Evening star., 1960-07-25
RIGHTS
9. O. P. Fight on Convention Floor
Promised Over Platform Plank
Continued From First Page

i03-member Platform Com
mittee, said he hesitated to de-
scribe the version adopted by
the committee majority as a
compromise"
He said the original watered-
down version urged by the con-
servatives had been strength
ened to some extent by addi-
ton of several provisions that
might be acceptable to some Of
the liberals.
Mr.. Carlino. an ally Of New
York Gov. Rockefeller. indi-
Gated he was very dissatisfied
with the so-called composite
plank. Representative Scott of
Pennsylvania, a com mmittee e
member favoring a plank along
lines suggested by Vice Presi-
dent Nixon and Gov. Rookie
feller, commented:
"It looks like the battle is
not ended. The convention
will have to decide it,"
8 Major Differences
According to ]. Flipper Der
ricote, a District member of the
civil rights committee, there
were three major differences be-
tween the majority and the
minority over the civil rights
plank.
One involved the question of
literacy tests as a prerequisite
for voting. The minority wanted
to specify that completion of
the sixth grade in school
should be sufficient proof that
some one is literate enough to
vote. This was opposed by the
majority including representa-
tives from a number Of States
with complicated literacy tests.
Another bone of contention is
whether the term sit-in should
be used, and whether the plat
form should support such ac-
tivitieS or merely praise the OBJ
jective of such demonstrations.
The third major difference is
over the speed with which pub
lie schools should be desegre-
gated.
Platform Committee Chair
man Charles H. Percy refused
to say whether he believed the
filing Of a minority statement
by Mr. Carlino would provoke a
wide-open floor fight Wednes-
day night. The convention
program has scheduled con-
sideration of the committees
platform recommendations the
same night that the conven-
ton will choose its presidential
and vice presidential nominees.
Session Ends at I AM.
The full Platform Committee
began work at 9 o'clock last
night on its final version of
the civil rights plank. The
original watered-down plank,
distasteful to both Gov. Rookie
feller and Vice President Nixon,
had been approved, 8 to 7. by
a subcommittee yesterday. The
all-night session ended at Z
o'clock this morning.
The civil rights problem
amounted to an all-out battle
between liberal forces urging
aggressive action" against all
kinds of racial discrimination
and a coalition of conservative
delegates mainly from the
Midwest and South.
The struggle also was part
Of the overall convention dis
sension over the Nixon Rookie
feller 14-point statement of
platform objectives.
A motion to adjourn at 3:15
am. was defeated, 52-32, with
advocates of a strong plank
dropping broad and irritated
hints of a Southern Republi-
can filibuster."
The size of the vote against
adjournment showed, however,
that supporters of the weaker
plank were not at all confined
to Southerners.
Unusual TurnabOut
The earlier 81 vote of the
subcommittee created an un-
usual turnabout. The subcom-
mittee's majority" report was
officially presented to the full
Committee by John G. Tower
Of Texas, chairman of a con-
ference of Southern and South
western delegates.
The minority statement was
prepared by Mr.. Carlino. 1t
embodied substantially the
views in the Nixon Rockefeller
declaration, calling for action
against racial segregation "in
all areas of national life-vot-
ing and housing, schools and
jobs" 1t also Endorsed sit-in
demonstrations at lunch coun-
ters, stores and elsewhere.
Neither proposed version was
disclosed in full by the respcc-
tive supporters on the Subcom-
mittee. The moderate" pro-
posal repeatedly was limited
mainly to calling for compli-
ance with court orders and en-
actment of any legislation that
might be found necessary.
This plank also was under
stood to contain a general in
dorsement of peaceful demon
strations of the sit-in variety.
Texan Satisfied
Mr.. Tower, who is a candi-
date for the Senate against
Senator johnson of Texas, said
he was satisfied with the sub
committees touchdown plank,
but did not agree with all of its
provisions. Some of his asso-
ciates from Southern States
were more outspoken in their
criticism but said they would
go along with it as being pref
cradle to the strong plank ad-