Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-12-26

of it.
The Commission report stated
that these are the sad facts of life
concerning the Negro in this coun.
try.
In 100 counties in eight southern
states surveyed in 1856, only five
percent of Negroes of voting age
could vote.
Today, after the passage of two
civil rights acts and the bringing
of some SO voting rights suits by
the Department of Justice, Negro
registration in these counties has
risen to no more than 8.3 per cent
Today, 10 years after the Su-
preme Court said school segrega.
ton was Illegal, Negro school chill
dren attend segregated schools In
all parts of the nation.
The report points out that for
the school year of 1962-63, Ne
groes are attending formerly all
white schools in less than 1000 of
the 5000 school districts in the
Southern and Border states with
both Negro and white school-age
populations. It adds:
with few exceptions, truly vol
UNFAIRLY desegregation has been
rare. Where desegregation has oc-
CURED the typical pattern has been
'tokenism' and the action taken
has either followed a court order
or has been precipitated by pend
ing or threatened litigation"
The report emphasizes that al
though the Federal government has
spent millions in job-generating
programs, out Of 10 Negroes EN-.
ployed as a result of these pro
grams were hired as laborers.
And in the nationwide technic
ian training programs, the report
states "only 80 percent Of al
trainees were Negroes (as com
pared to 20.5 percent in the Fed
eral job-generating programs)."
After investigation, the Commits
sion concluded also that the ad
ministration of justice has rarely
been equal when it came to Ne
groes and that the constitutional
rights of protest demonstrators ir
Birmingham, Baton Rouge, Jack.
son and Memphis had been violated
by state and local officials.
It came as no surprise to Ne
groes to hear the Commission say
Professors in these cities were
arrested for seeking to use public
ly owned or operated facilities
The Supreme Court has consistent
ly held that State and local gov
ernments may not segregate such
facilities"
'"The Commissions study o.
health facilities and services re-
vealed that institutions in every
section of the country discrimin
ate against Negro patients anc
physicians.
Discrimination ranges from
total exclusion or separate facil
tiles to segregated accommodation
within the same facility"
The Commission was not loatht
to point out that the Federal gov
ernment, through the Halliburton
program, has - and Is - paying
for this segregation to the tune Of
some 81 billions.
The situation is hardly any bet
ter in the area Of housing, in spite
of the Presidents Housing Execu
tive Order of Nov. 20, 1862 which
covers only FILA and VAInsurec
mortgages latter that date), bu'
failed to include conventional mort
gage activities Of federally assist
ed lenders.
The Commission report finally
noted, unfortunately for the Negro
that the racial issue us too fraugh
with moral implications to be cap
able of exclusively legal solutions.
One Washington wspapel
thought this to be a striking revel
alton by the Commission, adding
I'VE think this is profoundly right
The problem presents a challenge
to the religious and educationa
and civic leaders of the American
people.
TT" the papers editorial con
tinues, ''is a problem that can b.
solved only through an awakening
Of the American conscience. Thii
Is the supreme task Of leadership.