Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-19
Assert Authority
OF 18th Amendment

In order to achieve O more |
orderly and consistent compli.
ance with the Supreme Courts
school and college desegrega.
ton decisions, therefore. I rec
ommend that the Congress as
sert It's specific constitutional
authority to implement the
Fourteenth Amendment by in
GLIDING In the Civil Rights Act
Of 1863 O new title providing
the following:
A. Authority would be given
the Attorney General to ini-
tate In the Federal District
Courts appropriate legal pro-
ceedings against local public
school boards or public insti-
buttons of higher learning-or
to intervene In existing cases
whenever fE
Cd He has received q writ
ten complaint from students or
from the parents Of students
who are being denied equal
protection of the laws by a
segregated public school or col
lege: and
(2) He certifies that such
persons are unable to UNDER
take or otherwise arrange for
the initiation and maintenance
Of such legal proceedings for
lack Of financial means or ef-
fective legal representation or
for fear Of economic or other
injury; and
80 He determines that his
initiation of or Intervention in
such suit will materially fur.
Their the orderly progress Of
desegregation in public educa-
ton. For this purpose, the At
torney General would establish
criteria to determine the prior
ity and relative need for Fed
eral action in those districts
from which complaints have
been filed.
B. AS previously recon-
mended. technical and finan-
cial assistance would be given
to those school districts in all
parts Of the country which.
voluntarily or as the result of
litigation, are engaged In the
process Of meeting the educa.
tional problems flowing from
desegregation or racial Inn
balance but which are in need
OF guidance, experienced help
or financial assistance In order
to train their personnel for
this changeover. cope with new
difficulties and complete the
job satisfactorily INCLUDING in
such assistance loans TO a dis.
trict where state or local funds
have been withdrawn or with
held because Of desegreeation) i.
Public institutions already
operating without racial dis
elimination, Of course, will not
be affected By this statute.
Local action can always make
Federal action unnecessary.
Many school boards have peace
fully and voluntarily desegre-
gated In recent years. And
while this act does not include
private colleges and SCHOOLS, ]
strongly urge them TO live up
10 their responsibilities and 10
recognize no arbitrary bar Of
race or eolor-for such bars
have no place in any institu-
ton. least OF all one devoted
10 the truth and 10 the i'm.
proven1ent Of all mankind.
III. FAIR AND FULL
EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment falls with
special cruelty on minority
groups. The unemployment rate
OF Negro workers Is more than
twice as high as that Of the
working force as a whole. In
many Of our larger cities, both
North and South, the number
OF jobless Negro youth--often
20 per cent or more-creates
an atmosphere OF Illustration.
resentment and unrest which
does not bode well for the flu
ture. Delinquency. vandalism,
gang warfare. disease. slums
and the high cost Of public
welfare and crime are all d.
rectly related 10 unemployment
among whites and Negroes
alike--and recent labor diff.
culties In Philadelphia may
well be only the beginning II