The Omaha guide., 1947-01-11
OUR
GUEST
Column
edited by VERNA p. HARRISl
BEYOND
THE COURTS
BY BAYARD RUSTlN
Field Secretary, Fellowship
of Reconciliation
Edited by VERNA p. HARRls)

III A0AAO ~ MS AAAC 2A-
banning jimcrow in interstate ira
vel, the Fellowship Of Reconcl-
iation wrote the president Of
Southeastern Greyhound Lines,
to discover the effect Of the de-
cision upon the ccmpany's seat
ing policy His reply indicated
that the Southern bus companies
intend to ignore and Illustrate the
courts decision.
In part. the bus president wrote:
"The company reserves the right
to seat all passengers and to
change the seating arrangements
of passengers whenever in the
judgment of the coach operator
it is to the best interest of all
passengers concerned that the pas
sengers be so seated . These
rules and regulations do not in
voIve any state statute as in the
case of Morgan VS.. Virginia"
This letter and the consequent
maintenance of jimcrow made it
apparent a new that the legal ac-
ton would need to be followed
by an educational campaign in
the buses to assist the general
public to face the issue. Such a
campaign will mean direct action
also. For the responsibility for
the change will fall upon disci-
plined Negroes and whites who
can enter buses and. without re-
sort to violence, resist by sitting
where they choose and refusing
to move, no matter the cost.
At present a group of us are
trying to encourage southern in
terracial groups to actc this way.
There is a real need that mem
ebrs of racial and national groups
which are non-colored but them
selves minorities cooperate. Hit
ler's "jimcrowing'' of Jews Oh
German trains and BUSES showed
that all m~inorities throughout the
civilized world are bound together
by common problefs.
We had reason to believe that
such disciplined. non-violent ac-
ton would be widespread. On Nov
ember %. however. the New York
Times reported a speech in which
ThurgOod Marshall of the NAACP
cautioned Negroes in the South
to avoid non-viOlent resistance
tactics. Marshall added that q
f'disobedience movement on the
part Of Negroes and their white
allies would result in whole
sale slaughter with no good ach-
ieved.'
Marshall went on to refer to
"well-meaning radical groups
who were advocating non-violent
direct action. AS one of that ilk I
am sure that TT0rshalI is either
i'll informed IN the principles and
techniques of non-violence or ig-
norant of the processes Of social
change.
Unjust socical laws and pat
terms do not change because ST.
prerne courts deIivr t GaeTions.
One need merely observe the con
tinued practice of jimcrow in
interstate travel six months afte~
the Supreme Courts decision to
see the necessity of resistance. So
cial progress comes from strug-
giles; all freedom demands a price.
At times freedom will demand
that its followers go into situa-
tiOns where even death is to be
faced. Again it will merely mean
willingness to face physical incon-
v~enience. Actually, non-violent di-
rect action means picketing, strik-
ing and boycotting as well as dis
obedience against unjust condl-
tons. and all Of these methods
have already been used with some
success by Negroes and sympa-
thetic whites.
II would not advocate merely
one approach to so vast a pro-
blem. But we might employ the
boycott by selecting the Sunday
closest to Harriet Tubman's birth
day. Such a day might become
a national mo ride Sunday" when
all Negroes and their white allies
would be encouraged to stay off
all jim crow transportation.
Such a boycott if even parti-
ally successful would have. l be-
lieve. a profound effect upon the
thinking and conscience of the
South and would also raise the
inner dignity of participating Ne
groes. Boycott, then, is a form of
non-violent direct action. And I
cannot believe that Thurgood Mar
shall thinks that such a program
would lead to wholesale slaughter.
Certainly more drastic action
would be taken finally Resist
ance on the buses would. for ex-
ample, mean humiliation, mis-
treatment by police, arrest and
some physical violence inflicted on
the participants.
But if any one at this date in
history believes that the white
problem which is one of privi-
lege. can be settled without some
violence, he is mistaken and fails