Evening star., 1954-06-10
Southern Governors
Confer al Richmond
On Segregation Ban
By Robert K. Walsh
StoT Sioff cerrespoudans

RICHMOND, Va, June TO-
Governors and other high ON
cials Of fifteen Southern States
gathered here today for a com
pliance or defiance" discussion
Of the anti-Segregation decision
and planned to explore the Fed
eral Constitutions 10th amend
ment even more than the 14th.
Virginia holds a key spot in
more ways than one. Gov. Stan
ley called the meeting for IAN
exchange Of views and informa-
ton Stemming from the Supreme
Court ruling that public school
racial segregation is unconstitu-
tional. The Governor said Vir-
ginia may arrive eventually at a
solution Of its ''very serious prob
lem" as result of reports today
on conditions and contemplated
moves in her sister States.
United Front Doubted.
The nine Governors and off,
cial representatives of six
other States differ widely on pos
Sible methods. Tentative pro-
posals range from abolition Of
public schools to establishment
of some system of voluntary in
tegration. With no concrete pro-
posalS to submit to the confer
ence today. and doubling that it
will produce any statement of
strategy or united front policy.
Gov. Stanley made clearer than
ever that Virginia schools will
not be integrated during the next
school year. He said there will
be no change until the Supreme
Court issues a detailed decree.
II have never reached the con-
cluSion that Virginia wants to
abolish its public school system"
he told reporters before the 35
officials began their closed meet
ing.
| He and several of his official
visitors indicated strongly that
the aim Of the conference is not
to devise means of nullifying or
evading the Supreme Court de-
ciSion. The conference clearly
was shaping up as an attempt.
at least by majority of those in
attendance, to examine carefully
: the reserved powers" of the
separate States. A main purpose
+. is to look into the administrative
authority which individual State
and local officials could properly
! exercise within the intent of the
/. Federal Constitution and the
4 scope of the high courts decision.
/, That is where the 10th amend
ment comes in. The Supreme
Court outlawed school Segrega-
ton, specifically in the States,
on the basis of the equal pro-
lection clause of the 14th amend
ment. The tribunal invited the
affected States to submit briefs
! early next fall as help in work
: ing out ways of putting that
decision into effect equitably
everywhere.
Sees Years of Litigation.
;. The 10th amendment, de-
scribed by some of the conferees
as pretty much of a forgotten
g, provision. in the whole issue, de-
clareS that powers not delegated
to the Federal Government by
the Constitution. nor expressly
prohibited by the States, Are
reserved to the States respec-
lively or to the people,"
The problem, from the view
point Of the conferring officials,
boils down to determining
whether the Southern States.
without flouting the clear-cut
decision Of the court, can de-
velop some method of racial
separation in schools-and make
it stand up in court.
Conferees who look at the
matter from this angle concede
this might lead to a generation
of litigation" and local expert
mentation. If the Governors and
other officials here today agree