Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-12

} me to be morally Just and right,
; and indispensable to the hap
piness. prosperity and culture
, Of our people.
Compromise Ruled Out
. There are those who would
have me recommend specific
and detailed proposals for deal
ing with the complex problem
. confronting US. A number Of
suggestions have been pressed
upon me In the nature Of q
compromise" but I and no
area Of compromise that might
be usefully explored. To COM
promise means. to integrate. 1t
Is said that integration might
be held to - little migration. I"
or to what Is called "token in
tegration." It Is urged that
each locality should be left free
to decide for itself.
But the objections here are
two in number: First. I cannot
conceive such q thing as q 'lit-
tie inteeration" any more than
! can conceive q small ava
lanche or q modest holocaust,
and ! am confirmed in this
skeptical view by the plain
indeed. the Observation-Disclosures
Of minority Spokesman. They
have been armed out Of polit-
ical expediency with inordinate
power to force their win upon
the majority. They are indif.
ferent to appeals for modera-
ton. They are determined to
substitute chaos for order, and
to impose upon the people Of
both races. needless Of the Bit
ter consequences. an intimate
and personal association for
which neither race Is prepared.
No plan would be acceptable
to them except that which
would open wide the door to
complete amalgamation, with
It's consequent destruction Of
every semblance Of hope for
maintenance Of an efficient
and orderly system Of public
free schools.
Policy Mandate Seen
Second. so long as ours is a
system Of State public schools.
financed In large part BY State
funds. administered BY q State
agency under q State superin-
tendent Of public instruction.
there must be one State policy
IN this regard. Section 100 Of
our State Constitution prohibits
the teaching Of white and Ne
gro children In the same class
room anywhere In Virginia: and
while I am told this has been
voided by action Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States, I
know 1t has not been voided by
any action Of the whole people
of Virginia. Legally. section lao
may not exist: but Is an ex-
pression Of Statewide policy.
satisfactory to the people Of
this State for q period Of more
than 90 years. section lao re-
mains q useful guide.
The difiiculty in an these
compromise" suggestions, In
brief. Is that they are promised
upon the voluntary acceptance
of some unknown degree Of in
tegration everywhere in vir-
ginia. To sanction any plan
which would legalize the mix
| ing Of races in our schools
would violate the clear and un-
mistakable mandate Of the peo-
pie to which I earlier referred.
This I cannot do.
Virginia has no alternative
but to seek to maintain q posi-
ton Of fiexibility 80 as to meet
to the best advantage. in the
light Of conditions then exist
ing. any situation which may
arise.
She must utilize every hon.
orable means through the
adoption Of her sovereign pow
er and governmental machinery
I to prevent that which will de-
stroy her public school system.
We ought not TO rely upon any
Maginot Lines. For my own
part, ! am not dissatisfied with
the defenses erected by the As
sembly IS months ago. but Il
will not hesitate TO convene the
Assembly in extraordinary ses-
sion whenever the public inter-
est may so require.
Anti-Troop Bill Proposed
One measure, however. ! do
recommend for i'm m date
adoption. The preservation OF
public peace and good order is
historically and constitutionally
a State function and not q
Federal function. No pub
lie school can function at the
point Of bayonet.
Therefore, I recommend to
the consideration Of the Gen.
eral Assembly the enactment Of
a law expressly authorizing the
Governor TO order the suspen-
sion Of the operation Of any
public school whenever and
wherever military forces may
be employed by Federal au-
thority to police its operation.
I cannot leave this lament
able subject without one fur
ther word. ! am keenly con-
scious that. as Governor Of Vir-
ginia, I am governor for all
the people Of Virginia, whit
and Negro alike. To the Negro
people / would say this: / can
not agree TO any program Of
lintaOrotf0n ~ the aofooie Nr,.