St. Paul recorder., 1960-03-04


Over in Chattanooga, Tenn,
however, a different state of af-
fairs existed, as several thousand
persons-largely white and Negro
high school students-engaged in
numerous scuffles in the downtown
area during the second day of that
city's sit down demonstration. A
dozen or more demonstrators were
arrested but the explosive tempers
were at such a pitch that fire hoses
had to be turned on the crowd be-
fore it would disperse.
Police Modified
This action came about after
school had closed for the day.
White students lined the sidewalks
while about so Negro high school
ers marched toward the downtown
area. The number of Negro stu
dents increased on the way. and
all available police were modified
in the area in an attempt to halt
any outbreaks of violence.
When efforts of the police prov
ed futile, and the crowd refused
to disperse, Mayor P. r. Olgiati
ordered firemen to douse all who
refused to bulge. The variety and
department store had closed their
lunch counters early.
In Nashville, four variety stores
and one drug store closed their
lunch counters when about $50
Negro students took part in sit
down demonstrations in front of
the premises.
In Winston, Salem. NC, 21
persons were arrested on trespass-
ing counts for sitting down at the
F.W. Woolworth company store
lunch counter. Among the 81 were
IL Negro students from Winston
Salem Teachers college, nine white
from Wake Forest college; and
Carl Matthews, executive chairman
of the local CORE group.
Two Negroes and white man
were arrested during a temper
flare up in Charlotte, NC, after
a white woman accused a Negro
of pushing her when she tried to
I enter the Belk's store cafeteria.
Substitute Cooling Off Period
However, it seems that generally
throughout North Carolina, where
sitdown demonstrations have oc-
CURED, that a "cooling-off" atti-
tude is being substituted for the
vigorous protestations against dis
criminatory treatment at lunch
counters.
Specifically does this seem to be
the case with students at North
Carolina college, Durham; A &
T college, Greensboro-site of the
initial lunch counter "sit-downs; :"
Fayetteville State Teachers col
lege, Fayetteville, and schools in
other cities.
What the students have done is
to pass along the protest to their
elders with prayers that they "act
in good faith" to bring about ar
equitable solution to the conflict
AS one student put it, Il think
we have made our point for the
present. We leave the matter tc
the merchants and store managers
involved and to their sense of fail
play"
Ratio 25 To l In New Jersey
Just how this will affect other
areas involved - principally the
sympathy protests being conduct
ed in New Jersey, New York. Pen
nsylvania, Missouri, Philadelphia
st. Louis and Chicago is not yet
known. In New Jersey, the sym
pathy protest in Englewood, was
conducted in front of the Wool
worth store by 25 Negroes and one
white student It was sponsored BY
the Bergen county NAACP youth
council.
And in New York, the Rev Mar
tin Luther King Jr, announced
that fully organized Negro sit
down campaigns" will soon b,
launched at lunch counters il
Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama
e However, he said he did not know
what would be happening along
this line in Mississippi.