Arkansas State press., 1952-02-08
A Challenge For Democracy
By Senator Hubert n. Humphrey

This year. Brotherhood Week approaches, it is more
than tempting organized take close look
counrys achievements in the fight for civil rights and to
ask ourselves where stand and in what direction we are
going
Although little doubt that moving ahead,
the big question is whether reach goal in time
Every day every of the EARTH the Soviet propaganda
machine arouse antU feeling by spreading lies and half
truths about Americas treatment of minority groups The
Miami bombings the Cicero riots the Josephine BakerStork
Club incident make frontpage every capital of the
world We losing valuable friends allies in the struggle
for peace and freedom and it will be difficult to
peey regain the lost faith of non-whte brothers who
have been driven away by humiliation dsrespec The
nonwhte people Of Asia and Africa who number close
twothrds of the worlds population often greet
cratic announcements with cynicism they too familiar
with the discrepancies between theory and practice
Recently friend told me about speech he had just
heard Egyptian make to a large audience During the
question period of the listeners asked the speaker what
he thought of the United States He replied 1.-THE United
States has made great material progress Period The i'm
pcation clear-a reference American ideals values
and democracy was conspicuous by its absence.
Every visitor to foreign soil who back
try every official of nation who has been abroad
that our number problem in the underdeveoped
the world is the problem of racial discrimination.
Fortunately this is only side of the ISSUE Ours is
country that welcomes progress and Advancement peo
pe particularly in the are the MAN, deeply
concerned about the problems of democracy Altogether
carnations representing than 100000 citizens
gone on record in support of legislation assuring full civil
rights minorties
Our courts have laid the groundwork of seq
regation and other forms if discrimination higher educa
uon More than SIS million Americans live the states
and 70 municipalities which passed fair employment practices
laws Antiynch antimask and burning laws have
been enacted by of Southern cities Segregation of Me-
gro troops has been abandoned entirely by the and the
Air Force and is rapidly being dropped by the Army Segrega
ed housing has been dealt heavy blows by the Supreme Courts
decision invadating restrictive by Federal
Housing Auhoritys refusal grant housing with
discriminatory deeds leases and by of several
state laws and city ordinances orbddng discrimination and
segregation in public housing
Aad TO this the growing number of church associations
medical societies. raternes unions groups that
are breaking down the barriers equality multitude of
parks Fairgrounds swimming pools and libraries, even
sports that longer restricted becomes apparent
mat the voice OF the people being heard every of
the United States.
1t all the regettabe that Congress has failed to
iegisate Federal safeguards that blind armed with
the buer and protected by the undenocratc Werry Reso-
uon can continue to sell the promises both parties
70 enact and enforce full program Of civil rights guarantees
In the troubled days ahead America her people and DO.
tca parties will be judged by the proof by the promise
That our democratic heritage shared by all
men, regardless OF creed color national origin Free
dom-lovng citizens everywhere will be watching our peror-
mance-it up to each Of prove democracy
can have vgor and meaning when the majority of the peo-
pie cherish its ideals