The guardian., 1952-02-09
A Challenge For Democracy
Senator Hubert [. Humphrey
By

This year, Brotherhood Week approaches it is more
tempting for organized labor take close look at our
counys achievements the fight for civil rights and to ask
ourselves where stand and in what direction going
Although there is little doubt that moving ahead
the big question now whether we reach goal in
time Every day. in every of the EARTH the Soviet
propaganda machine antoU feeling by spreading
haruths about Americas treatment of minority groups
The Miami bombngs the Cicero riots the Josephine Baker
Stork Club incident front page every capital of
the world We losing valuable friends and allies IN the
struggle peace and freedom and it will be difficult
completely regain the lost faith of nonwhe brothers
who have ben driven away by humiliation and dsrespec
The nonhe peoples Of Asia and Africa who number close
to twohirds of the worlds population too often greet
democratic with cyncis they too familiar
with the discrepancies between theory and practice
Recently friend told about speech he had just
heard Egyptian make to large audience During the
question period Of the listeners asked the speaker what
he thought of the United States He replied The United
States has made great material progress Period The i'm
pication cear-a reference American ideals values
and democracy conspicuous by its absence
Every visitor to foreign soil who comes back to our
country every Official of nation who has been abroad says
that number problem the underdeveoped areas of
the world is the problem of racial discrimination.
Fortunately, this is only side of the issue Ours is
country that welcomes progress and advancement people,
particularly the trade unions in the main, deeply
concerned about the problems of democracy Altogether
gone record in support Of legislation assuring full civil
rights to minorities.
Our courts have laid the groundwork for the end Of
aggregation and other forms of discrimination in higher
education More than 55 million Americans live in the
II states and % municipalities which passed fair employment
practices laws Antinch anmask and anticross burning
laws have been enacted by scores of Southern cities Segre
cation coored troops has been abandoned entirely by the
Navy ad the Air Force and rapidly being dropped by the
Army Segregated housing has been dealt heavy blows by
the Supreme Courts decision nvadang restrictive coven-
by the Federal Housing Authorys refusal to grant
new housing with discriminatory deeds leases and by the
enactment several state laws and city ordinances forbddng
discrimination and segregation in public housing.
Add to this the growing number of church associations
medical societies. ateies unions and civic groups that
parks Fairgrounds swimming pools and libraries and even
spors that longer restricted and it becomes apparent
that the of the people being heard in every corner
Of the United States.
is al the regrettable that Congree has failed to
legsate Federal safeguard-that blind few armed witG
the buster and protected by the undemoeratc Wherry
Resolution continue sell out the promises of both
parties and enforce full program of civil rights
guarantees.
In the troubled days ahead America, her people and
political parties will be judged by the proof not by the
promises that democratic heritage meant to be
shared by all regardless of creed color national
origin Freedomovng citizens everywhere will be watching
our perormanceti up to each of to prove that
democracy have vgor and meaning when the majority Of
the people cherish its ideals