The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1956-12-27

6olforldl Wr1fer OF The CHRISTIAN science MonlfOr
Are racial tensions that have risen in the South
over the Supreme Courts May II, 1854, decision
easing? n3a.E. As
Can the nation look forward in the practicable
future to an atmosphere in which the voices of
reason and moderation speak up and in which
these voices will be listened to?
< Have all the bridges of understanding and CO.
operation so painfully built between the races
during the past three-quarters of century been
swept away in two brief years of CONSERVATION
indignation, and confused thinking?
What does the future hold?
journeyed recently to the Deep South in
order to borrow several pairs of eyes, to speak,
which had good reason to feel could trust and
through which might look at the scene of the
moment at closer quarters than through win
dow opening on Boston street My conversations,
thorough and unhurried, were with five Souther-
ners by birth, heritage, and rearing - five men
OF courage, vision, and perspcacity They are
quietly working, each in his field and at his own
task not to achieve victory for either side but
to lead the South toward solutions which will en-
able some 15000O,000 of race and Is 900 900 of
the other land their descendants to continue liv
ing side by side in the same land in harmony and
with mutual respect.
Since our talks were "off the record" l may
among them both races were represented
What did I learn? Far more than could be COM
pressed within one article But itsmght be useful
first to take up the questions asked and attempt
to reduce to shorthand some answers upon which
found explicit or inferental agreement:
Yes tensions are easing, appraising the South
as whole One OF my friends preferred to say
mitigating" 1t is much too soon to assume this
mitigation is due to some great dawn of sweet
ness and light" But, one put it: Gwen the
White Citizens Councils can't stay that mad for
ever"
Another warned the North not to see positive
where there are but negative causes Over vast
areas of the Deep South neither NAACP nor any
other agency or individual has moved to chal-
lenge the status quo. There, the tension NAV be
easing simply for lack of provocation.
Yes Reason, moderation, and calm will find
expression with increasing frequency, and near
where issues have been hottest But expression
will have to be persuasive and wise to be listened
to- And the nation must not underestimate the
courage 1t will take to speak, nor misunderstood
II sucn counsel is shaped to find Judgment in
Southern traditional attitudes
Have all the bridges between the races boon
swept away in the storm? BY no means. Fashion
able Southern liberalism" has been pretty badly
battered. The leadership which now continues to
work. with both races for durable solutions is
convinced, dedicated and realistic one. a
Organizations which under biracal sponsorship
have long rendered services to both races or work
ed to strengthen cooperation and understanding
between the races continue to function Every
where they have had to carry on more quietly.
Here and there new steps, even those which would
not distrub the status quo in race relations have
had to be deferred. few civic organizations have
been cut off from local community chests" simply
because Negroes shared in the benefits of their
programs
These are but the blacklist corners. And no
one talked to expected they would stay so dark
for long. On the positive side the accomplishment