Evening star., 1962-10-08
BY JERRY OLEARY, Jr.
star staff Writer

OXFORD, Miss, Oct. g.
Army checkpoints were with
drawn from all entrances to
the University of Mississippi
campus at noon today, leaving
the college area open to all
traffic without a search for
the first time since last Mon
day.
The order was issued by 1t.
Gen. Hamilton Howe. COM
manding all. FedeIal troops in
the oxford area. Until now,
cars without special passes
have been searched by soldiers
looking for weapons at campus
entrances.
James H.. Meredith. the Ne
gro student whose enrolment
triggered last weeks rioting,
went to class this morning with
his guard Of three United
States marshals without incl
dent.
Army jeep patrols continued
to roam the campus and town
today but most Of the $4,000
troops here remained in their
camps. About 1000 troops held
in reserve in Memphis, Tenn,
and Columbus, Miss, were sent
back to their bases today.
CapabiIity Of Killing
The Rev. Duncan M. Gray,
jr., pastor of st. Peters Episco-
pal Church and the loudest
critic of Mississippi's leaders
for brewing the oxford crisis,
said in an interview, he fears
there is a hard core among
the students whose members
are capable of killing the Negro
Air Force veteran If he is left
unprotected.
The people of oxford went
to their churches yesterday to.
observe "a day Of repentance
for our individual and collec-
tive guilt" for the atmosphere
that produced the strife.
The clergy of the Baptist,
Methodist, Presbyterian, Epis-
copal and Roman Catholic
churches here preached SER
mons that, in varying degrees,
reflect the impact of the riot
ing and the shock suffered by
the entire community.
Mr.. Gray, a 36 = year old
native Mississippian, accused
the leaders of the State for
leading the people to believe the
Federal courts could be defied
and that they would never
have to obey the law Of the
land. There were tears in the
eyes of many Of his congrega-
ton as Mr.. Gray spoke of the
sorrow and depression preva-
lent in oxford today.
Responsibility Shared
"You and i didn't go out
there and throw bricks and
bottles. You and I didn't go out
there and fire guns" he said.
"Yet you and /, along with
every other Mississippian, are
responsible In one degree or
another for what happened.
"For we are responsible for
the moral and political climate
in our State which made such
a tragedy possible. We did all
too little to dispel or change
it. The decent. respectable and
responsible people Of MiSsis-
sippi have failed when events
like those Of last Sunday night
can take place within our
State"
Mr.. Gray said the climate in
Mississippi has been one Of
fear and intimidation, of de-
fiance and responsibility. The
official line of massive resist
ance to any form Of desegre-
CATION and Of last-ditch de-
fiance Of the Federal courts
was laid down, he said. and
anyone who dared challenge it
soon found himself In deep
trouble.
Calm and rational discus
sion was virtually prohibited so
there was no chance for mod
crate men Of both races to sit
down in good faith and work
out some reasonable, workable
solution" he declared.
above all. the people of
Mississippi were told by their
leaders again and again that
the Federal courts could be de-
fled forever and that they