St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-08-05
CONGRESSMAN ADAM CLAYTON POWELL
DEFENDS PROPOSALS IN SPEECH ON
HOUSE FLOOR; RAPs BOTH PARTIES
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The Senate viii not favorably
consider non-segregation clauses,
hence, they viii never become law.
1t is a fact of history that no leg
islation, however meritorious, con-
tanning such a provision has ever
passed in the Senate. Reserve
legislation with a nonsegregation
provision affecting the National
Guard cannot now become law.
From your own experience in
Congress you realize that progress
in ending segregation is difficult,
If not impossible, IL We are to de-
pend upon Incorporating nonseg-
regation clauses in legislation that
the Senate viii not favorably
consider.
Finally, this statement:
I shall, Of course, continue to
seek progress in ending segrega-
ton.
This is a far cry from telling
me that the problem cannot be
solved by any one person and that
we must work together and CO.
operate and that we shall not
take a single backward step and
we must 60 forward.
I charge today that the Presi.
dent Of the United States has
been deliberately mlsinformed.
misled, and falsely Unanswered
into q position which will ulti-
mateiy do harm to our country.
I believe therefore II is incum-
bent upon this body, on both sides
of the aisle, to assist the Presi-
dent Of the United States, by
breaking through the palace
guard which surrounds him. To
do this we must let the truth be
told now and support 1t by our
actions here today.
In the first place. the President
and the people Of the United
States should know that there is
a Reserve Act of 1852 on our
books now. II there is anyone
that has endangered our Nations
defense / charge today that the
saboteur Of our defense Is the
Defense Department itself who
although they have had this law
for three years In their hands
have refused to make it work and
although we authorized them to
build up a Reserve component of
1900, 900 men that today after 3
years we only have 100000 men
in the Reserves. II Is the Pentagon
and the Defense Department who
are the saboteurs II there are any
saboteurs, Of our Nations secur-
ity.
The point Of personal privilege
Is contained in these two SEN
fences, Mr.. Speaker:
Representative Powell has a
part In the wrecking Of the
country's defense program as
the above letter demonstrates.
And:
Representative Adam Clayton
Powell can hardly escape the
charge that he Is playing low
grade politics II he insists on in
Guiding the antisegregation a.
mendment In the national Re-
servo plan when II comes to a
House vote.
The President of the United
States must know and the people
must be told that this is a Gov
eminent composed Of the execu-
tive. the judicial, and the legisla-
tive and that no one branch Of the
Government must be minimized
nor be secondary to the other. No
one should ever say that the SEN
ate will not do thus and so, nor
should he ever say that the Con-
gress cannot pass such a law. The
Senate must never become the
second heutenants Of the White
House" and ! am determined that
the House of Representatives
shall not become the rockies.
The President should be told
and the American people that his
letter contains a grave error OF
historical fact known to every COL
lege student in American history.
The United States Congress did
pass in 1910 a civil rights a.
mendment which was proposed by
a Republican Congressman from
New York, Representative Hamil-
ton Fish, on September 8, and a.
greed on the same date by teller
vote of 121 TO 90. It was proposed
in the Senate by Senator Barbour,
Republican. Of New Jersey, on
August %, then withheld in sup
port of a similar amendment Of
fered by Senator Wagner, Demo
crat, of New York. The amend
ment was agreed TO by a record
vote OF So 10 81 with % not vot-
ing. This was an amendment 10
section A. Public Law No. 1888,
18th Congress, in which the leg
islative branch of the Government
distinctly instructed the President
and may quote, The selection
Of men for training In service shall
be made in an impartial manner
under such rules and regulations
as the President may prescribe
provided that in the selection and
training of men under this act
and in the Interpretation and ex-
ecuton OF the provisions Of this
act there shall be no discrimina-
ton against any persons on ac-
coun, ~ race or color" That was