The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1962-08-02

EDITOR CURTIS Null
len of the Madison County
Herald regarded the petition
signed by all but three Kinds
County officials as "a serious
threat to law and order"
In an editorial entitled "A
Disturbing Attitude Mr.
Mullen noted the pledge con-
cludes with these words
"We, the undersigned elected
and public officials of tn.
County of Kinds, State Of
Mississippi, do hereby sol
emily pledge our liberties
and our properties to main.
tanning the United States
Constitution, the constitution
of the State of Mississippi
and the laws duly and legal
ly adopted Hereunder HI
said such a pledge was Every
curious in that these officials
say they will defy the Con-
stitution and the laws of the
Federal Government to up
hold the Constitution" and
termed their declaration a:
double talk"
Then he reminded: "In
spite of what the Kinds
County pledge may say, the
Constitution and its interpre-
tation and the enforcement
of federal laws are in the
hands of the Federal Govern
ment, and not a little group
of minor officials.
"And in the end" Editor
Mullen continued, 1--WE will
have to obey whatever fed
eral laws which may be used
to cope with the situation.
Neither the State of Missis-
sippi nor Kinds County Off
'cials have the last word as
far as the laws of this nation
are concerned"
Mr.. Mullen concluded by
saying "We hope other coun-
ties in Mississippi will not
follow this unwise and point
less lead that can, if pursued,
lead only to disaster"
EDITOR HAL DECELL of
The Deer Creek Pilot at Roll.
ing Fork labeled the "go to
jail officials action as
"grandstanding" and said the
situation puzzled him:
IF the Mayor and two
Commissioners in Jackson,
for instance and that's
where ninety per cent Of
such idiocies seem to origi-
nate go to Jail when
served with an indignation
order, just who do you think
will be left to run the store?
After all, such officials are
selected to carry out other
responsibilities also"
Mr.. DeCell continues:
"The idea that the vita
functions of a city govern
ment should be flushed down
the drain merely in orde1
that its elected officials may
do a futile bit Of nose
thumbing at the federal
courts just doesn't make
sense to me. Nor does it ap-
parently to jackson Mayor
Allen Thompson, who is re-
fusing to be stampeded into
foolishness hy the emotions
OF the moment. / congratu-
late him."
49,.
ERIE JOHNSTON, JR. Of
Forest who is editor Of the
Scott County Times and pub
lie relations director Of the
Mississippi Sovereignty Com
mission (the states watch
dog agency on segregation
also congratulated Mayor
Thompson "for practical rea-
sonable analysis of the cur
rent go to fail hysteria'' and
quoted the Mayor as saying:
eff going to Jail for a solid
year would solve the prob
lem / would do it. But if we
went to jail we would have
the same problem when we
got out. We can't win a fight
in jail
Then Editor Johnston
praised the Jackson official:
Mayor Thompson has pro-
ven in the past that he is q
strong segregationist 50 it
would be foolish and ridicu-
lous to accuse him Of being
soft. He is just too practical
and sensible to be engulfed
in the emotional go to jail
campaign which probably
soon die a slow death
like the old chain letter
craze"