Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1952-10-18

been assigned on basis of his
merit - regardless of
race or color. All troops in Korea
are now migrated, and integra-
ton is going forward elsewhere
overseas.
l also had Fair Employment
Board set up in the Civil Service
Commission. Today, every Federal
agency has fair employment
practice program that is working.
Any Federal employee, or applicant
for Federal Employment, who feels
he has been Disseminated against
because Of race can now ask for
and receive justice.
At my request, the Solicitor Gen
eral Of the United States went be,
fore the Supreme Court to argue
that Negro citizens have the right
to enter State colleges and univer-
sites on exactly the same basis
as all other citizens. We won the
case. And more than thousand
Negro graduate and professions
students have been accepted b!
ten State universities that had
barred their doors to Negroes be-
fore. This means that this coun-
try will have more men like Louis
T. Wright and Ralph Bunche.
At my request, the Solicitor Gen.
eral again went before the Supreme
Court and argued against the re-
strictive covenants that had pre-
vented houses in many places from
being sold to Negroes and Jews.
1t was great day in the histor!
of civil rights when we won that
case before the Supreme Court.
AS one result Of that decision.
more Negroes are home owners to-
day than ever before in American
history.
Our locally-operated public nous.
ing projects are increasingly oper
to families of all races and creeds
The number of integrated project.
has increased eightfold in eigh1
years. In the last few years, nine
States and eight cities have forbid
den discrimination or segregation
in public housing.
In the last few years, eleven
States and twenty cities have en-
acted fair employment practice
laws. This is where the greatest
gap exists in our Federal laws on
civil rights, and have repeated.
urged the Congress to pass tn,
kind of law we need. Such a stat
ute must have enforcement power.
if it is to mean anything. To tall
about voluntary compliance with
fair employment practice is non
sense. Federal fair employment
legislation with enforcement pow
er is greatly needed and ought to
be on the books.
Progress has been made in as
surfing Negroes the opportunity t,
exercise their right to vote as cit
liens. The courts have made the
infamous white primary" thing
of the past. And there are only
five poll tax states left. Neverthe-
less, we still need laws to abolish
the poll tax and otherwise protect
the right to vote where intimida-
ton and restrictions still exist.
In the last years, two states
nave enacted anti-lynch laws. Five
states and forty-five cities have
passed laws against wearing masks
in public-which will strip the
hoods off the Klu Klux Khan. That
is splendid progress in the fight
to guarantee our citizens protec-
ton against mob violence, but it is
not enough. 1t is the clear duty
of the federal government to stand
behind local law enforcement agen-
cies, and to step in if they fail to
control mob action. That is ex-
actly what we have been doing
through the FBI and the civil.
rights section of the Department
of Justice.
Last year, a mob formed in
Cicero, Illinois,, to prevent a Negro
veteran and his family from NOV
ing into an apartment house. For
tunately, Illinois was blessed with
a great governor who is now your
Democratic candidate for Presi-
dent.
Governor Stevenson, who believes
in action in these matters, restored
law and order with the National
Guard. But local grand jury did
the incredible thing of indicting-
not the ring leaders of the mob
but the Negro veterans lawyer and
the property owner. At this point
the Federal government stepped in
to prevent gross miscarriage of
justice. 1t obtained an indictment
OF the city officials who failed in
their duty to assure equal justice
under law. And the officials who
had abetted the mob were tried and
convicted in Federal court.
1t was also last year that the
nation was shocked by the bomb
murder in Florida, of Harry T.
Moore and his wife. These tragic
deaths came shortly after the
bombings of synagogues and Cath
olic churches and of the housing
project at Carver Village. For