The Detroit tribune., 1957-08-03
Guest Editorial
Df The Week
REMARKS OF SENATOR CHARLES
F. POTTER OF MICHIGAN
Before the Senate of the United States
July l9, 1857
Mr.. Presidents:

Mr. President:
This is a year of astonishing paradox. We have
seen the American public rebel against high Gov
ernment spending in historic expression OF grass
roots opinion. At the time We are witnessing
an extravagant outpoufng Of public funds to but
tress a right which we already have.
I am speaking of the principle of civil rights
which we are considering today No concept is
more firmly roo.ed in legal structure. No prin-
ciple has firmer Constitutional base. Yet in the
long struggle bring it to reality surely no issue
has in long years of effort Illustration,
abortive attempts to leg slate, and finally in dol
lars and cents The outays in both private and pub
lie funds in behalf Of civil rights sagger the mag
ination.
There has never been any question that the
right to vote belongs to euery American. The ff-
teenth amendment provides that in any election
including purely State and local contests-the
right of citizens of the United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the federal any
State government account of race, color or pre-
vious condition of servitude.
The fourteenth amendment prohibits any State
from making or enforcing laws which abridge the
privileges and immunties of citizens Of the United
States and from DENYING to any person the equal
protection of the laws. The courts have held that
these prohibitions operate against election laws
which discriminate on account of race, color
igiOn, national origin.
But we also know that these vital concepts are
not being carried through at the local level. In
certain of the United States millions of Ne
groes have been dsfranchised. Case after in
after were documented before the Judi
cary Committee which held hearings early this
year civil rights proposals. During the past ten
days Of debate the sad details have been repeated
Again and again. as the case histories mounted
have been called upon to legisate to correct this
blot on our national record for both the l4th and
10Th amendments expressly confer upon Congress
the power 10 enforce them by appropriate regula-
tions.
Over the years prodigious human and material
resources have been thrown into the effort to
civil rights Great talent and great sums Of
money have gone down the drain, with little
results to show for it. Eminent legal authorities
have drafted bills which have seen the light
OF d)y. The cost Of their services alone into
millions OF dollars Discrimination against the Me-
~ the ballot box and the hiring gate has rob-
bed industry, the arts and s:ons-and there
fore tie nston-of additional millions of dollars
10th cf productive talent. The American taxpayer
has bought thousands of pages of testmony dreari-
u intoned at endless Congre ssional hearings. At
THE cry moment. he is paying SIT per page for
printing in the Congressional Record the hours,
days. weeks-snd expect it will become months
of debate on the pending civil rights bill. Think
for j romeDt OF the cost of bringing SO members
of the Senate here day after day. and If the costs we
incur other vital legislation waits.
1t is needless to continue. All told the sorry rec
ord Of Withholding civil rights from all Americans
has cost the United States billions- say billions
Of dollars. The cost of individual human indignity
and suffering, and the loss of prestige for this ma
on in the eyes Of the world is beyond all calcula-
ton.
Today Mr.. President we have an opportunity
to end this wasteful effort At long last may
tfy great wrong and demonstrate to the world the
vitality and strength of the democratic concept.
The issue we must resolve is explosive 1t is con-
troversa It's political repercussons have been des-
cribed as LOADED with dynamite For these rea-
sons sentiment for compromise has developed in
this Chamber