Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-07
|Southerners
Fear Misuse Of
Rights Laws
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

L
minded" Attorney General coulC
iuse a Federal civil rights Law
land the FBI to interfere with
Jury and voting procedures il
local communities were voiced
Iby spokesman for Southern
States at a House subcommittee
hearing today.
One of the witnesses, Georgi:
Attorney General Eugene Cook
also complained that such legis.
lation could be used to change
Social patterns" of the South
He said they likewise might bt
employed to prevent States from
doing whatever possible they
could within the law" to cir.
cumvent the Supreme Cour'
decision against school segrega'
ton.
Another Southerner, Alabama
Circuit Judge George Wallace
asserted that civil rights legis.
lation proposed by the Eisen.
hover administration would lead
to government by contempt"
Will protect" Selves
He warned that Southern
States in such an event would
protect themselves" through
the contempt and injunctive
processes of their own courts.
The main charge relating to
politically minded" attorneys
general of the United States was
hurled by Representative Lam
ham. Democrat of Georgia. He
remarked that attorneys gen.
eral often are political"
He asserted that civil rights
legislation would create a
''FrankenStein's monster" by
giving an attorney general too
much power and too great temp
tation to use it for political pur-
poses against States and local
communities.
He commended that an attor-
Iney general under such circum-
stances probably would destroy
the usefulness of the FBI by
using agents to investigate mat
tiers reserved by the Constitution
to the individual States.
Repeats Statement
Judge Wallace, testifying at
the fourth day of the House
Judiciary subcommittee hear
ings on numerous civil rights
bills. emphatically repeated q
statement he had made in his
Alabama court several months
ago.
Referring to an FBI investiga-
ton Of complaints that Negroes
were excluded from some juries
in Georgia, Judge Wallace de-
clared that he would order the
arrest Of any FBI agent sent to
his Alabama circuit on orders OF
Attorney General Brownell tc
make such an investigation.
Today'S hearing began with the
filing of a statement by Walter
Reuther, head Of the United
Auto Workers. Mr.. Reuther sent
word that he would not testify
in person but would submit his
statement in behalf of civil
rights legislation so there would
be no further delay in congress
sional action on such bill.
Hits Congress Record
Mr.. Reuther. joined advocates
of civil rights in demanding that
Congress change Its long do
nothing" record on such legis-
lation.
Mr.. Reuther. in his statement.
said Congress lags far behind
many labor unions, businesses,
States and local communities in
protecting voting and other
constitutional rights of all citi-
zens.
He said. however. he saw
greatly improved signs that
Congress this year finally will
enact a civil rights bill and
thus contribute to progress
made elsewhere.
Subcommittee Chairman CelleI
of New York abandoned hope Of
ending the hearings today. He
disclosed that Virginia Attorney
General j. Lindsay Almond. jr.,
has been invited to appear at
his convenience" next Wednes-
day or Thursday.
Next Session Wednesday
After today no sessions are
planned until Wednesday. Yes
terday's meeting was highlighted
by testimony Of Gov. James p
Coleman and Attorney General
Joe T. Patterson Of Mississippi
They contended that congress
slonal enactment Of civil rights
legislation. even Of the so-called