Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-07-10
Democrats Advisory
Group Urges Firm
Rights Legislation


Washington amp The
Democratic Advisory council
meeting recently name q
strong civil rights legislation
/ at the head Of the list of leeis
latiye measures which Congress
was urged 10 act upon before
Adjournment
/ The only dissent for this prop
oaRi came from Mrs. BENJAMIN
Bryan Everett national commit,
teewoman for North Carolina and
a council member
Batter Heads Council
The aT-member council il head
cd hy Paul Butler, chairman. Ma
tlonal Democratic committee ana
includes such party leaders as
former President Harry S. Tru.
man and twice presidential candid
ate Adlai r. Stevenson,
The group struck a strong blow
AZ Republican vote government
II contendcd that Congress has
been continuously threatened with
Presidential yetoes in the attemp,
to thwar, the constructive and nee
essary measures considered by the !
Democratic leadership,
The party advisors scored the
Democratic controlled Congress for
yielding 10 these veto threats rath. /
er than Ignoring them II condemn |
ed its own party-contrulled iegis
lative branch for making time I
consuming efforts 20 water down
proposed Iegislations TO the limits
Of wha, the President might ac- |
cept
II was brought to the attention
Of the President a few days later
that the Democratic leadership in
Congress seems 10 approach legis-
lation in the View that half 4
loaf is better than none in order
TO get hts signature ON what q
might propose Then the question
was raised by newspaper report. |
cr II the President thought this
falls within the definition of "oon
structiye legislative work
President vitality Interested
The President replied that he Ia
a part Of the Legislative process by
provisions o. the Constitution. And !
he added he feels that the Amer
lean public expects ita President |
always 10 exercise hia beat Judge
ment In giving approval or dlaap-
proval or qualified approval or dis.
approval in such cases
Whenever any Legislative pro
gram Is put before him. continued
Mr. Eisenhower he must decide
whether IN principle q agrees with
the basic beliefs BY which he must
conduct his office. and whether In
amount Of quantity or quality II
comes within the reasonable range
u what he IN trying 10 get at
And II II does these things, the
President added, he thinks II Is a
20 veto anything merely
because IL has failed In some de-
tail 10 20 along with the expressed
views ~ the President.
On the other hand. MIR Essen
nower said, he thinks the President 7
= not doing his duty unless be- ex =
presses ilsspproyai Of legislation J
which gets out of hand J
Demos Rap Own Leadership y
The President wep also informed =
!, his press conference ~ the
Democratic Advisory councils b
o. iis own leadership IN q
congress The reporter invoked y
aughter when he reminded NJ !
that his political OPP o
'onents had accused him on a q
snnber 81 occasions u lack Of @
leadership but now the shoe il
n the other foo; q
The Democratic Advisory coun- =
n by implication anyway II crit. -
,szing its oyn leadership IN Con. y
ress or the lack ~ u Could ven
tvn ia the Eisenhower definition {
leadership IN government. and
yuid you Epeii out for ,ls, sir
itle mare o. your concept u thu
1ls % the Presidency uow ?" /.
There was more laughter when
10 President replied that h.
loggfi the reporter had "tiss
.1otsd Some things which give the
est definition Of what Isadsruhip !.
not He aaid he would le, 4, !,