Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-10
President Cites
His Efforts for
NAACP Opens Drive
For Completion Of
Emancipation by SO


President Eisenhower today
reiterated his intention of doing
what he can to end racial segre-
cation wherever the Federal au-
thority extends.
He spoke at conference spon-
sored by the National Associa-
ton for the Advancement Of
Colored People, at the Depart
mental Auditorium. The con-
ference was called by the NAACP
to launch a Fight for Freedom
campaign designed to complete
the emancipation of the Negro
by January /. 1868, the CEN
tennial of Lincoln's Emancipa.
ton Proclamation"
In a brief speech of welcome
to the delegates, Gen. Eisen-
hover pointed to the District of
Columbia and armed services as
two areas where his administra-
ton had suggested in reducing
racial discrimination. He did
not go into details.
Gen. Eisenhower declared:
II believe most sincerely in
the statement of Lincoln that
this Nation is dedicated to the
principle that all men were Gre
ated equal"
Hold to Ideals, He Says.
He called upon the delegates to
stick to their ideals but pointed
out that ideals are never real
lied by imperfect humans" He
added in an aside, II hope this
doesn't sound like a sermon"
He went on to say that where
ever the Federal authority
clearly extends he will do his ut
most to bring into reality the
equality of all citizens.
In opening the conference. Ar
thur Spingarn, president of the
NAACP, revealed the Fight for
Freedom Committee had set a
goal of 81 million year to OBJ
tain the objective of 1.-The COM
pletion of the emancipation Of
the Negro by January !, 1868"
He declared:
This conference promises to
become an historic occasion. We
are confidently hopeful that it
foretells the final phase of our
work to remove the last vestige
OF racial disabilities"
Walter White. executive secre-
tary of the NAACP, reviewed the
/ progress made in Wiping out
fracial discrimination since Abra-
ham Lincoln signed the Emanci-
patton Proclamation.
Cites Recent Actions.
During recent years the
courts, and especially the United
States Supreme Court, have
struck mighty blows against pro-
scription of opportunity and con.
stitutional rights" he declared.
The executive branch of the
Government and notably Presi-
dents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Har-
ry S. Truman and Dwight D.
Eisenhower have used their in.
fuence and power to eradicate
the color line"
Least hes been done by the
Congress which has not enacted
one major law against race pre-
JUDGE since the days of recon.
struction,' he added.
Mr.. White warned the confer.
ence OF two dangers to their pro.
gram-one from the Communists
and the other from the current
historical flinging of accusations
against even our most hono:ed
public servants"
Sees Coalition Movement.
Mr.. White said the Commu-
MIST Party is now trying to Gre.
ate a popular coalition move.
ment' of diverse groups IN tho
United States. He said:
THE latest Communist scheme
resurrects the ridiculous pro-
posal of a Negro nation in the
black belt of the South, which
was laughed into oblivion bv
Negroes when it was proposed
20 years ago. With equal blind
ness to their total failures Of
the past to ensnare Negroes in
their party's web, the new Com
munlst directive talks verboscly
about achieving full support for
the fight for the liberation of
the Negro nation"
Mr.. White said Negroes must
be on guard constantly against
efforts to pervert the cause for
which they were fighting, add.
ing:
BE continuously alert in keep.
ing Communists out of the Fight
for Freedom campaign. But do
so intelligently and with scru-
pulous regard for fairness. Don't
let the current climate of fear
and smear cause you to ape the
tactics which endanger America
i'll keeping subversives in either
the left or the right out of the
NAACP."
About 1000 delegates regis.
tered for the one-day confer.
ence.
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