The Petal paper., 1959-07-02

slider that / was deprived Of the
right to express myself at the
typewriter the day ! stepped to
the microphone. Television audi
ences have the right to demand
entertainment from me during
the hour from 8 to 8 on Sunday
evenings. Beyond that / am a free
agent.
Three Of the letters presuppos-
ed plot behind the current
social unrest. The most touching
communication of all was receiv-
ed from a woman in Atlanta. She
did not rail, she did not accuse.
Her tone was most friendly, her
attitude most fair, her letter even
being signed "Cordially." But
consider the argument set forth
by this kindly soul. Steve, if you
Northern friends understood the
heart of the racial strain and
strife in the South you wou1dnt
be SO critical of us :. Christian
Negros inform us that Commune
lists are behind all the current
trouble. They say Communists
are working with them personally
and distributing literature among
them -. The manager Of new
big -. store -. told me recently
that someone is keeping the rest
rooms there filled with Commun-
istic literature stamped NAACPI
Hence, Steve, the issue, when you
fully understand the situation, is
NOT integration, but Commune
ISM"
Somehow the gentle tone of this
letter, and the unquestioning ac-
ceptance by it's writer Of the
point of view it reflects, inc1ines
one more to despair than the
notes from the surly. abusive few.
They can be dismissed as people
of constitutional ill-will, the sort
who exist in all communities and
at all times. But the other letter
haunts us. The fanatics, the pro-
fessional haters, these may feel
a seed of guilt in their secret
hearts. But what of the good
souls who in the name of virtue
block the progress of mans march
to brotherhood and that equality
which all religions and philo-
sophies have promised? Assured
ly they are to be forgiven, for
they know not what they do, but
one is perplexed as to how to
approach them. The methods for
approaching the tiger are not
suitable if one is confronted by
the fawn. +
Not all those who see the pre-
sent situation in terms of a "Red
Plot" however, adopt a gentle
tone. Another correspondent Bit
terly disnisses the Rev. Martin
Luther King as ga Communist
agent" The only people who can
benefit by this sort of thinking,
of course, are the Communists
who are accordingly given credit
for measure of social progress
that would be the grist of history
had they never existed. It is
significant that there has been
scarcely meaurse of social jus
tice granted during the past forty
years that some misguided soul
has not credited to the Commun-
lists. Naturally they are only too.
anxious to pose as virtuous in the.
ewes of the world by accepting
this credit so unwisely bestowed.
One writer took exception to
the suggestion that Gov. Folsom
might do well to keep in mind
the anti American re tt o. ri
that would undoubtedly occur
| whether rightly or wrongly jf
Wilson were put to death. Secre-r
tary Dulles, among others, had
recommended this same line of
thought to the Governor but i'm
any event one correspondent was
having no part of it. Since
when," he asks, "has the United
States adopted the principle Of
saving face Tin conducting its
affairs)?" The United States, as