The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-02-02

raised hue and cry against Sena-
tor Taft in 1851 for saying at Dur
ham that he did not believe 1.-THE
Federal government should require
the abolition of separate schools in
the South" But there was no rea-
son to think Eisenhower held con
ira opinion. He had testified for
army segregation in l948 before the
Armed Services Committee where
he made the much-recalled state
ment that If we attempt merely
by passing a lot of laws to force
some one to like some one else.
we are just going to get into
trOuble').
In Taft's case, as in so much
else that put him on the Southern
side, it was matter of consti-
tutional principle, the one Senator
Talmade would recall now.
Taft said he didn't approve of
segregated schools, had opposed
them in Ohio and would vote to
abolish them wherever the Federal
government had jurisdiction.
| But said the great Ohioan -
and his limiting phrase contained
the hope of peace and right for
bob sides on this nation-killing
issue. the control of education in
the states is under state govern
ment and not Federal. So long as
states provide equal facilities for
white and colored in the primary
schools | do not think the Federal
government has constitutional pow
er TO require state to change
its established system
! Borat of Idaho, the great Re
publican liberal. stood with Taft,
the conservative against Federal
interference with states rights.
Neither was in sympathy with the
South ON the race question but both
were loyal to the Constitution ba-
sic principle.
| If Mr.. Nixon tends that way now
he is returning to his party's truly
modern tradition.
If Senator Talmade dares hope
or constitutional amendment in
that ideal now, he is leaning on
what supports. every American
Noting NiXon's comments at Mi
ami, Alabama S Thelma Morris Co
burn wonders if the Vice President
is making 1.-The same ones else
where on Federal registrars and
civil rights Inasmuch as Miami
especially in January. is not 0
Southern city, and inasmuch as
whatever man in Mr.. Nixon
position says anywhere goes every
where on this hot subject, YOU can t
imagine him thinking it safe or wise
to stultify himself even if SO inclined
/ Republican. statesmen and S25-3-
plate dinner guests who have been
meeting this week will have OBJ
served with amazement, JOY and
no-llttle-conflsion Sundays Gallup
rou with Nixon leading Kennedy in
the South by an enormous "a per
cent to as per cent Only in the
Fa. West is the lead larger or as
large 1t exceeds Nixon's national
one by two points. And it can in
crease as its SNOWFALL and band
wagon roll.
But only if Mr.. Nixon plays if
right politically and philosophi-
cally
The South has suddenly become
worth Republican while, worth put
ting out for. making sacrificial
choices in favor of, using ca
)ollery ard concession on turn
ing point n party history may be
| here.
But those of us who are trying
to persuade our people of these
things will get nowhere unless Mr..
Nixon is persuaded, too. For many
months after Little Rock South
which had given Mr.. Eisenhower
an actual majority in 1856 wouldn't
even call him Ike" any more. That
was the measure of their disillu-
sion and his false step Today we
say Ike" again ~ in realization
that Little Rock reflected nothing
in him as regards the race ques-
ton but simply his position on
obedience to law as he conceived
it. We still think the position tragi-
cally wrong but we begin to realize
the principle was the one on which
we ourselves depend.
1t is the principle that law trans
cendS race. Basic, not court, law
With this principle the President
could serve the South now as he
did it disservice on the fateful Sept.
"a. 1857, when the lOlst Airborne
fixed bayonets on the playground
at Central High.
Specifically. the answer for the
President and Mr.. Nixon could be
Ike's 1857 one in truer law. 1t could