Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-09

| Will pISFcIlI al MISUNDERSTANDING
DonviIIe PIons More Arrests Despite
Ruling. Poee 81
ton amendment to the city
charter from becoming effec-
tive this month as scheduled
Its fate now will be decided
by popular vote.
The strength demonstrated
by segregationist in obtaining
1857 petition signatures sur
priSed moderates who have
expressed the belief that res
taurant desegregation repre-
sentS the only means Of freeing
Cambridge Of racial strife and
military occupation.
Signatures by only about 900
Of the towns $500 registered
voters would have been suffi-
cient to subject the public
accommodations amendment to
a referendum. ~
Warning on Rejection
City officials. chamber Of
commerce directors, manufac-
turers and the local newspaper
all are warning that rejection
OF the amendment will plunge
Cambridge, where seven men
already have been shot, into
deeper trouble.
j But at the same time they
privately express pessimism
about chances Of the amend
J. ment passing.
This morning, Mayor Calvin
w. Mowbray announced that
IAN outstanding group Of Cam
bridge citizens" is forming to
fight for the amendment.
| Mr.. Mowbray said in his
statement that he and the
council would work closely with
the new citizens committee be-
cause it is their duty ito strive
to make Cambridge a peaceful,
prosperous city"
I'VE believe that passage of
v the charter amendment will do
D much to accomplish this pur-
e poSe," he said.
viii Check Petition
Expressing concern over the
J filing Of the petition, the Mayor
said:
5 Nevertheless. we must pro-
: coed on the assumption that
, the petition will be declared
valid, although I have been
given assurances by our attor-
ney that the petition win
be carefully scrutinized for
} legal sufficiency and each sig
nature will be verified"
Mr.. Mowbray recalled the
city's program for attracting
. new industry. before racial
violence broke out this sum-
; mer, and its plan for having a
University Of Maryland branch
established in Cambridge.
But" he said, II think rea-
sonable men and women will
agree that it hardly seems
likely that Cambridge will
realize its potential of becom-
ing a center Of industry and
learning If we are beset with
racial strife for years to
come"
Registration Campaign
A determined segregationiSt
campaign has jumped the num-
Der Of registered white voters
from 2,520 to 1925 within the
last two weeks. During the
same period, the number Of
registered colored voters has
risen only from /, 181 to 1924.
Businessmen who support the
amendment "as the only alter
native to disaster" think they
can deliver at least 1000 white
votes for 1t. They believe that
to win, they must collect an
equal number from the colored
community.
However, Mrs. Gloria Richs
ardson, chairman of the Cam
bridge Non Violent Action
Committee, said yesterday that
the Negro leadership "tenta-
lively" has decided not to cam
paign in its behalf.
From what I can gather on
the streets, our people do not
want to be put in the position
Of having TO vote on q right
that already should be theirs"
she said.
Predicts Defeat
Advised Of the petitions and
registration figures, Mrs. Rich
ardson predicted defeat Of the
amendment.
However. she said that "un-
less everything goes to pot in
the meantime" Negroes will
not resume street demonstra-
tons until after the referen-
dunn, the date for which has
not been fixed.
| Asked what they would do II
the amendment Is defeated. she
replied:
IT should hope that the BIZ
racial commission and the
mayor and the city council
would have an alternate plan.
Barring an alternate plan. I
think 1t is perfectly obvious.
Demonstrations will resume"
Under pressure from Attor-
ney General Kennedy. Mrs.
! Richardson on July 20 agreed
to temporary truce.