The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1957-01-12
Between The Lines. /.
DIVIDED WE FALL

The most dramatic event of
1856 was without doubt the stand
that Negroes made at Montgom-
cry, Ala. For a long time much
has been said about segregation
and the style thereof; much has
been written and the question is
eagerly and enthusiastically dis
cussed, but the Montgomery Ne
groes decided to do something
about it, and what they did will
forever rebound to the glory of
the Negro race. The immediate
advantage gained by the Negroes
brave stand will be insignificant,
as compared with the respect the
Negroes gained in the eyes of the
world. Throughout the civilized
world peoples have been amazed
at the stout-heartedneSs of h
Montgomery Negro and most GER
tainly he has taken stand that
commends him and his case for
integration. When people gets
so tired of segregation that they
take to their feet as a way of
meeting the situation, they are
tired indeed! And the glory of the
whole episode hinges about the
united way the Negro went about
their objective.
The old saying, United we
stand, divided we fall" was never
more cleverly illustrated than in
the Montgomery situation when
$4,000 Negroes stood together or
walked together for a common
cause of being treated like hui
mans. It has been said that an
ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure; and so it may well
be said that an ounce of doing
something about it, is worth a
ton of talking about it. Those
Montgomery Negroes really and
truly walked up something and
what they walked up cannot be
set down in figures and words.
They walked UP the respect of
the civilized world and they
walked up the Negroes faith in
himself and the righteousness of
his cause. They walked up at
tention to the Negroes plight in
segregation and the potency of
the dollar in the situation.
Booker T. Washington told his
people so years ago that the dol
lar will be mighty factor in the
breaking of the chains of the sla-
very of segregation. The dollars
that the Montgomery bus lines
lost speak eloquently for the
cause of indignation!
What the Montgomery Negroes
did for themselves and their city
and nation and the cause of hui
man advancement, strengthened
the morals of makind and it is
in the strength of morals and
morals that nations stand. What
occurred in Montgomery strength
ened the nation to stand against
those forces that threaten our
cherished democracy. But where
as the Negroes of Montgomery
stood United in the cause of de-
mocracy and Christianity, h e
Pharaohs of the Old South
threaten to destroy the nation
rather than let the Negro go.
Therein lies the current danger
in the Old South's stand against
civil rights legislation.
It is quite thinkable that h g
national division over the matter
of civil rights may contribute to
the dissolution of our great ma
ton. When open defiance Of the
United States is being advocated
by some who sit in the legislative
halls of the nation. We can read
lily see the danger that is inherent.
When a large segment Of the pop
ulation can malign and abuse the
Supreme Court of the United
states for the simple reason that
the said court would rule that
Negroes are included in the let
tor 1~I s.y1irif ~ tho laUG nf this