reason for greater
concern than any other below the Mason
Dixon line.
Why?
Because one of the Is members who
signed the unanimous report is DR.. Frank
P. Graham, president of the University
of North Carolina.
DR.. Graham is now on record as be-
lieving that all segregation should be
wiped out on trains, buses, schools, hospl-
tails, theaters, hotels, restaurants, armed
services and private employment.
Is that attitude in keeping with that of
the people who make the greater Uni
versity's existance possible and who, in
cidentally, pay his salary?
It isn't.
His views are obviously in direct con-
flict with those of the University's board
of trustees and the great majority of North
Cardinals citizens. DR.. Graham could have
avoided this stand, had he cared to do
so, through a minority report. But he did
not.
Therefore, the only worthwhile thing
North Carolina gained from the commit
tees work is the removal of all doubt as
to the personal feelings of the president of
its University on the segregation question.
Will he allow his attitude to materially run
counter to his states customs and tradi-
tons in the future? He hasn't in the past
but never before has there been an ex-
preston from him comparable to the one
he gave when he signed the committees
report.
This to North Carolina, offers the most
serious of all possible consequence arising
from the committee's action. While the
IcIIldlIlOSI VI Lue oOuLl dSSdllS The group S
impossible proposals, let US not lose our
selves in the maze of charges and counter
charges. Instead. let all remember quite
clearly DR.. Graham's expressed senti-
rnents and intensity the watch on any ef-
fort which may be made to inflict his
personal policies upon North Carolina,
whether the report dies the death it de-
serves or becomes one Of the greatest
issues of our time.