Evening star., 1963-05-12
BY CHARLES BARTLETT
Star Special Writer

The agitation in Birmingham
has afforded the Nation a
graphic lesson in the extent to
which control Of the Negroes
drive for equality has slipped
into impatient hands that are
more concerned with dramatic
impact than the logic of timing.
The need for mass demon
strations might not have been
totally averted If the Negroes
in Birmingham had waited for
the new city administration
under Mayor Albert Boutwell,
to assume authority. But the
nature Of the new officials
makes 1t certain that the con-
frontation would have been
considerably less unpleasant.
The April 2 election In Bir-
mingham was a revolution in
itself more significant than any
change likely to develop from
the demonstrations. An aroused
citizenry, abetted by q trans
portation strike which kept
many Of the poorer and more
embittered whites from the
polls, swept the redneck city
hierarchy led by Police Com
missioner Eugene (BulD Con-
nor out Of power. Transitional
forces anxious for a new and
better day In Birmingham had
at last gained the ascendancy.
Martin Luther King moved
into Birmingham on the eve of
this new era with the obvious
purpose Of pitting himself
against the old order before 1t
disappeared from view. He
could count on Commissioner
Connor's being even more
stubborn and defiant as a lame
duck than he had been as a
well-entrenched official.
King Won Mob Emotion
Mr.. King did not have the
support Of the Negro leadership
in Birmingham in this timing.
He involved the older genera
ton by attracting the impa-
tient young and the crowds
which assembled to cheer him
in the early stages were marked
by a heavy proportion of
youngsters below II. But as
the kids became active in the
mobs and the fever rose, their
parents were inevitably drawn
into action.
The circumstances behind
Mr.. Kings motivation in this
timing derive from a competi-
tive struggle for the leadership
Of the Negroes equality move
ment. Only "a and q national
figure, Mr.. King has gained
his stature and support from
crisis and he must have crisis
to sustain them. He had two
recent failures In Albany, Ca,
and Mississippi and his money
supply. heavily dependent upon
Nelson Rockefeller and New
York support, had dwindled. At
all costs he must maintain his
image as q striking force and
while still engaged in Birming-
ham, his strategists are report
edly planning a similar foray
into jackson, Miss.
The younger generation Of
Negroes, like all younger gen.
erations obsessed by q cause,
is impatient. This impatience
is heightened by an awareness
that while the Negro has been
making important gains on the
legal and social front, he has
been losing ground In his quest
for economic enhancement. Un-
employment hits hardest at
Negroes, the gap between white
and Negro earnings has been
widening, and an estimated so
per cent Of unskilled Negroes
have been unemployed for sub
stantial periods since 1858.
Moderate Negroes Derided
A number Of groups are
struggling to ride the wave Of
this impatience Mr.. King and
his Southern leadership Con-
ference, James Farmer and his
Congress on Racial Equality,
the Student Non-violent Co-or-
dinating Committee, Malcolm x
and his Black Muslims. Each
group is vying with the other
and the atmosphere is acer-
bated by opportunists like Adam
Clayton Powell. Moderates are
derided as uncle Toms" at a
time when most Negroes would
rather be called a Communist
than an Uncle Tom.
The quickening mood was re-
Elected at Mayor Wagner's
sympathy rally in New York on
Wednesday. Roy wilkins Of
the NAACP. o level-headed fig
ure whose organization has