Evening star., 1954-09-25
Louisiana Lawyers
Face Custer Quiz
Over Integration
BY the Assoeiafed Press

Attorneys who attempted to
register 80 Negroes at a white
school in Baton Rouge, La, have
been threatened with disbarment.
On the recommendation of the
States Joint Legislative Com
nnittee to Maintain Segregation,
the East Baton Rouge School
Board called on the Louisiana
Bar Association to investigate
action by Attorneys Alex Pitcher
and Johnny Jones.
The School Board asked
whether the two lawyers have
violated a bar association canon
which prohibits "fomenting liti-
cation or strife" The legislative
groups general counsel, William
Shaw, said ethical canons pre-
vent lawyers from promoting
. strife or drumming up business.
Mr.. Shaw said attorneys found
In violation of the canon can be
disbarred by the Louisiana Su-
preme Court on the recommen-
dation of the bar associations
Committee on Ethics.
Tried to Register 80.
Mr.. Pitcher and Mr.. Jones rep
resent the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People. Mr.. Pitcher took 80
Negro children to a white ele-
mentary school on September 2
and unsuccessfully attempted to
register them.
Sixteen parents subsequently
signed statements that they had
not given permission for their
: children to try to register at the
white school.
Mississippi's Legislature ended
a special session yesterday at
which a private schools" con-
stitutional amendment was
passed. The measure, which will
be submitted to the voters on
December 81. would allow the
Legislature to abolish public
schools.
It is termed a "last resort"
tool for maintaining segregation.
Private schools would replace
public schools.
Byrnes Tells of Fears.
At Dillon, S. c., Gov. James F.
Byrnes noted recent racial dis
turbances in Northern and bor-
der States and said ''far more
serious situations will arise" in
the deep South.
Gov. Byrnes said recent diff
culties in school integration in
Ohio, West Virginia and Della
ware present a powerful argu-
ment in favor of the continuance
of segregated schools"
A federal judge in San Antonio,
Tex, declined to order the Uni
versity of Texas to admit a Negro
engineering student.
Judge Ben H. Rice, jr., said a
hearing on the order will be held
during the January term of
Federal court. The action was
filed on behalf of John w.
Walker, II, of Houston.
Branded "Not Christian"
The Western North Carolina
conference of the Methodist
Church unanimously voted re-
affirmation of a belief that racial
discrimination is not Christian.
" A motion asserting that the
brotherhood of the church should
be free of racial discrimination
failed to receive a majority vote,
however.
Arkansas is virtually assured
of having Negroes on it's Demo-
cratic State Committee within
two weeks.
The State Democratic conven-
ton adopted a resolution direct
ing the party'S State Committee
to add six persons to it's men,
bership. Spokesman at the con-
vention said the places are to
be filled by Negroes.
Seeks "Outstanding Negroes"
Governor nominate Orval
Faubus said he hopes the con-
vention will choose outstanding
Negroes for the committee.
Petitions seeking means to
end segregation in Alabama's S
public schools will be filed from
all 38 State branches of the Ma
tional Association for the Ad-
. vancement of Colored People.
Mrs. Ruby Hurley. Southeast
ern regional secretary for the
NAACP, said petitions are ex-
pected to be filed next week.