Evening star., 1949-03-16

"'Vs'"S isVi"I
Group High Pressure
Civil Rights Legislation
Called Phony Issue;
Administration Blamed
By David Laurence
A momentous struggle Is going
on in the Senate which really
isn't concerned with any one
issue but touches a fundamental
proposition-to what extent shall
minority groups high pressure"
the upper house Of Congress and
force that body to become a
rubber stamp for those minor
tiles?
The superficial claim that the
issue involved in the controversy
over Senate rules is whether the
majority or two-thirds shall be
able to shut off debate is being
accepted by a large number of
people because the truth OF what
is happening has never been OBJ
jectively explained to them.
For one thing. the so-called
civil rights issue is q phony.
Everybody who knows anything
about national politics knows that
most Of the Republicans and
Democrats who come from States
where substantial blocs of Negroes
are banded together by their lead
ers for pressure at the polls have
not the slightest intention of going
rs far toward Federal intervention
in State matters as they profess
when they so ardently support the
so-called civil rights program.
Now the civil rights legislation
which the President and a number
Of the members of Congress from
the North are advocating Is a
measure that would allow the ex-
ercise by the Federal Government
Of police power in the States. The
hypocrisy Of such q position would
be illustrated the moment any
body in the Senate offered. for
instance, an amendment to the
proposed Taft Hartley repeal bill
making it possible for the Federal
Government to step in and police
violence in labor disputes.
Administration Politics.
The CIO and AFL and all
the Northern Democrats would
promptly vote down any such
amendment, Notwithstanding the
fact that civil rights" really
means protection for whites, as
well as Negroes where the States
and cities do not furnish ade-
quate police protection.
The question of whether the
rules Of the Senate should pro-
vide for closing Of debate when
two-thirds want that done would
undoubtedly have been resolved
satisfactorily within the last fort
night II the administration had
not been playing politics with the
civil rights issue. AS long rs the
administration insists on putting
through Congress any legislation
usurping the police power OF the
States in the matter Of enforcing
constitutional guarantees. the
Southerners have principle on
their side.
Certainly the discrimination
practiced against Negroes Is un-
moral and contravenes the spirit,
II not the letter. Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States, but as
long u it Is the constitutional
duty of the States to preserve law
and order, the ends sought by the
sponsors Of civil rights will be
better served by adherence to con-
stitutional methods.
The Republicans who are siding
with the Northern Democrats are
playing politics. too. They get
considerable satisfaction out OF
the discontinue of their majority
brethren, but at the same time
they pose before Northern con-
stituencies as defenders OF civil
rights.
Jockeying for Position.
The issue in the Senate rules
fiRht has become so interviewer
with the civil rights controversy
that it is impossible to consider
one without realizing the palpable
purpose of the other. The ad-
ministration is jockeying for posi-
ton. It blundered in getting the
Senate all tied up with the fight
on the rules when 1t knew all the
time that the problem could not
be solved by a bludgeoning proc
eSs.
The Republicans have needed
the Democratic leadership be-
cause both Republicans and DEM
ocrats know that Negro con-
stituencies are measuring fidelity
to the cause of civil rights legis-
lation by merely observing the
votes cast for or against changes
in the Senate rules.
All in all, the Senate rules con-
troversy has prevented compre-
hensive discussion Of the whole
civil rights question. 1t would
have been Of far more educational
value If the administration had
made no effort to change the
rules but had fought out the civil
rights question on its merits In
open debate. The processes OF
public opinion would have beer
stimulated and the country would
have had by this time a clearer
idea Of the position Of both pro-
ponents and opponents Of the
Presidents recommendations.
Some Of these might have beer
the subject of compromise in thu
last few weeks had there been NJ
tampering with the rules Of thu
l. ! xx,1,f fot