St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-08-19

ton convention.
He is DR.. Theodore Il. NJ.
his home and who heads the
Negro leadership. "A head OF that
Council. DIR. Howard has been the
leader in the current fight to COM
pei his adopted state to accept the
Supreme Court decision ending
segregation in the pebble schools.
Howard. Haters
The almost one million Negroes
OF Mississippi look to him. the
NAACP and the Regional Council
for leadership In the desperate
Struggle they are waging against
economic boycotts, open violence
and outright defiance Of supreme
Court decisions guaranteeing the
right to vote and safeguarding
them against other denials OF con-
stitutionai rights, These are the
people who love DR.. Howard.
At the other end OF tho scale are
the Howard-hatcrs. led by the
Mississippi Citizens Council which
the physician describes as 'the
modern Ku Klux Khan" Swarm
ing around the Citizens Councils
are the politicians and the other
racketeers In race relations who
are determined TO hold on 10 the
Jim Crow system.
Bodyguard
The situation IL no tense that a
2i-hour guard In maintained ut the
Howard residence after threats Of
violence had been made against
him and his family. He never goes
out without a companion and
Keeps In close tocch with his
family and friends at all times
30 that he will not "mysteriously
disappear"
A big. strong, friendly man, DIR.
Howard In one OF the top men In
the medical profession and con-
ducts a nationally famous hospital
and clinic at Mound Bayou which
offers low cost medical care 70
Mlsslssippians. He In married TO
the former Helen Boyd OF River
side. who is as determined an he IL
TO stick TO the fight until Missis-
sippi Joins the union" an she puts
IL.
The physician tells tho story
Of what In happening In Missis-
sippi without bitterness and
without rancor but with an un-
dertone Of grim determination.
He left just after last weeks
primary election and saw the
length 10 which the politicians
are willing 10 70 20 hold ON 10
power.
Won't Count Votes
TN Mound Bayou. which In an
all-Negro town, the election simp-
ly refused TO count the ballots"
DIR. Howard relates. Tn Issaquena
county, Negroes were refused per-
mission to vote. In Sunflower
county, Negro voters were denied
the right 10 put their ballots In
the box"
II Is the physicians belief that
Mississippi whites are determined
to drive a half million Negroes cut
Of the state. They know integra-
ton is coming" DR.. Howard says
fatty. They know that the time
viii come when Negroes viii vote.
As It is now. Negroes comprise al
most half Of the states papula-
ton. The politicians are determin-
ed 10 reduce that percentage 30
that when the segregation system
does break down they can still re-
tain control without having to APP
peal 10 Negro voters"
Cut Wages
DR.. Howard charges that the at
tempt to drive Negroes out OF
the state centers around plans TO
reduce agricultural wages on the
sne hand and 10 ruin small Ne
gro farmers on the other. Wages
for cotton chopping have been cut
from four dollars per day last
year TO two dollars per day this
year" he said.
Negroes who farm the 80. 40
and so acre plots are going TO be
led TO believe that they can get
theip usual credit at the banks
right up until next March. Then
when they 70 TO the banks they
are going TO be refused" DR..
Howard predicts. Such refusal
win leave them without means Of
and they win be forced
to migrate. he says.
Head Of the economic drive a.
gsinst the Negro is the Citizens
Council which includes most Of the
powerful financial and Industrial
leaders of the state. according to
DR.. Howard. He says that banks
and lending institutions are be-
ing pressured into refusing credit
A. 49, - s-.x 1870 -