St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-12-07
Humphrey Gives
South His Aims
On Civil RIGHTS

Washington CAMP - In an
effort to reuHite the Democratic
party which split over the civil
rights plank that he sponsored in
1913, Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey,
ID, Mimi. called for a hearing
and more understanding of the
party's detectives.
In a 2,OOO-word letter sent
to at least 20 southern editors,
Humphrey stated that the civil
rights plank was never intended
as a blow to the south" but was
meant for any section of the
country, including his own, where
segregation existed.
In the letter sent out last Sat
urday, the Minnesota senator was
obviously extending an olive
branch to the Dixie leaders but he
did not backtrack on the civil
rights proposals. He merely asked
for an understanding by the
southerners. This question both in
the north and the south, he said. is
far too important to be turned in
to a weapon for or against labor
unions, for or against the Demo-
Gratis, or for or against Republic
cans.
He pointed out that many lead
ers of the south were disturbed by
the Democratic party's 1913 civil
rights plank which he helped for
mulate, but he felt that a national
political party should freely and
openly state its principles and its
detectives for the people of the ma
ton to see and to Judge.
A political party which calls
upon American people for support
should tell the American people
where it stands, he said. Every
Democratic platform in recent
years has contained a civil rights
plank, but the 1913 platform was
only made a little clearer and
more specific.
He recognized and commended
the states for solving some of the
problems of civil rights.
Some southern states have en-
acted anti-lynching and anti
mask laws and abolished the poll
tax. he wrote, and many have
made progress in education,
health, housing and community
facilities. Too much trust is some
times placed in the power of the
federal government, he admitted,
but I'VE know that on vital ma
tional issues affecting all the
people it is the responsibility Of
the national government to act.
Many people believe that educa-
ton and time alone can answer
the civil rights problems, Hum
phrey stated, and others think
they can only be solved by legis-
Iation at the federal and state
levels, but neither program is
complete without the other. The
senator said:
II believe that government has
the responsibility to set standards
or guideposts. 1t then becomes the
responsibility for spiritual civic
and educational institutions, as
well as individual leaders, to
create observance and respect for
these standards among the peo-
pie"
He explained that his program
emphasizes community activity,
individual responsibility, educa-
ton and moral values, supported
by legislative Stanuarus' uo Io'
believe that such a program in
Dictated going too fast or too far
Whatever the party differences,
Humphrey said, he hoped that all
Democrats were working for the
same detectives, namely: equal OPP
portunity for all; the full rights of
citizenship for all; full and equal
protection of the law for all.
In concluding his statement,
Humphrye emphasized that the
day of white supremacy is over
1t was always immoral and is to-
day impossible"
G-I~