Jackson advocate., 1957-08-31
Civil Rights Bill
Passed By House
BILL NOW GOES TO SENATE

Washington, D. c., Aug. 28-The
House Tuesday approved a COM
promise right-to-vote bill that is
expected to become the first civil
rights law enacted by Congress
since the Reconstruction era.
House passage came on a roll
call vote of 278 to 81.
The action sent the hotly-fought
measure back to the Senate, which
also was expected to approve it be-
fore the end Of this week.
Republican leaders said in ad-
vance that President Eisenhower
will sign the bill into law.
The compromise bill throws new
federal safeguards around minority
voting rights. 1t also sets up a new
federal civil rights commission to
investigate illegal curbs on the bal
lot.
Weapon Lost
Southern opponents in the House
failed in a last-ditch fight against
the bill. They lost a possible
weapon when heavy absenteeism
that had marked other recent
House sessions failed to develop
today.
This was the second go-round
in Congress this year for civil
rights legislation.
The House on June 18 had passed
it's own broader version. The Sem
ate on Aug. 7, passing its first
civil rights bill in 80 years, amend
ed this sharply. Today's house vote
was on agreeing to the additional
changes agreed on in Senate's am
endments, with two advance by Re-
publican and Democratic leaders of
both houses.
The original House bill had
dealt with minority rights general
ly. The Senate version was con-
fined to voting rights only. The
Senate also provided jury trials
for persons charged with criminal
contempt of court growing out of
violations of court orders on all
civil rights and other federal laws.
The compromise limits this jury
trial feature first to voting rights
cases. 1t also gives federal judges
in such cases the right to impanel
a jury or not, as they see fit. But
the defendant has a right to de-
mand a new trial, with jury, if
penalties imposed by the Judge ex-
ceed $500 or 45 days in Jail. In
that case the defendant has a big
ger penalty if convicted-a $1,000
fine and six months in Jail.
Strongest Possible
This was the compromise langu-
age that broke long deadlock that
for a time threatened to block any
final action on civil rights this
year.
In today's brief House debate
limited by rules to one-hour-pro-
civil rights members of both par
ties expressed regret the bill was
not stronger.
Die-hard opponents from SOU
thern states denounced the measure
to the bitter end.
Rep. William M. Colmer Cd
Miss.) termed the bills passage
"the beginning of the downfall" of
this republic. He assailed the bill
as political sop" to an organized
minority and said its real effect
will be to destroy the civil rights
of all Americans.
Senate Republican Leader, Will
liam F. Knowland said the measure
probably would be taken up in the
Senate Wednesday. Knowland said
there are bound to be a certain
number of Senate speeches on the
bill. Although the Senate con-
ceivably could complete action on
the measure in one day, he thought
this was unlikely.
Senate Democratic Leader, Lyn-
don B. Johnson said the bill would
be brought before the Senate with
little or no delay. lie said it is
vital to complete action this year
and that congress is acting in a
mood of reason"
Southern strategists called a
meeting this morning to consider
without much hope-whether some
final booby-trap might be erected
to head off what appeared to be
certain House passage Of the am
ondod hill