Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1959-05-02
Civil Rights
CONTINUED from Page One)

lIvII KIghk 49,.
Continued from Page One)
ma, as he testified before House
and Senate subcommittee now
considering civil rights legisla-
ton.
Ardent Opposition
"There is not money enough in
the world to get us to integrate our
public Schools" he said in referring
to federal aid to which desegregat-
ed schools might be eligible.
Southern witnesses have made
clear that they consider most of the
pending civil rights legislation an
attempt to ram Indignation down
our threats" and to "gag" those
who protest by making it a fed
eral crime to obstruct court de-
segregation orders.
Alabama has had a pupil place
ment act on its books for some two
years. 1t has given the law a dry
run right up to the United States
Supreme Court, with the result
that it has been declared not un-
constitutional on its face.
But Alabama never has put this
law into practice, and opponents
have charged it has no intention of
doing so, that the placement plan
is merely a stalling device.
u; Alabamians Bitter
ID Alabama officials are particu-
larly bitter over the investigation
of discrimination against Negro
voters by the Civil Rights Com
mission. The commission went to
Alabama to subpoena the voting
records in dispute. The state re-
fused to turn them over voluntarily
and then refused to honor the SUBJ
poenas.
Thus, while massive resistance"
appeared to have crumbled in Vir-
ginia, it is still the rallying cry
of many states to the south.
Controversial Point
Congress is considering a wide
range of legislative proposals on
civil rights from the moderate
proposal of Senator Lyndon B.
johnson (D) of Texas to the hard
listed bill sponsored by Senator
Paul H. Douglas (D) Of Illinois and
Representative Emanuel Celler (D)
of New York.
In between these two extremes
is the administrations proposal.
A frequent point of controversy
in the current hearings is Part III
which was struck from the Civil
Rights Act of 1857. Part III would
have given the Attorney General
power to initiate court suits to
enforce school desegregation and
other civil rights.
The Douglas Celler bill seeks
to restore this authority and to
provide federal aid to help deseg-
regation.
The administration bill would
not 20 this far, but asks that it
be made a federal offense to will
fully use force as the threat OF
force to obstruct court orders In
school desegregation cases.
In other words, the government
asks the right to move against
mobs and mob leaders who seek to
intervene, as was the case in Lit
tie Rock. Under present proce-
dure. the Attorney General can
proceed only against parties in
volved in the court decree.
Another administration bill
would give the federal government
authority to apprehend those who
flee across state lines after bomb
ing or destroying schools or chur-
ches. Heavy fines and imprison-
ment, or both, would be imposed as
penalty.
The administration also seeks to
bolster federal authority in cases
involving voting discrimination be-
cause Of race. What is wanted is
clear authority to require the pro-
duction Of election records which
may be in dispute.
The johnson bill, the mildest Of
all proposals, proposes the setting
up Of . civil rights Cancellation
agency to mediate in such cases As
may arise.
Several bills call for extension
Of the tenure Of the Civil Rights
Commission which unless perpetu-
ated. will 60 out Of business after
it makes its final report In Sep
tembsr Of this year.
While the whole issue Of civil
rights il highly political and It
has been said that the Republicans
would prefer to put over action on