Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-25

desegregation of the public
schools in that city. 1t provided
that a start toward indignation
would be made at the present
term in the high school. and
that the plan would be in full
operation by 1868. This plan
was challenged in the courts
by some who believed that the
period of time as proposed was
too long.
The United States court at
Little Rock. which has super
visory responsibility under the
law for.the plan of desegrega-
ton in the public schools. dis
missed the challenge. thus APP
proving a gradual rather than
an abrupt change from the
existing system. 1t found that
the school board had acted in
good faith in planning for a
public school system free from
racial discrimination.
Since that time, the court has
on three separate occasions is
sued orders directing that the
plan be carried out. All persons
were instructed to refrain from
interfering with the efforts of
the school board to comply
with the law.
Proper and sensible observ-
ance of the law then demanded
the respectful obedience which
the Nation has a right to ex-
Ipect from all the people. This.
unfortunately. has not been
the case at Little Rock, Ger
tain misguided persons, many
of them imported into Little
Rock by agitators. have in
sisted upon .defying the law
and have sought to bring it
into diSrepute. The orders of
the court have thus been fruS-
trated.
Action Necessary
The very basis of our in
dividual rights and freedoms
is the certainty that the Presi-
dent and the Executive Branch
of Government will support
and insure the carrying out of
the decisions of the Federal
courts. even. when necessary,
with all the means at the Presi-
dents command.
Unless the President did so,
anarchy would result.
There would be no security
for any except that which each
one OF us could provide for
himself.
The interest Of the Nation in
the proper fulfillment of the
laws requirements cannot
yield to opposition and demon
STATIONS by some few persons.
Mob rule cannot be allowed
to override the decisions of the
courts.
Let me make it very clear
that Federal troops are not
being used to relieve local and
State authorities of their pri-
mary duty to preserve the
peace and order of the COM
munity. Nor are the troops
there for the purpose Of taking
over the responsibility of the
school board and the other re-
sponsible local officials in rum
ming Central High School. In
the present case the troops are
there, pursuant to law, solely
for the purpose of preventing
interference with the orders of
the court.
The proper use of the pow
ers Of the Executive Branch TO
enforce the orders of a Federal
court is limited to extraordi-
nary and compelling circum-
stances. Manifestly. such an
extreme situation has been Gre
ated in Little Rock. This chal-
lenge must be met with such
measures as will preserve to
the people as a whole their
lawfully protected rights in d
climate permitting their free
and fair exercise.
The overwhelming majority
OF our people in every section
Of the country are united in
their respect for observance OF
the law-even in those cases
where they may disagree with
that law.
They deplore the call Of ex-
tremists to violence.
The decision of the Supreme
Court concerning school inte-
grafton affects the South more
seriously than it does other
sections Of the country. In that
region have many warm
friends, some of them in the
city Of Little Rock. / have
deemed it great personal
privilege to spend in our South
land tours Of duty while in
the military service and en-
joyable recreational periods
since that time.
So from intimate personal