Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-05

day meeting arranged confere
Senators and Representatives
They planned later today t,
gather at the Willard Hotel tt
report on their progress.
The objective is enactment O.
an eight-point legislative pro
gram which includes the guaran'
tee of a vote to every citizen,
fair employment practices &C
and a Federal anti-lynch law.
The delegates were urged into
action last night by Rol wilkins
the NAACP leader. at a meeting
in the Interdepartmental Audi
torium. He demanded action in
Congress which would compare
with civil rights moves in
the executive and legislative
branches of the Government.
At the same time, Mr.. wilkins
said the objective should be
reached through constitutional
processes
Mitchell Calls Name
Earlier, many of the confer
ence delegates crowded the Met
ropolitan Baptist Church, 1925
r street NV, for a brief1ng on
how to approach members OF
Congress. In the course of that
meeting they heard a scathing
attack upon Senator Eastland,
Democrat of Mississippi, who has
criticized the Supreme Courts
school desegregation order.
Clarence Mitchell, director OF
the NAACP's Office in Washing
ton. called Senator Eastland a
Sinking albatross."
IF they the Democrats) are
going to keep a sinking alba
tross like Senator Eastland
around their neck, they've got
to kiss our votes goodbye" he
asserted
At the night meeting, Mr.. Will
kins also referred to Senator
Eastland, deploring the fact that
the Mississippian last week was
elevated to the Craftsmanship OF
the Senate Judiciary Committee
Miss Lucy Appears
For most of the delegates, a
highlight of the opening ses-
sions was the appearance of Miss
Autherine Lucy on the stage OF
the Interdepartmental Audito-
rum. She is the Negro expelled
from the University of Alabama
after court tests and riots over
her admission as student.
Miss Lucy, who is spending 8
few days here with friends, re-
ceived a standing ovation during
her brief appearance last night
She did not speak.
Last nights meeting also in.
cluded a court of inquiry" If
which white advocates of civil
rights interviewed Negro mer
about interracial incidents il
which they were involved in the
South.
The Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy
one of the Negro ministers in.
dicted as result of the bus pro.
test in Montgomery, Ala, gave
his Interpretation of the situation
in his home town during an in.
tsrview by Shad Polier, vice
president of the American Jewish
Congress.
Shooting Claimed
Joseph L. Rauh, nationa,
chairman of Americans fol
Democratic Action, interviewed
Gus Courts, president of the
NAACP in Belzoni. Miss, who
said he was shot for refusing tc
remove his name from the vot.
ing list.
George Hunton, executive Sec
rotary of the Catholic Interra-
cial Council, interviewed L. A
Blackman, president of the
NAACP in Elloree, S. c., who
said he def1ed efforts of the Ku
Klux Khan to drive him out of
town.
A statement was read for DR.
Chester c. Travelstead, who said
he was dismissed as dean of the
school of education at the Uni
versity of South Carolina be-
cause he advocated compliance
with the Supreme Courts anti
segregation rulings.
Mr.. Wilkins, who is chairman
of the three-day conference as
well as executive head of NAACP,
declared Congress should enact
an eight-point program which
emphasizes "the protection of the
individual" He said that in
cludes improved enforcement
powers for the Justice Depart
ment and protection of the right
to vote.
These bills and many others