Evening star., 1961-05-24
RACIAL
Continued From First Page


warned them it might be 6
dangerous trip.
Several newSmen bought
tickets for the bus trip. Others
followed in private cars.
White crowds gathered be-
hind the Gordon of guardsmer
near the station, but made nc
effort to push through the hu.
man baricade. Some mutterec
threats. but nothing more.
Negro leaders said that the
original group Of Freedom
Riders had been augmented
by other students from various
parts of the country.
Total Is Uncertain
They would not disclose just
how, many more students had
been brought into Montgomery
to take part in the freedom
ride. The Associated Press re-
ported that a group of five stu
dents were driving to Mont
gomery from Nashville, Tenn,
and that five ministers planned
to fly from Nashville later.
Other students were reported
coming from Charlotte, N. C.
The students got together late
LAST night at the home of q
Negro leader here to plan for
their departure. The Rev. DR..
MaI9in Luther King, jr., of At
lanta, Negro integration leader,
told a news conference yeSter-
day that the tour should and
must go on"
Face Uncertain Fate
The demonstrators faced an
uncertain. fate in Mississippi.
Gov. Ross Barnett has an
nounced that they would not
be allowed to stop in the State
en- route to New Orleans as
their final destination. The
Mississippi Governor ordered
the. highway patrol and Ma.
tiorial Guard to support local
law. enforcement officers in
maintaining order.
The students faced the pos
sibinty Of quick arrest If they
attempted to stop in jackson,
the capital Of Mississippi, or
other places in the State to
challenge segregation in inter-
state terminal facilities.
The students, 1t was under.
stood, had taken this into con-
sideration. One Negro leader
said they were prepared to go
to Jail.
Just how many students
would take part in the ride
remained undetermined.
Pleased at Departure
At a news conference late
yesterday, Gov. John Patterson
Of Alabama made it clear he
would be glad to see the Free
dom Riders on their way.
IT the so-called Freedom
Riders are ready to go to the
State line" he said, I'VE are
ready to see them get there"
hut the Governor qualified
his assurances to some extent.
If the Federal Government
tried to get guarantees that
nobody would get knocked in
the head" the Governor said,
it would be "as hard as trying
to get guarantees that nobody
would be knocked down and
raped In Washington, D. c., in
the next 80 days"
Deputy United States Attor-
ney General Byron L. (Whizzer)
White, who is in charge of
more than 500 United States
marshalS and deputies sent
here, also offered no assurance
that the tour, when continued,
would be without violence.
Can't Assure Safety
ST think it is difficult, ex-
tremely difficult, to guarantee
safety" he said after return
ing from consultations with
Attorney General Robert r.
Kennedy in Washington.
DR.. King said the tour will
continue with or without Fed
eral protection" but that 1t
would be asked.
Mr.. White said the Govern
ment had not been asked to
provide an escort.
"W'd hope and expect law
enforcement officers to handle
this affair."" he told q news con-
ference.
Mr.. White appeared to be
indicating that this was one
problem the Government has
not decided on and ended ques-
tions at the conference with
the remark:
This Is about as far along
this line as want to CO."
Problems Emphasized
As Alabama National Guards
men maintained o vigil
throughout the city. three
news conferences during the
day highlighted the racial
problem, not only for Mont
gomery but also for other parts
Of the South.
The first was that Of the
Negro leaders headed by DR..
King who made 1t clear that
the Freedom Ride would be
continued by those who were
bloodied on their arrival here
Saturday and by the new rec
cruits who. DR.. King said, are
in reserve.
1.-THE Freedom Ride" he said,
should and must continue"
for what he called "a massive
campaign to break down seq
regated facilities in bus ter
minals, in waiting rooms and
stops throughout the South.
DR.. King. responding to a
question, said he thought that