Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-02-02

however, indicate the plan woulc
move too slowly to suit them.
While there's ample evidence
that public demonstrations hav'
softened white resistance to integ
ration, it's also clear that in some
communities the marches and sit
ins have made whites more de
termined than ever to maintain the
status quo. This is particularly
true in Mississippi and Alabama
where segregation forces are the
strongest. Most white leaders il
these states maintain the Negro
tactics will lead only to further
racial friction in factories, business
dealings and wherever else whites
come in contact with Negroes.
white people around here are
growing more resentful about this
whole business, and I've never seer
them so determined to resist
states Everette G. Truly, a Nat
chez, Miss, attorney and treasurer
of the local White Citizens Coun-
Gil, a segregationist organization
Those Negroes don't realize what
they're doing. They're breaking
down all lines of communications
between the two groups, and
they've made the whites suspicious
of every move. A few years ago
when a Negro bumped into you,
you didn't think anything Of it.
Now you look to see If it was delib-
crate"
A Restaurant Is Closed
For an idea Of Natchez whites
determination to resist Negro in
tegration efforts, one only has to
walk through the bus station there.
A CLOSED" sign hangs across the
door Of the stations only restaur-
ant. The restaurant was shut down
two months ago in what white
leaders describe as a "precaution-
ary measure" against Negro ef-
forts to integrate the station. The
restaurant shutdown has worked a
hardship on Negro riders. Previ-
ously they could eat in a segregat-
ed section of the station restaurant
but now they have to go five blocks
to the nearest Negro restaurant.
Whites, on the other hand, just
have to go down the block to grab
a bite to eat.
In Clarksdale, Miss, race rela-
tions are tense because of a boy
colt being conducted against white
merchants by Negroes. The boycott
began in early December when
Clarksdale's mayor, w. S. Kin
cade, ruled that bands from the
towns two Negro schools couldn't
march in the annual Christmas
parade.
The boycott failed to produce a
reversal of the mayors decision,
though some white merchants In
the northern Mississippi town saw
volume plummet. "At the height of
the boycott before Christmas our
sales were 35% to 40 percent be-
low a year earlier" says Ray
Brake, manager of Braber's de-
partment store on Yazoo ST.; Ne
groes normally account for about
half the stores sales. Mr.. Brake,
says, however, that sales in recent
weeks have picked up markedly
and are now running ahead Of a
year earlier partly because Of an
influx of new white customers and
partly because the boycott is weak
ening."
The Christmas parade has pas
sed, Of course, and the original
goal of getting permission for the
Negro bands to march in the par
ade has given way to newer de-
mands. For one thing, the Clarks-
dale Negroes want local merchants
to begin hiring members of their
race as sales clerks. This would
have the same effect as cutting my
throat" says on. Clarksdale mer-
chant who is determined to resist
the Negro demand.
Six Months In Jail?
New heat recently has been
added to the controversy. Two
weeks ago five Negro leaders were
sentenced to six months in Jail and
ordered to pay $500 fines for their
part in the boycott. They were
convicted under state law against
conspiring to commit an act in
furious to trade or commerce. The
Negroes have appealed the convic-
tions, however, and are now free
on $4,000 bonds.
Despite these sometimes sizable
pockets of strong resistance to in
tegration, there Is little question
that Southerners generally are
wearying Of the fight. Standing on
a street corner in Macon, Barbara
Brickle, a 19-year-old bookkeeper
who describes herself as against
integration," says bitterly: me
groes ought to keep their place. I
know they have to improve them
selves hut thew don't have to eat