Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-08-18
K < N D RIx
CO N M EN- rs

DEMOCRACY IN THE MAKING
Washington, d. CT was stand
ing in the Raleigh Durham airport
when the voice with laugh ap-
preached. It's owner just had to
share the chuckle with me-and
it was good.
Then my visitor, for the few
moments that | had before con-
tinuing my north-bound flight,
let go with this: "You know, the
South is sixty per cent more ready
Tor Civil Rights than it was at
the outbreak of the Korean war"
To me that was an amazing
revelation, coming from limou-
sine driver. But his supporting
argument was even more amazing,
and extremely logical. | must ad-
nit that ! hated to leave this man
when my flight was called.
Said he, "The other day two
Negro soldiers went right into
that dining room and nothing was
said. A year ago that could not
have happened" Furthering his
thesis, this man pointed to other
incidents to support his 500 po-
sition.
He told of a conversation, al
legedly overheard, which involved
Senator Willis Smith, N. c. junior
U. S. senator. and some other
Washington lawmakers. The SEN
ator was tremendously impressed
at the record of the Negro troops
in Korea.
Displaying a headline in North
Carolina daily, which reported the
arrival of a regiment of Negro
combat troops from Korea, the
senator is quoted as remarking-
There's nothing too good for those
men," or something to that effect.
People who remember the type
of campaign that the junior SEN
ator from North Carolina resorted
to in his defeat of Senator Graham
will certainly have to admit that
this legislator, provided our re-
port is correct, has made more
than 900 about-face.
On the other hand, and it is
highly probable that the Tarheel |
senator never sincerely believed |
in the type of stuff" that he in
jected into his low-ebb, yet sue
cessful, campaign. The unfortun-
ate circumstance is that the Negro
'problem"-the race-bate, is the
sure rider to high office.
Despite it all, | saw democracy
in the making from the remarks
Of that man at Raleigh-Durham.
And all about, there is good evil
lence that the comman man is Civ
ing more thought to this matter
Of human relations.
At the most, democracy in its
purest sense is but a dream, and
the ideal, as are most dreams, is
lnattainable. On the negative
ledger, democracy is shot through
with inconsistencies. Even as a
theory, it is contradictory.
But in its contradictions, it af-
lords an attitude and action that |
can assure something closer to
what the ideal offers-democracy
IS at least approachable. Gov
other than the demo-
cratic form do not offer this hope.
This thing, this religion" that
We call democracy, with its apollo
gies founded on majority rule, can
md does afford the pain of change.
And in this environmental condi-
ion, minority expression is not |
1t can and does speak
)ut.
AS democracy is in the making, |
is contradictions are more appar-
ent-more pronounced is the fact |
that it can produce best, while
the worst. And never
IAN it be forgotten that its soft
lnder- belly does not necessarily at
ZACH itself to any given region.
Cicero, the one in the news. is |
n Illinois-a so-termed northern /
state. Capital Heights, also in the
news, lies just beyond the border
If the Nations capital in Mary
and-a border state. While Bir-
much in the news be-
:ause of alleged unwarranted po-
ice killings, is, of course, in the
south.
Despite it all, democracy is in
he making.