St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-03-11
Humphreys Speech
To Senofe On
Civil RIGHTS
Continued from Page ~

Wnere emotion alone is not enough,
but has too long been the order of
the day. I said then, and I repeat
now, that the provisions of the
bill are to encourage cooperation,
to facilitate cooperation, to seek the
ordinary methods of cooperation
at the local level and to ask the
Federal Government to take some
initiative in doing all this, but
to do so only in the light of local
conditions and in cooperation with
local officials, taking into account
the time factor.
Yes, the Douglas-Humphrey bill
is indeed a bill for cooperation be-
tween State and Federal Govern
ments to do a job that neither can
properly do alone. hope that the
members of this body from all
sections of the country will view
this bill as a means of bringing
about Federal-S State cooperation
and as move toward cementing
our great Nation, not dividing it.
The Douglas-Humphrey bill is
a moderate measure, carefully de-
signed to facilitate desegregation.
without at the same time putting
additional obstacles or irritants in
the way of those States and COM
munities whose laws and whose
customs must now undergo such
far-reaching changes, repeat, this
is a moderate measure that does
not go one inch beyond the neces-
sites Of the hour; beyond what is
absolutely required to carry out
the law Of the land as declared by
the US. Supreme Court.
The Congress of the United
States has an obligation to carry
out the law of the land 1t is not
merely an obligation for citizens,
for local and State governments,
for the courts, or for the executive
branch. The Congress of the United
States is not above the Constitu-
ton; nor is it above the courts. 1t
is part of the Government, and
it is definitely under the mandate
Of the Constitution.
Let us take a quick look at
exactly what S. 80 does.
First. It provides an under
standing step-by-step support and
augmentation of the Supreme
Courts 1857 school desegregation
decisions;
Second. 1t provides the Attor-
ney General with authority to act
when an individual cannot enforce
his own constitutional right to
equal protection of the laws.
Although our bill is designed
primarily to carry out the Supreme
Courts school desegregatiOn de-
cisions, it is not limited to that
purpose Titles V and VI provide
Federal assistance to any individ-
ual unable to obtain his constitu-
tional rights by authorizing the
Attorney General to file injunction
proceedings, enforcible by contempt
actions, more effective than the
limited usefulness of criminal &C
ton.
The 1860 civil rights bill must
contain the brain, heart, and soul
of S. $40.
First. A declaration Of support
for the Supreme Court in its in
tegraton decisions.
Second. The step-by-step help
to States and local authorities in
complying with all deliberate speed.
Third. The authority for all At
torney General to seek court orders
enjoining against violation Of an
individuals civil rights.
This is minimum justice in the
field Of civil rights in this year of
1860
For the watching two-thirds of
the worlds peoples who are COL
ored, for the watching one third of
the worlds peoples who are today
uncommitted in the contest be-
tween communism and democracy,
the single act of adopting and car
rying out this bill will revardate
our credentials as practitioners at
home of the rights Of the individual
human being that we preach
abroad.
Mr.. President, I know that