Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-08

nighttime bombings in the
last is years, had becom e
known as the citadel of resis-
lance to racial change in the
South.
Recently, though, there was
considerable evidence that Bir-
mingham, the steel center of
the South and Alabama's big
gest city, was making real pro-
greSs toward a peaceful settle
ment of its racial troubles,
which erupte d full-scale last
spring.
Eugene Bull" Conner, for
mer police commissioner who
was the real political boss at
City Hall, was out of office. A
Shaky agreement negotiated by
business leaders and Negroes to
end the freedom demonStra-
tionS which filled Birmingham
jails last April and May was
beginning to get some solid I'M
d erpinning. The new City
Council and the new Mayor
had Just set up a bi-r acial
com mittee to work on city
problems, something the old
regime had consistently refused
to do.
Facilities Integrate
Lunch counters and other
facilities in downtown depart
ment stores had been desegre-
gated according to terms of the
agreement. A few Negroes had
been upgraded in jobs.
The white and colored signs
over rest rooms and drinking
fountains at City Hall were still
up, but city-owned golf courses
had been opened on a desegre-
gated basis.
For the first time in months,
downtown merchants were re-
porting business was getting
back to normal.
Despite Wednesday nights
violence, Birmingham does not
appear nearly as tense today as
it was last spring. Most COM
leaders, white and Ne
gro, feel that if Birmingham
can get by the school desegre-
cation crisis without much
further disturbance, the city
will be able to continue pro-
greSs toward a permanent ra-
cial peace.
The Mayor, City Council and
School Board have pledged to
carry out the school desegrega-
ton orders of the Federal court
peacefully, even though reluc-
family.
Before desegregation was
scheduled at three city schools,
various m m b ers of the city
government issued statments
and made television and radio
appearances to condition the
public to accept the develop
ment calmly.
Whether city officials get a
chance to try it on their own
may depend largely on whether
Gov. Wallace lets them.
A member of the city admin
istration privately called Gov.
Wallace a "power-hungry and
dangerous man."
People like Mr.. ENGLAND
there are substantial numbers
Of them-lay the blame for last
weeks disorders at Gov. Wal
lace's door.
Il am convinced" said Mr..
that If the Governor
had kept his private army out
Of Birmingham, desegregation
of the schools would have gone
smoothly"
Reject Outside Help
Local police officials, the
and City Council have
told the Governor they don't
need outside help in keeping
order in Birmingham.
Even with the city's previous
reputation for resistance, and
with whatever encouragement
they may have had from the
Governors actions, the die
hard segregationists were able
to muster only about 200 for
their anti-integration demon
S STATIONS when the schools
opened Mon day, and a local
official called them "rowdies.
That is not to say that a ma
jority of Birmingham's white
residents, perhaps nearly all of
them, would not prefer segre-
cation. But conversations
with people in the street indi-
cate it is highly doubtful that a
majority prefers no schools to
integrated ones. Certainly most
Of them don't want further vi
olence.
On school indignation, the
clothing store owner and the
waitress expressed the con-
trasting views.
sheer IdiOcy"
The businessman, father of
seven, a conservative. a segre-
gationist who thinks Negroes
are showing ignorance for
wanting to go where they're
not wanted, said, nevertheless.