Evening star., 1954-05-02

Predictions that the Supreme
Court will hand down a de-
cision tomorrow on the school
segregation issue got off to an
unusually fast and detailed start
yesterday.
AS, the tribunal rounded the
turn into the home stretch of
its current term, a New York
member of the House and a
senatorial candidate in Alabama
were quoted as relaying tips
that:
/. The justices tomorrow, by
O 5-4 vote, will outlaw racial
segregation in public schools.
2. The justices - according to
an assertedly "State-wide belief
In Alabama-have held up a
ruling "for political reasons and
particularly in the interest of
Senator Sparkman."
Every one connected with the
Supreme Court yesterday main
tanned a customary silence. The
justices will be on the bench for
q decision-day at noon tomor-
row. They plan to recess until
May II. They then return on
each Monday until adjournment,
ordinarily the first Monday in
June.
Besides the school segregation
cases from the District, Virginia,
South Carolina, Delaware and
Kansas, about 25 other cases
still await decision. These in
clude such important and varied
questions as constitutionality of
key provisions of the Federal
lobbying law, authority of the
Federal Power Commission to fix
prices on interstate sales of
natural gas, and the status Of
quickie divorces in the Virgin
Islands.
Powell Quoted.
The prognoStication that the
court tomorrow will announce a
decision in the segregation cases
was attributed to Representative
Powell, Democrat, of New York,
by the Washington edition of
The Courier, published in Pitts
burgh.
The paper carried a dispatch
from Raleigh, N. c., reporting
that Mr.. Powell, who is colored,
recently told the 73d annual
convention of the North Carolina
Teachers Association that the
Supreme Court will outlaw segre-
gated schools in a decision "the
first Monday in May"
The story quoted Mr.. Powell as
saying the high court is tied
four -to-four on the ISSUE" with
Chief Justice Warren abStaining.
It also reported that Mr.. Powell
said he believed the Chief Justice
will break the deadlock by voting
In favor of unsegregated schools.
Commerlin Reports.
Meanwhile, john G. Cromme-
lin, retired rear admiral who
hopes to defeat Senator Spark
man for the Democratic nominal
ton for Senator from Alabama
at the primary election Tuesday,
announced he sent a telegram to
Chief Justice Warren.
THE citizens of Alabama de-
sire the decision from the
United States Supreme Court on
the segregation issue immedi-
ately," it stated in part. 1T is
a Statewide belief that it is
being held up for political
reasons and particularly in the
interests of Senator Sparkman
who is now under fire from his
two major opponents.
Rightly or wrongly this is
not good for prestige of the
United States Supreme Court
especially in view of court recess
and 189-mile walk of one AS
sociate Justice from Cumberland
Gap to Washington to commune
with the birds and bees. The
people of Alabama believe they
should have their answer from
you not later than May l."
In UnificatiOn Fight.
Mr.. Crommelin, a former Navy
captain retired with the rank
of rear admiral in 1850 after he
became a prominet figure in a
controversy over national de-
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