Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-12
Griffin Is Proud Of Role
Prior to Arkansas Crisis

States still strongly resisting
public school integration. is
proud of his unexpected role
as a factor in the situation at
Little Rock, Ark.
Gov. Griffin addressed a
Capital Citizens Council fund
raising dinner in Little Rock
on August %.
He was credited by Gov. Oval
Faubns of Arkansas with thus
contributing to developments
which led Gov. Faubus to call
out the National Guard TO pre-
vent the admission Of Negroes
to Little Rock Central High
School.
II think my visit did make
q little contribution to the
unity of the people on that
side - pro segregationists---
Gov. Griffin said today.
Contributed to Situation
Gov. Faubus. in a television
interview Sunday, said Gov.
Griffin had not created the
situation in Little Rock, but
added later: Il am willing to
say that he contributed to the
situation that developed, but
when an explosion is imminent,
1t is Of small consequence what
1t is that triggers, it,"
Gov. Griffin, who had warmly
praised Gov. Faubus for his
A.. use Of troops TO halt integra-
ton in Little Rock. could not
pick up the program in South
! east Georgia where his plane
was grounded by weather. but
he read q transcript Of it.
: The 50-year-old Bainbridge
weekly newspaper publisher,
/: who took over active leadership
, Of the South'S segregation
. forces from former Gov. Her
man Talmadge, now United
States Senator. campaigned on
a pledge to maintain public
school segregation come hell
or high water"
His reaction to being unex-
pectedly thrust into a principal
role in the Little Rock case
was more or less as expected.
See Race AmaIgamatiOn
II am. as everybody knows.
said the Governor, "a strong
advocate of segregation Of the
races in public schools because
! am convinced the ultimate
goal Of the social retormers is
. racial amalgamation.
Il am also convinced that the
future welfare Of the United
States is dependent upon adj
herence to the principles Of
constitutional government.
am wary and doubtful and sus-
picious Of pressure groups and
so-called 'do-gooders' and mi
norities seeking to change the
government to suit the In
terest of the minorities.
Il was invited to make q
banquet speech in Little Rock
by the Capital Citizens Council
Of Little Rock. It was q fund
raising dinner. That was one
Of the reasons I accepted.
Il spoke on preservation OF
constitutional government and
the Entertainments which have
been made upon the States by
a centralized government which
is becoming more highly GEN.
tralized day by day.
Would Have Called Troops
MY Little Rock speech was
no different from many / have
made in Georgia on the same
subject.
If I have made any contri-
button to the preservation OF
constitutional government and
sovereignty Of the States. I am
very pleased"
The Georgia Governor said
earlier, in commenting on Gov
Faubus' use of troops, that hi
would have done the same.
Several Arkansas schools had
opened classrooms to both race,
before Gov. Faubus halted in.
tegration at Little Rock witt
troops. Asked today if hi
would have waited that long
Gov. Griffin replied:
mo, sir, I'll fight the FRS
one that turns up here with
everything I've got. including
the schoolboy patrol"
He noted that Georgia is il
what he called a little strongeI
position with laws which re,
quire the closing Of schools
through cutting of tax funds
which either voluntarily or b,
court order permit mixing O
the races in classrooms.
THE Federal Government
can't force the States to lev!
a tax for anything" he de.
clared.
Gov. Griffin would not com.
ment on Gov. Faubus' accept.
ance Of a subpoena to appeal
at a hearing on a petition, fiIeC
by the Federal Government OF
instructions from a Fedora
judge, which seeks to enjoiI
his use Of troops at the Littll
Rock school.
Neither would the Georges
Governor say what he might d,
under similar circumstances.
Picking Spots, He Says
Asked for comment on tn
spread Of public school int
grafton. particularly into tire
North Carolina cities, Gov
Grifin declared that forces pro
noting desegregation - whicl
he did not identify by name
carefully chose their spots.
They send in teams to I'm
the best places--where ther
are differences Of opinio
among the citizens" he sale
These teams have made exten
sive studies in Florida and