Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1956-03-10
US. Senate -.
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an the face of today's prob
lens, at home and abroad, am
sure all thoughtful citizens Of ev-
cry section will want to make our
country's record in the protection
of the basic constitutional rights
CT our citizens completely defens-
IDLE against Communist attack, or
criticism by new independent ma
tions now arising in Asia and At
rica," Senator Hennings said. "The
passage of these bills will help
greatly to bring about equality OF
citizenship in this country, without
regard to race, color, religion, or
ancestry of any citizen. The guar
anteed right to vote without being
intimidated or coerced, or kept
from the polls by official subter-
fuges, is the most important thing
of all"
Senator Hennings recalled that
when he first entered the House of
Representatives in 1885, his first
patronage appointment was given
to young Negro from st. Louis,
and thereafter Negroes figured
prominently in all his patronage.
Ever since then he has been work
ing in the House and Senate to
bring about full equality of legal
rights for all American citizens,
regardless of race, color, religion
or ancestry. Hennings introduced
his own anti-lynching bill when he
was member CT the House of
Representatives
When the Selective Service Act
was enacted, Hennings said, ne
spoke in the House of Representa-
tives to urge that every minority
in this country should share in any
national activity without discrimi-
nation.
"The four bills which the Sub
committee en- Constitutional Rights
has just approved" he said, "are
four more steps toward reallza-
ton of what | believe to be the
one and only right way to handle
race relations within the United
States"
The bill tc protect the citizens
right to vote extends the provisions
Of the Hatch Act, as now written,
to include primaries and special
elections of Federal office holders
in all states. The section will pre-
tect the right to vote against in
reference based on voters re-
ligion, race or color. The penalty
for intimidating, threatening, or
coercing any person who tries to
vote is set at $1,000 or a years
Imprisonment or both.
The bill to strengthen the ma
chinery of enforcement of civil
rights laws, within the Department
of Justice, would elevate the Civil
Rights Section of the Department
to the status of a Civil Rights Di-
vision to be headed by an Assistant
Attorney General. 1t would also
increase the Federal Bureau of In
vestigation personnel to the extent
necessary to investigate civil rights
cases.
The bill tc extend to all members
of the armed forces the same Fed
eral protection against bodily at
tack which now is legally afford
ed to members of the Coast Guard
was passed by the House of Rep
resentatives on January 16, 1856.
In sending it to the Judiciary
Committee of the Senate, the Sub
committee on Constitutional Rights
takes note of the fact that it has
been recommended by the Defense
Department, and includes protec-
ton to- servicemen while in plain
clothes, as we'll as uniform, since
servicemen's duties require them at
times to be out Of uniform.
The new anti-lynching bill pro-
vides penalties ranging from $1,000
to $4,000 and one year to twenty
years in prison for persons taking
part in lynch mobs. It provides
nenalties of $4,000 and five years
Imprisonment for public officials
who fail to use call diligent effort
to protect the victims of lynchings
or lvnch Attempts or fail to use
diligence in apprehension and pros
ecution Of the members Of lynch