Arkansas State press., 1957-08-23
Meaning Of The Civil RIGHTS Bill
~ Roy Wilkins Executive Secretary NAAcP)

For the first time 81 years rights bill has
passed by the United States Senate During long period
many civil rights have passed by
only to succsnnb to Dixie fbuser In the Senate That
this bill met no such fate Is In itself significant
The fact that fbuster developed the motion to
take the bill where has always developed past)
tribute to Negro voters In the November election who
demonstrated their nexibiy and determination support
issues rather bndly support parties The
election shift coupled with the pressure change
senate nser Rule " last January awakened both parties
to the foolhardness of fbuster against taking up bill
the Negro voter can thank himself for the fact that there
was nibuster
As passed by the Senate the bin Is not as strong a
measure Of the National Association for the Advance
en Of Colored People and believe the people
titled to- has been shon of Its most effective elements
However, In the Senate version there residual poten
uaes for (a increasing the number Of Negro the
south (b) discovering whether. has been claimed the
actions without jury tc) determining whether not for
the official record. southern jures
ing cases on the basis of the evidence and the law td In
vesation and exposure by the federal the
deprivaons Of voting rights and e) establishment
effective and fully manned civil rights division the De
i When testified on behalf OF the NAAcP and Is other
organizations support Of the bin before the subcommittee
constitutional rights of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Feb. IS, 1857. said:
Our immediate and overriding interest is in max
Ing a start In taking first step toward break
ing the congressional stalemate through the
actment Of a minimum meaningful bill"
The bill which the Senate approved not that bull
obviously minimum yet 1t Is still meaningfu In that gives
recognition to the right and provides the
federal with the
that right Neither the Senate the House Of the
bill confers any right The BILL today merely
confirms constitutional rights and promises wider mpemena
ton of these rights.
Is noteworthy that the principal labor civic fraernal
and minority group organizations which, after year. have
fought side by side with the NAACP all civil rights
joined the Association in urging Senate supporters civil
rights to vote for the bill In the hope that viii be
found to strengthen In the House. These organizations
pressed their bitter disappointment" that the bill had been
altered by the Senate. Further they declared
The action of the Senate In deleting Part III Of the
bill and attaching jury trial amendment to Part
~ seriously restricts program which modest
and moderate to begin with"
Nevertheless, they agreed with the NAACP that the inn
portant thing is make ANY bill passed
will be the beginning not the end of struggle the joint
I'VE shall demand legislation
mplemenng the Supreme Courts decisions against segega
tion for fair employment practices for anpon tax law
and other civil rights laws"
finally enacted the bin places the federal govern
ment responsibility that qualified citizen is denied
the right to solely the basis of color 1t also
places the NAACP and other organized groups the
sponbty redoube efforts expand the Negro
only in those districts where is restricted by dscrmina
tory practices but also in other both North South,
to the end that Negro citizens participate fully in the cleo
toal and thereby enlarge their share of the fruits of
American citizenship