St. Paul recorder., 1963-01-24

for celebrations planned thrOug
While, on the other hand,
the nation asunder and put br,
against father, the Civil War Cen
tennial Commission, established in
1858, has been granted 100000
per year (until 1861 to celebrate
and recreate battles which nearly
destroyed the nation.
The end result of this ironic sit
uation is that it is bringing in
creased embarrassment to the
Kennedy Administration which has
committed the Federal Government
to participating fully in the En-
ancipation Proclamation centenni-
al celebration-but with no money.
Consequently, the predicament-
which would be comic if it were
not tragic-has placed the United
States government in the unbe-
ievable position of supporting two
national celebrations which be-
cause of blunders and conflicts OF
interest" can only result in divid.
ing the nation more and pouring
salt into old wounds which time
had been healing.
Responsibility for the Fedora,
Governments participation in EN-
ancipation Proclamation ceremon'
les was delegated to the Presi'
dents Civil Rights Commission
following a purported agree
ment" between the Civil Wal
Commission and the Civil Rights
Commission last March.
DIR. James 1. Robertson, exec
utive director Of the Civil War
Centennial Commission said the
agreement" was reached fol-
lowing a meeting Of both COM
missions, along with special ad-
ViSerS to the President.
Originally, the Emancipation
Proclamation centennial program
was a part Of the Civil War Cen.
tennial commission and was in
cluded in the yearly 500, 900 bud
get appropriated by Congress, ac-
cording to informants here.
But following disclosure Of the
possibility of conflicts of inter-
est" the President asked the Civil
Rights commission to formulate a
national program for the Eman-
cipation Proclamation activities.
It was disclosed also that the
President asked the budget direc-
tor to provide funds for this pur-
pose, but was turned down be-
cause the director said funds for
federal participation were already
included in the budget of the Civil
War Centennial commission.
DIR. Robertson denies this,
stating he was not aware Of any
particular set of funds being
allOcated for the Emancipation
Proclamation activities.
He said the agreement provided
for the Civil War Centennial com.
mission to plan ceremonies com.
memorating Sept. %, the date
Abraham Lincoln issued the pre-.
liminary Emancipation Proclama.
ton and declared it would become
effective Jan. 1, 1868.
1t was this celebration which
occurred here in Washington, Sept
%, 1862, which created a storm
here in Washington when Negro
leaders here charged they had been
snubbed.
Subsequently, Judge ThurgOOd
Marshall was added as a speaker.
on the program which originally
had noted gospel singer Mahalia
jackson as Its only Negro par
ticipant. The program was held
on the steps Of the Lincoln
Memorial.
Negro Congressmna Charlie
Diggs (D-Mich.), when asked by
AMP why he and other Negro
and liberal congressman had not
attempted to get funds for the
Civil Rights Commission Eman,
cipation Proclamation activities
said he would begin an invesdga-
ton Of the matter.
The Congressman said he and
Senator Hubert H. Humphrey ID
Mimi had introduced such bills
in both Houses in past years, but
they never got out Of southern
naynncv,at cny,fTollad committees