St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-04-01


to the whole basic concept OF
freedom and justice in a demo-
cracy, this newspaper has under
took in four installments to re
print Senator Humphreys speech
on the floor of the Senate. This is
the fourth and final installment.
Many readers have clipped the
speech for information on the en-
tire civil rights fight and for
future reference
The report is a very substantial
one. It is more than 500 pages long.
There are nearly 600 pages in the
report. There is also an abrdge-
ment Of the report Of almost 200
pages which reveals that SubStan-
tiaI numbers of citizens of the
United States have been denied the
right to vote.
l know of no more disturbing
or challenging statement than the
commissions conclusion:
Against the prejudice of regist-
rars and jurors, the US. Govern
ment appears under present law to
be helpless to make good the guar
antees of the US. Constitution.
Mr.. President, if the Government
of the United States is helpless
against the prejudice of registrars
and Jurors against making good
the guarantees of the US. Con-
stitution. it is a very sad and un-
happy state of affairs for the
strongest nation in the world to
confess 1t is an amazing thing to
observe how the US. Government
can find ways and means of collect
ing taxes from anyone, large or
small; can find ways and means
of enforcing its will upon almost
anyone, or anything; but when we
consider the matter of protecting
the sovereign power Of every cit
izen, which is the right to express
himself in a voting booth, the
freedom of choice which an cleo
ton means, we are told that the
prejudice of registrars and jurors
is more powerful than the entire
power Of the Government Of the
United States of America
Mr. President, I suggest we try
to fill that gap. When I hear Of the
missile gap and the rocket gap, I
think they are insignificant COM
pared to the gap which the Civil
Rights Commission has revealed, a
gap between the power Of the I'm
tied States and the prejudice of
registrars and jurors. which can
defy that power.
Having found these facts, five
of the six members Of the Com
mission agreed that the only way
they saw for substantial numbers
of citizens now denied their right
to vote TO get that right before the
next election was this Federal reg
istrar plan.
l want to make it clear here this
may not be the perfect plan. There
are others. There are wise men in
this body. There are capable and
competent advisers assisting mem
bers Of the committees of the Sen
ate and of the other body. What
I am seeking primarily is not a
label but a formula to correct the
malady. I do not think it is i'm
portant what the label says on the
outside. The important thing IS or
the inside. In other words, does
the prescription really take care
Of the trouble? The name on It Is
unimportant to me. had hoped
that perhaps we could settle with
in a day or two the question Of
who should have the credit. We
could make it a bill of the Com
mittee Of the Whole, and all Sen
ators would be cosponsors, except
those who wish by express state
ment to withdraw from such par
ticipation.
Mr.. President, Governor Battle
dissented from the recommends
ton for voting registrars, but h
offered no alternative way to maxi
good the guarantees Of the us
Constitution. The statement is no
made as a reflection upon thi
very fine citizen of the State o
Virginia and a very distinguishes
and honored American. I submit
that anyone who dissents from thi
plan, in this body or in the admin
istrahon, has an obligation. Il
view Of the facts found by tn
Commission, to offer some othe
effective way to see that thes
people can register and vote.
The administration has submit
ted what it thinks is a preferabl
plan. have some doubts concern
ing portions Of it, but at least
was a constructive suggestion an
deserves careful consideration. W.
too, should be shocked into actor
as Dean Storey testified befor
the Rules Committee. He said tina
every member of the Commissio
had been surprised by the flagrar
denials of the right to vote foun
by the Commission.
do not need to argue the nee
essity or the constitutionality
the Federal registrar plan.
The Commission report and II
thousands of pages Of hearing
document this case. Chapters V.
and VIII of the report demonstrat
both the constitutionality of Il
plan and the inadequacy of all e.
isting remedies. And Dean Storey
testimony before this committt
on behalf of the Commission MAJ
this case eloquently.
Here was a great southern
performing a great public servi
in the spirit of the true South
the South which produced Jeffe
son and Madison and Jackson
the South that fathered the gre
promise of equality in the Decla
alton Of Independence-the Sou
which demanded and got enact
the first civil rights amendmen
to our Constitution, the Bill
Rights. Dean Storey reminded [
committee that he came from I
Deep South, that his forebea
were Confederate officers, that
grew up hearing about the alleg
iniustices of Reconstruction-anC
might add not only the alleged
justices but the injustices Of t
reconstruction, which is now
sad chapter in American histol
But he was also sworn to uphC
the Constitution of the Unit
States and having seen the fla
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