St. Paul recorder., 1963-09-26
ShuffIeSWorfh-Connor
Duel SfdrfS
All Over Aooin


ing Leander Perez and tenacious
James w. Farmer, executive direc-
tor of CORE.
In this respect it's Birmingham
all over again. In the Alabama
steel city, the struggle was be,
tween Eugene Bull" Connor and
Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.
Shuttlesworth, with the aid Of
DR.. Martin Luther King, emerged
triumphant.
Perez, an archaic hangover Of
the Huey Long era, represents a
South long dead.
Farmer, executive director Of
militant CORE, Is the embodiment
of new Negro unknown 10 Perez.
In his three country political
Kingdom, Perez is mdisputable
boss. His word is law. He's wealthy
and his political ties reach far and
wide throughout the state and
region
This aging vestige Of the South's
plantation era has met with very
few setbaclIs in his life. The most
notable came only few years ago
when Catholic Archbishop RummeI
of New Orleans communicated
Perez, staunch, Catholic for his
open definance Of a decision to
desegregate Catholic schools.
Though stung by the action,
Perez has still relentIessly pur-
sued his effort to keep Negroes
in a state of modern bondage.
The contest between the two is
so important to Farmer that he
passed up an opportunity 10 par
ticipate in the massive March on
Washington Aug. % which he
helped organize.
From a Jail cell here, he sent
a written message that was read
to the 10000 persons assembled
at the Lincoln monument in the
nations capital.
Farmer evidently feels that if he
can break down the barriers
against the Negro in this back
ward town of 10000 on the edge of
the Mississippi River across from
Baton Rouge, the state capital, he
will have broken the bottleneck on
civil rights for the whole state
and even parts of adjacent Miss
issippi.
This town, ON Farmers de-
cisiOn, has become the state
headquarters for CORE and he
plans voter registration drives
throughout the region.
In announcing the plans, Farm
er predicted that there may be
20 Plaquemines in Louisiana with
in the next month"
Voter registration drives will be-
gin in East and West Feliciana,
two northern parishes, pr counties,
which border the state of Miss
issippi.
In West Feliciana, where Ne
grOes outnumber whites 2 to 1,
no Negroes are registered.
Another registration campaign
is scheduled for late September in
two southeastern parishes, St.
Bernard and Plaquemines, the lat
ter the political stronghold Of
Perez.
The city Of Plaquenine is in
TberWHe Parish, on the West side
of Mississippi, Is miles from Ba-
ton Rouge. PIaquemines Parish is
south of New Orleans, about 10
miles away.
Farmer said demonstrations
would resume here soon but he de-
clined to say what form they would
take.
He said Negro leaders such as
DIR. Martin Luther King, singer
Lena Horne, ex-baseball great
Jackie Robinson, and comedian
Dick Gregory had agreed to come
to this city where half the popula-
tion Is Negro.
About 400 persons have been
arrested here since the start of
demonstrations a month ago.
Farmer, was convicted last
week on charges Of disturbing
the peace and Obstructing street
and sidewalks.
Each of the two convictions car
ries a sentence Of 800 fine or 80
days in jail.
Other charges brought against
Farmer, including incfting to riot,
where dropped at the recommend
alton of city attorney.
Farmer, freed on $500 bail, said
he would appeal the verdict in
United States District Court.
Farmer said he would return to
Paaquemine Sept. 9, from New