The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1962-03-24
EDIT d R IAL
Timetable For The
Journey To Freedom

Some persons have estimated the number of years
to come before the Negro will attain complete citizenship
Because so many factors are involved will not at
predict just how many years will pass before all Negroes
will have the rights set forth in constitution
Nor are we irving to answer question. by posing
another question However there is thing that we all
Will agree upon this that there relation be-
tween span before all Negroes are given their
first class citizenship and the span OF time before all quail
lied Negroes allowed to register and vote.
And we also know il is certain that when Congress
takes action to eliminate of leracy tests in vot-
ing end abolish poll Negroes in the South will
use the ballot the pace to the day Of their full
citizenship
Racial discrimination in voting and the laws needed
to eliminate such outlined last week by US Attorney
General Robert F Kennedy The head of the Department
CT Justice testified before the Judiciary Committee House
OF Representatives
Atty Gen Kennedy said as follows
With the adoption OF the Fifteenth Amendment in
1870 became illegal to practice racial discrimination
in voting process Yet is necessary today almost
hundred years file lawsuit upon lawsuit to make
a reality OF this constitutional command.
The gap between principle and practice is particu-
arlv acute states large Negro populations In 1859
in sixteen which Negroes of voting age we're
the majority not Negro registered to vote In
ortynine counties fewer than five percent of
eligible Negro citizens registered Similar statistics
could readily be supplied
The principal causes of this situation have been the
socaled "lteracy interpretation tests and similar
performance tests.
The wrong lies in the manner in which iteracy and
understanding determined. Our proposal deals with
manner with method not with Ultimate goals
What we propose is the substitution of on objective
standard for the present subjective color bar to federal
voting. The bills support recognize fact of
tona life persons who have completed the sixth grade
are qualified to vote-fuly capable of intelligent part
cpaon in the democratic process-by any reasonable
standard fairly applied
This fact is not only clear from experience common
to all OF it is also established by research by various
departments of the federal government including the arm
ed services and experts in education
Experience in states which have no racial discrmna-
ton problem also shows that persons with six grades of
schooling pass reasonable tests that applied
partially.
today when the number of poll tax states have
reduced five this requirmnt still is one element
in the pattern racial restriction 10 limited number of
districts
The poll tax is mainly Objectionable however because
clogs voter registration and limits participation in the
processes of government Our American belief govern
by all the people makes imperative that such obsta-
ces finally be removed. Tney are as outmoded and as
unreasonable in todays world the property qualfca
tons which discarded long ago.
Nevertheless, constitutional amendment is reals,
tic and commendabe path to the goal There should
be little doubt Of speedy ratification of such amendment
as OF SO states already do not have such uneess
legislation.
therefore endorse this method of eliminating poll tax
condition for voting elections for federal Of
ficers.