Evening star., 1954-11-17
letters to The Star
Citizens Federation Replies

Citizens Federation Replies
Misstatements In letter signed
Nathan r. Elder in The Star of No
vember IA make necessary clear pres
entation Of the facts concerning action
Of the D. c. Federation Of Citizens
Associations with regard to school de-
segregation.
The Federation, organized in 1910.
represents 81 groups, most Of them
neighborhood associations whose mem-
bers include businessmen, Government
employees, teachers, doctors. lawyers.
housewives lin fact, q cross section Of
the community. It has long history
Of constructive action, helping to pro-
mote in many different fields those
things which would reflect credit upon
the District, make it better place in
which to live.
One of its many interests is edu-
cation. Another is the field Of tax
alton. Steps it has taken with regard
to desegregating District public schools
have been in accord with It's fervent
hope that the economic stability Of the
district may be maintained, that the
Districts budget needs may be met
without further increases in taxes.
Unlike other municipalities. the
District Of Columbia cannot extend its
boundaries to encompass it's suburbs
to bring in additional tax revenues. It
is part of total metropolitan area
including sections OF Maryland and
Virginia where desegregation has been
delayed until the Supreme Court hands
down it's final DEGREES and where COM
munity planning for desegregation has
been sought, not rejected.
Knowing the temper of much of the
Districts white population, the Fedora
ton recognized in advance that which
statistics in recent Star news article
showed that desegregation would ac-
celerate the exodus Of large segment
Of the stable element of the population
to these suburban areas. Naturally.
businesses follow the trend.
Immediately after the court handed
down its opinion on May II, therefore,
the Federation requested school OH
cials to consult with representatives OF
major civic groups before proceeding
with desegregation. but to no avail.
True, school officials one year and
three months before the court acted
did ask local groups to submit in writ
ing their plans for implementing inte-
grafton should it come, but they set a
two-week deadline which, many felt,
belied their sincerity.
This offer afforded no public hear
ing, no opportunity to evaluate or
debate the aggregate planning, no as
Surance that Federation plans would
receive consideration. Moreover, policy
of the Board of Education has long
forbidden discussion Of any subject
Of a racial nature in school buildings,
where many of the Federation's mem
ber groups meet. How then could 1t
possibly within two weeks reflect COM
munity thinking on so basic a change?
Along with most of the other suhstan--
tial groups in the city, the Federation
declined to submit plans at that time.
It replied that the request was pre-
mature and unwarranted; that, should
the court order integration, it no
doubt would provide ample time for
an orderly transition and that public
hearings would be afforded by the
Congress in conjunction with amend
ing existing law to conform with the
courts decision.
Never was prediction more justi-
fed. The court did provide cushion
ing period in failing to order immediate
desegregation and setting a date for
hearings on method. But almost with
in hours school officials put into erect
their plan, without consultation to
ascertain. the wishes Of the community,
without taking into account the rights
OF individuals, and bypassing necessary
amendatory legislation which 1t did
not seek until the Congress was about
to adjourn, when it was too late.
Schools on whose proximity property
values were based were taken away
from some neighborhoods without the
public hearings decreed by rules OF
the Board of Education itself.
BY recourse to local courts to seek a
delay in the implementation OF this
plan until the Supreme Court COM
pletes hearings on methods Of desegre-
CATION and hands down final DEGREES,
the Federation sought to stem the
trend to the suburbs, to lessen the i'm
pact of so radical a change. (This was
GIlC TGSUlI VI ukldllllkAOuo dSuAOA oo Aoo
June meeting.) It did not, as Mr.. FL
der's letter stated, ask for ''resegrega-
ton"
It has sought alienation of "hard-
ship" cases, which Judge Schweinhaut
recognized as existing even though he
denied the request for a temporary
restraining order. These involved chill
dren of one race who unwillingly con-
stituted minority Of one or a very
few in school or classroom, or chill
dren OF the same family, who by the
arbitrary boundary policy. had been
separated by assignment to different
schools. Thus older children could not
escort a Kindergarten who in many
instances had longer and more haz-
ardous route to travel. Through the
Federation's court action and attend
ant publicity, many Of these cases have
been adjusted, at least temporarily.
The Federation now has filed brief
with the Supreme Court as friend OF
the court" It's chief contention is the
need for flexible boundaries, so that
children's lives will not be warped by
arbitrary denial Of an environment
taking into account the basic principles