Evening star., 1952-02-18
|C|0 Secretary
Says Reds Fight
Civil Rights Bill
White Supremocists
Also Attacked at
Conference Here
BY the Asseeiaied Press

SOHteTenCe mere
BY the Assoeiaied Press
President Truman's civil rights
proposals are opposed only By
white supremacists and Commu-
nists. C1O Secretary- Treasurer
James B. Carey said today.
Mr.. Carey addressed a two-day
leadership. conference on civil
rights which opened yesterday un-
der sponsorship of the CIO, AFL
and National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
Delegates from approximately SO
national organizations are attend
ing.
Mr.. Carey, who served on the
Presidents 15-member Committee
fon Civil Rights. said its report was
received with acclaim by every
one in 1947 except two minority
groups
Friends Of Slavery"
"On the one handy" he said,
were the white supremacists and
friends Of slavery who belong to
the extreme right. On the other
nand were the Communists who
favor their own type of slavery" !"
The labor leader said all groups
at the meeting oppose racial seq
regation and economic and politi-
cal inequality. He said delegates
were assembled to "voice those
decisions" in conference with
members Of Congress.
Mr.. Carey also said nominating
conventions of both political
parties this year must "be as re-
sponsible to the needs of the
American people as we are"
Speakers last night at q dinner
meeting in the Hotel Statler were
Walter White, NAACP executive
secretary. and Senators Hum
phrey, Democrat, of Minnesota;
Lehman, Democrat, Of New York:
Ives, Republican, of New York,
and Benton. Democrat, Of Con-
necticut.
Cynical Men" Blamed.
Senator Lehman said tina t
cynical men" of both political
parties in the Senate are blocking
congressional action on civil rights
legislation. The legislator, who
has urged President Truman to
run for another term, declared the
Senate's cloture rule must be
changed before any civil rights
legislation can be passed.
The objective Of the conference
is revision of the cloture rule, to
make It easier to shut off fllibust-
ers. At present. under what is
known as Rule %, Senate debate
cannot be limited unless GA of the
SO Senators vote af1irmatively for
such action. Southern Democrats,
operating under this and other
rules, have been able to prevent
action on such civil rights legisla-
ton as proposed Fair Employ
ment Practices Commission
(FEPC), anti-lynching and anti
poll tax bills.
II must say in all candor that
there are men in both parties, in
Guiding some who pay lip service
to civil rights, who are cynically
satisfied that Rule % should re-
main on the books and who are
pleased in this way. to keep civil
rights as a political issue, without
making these rights a legal fact"
Senator Lehman said.
Linked to Dixiecrats.
"These cynical men, just as
much as the Dixiecrats, are block
ing civil rights legislation"
Senator Lehman did not name
any of his colleagues but invited
his listeners to determine who
these men are and show them . u. {.
as far as the country Is concerned.
failure to join Fundamentally and
unreservedly in the effort to re
place Rule % witha practical and
effective cloture rule is to join
hands with the Dixiecrats and to
deny civil rights"
A bill by which two-thirds of
those present and voting could
limit Senate debate, has been
approved by the Senate Rules
Committee. However, such a
change in the rules could not be
effected unless 81 Senator's voted
to end any filibuster that might
develop against the move.
Senator Lehman said "a small
minority Of skillful, stubborn and
determined men can, under pres
ent procedures, block the will
of the majority"
Mr.. White told the rally:
THE record of no candidate for
the presidency is entirely salts
factory on the civil rights issue"
Speakers at tonight'S final ses-
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